Craigslist Long Island Posting and Response

[Sixgunn]

Nobody else thought the worst thing about this was playing Cheap Trick and Alice in Chains in the same set list? That's like apple pie and prime rib. Great on their own, but not in the same bite.

Gotta disagree brah!! We play Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, Miranda Lambert, Dokken, Whitesnake and the Scorpions, etc. all on the same night. People LOVE our diverse set list!

 

[Sixgunn]

Seems like he wants a lot with nothing in return waste of time imo, and what does this actually mean "this is a fun project,we are not serious musicians,but we like to sound good.please no drug users,or ego maniacs.this is a start up project.no gigs lined up yet" Everything posted on this ad points that it isn't going to be a fun project and it is going to be run by this ego maniac "please dont respond if you are going to give me a 10 minute speech about your busy scedual ...i dont care,not interested,we are all busy" Kids this is a great way never to get someone remotely interested in wanting to have you as a band mate. Should be called How not to be a successful ad poster 101

Nothing in return? In return, a responder with a similar mindset gets exactly what they want also. They made it clear what they want and if someone who reads their add wants the same thing, they will add another player. It wouldn't be a fun project for you but it would be for someone looking for the same. I don't see it as being egotistical at all. They have obviously already had the "10 minute speech" and are attempting to ward off time being wasted by the giver AND recipient of another speech.

 

[Sixgunn]

I think the caps key is missing on the poster's computer. They seem to be punctuation-challenged too. I think you're supposed to put a space after a period. One of my pet peeves. I don't expect everything to be perfect since misspellings, grammar issues and punctuation mistakes happen to everyone (myself included). However, when I see an ad like that it makes me think that the whole thing is going to be amateurish. Just an opinion from an anonymous voice on the internet.

Illiteracy abounds!

 

[fhm555]

...I wouldn't waste my time answering this ad either. Learning songs just to meet in someone's basement every week is not something I would be remotely interested in.

So music is strictly a way to earn for you? Absent a payday you can't be bothered?

If my only interest was making money i can think of many many many much more effective ways than spending most of my time over several years gaining and honing my skills while spending thousands of dollars on equipment, all before i made my first $200 by working a couple of back to back 10~12 hour days driving, schlepping equipment, and performing, while most everyone else was out enjoying the weekend.

Now if you are a true working pro who actually earns a send the kids to college and retire before 65 income from performing, then i can see your point, but if you have a day job for that, why so mercenary about music, and why not something that pays better for a part time committment? I can assure you a motivated security guard willing to work can do much better part time than a musician and the training is a few hours rather than a few years. As a part time musician you are already trying to work weekends and holidays, so it's not like you would be sacrificing day job down time you are not already sacrificing.

 

[baileyboy]

So music is strictly a way to earn for you? Absent a payday you can't be bothered?

Gigging is a hobby, but I do like getting paid for the work I put into practicing/rehearsing. Each to his/her own.

 

[Milo Spleen]

In recent years and since retiring last year, I've gotten the bug to play live.

Yeah, I think that being on stage is why I'm on this earth. All of the guys in the band I'm in now were performers since the 70's too, so all of us are on the same page.

 

[rtslinger]

Nothing in return? In return, a responder with a similar mindset gets exactly what they want also. They made it clear what they want and if someone who reads their add wants the same thing, they will add another player. It wouldn't be a fun project for you but it would be for someone looking for the same. I don't see it as being egotistical at all. They have obviously already had the "10 minute speech" and are attempting to ward off time being wasted by the giver AND recipient of another speech.

did you get the IMO part?

 

[Sixgunn]

did you get the IMO part?

I didn't know we were not supposed to respond to opinions lol

 

[lfmn16]

The original ad has a similar tone to this gem that's been on the STL CL for some time.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

He's obviously had problems with responses in the past, but dang, I wouldn't sell this guy a bass for 3x the asking price. You catch more flys with honey than vinegar.

As for the ranter, waste of time to post it in the ads. If you really wanted to rile the guy up, rip him in a message directly to him.

