Members tim_7string Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 How many bands have you been in up to now? Some people like to proudly proclaim that they have only been in four or five bands over the course of their lifetime, while others exceed the 20+ mark. Very rarely, there are guys who have been in the same band for many, many years (we're talking decades here). I'm more in the 20+ camp. It could be viewed as a bad thing, but I actually treasure the years of experience I gained from all of those situations. I don't think I would be quite the same musician and vocalist that I am today if I would have been in only one or two bands over the past 26+ years since I started playing live in 1986. I've been a keyboardist, a drummer, a lead vocalist/frontman, a rhythm guitarist/keyboardist, a bassist/keyboardist, a lead guitarist, a lead vocalist/rhythm guitarist, a lead vocalist/lead guitarist, and a lead guitarist/keyboardist. At this point in my life, I am now settled down as a lead vocalist/lead guitarist and that's the job I've been doing the most over my 'career' as a gigging musician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Oh geez. I'd guess 15 - 20ish... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted August 23, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 I forgot that I could make polls. Oops. Oh well, responses are cool enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EightString Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 I've been playing in bands regularly since I was a kid of 12 or 13, so I've lost count. Plus, there have been times I was in up to 3 working bands at one time. It's all a blur, man... it's all a blur. But other than fill in work as a singer, I've been almost exclusively a solo guy since 2005. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Hmmmm... Since I first started playing in 1976.... Six that I consider "Real" bands that really got off the ground and did some work. Two of those morphed into somewhat different bands with different names, but I consider those transitions to still be one band. 3 or 4 other bands that never really got off the ground. Either played only a couple of gigs or none at all. And one duo. And numerous sit-in and fill-in gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members delaware dave Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Oh geez. I'd guess 15 - 20ish... +1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 I'm more in the 20+ camp. ...over the past 26+ years... Wow. I'm glad that's worked for you, but I would have committed suicide I think! Starting up a band is the hardest part and it takes a minimum of a year, IME, to get a band tight and in a position to really start making some inroads. That just sounds like never-ending frustration to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members modulusman Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Six since I started playing in 1977. My main band right now I was an original member since 95. Three of us have been together for 10 or more years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members modulusman Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Wow. I'm glad that's worked for you, but I would have committed suicide I think! Starting up a band is the hardest part and it takes a minimum of a year, IME, to get a band tight and in a position to really start making some inroads.That just sounds like never-ending frustration to me. Yeah IME it takes at least a couple of years to start getting good gigs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Old Fart Rocker Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Since my first band back in 1978, I would say I've been in 7 bands. Like David pointed out, a couple of those bands changed personnel and names but were basically the same band. I'm the only original member of my current rock band. I've been in that band for 11 years. Even though we've changed names and players it still feels like the same band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members New Trail Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 You guys are pikers. I was in 5 bands at the same time for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members modulusman Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 I guess I should say i have been in 7 bands instead of 6 since I'm playing in two right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Leftcoast123 Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Funny how the number 7 is coming up so many times. New house band project for this winter will be (by my count) my #7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kmart Posted August 23, 2012 Members Share Posted August 23, 2012 Playing out since '85, had a coule runs where I was in 2 bands at the same time... I'd say 14 or 15 that actually gigged and got decent shows, etc.Another half dozen that never got past side-project for kicks.And over the past few years, a couple that are purely fill-in deals where I am not actually IN the band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mstreck Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 As many licks as it takes the owl to get to the center of the tootsie pop... [video=youtube;Jhjb4P_jnKk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jhjb4P_jnKk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Leftcoast123 Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Now that's out of left field....love it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 I assume solo doesn't count as a band? ok, since '74... Solotwo duosand 6 main bands, but the last 3 were pretty much a continuation of a single band with a name change and occasional member changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sirfun Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 '76-80 I was in a high school buddy band that lasted til 81 after I quit. We have had reunions ever since. '80-99 worked mainly in 1 band. '99-2010 worked with basically the 1st 10 year incarnation of the 80-99 band. last few years I'm back with the high school buds-GOOD TIMES !! I'm leaving a lot out but that is basically it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 3 - R&B bands1 - country / rock bandI - latin rock band5 - rock bands There's probably more in there that I don't remember. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Since 19882-Original bands2- cover bands1-tribute Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tlbonehead Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Since 19882-Original bands2- cover bands1-tributedo you still write? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members capitalist Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Six, the number is six. Not five or seven, but six bands total so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chicken Monkey Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Less than five functioning bands, about the same number of false starts. Always one at a time, and usually with a year or two in between, as I usually quit a band on account of a life change--new job, big move, starting school, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 do you still write? These days... not so much. I just simply don't have the time. I was never a good lyricist and I work better when collaborating then trying to construct songs via a melody in my head. Since I'm not a singer either it's hard for me to think about what someone else would sing. But.... I've been composing my own instrumental tracks for over a decade now. Ambient soundtracks. It's an outlet... much like writing poetry or journal writing. It's made for my pure expression not really for the purpose of me marketing it to other listeners. Someday when I'm not burning the candle at both ends between my job and band I'll probably sit down and re-compose some of the ideas I've had over the years. My material is ambient electronic/progressive. I love layering and composing tracks. Which is why I probably LOVE playing 2nd keyboards in the band. I'm like the powdered sugar on top of the cake. That 3rd and 4th hand I wished I had when covering songs... parts I simply couldn't reach. The other guy holds down the main riffs while I really work the other parts in the arrangement you don't always recognize but certainly fill in the song. So performing covers in that method satisfies that 'itch' I have playing live. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceNorman Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 I've been doing the band thing for roughly 30 years. By my count - I've been in roughly 13 bands bands. Of that dozen - 5 bands gigged regularly for 2 or more years (2 years, 3 years, 4 years, 7 years and 8 years). The other 8 all did some gigging - but never hit a second anniversary. Add another dozen or so groups that I wasn't a "member" of - but have done at least some sub gigs with. Collectively I put my gig count somewhere around the 2,000 nights on stage count. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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