Making it with an originals band?

[AcidShred]

Making it with an originals band?
I desparately want to make it playing original music. If I was to move to London when I'm older and join lots of original bands that are already established what chances would I have of going pro?

[bassbully]

Who knows, depends how devoted you are , where you are in your life and if you can starve or live on meger means for awhile. Since you are on the other side of the pond from me i can't speak for your scene but here U.S. original music bands go thru alot to make it or have a chance to.

I'm to old and have a career so i play cover music and make way more than any of the bassists i know in all original bands. They have to put money out to promote, record and tour to try to get exposure. I just play the gigs we get booked get a check and go home.

I will say the chance would be exciting if i was young and not attatched to jump in a van and do a DIY state to state tour...im sure eating beans and sleeping in dirty clothes and places could get old quick thou

[AcidShred]

Originally Posted by bassbully

Who knows, depends how devoted you are , where you are in your life and if you can starve or live on meger means for awhile. Since you are on the other side of the pond from me i can't speak for your scene but here U.S. original music bands go thru alot to make it or have a chance to.

I'm to old and have a career so i play cover music and make way more than any of the bassists i know in all original bands. They have to put money out to promote, record and tour to try to get exposure. I just play the gigs we get booked get a check and go home.

I will say the chance would be exciting if i was young and not attatched to jump in a van and do a DIY state to state tour...im sure eating beans and sleeping in dirty clothes and places could get old quick thou

I enjoy it, it's fun. Your just getting a bit old man.

[ksandvik]

Originally Posted by AcidShred

I enjoy it, it's fun. Your just getting a bit old man.

Just have a plan B in case it does not work out. I've seen so many cases of musicians that didn't have an economical back-up plan, i.e. another career, just in case it didn't work out, as the odds are heavily against success. But good luck, anyway! --Kent

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by AcidShred

I enjoy it, it's fun. Your just getting a bit old man.

Now Looky here you young wippersnapper Yea..guess your right. I like my comfy bed after a gig. I do wonder what if ? If i had the means to do so with good pay i'd do it...oh yea!

[IanStephenson]

There are 77741 registers users on TalkBass... I know 1 of them was a member of a name(ish) band that played original material, and recorded albums that I bought (though he quit and got a day job which makes better money). There are probably others, but you can use that as a starting point for calculating your odds...

Ian

[Rusty Chainsaw]

Originally Posted by AcidShred

Making it with an originals band?
I desparately want to make it playing original music. If I was to move to London when I'm older and join lots of original bands that are already established what chances would I have of going pro?

London's overrated unless you want to join some flavour-of-the-week indie band, where your haircut will be more important than your ability to play bass, and spend your entire life on the Tube, just to get a couple of slightly favourable column inches in the NME.

There's not a huge market for pro musicians in London in general though, unless you really swot up on your reading and try going for pit gigs in the various West End shows. A friend of mine plays guitar for We Will Rock You and does pretty well out of it, but he's also probably the best guitarist I've ever met and has earned it.

[AcidShred]

Originally Posted by Rusty Chainsaw

London's overrated unless you want to join some flavour-of-the-week indie band, where your haircut will be more important than your ability to play bass, and spend your entire life on the Tube, just to get a couple of slightly favourable column inches in the NME.

There's not a huge market for pro musicians in London in general though, unless you really swot up on your reading and try going for pit gigs in the various West End shows. A friend of mine plays guitar for We Will Rock You and does pretty well out of it, but he's also probably the best guitarist I've ever met and has earned it.

So where else would you reccomend?

[AcidShred]

Originally Posted by IanStephenson

There are 77741 registers users on TalkBass... I know 1 of them was a member of a name(ish) band that played original material, and recorded albums that I bought (though he quit and got a day job which makes better money). There are probably others, but you can use that as a starting point for calculating your odds...

Ian

Which member was that?

[bigfatbass]

I play in what I consider an original band, although we do play a bunch of covers. We play all kinds of cover material from Parliament to Waylon Jennings, but we can and often do play nights of nothing but original material.

It's not easy to say the least, but I haven't had a day job in over 10 years.

I'm lucky because age is an asset for roots music as opposed to just about everything else where if you don't hit before you're 25 you're toast.

The single best piece of advice I can give you is you have to want it. I mean REALLY want it. Practice all day, BE that geek who only thinks about the gig and how to make it rock. Be prepared to maintain a side job for extra money for a LONG time, because once you get to the point where the gig has to happen or you can't make rent, that means when gear dies you are screwed for cash. Have enough money to live in at least a reasonably human fashion, and maintain solid professional gear, or no one will care much about what you do unless you are some kinda latent genius.

And if you were one of those kinda cats, you wouldn't be asking the questions, you'd already be doing it.

Nick Nolte said it best in that 4 Stories flick:

"I don't do this because I WANT to! I do it because I HAVE to!"

[AcidShred]

Originally Posted by bigfatbass

I play in what I consider an original band, although we do play a bunch of covers. We play all kinds of cover material from Parliament to Waylon Jennings, but we can and often do play nights of nothing but original material.

It's not easy to say the least, but I haven't had a day job in over 10 years.

