New Unexpected Contacts Equals Possible new Band Opportunity!

51PRI

51PRI

Aug 7, 2014
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#1
I ran into a couple of guys over the weekend, separately, who are both good musicians, and who I have never played with before, who talked to me about playing with or subbing with them. One has an established band, playing just bar covers, from country to southern rock. He said their bass player has become an alcoholic and asked me if I had any interest in subbing. I said I did.

The other one is not established yet but will be rock covers with an emphasis on unique, although not exclusively deep, covers. He called me today and asked if I was interested in getting something going. He also liked the drummer I was playing with when he saw me/us (who was subbing) so we must have sounded okay to him.

So...possibilities. I'm SO ready to play with some new people, hear some new licks, play with some people who care and want to get it right.
 
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#4
WI Short Scaler said:
With all the issues you've brought up with the present band, seems logical that at least one of these would be a better opportunity.
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Well, one of the guys is a pro, and not just in the sense of making money playing music. He's a local guy but he's played with a national act. And I think they will be pros in the sense of learning the songs at home, getting it right at rehearsal, and putting a show together quickly as well. I also have the feeling that they will be wanting to move pretty quickly too.
 
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#5
If you get out there, people see you and might have a gig for you.
Conversely, if you aren't out there and known to be looking, the offers dwindle.
After deciding to leave a current band, I'm now considering 6 units and I can see me settling on 4 plus a recording project.
So yep, all and nothing..:lol:
 
#8
Just a quick update: I got a call from the guy putting this new band together. He asked me the following questions:
1. What kind of songs did I want to play. I told him I hadn't thought about it but that I was anticipating a list of songs coming from them that would indicate what direction the band would go. I mentioned that it seemed like local bands have a theme...there's an 80's band, a 90's band, a classic rock band, and the band I'm in is blues. I purposely didn't make any recommendation on song choice or direction. I need to see what their direction is before I commit to the band.
2. Did I have any monitors? No, I don't but I do have some EV SX-300's but I wasn't intending to use them in this new band.
3. Did I have a practice space? Well, yes I do but it is very small, cramped, and full of equipment. Or did I know of any place more central?
4. Did I have a bass amp? Yes, I do.
5. Did I have microphones? I told him I have the ones I use for vocals. I have others but they're set up in my practice room more or less permanently ideally.
We also talking about having three sings which has the potential for good harmony vocals. That's about it. He was going to call the drummer to talk to him as well.
 
#9
51PRI said:
I ran into a couple of guys over the weekend, separately, who are both good musicians, and who I have never played with before, who talked to me about playing with or subbing with them. One has an established band, playing just bar covers, from country to southern rock. He said their bass player has become an alcoholic and asked me if I had any interest in subbing. I said I did.

The other one is not established yet but will be rock covers with an emphasis on unique, although not exclusively deep, covers. He called me today and asked if I was interested in getting something going. He also liked the drummer I was playing with when he saw me/us (who was subbing) so we must have sounded okay to him.

So...possibilities. I'm SO ready to play with some new people, hear some new licks, play with some people who care and want to get it right.
Click to expand...

All good. Are asking for advice or just mentioning it?

51PRI said:
Well, one of the guys is a pro, and not just in the sense of making money playing music. He's a local guy but he's played with a national act. And I think they will be pros in the sense of learning the songs at home, getting it right at rehearsal, and putting a show together quickly as well. I also have the feeling that they will be wanting to move pretty quickly too.
Click to expand...

Which guy?

51PRI said:
Just a quick update: I got a call from the guy putting this new band together. He asked me the following questions:
1. What kind of songs did I want to play. I told him I hadn't thought about it but that I was anticipating a list of songs coming from them that would indicate what direction the band would go. I mentioned that it seemed like local bands have a theme...there's an 80's band, a 90's band, a classic rock band, and the band I'm in is blues. I purposely didn't make any recommendation on song choice or direction. I need to see what their direction is before I commit to the band.
2. Did I have any monitors? No, I don't but I do have some EV SX-300's but I wasn't intending to use them in this new band.
3. Did I have a practice space? Well, yes I do but it is very small, cramped, and full of equipment. Or did I know of any place more central?
4. Did I have a bass amp? Yes, I do.
5. Did I have microphones? I told him I have the ones I use for vocals. I have others but they're set up in my practice room more or less permanently ideally.
We also talking about having three sings which has the potential for good harmony vocals. That's about it. He was going to call the drummer to talk to him as well.
Click to expand...

