The ebb and flow of a gigging musician

[FitchFY]

I recently have been chatting with an old band mate from afar. He moved down to the Carolinas, but we always joked that I was a band whore… which I am. I love to play! So he said today “so what have you been doing since the old band broke up for gigs?” I sent him the below and can’t help but chuckle.

 

I bet many people on this forum have time frames like the below and don’t bat an eye lash at it. Some folk just want that one band, but others really enjoy playing in different combos… I’m somewhere between, but when I put the timeline on paper, it made me laugh. I wonder what will happen in May?

 

May 2010 – Playing with Griffon and Head First, join Zagnutt

Dec 2010 – Leave Griffon (move on)

Aug 2011 – Join Ruckus

Dec 2011 – Leave Zagnutt (move on)

Jan 2012 – Form Boom Stick

Mar 2012 – Leave Ruckus (no gigs)

Oct 2012 – Sub for Griffon

Nov 2012 – Sub for Defdealer

Dec 2012 – Sub for Griffon

Dec 2012 – Head First ends

Dec 2012 – Form Souldiers

Apr 2013 – Fire Boom Stick singer (unhappy)

Apr 2013 – Sub for Ward Eights

May 2013 – New Boom Stick singer

Jun 2013 – Join SpitShine

Aug 2013 – SpitShine ends

Sep 2013 – Join Zerodrift

Oct 2013 – Leave Zerodrift (no gigs for $$$)

Feb 2014 – Join Audio Nation

Feb 2014 – New Souldiers guitarist

Apr 2014 – Souldiers ends (no gigs)

Apr 2014 – Join 4Real

 

[wheresgrant3]

This was a mix of cover and original projects right? Griffon was an original project right?

 

Well one thing can be said... you are a good guy to call when someone needs a replacement fast!

[FitchFY]

This was a mix of cover and original projects right? Griffon was an original project right?

 

Yes, Griffon, Zagnutt, and Boom Stick are/were original bands. Everything else was covers. And thanks for the compliment! I do love learning a bunch of tunes and filling in for a band on little notice. Most of my sub gigs are less than two weeks' notice. It's a pleasant challenge!

 

 

[nchangin]

Nothing can satisfy the insatiable need for a drummer to drum, and drum and drum and drum.....heh.

[WynnD]

Ebb and Flow? Been experiencing the Ebb right now. Bassist has heart attack at rehearsal, Replacement bassist just got out of the hospital from a pulmonary embolism, Guitarist quits to avoid bassist auditions, Bring in guitarist who now has a drinking problem....... Got two gigs next weekend and I don't see a way to do them. I feel like screaming!!!!!!!!!!!

[1001gear]

There used to be a Musician's Referral service in the 70s and somehow I got on their list. I refused to respond. Bands are like trying to put together a harem. If you have or are in a good one, lucky you.

[StratGuy22]

Ebb and Flow? Been experiencing the Ebb right now. Bassist has heart attack at rehearsal' date=' Replacement bassist just got out of the hospital from a pulmonary embolism, Guitarist quits to avoid bassist auditions, Bring in guitarist who now has a drinking problem....... Got two gigs next weekend and I don't see a way to do them. I feel like screaming!!!!!!!!!!![/quote'] Can the other guitarist cone back now that bass auditions are done?

[Vito Corleone]

I've done a few fill-ins and hired-gun gigs here and there and had my share of short-lived projects (for whatever reason) like everyone else has, but yeah....I'm much more a "that one band" kinda dude. 35 years of gigging and 20 of those have been spent with 2 bands. I'm not much for 'playing the field' I guess....

[modulusman]

I've done a few fill-ins and hired-gun gigs here and there and had my share of short-lived projects (for whatever reason) like everyone else has' date=' but yeah....I'm much more a "that one band" kinda dude. 35 years of gigging and 20 of those have been spent with 2 bands. I'm not much for 'playing the field' I guess....[/quote']

Same here. My main band I was an original member and this will be my 19th year. I have been playing with another band for about 3 years now. I started a band in 1987 that lasted until 95.

[StratGuy22]

Yeah in not much for covering or sitting in for someone else. I could do it but I don't.