I'm lucky because age is an asset for roots music as opposed to just about everything else where if you don't hit before you're 25 you're toast.

The single best piece of advice I can give you is you have to want it. I mean REALLY want it. Practice all day, BE that geek who only thinks about the gig and how to make it rock. Be prepared to maintain a side job for extra money for a LONG time, because once you get to the point where the gig has to happen or you can't make rent, that means when gear dies you are screwed for cash. Have enough money to live in at least a reasonably human fashion, and maintain solid professional gear, or no one will care much about what you do unless you are some kinda latent genius.

And if you were one of those kinda cats, you wouldn't be asking the questions, you'd already be doing it.

Nick Nolte said it best in that 4 Stories flick:

"I don't do this because I WANT to! I do it because I HAVE to!"

I'm 14 and live in the backend of nowhere I can only gig a couple of times month.

[bigfatbass]

Spend the next 4 years woodshedding and playing whenever wherever you can, then move to a bigger market where the music you like has a decent scene bubbling to go to college.

A lot can change before you're 18, the only thing you have control over is how hard you work at it.

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by AcidShred

Making it with an originals band?
I desparately want to make it playing original music. If I was to move to London when I'm older and join lots of original bands that are already established what chances would I have of going pro?

No matter where you are, you have a snowball's chance in hell of "making it" doing all original music. Music is important, but don't forget you have to eat, too.

[AcidShred]

Are you sure?

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by AcidShred

Are you sure?

The numbers don't lie, son.

[kevteop]

Originally Posted by AcidShred

If I was to move to London when I'm older and join lots of original bands that are already established what chances would I have of going pro?

Sounds like the way some people buy lots of lottery tickets.

If you're only 14 you've got years to get busy being creative and see how far it takes you. The way you talk about stumbling upon a band that is already established makes it sound like you aren't interested in putting in the hard work yourself. Maybe all these half-arsed talent shows on TV have been a bad influence on you.

Get a part-time job, save your money, set up a basic home studio, start writing songs, start recording demos. If you're any good, you'll find musicians and listeners coming to you.

[ric1312]

Originally Posted by AcidShred

Making it with an originals band?
I desparately want to make it playing original music. If I was to move to London when I'm older and join lots of original bands that are already established what chances would I have of going pro?

If you want to have a chance at making it at original music, then learn to sing and start writing your own song. When a band makes it, it's not the bass player who is just a hired gun that makes the doh.

And lets say you do get in an established band, work at it for years, and then get dumped or leave because you don't like the guys in the band anymore....that leaves you no where now.

If you write your own stuff you take it with you.

Don't be passive follower, thats sure way to get nowhere with anything you do.

[AcidShred]

Originally Posted by ric1312

If you want to have a chance at making it at original music, then learn to sing and start writing your own song. When a band makes it, it's not the bass player who is just a hired gun that makes the doh.

And lets say you do get in an established band, work at it for years, and then get dumped or leave because you don't like the guys in the band anymore....that leaves you no where now.

If you write your own stuff you take it with you.

Don't be passive follower, thats sure way to get nowhere with anything you do.

I suppose.

[ric1312]

Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange

No matter where you are, you have a snowball's chance in hell of "making it" doing all original music. Music is important, but don't forget you have to eat, too.

Sorry to be rude, but I've heard the, "sno balls chance in hell," thing thrown around so much it makes me sick.

Most of the bands/people saying it say it because their band is at best medicre bar band fodder, even if it is original. Bands that make truly good music, that is commercial enough to be sold, and get out there usually do something.

Use your live shows, playing originals, as a guage. If people aren't hooting and hollering at your originals, buying your merch and then asking you to sign it as if you already made it, well chances are that your band doesn't have what it takes.

Sure it's not easy to, "make it," never was, but the cream rises to the top. Don't put out mediocre and expect awesome in return.

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by ric1312

Sorry to be rude, but I've heard the, "sno balls chance in hell," thing thrown around so much it makes me sick.

Most of the bands/people saying it say it because their band is at best medicre bar band fodder, even if it is original. Bands that make truly good music, that is commercial enough to be sold, and get out there usually do something.

Use your live shows, playing originals, as a guage. If people aren't hooting and hollering at your originals, buying your merch and then asking you to sign it as if you already made it, well chances are that your band doesn't have what it takes.

Sure it's not easy to, "make it," never was, but the cream rises to the top. Don't put out mediocre and expect awesome in return.

Um... I play music for a living. I play around 250 shows a year playing original music. People do hoot and holler at our originals, buy our merch, and we do sign autographs.

There are tons of bands who should be able to make a living at it, but don't. Many of these bands tour constantly, yet have to go back to their day jobs when the tour is over. The truth of the matter is, MOST bands don't "make it". 9 out of 10 signed bands don't recoup their expenses and get dropped by their label. Do some research - the numbers are staggering. Some of my favorite bands, whom I consider to be much better than some of the big bands out there, have struggled their entire careers and haven't made a dime.

I'm not saying that music shouldn't be pursued. But the truth of the matter is, even if you're good, put in tons of hard work, and gig constantly you still have very little luck in making any money at all. Your chances are about the same as playing the lottery.