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Dilemma?

J

Jeb

Jul 22, 2001
1,052
365
#1
I auditioned for a band that plays a genre of music that I have never played, but have always wanted to. I got the call back and have had two rehearsals since. I'll have their setlist down this week and ready to go for three gigs in Dec. (and more on the books for 2011). These guys gig a bit and I like them.

Problem is that I gig quite a bit with another band that I love the guys, and the gigs that we do. The music is not my favorite genre, but not bad and still fun for me. I like them, the rooms, the patrons and especially the payouts. There are already conflicts and the current band doesn't yet know about the new one. The new band knows that I have the other project and is trying to book based on my availability.

I'm juggling. I have conflicts already that will only get worse. Both bands are the very best at what they do in my area and I have a good personal reputation as a player in my local music scene. I, of course, want to do both, but I see a pretty significant (and immediate) conflict and something is gonna have to give in the very near future. Subs? Forget it, band B could do that, but band A won't.

I know what I'm gonna have to do, but I'm curious as to how other people on the forum would approach such a dilemma?
 
#3
Do you have the time to juggle both? I would if I were a decent player, and no dayjob. But I don't have a family, so I can't account for that. Just try to do both, as band B is scheduling around you, and see if you can handle it. If not, do what you have to do. And Good Luck.
 
#4
In the 80s I was approached by a band (to play lead) while I was playing bass with another band. I wanted to do both and told both bands the score. They were ok with that, neither band were gigging that much so it was never a real problem.

As it turned out the first band were doing less and less gigs while the second were on a roll. Technically I am still in the first band although we haven't done anything for years mainly because the drummer and guitarist are too busy with work and families, both work for themselves.

In your case I just don't know, as yarrr said it depends on genres, plus how much you like the guys, band prospects, band stability, and probably loads more factors that I cannot think of right now.

My current band has been trundling on in it's present form very comfortably for about 4 years then the drummer changes his job and is now on shifts. Rehearsals used to be every Thursday night except if we had a gig Friday. Now we only get 1 in 3 Thursdays and taking gigs is a nightmare as most pubs and bars round here book up now for the next year and he doesn't get his new shift rota until the new year.
 
#5
If you have time to do both and you like both, do both. They do deserve the honesty of knowing that you're playing in two bands, though. If one band will accept having someone sub for you when you have a conflict, it seems to me that there you are. Play both, hire a sub for band B when you have conflicting gigs, problem solved.

If YOU don't have time for both - how badly do you need the money from gigging? If you play for fun and gig money is only a bonus, play with the band whose music you like best. If you like the guys in the other band, support them by attending their shows as often as you can and hang with them socially. If you count on gig money to pay your bills, on the other hand, you'll have to prioritize the better-paying band.
 
#6
I'm very lucky as my "Band A" and "Band B" work to very different booking timescales. If my Band B guy calls about a gig, then as far as Band A goes it's either been booked for months or it won't get booked at all. If it's already booked, the Band B guy says "No sweat, we'll go for another night" and he has the flexibility to do that with the gigs he gets. But if there was frequent conflict, I would not mess either band in a way that would make things a pain for the other guys. I thought about which way I'd jump a while back and I know Band A would be the one I'd go with.

Short version - you'd can't ride two horses with only one arse.
 
#10
derrico1 said:
In this situation, I'd book the gigs and use a sub if it turns out the regular drummer isn't available.
Click to expand...

I would be more than happy to do that and I know a very good drummer who will sub, but our guitarist is completely against it. He subbed a couple of years ago when a family crisis meant our drummer was unavailable. The guitarist was all for cancelling the day before the gig. I would not hear of such short notice and as it turned out everything was fine but the guitarist was not convinced.

His main problem is that this drummer is so laid back, you just cannot get him to rehearse. I gave him a CD of us rehearsing the material and he listened to it for 2 days and played it as if he had been playing with us for ever.

Still not good enough for guitarist, he knows that he hasn't put the hours in rehearsing and that is all that matters to him. He likes everything 100% safe and rehearsed and arranged to the nth degree. I couldn't give a hoot just as long as we make a good job on the night.
 
#11
delta7fred said:
Still not good enough for guitarist, he knows that he hasn't put the hours in rehearsing and that is all that matters to him. He likes everything 100% safe and rehearsed and arranged to the nth degree. I couldn't give a hoot just as long as we make a good job on the night.
Click to expand...

Hard to change a control freak perfectionist. :atoz:

Who cares about the total hours rehearsed?

Is he an accountant as well? Is this some kinda Union shop where hours are tallied and you get promoted on seniority?

Causing drama where none need exist is the handy work of small minds. Tell him to get is head out of his a$$ and shut up about things that don't really matter.

Hey, it's only rock and roll. Let the band rock and the guy's gotta roll with it.

Otherwise, you'll probably be replaced.
 
#13
Munjibunga said:
So always play with band A when there's a conflict. End of dilemma.
Click to expand...

Hahaha! I said that I knew what had to be done and asked what the forum thought about it. This is what I was waiting for. Its more complicated than that, always is, but I appreciate the take, Munji. I'm leaning towards B. And then back towards A. And then... Ahhh the internet. No dilemma unless its yours.

Seriously, thanks man.
 
#14
Sounds like Your cheatin heart ;) Really its about honesty. If you want to play in both bands you have to let band A. know about band B. If band B. will work around band A's schedule great... no issue. If band A. doesnt care if you work with another band cool too. The could feel cheated on and treat band B. like the ...."other women"
 

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