Multi-Band Players Club

Russell L · #1 03-27-2011, 08:15 PM

Not giving out nymbers here, but I was just curious how many play in more than one band, or do more than one thing with their playing. And do you have gigs? There can be many issues to confront when doing that, and it takes a lot of stamina to keep up with it all, I must say. Then, there's the dilemma with loyalty, and/or working around schedules. It can be a hairy life. A plus can be that there is more income, but at a heavy price.

Myself, right now, I am in two bands, a blues/rock band and a variety band. (Actually, there's a third, but it's a specialty band and a rare occasion that it gigs). So far, it's working, and we do have gigs in both bands, but have done well working around each other. If one band takes off more than the other, it could come down to making a choice, but times are slim, so maybe that won't happen. But then, it might be easier just going with one, ya know. What's really kicking my butt is going to rehearsals so much for now. The song list is pretty exhaustive, too, especially with the blues band doing more obscure stuff.

Anyway, what ya'll got? Even if you wanna rant about it, let's hear it.

chuck3 · #2 03-27-2011, 08:26 PM

The band I'm in, which plays a mix of country, rock and blues, gigs regularly in a kind of defined circuit of places all within about a 20-mile radius. I took a second assignment with a guy who does originals, kind of "newgrass," and found I had to quit after a few months. He was marketing it as a "band" (although it wasn't really, by my definition) and trying to get gigs at the same places my band plays. I didn't think that was fair to my regular band, so I quit.

I still take side gigs playing jazz, backing up a piano player in the city and a guitar player upstate, but there's no way this competes with the regular band, so everyone's cool with it. They actually appreciate that I can play jazz too.

avvie · #3 03-27-2011, 08:32 PM

Color me member three. At one time I had five bands going, all different genres. Now I'm in two, with one apparently falling apart, and ready to try something else. I play g***ar also, and have thought about advertising as a rhythm guitarist... they seem to be as rare or rarer than bassists.

Russell L · #4 03-27-2011, 08:33 PM

Oh yes, Chuck, I've done fill-ins, too, and still do if I get called. That's always been ok with the bands I've played with. The only trick was to have a time limit on when you could commit to a side gig, giving my regular band more priority, of course. Sounds like that was a sticky situation you were in with that other guy.

(Got a call to play a jazz guitar gig from a sax friend. When I asked who all was playing, he said, "Me and you." Have mercy, when he wasn't playing, I was the whole band! LOL. We did it, though).

Russell L · #5 03-27-2011, 08:35 PM

avvie, if my defunct band starts back, I'll be in three (or four, counting the specialy band). Whew.

Hoover · #6 03-28-2011, 10:06 AM

I'm in three different regular bands right now, plus I still do some freelance session work (mostly studio stuff but occasionally live shows). Of the three bands, two perform frequently. The third is more of a vanity project/therapy session.

Russell L · #7 03-28-2011, 10:22 AM

"Vanity project," huh? Heh, heh, that sounds interesting, Hoover.

My third gig is a thing that happens only once or twice a year (used to be a little more). We do shows for school kids, mostly grammar school, at their school. It is a very rewarding experience. The fellow who does the show up front is very talented. He even gets the kids into the show. He spends the week there every day as an artist in residence, teaching them, rehearsing what they'll be doing in the show, and most of all, having a ball with them. Then, at the end of the week he brings us in for the full show. They all love him, and so do we. We feel blessed to be a part of The Glenn Fox Show around North and South Carolina. It's a great little band composed of some of the best players around these parts. We used to do four shows in one week in Columbia, SC each fall, but budget cuts have ended it, at least last year it didn't happen, after ten years in a row. Now, we only play once or twice a year. I miss it a lot. And, even though we get paid very well for doing it, it's the one gig that I'd still do if there was no pay, just because it makes everyone feel good. Last year we did a show at an orphanage. That one brought tears. It was the first time that there would be no parents to come see their own kids, even though I guess some adults there were prospects. Otherwise, there were a lot of folks there anyway. The kids were so sweet, I tell ya. (Sorry, I just had to share that, ya'll).

wumusic · #8 03-28-2011, 10:37 AM

I am in three live projects currently, and have one studio project going.

I am officially in one band that does all original music (jam-rock-jazz-fusion). We gig about once a month on average, more in the summer time due to the amount of festivals in my area. This group is wrapping up it's debut CD.

I am the live bassist for the second band. It's more of a bassist for hire situation. This group is relatively new (one year in existence), but, the three shows it has performed regionally have been really well attended. All original music created by one very talented musician. It's in the Spock's Beard / King Crimson / King's X style of music.

The third group is an R&B project that I'm supporting live. It's basically backing up a female R&B vocalist and the covers / originals that she does. This is also a once-a-month gig, if that.

The studio project I'm currently involved in is writing a California power-pop CD with the principle from the second group (the music is along the lines of Jellyfish / The Grays / Jason Falkner). This is just for fun and the guy is really amazing and it's a honor to be working with him - just learning a ton from the entire experience.

For the first 24 years or so of playing, I've typically focused on being in one band. About a year ago, I switched my personal business model to that of bassist-for-hire - so, I got a few calls and it's working out so far.

