CEB Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Guitar player got fired for being a rude prima dona at rehearsals. Found a fill in player who is a pro. About my age, old MI grad. Very versatile and good player. We were only going have 2 weeks downtime. The manager can't get everyone together for rehearsals due to a conflicts in some of theirs their personal schedules. I don't know who, it isn't me I will do anytime but early Sunday when the rest of the crew are not even out of bed yet. Manager gets frustrated, presses the reset button and pulls the plug on the rest of 2013 with a plan to reform the group and hit the ground running in 2014. I don't know all the details but I am sure I will hear them when I get back from Nashville tonight. He is a booking machine and a heck of a manager. This all happens while I am gone for a week. Well it was a good 4-5 year run. I can get a gig pretty quick but I liked this one. Do I take a new gig now or wait and not get paid until January? I hate to take a gig unless I can pledge at least 12 months to the group. I never wanted a reputation as someone who bounces around too much. This new gig pays but isn't exactly what I want. I never wanted to hire anyone that bounced from group to group. Decisions! You got to love the music business. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drawback Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 You've been around long enough to know you don't owe anybody anything. No one would sit around waiting for you, would they? Take the gig. ____________________________________ Rod Here for the gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammondDave Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Exactly! Take the gig... Who knows if this manager will get it together... And if he does and it looks good... Then quit the new band and join them. That's the way it goes in show biz... '55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammondDave Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 And what does "bouncing around too much" really mean? I can count on my right hand how many bands I Have been in that lasted longer than a year. '55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marzzz Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Bird in hand, dude. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill H. Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 This is a pretty odd time to pull the plug on a working band - with Halloween, Christmas parties, and NYE coming up. If you've got the connections, find another band and make some money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluzeyone Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Take the gig. Only rep. that will stay floatin is your a cat that stays workin ..worth its weight in gold .. "A good mix is subjective to one's cilia." http://hitnmiss.yolasite.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Emm Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 +1 to all that. A gold star for your loyalty. Having a rep as a stand-up person is never a bad thing. That can get you MORE gigs when some blazing whiz kid refuses to learn the value of shmoozing amiably at the buffet table. You should also factor in how much fun you're NOT having if politics and logistics are cramping the field of play. Its an algorithm with several values to address in order to get a working answer. If a gig falls through, it won't be because you heedlessly booted your responsibility. Give yourself some points for that and don't let the current situation diminish your music. That precious nugget goes right on, through flat tires, flu and the cancellation of "Firefly." "I like that rapper with the bullet in his nose!" "Yeah, Bulletnose! One sneeze and the whole place goes up!" ~ "King of the Hill" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opdigits Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Take the gig. Yes, loyalty is an admirable trait (I still play with iterations of bands that started in the 70's and 80's), but opportunity seems to be knocking for you. So take the gig. Nobody told me there'd be days like these... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Cool, I got a offer to play piano in a Rockabilly band more travel than I probably want to do but boogie woogie, rock n roll, honky tonk piano is my forte. The 80's pop dance thing may be more lucritive but I'm more suited for this Rockabilly gig. I could play it standing on my head ... if I wasn't too fat to stand on my head. Generally my bands in the past have had 4-5 year runs. Played with one guy for 15 years. I don't like change. LOL! "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tonysounds Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Take the gig. Manager just took your 4th quarter off the table. WHY would you wait around to see what he does for the next quarter? Hitting "Play" does NOT constitute live performance. -Me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 This is a pretty odd time to pull the plug on a working band - with Halloween, Christmas parties, and NYE coming up. If you've got the connections, find another band and make some money. Tell me about it. This is going to cost me a lot of money. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I've never met a booker/manager who I would trust even as far as I could spit. It's never about trust, anyway. It's about what can you do for me in the next two months. Sorry to hear about the blowup. You have a day job though, right? Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 RUSH is an anomaly. They are not the status quo. There is nothing wrong with being a mercenary musician. Jazz cats mastered it a LONG time ago. CEB, change is not easy but try to embrace your new found freedom and make a sh8tload of moolah in the process. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Yes I have a good day job. I quit doing fulltime music when I was 27. The 401k sucked. LOL. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fusker Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I think it alters things given you have another profession. I'd consider how much you enjoy playing with the remaining band members as the primary factor...unless you need the supplemental income. If you're doing this as a serious hobby, and not your livelihood, I would always choose playing with who I like over joining up with a successful group that I don't like. If you happen to find an opening with people you would like to play with, then by all means grab it. Steinway L, Yamaha Motif XS-8, NE3 73, Casio PX-5S, iPad, EV ZLX 12-P ZZ(x2), bunch of PA stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 There is nothing wrong with being a mercenary musician. Jazz cats mastered it a LONG time ago. I couldn't have said it better myself. Unless I had said it to begin with. Is There Gas in the Car? "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettymike Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 I love the header on this - "The band blew up." Some of mine have - suddenly imploded into a pile of ash without warning - is the best way to describe it . Take the new gig ASAP , and worm your way back into your favourite band in 2014 . Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesG Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 My barely-off-the-ground rock cover band had the weirdest problem this year -- the bass player was also the lead vocalist. He quit when the venue we were booked into closed, but through a wierd series of snafus, we didn't figure it out for about 4 months. Good thing my summer was booked with other acts. Now we're back on track as a five piece, which will hurt a bit from a financial POV, but hopefully more resilient to personnel changes. Filling two seats at once was very difficult for us. Luckily the new singer has a similar voice, so we were able to preserve about 70% of our catalogue. Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3 Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9 Roland: VR-09, RD-800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Just be honest. Tell the new gig that you're theirs for sure 100% until January, then you'll decide which way you want to go moving forward. That way they can be prepared in case you split, and all is cool. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Force Posted October 11, 2013 Share Posted October 11, 2013 Just be honest. Tell the new gig that you're theirs for sure 100% until January, then you'll decide which way you want to go moving forward. That way they can be prepared in case you split, and all is cool. +1 Steve Force, Durham, North Carolina -------- My Professional Websites Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 11, 2013 Author Share Posted October 11, 2013 Thanks. That is what I will do. I have sit down meeting planned for Monday night with the Rockabilly band leader where he wants to give me his vision on where he sees his band heading. I'm thinking I will pass on the 80's band. If worse comes to worse I will have time to work on that piano album project I not making much progress on. This is the first band I have been in that has blown up like this. I've played in ones that shut down. A planned long drawn out process with a final gig usually at year end because guys are tired and need time to recharge or feel the need to hang it up. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 The band is coming back. The line up is not set in stone yet but we got some heavy hitters who are interested in. What the manager and I are hoping for is going to be great. The down side is we will be adding 2 good vocalist are good guitarist. When I say downside I am just being selfish. I like to play guitar but there may be no need go forward. I've been in band with 3 guitarist before and it worked but that sort of a special case I think. The thing about me is I am decent slide player and I use Teles with string benders and I can cover a lot of country stuff the new people may not be equipped for but they can play the Hell out of their instruments. At least I would be carrying less stuff unless I start playing Steel. I don't want to play steel footprint may be an issue and it seems I spend as much time tuning the darn thing as I do playing it. Plus.... I aint no Buddy Emmons. LOL Hopefully by Sunday I will know what the go forward plan is for sure. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Muscara Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Maybe you guys can trade off, with you playing guitar on those songs "the new people may not be equipped for" and they can either not play on those or play other parts. Either way, it sounds like a better deal all around. "I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck "The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzmammal Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 and they can either not play on those or play other parts. Oh no! You're not suggesting somebody play air guitar are you? I created a minor firestorm in the "Playing in a country band" thread by suggesting someone might play "air keyboards" on occasion. Bob Hammond SK1, Mojo 61, Kurzweil PC3, Korg Pa3x, Roland FA06, Band in a Box, Real Band, Studio One, too much stuff... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 Oh no! You're not suggesting somebody play air guitar are you? I created a minor firestorm in the "Playing in a country band" thread by suggesting someone might play "air keyboards" on occasion. Quick! Get out the fire extinquisher! :-o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WesG Posted October 26, 2013 Share Posted October 26, 2013 I want to join an electronica band and play air theremin. Hammond: L111, M100, M3, BC, CV, Franken CV, A100, D152, C3, B3 Leslie: 710, 760, 51C, 147, 145, 122, 22H, 31H Yamaha: CP4, DGX-620, DX7II-FD-E!, PF85, DX9 Roland: VR-09, RD-800 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CEB Posted December 5, 2013 Author Share Posted December 5, 2013 These 19 new tunes I am working on are all over the place as far as genre. Typical Miranda Lambert, Carrie Underwood etc... stuff, Adele, Josie by Steely Dan, Livin La Vida Loca, a few classics, and Tina Turner tune that was done by a punk band though we will do it with a little less dirt. New vocals are killer. It will be interesting to see what the rythm sections does with these. To my knowledge they are heading into virgin water on some of these more latin type tunes. Should be fun. "It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne "A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!! So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doerfler Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Josie by Steely Dan awsome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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