I was invited to join a band today - to play bass!
The guy who asked me was an old friend from years ago - he said "We need someone with a good sense of rhythm and timing to play bass and do back-up vocals, we play all our own originals, I've heard you play bass in the pub and you're not too bad - how do you fancy auditioning?"
So I asked him, "What do you play?" - answer, kind of slowish 70's prog-rock
"Will I get a chance to sing some of my songs?" - answer, probably not, we have a certain style of writing and a definite sound of our own, they probably wouldn't fit....
"So what's in it for me?" - he mentioned the gigs they had lined up, and the money....
I said " so what kind of bass-line would you want from me?" - reply was, I write all the music, including the bass lines......
I turned it down....yes, I'd love to play in a band, but I consider myself as a singer/songwriter and a rhythm guitarist - I enjoy playing bass, but so far I've only played bass-lines to my songs and jammed along with old favourites.....and I don't want to play the exact same notes night after night after night, and I want to get my own songs heard.....
So I was told, "you're a fool - this is good money you'd be earning....." but i told him "money isn't the be-all and end-all - there's such a thing as job satisfaction - and if I'm bored with the music after two nights, that's not really going to add a lot to the band is it......"
I think I did the right thing - as I said, I enjoy playing bass, but if you haven't got that element of spontaneity - change a few notes round here and there, try something a little different every now and then, to me that's just being a musical robot....
We didn't part on the best of terms, but what the hell - I've heard them play live, and to be honest, I was bored - sub- (VERY sub!) Quasi Pink Floyd prog-rock, I've nothing against the Floyd, bless their little cotton socks, but the music this band is playing is so bland and brain-numbing, i probably wouldn't last past the first night .......
Marilyn is calling me the biggest idiot under the sun - she says, "Plenty of people have jobs they hate - and you've just turned down the chance to do something you love and earn good money?"
Money isn't everything......I'd earn more in one night than our current weekly income..... but - and it's a big but - I wouldn't be playing the music I want to play......
Do you think I did the right thing?
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
suck it up, give it a shot, and if you still feel that way after a few gigs, quit.
look at it as a part time job you got to satisfy a GAS attack.
probably make enough to get that piece of gear you've been doing without. :wink:
#4491....
I also say "suck it up!" If it payed enough I'd play tamborine for kids b-day parties wearing a clown suit (no offense Twisted). Even DiVinci sold out and painted a few for commision. The guy sounds like a jerk, but it doesn't hurt to get paid for a few gigs until something better comes along.
"There won't be any money. But when you die, on your death bed, you will receive total conciousness. So, I got that going for me. Which is nice." - Bill Murray, Caddyshack ~~ Michigan Music Dojo - http://michiganmusicdojo.com ~~
The other thing is after a few weeks you could probably give more input, along the lines of 'just try it this way'? and that way you could add more of your own stuff. As I read it, the guy said 'probably not', it wasn't a definitely no way as I see it.
As the guys say, I'd try it for a week or so and if it is really that bad you've lost a couple of weeks but gained some money at worst.
Vic, only you can know if you did the right thing. But if you did join for a while, you'd have the opportunity to play with a band for at least a while. Financial considerations aside, that's always a good thing. But it's no good playing with a group if your heart's not into it.
Well we all shine on--like the moon and the stars and the sun.
-- John Lennon
One aspect no one's brought up yet is the fact that if you did try it out and decided against it, then the band would be stuck in the same place and not moving forward the way it would like to.
A possible solution would be to offer to sit in until they get a permanent bass player. That way you'd get the experience and they could gig while still looking. You'd have to make it clear that you aren't planning on staying. Or you might, as pointed out, find out you like it and even get more input into band policy. Even the Moody Blues were nothing but an average blues cover band before getting Justin Hayward and John Lodge into the act.
For what it's worth, I think you did the right thing. I've been in bands where a member is there grudgingly and it's far from fun for all involved.
But if you're still mulling it over in your mind, then you may not be sure. After all, you're not the sort to run here to figure out all your problems! :wink: So this might be one way to help settle the matter in your head.
Peace
Leave it to David to come up with the perfect solution! :D
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-:¦:- ((¸¸.·´ -:¦:- Elecktrablue -:¦:-
"Don't wanna ride no shootin' star. Just wanna play on the rhythm guitar." Emmylou Harris, "Rhythm Guitar" from "The Ballad of Sally Rose"
Well my opinion may not mean a great deal to anyone but hey ...