What I really enjoy about working this way is that I get to play all different types of music. And, my former progressive rock / metal group band mates recently emailed and asked if everyone was interested in getting back together for a few shows this summer...so...there could be a fourth project soon, too.

Neat topic. Thanks for starting it.

Russell L · #9 03-28-2011, 10:50 AM

Yer welcome, pal. That's a lot of good stuff you're doing there, sounds like.

Elmo Oxygen · #10 03-28-2011, 11:01 AM

Yeah, it can be taxing. Things are relatively slow for me right now but, I play in two live projects (one is a new start-up and the other is on a recording hiatus due to losing members) and I record/co-produce hip-hop/electronic (we are currently being paid to write, record and engineer two full albums), this is the only project generating any revenue at the moment.
Oh yeah, did I mention I have 3 kids and a small business as well?
It was worse a few years ago, 3 bands, one out of town & a full time day-job - I hardly ever saw the inside of my house!

kesslari · #11 03-28-2011, 11:02 AM

2 bands. One funk, one folk-jazz-blues. Both try to limit gigs to 1-2 per month (all players have families, jobs, etc.) so typically conflicts are light. Occasional other pick-up/fill-in gigs, but I try to keep those down.

Russell L · #12 03-29-2011, 06:04 AM

Elmo, I hear ya. Several years ago I was playing nearly 90 gigs a year and working a full day job. It was too much. Still working the day job, but playing only one or two gigs per month (might be picking up a bit, though).

kesslari, that's more my speed nowadays, although I just told the new band that 2-3 gigs per month would be fine. I like being able to be at home and do other things.

SteveC · #13 03-29-2011, 08:47 AM

1. Pop/Rock/Acoustic/Piano Cover Band (more off than on right now)
2. Funk/Soul/R&B Horn Band (usually private events)
3. Jazz Quartet (3-4 gigs a month)
4. P&W (one or two Sundays a month)
5. Occasional Fill-In Work (usually jazz, sometimes other)
6. Occasional Theatre Work (only if I like the show, pay sucks, takes lots of time)

wumusic · #14 03-30-2011, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

6. Occasional Theatre Work (only if I like the show, pay sucks, takes lots of time)

Theater work is something that I would like to get back into one of these years. I have only done a few shows over the years and they were a lot of fun.

Severals years ago I played in a production of Grease and the rest of the band was comprised of high school music directors who just jammed...great experience.

bassbrad · #15 03-30-2011, 09:31 AM

I'm in 4 bands and sub in 2 others plus occasional pickup gigs.
My jazz quintet, instrumental trio, original/classic cover quartet, singer-songwriter quartet the subs are in a blues and C&W.
It can be a challenge keeping up with it all and there are occasional conflicts over availability but I'd be bored stiff without the variety.

nicktunz · #16 03-30-2011, 09:41 AM

Yeah, I am in a bunch of bands. Probably too many. Right now, it doesn't seem to be too much of a problem, but I can see how it will be.

One is a metal project, which is the main band that I started and it's doing well. Fortunately, I can get away with scheduling because our singer is in another group and that takes up a lot of his time, so all the blame cant be put on me.

The other is a hip hop turned pop rock group. I kinda get some crap for my schedule with this group, even though everyone in that group has other groups, and I am usually the most flexible, up until recent when I...

...accepted the role of "touring" bass player for another group that is based on the other side of the country. So, I will be gone for months at a time. This will probably interfere with my other groups, big time, but it's a great opportunity I can't pass up.

I also have a very low key group that is a spin off of the pop rock group. Hardly any commitment, but probably my favorite group.

Then, I will take random fill in gigs, here and there.
It's not that I am always busy. I actually have a lot of free time, but it seems that everyone wants to rehearse/gig at the same exact time. I will hold out as long as I can, but if somethings gotta give, then somethings gotta give, I guess.

Russell L · #17 04-05-2011, 08:32 AM

Goodness, I thought I was busy. You guys are really at it.

Well, my old band called to ask me back. Heh, heh. I said I'd help out and book it around everything else. So, that makes 3 bands at once going on for real. The newest one has five gigs just in April. This is gonna get interesting shceduling everyone.

(Michael, I used to work in theater, too, as a scene shop supervisor. I don't wany to go back to it. I got really burned out on all the hours. Good luck with your endeavors at it).

wumusic · #18 04-06-2011, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell L

Well, my old band called to ask me back.

Nice. That's cool, especially if you enjoyed jammin' with them. I am one of those lucky ones who can say that I would jam with every former band mate / band that I've been in. Although not all splits were completely amicable, eventually the friendships weighed more than whatever dissolved the group.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell L

Michael, I used to work in theater, too, as a scene shop supervisor. I don't wany to go back to it. I got really burned out on all the hours. Good luck with your endeavors at it.

Thank you, Russell. I don't have extensive experience in it, as it sounds like you have. I've just been lucky enough to have a few friends who are more involved in the local theater that have called me when they needed electric bass.

I actually just found out that the one musical I've been waiting for the exec board to approve was approved for 2012 - that being Pippin, one of my all time favorites. I actually put in my name for musical director. There's plenty of time to buddy-up with the director in hopes of scoring that role. If not, bassist would be cool as well.