How do you feel about your band members playing in other bands?

[doubleR]

I'm a guitarist in a five-piece classic rock cover band. Two of the guys (the other guitar player and the drummer) also have another project--a power trio. Our guitarist switches to bass, and they jam with another guitar player and do the Hendrix/Cream/Stevie Ray type stuff.

 

I'm cool with that. Completely different type of music than we do in our C.R. band. Besides, all five of us get along great. Similar musical tastes, our personalities mesh, even our wives have a great time together.

 

A few weeks ago, our bass player announced he was moving. Now, we have to go through the whole "musician wanted" ad audition thing. Ugh. Last night I called the other guitarist to tell him I had spoken with a bass player who seems promising. I mentioned in passing that I heardn't heard a word from our singer since our last gig a week ago. He replied, "We had him out out today to jam with us." (In the power trio thing they do).

 

I was kind of surprised, but I acted nonchalant. (I got a flashback to the kind fo feeling when your girlfriend says "I think we should see other people.") He explained that since our C.R. band was not doing anything until we find a new bass player, he wants to keep in contact with our singer so our singer doesn't think we've abandoned him.

 

So now I'm thinking "What if they find this other lineup works great, and I'm odd man out?" If I hadn't asked about our singer, would they have eventually told me they invited him to play with their other band?

 

In the end I guess I shouldn't worry about it. What's going to happen will happen. We find a new bass player and our C.R. band will thrive, or they go on and make the power trio a foursome.

 

I just feel vaguely uneasy about not knowing what's going on when I'm not around.

[Scarlet Cris]

Depends how serious the bands are....Personally, two bands is too much for me...I tried it and I always felt like I was cheating on the other band when I was at rehearsal. Besides, I couldn't commit myself 100% and it was a pain to schedule gigs around two schedules (not to mention 8 individuals between both bands).

[brassic]

Our synth player fronts another bands, and we always knew ours is kind of the side project for her. Her main band gives her a bit of crap about us which I think is unfair as she's the leader of theother band and has always been honest with them.

 

Recently we were offered a great support gig for one of the Raincoats next month that happens be on the same night as a big gig for the synth player's main band (ours was booked first) so it's causing a bit of a kerfuffle for us now. We might have to get a replacement for our gig but as we'd always known where our synth player's priorities lie we're ok with that.

[Guitar Centaur]

I'm in two bands (modern rock power trio, and a rump-shakin' party band), but we're only a few practices in, so I can't tell yet if there's gonna be problems.

 

Both sets of people are great and fun to work with, and they don't know each other. Each band has it's benefits, and I don't want to have to give either of them up, so I'm just going with the flow for now.

[caveman]

There was this guy that kept bugging me to play in my band. Since he was a decent guitar player and a freind I finally broke down and invited him to practice. Everything went well until he told us that he was playing in another band also.

 

We were playing virtually every weekend, so I asked him how he was going to handle both bands being booked on the same night . His reply was that he would play which ever gig paid the most. WRONG ANSWER and out the door he went.

 

If you play with me, my band comes first.

[Scarlet Cris]

 

Originally posted by caveman If you play with me, my band comes first.

 

 

I agree. I put a lot of work into my band and expect the same commitment from the other members. Nothing less than 100%.

 

That being said, if everyone's honest about where their priorities lie then it's a no-brainer: put up with being second or move on.

[miles to go]

IMO, as long as they are able to fulfill their commitments to the band, what they do with their outside time is their business. Sure, another band will present some conflicts. But so will a job, a family, hobbies, school, etc. I think the important thing is to make sure everyone is on the same page as to how much of a commitment the band expects.

[THB]

As long as my band is the first committment I have no problem with my bandmates playing in other bands, but the lines of communication cannot close down at any time. I keep everyone informed whenever I book a gig and expect the same. If they book something and tell me, fine. If they book something and don't tell me, then we got trouble.

[doubleR]

Originally posted by THB As long as my band is the first committment I have no problem with my bandmates playing in other bands, but the lines of communication cannot close down at any time. I keep everyone informed whenever I book a gig and expect the same. If they book something and tell me, fine. If they book something and don't tell me, then we got trouble.

