KARL FISHER Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 Is there anyone on the board that plays out for a living? It is what I always wanted to do, and probably missed my chance years ago. Who wants to get together at age 40+ to put a playing out band together? I actually still do. I guess the thing that bothered me earlier in life was, what I I gave up the last year of college and the band thing goes nowhere? And now that I'm older and wiser, how does a new band that really wants to get it together and play out for a living afford insurance-both health and for equipment, on beginning band wages? Just some thoughts. Any input? Karl Skynyrd fan forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Soloway Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 It's a good chunk of my income. I do it the easy way. I play alone. No band to rehearse. No huge gear. Just me singing and playing guitar and hauling my gear in the trunk of a Honda Civic sedan. BTW, I'm 51, so you're never too old as long as you love to play. www.solowayguitars.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KARL FISHER Posted January 12, 2004 Author Share Posted January 12, 2004 I definitely love to play. Jammin' on a guitar relaxes me, and lets me just get away from everything and go into my own world. I really like playing stuff from Lynyrd Skynyrd, 38 Special, ect. I would really like to get a band together that would play that stuff plus originals we come up with. Maybe some day. Not too long though, or I'll be an old fart. Just kiddin' Karl Skynyrd fan forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 Don't wait, Karl. Follow the instructions on your favorite Nike ad...just do it. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillWelcome Home Studios Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 " how does a new band that really wants to get it together and play out for a living afford insurance-both health and for equipment, on beginning band wages?" There are a number of answers, depending. YEars ago I worked with some popular bands. Some were local, and had a limited possible income, because of the music that we chose to play... the audiences were smaller. Then I played in a couple of traveling bands. If you don't mind playing crap in Holiday Inns, you can do quite well. The most fun was playing in original bands, but that is no living... either you hit it big and make boatloads of cash, or you live in the van, and travel around the country playing openers for major bands one night, full clubs the next, and empty joints the next. The real answer for me was to take the performance of music, which I love, out of being my living. I have a gig, it pays well (I still work in entertainment) and I can play out any time, anywhere, for any amount or NO money, and it's great fun. I still get paid to sit in as a guitarist with certain artists at various times, but I'm just as likely going to get together with a bunch of friends and take over the stage at any local club, and fake our way through a couple of sets. But I don't HAVE to play at all. That makesit still fun when I do. I cannot say that this was always the case for all those years that I did live off of band money. Bill "I believe that entertainment can aspire to be art, and can become art, but if you set out to make art you're an idiot." Steve Martin Show business: we're all here because we're not all there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teahead Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 I'm with Ted on this one. If you feel like you should have a band, you should go for it now, because so do two, three or four other guys somewhere near you, and they're all waiting for someone else to come and find them too! Start for fun though, not money, especially if you fancy playing original tunes, there is no real income for most of us doing that, the pay-scale is shaped like a pyramid, best of luck, Tea. Pedal Clips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Funk Jazz Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 when i used to play full time, i usually had to be in 3-5 bands to get enough income to survive. and i had to supplement that with teaching. i evenutally had to get a real job because of insurance concerns. when my son was diagnosed with leukemia in 2002, and i had no insurance, let's just say it was sort of a wake up call, and i ended up in the air force. now i play part time, 3-4 times a month and bring in $100 per show average. good for the gear budget, good for stress relief, good for the social aspect, just plain good all around. so go do it get some guys together through your local entertainment paper (ours is called the City Weekly), learn some tunes, go out an start playing tuesday and wednesday nights. as you get better as a band, you'll get better gigs (fridays/saturdays) and more money. THAT'S when you should decide whether or not to pursue it as a full time career. get the gigs, get the income, have a savings plan, have independent insurance, then quit your day job. that old saying "don't quit your dayjob" has a lot of merit. if the risk seems too big, it probably is. play it smart and slow and see how it goes. good luck!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baronedo Posted January 12, 2004 Share Posted January 12, 2004 Like many of the other respondents, my advice is to start smaller with some local musicians and practice to get a decent product. During this time you can also attend band jams to get some exposure and try to get gigs. You can also put together a demo CD, a band bio, and some business cards together fairly inexpensively to try to further promote the band. I did all of the above about 1 year ago. We have a power trio working locally on weekends, primarily playing classic rock and blues-rock tunes from Artists like Hendrix, SRV, early Clapton, Petty, BTO, Mountain, and yes, Lynrd Skynrd, to name a few. We have a very decent product. Last year we played private parties and a few clubs. This year we will focus on promoting the group with more club owners. It all takes time and is it's easy to get frustrated, particularly when all 3 band members have consuming full time day gigs. I wish I could hire a "good" manager (an oxymoron?) to book and promote the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KARL FISHER Posted January 13, 2004 Author Share Posted January 13, 2004 Thanks for all the replies and advice. I definitely could not quit the "day job", mainly because of the money and insurance (four children). I just could'nt figure out how anyone with a family could afford to be in just a band, with insurance prem's as high as they are. Hopefully I will still find people in my area with the same music interests, and slowly put something together. Karl Skynyrd fan forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMcGuitar Posted January 13, 2004 Share Posted January 13, 2004 I'd echo the "go for it" and "start out just doing it for fun" statements. 1) Your age doesn't matter, you can find folks to play with. Also, your only gonna get older, so don't put it off. Do what you enjoy NOW. 2) The stresses of trying to make a living at are be immense (especially as a new act). It could easily kill all the things you love about playing - believe me, when the thing that always brought you joy is now the job you've got to go do, rather than ______ (fill in the blank), it really kinda sucks (I've never done that with my music, but it happened with my theatre work). Anyway... Good luck!! May all your thoughts be random! - Neil www.McFaddenArts.com www.MikesGarageRocks.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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