Strange New Band, how does one deal with culture shock?

How's the pay?

 

+1 A profesional band in which I get to deal with a professional management team without all of the management headaches...sign me up.

 

Talk to everyone and get on the same page

 

Seeerioulsy!

 

THIS

 

hahahaha! good one!

 

Well let's see, you're from NJ so you can probably appreciate this. Wasn't everyone in the E Street Band one of Bruce Springsteen's side men? I think Clarence Clemons was one of the best known "hired guns" in the business. Go with the flow brother.

 

Has your specific role in the new band ever been discussed with you? Specifically, what were you told about the opportunity and the requirements at the time you said "sign me up"? What was your understanding of the opportunity and the requirements at that time, and on what basis? Has there been any discrepancy between those terms and your subsequent experience in the band?

I'm not quite sure what the problem is. Must be something is missing that you're not telling us...

MM

 

Ya might wanna look this over http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f67/need-honest-opinions-871480/ .

A lot depends on how much you want to be in this band, what sacrifices you're willing to make, and how much you think they're willing to do things differently.

I've found also that sometimes things change for the better as you fall more into place. They could just be testing the waters, and even if not, it looks like you'll have to prove yourself if you want to be a true member and not get treated as hired gun. A very very successful bass playing dude I know once told me you have to somehow make yourself indespensible. Tough thing to do though... there are lots and lots of talented bass players out there looking for gigs. Singing helps.

 

I don't know about Bruce, but the guys in Jon Bon Jovi's band have been paid employees since day one.

 

What tycobb said. Don't let yourself get tangled in it if you don't even know exactly what the it is.

Is it the band members or the management team that makes you feel more like a hired gun?

From what I've been threw (which isn't much compared to most people here giving advice) the person that is supposed to be a producer sometimes ends up taking too much control. Ending up owning the band and having an ultimate say, that's not what a producer is supposed to do. At least not how I see it, they're supposed to be another member with an outside ear and know how that helps.

 

I like a professional production. I once worked in a five star restaurant, and I was hurt by how cold everyone was to me. One day, one of the top waiters told me, "man, nobody wants to get attached to you; for all they know, you won't last the week." They saw people come and go.

Bottom line: in a PRO production, you have to EARN some respect. Show up on time; play your best; be your best; and think of it as a stepping stone to something else; something called a CAREER.

I think you're probably in a good situation, but don't let anyone walk on you, either.

 

Even Richie?

Blue

 

Even Richie. Last year 60 Minutes did a profile on Bon Jovi and Richie talked about the fact that they were all employees. He also said that it worked out better than he could have ever imagined.