Didn't get the job because I didn't...(VINDICATION CONTENT)

[WalWarrior]

The guys in the band that held the audition should ask a bar owner or a bunch of girls who are dancing at a club where live music is performed if the label on the corner of an amp cabinet or at the end of a headstock matters to them.

Hypothetically those same dudes after scoring an evening with a supermodel Christi Brinkly type, get back to her place, get hot and heavy, take her panties off then scoff at the lack of designer label.

They deserve to be kicked in the nuts or lack thereof!

 

[addylewis]

I can understand both sides of the argument, but think of it this way - YOU know better than them what works sound-wise, so I'd take the job for a bit and gently rub their noses in it for a laugh...

 

[sammyfallen]

It's not that I'm married to my gear, but their conduct was rude. If you showed up for a job interview and the interviewer made fun of you suit before even glancing at your resume, wouldn't you consider that rude? Same thing.

Why should I have to put up with jerks? Music is a hobby for me; I'm in it for the fun. That doesn't mean that I won't behave in a professional manner, but hanging out with a bunch of jerks is not my idea of fun.

I think that bands sometimes forget that they are auditioning for you as well.

I Agree 100%! Not Only Are You Working For Them, But, They Are Working For You. I Am Now In A Lawsuit With A Major Corporation Due To Getting Fired From My "Real Job" For Having Tattoos. I Was Their Top Employee.

 

[buzzbass]

too bad you didn't have a Bongo, that would've really set those jackasses off

 

[edbass]

NKU-
Please reconsider.
You auditioned and passed. Are they a working band = gigs & money? If so, you might want to be available to work for them. If you want to be out playing, you have to say Yes (even if it's with a bunch of old farts who are my age). You might not want to hang with them, but you could be working.

+1
If they were indeed a working band and would provide a consistent revenue stream, who gives a rat's behind that they didn't recognize your gear?
I suppose its human nature to be defensive of the gear that you were sold on enough to sink a big chunk of money into, but come on people, why on earth would anyone get their panties in a wad because someone questioned their gear quality?
Life is too short!
Reading these posts, it seems that a lot of the posters are a lot more hung up on gear labels than the modern gear ignorant dinosaurs that NKU auditioned for. It’s pretty easy to tell the working players from the hobbyists.
Truthfully this bias goes a lot deeper than a bunch of geezers jamming in Cincinnati; there are plenty of top notch, 1st line professional studios doing work for major labels that will send you home if you show up for a session without a Fender.
Search this forum and see what working players have already posted about this, I’m not making it up.
Is it "right"? Not by a long shot IMO, I've got some boutique gear, some fairly obscure. I like it, play it when I can, and as far as I can tell it sounds tremendous.
But... it is what it is. Whether or not it's morally or ethically right or wrong, in the play for pay world if you want the money, you pretty much have to have the right tool for the job and in a whole bunch of people’s (ignorant as well as cutting edge knowledgeable) minds for a bass player the "right" tool are the tried and true big brands.
All of the righteous indignation in the world probably won’t change it either.
Getting upset with the geezers is just being petty in my book. If nothing else, hopefully NKU opened their eyes to bass rigs other than Ampeg, and the next time they see an Aggie or other non mainstream brand they won’t be so quick to judge!

 

[CatfishStudios]

I never have that problem with my Jazz and Acoustic rig.

 

[akaTRENT]

Actually, I think it does. For me at least. Might not for you. But each of us has to decide what we are willing to put up with to play music. For me, not much. If I don't like the the crew I'm with then I will never be comfortable enough to enjoy the music.

When I first started gigging (I had been playing for 20 years), I was in a band that felt perfectly fine telling me what bass, amp, strings, tone, notes I should or shouldn't be using--I will never go through that crap again.

+1

 

[Blueszilla]

IDK, I don't think this has anything to do with gear or knowledge of who played what. It was clear that the first sign of discontent was their questioning of his rig, yes, but the fact they would do that in the first place would turn me off too, and make the audition rather uncomfortable. Forget the gear, if they are making those kind of knee jerk judgments, I don't know that I'd want to be around them for anything, much less be in a band with them.