[RoadRanger]

Ebb and Flow? Been experiencing the Ebb right now. Bassist has heart attack at rehearsal' date=' Replacement bassist just got out of the hospital from a pulmonary embolism, Guitarist quits to avoid bassist auditions, Bring in guitarist who now has a drinking problem....... Got two gigs next weekend and I don't see a way to do them. I feel like screaming!!!!!!!!!!![/quote']Bummer .

 

[Vito Corleone]

Been experiencing the Ebb right now.

 

[SbrickwallS]

That is quiet the list FitchFY! I do like staying busy myself, as long as it remains fun in each band. I'm currently gigging with 3 different bands, all with completely different personnel. It keeps things fresh but can def be a logistics nightmare at times. lol

[TIMKEYS]

Things are in a slow down for me. Just doing one night a week with the side project on a standing tue night show. The songwriter band is on extended break. It would not bother me if I could just do this all summer. It would be the first time since I moved here where I have my weekends free. I am enjoying the down time and being able to just focus on the one project. Its the off season now till the kids get out of school down here at the beach. Its a good time to add new material , video some shows and take a good look what things look like from the crowd side of the stage and fine tune things. The last video we shot was a year ago when we first put the act together,,, I am happy with how things are coming along after a year doing a tue night show.

[1001gear]

I have this notion that Berklee country is crawling with super keyboarders.

[FitchFY]

 

May 2010 – Playing with Griffon and Head First, join Zagnutt

Dec 2010 – Leave Griffon (move on)

Aug 2011 – Join Ruckus

Dec 2011 – Leave Zagnutt (move on)

Jan 2012 – Form Boom Stick

Mar 2012 – Leave Ruckus (no gigs)

Oct 2012 – Sub for Griffon

Nov 2012 – Sub for Defdealer

Dec 2012 – Sub for Griffon

Dec 2012 – Head First ends

Dec 2012 – Form Souldiers

Apr 2013 – Fire Boom Stick singer (unhappy)

Apr 2013 – Sub for Ward Eights

May 2013 – New Boom Stick singer

Jun 2013 – Join SpitShine

Aug 2013 – SpitShine ends

Sep 2013 – Join Zerodrift

Oct 2013 – Leave Zerodrift (no gigs for $$$)

Feb 2014 – Join Audio Nation

Feb 2014 – New Souldiers guitarist

Apr 2014 – Souldiers ends (no gigs)

Apr 2014 – Join 4Real

May 2014 - Audio Nation ends

 

SON OF A BI ... three months of preparation and I didn't even get one gig out of it. Being the new guy is awful when a band folds because of pre-existing band drama. What a bummer.

 

On the plus side, 4Real locked down and honest-to-goodness awesome keyboard player - that's like catching a unicorn in Massachusetts!

[FitchFY]

I have this notion that Berklee country is crawling with super keyboarders.

 

 

That would be a misconception. I think there are MANY great piano players from Boston Conservatory and Berklee, but they're going to make far more and stay far busier playing with musicals, orchestra work, and traditional work.

 

To be fair, if your band is cutting edge and offers some creative stuff, you have a much better shot. I can't count the number of experienced musicians I've worked with who don't understand why a keyboard player doesn't want to play pedal tone stuff on a bunch of burned out `80s rock tunes. Baffling to me - that's the drummer equivalent of playing in an AC/DC tribute. Sure, it's fun, but it's the same thing over and over.

[1001gear]

Makes sense in those terms. Reminds me of an Alan Pasqua interview from way back discussing Giant and the do nothing nature of the keyboard spot. What you guys material like?

[FitchFY]

What you guys material like?

 

Boy bands, late `90s/ early `00s hip-hop, a few over the top `80s "epic rock" tunes (Here I Go Again, The Final Countdown), and a handful of modern pop stuff, all delivered by a tight and experienced rock band with a handsome 29-year old guy who can sing high tenor parts and has a ridiculous sense of humor.

 

It's gonna KILL WITH THE HOT LADIES.

 

 

[Opus Antics]

 

 

That would be a misconception. I think there are MANY great piano players from Boston Conservatory and Berklee, but they're going to make far more and stay far busier playing with musicals, orchestra work, and traditional work.

