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Why Some Musicians Don't Gig

#201
"Retired" from music for about 17 years. Before that, I had played 100's of shows from the early 70's to 1989. In 1989, I sold EVERYTHING to move the family to Texas to utilize an electrical engineering degree and be a Dad. Being in a band, at that time, would've taken too much time from family(IMO).

In 2006, I got an email from my brother asking me if I could learn 100 songs in a month because they just fired their bassist. My remaining children were almost finished high school and starting college...so I said "Yes". That was hundreds of shows ago, children are grown or in college(youngest), and now it is great to be "playing out" again.

PS: We are ALL in our 50's, have families and careers, and do this for FUN.
 
#202
I'm sure some people get tired of all the *^&%$@# drama and b.s. they have to deal with being in a band that is gigging or trying to get gigs. Being in a band can be like having a high-maintenance wife. Sooner or later you get fed up and the only thing keeping you going is lots of good paying gigs / lots of good sex. Take that away and the only option is to get out.
 
#203
Why bother getting good at a thing, if one isn't going to get paid for doing that thing?

What's wrong with doing something for fun? I'm told lots of people do various things for fun, some of them expensive. It usually makes no sense to people that do not participate in a given activity that people who do would not only participate but spend their hard earned money on ridiculously expensive things.

Why do people spend money and time to become skilled cooks, acquiring costly appliances and cookware, if they do not plan to become chefs in upscale restaurants? There are countless examples of such with other hobbies/activities. One that comes to mind is illegal in most of the US when performed for money, but nonetheless one's level of skill is important to one's partner...
 
#204
PluckyThump said:
I'm sure some people get tired of all the *^&%$@# drama and b.s. they have to deal with being in a band that is gigging or trying to get gigs. Being in a band can be like having a high-maintenance wife. Sooner or later you get fed up and the only thing keeping you going is lots of good paying gigs / lots of good sex. Take that away and the only option is to get out.
Click to expand...

Dealing with 2-4 terrorists...I mean bandmates got old.

I really enjoyed playing. I loved writing. I loved recording. I really loved playing on stage. Perhaps most of all, I loved when people enjoyed it.

My biggest problem is that I'm your run of the mill Type A personality. I like getting stuff done. I'm the type of guy who has stayed at my job for a really long time, constantly adapt to the curve balls they throw at me, and seldom call in sick. I don't have patience for flakes, guys who would rather burn bands to the ground than compromise, and guys who want to do stuff but lack the focus to accomplish anything.

As my last band broke up, I got into cycling and racing. Made more friends in a single season than I ever made as a musician. Sure, there's a team aspect, but I'm responsible for me. I don't have to worry about my bike showing up to the next race. ;)

I got bored with auditions that were pointless because the other dude was already picked out. Even more tired of bands that gave the slot to someone who didn't even own a bass, therefore didn't practice or know how to play bass.

Oddly enough, most of the folks I consider friends are level headed bassists, which we seem to be a lot of the time.

I hope to get back into music in a few years when I decide that I can't take the punishment on the bike any more. I doubt my tolerance will improve, so hopefully I find some guys who have it together.
 
#205
I can understand why one person might want to gig and another might not. This is just one more thing where there's no one size fits all.

Gigging can conflict with a dayjob, personal relationship or other responsibilities. And bottom line, everyone is not cut out to gig. There's a skill level needed (which obviously varies from gig to gig) and probably just as important an attitude that needs to be intact.

It can be liberating, a royal pain in the ass, exciting, boring, lucrative, financially draining, it's wide open as far as the results you can achieve. You can put your all into it and work with others who make you feel like you're just banging your head against the proverbial wall, you can have a chance meeting and magic happens on stage.

Here are a couple of real world gigging scenarios:

I had a guy ask me about subbing with his band. He lives on the other side of the metro area I live in. A weekend night, probably has some non-standard songs to learn, wants to have a rehearsal...

for a $100 gig.

Now this might make sense if I were an ongoing member of the band with a common goal we're working towards but in this case it's likely a one shot thing. So a quick calculation tells me in addition to at least five hours of driving, six hours at the gig, 3 or more at a rehearsal, a couple of hours at home practicing before rehearsal, around $30 for fuel, never mind wear and tear on the vehicle...

I'd save money by staying home. Less than $5/hr BEFORE taxes doesn't sound all that appealing. And I know folks who do this regularly and some people envy them.
:eyebrow:

Or get a call to sub with a special events band, no rehearsals, pretty standard setlist, two hours driving, four hours on site, casual wear, less than $20 gas, $500.

