#1718797 - 03/17/07 12:12 PM
New members
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fingertalkin
Gold Member
Registered: 11/14/05
Posts: 569
Loc: Dumfries VA
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How do you all deal with new members of your band when it comes to deciding what songs that you want to do? We have a new lead guitarist, thank god, but he is admittedly a "heavy" guitarist. Our repetiore features rock, but it is from the 70's-90's. We range from Joplin, Mellencamp, to Ozzy, Metallica, AC/DC, the usual stuff.
I will admit that I am thrilled to have him. Some of his song suggestions are wonderful. I am also a fan of the heavier stuff. I do like the slower stuff, because it gives me a chance to spread my wings a little bit more on bass.
The band has been together for 6 years and has developed quite a following. They expect to hear certain songs. I think that each of us in the band is ready to move on and learn some new stuff. I think it is good to have some of the slower songs that we do. It is good for the places that have a dinner crowd in the beginning, then we ramp it up as the night goes on. I don't know. I would like to play the heavier stuff all of the time. It seems that when we start slow, it takes a while to get a vibe going amongst us. I also want to keep the crowd happy. Don't want to lose anyone. But on the other hand, we have some new...uh...younger people coming to our shows now that are having a blast to the newer stuff that we are playing.
I guess that I am having trouble with having Sheryl Crowe and Godsmack in the same set.
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#1719471 - 03/19/07 10:50 AM
Re: New members
[Re: fingertalkin]
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Gismo Recording
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Registered: 12/20/06
Posts: 529
Loc: Chapel Hill, NC
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I like a band that mixes it up a lot. I'd enjoy hearing Sheryl Crowe and Godsmack in the same set. Hell, you could add a Frank Zappa and a Willie Nelson song to make it even more interesting.
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#1720680 - 03/21/07 11:17 AM
Re: New members
[Re: Gismo Recording]
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RicBassGuy
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 02/02/05
Posts: 3746
Loc: Metro Detroit, MI
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Well, it depends on where your band falls on the "dictator to democracy" scale.
If your dictator doesn't like the new stuff, it won't make it to the play list. Simple. (Unless you're the dictator and you're undecided.)
If your band is a democracy, you'll have to vote on it. You may even have to vote on each new song. Of course, more important than getting a majority "yea" is not getting a veto, for example, from the lead singer that knows he or she cannot perform the song.
Now, with an expanded song list, your band has a wider repertoire. You can play either extreme -- all slow stuff at a senior home or all heavy stuff at a high school -- or something in between. With a flexible set list you can taylor the performance to your audience, not unlike how DJs select three hours of music from their 300 hour collection.
Besides, you never know when your blues band has to whip out "Rawhide" at a rowdy country bar (obvious Blues Brothers reference).  
Would there be a problem if suddenly your band only got gigs to play the heavy stuff? Would any band member object to a new format? Or would everybody just be happy to keep playing regular gigs?
OTOH, would your new guitarist have a problem if you only got non-heavy gigs? Would he object to not being able to play any heavy stuff? Or would he just be happy to keep playing regular gigs?
If there is an "identify crisis" when booking shows -- venues can't decide how to classify your band -- you can always try go by two different names.
[BTW, when did Ozzy, Metallica and AC/DC become "slow" and non-heavy? Sheesh! With the exception of "Shook Me All Night Long", I'd say those bands are already too heavy compared to Sheryl Crowe.  ]
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