Basement bands are fun for what they are. Personally, if I was asked to be a capable player, I would want to know it was going somewhere besides playing overdone covers in some guys basement. Once you get the songs down, which should be quickly by the way the OP asks for finished parts at rehearsal, then what? Play Man in the Box EVERY week for how long??? I get paid to put myself through that torture lol. My two cents

I would never answer an ad from someone so angry. Also very immature. If you've ever used Craigslist you should know that there are a fair number of people that don't thoroughly read the ad. It comes with the territory. If it is so upsetting that you feel the need to rant, you probably should spend more time in anger management and less time trying to put a band together.

 

[asands]

The ad states: "This is a start-up, no gigs lined up yet."

I started up a band a couple of years ago. Start-ups are hard, and making a bunch of promises about gigs for an unproven start-up is dishonest. So, I didn't make any promises to my band members beyond, "Let's perform up to our potential in rehearsals and see what's available to us."

Two years later, we're out 2-3 times a month making above-average fees for a cover band.

Gig ambitions change over time and are dependent upon band ability, desire, and networking/marketing. Who's to say the band in this CL ad won't eventually book some gigs after they become marketable?

I think it's refreshing the writer of the ad isn't trying to blow smoke up anyone's ass about gig opportunities that don't exist yet. I've seen that kind of dishonesty a few times as well; it's far worse than just telling the truth that it's a start-up that needs to prove itself, and no promises about gigs.

While I agree it's good that he didn't overstate gig possibilities, he also seemed to make no effort to say that it was a goal. You don't have to exaggerate to explain a goal no matter how distant or remote the chances are. Guess what I'm saying is that clearly defining the goal of the band is important if you actually want good players and not noodlers.

 

[electracoyote]

While I agree it's good that he didn't overstate gig possibilities, he also seemed to make no effort to say that it was a goal. You don't have to exaggerate to explain a goal no matter how distant or remote the chances are. Guess what I'm saying is that clearly defining the goal of the band is important if you actually want good players and not noodlers.

Good point, and we'd both have to talk to this band organizer to better understand his and the project's goals.

I personally read more into the word "yet" than you did. It seems a reasonable indicator and insinuation that gigs are a distinct possibility, but maybe that's just my read on it. I would also hope that rather than offering hope by saying, "No gigs on the books yet," a band uninterested in gigging would say something more to that effect.

 

[Jonathan C]

I love to post these CL ads based on my own experiences with some good and some not so good people on CL. I don't believe in spending time learning covers to beat them to death in a basement is a constructive use of time for me. Others of course may or may not support my thinking. I for many reasons took a 35 year hiatus from the bass, and could not be having more fun now, and I want to get out and perform. I don't care about making a $.01 either.
I'm thankfully now in a really enjoyable group with 2 guitarists I just met and a drummer who I clicked with but never had the right supporting cast. We're not ready for prime time, but who knows?

 

[micguy]

The ad is what it is. The guy seems up front with his expectations and frustrations. My guess is part of why he's frustrated is that, for every good bass player, there are a couple dozen guitarists standing around jamming, wondering why they can't snag one of us. We have schedule problems because we're in demand. At least those of us who can play.

 

[lfmn16]

I would never answer an ad from someone so angry. Also very immature. If you've ever used Craigslist you should know that there are a fair number of people that don't thoroughly read the ad. It comes with the territory. If it is so upsetting that you feel the need to rant, you probably should spend more time in anger management and less time trying to put a band together.

Can you reply to your own post???

How fortuitous this post was. I'm trying to put together a band where I play guitar. In the ad I say that we will practice once a week, except when we gig. As part of the screening process I send an email detailing what we are putting together, including the fact that we will rehearse once a week, except when we gig. I just had some guy ago through three or four emails only to tell me that he doesn't do rehearsals. Now, I don't want to get into a big debate about it; if you don't want to rehearse, that's your decision and I respect it, but I explicitly said twice that we rehearse weekly.

Maybe my next ad will be an angry manifesto about not reading my ad!!!

 

[asands]

Good point, and we'd both have to talk to this band organizer to better understand his and the project's goals.

