So, You Wanna Be a 'Pro' Bassist?

[bassfran]

Good list, OP. Many sweet memories.

I would add...

(11.) Have you ever had the cable wrenched from your instrument during a show, whether by you or a bandmate, or ever pulled/toppled your amp over onstage?

(12.) Have you ever had a show shut down by the local PD?

(13.) Have you ever had occasion to use your instrument or musical equipment as a defensive weapon?

[Jarrett]

Ever had someone shot at your show?

Ever had a bar fight so big it cleared the entire place?

Ever had the ambulance called?

Ever had the crowd going so crazy you had to stop playing to hold the PA up?

Ever had chicks physically fighting over lead singer?

Ever get to the tour stop only to find the club is a renovated Pizza Hut?

Ever had the promoter tell you that you manager skipped town owing them your band's cut for the last few tour stops?

Ever had one of the sisters from Heart grab your ass back stage after the show?

Ever had Dug Pinnick ask if you could get him into the green room? (my personal fave)

etc, etc, etc

[worxforme]

Good post!

[NWB]

Originally Posted by Jarrett

Ever had one of the sisters from Heart grab your ass back stage after the show?

My bet's on Anne.

[dfinnegan71]

Should you add: "Go on a band tour/road trip in which A) the vehicle breaks down in the middle of nowhere, OR B) a band member almost gets arrested"?


Yes to all but #8 and definetly yes on this one. What to hear about it?

We were a band from Maine, just did a CD release in Nashville Tn. Driving back to play at CBGB's in NYC on our way home. Van broke down in White Haven PA for 2 days. Drummer arrested for shoplifting from an autoparts store. It was a part for the van, obvi.

[plankspanker13]

1) A few times, back in the 80's, with originals band
2) see #1
3) Not yet
4) Perhaps once, back in the 80's
5) A few weeks ago, on a hired-gun gig
6) A few times, throughout my career
7) Early 2010, in Arizona City
8) On acid, 1986
9) One of my earliest bands
10) Nothing major; maybe a cable

[TBAR Shane]

Everything but #7, and #10.

Agressive people tend to calm down around me, so I've never had a conflict at a gig.

I keep tabs on my stuff constantly when it's not in my home. Either eye sight, or knowing that it's being guarded by the rest of the band with their gear. So I've never had anything stolen.

Although I have had someone follow me in their car while I was walking with my bass. I tricked them by making a fake turn onto a busy one way street, once they turned onto it I turned back to the route I was on through a parking lot. They turned the first corner they could to come around the block, but I had lost them by the point that they came back around by slipping into a pizza pizza without them noticing.. Pretty nerve racking though.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by dtripoli

Check list
In order to qualify as a "Seasoned Musician"
You have to have:
1) Played to an empty room
2) Been stiffed for your money at least twice
3) Arrived at a gig and been told, "sorry, we double booked"
4) Played a wrong genre gig i.e, metal band at a jazz club, country band at an R&B club
5) Repeatedly waited a minimum of 2 hours past your start time to play
6) Gone to an audition for a "professional band" with "professional" members and find out its rank amateurs playing bad covers
7) While playing, someone spills something on you/your bass/your amp, falls into you, throws something at you, yells obscenities or wants to kick your ass for no apparent reason.
8) Played your personal worst performance ever yet been told by at least 2 people you were amazing
9) Stayed in a mediocre cover/tribute/original band for at least 1 year and played only 1 gig with them....and it was bad
10) Lastly and most sadly, you have to have had at least one instrument or gear stolen

Every single one of those has happened to me, and a couple more than once.

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by bassfran

Good list, OP. Many sweet memories.

I would add...

(11.) Have you ever had the cable wrenched from your instrument during a show, whether by you or a bandmate, or ever pulled/toppled your amp over onstage?

(12.) Have you ever had a show shut down by the local PD?

(13.) Have you ever had occasion to use your instrument or musical equipment as a defensive weapon?

Every single one of those have happened to me, too.

