Uncool to try and poach someone's gig, right?

[Acoop]

It worked for Keith Moon (The Who), Jaco (Weather Report) and Andy Summers (The Police).
... Don't be surprised if 1, he's the leader of the band or 2, his wife is. ...

 

[Gasman]

If you’re talking about my band, then no, not cool. Otherwise....

Just kidding

 

[pedroims]

The worst thing can heppen is that the bass player is the “Steve Harris” of the band, meaning he own it

 

[Steve]

lol.

there can be a fine line between networking and poaching. get it right because one will get you work and the other will make you radioactive

 

[bolophonic]

If you are super worried about poaching someone’s slot, maybe offer your info to the bassist as a sub? He might toss it on the way out of the club, but he also might be looking for someone to replace him, you never know.

 

[petrus61]

Don’t offer yourself for the band. That’s a faux pas, in my opinion. If someone came up to me being like, I would like to replace your bassist, I’d be like, go get lost.

However, do go introduce yourself to a band member or two and let them know that you have an interest as a musician to play with them and you play bass and you like their style and you’re serious. That’s how my band got our last drummer. He didn’t know that the spot in my band was about to become vacant, but he offered that he’d love to connect with me in a future project. One day later, I was like, so about that thing you said yesterday....

Makes more sense than anything said thus far, IMO.

 

[Feral Cat]

We call that "Gig-napping". How would you feel if the shoe was on the other foot? Some Cat sniffing around your Gig. Not cool in my book!

 

[JMacBass65]

Just make your own band, copy their style but more cool and with a better sound.

Ugh......I've started a band before, no thanks.

I'm kind of surprised nobody has said it yet - offer yourself as a sub... to the current bass player. Go to a gig, buy him a drink during a break, tell him how much you envy the gig he has, and if he ever needs a sub, you'd love to be that guy. Bypassing him to go the BL is, IMO, still kind of jerky. Put it in the bassist's hands, though, and you're giving him control and might wind up making a friend anyway.

This is a really good idea.

Can you tell us why you think you're a better fit? Specifics might help this thread.

Well, not really, because of this -

I’m pretty sure the other bass player is reading this thread.

He is either younger, taller, better looking, skinnier, has longer hair, etc than the current bassist.

But yeah, this is basically the answer. All of the above, actually.

 

[Medicine Man]

I met my business partner/frontman when he approached us at a gig and made the claim he was better than our current front man. We politely took his number and did nothing. 6 months later our singer was have issues not slurring the lyrics a little too often. We started auditioning replacements and I got a hold of the kid, who turned out to be great. He and I eventually split off and started our current project, which has been a great situation. People try to poach members and slide into someone's job all the time, most of the time with a very low success rate, just be political about it. I get approached at almost every gig about them trying to replace one of my guys, or a direct poach attempt on me. No business like show business.

 

[bassbully]

A sub offer is cool, to steal the bass chair? Not!

 

[dtsamples]

Bands aren't often quick to part with a good bassist. It's like finding a solid left tackle. Offer to sub if you can live with being a sub, but if your intention is to get in there and stir up drama you're liable to end up sullying your reputation to no other avail.

 

[Spectrum]

We call that "Gig-napping". How would you feel if the shoe was on the other foot? Some Cat sniffing around your Gig. Not cool in my book!

Funny story. About a year or two ago my band played out and some friends came out to see us. One of them brought one of his "friends", we'll call this guy "Bitter Man".

Later on I found out that Bitter Man was a bass player and liked my playing and my bass (Rickenbacker 4003). Liked it so much he was jealous and angry that it was me and not him on that stage, apparently. He actually told his friend he was considering trying to steal my bass because he was angry that I had one and he didn't, and he thought what I was playing was "easy" and that he could do it better than me.

I didn't find out about this until just a few weeks ago. It's pretty weird, there are some real losers and psychos out there, and they can be hostile for no reason whatsoever. I don't know Bitter Man, don't remember meeting him or what he looked like.

I'm fairly confident that such a clown would not be replacing me in my band, though.

And as for stealing my Ric, think again. That will not end well for you. Jeez, what is up with some people?

 

[Kmonk]

If you believe their current bass player can "play circles" around you, what makes you think you are a better fit for the band? There is more to being a good fit than being able to play the songs.

 

[MDBass]

So there is a band, local to me, that I would be a perfect fit for. I came across them on Facebook. I know and love the material they do, and visually/vibe wise, I'd be a better fit than the guy on bass now. My bet is he can actually play circles around me, but for the material the do, it isn't an issue, I can more than cover the gig. They also gig about as often as I want, and don't travel far. It's really perfect for me, if they didn't already have the bass chair filled.