I know, first impressions and all that, but no thanks. IMO/IME I think you made the right choice. Either way you live with it.

 

[MatticusMania]

People are always talking about "it's not the gear, it's the player". Someone finally realizes that, humbles themselves to actually call you back, and you turn them down? No wonder there are so many starving artist!

I believe youre mistaken. They didnt call him back nor humble themselves in this case. They only called the OP back because they looked up his gear and realized that it was indeed, expensive equipment. The told him from the start that his playing was great.

Now, what if they had looked his gear up and found that it wasnt expensive at all? Did they not hear it at the audition? If his tone and his playing were good from the start they should not have initially turned him down.

 

[phatbass]

They're a bunch of ignorant tossers...

I wouldn't be interested in playing on a regular/permanent basis with anyone who has the "I haven't heard of it so it must be crap" attitude.

 

[fretlesswonder]

Good move, I'd do the same thing, actually had an audition a few weeks back, they said to be there by 6 PM, I was there 5:30. I start walking to the house, they are jamming already, so I listen, sounds good, I wait until they stop playing, then knock in the door, no answer. I go to the windows of the basement, well, they have soundproofing on them! So it is now 6:10, I banging like a cop on the door, no answer. WHAT THE? I just got in my car, called the guys cellphone, no answer! So, I decided to drive away at 6:20. I get a call the next day asking to jam another day, they got carried away jamming, what? They knew they had an audition! Right then I posted all my gear for sale, I kept one bass, I'm done with playing with a band, I have to deal with too much crap lately, this was the topper.

 

[Fretless1!]

You did the right thing.

/thread

 

[Jim Campbell]

I believe youre mistaken. They didnt call him back nor humble themselves in this case. They only called the OP back because they looked up his gear and realized that it was indeed, expensive equipment. The told him from the start that his playing was great.

Now, what if they had looked his gear up and found that it wasnt expensive at all? Did they not hear it at the audition? If his tone and his playing were good from the start they should not have initially turned him down.

well to be fair it sounds like the op got his back up a tad when the gear was questioned........i would say take the gig,or at least sit down with the guy and give him a chance to start fresh ......some of the best people i know got off to a rocky start when i met 'em..........

 

[MatticusMania]

well to be fair it sounds like the op got his back up a tad when the gear was questioned........i would say take the gig,or at least sit down with the guy and give him a chance to start fresh ......some of the best people i know got off to a rocky start when i met 'em..........

This is true, it seems the OP was initially put off by the band's initial reaction to his gear, and a rocky start did ensue. And I will further admit that I have had a very meaningful band relationship start on rocky ground. One of the first bands I was in, the drummer and I went head to head on a lot of issues. We eventually got over them, became best friends, and played in 2 different bands for a total of about 6 years.

 

[D.Don]

I didn't have an Ampeg bass amp...

Two months ago I tried out for (and believe that I nailed) a classic rock cover band. Seems like I'm the only 26 year old who even listens to the stuff, much less plays it. The guys were older - late 40's to mid 50's. What the hell, I've jammed with people twice my age before. So I show up with my Aguilar AG500SC/Agro rig and sit it on top of my Avatar B212 Neo cab (all besides the Agro have since been sold to pay bills) and set it up. I pull out my Spector and plug it in.

I get weird looks all around the room. I know what they are thinking and I have a mental list of answers prepared for them, or so I thought. The so-called leader speaks up first and says, "I thought you said you had 'professional' gear". Slightly annoyed I reply "yeah, this IS professional gear". Then he comes back, "well I dunno about you but everything we're playing was played through Ampegs".

I'm highly annoyed by this - I get out the list and the first 3 bands are Zeppelin, the Who, and Sabbath. I asked him if he knew the bassists for the first 3 bands played Acoustic, Sunn, Laney guitar amps (early Sabbath), and pretty much anything BUT an Ampeg. So we're already off to a really bad start but we proceed and get through a dozen songs and then take a break. We chat it up for a while about the direction of the band and then call it a night. I get an email a day later saying "thanks for coming out but...you sounded good, had great tone and knew what you were doing but you didn't seem like the right fit". Ok, I can handle that.

