Time waster flags

[lfmn16]

As far as pro gear, it's a matter of taste, but until you've put in an add in CL for a drummer and get a bunch of responses from dudes without drums, or look for a bassist and get responses from guys without amps, you begin to point that out in your search. It still doesn't keep them away though.

When I was playing guitar we auditioned a bass player. He showed up with an old fender jazz and I kid you not, the strings were at leas 3/4 of an inch off the fingerboard. The neck was bowed and it looked like someone had played drums on it. His old fender cabinet looked like he'd dragged it to the audition behind his truck, his old fender head was missing front and back panels. He shows up with bib overalls and work boots like he'd just stepped off a pig farm. Unfortunately his playing matched his equipment.

 

[PlungerModerno]

The number one time waster flag for me when joining a band is the song list. 99% of the time, if a band didn't have a song list, they weren't ready to gig, let alone have a direction. If they are an original band, then it's recordings. If they are established, they should have at least some body of work.

The online presence is important, but you can have a band without a website, but it's very easy to have a website without a band. I had a website for a band that was defunct for over a year, and then all of a sudden I got a call from a local agent who needed an act, so I put one together and revived it.

So..... you're saying you put the band back together!?!?!?

Invalid Link Removed

When I was in High School, after coming out of my shell, people knew who I was, always asking "Arent you in that band ____". Yes, I was, but that band consisted of myself on vocals and my friend on guitar. We never completed our lineup before moving on. Shortly after I took up the bass.

Ive also had this idea to form a fake band, make a facebook page, get some other people on board, and post actively on the fb as if we just played the most awesome show the night before (of course, we'd never advertise the gigs beforehand). A form of social experiment, if you will.

Yes! Read up on all the hellraiser/hair-metal lore and reinvent them for the band... even the Zeppelin snapper incident

 

[MegaSwing]

Time waster flags.

Too much practice and not enough gigging behind easily accessible, even mundane material.

I once put a wedding band together in less than a month, and not only did the gathering have no clue we had never gigged together before, we got paid extra, and were offered additional gigs. And we sounded freaking good.

Getting stuck in the basement is a symptom of some deep-rooted fear. Maybe of success.

 

[the yeti]

"time waster" is a huge insult, but i think it's often applied incorrectly. as has been said already, an audition goes both ways so if the person auditioning decides at whatever point the job is not for them why is it they automatically wasted my time? same with buying gear... a prospective buyer who shows up with cash in hand didn't waste my time because the decided not to do the deal. did they?

 

[jmattbassplaya]

"time waster" is a huge insult, but i think it's often applied incorrectly. as has been said already, an audition goes both ways so if the person auditioning decides at whatever point the job is not for them why is it they automatically wasted my time? same with buying gear... a prospective buyer who shows up with cash in hand didn't waste my time because the decided not to do the deal. did they?

That's actually a great point.

 

[MatticusMania]

Yes! Read up on all the hellraiser/hair-metal lore and reinvent them for the band... even the Zeppelin snapper incident

"OMG, if you guys thought last nights show at the House of Blues was off the chain, you should have seen what went down at the afterparty in the Hollywood Tower Hotel! Lets just say, I've got a whole new respect for guitarist John Fischer and the phrase "she sells seashells" will never mean the same to me again..."

 

[MegaSwing]

So true. When I encounter people who claim they are a working band, the first thing I ask is - tell the link to your Facebook page and website. No sites - no working band.

This ain't necessarily so. I would get yer email address and invite you to my next gig...and the next..,and the next, etc. There are other effective ways of building a local reputation, foremost of which is playing well wherever you play, followed by not being a dork. If YOU are anywhere on the scene, we WILL cross paths again.

There are no sure things in show business. The proof is totally in the pudding, not the website. Websites don't reveal much about bands. "Edward took up playing bass when he was 15 years old..." Not interested in Facebook whatsoever.

 

[PlungerModerno]

"OMG, if you guys thought last nights show at the House of Blues was off the chain, you should have seen what went down at the afterparty in the Hollywood Tower Hotel! Lets just say, I've got a whole new respect for guitarist John Fischer and the phrase "she sells seashells" will never mean the same to me again..."

My stomach churned.

Bonus points if you have two `bands' having a huge online slagging match... but that might get old quick. And to seem legit would need lots of fake accounts.

Just a thought... Metalocalypse, and specifically Murderface, have some great ideas for potential areas of exploration, esp. w.r.t. personal hygiene and generally diva like behaviour.

 

[Jazzdogg]

Beyond what's already been mentioned, the ads that say must have OWN gear and TRANSPORTATION.

What kind of adult loser doesn't own an instrument and have a car?