I'd be the same guy on either of these gigs. Some people gig for enjoyment, at this point that's a luxury for me. If I'm playing I need to maximize my time. But I can understand people who don't have to do that. Trouble is, those people don't understand me and think I'm gouging when I state my fee. Sometimes I explain how things work, others I just leave them to their own devices. You sometime do get what you pay for.

There are all sorts of scenarios for gigging and for some folks none of them work. I can easily understand that. It's all about your big picture.

It can be and often is a crapshoot. Knowing all of this (and I doubt much of this is news for many folks) yet not being able to see why one wouldn't pursue it... now that really doesn't make sense. IMO of course.
:cool:
 
#206
Brad Johnson said:
I can understand why one person might want to gig and another might not. This is just one more thing where there's no one size fits all.

Gigging can conflict with a dayjob, personal relationship or other responsibilities. And bottom line, everyone is not cut out to gig. There's a skill level needed (which obviously varies from gig to gig) and probably just as important an attitude that needs to be intact.

It can be liberating, a royal pain in the ass, exciting, boring, lucrative, financially draining, it's wide open as far as the results you can achieve. You can put your all into it and work with others who make you feel like you're just banging your head against the proverbial wall, you can have a chance meeting and magic happens on stage.

Here are a couple of real world gigging scenarios:

I had a guy ask me about subbing with his band. He lives on the other side of the metro area I live in. A weekend night, probably has some non-standard songs to learn, wants to have a rehearsal...

for a $100 gig.

Now this might make sense if I were an ongoing member of the band with a common goal we're working towards but in this case it's likely a one shot thing. So a quick calculation tells me in addition to at least five hours of driving, six hours at the gig, 3 or more at a rehearsal, a couple of hours at home practicing before rehearsal, around $30 for fuel, never mind wear and tear on the vehicle...

I'd save money by staying home. Less than $5/hr BEFORE taxes doesn't sound all that appealing. And I know folks who do this regularly and some people envy them.
:eyebrow:

Or get a call to sub with a special events band, no rehearsals, pretty standard setlist, two hours driving, four hours on site, casual wear, less than $20 gas, $500.

I'd be the same guy on either of these gigs. Some people gig for enjoyment, at this point that's a luxury for me. If I'm playing I need to maximize my time. But I can understand people who don't have to do that. Trouble is, those people don't understand me and think I'm gouging when I state my fee. Sometimes I explain how things work, others I just leave them to their own devices. You sometime do get what you pay for.

There are all sorts of scenarios for gigging and for some folks none of them work. I can easily understand that. It's all about your big picture.

It can be and often is a crapshoot. Knowing all of this (and I doubt much of this is news for many folks) yet not being able to see why one wouldn't pursue it... now that really doesn't make sense. IMO of course.
:cool:
Click to expand...


Agreed!
 
#207
Gigging is definitely not for everyone.

On many levels being in a band and gigging is a pain. For some of us the pain is worth it for what we feel we get out of it.

I think you have to be honest with yourself.

Example:

When my band broke up in August, I immediately started looking at bass player wanted ads and started scheduling auditions. It took 2 months but I won a decent opportunity and I'm back in a working band.

And its not the genre that I love playing. But waiting for the perfect match could take years.

The other guys in the band all claimed they wanted to get back into band and to start gigging as soon as possible.

Turns out none of them have even tried auditioning. My point is they are an example of guys that really don't want gig.

Maybe they are still recovering from all the crap we went through with the last band.
 
#208
Brad Johnson said:
I can understand why one person might want to gig and another might not. This is just one more thing where there's no one size fits all.

Gigging can conflict with a dayjob, personal relationship or other responsibilities. And bottom line, everyone is not cut out to gig. There's a skill level needed (which obviously varies from gig to gig) and probably just as important an attitude that needs to be intact.

It can be liberating, a royal pain in the ass, exciting, boring, lucrative, financially draining, it's wide open as far as the results you can achieve. You can put your all into it and work with others who make you feel like you're just banging your head against the proverbial wall, you can have a chance meeting and magic happens on stage.

Here are a couple of real world gigging scenarios:

I had a guy ask me about subbing with his band. He lives on the other side of the metro area I live in. A weekend night, probably has some non-standard songs to learn, wants to have a rehearsal...

for a $100 gig.

Now this might make sense if I were an ongoing member of the band with a common goal we're working towards but in this case it's likely a one shot thing. So a quick calculation tells me in addition to at least five hours of driving, six hours at the gig, 3 or more at a rehearsal, a couple of hours at home practicing before rehearsal, around $30 for fuel, never mind wear and tear on the vehicle...