Hmmm. Again, are you asking for advice or just filling us in?
 
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#10
Not sure I'm too knocked out with the latest update questions. Monitors, amp and rehearsal space wouldn't be amongst the first questions I'd want. I want to know about the vision and expectations he had..rather than facilities.
Currently its sounding like he wants another string/band to his bow to stay working and doesn't much care how he fills that hole..??
 
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#11
A couple of recent enquiries have been on the lines of;
1) Strong Band leader, chosen line up and songs already in place. gigged within 3 weeks.
Has promise.
2) Americana project, line up complete as need a replacement bass player. Set list and gigs in 2 weeks of my first rehearsal.

3) Blues based RnB band startup. I know of everyone but not played with most. Final decision on which drummer. Vox and Harp player drawing up a set list. We all get to do what we do...I think it will work..because I know of the players and just hope they pick the right drummer.

4) Blues band project original. Lots of hot air stuff but have recorded with them already. Festival gigs prospecting for 2025.

All the above were sold with a strong direction bar band 3, but since I know what the players are capable of, I'll check it out and see how viable it is.

Everyone is working in other bands, bar the original blues band.

I think you need a strong proposal and hope the band won't just make up the numbers on the circuit.
 
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#12
pepj said:
Not sure I'm too knocked out with the latest update questions. Monitors, amp and rehearsal space wouldn't be amongst the first questions I'd want. I want to know about the vision and expectations he had..rather than facilities.
Currently its sounding like he wants another string/band to his bow to stay working and doesn't much care how he fills that hole..??
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's kinda what I'm thinking. I think I need a little more info about what kind of band it's going to be. With two guitars, bass, drums, and a sax playing lead singer a lot can be covered. But I don't want to be in a blues based I-IV-V guitar battle band. I'm already in one like that. I'm keeping an open mind but I guess i'm looking for a little more vision from them. In my mind all I've committed to, and I haven't even committed verbally to that to them, is one rehearsal/jam/get together (to see if it clicks) and working on the songs picked for that session. And, since I prefer to do songs as much like the record as possible, I want to see how they learn songs, and how prepared they are. Genre and individual songs aside, I want to be in a band with others who want to get stuff RIGHT, and not just jam through it.
 
#13
Pocket Dave said:
... Again, are you asking for advice or just filling us in?
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Just filling folks in, and asking for any thoughts anyone might have.

Here is the first batch of songs for the first get together/jam/rehearsal:
"Soulshine" The Allman Brothers
"Oh Darling" The Beatles
"Something" The Beatles
"Ticket to Rive" The Beatles
"Can't Buy Me Love" The Beatles
"Ziggy Stardust" David Bowie
"White Room" Cream
"Born on the Bayou" CCR
"Take it Easy" Eagles
"Let's Stay Together" Al Green
"Love and Happiness" Al Green
"Rocket Man" Elton John
"Love Train" The O'Jays
"Free Falling" Tom Petty
"Into the Great Wide Open" Tom Petty

Thoughts anyone?
 
#14
51PRI said:
Just filling folks in, and asking for any thoughts anyone might have.

Here is the first batch of songs for the first get together/jam/rehearsal:
"Soulshine" The Allman Brothers
"Oh Darling" The Beatles
"Something" The Beatles
"Ticket to Rive" The Beatles
"Can't Buy Me Love" The Beatles
"Ziggy Stardust" David Bowie
"White Room" Cream
"Born on the Bayou" CCR
"Take it Easy" Eagles
"Let's Stay Together" Al Green
"Love and Happiness" Al Green
"Rocket Man" Elton John
"Love Train" The O'Jays
"Free Falling" Tom Petty
"Into the Great Wide Open" Tom Petty

Thoughts anyone?
Click to expand...

