Was that before you switched to bass and had the sex change?
Hey that was a very confusing time for me, OK? Be a little more sensitive.
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Joining a band via Craigslist...is it worth it?
- Thread starter MovingPitchers
- Start date
Hey that was a very confusing time for me, OK? Be a little more sensitive.
Met three bands off of Craigslist. One band led to 6.5 years of gigging, friendship, and amazing stories. Totally worth it. 2nd band was a death metal band - I went in cold and ATTEMPTED to play with their originals. I made everything up and between heavily scooped guitars, a yelling singer, and a speed maniac on drums, they wanted to bring me into the band. The third band I tried out for, another death metal outfit, wanted me to join too.
Take a chance and do it. I did it three times and to this day, I will NEVER regret doing that. Be respectful and polite. You may meet the right group of people or you may just have the experience of a lifetime that you will HAVE to share with everyone on TB!
Take a chance and do it. I did it three times and to this day, I will NEVER regret doing that. Be respectful and polite. You may meet the right group of people or you may just have the experience of a lifetime that you will HAVE to share with everyone on TB!
I'm currently in a band that posted an ad on CL. It's been a really great experience. I haven't formally been in a band since high school (i'm in my late 20s now 
) and this was a great opportunity to get back into playing. Plus the band is actually really good, so it has challenged me to become a better player which is always exciting. I say go for it.
) and this was a great opportunity to get back into playing. Plus the band is actually really good, so it has challenged me to become a better player which is always exciting. I say go for it.
I now at least ask for a proposed set list to see if we are interested in the same kind of music. I've met too many bands, while good, want to play Hendrix or Led Zep hits. No thanks! At least play the obscure songs that people don't have memorized lick for lick.
Ages are also a good thing to know, and I am sure that they know I am a Senior, not a 20-something.
Hey go with it - there are not that many other way to get the word out.
Ages are also a good thing to know, and I am sure that they know I am a Senior, not a 20-something.
Hey go with it - there are not that many other way to get the word out.
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
You could always try the alternative: posters.
I met meet at sundown on CL, three years, 2 albums, t shirts, koozies, shot glasses, countless memories, awesome shows, and marko138 was in my wedding.
Ahhh... quit being sissies! As I said I did allot of trying out for bands thru CL always alone. During that time in my city was the dude who setup guys with fake jobs on CL then murdered them.
Well at least you only have to waste your time jamming with him once.
My current country band was formed by musicians answering the singer's Craig's List ad. It's working out well so far.
That happened to you, too? Man, I get sick of that.
It wouldn't be so bad if they were authentic human-sacrificing cannibal pagans but most of them turn out to be posers.
CL might have a lot of whackos, but I think it's easier to screen folks than before e-mail, mp3s, and online forums were common.
Back before CL, I answered an ad in BAM for a metal band that was similar to Iron Maiden. I went to meet the vocalist and guitarist at the vocalist's house, they played me a couple of songs on cassette tape and then explained what the songs typically stand for, which turned into a tirade. Turns out the vocalist was a card carrying member of the KKK, not sure about the guitarist, but it's not like he was refuting the vocalist's tirade. It was creepy, scary, and revolting. I bolted the first chance I got.
These days, some a bit of e-mailing and a request for links or a couple of mp3s, and you can usually get a good idea of what you might be getting into. Usually. You still get your share of weirdos, but they certainly don't just exist on CL.
Back before CL, I answered an ad in BAM for a metal band that was similar to Iron Maiden. I went to meet the vocalist and guitarist at the vocalist's house, they played me a couple of songs on cassette tape and then explained what the songs typically stand for, which turned into a tirade. Turns out the vocalist was a card carrying member of the KKK, not sure about the guitarist, but it's not like he was refuting the vocalist's tirade. It was creepy, scary, and revolting. I bolted the first chance I got.
These days, some a bit of e-mailing and a request for links or a couple of mp3s, and you can usually get a good idea of what you might be getting into. Usually. You still get your share of weirdos, but they certainly don't just exist on CL.
Just to spread more of the CL goodness, and maybe make a fast buck. 
I met these kids off CL and it's not only been a wild ride, we're making money and a day or so after her album release party on the 6th, we got booked at Studio 7 in Seattle for a Battle of the Bands thing on 2/15.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/deep-to-deep/id950113325
Also available on Amazon, Spotify, Google Play, Beats, Rdio, Deezer, and YouTube Music Key!
