"I'm doing it for fun"

[Kramerguy]

This is one of my biggest issues with playing with other people. We're in a band. We all love music or we wouldn't be doing it. I get a great deal of personal enjoyment out of it, so sure, I'm having fun...

 

But when there's paid gigs involved, it's no longer about "fun". It's about providing a service. A 'customer' that has expectations and when the band performs. If the performance is sub-standard, and the customer is not satisfied, then who is having fun?

 

I've recently come to the conclusion that doing music "for fun" is great, if you enjoy playing together in a garage and only want to play parties for free.

 

If you want to play gigs, for money, well then, it's not "for fun", it's "for profit".

 

In my new search for a band, I will automatically run screaming from any musician who uses the phrase "for fun".

[wades_keys]

This is one of my biggest issues with playing with other people. We're in a band. We all love music or we wouldn't be doing it. I get a great deal of personal enjoyment out of it, so sure, I'm having fun... But when there's paid gigs involved, it's no longer about "fun". It's about providing a service. A 'customer' that has expectations and when the band performs. If the performance is sub-standard, and the customer is not satisfied, then who is having fun? I've recently come to the conclusion that doing music "for fun" is great, if you enjoy playing together in a garage and only want to play parties for free. If you want to play gigs, for money, well then, it's not "for fun", it's "for profit". In my new search for a band, I will automatically run screaming from any musician who uses the phrase "for fun".

 

I wouldn't go that far; as long as everyone understands that the band has to EARN their gig money, there's nothing wrong at all with having a "no serious dickheads" policy.

 

I've learned that you can't drag people - you gotta inspire them and sometimes lay back a little on the criticism; as long as the band is recording and listening and showing desire and ability to improve, then sometimes you just gotta take that extra time in rehearsal to get the rust knocked off.

 

Depends on potential and work ethic...

[Kramerguy]

I wouldn't go that far; as long as everyone understands that the band has to EARN their gig money, there's nothing wrong at all with having a "no serious dickheads" policy.

 

But isn't it interesting that the only time there's a serious dickhead in the band is when everyone else isn't serious?

[wades_keys]

 

But isn't it interesting that the only time there's a serious dickhead in the band is when everyone else isn't serious?

 

 

Yup - i've been that guy in one of my bands, and I tell you what the band has really turned the corner now.

 

I got my point across, then had to lay back and let things take their course...

[Electric Catfish]

There's a balance to be had. A lot of people just playing "for fun" use it as a copout to not work on the music. At the other extreme are people just doing it for the money, which makes them defer to sure-fire moneymakers, rather than trying to do something different.

 

The music is more important than fun or money, imo. If I was just worried about having "fun", I'd just do a bunch of drugs and go ride rollercoasters. If I was just worried about money, I could find better ways to get rich than playing music.

 

I agree, though. There's nothing "fun" (or particularly profitable) about playing half-assed because of not taking it seriously.

[Kramerguy]

 

A lot of people just playing "for fun" use it as a copout to not work on the music.

 

 

I think you just hit the nail on the head.

[GCDEF]

I just posted in your other thread about how I ripped my former bass player a new one because he kept getting lost in songs. His response, was that we were all trying to have fun and I was taking the fun out of it by being critical of his playing.

 

My response was that it becomes "fun" when we're on stage with the band firing on all 8 cylinders, dance floor packed, crowd really into, loud applause, lots of hooting and hollering. That's the fun part. Learning the songs and rehearsing is the work and drudgery you have to do before the fun begins.

[BlueHeaven]

There are tons of things we do for fun the require hard work. I would say the simple act of learning to play a musical instrument fits in there, where we enjoy it, but we also work hard at it. If I play a show, and I know we sound like {censored} and aren't tight, I'm definitely not having fun.

[RupertB]

 

I think you just hit the nail on the head.

