Steve Nathan Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 In the late 70s when I was working out of Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, LA, an R&B/Funk band came in to cut a record. I got to talking to their drummer one day and I told him that we all suspected their manager was a crook. He leaned back and said "I have found in this business, you stick with your gangster until another gangster comes along with a better deal". Don't rush me. I'm playing as slowly as I can! http://www.stevenathanmusic.com/stevenathanmusic.com/HOME.html https://apple.co/2EGpYXK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PianoMan51 Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 In the late 70s when I was working out of Studio in the Country in Bogalusa, LA, an R&B/Funk band came in to cut a record. I got to talking to their drummer one day and I told him that we all suspected their manager was a crook. He leaned back and said "I have found in this business, you stick with your gangster until another gangster comes along with a better deal". Too funny. In the mid 70s my bands booking agent came to a rehearsal. First time I met him. Were playing a ballad that reminded me of My Funny Valentine and at the end I quoted it. He got it and laughed. A month later our gigs suddenly turned dry. I was a jerk and blamed my band leader. Next week I get a call from our former agent offering me a steady gig at his familys Italian restaurant. What a roller coaster ride. Found out from the band that my predecessor had been beaten up and thrown down the stairs just before I started. Oh shit, Im married and need steady cash. The older brother (who did the beating up) was arrested for stealing a truck full of butter and parking it behind the restaurant. Smart! Six months later the band started to shrink. First the guitar player is gone, then the reed player, then the drummer, then bass player. I arrived to the last gig and Im accompanying the singer by myself. Yes, that was my last gig there. Later on I found that all the nasty stuff was orchestrated by the 60 yo family matriarch who was always in the kitchen, just as sweet as she could be. And to hit on Steves theme, a year later Im touring in a show band whose booking agent is the aforementioned guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t9cstudio Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 "Downbeat at 9" means the time your 1st note is played as opposed to the time you show up to the gig. Kurzweil PC4, NS3-88, Kronos 2-61, QSC K8.2's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryjam Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 While I try to adher to Gig Rule of 2 outta 3, a sax player I respect often smiles and says, hey, a gig is a gig. He works a lot and enjoys it. Sometimes, we refer to ourselves as gig whores. Barry Home: Steinway L, Montage 8 Gigs: Yamaha CP88, Crumar Mojo 61, A&H SQ5 mixer, ME1 IEM, MiPro 909 IEMs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Lobo Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Play with better musicians than you. These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barryjam Posted December 20, 2018 Share Posted December 20, 2018 Play with better musicians than you. Thats hard for everybody to do Barry Home: Steinway L, Montage 8 Gigs: Yamaha CP88, Crumar Mojo 61, A&H SQ5 mixer, ME1 IEM, MiPro 909 IEMs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Lobo Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Sometimes, we refer to ourselves as gig whores. Yeah, the guitar player in the band that we both recently quit called us both gig whores. That was the band that was 0 for 3 in the gig requirements. These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted December 21, 2018 Author Share Posted December 21, 2018 Has anyone ever had a gig that was 10/10 on all three points? I guess I would need to define each of the 3 criteria in a bit more detail before scoring. If I could be so bold as to add a 4th criteria, that being anticipation / butterflies / excitement. Maybe that's a bonus on top of the main three? Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CowboyNQ Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 I lack the cleverness to boil these down to succinct maxims, but the two learned-by-experience principles that have served me the best are: 1. Remember your band environment is a workplace. Behave accordingly and dont be afraid to demand the same from others. 2. No matter how much professional assistance you engage (eg. accountants, managers, agents, promoters, crew, contract players etc.) remember this is your business and it is you who pays the bills. Do not abdicate control of or responsibility for your affairs and do not enter into any agreement without understanding all aspects, especially financial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Play the gig you're on, not the gig you wish you were on. Most of that time, that means taking the desired number of notes you want to play and dividing them by two. Or nine, for some of us. .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zalman Stern Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 I'll start with one. An smart old veteran told me "As you climb the ladder of success, think carefully how you treat people, because you meet all the same people on the way down that you met on the way up." Was it Allen Toussaint? "On Your Way Down" is one of my favorite songs of all time. Note the timing on the vocal of that line in pretty much every version is an interesting lesson in and unto itself. -Z- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Lobo Posted December 21, 2018 Share Posted December 21, 2018 Play the gig you're on, not the gig you wish you were on.+1 on that. And the corollary is: play for the people who are there, not for the people who aren't there. These are only my opinions, not supported by any actual knowledge, experience, or expertise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 I'll start with one. An smart old veteran told me "As you climb the ladder of success, think carefully how you treat people, because you meet all the same people on the way down that you met on the way up." Was it Allen Toussaint? No, he was a music biz lawyer, one of those guys that seemed to know everyone and everything about anything. Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Verelst Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 Mm, a maxim is an interesting idea, music business isn't big for me as it is, I think very intelligent and capable musicians in the better days (and probably today) could sit down and dream up a plot with accurate ideas of how high and how long they would climb the billboard hot 100. I don't have that ability, momentarily, but that would sure be one hell of a maxim to use and, possibly, to abuse. I think whitchy, adventurous, gold dust women can play an essential role, evidently as some sort of muse, partaker in the music, or motivation. T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider76 Posted December 22, 2018 Share Posted December 22, 2018 "On stage you have to always keep wide open 3 things: your ears, your eyes, and your a***ole" (told me by a senior and very well respected local jazz pianist, while we were both completely drunk) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyRude Posted December 22, 2018 Author Share Posted December 22, 2018 "On stage you have to always keep wide open 3 things: your ears, your eyes, and your a***ole" Man 'o Man, that's a good one! No idea what the third item is for, but who cares, it's damn funny! Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands Tommy Rude Soundcloud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spider76 Posted December 23, 2018 Share Posted December 23, 2018 "On stage you have to always keep wide open 3 things: your ears, your eyes, and your a***ole" Man 'o Man, that's a good one! No idea what the third item is for, but who cares, it's damn funny! Hahaha yes, he was playing with a jazz trio where they did pretty hardcore group improvisation, like changing key or time signature on the fly. So I guess he meant you always have to be ready for ANYTHING. But still that quote is so funny as it is, no need to overthink it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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