Promising, diverse setlist; IME bands that start out like this generally tighten their focus for better or worse.

BTW Soulshine with a good B3 player, a gospel-groove capable drummer and a tasteful guitar player can be a blast.
 
#15
Pocket Dave said:
Promising, diverse setlist; IME bands that start out like this generally tighten their focus for better or worse.

BTW Soulshine with a good B3 player, a gospel-groove capable drummer and a tasteful guitar player can be a blast.
Click to expand...
"Soulshine" is probably the song I like the least on that list. We play it. I've played it in several bands and I think its a dirge. And this new band project was presented to me as two guitars, bass, drums, and singer who plays sax.
 
#16
51PRI said:
"Soulshine" is probably the song I like the least on that list. We play it. I've played it in several bands and I think its a dirge. And this new band project was presented to me as two guitars, bass, drums, and singer who plays sax.
Click to expand...
I've played it both ways, soulful groove and dirge. A soulful, gospel experienced drummer makes all the difference.

Good B3 player is icing on the cake.
 
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#17
51PRI said:
Yeah, that's kinda what I'm thinking. I think I need a little more info about what kind of band it's going to be. With two guitars, bass, drums, and a sax playing lead singer a lot can be covered. But I don't want to be in a blues based I-IV-V guitar battle band. I'm already in one like that. I'm keeping an open mind but I guess i'm looking for a little more vision from them. In my mind all I've committed to, and I haven't even committed verbally to that to them, is one rehearsal/jam/get together (to see if it clicks) and working on the songs picked for that session. And, since I prefer to do songs as much like the record as possible, I want to see how they learn songs, and how prepared they are. Genre and individual songs aside, I want to be in a band with others who want to get stuff RIGHT, and not just jam through it.
Click to expand...
The answer there will be how much prep, or rehearsal is proposed.

A recent project includes what i would generally call 'standards' but because of the detail the BL goes into...and he has great ears, this is NOT a busking gig even though a vast majority of numbers might be regarded as exactly that, certainly, previously, by me.

So, rehearsals or lack of them are very helpful pointers into what he might not have mentioned so far as to how he sees the band working.
 
#18
Sorry, got to say that set is all over the place, imv.
Whilst I might not reject the offer simply on that set, ...its the get together jam 'set' after all...but my thinking would be its just content to see how much chemisty and what sort of gears the band has..and whether the 'project' has legs.

If i perceived the set to be filler with the least thought and effort going into it...beyond serving its purpose of getting everyone in the room first off, I'd be cooling on the overture.
 
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#19
pepj said:
Sorry, got to say that set is all over the place, imv.
Whilst I might not reject the offer simply on that set, ...its the get together jam 'set' after all...but my thinking would be its just content to see how much chemisty and what sort of gears the band has..and whether the 'project' has legs.

If i perceived the set to be filler with the least thought and effort going into it...beyond serving its purpose of getting everyone in the room first off, I'd be cooling on the overture.
Click to expand...
Yeah, that's kinda where I am. This is just a list to have as a get-together to see if this will work. While I don't hate any of the songs, I don't see a clear direction, either, and, other than "Love Train", which I think will be hard to cover without horns and chick singers, there's nothing danceable there, either. Maybe it's a bunch of songs that they knew already. Two of the guys were in a duo for a while.

The other thing is...I play bass in the band I'm in now but I also play guitar and my perfect scenario would be to be in a band where I can play guitar rather than be in two bands playing bass.
 
#20
The way I've done this recently has been learn about 50 songs. Thats a lot of work as they arent buskers. I was not up to speed first time round...the others had many weeks head start, but i did enough to get a second crack.
That laid the foundation for the 2nd outfit the gtr had..hence 50 odd songs.
So there needs to be a balance between what you need to find out how the band gels, and how much work/prep you can cram to make it a useful excercise.

Both the above bands have already passed me a total of 7 new songs and I've only done 2 gigs with one unit, and 1 with the other.
So yep, thats a bit much, but if i had to choose between that way of working and 'filler' I'm bailing on the Filler band before its even started.

I would have to ask your guys straight out that that isnt a gigging set, is it?
But thats just the way i see it...YMMV.
 
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