[BassKitty101]

Darn, 9 out of 10. Never double booked that I can remember. But hey I've been playing for a total of three years so not too shabby haha

[sound of bass]

Well, it seems like im on my way to being a pro. lol.

[RustyAxe]

Originally Posted by dtripoli

9) Stayed in a mediocre cover/tribute/original band for at least 1 year and played only 1 gig with them....and it was bad
10) Lastly and most sadly, you have to have had at least one instrument or gear stolen

All except these last two and hopefully I'll never check either one off the list. No way I'd stay with a band for a year with just one gig. And I try to keep pretty close tabs on my gear, but I suppose after 45 years of playing I'm bound to lose something to a thief someday.

[kcole4001]

Personally, I've missed out on points 5, 9, and 10 (not that I want to experience them!).
I did have a variation on a theme of #5: big fight broke out and didn't get to play after waiting all night, benefit gig, we were due to be on last.
EVERYONE ran well over their time slots so we would have started 40 minutes late.

All the rest: OH YEAH! Been there.

[Timmah]

I've only been playing out for 2 or 3 years, and I have 1, 2, 5,7, 8, 9, and half of 10 (inadvertently switched gig bags with another bass player on the bill).
I'll be a pro in no time!

[billgwx]

Six out of 10 ain't bad!

[pbass6811]

I'm proud to say that I am, indeed, a "seasoned, pro" bassist...even with the additions from bassfran! Woohoo,


I might also add:
Been offered "illegal" substances by a complete stranger or had a complete stranger ask you to point them to your "supplier"

[bassgod0dmw]

According to the OP, I'm a seasoned pro! YAY!

[oniman7]

Originally Posted by dtripoli

Check list
In order to qualify as a "Seasoned Musician"
You have to have:
1) Played to an empty room
2) Been stiffed for your money at least twice
3) Arrived at a gig and been told, "sorry, we double booked"
4) Played a wrong genre gig i.e, metal band at a jazz club, country band at an R&B club
5) Repeatedly waited a minimum of 2 hours past your start time to play
6) Gone to an audition for a "professional band" with "professional" members and find out its rank amateurs playing bad covers
7) While playing, someone spills something on you/your bass/your amp, falls into you, throws something at you, yells obscenities or wants to kick your ass for no apparent reason.
8) Played your personal worst performance ever yet been told by at least 2 people you were amazing
9) Stayed in a mediocre cover/tribute/original band for at least 1 year and played only 1 gig with them....and it was bad
10) Lastly and most sadly, you have to have had at least one instrument or gear stolen

Once you've completed the above check list you may officially refer to yourself as a 'Seasoned Musician'

We were told an hour before we left that we were double booked. I had a bass stolen but got it back. So if these count, I am a pro musician at age 17

[thebbconspiracy]

1) Yes. My first gig.
2) By the band leader, but never by mgmt.
3) No, but showed up and none of the other bands showed up so we got cancelled.
4) Played mid tempo alt rock and a punk show. Can't get more punk than that, right?
5)Quite a few times.
6) I've auditioned a few people who claim to be pros, and turns out they didnt even know what E standard was.
7) Yes! He wanted to fight me and replace me in my band. I didnt know why, until later. He wanted to sleep with the singer.
8) Yes.
9) Terrible. Our drummer left at our first gig and we had to replace him with a drum machine.
10) A cable and a guitar strap. I keep my amps and instruments really close to me. I cant afford replacements. lol

[Ubersheist]

1. Yup
2. Yup
3. Yup
4. Yup
5. Yup
6. Yup
7. Yup -the worst was the Twinkies and Ding Dongs that stuck to my gear during a food fight. Also, a spilt beer fried an amp's preamp once, though.
8. Yup
9. Yup
10. Nope - Even when I was a young padowan, I stayed away from bands that didn't go anywhere or were a waste of time.
11. Nope - I've had cords stolen and some other minor stuff, but no instruments. Does it count if I've stolen somebody else's guitar? Just kidding.