I'd save money by staying home. Less than $5/hr BEFORE taxes doesn't sound all that appealing. And I know folks who do this regularly and some people envy them.
:eyebrow:

Or get a call to sub with a special events band, no rehearsals, pretty standard setlist, two hours driving, four hours on site, casual wear, less than $20 gas, $500.

I'd be the same guy on either of these gigs. Some people gig for enjoyment, at this point that's a luxury for me. If I'm playing I need to maximize my time. But I can understand people who don't have to do that. Trouble is, those people don't understand me and think I'm gouging when I state my fee. Sometimes I explain how things work, others I just leave them to their own devices. You sometime do get what you pay for.

There are all sorts of scenarios for gigging and for some folks none of them work. I can easily understand that. It's all about your big picture.

It can be and often is a crapshoot. Knowing all of this (and I doubt much of this is news for many folks) yet not being able to see why one wouldn't pursue it... now that really doesn't make sense. IMO of course.
:cool:
Click to expand...
I was in a similar situation this spring, subbing for this group that rehearsed and played on the complete other side of the Denver metro area - it was a 50 mile one way drive to rehearsals. The gigs were up there too, and these guys were making so little that they might have come out of pocket to pay my $100 fee once or twice. If I were relying on music for income, it would have been nonsensical.

In other news, though, I do think it is harder to grow musically without playing together with other musicians. Sort of a "the bullets are live" thing.
 
#209
WJGreer said:
I was in a similar situation this spring, subbing for this group that rehearsed and played on the complete other side of the Denver metro area - it was a 50 mile one way drive to rehearsals. The gigs were up there too, and these guys were making so little that they might have come out of pocket to pay my $100 fee once or twice. If I were relying on music for income, it would have been nonsensical.

In other news, though, I do think it is harder to grow musically without playing together with other musicians. Sort of a "the bullets are live" thing.
Click to expand...

+1

blue
 
#211
nortonrider said:
I have come to the realization that even though I enjoy making music, I am not an entertainer.
Being up on stage to me is like being on exhibit. "Dance Monkey, Dance".
I don't really care if I ever do it again.
Click to expand...

I am paid to entertain and I love it
It's one of the reasons I do this.

At least you realize it's not for you. However if your spin on this is " Dance Monkey Dance" then you really don't understand the business.
 
#212
The kind of stuff that I really enjoy playing isn't the kind of stuff people pack bars for. I was never going to come off enjoying the 'gig' when playing the stuff paying people wanted most. I simply didn't enjoy that aspect and found another means of money.

I'm way better now than I was then but I'm happy being on my own terms.
 
#213
BobaFret said:
The kind of stuff that I really enjoy playing isn't the kind of stuff people pack bars for. I was never going to come off enjoying the 'gig' when playing the stuff paying people wanted most. I simply didn't enjoy that aspect and found another means of money.

I'm way better now than I was then but I'm happy being on my own terms.
Click to expand...

Understandable, I use to feel the same way until I realized it's about what people enjoy and want to hear, not what I enjoy playing.

It's a compromise I am happy to make.
 
#215
BobaFret said:
says who? That is certainly a way 'it' works for you but "what it's all about" Is not a definable entity across the board. That's where the individual comes into play.
Click to expand...

I respect your position, however I disagree.

Playing what the people want to hear isn't what just works for me. It's the protocol for all working cover bands.

And when I say covers I mean classic rock, not God Smack.
 
#217
Gotta go with Blue on this one.

In a cover band, you are either playing what the bar audience wants to hear or you aren't playing long.

Even in an original project, if you are the only person moved by the music you make, you will generally be stuck rehearsing in the basement with the cat as your audience.

This is life.
 
#218
nortonrider said:
Who ever said I was in or wanted to understand the business?

I'll jam with you anytime. I like the process of creating music, I just don't care for "performing" it.
Click to expand...

Well, you make a good point. If you're not in the business there's no need to understand it.

Thanks for the offer, but I am not into the process of creating music. I am a working musician/ live performance. I don't jam
 
#219
WJGreer said:
Gotta go with Blue on this one.

In a cover band, you are either playing what the bar audience wants to hear or you aren't playing long.

Even in an original project, if you are the only person moved by the music you make, you will generally be stuck rehearsing in the basement with the cat as your audience.

This is life.
Click to expand...

Exactly, I left an original band with great material. Either we didn't know how to market it or nobody was interested.
 

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