So fast-forward to the present. Yesterday I got an email from the same guy asking me if I'd join the band. He said he was on the internet and saw that Aguilar was "expensive stuff and that they get good reviews" and that he had heard of Spector but never heard/seen one. Now I know there are certain die-hard vintage purists out there but I think these guys win the prize!

I'd understand if they were looking for a certain sound, but I HAVE that old-school round Fender sound (yes, it can be coaxed from a Spector with old strings, proper EQ'ing, and a little fur). He just wanted a name on a box. So anyways, I turned them down. I don't put up with people who are rude, especially on the first meeting.

So what where they carrying in terms of gear themselves (not that it matters, but it rendered my curiosity)?

Stupid peeps, lucky you, never call them again!!


Cheers!

D.Don

 

[David Jayne]

BZZZT!!!

Thanks for playing, but wrong answer.



The fact is these toads are more concerned with image than anything else. You should never crack on a musician's gear until you hear them play through it.

BZZZT yourself. It's MY OPINION that some of you need to grow thicker skins and stop being so damned sensitive about this crap; it's nonsense. Work is work. Chemistry? C'mon- It's a COVER BAND- it's not like you are cutting a record and going on tour with these nitwits. Don't like it after making a couple grand? Quit.

+1
If they were indeed a working band and would provide a consistent revenue stream, who gives a rat's behind that they didn't recognize your gear?
I suppose its human nature to be defensive of the gear that you were sold on enough to sink a big chunk of money into, but come on people, why on earth would anyone get their panties in a wad because someone questioned their gear quality?
Life is too short!

Exactly. I cannot relate to this boo-hoo mentality. Toughen Up, People!!

 

[Gard]

BZZZT yourself. It's MY OPINION that some of you need to grow thicker skins and stop being so damned sensitive about this crap; it's nonsense. Work is work.

Yeah, but I don't work with idiots, and THESE pokes are idiots.

I never judge anyone on gear, just on ability and tone. I expect to be treated the same, and if I'm not, I'm gone.

As for "work is work", I work all I want to as a player, have for 30+ years. I've never wanted for a gig because of anything but my own choice.

I have thick skin, by the way, if someone wants to comment that I am playing something wrong, or that my tone is inappropriate or just plain sucks, but take the time to discuss it rationally and intelligently, then wonderful, I'm always looking to improve, and criticism is the tool with which improvement begins.

Some jack@$$ saying "...yuhhh...duhhh...you don' haf uh AMPEG rig, yew SUKK" is not someone I want to work with. They have standards (you must have an Ampeg and a Fender), so do I (you must have a freakin' BRAIN and a set of ears).

Their loss. I'll get a gig, wonder how long they'll be shopping for a bassist?

 

[JmJ]

They thought enough of your playing to call you back! People are always talking about "it's not the gear, it's the player". Someone finally realizes that, humbles themselves to actually call you back, and you turn them down? No wonder there are so many starving artist!

Yeah but the guy did not have the nerve to tell him it was his gear that was the problem, he made it seem as if it was a bad "fit"
You can always get equipment, but to show up, play well enough to get the gig & then be bullshitted about the reason you were not hired is sort of immature and misleading .Personally I would have weighed the pros & cons but their attitude and handling of the situation would be a big negative.

 

[winstonthecat]

If you feel that way, you take this kind of stuff too personally. Laugh it off- it doesn't matter.

Disagree with you here. The people you play with and thier attitudes matter a lot!! These guys seem like they weren't really focused on the music, but more on an image. The were also pre-judgemental without any real knowledege of bass gear.

There were many red flags here in terms of attitude, and personally I want to spend my time playing with people who have a similar focus and commitment to music.

 

[Disraeli Gears]

My guess is that what made them pass initially was that they were bumping heads before even playing the first song.

I don't think that's quite the case, since they offered him the job after finding out that the equipment was "expensive and got good reviews".