Members Vito Corleone Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Collectively I put my gig count somewhere around the 2,000 nights on stage count. And really---you don't look a day over 1,800 nights on stage... :poke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted August 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 24, 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. Boy, that seems like a severe over-reaction to me! But you're obviously a different person than I. I should clarify that many of the 20+ bands were one-offs, fill-ins and otherwise didn't last long for various reasons. For example, the band I played drums in was simply a band to kill time over the Christmas vacation for the bass player and the guitarist/vocalist, who were both attending college at the time (I was a working stiff). We practiced every night from 6-10pm and played three one-nighters over a three-week period. It was fun, but we all knew it wasn't going to last, nor did we expect it to. And with other bands, I knew after a while this was not the group I wanted to play in for the rest of my life. I used to look for bands on a music-only basis, which resulted in clashing personalities. Now I do the opposite, looking for musicians that have complimentary personalities to everyone else and also happen to be decent at their instrument. It took me a while to realize this, which is why there are many bands in my past. Besides that, the selection of musicians in the area I lived in for many years was quite limited. There were some excellent players and some average to poor players. After a while, I got sick of what was available and decided to move a couple of times. When I moved to Grand Forks, I found the selection of gigging musicians was much better. It seemed more diverse and the attitudes were more professional. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SeniorBlues Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Starting in '64 . . . . six. None of them recent . . . . I'm not counting bands that fizzled after a few rehearsals or even a few gigs. Maybe the current one will be able to sustain itself . . . . Hope springs eternal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FitchFY Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 I've been in 8 bands and have gigged/ recorded/ sessioned with 11 more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yer Blues Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Not counting "garage bands" or bands that never left someones house, three since I have been of age in 2001 and one before that with a buddies dad who played community events and parties. One in school that was a "dad rock" band. I probably should have played with younger guys and enjoyed the "spoils", but whatever. After that I moved for a job and took 2-3 years off from bands until I moved again. Hooked up with two bands since then (2009). One for about a year that was a pain in the rear, but it lead to another band (the last band). But, in the last year that band sort of fizzled out. Everyone in that group was cool though and a great musician, but no one had business sense to take it to the next level. I'm not really looking now, but I think I'd prefer to play in an original band vs. cover band which is kind of opposite... most guys play originals when they are young and then get into cover bands. Most of the cover band stuff doesn't really excite me at this point, but I definitely enjoy playing the gigs. I've got a few music buddies who I'd love to do the original thing with, but they all live hours away so it's not really practical. I started acquiring some decent PA stuff so I could probably string together one of those $200bands everyone despises and just rip into some Sabbath, Cream, Hendrix, Gov't Mule, Jeff Beck Group stuff no one would want to hear.... or maybe do more modern pop stuff in that style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Boy, that seems like a severe over-reaction to me! But you're obviously a different person than I. Yeah, I'm a very stick-to-it type of person. I don't jump into things without having taken the time to make sure it's something I really want to do, and then when I make the leap I don't quit easily. So I haven't been in that many bands, haven't had that many jobs, and still married to the first wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yer Blues Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 I think it the numbers may have something to do with whether or not you are a band leader. If you are a band leader you're likely going to stick with one band to make it work. If you are not you're more likely to jump around or commit to multiple things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members melvinspeed Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Hmmm... Since '84... 8 bands. Admittedly, that includes a 15 year layoff to raise my kid. Priorities and all... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tucktronix Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Since 1991, 16 bands altogether, 2 of them are original bands that I've recorded with, 1 that I wrote material for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Lee Knight Posted August 24, 2012 Moderators Share Posted August 24, 2012 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MikeyParent Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Late bloomer here - 2 that actually got paid to play. A half dozen or so "garage bands" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dave drums Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 I have been gigging since 1969, I would have to say12 or 14.Dave Huffman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ggm1960 Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 I'm counting 10 bands that I've been part of that actually did gigs. My earliest band just barely qualifies and a couple of the groups were my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TrickyBoy Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Excluding informal jams: Band 1: 1979 - 1982 Heathen Rage - Played Drums - Cover Metal Band - Judas Priest, Scorpions, AC/DC, etcBand 2: 1986 - 1990 Impulse - Played Guitar - Mix of originals and covers - all 80's hair metal - Poison, Bon Jovi, VH, DLR, etcBand 3: 1990 - 1995 The Absurd - Played Guitar - Very gothic original band - Stuff like Sisters of Mercy, Joy Division, Bauhaus, etc.Band 4: 1995 - 1996 Urban Woods - Guitar - Mostly original band - Gin Blossoms type of stuffBand 5: 2008 - present The Tricky Dickies - The worlds greatest coverband Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Funkwire Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Strictly counting bands that actually gigged out, 10 since 1982. Maybe 3 or 4 more that never got off the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 Excluding informal jams:Band 1: 1979 - 1982 Heathen Rage - Played Drums - Cover Metal Band - Judas Priest, Scorpions, AC/DC, etcBand 2: 1986 - 1990 Impulse - Played Guitar - Mix of originals and covers - all 80's hair metal - Poison, Bon Jovi, VH, DLR, etcBand 3: 1990 - 1995 The Absurd - Played Guitar - Very gothic original band - Stuff like Sisters of Mercy, Joy Division, Bauhaus, etc.Band 4: 1995 - 1996 Urban Woods - Guitar - Mostly original band - Gin Blossoms type of stuffBand 5: 2008 - present The Tricky Dickies - The worlds greatest coverband Gotta say, that's a pretty impressive record of Band Names That Fit The Music! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators BATCAT Posted August 24, 2012 Moderators Share Posted August 24, 2012 Oh jeez... around a dozen or so in around fifteen years, many overlapping. The longest ones were on from 1999-2006, another from 2008-now and another from 2007-now. And, weirdly, I have maintained an on-again, off-again side project with a female singer since 2001- we started collaborating musically, became a couple for seven years, split up, and I eventually married someone else in 2010. And through all this we still collaborate musically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WynnD Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 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. My own experience suggests that a cover band that isn't working within 6 months is headed for the toilet. It's possible to get a band up and running in about two months. I used to love to become a house band, that always tightened the group within a few months. House bands are pretty rare today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vito Corleone Posted August 24, 2012 Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 My own experience suggests that a cover band that isn't working within 6 months is headed for the toilet. It's possible to get a band up and running in about two months. I used to love to become a house band, that always tightened the group within a few months. House bands are pretty rare today. Oh yeah. I wouldn't waste any time with a band that couldn't be ready to gig in 2-3 months. Unless it's some really big show project being put together that requires a ton of rehearsal. When I speak of a year to start making some inroads, I mean that it takes that much gigging to start getting really tight and start to make enough of a name for yourself in the market to be taken seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tim_7string Posted August 24, 2012 Author Members Share Posted August 24, 2012 I think it the numbers may have something to do with whether or not you are a band leader. If you are a band leader you're likely going to stick with one band to make it work. If you are not you're more likely to jump around or commit to multiple things. True enough. Of the many bands I have been in, 9 of them were led by me. Some changed names but had the same people (my namesake band became OCD for example, same three guys). I think the days of jumping around from band to band are over for me. I'd like a side-project band, but I would probably just keep it to those two. It's a lot of work just getting one off the ground! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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