Essential Rock Skills: take 2

[Ed Coury]

...aside from the requisite works of music, one must also demonstrate:

 

a: The ability to remain audible and undistorted while playing with a guitarist and his 1,000-watt mega amp.

 

b: The ability to bite your tongue while said guitarist takes countless bars of a song to improvise each night. You will get 4 bars, maybe once a month.

 

c: The ability to remain calm when you are asked to cover the sax, organ, piano, helicopter sounds, and childrens choir in a cover tune, even though the drummer has a hard time chewing gum and keeping a simple shuffle beat at the same time.

 

d: Demonstrate your system of covering your instruments, storing and protecting to prevent damage from idiots (including bandmates) who spill drinks, plow into your rig, or without permission pound your newest board as hard as possible to play a mind-numbing rendition of "Lean on Me".

 

e: Exhibit the ability to change chords on the fly, as a drunken bass player goes through a random set of chord changes in a song you've played together for 10 years.

[nursers]

You sound bitter Ed

[MikeT156]

Ed:

 

Easy solution. Fire the band and go solo. I went through all the hassles of playing in a band, players coming and going for various reasons, not showing up for rehearsal, all of the above things you mentioned. Then I did a duo with a very talented but lazy guitar player/singer. Wouldn't lift a finger, the PA and all the gear except his guitar was mine. Our duo was a good act and we cleaned up financially for about 3 years. Couldn't put up with the guitar player anymore and "dissolved" the band. Never looked back. I played what I wanted, when I wanted, and was the best thing I ever did. Obviously you can play, and if you can sing half decent, you can make it work provided there's enough venues to work in your area. A lot of places that hire bands will take a solo entertainer for happies, you make some bucks and have a good time while the crowd is still sober.

 

Mike T.