I need your advice: an important step forward in my career!

[FunkyMan]

In summary: I play in one of the 4 bands who have more gigs in my city, but 1 of them go first in the race (Not us), is a band that all my fellow working musicians wanted to be in

My band= X

The most giged band= Y

I'm very happy with "X" because we gig every weekend, and i live as a musician, the singer is a fantastic showman, (he is gay, and sing woman songs, and this fact makes the audience go crazy, honestly an amazing artist) BUT the payment isn't as good as "Y" band pay, they pay like 30% more per show and gig more times per week

So "Y" gig more, pay more, but they're just a band that makes music in the background while everyone dances without paying much attention, their whole life has been so, and always will..

Contrary to "X", we are a real show, everyone gets up from his chair to see us in front and dance, the repertoire is fun to play, has a lot of funk stuff (my favourite food) and this singer has received many offers from big businessman to export that talent, so he's a talent that has bright future ahead (apparently) BUT ultimately has been a discouragement to all of the band, because he drink and smoke A LOT and isn't taking care of his voice, he doesn't reaches high notes anymore, forgets the lyrics etc..

The thing is: "Y" Band owner called me this afternoon asking me to play with them the next year, the bassist is retiring because he is married and has no time for her daughters...

So I have this dilemma: stay in "X", because it could be a band with a more future, more Nationwide projection, (but Honestly this is a lottery that i don't know if it works) or go with "Y", a solid and stable band for many years, pay more, gig more, but do not go more than that, and with a very annoying musical repertoire

I'am very indecisive and don't know what to do, what do you think about it? thoughts?

Thankyou

[jmattbassplaya]

Any chance you can manage to do both?

[hoshbrown41]

id say whichever you have more fun with

for me thatd be with x

[FunkyMan]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

Any chance you can manage to do both?

No chance at all, it's impossible..

[Stumbo]

With the lead singer of X drinking and smoking so much, IMO, it's only a matter of time until the train wreck happens. What happens when he cant' do it anymore? His voice is already going...seems to me he's not doing well with stress, especially since he's forgetting lyrics. Are there drugs involved? It will only get worse if he doesn't change his ways...which you have no control over.

Y is a steady gig. Imagine that, a band that people actually retire from. Seems to me that if X was as good as you say it is, it should possibly be #1, not #2.

I guess the thing that bothers me the most is your description of Y's set list as annoying. Are you saying it's boring or you like playing other types of music more?

If you're looking for long term, steady paying gig, Y may be the way to go, especially since you stated "i live as a musician". Open spots in the top bands in your area probably don't happen very often. Seems to me that if you stick with X and its crashes later on, you may not have a shot at any other top band because they possibly won't have openings at that time.

Good luck.

[MysticMichael]

If the "Band Y" repertoire genuinely annoys you, how long do you honestly think you could stick with them, until the situation drove you crazy? Did you get into music mostly in order to make money?

On the other hand, your future with "Band X" might not be as rosy as you think. Unless your singer cleans up his act, STOPS smoking entirely, and at least cuts way back on his drinking, he's going to hit a dead end - and perhaps sooner than anyone now realizes. Do you have any idea of how many musicians could have become superstars - but for their substance abuse problems? I don't even wanna think about it...

Assuming that your singer actually does change his ways and gets a chance to grab that brass ring, how confident are you that he will bring you and the rest of the band along when it happens?

I've got no answers for you. Just trying to help clarify the issues here. Only piece of advice: Think for the long-term - not just the expedience of the moment - and make your decisions accordingly.

MM

[jmattbassplaya]

Stumbo and MysticMichael both have great points. As it stands, I'm starting to think band Y is the way to go just because of the singer's behavior.

[PJSShearer]

^^^^^^ this.

In the OP you say you "live" as a musician, by this I assume your income comes 100% from music?. I was in your situation once - I also used to "live" as a musician, so when offered more than one residency/long term gig at a time (it happend more than once, bands are like buses - you wait for ages then two come along at the same time - British joke!) I usually took the one that paid the best and/or lasted longest/had the best prospects - i.e. offered the better "living".

In your case, the contrast in pay between these two bands - one gigs more and pays more for each gig - the question's an easy one.

As to Band "X", from your description I would say that, as far your audience is concerned, the singer IS the Band, and if he trips up down the road (as looks likely) then you're going to find yourself out of work.

You say he's got a bright future, but in the same sentence you say he doesn't hit the high notes anymore .... might his bright future already be in the past?.

[brianrost]

If music is your career, you should join band Y. If the members of band Y are good players and you get along with them personally, that plus better money makes it an easy choice.

As a professional you will find other opportunities in the future. The chance that any band you work with will last more than 5 years is very small.