Members darreno27 Posted December 18, 2010 Members Share Posted December 18, 2010 Every main "solo" act has their backing musicians. How do these people come about getting these kind of gigs? I'm assuming networking and knowing the right people (and being a good musician, of course)? Is there a certain process? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grace_slick Posted December 18, 2010 Members Share Posted December 18, 2010 I know nothing but am bored so here I am - hi! lol Anyway, I think the big people (bands or solo artists, whatever) tend to somehow find their backing people...it takes a HEAP of luck and you have to be SOOO good and accomplished at what you do or you won't cut it and you'll be out. But yeah, you need to be in the right place at the right time with the right skills and then that's just the first step. Once the band people (or their managers or whatever) notice you, then you have to get on with them, have the right work ethic, be really good, fit in with their routines and personalities...and so on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Redsand187 Posted December 18, 2010 Members Share Posted December 18, 2010 A lot of times, with bands, anyone that they bring with them on tour is a good friend. But backing someone like Lady Gaga, typically they hold auditions, and a lot of the them are closed auditions, meaning you must be invited. So networking with the right people in management, record companies and producers helps. The best bet is to do session work for a studio. You can meet a lot of people that way if you are talented and have a decent attitude. John5 started out doing session work for next to nothing. He ended up doing hundreds of sessions because of it. He ultimately met a producer that got him a gig with Lita Ford opening for Kiss, and befriended all the guys in Kiss as a result. His good reputation and recommendations from respected people in the business, teamed with his skill got him on with KD Lang. From there, Rob Halford and Trent Reznor, to David Lee Roth, to Marylin Manson, to Rob Zombie. Plus, now he has a decent career as a solo instrumentalist. Mike Inez is another example. Got in to Ozzy's band on an open call, went to Alice In Chains, Slashes Snakepit, Jerry Cantrell's solo work, Spys4Darwin with Chris Degarmo, Black Label Society, Heart, and back to Alice In Chains. Having the skill isn't really a big deal. You can find great players everywhere. Finding great players that can actually be productive in the business and not a huge pain in the ass, is nearly impossible. That is why you see some of these guys bounce around to all these bands. Anytime they have a free minute, someone is asking them to join their band or go one tour with them. And of course, you have to be in Los Angeles or Nashville if you want to have a shot at networking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted December 18, 2010 Members Share Posted December 18, 2010 What he said. Assuming you can play, sideman gigs are almost always the result of who you know. I once had a shot at an audition for Bonnie Raitt's band back in the early 90s. One of my friends here in town has a sister who is a seamstress in LA and makes and tailors stage clothes for lots of performers, and Bonnie was one of her clients. She told Bonnie about me and she said she'd like to hear me, so she told her brother to have me make a tape and she'd get it to Bonnie. It was a long shot, because I was neither in LA nor knew anyone in her band. The guy who got the gig was a friend of Freebo, the bass player, and ended up playing with her for several years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lp_junkie Posted December 21, 2010 Members Share Posted December 21, 2010 Word of mouth referrals are how I've gotten hired gun gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ronan Murphy Posted December 22, 2010 Members Share Posted December 22, 2010 Plus there are guys in the bigger music industry towns who specialize in putting bands together for artists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlueStrat Posted December 22, 2010 Members Share Posted December 22, 2010 Plus there are guys in the bigger music industry towns who specialize in putting bands together for artists. Yes indeed. My old drummer toured with Ray Charles for a short time and said he never saw him outside the gig. He also said Ray had a keen sense of hearing and would hear something he didn't like and say, right onstage, "Hey, Mr Guitar man (or whoever the offender was), you play it like it's written or go play somewhere else" and would fire them on the spot for a second offense, even in the middle of a show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kramerguy Posted December 30, 2010 Members Share Posted December 30, 2010 I'm a backing guy for a local singer/songwriter - And I'm fairly certain that if she ever "makes it" to a major label deal, I'd be among the first to be dropped. Not that I'm not confident in my skills or personality, but I've had a peek into that world and it wouldn't bode well for the likes of me I'm happy with where I am (although part of me will always yearn for the 10k+ stadium gig!). If I did manage to tag along, I would know that my attitude would be paramount to keeping the gig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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