 

 

I just looked at your band's website (great site, by the way).

 

You guys are my age! Nice to know that a fellow geezer is doing good.

 

[elsongs]

It depends...most of my bandmates play in other bands, but at the moment their commitment is pretty stable, so it's not a major concern for me. My guitarist and drummer play in (separate) cover bands, and the guitarist's cover band plays just twice a month while the drummer's cover band plays maybe 6-7 times a year.

 

when I met my bassist, he was in another band, but we became friends (we both play bass and keyboards, though he is primarily a bassist and I a keyboardist), and he is in another original band with his girlfriend (she plays drums), but they don't play out that much. He enjoys playing in my band since it's his "R&B/funk outlet."

 

I also play in another band - but they don't play too often and I do it mainly so I can get both frontman and sideman perspectives.

[Preacher Will]

Hmmmm . . . monogamy or polygamy? Everyone seems to think more is better, but in my experience it rarely works out that way.

 

All of my bands have been hobbys. if folks want to play, great. if not, cool. When we stop having fun, we quit. My guess is that when the band becomes a JOB, (define that however you want) then you better make a decision where you're gonna land. Somehow i just don't like the idea of my co-workers supporting the competition . . .

[RockXtreme]

We just lost our drummer this way. He played in "another" band since he said he needed the extra cash. They have more gigs but we have higher paying gigs.

It all worked out well until we started to get into booking conflicts. Since the other band plays a regular circuit they book father in advance then we do. We recently would up having to turn down gigs since the drummer was booked.

We confronted him with an ultimatum and he chose the other band since they had more gigs. I didn't bother to argue. If he wants $75 per night playing 4 hours at bars instead of $500 per night playing 2 hour festivals that it his choice. The bizarre sense of logic makes me not want him anyway.

Anyone know a drummer in Tampa looking for work?

[klrbee03]

I joined a friend's band last year as lead guitarist. They play originals and didn't want to do the cover thing anymore. Fine with me, I'm just into playing. But then they kept canceling practice, never got around to recording that demo they always talked about, and never did anything about gigs (needed to do the demo first).

 

So I went out and found a new band that only plays covers. I'm now fronting that band, and we're getting gigs and lots of opportunities. But I'm still in the original band, and we've actually got a gig coming up.

 

Now I feel like I'm cheating on the first band. Commitment's not a problem, since I'm the most committed guy in BOTH bands . I guess if either grew big enough to cause a conflict, I'd have to choose. Right now I'd go with the cover band because the original band has been dragging their feet for a year.

[SpacedCowboy]

I'm an occasional hired gun in an r&b/jazz group out of North Carolina. It's purely for fun and extra cash. I've been up front with the guys in my original rock band and they know that even though I do this little thing on the side that when crunch time comes, OUR band comes first.

 

It all comes down to being honest with the folks in your first band and remembering which side your bread is buttered on when all is said and done. That approach quiets a lot of potential drama, anger and hurt feelings. It's all about priorities.

[Seven]

I've played in multiple bands at one time, you have to have your MAIN band, and let the others know this from the start......honesty is best.....the rest falls into or out of place from there

[THB]

Originally posted by doubleR I just looked at your band's website (great site, by the way). You guys are my age! Nice to know that a fellow geezer is doing good.

 

Old {censored}ers can RAWK!

 

[GZsound]

What exactly are the requirements for being in the Geezer brigade? I am only guessing, but I bet I qualify....

 

And I agree with the comments about honesty. The guitar player and I both play in another band, but our "main" band knows that it will not conflict at all.

 

Just last week our drummer asked if we felt it was all right for him to play with some other guys.. We all said sure. He made it clear it would not conflict with our main group.

 

I say play as much as you can, when you can, while you can.. You can rest when you die.

[FlogRock]

I agree that honesty is absolutely necessary: let both bands know what you're doing in the other band, how many times you intend to gig, and tell them as soon as you book a gig with the other band.

