Help me get into a band PLEASE!

[eotpr]

Guys I need help. I have been auditioning and looking for a band for nearly a year
I go to the auditions prepared if they give me songs. They always tell me they like what I did here or there. They also tell me I play well and that they like what I did at the end of the audition. Last Saturday I auditioned for 5 hours. We played all of their songs and I played them well. They said that they were finally sounding like a band. They also said that they liked what I did…….
After every audition they call and tell me they want to keep looking. What is wrong with me? I am guessing that it is my 9inch long beard and medium length hair, either that or my age 51 or size I am a big guy. Do you guys have any ideas? This is getting frustrating. So tonight I am thinking of cutting my hair really short and turning my beard into a goatee to see if that helps. If you need pictures I am listed on Myspace as Angus Kohler. Those pictures were taken about a year ago with a Country Band that I was in. Any suggestions that you could make that are constructive will be appreciated.

[fenderhutz]

Where are you located?

[eotpr]

Ogden Utah I have played Jazz, Blues based Rock, Country, Modern rock.

[lonote]

Well, I'm 59 yrs old, 6' and weigh 235...I'm not tiny and I sure as hell am not young. What hair I have left is gray. My band consists of guys in their 50's except for the singer/front man who is in his mid 40's. We pretty much play as much as we want to play. The key is getting involved with people roughly your own age. I know there are going to be a dozen 30 somethings who will dispute it until hell freezes over...they're wrong. Been there, done that. With guys your age, you will have a lot more in common...where you are in life, where you've been and what your influences are.

[Beej]

How about starting a band with yourself as the band leader? That way you can be the one who's refusing to let others into the band...

[eotpr]

Originally Posted by lonote

Well, I'm 59 yrs old, 6' and weigh 235...I'm not tiny and I sure as hell am not young. What hair I have left is gray. My band consists of guys in their 50's except for the singer/front man who is in his mid 40's. We pretty much play as much as we want to play. The key is getting involved with people roughly your own age. I know there are going to be a dozen 30 somethings who will dispute it until hell freezes over...they're wrong. Been there, done that. With guys your age, you will have a lot more in common...where you are in life, where you've been and what your influences are.

That is kind of the trick isn't it? It seems like the music stuff is primarily comprised of younger guys. Man I don't want to be the star, the boss, or anything like that. I want to lock it down tight with the drummer and make the rhythm section jump. I am quick to do what ever I see as needing to be done without even being asked. I am laid back and do not need it to be my way. I check my ego at the door and play it the way the band wants. I am glad to play about any songs or any type of music. I even have a Hawaiian gig scheduled in September.

My schedule is pretty flexible and I can go to work when I want and leave when I want within certain limits. I can get any day off I want. Schedule is never an issue.

I am about getting to the point where I am thinking that there are no guys around that want to play so I should just sell off my stuff.

[neuromancer]

Did you ask them if there was anything you could improve on? I'm thinking asking them what exactly they didn't like might put them on the spot and not encourage an honest response.

I guess they shouldn't have complimented you like that if they really didn't mean it. I think "we finally sound like a band" or something to that extent is one huge compliment, and not one to be given if it's not true. Plus, they jammed with you for 5 hours....I would think if they had a problem with any aspect of your appearance (as stupid as that may be), they could've easily ended the audtion after 30 mins. I'm a bit confused....could it be that they really don't know what they want?

I'm sorry to hear that it worked out like that, but if you could do your thing for 5 hours with them, then I think you'll find the right band. Keep plucking away!

[stflbn]

My experience is that 2-3 songs into an audition they've likely already decided in the minds if they like me (you) or not.

Auditioning for 5 hours seems insanely un-necessary. Hell, I wouldn't PRACTICE for 5 hours with any band I've been in for the past 15 years.


Also... height, weight, appearance issues quickly dissipate 30 - 45 seconds into a show if the band truely brings it and plays like a band. The 'oh **** these guys kick ass' factor is a great great equalizer. You run into that ALOT here in the Nashville. You can wander into some place with a band and never know what kind of talent will be on stage.

[eotpr]

I always ask what I could do to improve for the next time I audition. I got one I "was not disco enough". They had me stay for a second guitarist to audition too. Most times I do not get a reply. I have also been told that they wanted someone that lived closer. To me that does not make a lot of sense. If I am willing to make the drive why should it bother them?

I will admit that there were a couple of bands that I did not like and refused a spot in them when it was offered. I have a job with random urinalysis and if I was with someone when they got busted or known to associate regularly with someone that was a drug user I would probably lose my clearance and my job.

[eotpr]

Originally Posted by neuromancer

Did you ask them if there was anything you could improve on? I'm thinking asking them what exactly they didn't like might put them on the spot and not encourage an honest response.

I guess they shouldn't have complimented you like that if they really didn't mean it. I think "we finally sound like a band" or something to that extent is one huge compliment, and not one to be given if it's not true. Plus, they jammed with you for 5 hours....I would think if they had a problem with any aspect of your appearance (as stupid as that may be), they could've easily ended the audtion after 30 mins. I'm a bit confused....could it be that they really don't know what they want?