The person whose license was revoked, or whose car was repossessed, or whose car runs only some of the time, or whose transportation is incapable of conveying him and his gear to gigs. In >40 years of gigging, I've seen 'em all, and with very few exceptions, these folks weren't worth the trouble.

Likewise, folks who show up stoned or drunk are seldom, if ever, worth the trouble.

 

[bluewine]

A tell tale sign for me is any band that says that they are "ready to gig", yet they have no website, no Facebook and no kind of marketing material.

90% of the ads on Milwaukee rocks are from newbies with little to no working band experience.

I call it:

"Hey,I have a microphone, lets start a rock band " syndrome.

 

[Big B.]

I mostly do hired gun playing now but when I was younger and auditioning for bands the #1 red flag was a band that spent all their time talking about how awesome being famous would be and never about what it would take to get there. More than once I actually showed up to multiple rehearsals without ever actually playing more than a tune or two. Beware the big talkers.

 

[MegaSwing]

I mostly do hired gun playing now but when I was younger and auditioning for bands the #1 red flag was a band that spent all their time talking about how awesome being famous would be and never about what it would take to get there. More than once I actually showed up to multiple rehearsals without ever actually playing more than a tune or two. Beware the big talkers.

Wow!

 

[jive1]

"time waster" is a huge insult, but i think it's often applied incorrectly. as has been said already, an audition goes both ways so if the person auditioning decides at whatever point the job is not for them why is it they automatically wasted my time? same with buying gear... a prospective buyer who shows up with cash in hand didn't waste my time because the decided not to do the deal. did they?

I think it all boils down to honesty and candidness. Those two things when applied liberally reduces time wasting and hurt feelings. There's one thing to not like something, but it's another thing to string someone along. That's wasting time vs just a genuine refusal.

 

[guy n. cognito]

90% of the ads on Milwaukee rocks are from newbies with little to no working band experience.

I call it:

"Hey,I have a microphone, lets start a rock band " syndrome.

There's nothing wrong with a start-up band. I've started a few myself. But.....I'm always honest in my ads so as to avoid wasting the time of other musicians that may be looking for a ready-to-go band.

 

[hdracer]

Beyond what's already been mentioned, the ads that say must have OWN gear and TRANSPORTATION.

What kind of adult loser doesn't own an instrument and have a car?

A drunk.
Around here you run into a lot of people that have had their license pulled because of DWI's.

Now you are stuck with someone with no wheels AND a drinking problem.

 

[butchblack]

If yer makin' money with it it's "pro" gear!

Personally, I'm okay with that definition. Maybe I'd add the caveat that it doesn't need to be repaired daily.


I'll add that it's suitable for the type of gigs the band is getting

I consider my gear "pro" and will cover anything from a small coffeehouse setting to a fairly large club and I could do a really large club or outdoor festival with PA support. If the rare opportunity came that I needed something bigger i would get it, but it would have to be a real, not what if, need.

Another flag is members too quick to pat themselves on the back but not look at their shortcomings and be willing to work on them.

 

[bluewine]

So true. When I encounter people who claim they are a working band, the first thing I ask is - tell the link to your Facebook page and website. No sites - no working band.

This was key for me when I was looking for an established working band playing 4-5 shows per month.

I required historical documentation of 12 months of bookings and how they priced their fees before I would consider auditioning.

 

[baba]

I am in two bands right now (same members!) that have tons of good paying gigs on the books but absolutely no websites or Facebook pages or promo kits. We are a group of seasoned players with reputations from other successful bands and plenty of booking contacts. Granted this is not typical, but just know that there are some very successful bands and musicians out there that don't have these marketing tools in place...sometimes for a reason, albeit a questionable one. Don't let that be a deal breaker if the calendar is loaded with gigs!

 

[bluewine]

There's nothing wrong with a start-up band. I've started a few myself. But.....I'm always honest in my ads so as to avoid wasting the time of other musicians that may be looking for a ready-to-go band.

My comment was not about start ups.

It's about people placing ads when they have absolutely nothing in place. Meaning , no band, no experience, no gear, beginner level musicianship, no rehearsal space, no understanding of the local market and no connections.

 

[bluewine]

I am in two bands right now (same members!) that have tons of good paying gigs on the books but absolutely no websites or Facebook pages or promo kits. We are a group of seasoned players with reputations from other successful bands and plenty of booking contacts. Granted this is not typical, but just know that there are some very successful bands and musicians out there that don't have these marketing tools in place...sometimes for a reason, albeit a questionable one. Don't let that be a deal breaker if the calendar is loaded with gigs!

Depending on your location, with that sort of history, I would think anyone auditioning would know and be familiar with your band.