I personally read more into the word "yet" than you did. It seems a reasonable indicator and insinuation that gigs are a distinct possibility, but maybe that's just my read on it. I would also hope that rather than offering hope by saying, "No gigs on the books yet," a band uninterested in gigging would say something more to that effect.

Yeah, agreed. For someone so direct in their ad, they left that pretty open to interpretation.

 

[gln1955]

Can you reply to your own post???

How fortuitous this post was. I'm trying to put together a band where I play guitar. In the ad I say that we will practice once a week, except when we gig. As part of the screening process I send an email detailing what we are putting together, including the fact that we will rehearse once a week, except when we gig. I just had some guy ago through three or four emails only to tell me that he doesn't do rehearsals. Now, I don't want to get into a big debate about it; if you don't want to rehearse, that's your decision and I respect it, but I explicitly said twice that we rehearse weekly.

Maybe my next ad will be an angry manifesto about not reading my ad!!!

I suppose that guy didn't care how much y'all rehearsed. He was just gonna show up at the gig with his awesomeness and play.

 

[Joe Ty]

Can you reply to your own post???

How fortuitous this post was. I'm trying to put together a band where I play guitar. In the ad I say that we will practice once a week, except when we gig. As part of the screening process I send an email detailing what we are putting together, including the fact that we will rehearse once a week, except when we gig. I just had some guy ago through three or four emails only to tell me that he doesn't do rehearsals. Now, I don't want to get into a big debate about it; if you don't want to rehearse, that's your decision and I respect it, but I explicitly said twice that we rehearse weekly.

Maybe my next ad will be an angry manifesto about not reading my ad!!!

You should hire him, and then fire him when he doesn't show up for the first rehearsal.

 

[fhm555]

Gigging is a hobby, but I do like getting paid for the work I put into practicing/rehearsing. Each to his/her own.

So do you not enjoy you hobby enough to do it without getting paid? Not trying to stir the pot, just curious.

 

[baileyboy]

So do you not enjoy you hobby enough to do it without getting paid? Not trying to stir the pot, just curious.

Unless I'm doing a charity event for a Humane Society, I get paid. Quite honestly, it's the bands that are willing to gig for free or for pizza and beer that drag down the market price. We love what we do, but never forget that you have worked hard at your craft, invested money on gear, and put lots of time into playing well. You are providing a service and should never feel that you don't deserve compensation.

 

[fhm555]

Unless I'm doing a charity event for a Humane Society, I get paid. Quite honestly, it's the bands that are willing to gig for free or for pizza and beer that drag down the market price. We love what we do, but never forget that you have worked hard at your craft, invested money on gear, and put lots of time into playing well. You are providing a service and should never feel that you don't deserve compensation.

Actually, it's the lack of demand for live music that is killing the payday for bands. 10 years ago we had more than a dozen venues in town that had live local music regular enough to be known for it. Granted, most were a play for the door situation, but bring your own door worker and it was not unusual to go home with four or five hundred per member for a two night job. These days we have exactly two places known for local live music and they pay two fifty a night take it or leave it. We've got a few upscale places that have regional and national touring acts several times a week but the only locals who get to play those places are those who are touring regionally or nationally. Since I don't go to dance clubs I'm not sure how many we actually have but my nephew is an EDM DJ and he works all over town and a lot of stuff up and down state and even into neighboring states and is making bank all by himself. He's a crackerjack drummer who tried for a couple years to get a live band thing going before he gave up and went where the money is. He's done well enough he was recently invited to move to Portland to see if he's got what it takes to swim with the real sharks in the EDM field. I hope he knocks em dead. I always wanted to ride in a stretch as something besides a bodyguard.

As for gear, I've got way more tied up in fishing tackle than I do bass gear, same for another hobby we are forbidden to discuss here. Point being, they are hobbies so I never expect a return. And I know this is going to sound hokey but there is a strong spiritual aspect for me in music. Not the church kind of spiritual thing, just the unburdening of my soul by playing with family and friends. I can have a serious awww chit day and a bit of noodling with my brother will take away the frustration.

Anywho, thanks for the insight and best of luck with wherever music leads you.