 

 

+1

 

Too often "for fun" means "for screwing around". The ones who really mean they're doing it for fun are the ones putting in extra time to improve individually & have their parts ready. They understand the equasion: Slack performance = No more gigs = No more fun.

 

I play out because I love doing it. I play as many gigs as I want and don't need the $$$ to pay my bills. That doesn't mean I'm willing to be embarrassed or take sub-standard pay. We try not to take ourselves too seriously but we consider making our performances the best they can be serious business.

 

Its about balance.

[Lee Flier]

It's not fun if you suck.

[6StringSling]

It's not fun if you suck.

What if you don't know you suck? That's why I like to watch the first couple of American Shows - to see those who should've realized/been told long since that they suck get told for the first time.

[rhat]

I play music in a non serious but serious way. we aint ready for a gig, but i walk away everytime we get together being a better musican than i was before the session. I met some guys that have a jam every week. I am having fun. Nice set up , Pole barn out in the country, and nothing but country roads to get there.

[Kramerguy]

It's not fun if you suck.

 

yeah lee, I was thinking again about your softball analogy. It didn't seem to fit for paid gigs, so I thought of another one:

 

A guy loves go-carts. So much that he takes a paid job to work at the go-cart track. After agreeing to the job requirements, and passing the interview (audition), he walks onto the job and just races around in go-carts, refuses to help customers, refuses to fix the broken ones... What manager wouldn't fire an employee who refused to do his job (practice, rehearse, be prepared, play song correctly at gig)?

 

If he really wanted to do it for fun, he should have just stayed a customer, not an employee.

[Lee Flier]

Yeah, I see your point, but to me, even if you ARE just playing music "for fun", like I say it's not fun if you suck. To me, what makes it fun is when you have everything clicking, the band is playing well together, the songs are well presented because you've worked hard on the writing and the arranging and rehearsing (and IMO that part of being in a band IS FUN! I really enjoy that process), and the audience is digging it.

 

If those things aren't happening, it's not fun. Quite apart from the fact that you won't get good paying gigs and won't get asked back to places you've played, I just don't see where anybody has "fun" embarrassing themselves and it's impossible to really "get off" playing if somebody doesn't know the material, is too drunk/stoned to play, etc.

 

Then again some people just don't know they suck, especially if they're always drunk/high when playing. Many years ago I was in a pub band that actually had some good things going for them, not great original material but decent, certainly good enough for a Stones/Faces/Black Crowes type of bar band. And they were all nice guys, they had good gig connections and a big crowd of drinking friends who would attend every show. But the frontman would always get trashed onstage and then start inviting every one of his drunk friends up onstage to "sit in." Nearly every show was a total trainwreck as a result. When I would complain about it, the singer would just elbow me in the ribs and say "Oh c'mon, lighten up! We're just having a good time." Well no - it wasn't a good time. I didn't enjoy playing under those circumstances, and nobody in the crowd who wasn't one of the band's friends enjoyed it either.

 

I ended up quitting, and was quite up front about why I quit (having given fair warning several times), and they were really bummed out about it. 6 months later they asked me to re-join, saying they would be more serious this time. So I played a few gigs with them again and they were really happy to have me back, but within a short time the frontman started up the same crap again, so I quit for good.

[wades_keys]

I play music in a non serious but serious way. we aint ready for a gig, but i walk away everytime we get together being a better musican than i was before the session. I met some guys that have a jam every week. I am having fun. Nice set up , Pole barn out in the country, and nothing but country roads to get there.

I hear ya - I've taken a bit of a meandering path with music as well, but like you I can say that each situation I was a part of made me a better, more confident player and each situation has been slightly better quality than the one before it.

 

(4 1/2 bands in the last 4 years )

[Austincowbell]

I agree with what most of the people have said on this thread. Most people play golf for fun, but they want to be good at it. I feel the same way about music. I never started a band to make a profit but if I'm putting myself out there on stage and you are playing with me there is NO WAY I'll let you embarrass me by playing our music poorly. To me, that is NOT fun, its embarrassing and humiliating and I want no part of it.

