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The music. The hang. The money. Help requested!

Joe Nerve

Joe Nerve

Oct 7, 2000
18,619
38,942
New York City
www.joenerve.com
Disclosures
Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
#1
That was originally stated by someone on the last page of an issue of bass player magazine. I think it was one of the greatest things anyone ever came up with and I see it devolving over time. Someone in another thread just labeled it "conventional wisdom." It might be, but it was born of a single, identifiable person.

I'd like to reel things in a bit and give credit to the dude that originally came up with that.

Anyone remember who that was, and what BP issue it was in? I'll look through all my mags if I have to :), but don't want to. Just feeling like we should give credit where credit is due.
 
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#2
I'm not totally sure i understand what you are trying to say. If you mean that for a band to be worth doing, you need either A. The music to be good. B. The hang to be fun. C. The money to be good, and that you need one of these for it to be worth it, then this is way older a thought than you realize. I've heard that for at least 20 years from multiple sources. Unless that was a really old issue of BP magazine that wasn't the origin.
 
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#5
OEW3 said:
I'm not totally sure i understand what you are trying to say. If you mean that for a band to be worth doing, you need either A. The music to be good. B. The hang to be fun. C. The money to be good, and that you need one of these for it to be worth it, then this is way older a thought than you realize. I've heard that for at least 20 years from multiple sources. Unless that was a really old issue of BP magazine that wasn't the origin.
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Sorry... I wasn't clear, thinking everybody knew about this already :).

People often ask whether or not they should take a gig. Some bassist a while back wrote an article on the last page of BP magazine stating that he looks at it like this. A band has 3 things to offer him. Great money, great music, and/or great people. I believe he termed it money/music/hang. If the band has all three you hit the jackpot. Two of them still make it a very worthwhile thing. If it's just one of them it best be your top priority. And if none of those are involved then you should pass.

I, and many others think that was one of the greatest ways ever to look at it. I see a lot of poeple posting that nowadays though as if they themselves came up with it, and while there's nothing inherently wrong with that, it seems a bit disingenuous.

I started this thread cuz I'd like to acknowledge the dude who originally came up with that, but I don't remember who it is :).

Not a huge deal really, but yeah... I HAD CHORES TO DO, ALRIGHT! AND CREATING THIS POST HELPED ME PROCRASTINATE! Any problems with that?

It worked by the way. Still have to clean my studio, and pack up some electronic drums I'm selling...
 
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#7
guy n. cognito said:
So, you assume that since you first read it in a magazine that it was that guy who created it??

I first heard that expression over 25 years ago.....
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Cuz I feel like arguing... and cuz you seem to enjoy creating arguments, I'd love for you to post a reference to anything here on Talkbass that alludes to that pre 2005, which is around the year I think that guy wrote that. Or something that says that anywhere, before that guy came up with it. Pretty sure you won't find anything.

And if you insist without any proof, well then... maybe you're the guy who originated it and that BP writer dude ripped you off.
 
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#10
Except for the money part I said pretty much that a lot of times on this forum, without realizing someone actually famous having said it before me.

I guess it doesn't really take genius to figure out what ones priorities should be, at least not if you consider playing bass and music as such as an art form.

Can't help you with solving the mystery of who is known for the quote, though I am pretty sure that me and that famous guy can't possibly have been the only ones saying it.
 
#13
Don't know who said it, but it's my basic priorities for a band, and in the correct order.

As for help requested, that describes me in a band situation. I love nothing more than playing above my pay grade. Not only does it encourage me to do better, there is also the fact if I was the best in the band the band would pretty much suck, so at least for me, it's better to work in the deep end and ask for a little help then it is to rot neck deep in mediocrity.
 
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#15
I have that issue and have to agree with @Joe Nerve. If I remember correctly the guy's name Joe was referring to is Sean. I can't remember the rest of it, but it was 3 names. Not just first and last.

It was called the Gig Triangle. The Money, the Music and the Hang. Ideally you want 2 out of 3 those... At least that's what I've looked for in a project since reading that article.
 
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#17
Joe Nerve said:
That was originally stated by someone on the last page of an issue of bass player magazine. I think it was one of the greatest things anyone ever came up with and I see it devolving over time. Someone in another thread just labeled it "conventional wisdom." It might be, but it was born of a single, identifiable person.

I'd like to reel things in a bit and give credit to the dude that originally came up with that.

Anyone remember who that was, and what BP issue it was in? I'll look through all my mags if I have to :), but don't want to. Just feeling like we should give credit where credit is due.
Click to expand...

OEW3 said:
I'm not totally sure i understand what you are trying to say. If you mean that for a band to be worth doing, you need either A. The music to be good. B. The hang to be fun. C. The money to be good, and that you need one of these for it to be worth it, then this is way older a thought than you realize. I've heard that for at least 20 years from multiple sources. Unless that was a really old issue of BP magazine that wasn't the origin.
Click to expand...

That's not it actually.

There are three main aspects to every gig: the money, the music & the hang.

If at least TWO of the three aren't happening (great music with awesome people but you actually spend money to rehearse/record, fantastic pay and good music but no one really gets along, etc.) the gig isn't worth your time; if you ever land a gig that fulfills all three categories, do everything in your power to keep it as those are the gigs a that careers are made of.

That was the advice in the BP column, and it really might as well be called The Golden Rule for musicians; regardless of the circumstances I've always been happy on a gig when it measured up to that standard.
 

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