Progressive Blues Band Trio...going back to music full time.

[Sundogue]

I'm in a good place in my life right now. Going back to being a musician full time as my occupation. I still play in a classic rock band part time, but I've finally found the right guitarist and drummer to form a progressive Blues Band trio a while back.

I'm not sure how to even "label" what we do as it is a mix of funk, blues and rock. Mostly in a blues vein, or at least strongly influenced by the blues. We do about 30 covers from the likes of Joe Bonomassa, SRV, John Meyer Trio, Robben Ford, Clapton, Hendrix, Canned Heat, and many funky, rockin' obscure blues tunes...and thus far have about 15 originals.

We're still in the rehearsal stage and are just about ready to hit the studio for a CD release/promo disc and get our bookings up to where we want them. We have lots of places waiting on us and we are very stoked to get out and play, but we want to make sure we don't sound like an "open mic" jam band so we're polishing up our show.

I'm both excited and nervous. I haven't played in a band full time as a living since I was in my 20's, and now with a (very supportive) wife and two kids still at home I'm a bit anxious about earning a living from it. But ultimately, I can make some really good money doing something I love and I'm not getting any younger. This is my chance to do something with my life that has really been only a hobby or part time thing for the last 20 years. Decided to just go for it so as not to have regrets when I'm 70. We have no delusions of "making it to the big-time". Just want to do it as a living and whatever happens, happens.

The music we are covering is really challenging to me and is getting me off my lazy arse playing-wise. Having been in rock cover bands for so long and now jumping into covering the likes of Pino Palladino, Roscoe Beck and others so much better than I, is really stoking the musical fires. It's so exciting to be in a trio. To be a bass player and be allowed so much freedom is just so liberating as a musician. Writing my own songs and my parts to our own songs is like fresh, clean mountain air. With it being only three piece I can lock in with the drummer, yet take liberties where I feel it, without worry of covering some Top 40 hit note for note as I do with my rock cover band. To be able to truly express myself with my bass is fulfilling.

Just wanted to put it out there and wonder how many others are getting back to the "life of a musician" after many years of only doing it as kind of a little sideline hobby.

Anyone else care to share a similar path they are on?

[LongHairFreak]

I can only hope that some day I'll be able to share such similarities. Congrats man.

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by LongHairFreak

I can only hope that some day I'll be able to share such similarities. Congrats man.

Thanks. It's been a long time coming. I just grew tired of the same old, same old with regards to cover bands. I've always wanted to be in a kick-ass rockin blues band (not the tired old worn out I-IV-V crap), but some real progressive stuff.

And I knew the only way 'd ever have a band that would allow me to do anything beyond covering the same old crap would be to start my own.

And there is a huge difference between the pay scale of that same old tired retread rock classic covers and an original progressive blues band. It's like night and day. I can make a minimum of three times the pay playing in this blues band that I did with the rock cover bands...and that's even playing less hours per night. A 3 hour show for 3X the money of a 4 hour rock cover band show? No brainer. And it is way more fun.

It's all about marketing, professionalism and playing in the right clubs. Those clubs we're after (that actually want us) don't want the same old crap, so they don't hire cover bands. If I want to play the boring old **** I've always played why would anyone want to pay much for that? I'm tired of being a live jukebox.

I got a new lease on life.