 

I think there must be some sort of balance between someone who has a band which they play in for fun and someone who decides to form a Monkees tribute band where they all dress in costumes and act "in character" for their shows. I don't think you should be playing music for the sole purpose of making money, but anything worth doing is worth doing correctly.

[I was The Funk]

I agree. Most people that play for "fun" don't put in a lot of effort.

 

I play for "fun", but my attitude is that playing well and making great music is fun. I'd rather not play then play badly.

[germs]

You need to find a group of people that are on the same page. This is the most difficult part of finding a band.

 

If you want to be weekend warriors (i.e. go out and earn money on weekends playing a combination of covers and originals) then that's fine. There's definitely a market. Especially if you want to use the band to finance your new rig.

 

But if you want to be "serious" (i.e. get famous, or at least a record deal and tour) then you need to find people who are willing to go the distance.

 

Some people just enjoy the journey more than the destination. Accusing someone of being too "serious" is a cop-out used when they find themselves moving out of their comfort zone and into uncharted waters with the band.

 

There's nothing wrong with any of these types of people, but some of them cannot co-exist within the same band.

[Lee Flier]

I play for "fun", but my attitude is that playing well and making great music is fun. I'd rather not play then play badly.

 

Exactly.

[sickman]

I'm doing it for fun. I won't say that because I feel it's somewhat insulting to people who try to do it for a living. But, I don't find any problems/stress with learning the material... it's more dealing with the people. If you are doing it for work you shouldn't show up for practices an hour late or 10 minutes before a gig leaving everyone else to set up. Most jobs will fire you for showing up late.

 

EDIT: I just saw your other post. I see what you are saying and agree with you. If people don't want to put any effort into learning the songs "I'm doing it for fun" is not a valid excuse.

[Funkwire]

 

You need to find a group of people that are on the same page. This is the most difficult part of finding a band. If you want to be weekend warriors (i.e. go out and earn money on weekends playing a combination of covers and originals) then that's fine. There's definitely a market. Especially if you want to use the band to finance your new rig. But if you want to be "serious" (i.e. get famous, or at least a record deal and tour) then you need to find people who are willing to go the distance. Some people just enjoy the journey more than the destination. Accusing someone of being too "serious" is a cop-out used when they find themselves moving out of their comfort zone and into uncharted waters with the band. There's nothing wrong with any of these types of people, but some of them cannot co-exist within the same band.

 

 

I will mildly disagree with you. You can be a 'weekend warrior', but still approach it seriously. I'm 45, married, have a great day job...there is no way in hell I'm getting a record deal or touring. I am playing local clubs on the weekends. But we strive to do the best the musical performances we can and entertain the crowd. We have fun, but we are serious about it. We want to be better and move up the ladder of the local clubs. When we sound good and go over, that's where the fun comes in.

 

It's true that weekend-only bands get the majority of musicians who are "just happy to be here" and don't really try to nail their parts. But to say only full-time musicians who are trying for national success are serious and motivated..unh uh, nossir!

[jaxn slim]

I agree that there has to be a balance between fun and profit.

 

If I wasn't having fun playing, I might as well be working for salary and benefits in a cubicle. I would rather shoot myself than play in a band where I wasn't having fun.

 

On the other hand, if it's just for fun, you won't be taken seriously.

 

A handful of the gigs we do are just for fun. Sometimes we play at bars and restaurants that don't pay well because we like the people and atmosphere. They also usually feed us. We use them to network and to iron out new songs.

[wades_keys]

 

I will mildly disagree with you. You can be a 'weekend warrior', but still approach it seriously.

 

Amen.

[strathound]

It's not fun if you suck.

 

Yep. + A Gazillion

[GCDEF]

I play for fun. Watching a band member screw up horribly isn't fun. Playing as part of a really tight popular band is fun.