It's pretty tame Americana Pop but people seem to really dig it. Think it's because it's reminiscent of country western, so it's a very accessible sound for a large demographic. I played with Chasing Jane, also Americana pop artist and she made top 20 nationally!
Curiously, if the album is $10 normally, what if the bass player signs it?
I met these kids off CL and it's not only been a wild ride, we're making money and a day or so after her album release party on the 6th, we got booked at Studio 7 in Seattle for a Battle of the Bands thing on 2/15.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/deep-to-deep/id950113325
Also available on Amazon, Spotify, Google Play, Beats, Rdio, Deezer, and YouTube Music Key!
It's pretty tame Americana Pop but people seem to really dig it. Think it's because it's reminiscent of country western, so it's a very accessible sound for a large demographic. I played with Chasing Jane, also Americana pop artist and she made top 20 nationally!
Curiously, if the album is $10 normally, what if the bass player signs it?
Curiously, if the album is $10 normally, what if the bass player signs it?
6.50
We used to give promo CDs away at gigs. Our guitarist was scanning through the CD rack at a charity shop* and found one of our CDs. Fame at last!
*Are these the same as Goodwill , they are run by a charity and sell off items that the public gift to them - clothes, books, CDs & DVDs. etc.
*Are these the same as Goodwill , they are run by a charity and sell off items that the public gift to them - clothes, books, CDs & DVDs. etc.
It can work! I met 2 of my current band mates on CL. In July when my band's guitarist announced he was leaving town in September, the drummer and I wasted no time searching for a replacement. He wanted to try his hand at singing lead, so we placed an ad asking for a guitarist and drummer who was willing to split singing and drumming duties. Much to my surprise, the next day I got a response from two roommates who live an hour away. I was reluctant to audition them due to the distance (winter driving in Northern PA/Southern NY can be hellacious), but my drummer said "Why? What do we have to lose?"
Good thing I listened to him. They're willing to drive to our town for rehearsal and have gotten us some gigs in their region where live music isn't as dead as it is here. Both are easy to get along with and competent, we share similar musical tastes, and after 5 months together, no drama has emerged. Even more interesting is that the gender split is 50/50 (old drummer/singer and guitarist are male and new drummer is a woman). I talk to the guitarist more because I'm a part-time guitard and we're both gearheads. We also like to pick on the drummers (it's all in good fun). Drummer jokes transcend gender!
One thing that concerned me at first was the possibility that our new members were dating. I finally asked after we'd been a band for a couple of months. Both emphatically said no way. They've been best friends since high school, remain very close, and live in a house that belongs to the drummer's mother (the money saved apparently allowed the guitarist to recently drop a huge chunk of change on a new PA system). Neither is interested in changing their relationship status. So far, it's all been good.
Good thing I listened to him. They're willing to drive to our town for rehearsal and have gotten us some gigs in their region where live music isn't as dead as it is here. Both are easy to get along with and competent, we share similar musical tastes, and after 5 months together, no drama has emerged. Even more interesting is that the gender split is 50/50 (old drummer/singer and guitarist are male and new drummer is a woman). I talk to the guitarist more because I'm a part-time guitard and we're both gearheads. We also like to pick on the drummers (it's all in good fun). Drummer jokes transcend gender!
One thing that concerned me at first was the possibility that our new members were dating. I finally asked after we'd been a band for a couple of months. Both emphatically said no way. They've been best friends since high school, remain very close, and live in a house that belongs to the drummer's mother (the money saved apparently allowed the guitarist to recently drop a huge chunk of change on a new PA system). Neither is interested in changing their relationship status. So far, it's all been good.
Did I miss something? Is there some other way to meet people you've never met in your life?
Um yeah, most bands don't really call for tapping or slapping either.
Just thought I'd pass that along.
It's hit or miss, lots of miss. It can work. I hooked up with one working band years ago, ended up meeting some very good musicians out of that. We called it quits after a few years, then got back together a few years later. The guitar player ended up with Uncle Kracker. Another group had some good people, and a crazy one. Figured I'd get some funny stories out of that one, and eventually the mutiny got rid of the crazy one, a few iterations later, and it led to a great group that ended up the opening act for Ruben Studdard and Lalah Hathaway. So even a sketchy situation can lead to good things. Another group was pretty lousy, but met a good keyboard player in the auditions, kept his number, we hooked up years later in a good band. So that's at least 3 good situations that resulted from CL. That was out of thousands of useless ads though. Then again, you may not be as lucky as I was... 
Randy
Randy