Your going to read it anyways :lol: :lol:
Vic mate ..
I think you did the right thing by turning it down , my reasons for stating this are ....
You don't claim only to enjoy playing the bass and concider your self a rhythmn guitarists / songwritter /singer ...
Why seetle for something less , be a song writter / singer /rhythmn guitarist . Why do it ?
Money ? - money isn't the answer to everything ( usually it's the cause )
Love ?- You love to play your songs , your style , ....
The world isn't quite ready for Vic Lewis to be a back up voclist and bass player just yet , keep doing your own thing Mr Lewis ....
Just my demented opinion as I have a job that I hate , and I only do it because the Mrs won't pay for my G A S ........ :cry:
Hilch :?:
Stay true to yourself people
Here is to you as good as you are
And here is to me as bad as I am
As good as you are and as bad as I am
I'm as good as you are as bad as I am
In reading Vic's post, I didn't see much of an upside either.
David's idea is the best, of course.
Vic,
I think you were right to turn it down, sounds from what you said that you would be told what to do all the time and there would be hell to pay if you tried to express yourself. Why be somewhere where your not really wanted, just cause they need a bass player.
Question is if they are so good, what happened to the last guy who filled those shoes? I'd guess he had enough of being told what to do.
I've heard your stuff Vic on Soundclick. You are an original and good too, so stick at what you love doing best. The opening your looking for will turn up when you least expect it.
Chris
The guitar is all right John but you'll never make a living out of it! (John Lennon's Aunt Mimi)
You made a good choice turning it down, but if the money was good, I'd do it. Quit after a handfull of gigs, and buy some new gear with what you made.
You could even invest in some recording stuff, record your originals, and show them fools what they were missing out on.
Vacate is the word...Vengance has no place on me or her...Cannot find a comfort in this world.
A possible solution would be to offer to sit in until they get a permanent bass player. That way you'd get the experience and they could gig while still looking. You'd have to make it clear that you aren't planning on staying.
I like that idea, and hey, what's the worst that can happen?.......don't worry though...... you can always cry your way to the bank. :wink:
I understand where you are coming from Vic. I was kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place myself until I realizied I can have the best of both worlds. Why do we always limit ourselves? :?: ? :?
Just remember too, people talk. If you do a good deed with them, they might be able to turn you on to someone that fits your needs. Ya never know.
It's all about having fun, what ever you decide, make sure you have fun! :)
i must say i agree with DH also, but on the other hand what's the harm if you are upfront with them about your status as a "fill in guy" till they can find someone else. every situation lends itself to teaching us something new.
making a good bit of coin doin it don't hurt either.
#4491....
Update - I'd pretty much decided against the idea, but I was totally convinced this weekend when I saw them play live....a smallish club, maybe 200 or so people in - normally you get a rock band on in this place, the atmosphere's great - people get up and dance, sing along to songs they know.....
This band doesn't do any covers apart from a version of "Nights in White Satin" which seemed to go on for about half-an-hour - although in reality it was probably about 7-8 minutes.....
But the main thing that was going through my head was, "God these guys are boring - I could go to sleep right now!" and the atmosphere was very muted.....they're talented musicians alright, but they don't seem to want to make the most of that talent......
Anyway, the bass player is leaving at the end of June, what they want is someone to rehearse with them through July and early August before they go back on the road mid August.....and bear in mind I've only been playing bass a few months, still feeling my way....I can't reach a lot of high notes anyway, and I can NOT sing while playing a bass-line, I find it much harder than singing and playing guitar.....
I'd have no musical input, I'd be told exactly what to play, the money isn't as good as I was originally led to believe, and to cap it all none of them drink alcohol AT ALL! I'd be a fish out of water and I'd be bored witless.....
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy playing bass, hell I enjoy playing music full stop - but I don't want to play one note every four bars and nod off inbetween.... so I politely turned the offer down, wished them luck and walked away.......
I think I did the right thing - even though I've always dreamed of answering, when someone asks what do you do, "Oh I play in a band - I'm a musician......"
But I'm one of life's eternal optimists - something'll turn up - and in the meantime I can practise harder and get better......
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
seems like you made a good decision, i'd have done the same thing as i like to be original in my music, and the band im in all write together not one person and the rest play, we all bring our individual influences ogether and i think we have a unique style of music. good louck in the future youll get somewere someday
