Is this normal? [CL Musicians content]

[comatosedragon]

So I got a wild hair and decided to check out my local CL for musicians. It has been more than a year since I have played in a 'band' environment, and I really feel I am ready to get back on the horse.

So I emailed first a drummer who is looking for jam partners, and then I saw a notice for someone who said they are looking to start an originals hard/rock metal band.

I provided all the pertinent details (My age, My skill level, Music favorites and influences, What gear I have); making doubly sure to emphasize the fact that I am an intermediate bassist (at best); with little to no real world (band) experience.

I get an emphatic reply, like 60 seconds later. The title of the email is "the crazies the crazies".

In the email, he tells me he lives about 50 miles away. He is 32 years old (7 years my junior). He doesn't say what instrument he plays (I extrapolate that he is a guitar player); has no other people in his 'band'. He says:

"I am still looking and if you interested we could jam sometime or of u want u can just be in the band it will just be me n u for the time being" This type of grammar is consistent throughout, and in fact his entire email is one long sentence. (I am not being a grammar nazi. I am just providing information.)

So, having never met me, seen or heard me play, he offers me a place in his band? And then, just a bit after that, he tells me we can go into the studio Monday or Thursday, whichever works better for me, to record some songs he was written.

So, like I say, I have almost no experience in these situations. On top of that, I am highly Introverted, and slightly anti-social to boot. So I ask again:

Is the response I received 'Normal'? Is this how some people (bands) get together?

 

[Al Garcia]

Doesn't sound normal to me. Almost sounds as if it is some kind of offshore scam.

 

[saabfender]

Unhappily, I have some amount of expertise in this area. CL is a dicey way to meet up with musicians to get in a band. The success rate is so low, it's almost not worth the effort. You are truly better off networking or even introducing yourself to fellow customers at music stores or battle of the bands kind of situations, if you are made that way, socially.

I could tell story after story after story of ridiculous CL audition experiences. Some were just not good fits - they liked the way I played and would have me but I couldn't stomach a substantial amount of their songlist. Others were disastrous and I had to excuse myself after twenty minutes and left. Some were drunks or criminals.

After a while, you learn to read the ads. "No egos" means "My ego is so huge there is literally no room for anyone else's in this-hyar band." A singing requirement of the bassist means their singer is weak and can't cut the whole evening. Code like that is something to pay attention to. "Until we get tight" - These are amateurs who won't be getting their sh*t together anytime soon. Be prepared for months of half-assed rehearsal in a garage or basement.

In the interim; yes, you have correctly identified this guy as a clown who's a total waste of time.

 

[Grumry]

lol go do it and charge him $50 a song.

 

[catcauphonic]

My whole band met on CL over the course of 1.5 years. There were many contacts that went nowhere, but looking back they make for some good stories. Depends on your area, I suppose... a bigger market will always have new people coming into the listings. This particular response definitely raises some red flags.

 

[JRA]

Is the response I received 'Normal'? Is this how some people (bands) get together?

IMO: no, it's not normal, but somewhat typical for many (most?) CL ads. and yes: i'm sure some bands get going, or try to get going, in this manner --- via these ads.

i doubt i'd ever travel 50 miles in response to an ad... but definitely not this one. good luck on your band-seeking experience!

 

[Michedelic]

It’s normal in that it’s the first in a long gauntlet of psychos and mutants you will have to wade through to find the right people. As mentioned above, there’s all sorts of red flags and codes to watch out for. I’m going to be ‘that guy’, but for me bad spelling and grammar is always a tip off that I wouldn’t be dealing with a reasonable person. You have to develop a ‘sixth sense’ about implied attitude; while I can appreciate someone laying out what they want or don’t want from the band situation(in theory it saves time wasting for everybody), it’s a short trip to arrogance and the attendant problems. Life’s too short to deal with amateur Glenn Frickers. Don’t give up, but always ask specific questions, and if you don’t get to the point answers, I’d back off. There’s no respect going on. Tell me, have you done much buying/selling of gear on CL? That’s a real study of human nature.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I am highly Introverted, and slightly anti-social to boot.

Ditto on that & I'm only about 30 miles from you. If we didn't both play bass, maybe we could start a band, LOL!
I'd be skeptical of that response as well, but I'm not sure how could you vet him w/o just meeting, maybe choose a halfway point to have a coffee & just suss out if he's for real.

The local musicians around here ask me to come jam with them & even threaten to call me up to sit in. Both of those ideas scare the pants right off of me

Anyway, get to know your local bands & when some of those folks want to form another band,,,
or if someone quits

 

[Renaissance]

Have him send you some samples of the songs he's written.

 

[ZenG]

Sounds to me like it's simply a stoner kid with a guitar that wrote a couple of songs and wants you to back him up on bass.

This designates him as BL immediately. DANGER ABORT MISSION DANGER ABORT MISSION DANGER ABORT MISSION

 

[ArtechnikA]

What you said to yourself when reading his response tells you what to do:
R. U. N(uts...)

If you're inclined to pursue the opportunity - even as practice for when the real thing comes along, just ask some common questions:
"What's your plan for playing out?"
"What's in it for me?"

I see lots of posts from people who think they want to start projects in my genre, and I still play along a bit despite having promised myself "No More Startups." I will usually suggest we meet at an open mike and play a set together. This has yet to yield any meaningful response. People are enamored of the _idea_ of forming a band until the reality dawns that they are actually going to have to _do_ something about it...

 

[gln1955]

My current band all came toghether via CL. It can work, but be prepared for months of frustration dealing with wannabes and mental cases.

Being inexperienced and introverted (been there) doesn't make it easier to find a good band situation, but I wouldn't travel 50 miles to meet up with this dude.

 

[Member8675309]

Sounds like a bad time.

 

[Carl Hillman]

I suppose that reply could be from a legitimate musician.

Then again, it could also be from some lunatic who wants to chop you up and blend you into a smoothie while wearing a rubber penguin costume.

You might be better off hanging out where other musicians are and chatting them up after their gig. ...you know...networking in person.

 

[jchrisk1]

And then, just a bit after that, he tells me we can go into the studio Monday or Thursday, whichever works better for me, to record some songs he was written.

I'm pretty sure that means 'lock you in the basement and torture you'.

 

[BassPilot]

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck!

 

[FenderB]

I'm sitting here reading this while watching "Forensic Files", I wouldn't go any where near that offer.

 

[basspraiser]

My advice

 

[Chip Stewart]

We found a really good guitarist (good musician, good person) for my last band through CL, but we had to suffer a large number of fools to do it. Our standard approach is meet at a coffee shop to talk about the band and get a general feel for the person. If we both (us and the potential new band member) feel like it might be a good fit, then we have them come to a rehearsal and play a few songs with us.

It's amazing how many people don't make it through the coffee shop interview. One guy who claimed to be a great guitarist called to reschedule an hour before the scheduled time. We rescheduled for the following week. The following week I'm waiting in the coffee shop 30 minutes past the scheduled time and then I leave. I get a text from him 20 minutes later asking where am I. 50 minutes late on a reschedule told me everything I needed to know. He may have been a great guitarist, but he would have been a horrible band member. It is possible to find good musicians on CL, but it is a very inefficient process.

 

[RoadRanger]