They are playing nearby soon, and I want to check them out (all I have seen are YouTube live things and a pro shot promo video). It would be totally uncool to strike up a convo with the BL and offer myself up, even as just a sub, right?

I think I know the answer, but seriously, it's like the perfect gig for me......ugh!

Conflicted.

No need to be conflicted at all: nothing wrong with meeting new people you’d like to work with and offering your services in the future should the need arise.

That’s a totally different thing than actively trying to steal someone’s job.

 

[boombloom]

I have been filling in for more than a year with a local jam type band mostly made up of young, charismatic organic farmers. They are popular with the folks who buy their food. They get good gigs at good pay but they suck. I have been telling them from day one that they need to get a bassist. I will take any other gig before one of theirs and they know it. I have two regular gigs already. It would fill me with joy to have someone approach them about playing bass. If I have to play "Wagon Wheel" one more time I might just lose it. Hey---Anyone here in the Adirondack or Champlain Valley region who wants to play out one or two times a month?

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I have been filling in for more than a year with a local jam type band mostly made up of young, charismatic organic farmers. They are popular with the folks who buy their food. They get good gigs at good pay but they suck. I have been telling them from day one that they need to get a bassist. I will take any other gig before one of theirs and they know it. I have two regular gigs already. It would fill me with joy to have someone approach them about playing bass. If I have to play "Wagon Wheel" one more time I might just lose it. Hey---Anyone here in the Adirondack or Champlain Valley region who wants to play out one or two times a month?

LOL...
Let’s add this all up.
Organic farmers + popular with folks who buy what they grow + get good gigs + get good pay + they suck.
Are you sure they’re selling food?

 

[saabfender]

I'd say give it your best shot. If you think you can play bass better than me, sing all the backups better than me, play keyboards better than me, write songs with the band better than me, and fit in better than me, have at it. They'll laugh you all the way out of the club.

It really comes down to this. All the folks who’d be threatened by someone coming up to the bandstand on break with a “hi, I’m new in town. You guys sound great. I’d be interested in helping out on bass if you need me.” don’t feel very secure in their current situation, probably with good reason. It isn’t enough to just be the bass player.

If a guy walks in and takes my gig, it really wasn’t mine.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

So there is a band, local to me, that I would be a perfect fit for. I came across them on Facebook. I know and love the material they do, and visually/vibe wise, I'd be a better fit than the guy on bass now. My bet is he can actually play circles around me, but for the material the do, it isn't an issue, I can more than cover the gig. They also gig about as often as I want, and don't travel far. It's really perfect for me, if they didn't already have the bass chair filled.

They are playing nearby soon, and I want to check them out (all I have seen are YouTube live things and a pro shot promo video). It would be totally uncool to strike up a convo with the BL and offer myself up, even as just a sub, right?

I think I know the answer, but seriously, it's like the perfect gig for me......ugh!

Conflicted.

The grass is always greener.....especially when you haven't planted any.

Or.....the hell you do know traded for the hell you don't.

Look, I'd be suspect of joining any band that would take your suggestion seriously as loyalty means nothing to them. Plus, you might be in for the same treatment IF someone else comes along.

Sort of a scummy thing to want to do.

If you approached me wanting the same thing.........I would get your name, politely decline the offer and warn others I know of your lack of character regarding matters of this sort.

I hope to God you're under 25 and still learning how to be an adult as opposed to being 35 and already molded?

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

The grass is always greener.....especially when you haven't planted any.

Or.....the hell you do know traded for the hell you don't.

Look, I'd be suspect of joining any band that would take your suggestion seriously as loyalty means nothing to them. Plus, you might be in for the same treatment JF someone else comes along.

Sort of a scummy thing to want to do.

If you approached me wanting the same thing.........I would get your name, politely decline the offer and warn others I know if your lack of character regarding matters of this sort.

I hope to God you're under 25 and still learning how to be an adult as opposed to being 35 and already molded?

You can’t put an age on adulthood. I know many adult children. Might be one myself from time to time.
You can put an age on when someone is qualified to run for president. That would be your “fully formed” 35 years old. Yet we’ve never had anyone that young in the Whitehouse.
You know the old saying... Don’t trust anyone under thirty.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

You can try to poach, but very likely it will be transparent and you’ll look like a douche. Friend some of the people on the band on Facebook, follow the band and see if they need someone down the road. But if their current bassist is doing a good job, they’re going to keep him/her. He/she is a known quantity that is working for them.