Sometimes, when I wake up in the wee hours of the morning, I can still feel your hands caressing me all over.......
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.
Has Your Overall Band Experience Been Good?
- Thread starter bluewine
- Start date
Sometimes, when I wake up in the wee hours of the morning, I can still feel your hands caressing me all over.......
Been playing since 1977. In all those years I have maybe 6 months total where I wasn't in a band. I played full time in a couple of bands from about 1980 to 83. Had a rough patch from about 85 to 87 where I was in 3 bands that would only last about a year and break up. I started a band in 87 that lasted until 95. I Finished my last gig and was planning on taking a long break. I got a call to sub 2 weeks later and after the first gig I was offered the job which I took. I'm now the only original member but three of us have been together now for over 12 years. I also have been playing in another band now for about 3 years.
I have always found nearly everything about it frustrating and incredibly unsatisfying, except one thing: Actually playing the songs.
I have never had the luxury of getting with others who are as "into it" as I am, and that speaks more to my obsessive nature than any flaws in the other cats, and has always been compounded by my inability to face reality when it comes to people who I never should have gotten involved with in the first place.
I wish there was a way for me to express what a total Heroin-like FIX I get when the band is playing in synch, and the vocals are great, and we sound like a top, pro outfit, staying together through any and all changes; all putting out the same feel and vibe; making REAL rock and roll...
When that is happening, I am as happy and satisfied as a person could ever be. Those are the moments that carry me through all the other ridiculous garbage that is the small-time rock and roll scene.
I'm genuinely happy for all of you who have such fun.
I have never had the luxury of getting with others who are as "into it" as I am, and that speaks more to my obsessive nature than any flaws in the other cats, and has always been compounded by my inability to face reality when it comes to people who I never should have gotten involved with in the first place.
I wish there was a way for me to express what a total Heroin-like FIX I get when the band is playing in synch, and the vocals are great, and we sound like a top, pro outfit, staying together through any and all changes; all putting out the same feel and vibe; making REAL rock and roll...
When that is happening, I am as happy and satisfied as a person could ever be. Those are the moments that carry me through all the other ridiculous garbage that is the small-time rock and roll scene.
I'm genuinely happy for all of you who have such fun.
I think he may have made poor choices in the bands he joined and the fact that he will only play music that he likes.
He has told me that being in a band is not that important to him.
If I had only negative experiences in bands it wouldn't be that important to me either.
Blue
Overall my experience has been decent. Some bands were productive and others were a waste of time, but I suspect that to be the norm. I've played either drums or bass in various bands.
Right now I find myself in two bands, both of which are studio projects. Band one is a three piece and we're still working on the band's second (and my first) CD. The video in my signature is from this band.
Band two is the guitar player from band one and myself doing covers and originals with a variety of guest musicians from our area. Most of the guests are guys we've worked with over the last 30 years. I'm handing bass duties for this project and also playing drums on a few of the tracks too.
Will either of these two ever see a live stage? I doubt it and really wouldn't be disappointed if we didn't.
Right now I find myself in two bands, both of which are studio projects. Band one is a three piece and we're still working on the band's second (and my first) CD. The video in my signature is from this band.
Band two is the guitar player from band one and myself doing covers and originals with a variety of guest musicians from our area. Most of the guests are guys we've worked with over the last 30 years. I'm handing bass duties for this project and also playing drums on a few of the tracks too.
Will either of these two ever see a live stage? I doubt it and really wouldn't be disappointed if we didn't.
50 years of fun and music, a few problems here and there, but I'd do it again without hesitation.My closest friends have all been super supportive, and my wife an angel through it all.
About 10 years now and still going strong. I enjoy playing and the hang and all but hate the business end of a gigging band.
This seemed to happen to a friend of a friend. He was actually my cousin's bass instructor, and my cousin was able to go full pro under his guidance.
The instructor, his name is Steve, was very well regarded as a superb bass player and a borderline prodigy. By the time he was 16 years old he was giving lessons, recording, etc...
Steve had actually worked with my long time friend and guitar instructor so they knew each other well. Troy is no slouch, a Berkeley student/graduate, and amazing in his own right. He often stated that working with Steve was actually intimidating because he was so good.
By the time Steve was in his 30's he'd had so many bad experiences that he totally got out of the music business. He dropped entirely off the radar and last time Troy had checked with him he had no intention of playing in a band, and actually had hung it up entirely and packed up his stuff for storage.
Troy never did find out exactly what the final straw was, he only knew that Steve was unwilling to talk about it and was, on some level, severely hurt by his experiences in the music business.
So for some, the band experience and music business does not work out so well.
Maybe for those of us with mediocre talent and ability it's somewhat better. I can imagine the odds of "making it" are pretty slim and if you're gifted and the stars just don't align the right way.....it could be the letdown of a lifetime.
Just a thought.
Could not have been said any better.
I know my spot, I know my abilities and capabilities and they are in the local bar band segment of the business.
"I am perfectly happy getting some hip grooves going and seeing 80 peole either dancing or bobbing their heads up an down."
Blue
I found out when I got back to playing if you don't expect more than you can really have or achive it will all be alright and allot more fun.
I thought we still think we are
Not me
As a matter of fact , I have 2 high school buddies that "made it" whatever that means. They both were light years a head of everyone else even back then ( early 70s).
As an adult I know I did not have the abilities needed to make it as far as they did. For one thing, I was not prepared to take the risks in life they were.
Blue
Not me
As a matter of fact , I have 2 high school buddies that "made it" whatever that means. They both were light years a head of everyone else even back then ( early 70s).
As an adult I know I did not have the abilities needed to make it as far as they did. For one thing, I was not prepared to take the risks in life they were.
Blue
I was not willing to take the risk then myself. In fact I feel back when I was playing guitar in my late teens if I would moved to LA like a friend and I were going to I would not be alive today.
Today I still won't take risks with music. I love music and playing but it can't replace my family and love ones who support me and would be there if something happend to me.Staying connected to my family is first and will always be.
I think this is key to happiness in everything in life.
Each of us has certain abilities but also certain limitations. Being realistic about who and what we are is the key to being happy, IMO. This doesn't just apply to music, but to life in general. And just because you are not "the best there is" at something doesn't mean it's not worth doing and you can't enjoy it. It's not about where you will be next week, or month, or a year from now. It's about where you are RIGHT NOW.
As far as music goes, my thoughts are the same as bassbully. I have two young(er) children, and a wonderful woman who I have been with for 22 years, married for 15. They are my priority and I'm happy they are. It's what I wanted in life.
My kids think I'm a rock star. When our band did it's first gig out with the new members a few months ago (local country dive bar), when I got home my kids had made "rock star" posters for me and my daughter made me a special gift box with one of my favorite treats inside (Reese's Peanut Butter Cups). Scribbled on the box was "I knew you could do it Dad" (she's 8).
At that point, I knew I'd "made it" farther than I ever thought I would.
