Ok, this is the first trick I've ever turned..

[HeadyVan Halen]

In other words, sold by proverbial soul to play songs I HATE.
My band hasn't gigged in a while so I took a sub gig.
Listed are the songs I said I would never, ever, under any circumstance play...


Exhibit A:
Maria, Maria
Mustang Sally
Celebration
Ladies Night
Get Down On It
Electric Slide
Midnight Hour
My Girl
Stand By Me

And before you guys chime in with the "dude we play all that stuff, that's what fills the dance floor.."
Great, nice, but we fill the dance floor withOUT the cliche B.S...Oh, well, let me get my lube and birth control pills ready for Saturday.

[turbo chicken]

heh... priorities change.

The need to get out and play exceeded your will to stand your ground ... it happens.

have fun at your gig.

[carl h.]

Welcome to the world of a working musician.

[Staccato]

Do your duty, and teach the rest of us those old favorites!

[bassteban]

For me, *selling out* would equal complete and utter success- if someone were only buying...

[stflbn]

Sounds like OP's selling out more than once... more than once and you're a pro.

[TomB]

It's fun to play music for folks who enjoy what you're doing, even if they're not your usual crowd. Keep telling yourself that... maybe you'll even enjoy yourself

[Marko5657]

Originally Posted by HeadyVan Halen

And before you guys chime in with the "dude we play all that stuff, that's what fills the dance floor.."
Great, nice, but we fill the dance floor withOUT the cliche B.S...

Originally Posted by HeadyVan Halen

My band hasn't gigged in a while so....

[Munjibunga]

Hmmm. I don't see Free Bird on there. What's the problem?

[elgecko]

Originally Posted by Marko5657

I also enjoyed that part!

[HeadyVan Halen]

Originally Posted by Marko5657

I knew one of you clever gentlemen would tie that loose end together, however we've replaced a member and had to regroup.

[remainthesame]

i like to play straight up death metal, but the band im in now has kind of an emo/metalcore thing goin on. so ur not alone in playing stuff that u dont really care for. but i gotta tell you man, our music is slowly growing on me. maybe it will for you as well

[JMac4strngr]

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

Hmmm. I don't see Free Bird on there. What's the problem?

Gotta have "The Bird" in there or (the other favorite tune of the "one man band Mexican resturant gig Guys" around the burbs south of Atlanta) Hotel California......

[brndn123]

I know playing those songs can be a bit of a challenge at times, however, if you volunteered your services as a bass player for a paying gig, you shouldn't be complaining about anything. Be sure not take this position for granted.

On a side note, I think the whole "selling out" bit is a bunch of B.S. I'm pretty sure the majority of musicians out there would rather make an honest living performing than working a day job, regardless of genre.

[Sparkdog]

If you take sub gigs this is part of the package, but you already know that.

Only one thing works for me with this kind of material...instead of just going through the motions and delivering a sleepy lowest common denominator performance, I try to get under the song and make it groove like the band has never heard before.

That makes it way more tolerable for me and often does the same for the rest of the players. Beats the hell out of rolling your eyes and saying "Arghh, not THIS crap again!"

Really hard to have any fun with that approach.

my 2 centavos...

[PDGood]

That's not so bad. Now if they ask you to lip sync those songs and play unplugged while the tracks are piped in through the P.A. system - then you've REALLY sold out.

[bassbrad]

I have a list of tunes I hate to play so they are on the "Big Tip List" 50-100 bucks, have had crowds pass the hat to get Freebird or other such tunes played played.

The country band uses a sign suggesting $20 tips for all requests, and minimums for certain other songs up the $100 for "Cotton eyed Eyed and the Schottische" which I despise or $50 gets a recording played and we get a 10 minute break.

[Bassdirty]

Originally Posted by HeadyVan Halen

Exhibit A:
Maria, Maria
Mustang Sally
Celebration
Ladies Night
Get Down On It
Electric Slide
Midnight Hour
My Girl
Stand By Me

And before you guys chime in with the "dude we play all that stuff, that's what fills the dance floor.."

Personally, I don't think it "packs the dancefloor" with my kinda people (maybe yrs ago).
(that doesnt mean I don't play stuff I don't wanna play..just aimed toward a younger crowd I guess.)

But, I'm not the type to turn down too many gigs, as long as it sounds good, people like it...I say grin and bear it..or don't do it.



JMO?...

[Muttleybass]

Having to play Brown Eyed Girl for 3 1/2 minutes beats the snot out of bussing tables for $8 an hour.

Plus, personally, I would rather play Mustang Sally to a full dance floor than YYZ to an empty one. It's all about the crowd and a gig is a gig. And, if your filling in, all those standards don't (or shouldn't) need rehearsal. You can just get up, play the damn things, make $120 for a night of doing what you love, have a beer and go home. And, as someone else said, you can use the term "pro" proudly.

That's my opinion, anyway. If I got a call tomorrow to play a night of lame standards, you bet I'd be there. It beats sitting around in my underwear watching Two & a 1/2 Men reruns.

[iiipopes]

Welcome to paying for $$. Get over it if you want to continue to earn $$ playing.