 

But what do you all mean by setting priorities? One important rule to me is that once a gig is booked, you don't cancel it because you can get a better gig with your other band, even if this other band is officially your main band. So if you really want to give priority to your main band and still follow this rule, the only thing you can do is for your side band, book gigs a shorter time in advance than for your main band. So for the side band, only book in the gaps in the schedule of your main band.

 

So for everyone who says they prioritize, how do you do this: do you cancel gigs for your side band if a better gig comes, or do you only book gigs for your side band a short time in advance?

[FlogRock]

Originally posted by SpacedCowboy I've been up front with the guys in my original rock band and they know that even though I do this little thing on the side that when crunch time comes, OUR band comes first.

You only say that because you know they're reading.

[FlogRock]

 

Originally posted by GZsound What exactly are the requirements for being in the Geezer brigade? I am only guessing, but I bet I qualify....

 

Being at least 40 years old. There are recruitment threads in guitar jam and cool jam, or talk to Danocoustic.

[Knottyhed]

 

Originally posted by doubleR I'm a guitarist in a five-piece classic rock cover band. Two of the guys (the other guitar player and the drummer) also have another project--a power trio. Our guitarist switches to bass, and they jam with another guitar player and do the Hendrix/Cream/Stevie Ray type stuff. I'm cool with that. Completely different type of music than we do in our C.R. band. Besides, all five of us get along great. Similar musical tastes, our personalities mesh, even our wives have a great time together. A few weeks ago, our bass player announced he was moving. Now, we have to go through the whole "musician wanted" ad audition thing. Ugh. Last night I called the other guitarist to tell him I had spoken with a bass player who seems promising. I mentioned in passing that I heardn't heard a word from our singer since our last gig a week ago. He replied, "We had him out out today to jam with us." (In the power trio thing they do). I was kind of surprised, but I acted nonchalant. (I got a flashback to the kind fo feeling when your girlfriend says "I think we should see other people.") He explained that since our C.R. band was not doing anything until we find a new bass player, he wants to keep in contact with our singer so our singer doesn't think we've abandoned him. So now I'm thinking "What if they find this other lineup works great, and I'm odd man out?" If I hadn't asked about our singer, would they have eventually told me they invited him to play with their other band? In the end I guess I shouldn't worry about it. What's going to happen will happen. We find a new bass player and our C.R. band will thrive, or they go on and make the power trio a foursome. I just feel vaguely uneasy about not knowing what's going on when I'm not around.

 

 

I'd not worry about it - even if the singer joins the other band, you've already got 2 of the guys in the other band as well as yours, why not 3 of them. If you find another bassist I doubt any of them will quit the CR band.

[Knottyhed]

 

Originally posted by RockXtreme We just lost our drummer this way. He played in "another" band since he said he needed the extra cash. They have more gigs but we have higher paying gigs. It all worked out well until we started to get into booking conflicts. Since the other band plays a regular circuit they book father in advance then we do. We recently would up having to turn down gigs since the drummer was booked. We confronted him with an ultimatum and he chose the other band since they had more gigs. I didn't bother to argue. If he wants $75 per night playing 4 hours at bars instead of $500 per night playing 2 hour festivals that it his choice. The bizarre sense of logic makes me not want him anyway. Anyone know a drummer in Tampa looking for work?

 

 

I'd have probably taken the band with the most gigs too, but then I don't do it for the money - I've got a day job that pays the bills. I play in a band for the rush of being on stage and satisfaction I get from doing a good gig. If the gigs are more regular I assume that over-all he makes more money in the other band doing something he loves more often. It's not like gigging is "work" exactly.

[SpacedCowboy]

Originally posted by FlogRock You only say that because you know they're reading.

 

BUSTED!!!

 

[guitarmook]

other bands are not 'competition', unless they're working the same clubs, and the same crowds, with the same tunes.

 

My singer is in 2 other bands, my bass player is in 3 some weeks, 5 others... We don't gig very often, and we work around the others' primary bands.

 

As long as everyone is on the same page as far as expectations, goals, and communication, it shouldn't be a problem.

[Jimi Ray Halen]

It works if you have fill-ins standing by. It eventually causes scheduling problems. But everybody has to be onboard for it or somebody will get their underwear in a bunch the first time Player X choses the other gig over yours.