I'm sorry to hear that it worked out like that, but if you could do your thing for 5 hours with them, then I think you'll find the right band. Keep plucking away!

I know isn't that crazy? They also told me they liked what I did. I left there and auditioned for another couple of guys and played to 1:30 a.m. So I played that day from 4:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. The second guys really like me but I don't know that they will do anything but jam. I will keep jaming with them while I look but I don't think that they are really heading in my same direction.

[Thunderthumbs73]

Originally Posted by eotpr

Guys I need help. I have been auditioning and looking for a band for nearly a year
I go to the auditions prepared if they give me songs. They always tell me they like what I did here or there. They also tell me I play well and that they like what I did at the end of the audition. Last Saturday I auditioned for 5 hours. We played all of their songs and I played them well. They said that they were finally sounding like a band. They also said that they liked what I did…….
After every audition they call and tell me they want to keep looking. What is wrong with me? I am guessing that it is my 9inch long beard and medium length hair, either that or my age 51 or size I am a big guy. Do you guys have any ideas? This is getting frustrating. So tonight I am thinking of cutting my hair really short and turning my beard into a goatee to see if that helps. If you need pictures I am listed on Myspace as Angus Kohler. Those pictures were taken about a year ago with a Country Band that I was in. Any suggestions that you could make that are constructive will be appreciated.

Five hour audition. What did you play? The Complete Beethoven Sonatas? Small joke. Anyway, that's ridiculous to spend that amount of time on an audition. They should be able to tell within 30 minutes without a doubt that you're the right (or wrong) guy.

IMO, the only possible solution other than just plain out abusing your time is that they never wanted you, but just needed someone to play bass for their one practice while their "regular" was gone. That's totally cool if it's upfront and all parties are in the know, but if not, that's shameful.

In the future, do yourself a favor, and have a diplomatic conversation with the potential band if they don't already have a plan for the audition process where you gently suggest to do 5-10 songs of prepared material, and are ready to do your best on 'em. Do that, and let the merits of that preparation stand.

Usually (or at least in my case) auditions are like this- not encyclopedic, but focused. If you've the 5-10 songs down well, and they can't see you're right for the gig, then this might not be a good band at all. If they throw a couple songs at you off the wall, then that's ok, to see how you go with the flow, but make sure it's not an endless process! When you're officially IN the band THEN you should go for that five hour marathon practice session!

Good luck with it!

[Thunderthumbs73]

One of my strangest experiences was on my last audition where the band asked me to play the other rhythm guitar part (on the bass) while playing the bass line too. The second guitar part was minimal, but I had to two-hand/tap it, and was totally not prepared to do that, despite the fact that the recorded song I was auditioning on/preparing had two guitar parts, and the band had two people that could have played guitar (the lead singer, who I know plays guitar, but didn't) but only one did. I got through it reasonably well, but hey, I wonder if they were going to next ask me to sit down at the drums and play the bass drum and the high-hats as well????

[eotpr]

I think I have another audition coming up. These guys gave me three of their songs. I am to play them as their old bassist did then, play them as I think they should be played as a measure of creativity. that sounds much more reasonable.

[Spinal Tapper]

How old are the guys you're playing with? No offense, but if they're in their 20's, it's probably an age thing.

[eotpr]

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

How old are the guys you're playing with? No offense, but if they're in their 20's, it's probably an age thing.

I think that they were in their 30's

[Spinal Tapper]

Originally Posted by eotpr

I think that they were in their 30's

Don't know why they didn't choose you, but maybe they'll still call u back after a couple more auditions. Maybe they had some other people lined up. When we were looking for a drummer, the guy we chose auditioned 2nd in line, but we had about 3 more guys after that, so we told him we'd call him (to give the others a fair chance to try out). How long ago was the audition? Don't wait around, keep posting those ads, but don't be surprised if you get a call from these guys in a week or two because they didn't find anyone else. Just the way the game goes.

[eotpr]

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

Don't know why they didn't choose you, but maybe they'll still call u back after a couple more auditions. Maybe they had some other people lined up. When we were looking for a drummer, the guy we chose auditioned 2nd in line, but we had about 3 more guys after that, so we told him we'd call him (to give the others a fair chance to try out). How long ago was the audition? Don't wait around, keep posting those ads, but don't be surprised if you get a call from these guys in a week or two because they didn't find anyone else. Just the way the game goes.

I know that they had a guy lined up for tonight. Everything that they said at the audition led me to believe unless this guy really surprised them the gig was mine. I just really don't know what happened. I was floored when I get the email telling me that I played really well but they wanted to keep looking and that I should not get discouraged. I was really suprised when I got that email yesterday.

[sleepy_monkey]

eotpr, I am 27 and have played with all age of people, with many lengths of beards, all different backgrounds, etc... Let's start a band and kick people out! ;-)

[eotpr]

Originally Posted by sleepy_monkey

eotpr, I am 27 and have played with all age of people, with many lengths of beards, all different backgrounds, etc... Let's start a band and kick people out! ;-)

Sounds cool. Are you in my neck of the woods? I have a guitarist that has been playing 40 years and a drummer, but he has problems with cadence.

[Alexisonfire344]

If you get rid of that beard, the terrorists have won.