One thing that really stuck out to me when I read Miles Davis' autobiography is when he talked about bonding with other musicians because they were into clothes, too. I'm not sure anybody would consider Miles Davis a poser. Caring about how you present yourself isn't being a poser, it's being smart and realizing that everything matters.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Band Fashion
- Thread starter Buck_BassMan94
- Start date
One thing that really stuck out to me when I read Miles Davis' autobiography is when he talked about bonding with other musicians because they were into clothes, too. I'm not sure anybody would consider Miles Davis a poser. Caring about how you present yourself isn't being a poser, it's being smart and realizing that everything matters.
We tend to have this same line of thinking. When we play festivals we 100% want to look cohesive, but at family events it’s much more casual.
My wife makes fun of me often for talking about our band. I’m not the most fashionable dresser so she thinks it’s funny when I get worried about how I look on stage!
I totally agree! Our guitar player loves punk rock and metal, he tends to dress more in dark ripped jeans with a band tshirt and baseball hat with chucks. I like country so I wear dark colors, boots, and a cowboy hat. Since our colors match and we play a variety of genres it seems to reflect us as a band. Plus I feel more confident in my hat when I’m on stage.
- Dress better than the audience
- Dress like you're all in the same band.
There is your run of the mill band fashion, and then there is...
THE LENINGRAD COWBOYS!
THE LENINGRAD COWBOYS!
Not so much harsh as an acknowledgement of reality. Healthy looking is just more attractive to most people. And it usually means more energy for your performances as well.
I got put on notice from my medical people since I have a heart condition. So I went from 235+ down to 175. Took the better part of a year to do it gradually and safely. (You shouldn’t try to loose more than a pound or two a week max.)
No special diets or exercise regimen were required. Just a little more moving around during the day and gradually cutting out some bad eating habits I acquired over the years that I didn’t miss at all once I phased them out.
Turned out not to be much of a challenge. And along the way I rediscovered how much I enjoy walking. But the big reinforcers were feeling a lot better than I had in several years, having ten times more energy, and the compliments I started getting on my improved appearance. Probably the best thing I ever did for myself was listening to my cardiologist.
Feeling good is addictive.
Last edited:
I see three important elements here.
1 - What is normal and appropriate for the band you're in.
2 - What is normal and appropriate for the place you're playing.
3 - What you can pull off personally.
#1 and #2 are self explanatory or close.
#3 is brutal but true. Some guys can put on a t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of Chucks and it says "rock & roll." Other guys put that stuff on and it says "3rd grader." You have to know which guy you are, and all jeans and t-shirts are not the same.
1 - What is normal and appropriate for the band you're in.
2 - What is normal and appropriate for the place you're playing.
3 - What you can pull off personally.
#1 and #2 are self explanatory or close.
#3 is brutal but true. Some guys can put on a t-shirt, jeans, and a pair of Chucks and it says "rock & roll." Other guys put that stuff on and it says "3rd grader." You have to know which guy you are, and all jeans and t-shirts are not the same.
Last edited:
Not so much harsh as an acknowledgement of reality. Healthy looking is just more attractive to most people. And it usually means more energy for your performances as well.
I got put on notice from my medical people since I have a heart condition. So I went from 235+ down to 175. Took the better part of a year to do it gradually and safely. (You shouldn’t try to loose more than a pound or two a week max.)
No special diets or exercise regimen were required. Just a little more moving around during the day and gradually cutting out some bad eating habits I acquired over the years that I didn’t miss at all once I phased them out.
Turned out not to be much of a challenge. And along the way I rediscovered how much I enjoy walking. But the big reinforcers were feeling a lot better than I had in several years, having ten times more energy, and the compliments I started getting on my improved appearance. Probably the best thing I ever did for myself was listening to my cardiologist.
Feeling good is addictive.
Cardiac rehab was the best thing that ever happened to me. Looking back the last 17 years, it’s well worth the effort to get and stay with the program. At my age, my mother, two aunts and one uncle on my maternal side were dead.
Back then, there was no cardiac rehab for them. The were told to stay in bed and remove any and all stress<physical and or mental, from their lives. There were no drug eluding stents, drug like plavix (pardon the spelling), cholesterol meds. Coronary By-passes were still in their infancy, and if survived the surgery, you had to deal with the after effects of the anesthesia.
Best wishes on you health journey.
We try to coordinate without being exactly similar. Just cohesive.
It’s true. All the cowboys in Leningrad wear those shoes. They hook to the stirrups.
Now I only play at my church, but not just for praise services, so it's a narrow sampling.
I always try to dress at the upper end of what the audience will be dressed in, or one notch up. So for church services I'm at the nice end of business casual - long sleeved shirt in the color of the church season, black pants slacks, black dress shoes. For fun events where will be t-shirts and polos I'll be in be jeans and a Hawaiian shirt (our electric guitarist wears a silk bowling shirt so we kinda match). And anything fancier, like background music at a dinner events, I'll dress one step above what's expected of the guests.
I always try to dress at the upper end of what the audience will be dressed in, or one notch up. So for church services I'm at the nice end of business casual - long sleeved shirt in the color of the church season, black pants slacks, black dress shoes. For fun events where will be t-shirts and polos I'll be in be jeans and a Hawaiian shirt (our electric guitarist wears a silk bowling shirt so we kinda match). And anything fancier, like background music at a dinner events, I'll dress one step above what's expected of the guests.
Pretty much what’s in my profile pic…wintertime a black or silver belly …nicer shirt more times than not. Guitarist/main singer usually the same, sans hat.
females in the assorted bands I work with wear proper cowgirl attire or something a bit more urbane, but still western.
females in the assorted bands I work with wear proper cowgirl attire or something a bit more urbane, but still western.
In 2012 I played in a band called CREAMATOR and we used to fill the place due to our stage show, but when our drummer left we couldn't find a replacement because nobody had the guts to wear a costume. It is SO much fun. You get to be a character you're not off stage, just like Vince Fernier / Alice Cooper.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,796
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
Just don't wear shorts onstage. Ever. I don't care if it's a hundred degrees and a hundred percent humidity. DO NOT WEAR SHORTS
That's how I feel about all my shows. People who know me off stage are surprised at how animated I am in-show; I can only imagine adding costuming to that.
The solution is really pretty simple. If you were the audience, would you want to look at you?
This “if you're the entertainment, I think you should look like you're the entertainment. When customers at the bar put more effort into their look than the people on stage, the people on stage aren't doing their job.”