 

To be fair, if your band is cutting edge and offers some creative stuff, you have a much better shot. I can't count the number of experienced musicians I've worked with who don't understand why a keyboard player doesn't want to play pedal tone stuff on a bunch of burned out `80s rock tunes. Baffling to me - that's the drummer equivalent of playing in an AC/DC tribute. Sure, it's fun, but it's the same thing over and over.

 

Yeah, I found the same thing when I was looking for a keyboardist. First, if you aren't in Boston proper, the students aren't going to want to travel. Second, if you're not gigging every weekend for significant dollars, they move on. The primary interest was getting paid as much and as frequently as possible - it didn't even really matter what the band was playing or what the band was about. And I get that. No hard feelings. I just wanted someone that was going to be more personally invested in the band and not in it to make a couple extra bucks until something better came along - which could be like 2 months later.

[1001gear]

 

Boy bands, late `90s/ early `00s hip-hop, a few over the top `80s "epic rock" tunes (Here I Go Again, The Final Countdown), and a handful of modern pop stuff, all delivered by a tight and experienced rock band with a handsome 29-year old guy who can sing high tenor parts and has a ridiculous sense of humor.

 

It's gonna KILL WITH THE HOT LADIES.

 

 

Hair. Might need hair.

[FitchFY]

 

Hair. Might need hair.

 

 

He has GREAT hair.

[wades_keys]

 

Yeah, I found the same thing when I was looking for a keyboardist. First, if you aren't in Boston proper, the students aren't going to want to travel. Second, if you're not gigging every weekend for significant dollars, they move on. The primary interest was getting paid as much and as frequently as possible - it didn't even really matter what the band was playing or what the band was about. And I get that. No hard feelings. I just wanted someone that was going to be more personally invested in the band and not in it to make a couple extra bucks until something better came along - which could be like 2 months later.

Here's the thing with that. When a player decides to make that extra commitment to "playing music for a living", that guy/girl has given up other aspects of life (such as a good paying career) in order to concentrate on music. At that point, money really is everything. Or most of it. Or let's just say: who's got the gas money to put in the tank to go rehearse something that has no gigs in sight? It's just not a workable situation. Personally invested? That IS personally invested: relying on this thing called music to at least give you enough dollars to get you home from the show, get some food in the stomach, etc.....Just sayin' man. I always try to look at both perspectives and I find it somewhat amusing when a band will question someone's "commitment" based on these criteria. Who is more committed to music: the one trying to make a living at it or the one who does it as a hobby?

[wades_keys]

My new band has its faults (hell, they hired me LOL) but I'll say this: I auditioned for them on stage at a gig, and I've played almost every weekend since. No 3 month startup period, no pulling money out of my pocket to go to rehearsals with no payoff in sight, none of that really. So I dunno man. Hell I'm 45 years old. How many songs have I learned and forgotten in 35 years? A lot. And I bet that's true of many people my age. So: why start from scratch? Don't y'all KNOW any tunes? Just a rhetorical question, and I'm not saying I've got it figured out, not by a long shot but it is DAMN frustrating to deal with that mentality - a scared to death mentality that wants to just "get it all right" but acts like the folks have never done this thing before. I just don't get it really. I think some cats just like beating things to death or something. Hell, at this stage I/you/WE should be able to take the stage and play our repertoire without the freaking sit in the basement wait for it to come together type of thing. Makes me wonder if a lot of people just do the paint by numbers thing and really don't understand music: so they want the constant rehearsal to get muscle memory? I dunno....guess I'm rambling now LOL.

[Lee Knight]

Here's the thing with that. When a player decides to make that extra commitment to "playing music for a living", that guy/girl has given up other aspects of life (such as a good paying career) in order to concentrate on music. At that point, money really is everything. Or most of it. Or let's just say: who's got the gas money to put in the tank to go rehearse something that has no gigs in sight? It's just not a workable situation. Personally invested? That IS personally invested: relying on this thing called music to at least give you enough dollars to get you home from the show, get some food in the stomach, etc.....Just sayin' man. I always try to look at both perspectives and I find it somewhat amusing when a band will question someone's "commitment" based on these criteria. Who is more committed to music: the one trying to make a living at it or the one who does it as a hobby?

 

Excellent post.