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Red Flags For Bass Players Looking for Work

B

bluewine

Inactive
Sep 4, 2008
10,296
27
WI
#1
This is just a list of wording in ads that any seasoned bass player looking for work (the kind that pays) should look at carefully.

These offers will be good for some guys but not guys leaving a paying opportunnity looking to join a working band;

We have an all original start-up rock band with a jam spot in Washington. Not really looking to tour, make it, or anything like that, just to have fun & play out in the area

This is great for guys only interested in fun.

We're about 3/4 done writing our basic set.

Not where I would want to join a band.

Newly formed CLASSIC ROCK project seeking a DEDICATED Bassist with Vocal ability. Practice once a week and looking to gig twice a month.

Looking to gig twice a month?

Forming trio hard rock band. all originals some covers from 60s,70s,80s, or 90s.None of todays crap.

Todays crap, there is some really cool music being made by all sorts of bands?

We are a band of dedicated and driven musicians creating an Eagles Tribute Group

I think anyone with the resources or chops to do Eagles material live would not be starting a tribute band.

This project is gonna be cool/fun. We have a guitarist, female vocalist, drummer, two additional members which will provide horns,keys,

Really?

Looking for a bass player that is serious about getting together and playing out. We are a band that has posted in the past and gotten terrible results

Probably for good reason.

I'm a 38 year old guitar player putting together a powerful,talented 4 piece Metal/Hard rock band

Comments

I realize I am a little harsh and pesimistic.
 
#3
Its really hard just to blanket the examples you gave as all "Red flags." For me the gigging 2x a month is perfect...that's all i can and want to do with an extra gig a month a few times a year. If a band said must be able to gig 4-5x a month I would be out and will not audition, so that would be a "red Flag" for me. It's all up to where you are and your likes and dislikes not all are: Red Flags " BTW I dont like todays music and would be interested in an ad saying "We dont play today's Crap" or today's radio standard's.
 
#5
bassbully said:
For me the gigging 2x a month is perfect...that's all i can and want to do with an extra gig a month a few times a year. If a band said must be able to gig 4-5x a month I would be out and will not audition, so that would be a "red Flag" for me.
Click to expand...


Same here. I also do not need to practice with a band 2x's a week for 4 weeks to be ready to play a gig. Give me a set list and keys and I'll be happy to do a short practice prior to a gig. For a cover band gig many starting bands want to practice the life out of songs they should already know in their head.
 
#6
bassbully said:
Its really hard just to blanket the examples you gave as all "Red flags." For me the gigging 2x a month is perfect...that's all i can and want to do with an extra gig a month a few times a year. If a band said must be able to gig 4-5x a month I would be out and will not audition, so that would be a "red Flag" for me. It's all up to where you are and your likes and dislikes not all are: Red Flags " BTW I dont like todays music and would be interested in an ad saying "We dont play today's Crap" or today's radio standard's.
Click to expand...

Good point, our individual red flags might be different.

I picked these ads as examples because i personally don't think these are bands that will gigging at all.
 
#7
I agree with Bassbully, but I also can see where a bunch of mediocre bands playing for less has screwed us all. Most venues can hire these guys and pay half of what they should be paying for a decent band so decent bands can't ask for what they are worth.

I'd love nothing better than making a living playing music, but at least in the midwest you have a hard time getting much more than $400.00 a night. Guess what, back in the 70's bands were getting paid $400.00 or more a night. Anybody wanna do the math? Are we still paying 35 cents for gas???
 
#8
snappytom said:
I agree that some stuff written in ads can be an obvious red flag, but if you are looking it really pays to go out and meet people to form an opinion.
Even the best written ad can be created by a bunch of douchebags.
Click to expand...

True, but many of us have wasted a lot of time going to mis matched auditions.

At another time I will post ads from bands that I feel bass players looking for work would want to persue.
 
#10
My question is this: How many bands do you come across that would be worth joining that need a bass player that actually post the "wanted" ads? Or said another way, the best gigs are never publicized, just like the best jobs. But you sometimes just have to put yourself out there to be in the know when the good gigs come along, right?
 
#11
What does your "Bassist looking for work" ad look like?

I'm just asking because I might be looking myself here shortly. Is it worth it to put together a My Space or Facebook with Bio, photos, sound clips ect?

I would be looking to step into a band that has it together. Hell, they might not even know they need a new bassist yet.

The right job is a needle in a haystack, the right band is like trying to find the eye of the needle in the haystack without getting stuck first.

^^^Holdsg said it!^^^

I'm long past getting my jobs from the union hall, I get them from guys I've already worked with.

Getting a call from or calling someone I know would seem to be the most likely senario.
 
#12
My favorite was a local ad that began: Working group w/contacts looking for experienced drummer and bassist...

Ok... So you're working but you don't have your core in place already? Interesting.

Unfortunately, the most serious red flags don't show up till you actually get to meet/audition with the alleged band.

My five biggest (all of which happened to me) "Thanks guys, I'm outta here!" flags are:

1. Some (or all) of the group are drinking - or are already drunk/stoned - when you arrive.

2. You see girlfriend/boyfriend/groupie types draped all over the practice area.

3. You can hear a baby or small child crying in an adjoining room.

4. When you first knock on the door, it opens a crack, and you find yourself being stared at suspiciously for several long moments by a single eyeball before a semi-nervous (or hostile) voice demands to know: "Whaddya want?"

Add extra points if they also look out the door - and quickly scan both ways - after they let you in! (Or if the person who admits you is, for some strange reason, holding a baseball bat - or is otherwise armed.)

5. Three cop cars with flashing lights are parked in front of the address when you arrive.

There are many others. But those are my biggies. :-))
 
#17
Important: Allways keep Your expectations low, so as You dont get let down.......

I wouldn't go into a blind meeting/audition with any of these posters with high expectations, unless they had some documentation (press kit, web site, resume). Simple fact of life is, most people will blow smoke up Your ass to get You to bring kit and jam.
If You are a week-ender like my self, it would be aggrivating and a huge waste of time to load up my equipment and go audition/ jam with some talent-less turds with big dreams.
If I was a full timer, I would give anyone a good hard look before putting in the time and energy it takes to load up and go do an audition. The time and money spent auditioning for the "nowhere act" is taking food off the table.
I have no past experience with playing for a living, but I'd like to think going to audition for some of these people would be like going to a job interview for a volunteer job with no pay or benefits.
 
#18
Gets even worse where I am. The amateurs and semi-pro hobby bands are killing the local pro acts.

The latest screw deal is to make a booked band guarantee the club X dollars - which gets paid out of the cover charge. Almost like a vanity press deal. It's pure "pay to play."

If you don't bring enough people into the club, you either won't make much - or even worse, might end up owing the club the difference.

It's a real suck deal.

But despite all the bitching, there are enough amateur bands desperate enough for a gig that they'll go along. And enough audiences that don't care what they listen to that these venues continue to get away with it.
 
#20
bluewine said:
So, you think the ads are ok for guys that depend on this for a living and are specifically looking for a band with several months of good paying dates?
Click to expand...

Ah, you didn't mention a guy depending on playing for a living. I don't know if those opportunities would show up on the local CL anyway and, frankly, I'm not sure how many of those opportunities even exist anymore.

Here in Smalltown, USA, there aren't even many opportunities for a hobby band. It's a desolate musical wasteland controlled by the DJ/Karaoke mob. I'd love to play twice a month but between my oddball bandmates and the fickle culture of conformity around here, I'm stuck gigging vicariously through my fellow TB-mates.
 

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