It'd be kind of douchey not to. I'd even let him play my bass/rig so I could hear it from the room.
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Would you allow the old guy to do one song?
- Thread starter Chains
- Start date
CrashClint
I Play Bass therefore I Am
This is a nice rare opportunity to hear how your rig sounds in the room and in the mix.
Granted he may not play exactly how you play but it will give you a good idea.
- Oct 18, 2012
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Fat Steve
The poodle bites, the poodle chews it.
Bingo. Also loving all this talk about upstaging the guy. Because really, in the grand scheme of things, that's what it's all about, right?
This. My band's bass player moved to FLA, but comes back north from time to time. I welcome him to sit in, even a whole set if he wants to. I get to schmooze the audience, dance with the ladies, hear the band from out front ... and he gets a stage fix. It's all good.
I think we need to get to the bottom of your anxiety here.
Are you worried that he's coming back to take your place? I certainly wouldn't assume that given what you've told us. But the fact that you're so insecure leads me to believe that there have been other signals too, which you haven't mentioned. If so, then you should clear the air with your band leader and just ask him point-blank whether they want you in the band. Simple.
Or are you worried about him breaking your equipment? Ruining your show? Upstaging you? Something else?
jive1
Commercial User
+1
One thing I've learned in this business is that it's so volatile, it's best to hold things loosely. And if you have an opportunity to send good vibes and take the higher road, why the %&$# not?
I was playing guitar with this Classic Rock band and there was a gig I couldn't do due to another booking with a different band. Anyway, I called in a guy who just moved to town that seemed cool and hooked him up with that gig. He was a much better guitar player than me, and in the back of my mind I was thinking he may be a better fit, and they may replace me. So, he does the gig and it all goes well. I get an e-mail from the BL that he wanted to stop by and talk to me. Uh oh, oh well. I also get an e-mail from my sub about it, and I gave him my blessing. I also figured I'd make it easy for the BL and not give him any fuss, since I figured it would be a better fit and probably a better thing for everyone. I still offered to fill in if they needed, and he was thankful for that. Everyone took the whole thing with class and respect, and that's great. I had a slow January, but have lots of dates filled for Feb and March, so not a great loss. The lesson is to stay classy, regardless. It's always in your best interest.
Just one more vote to let him do it. It's classy and generous. The only reason not to would be if he's angling to get his old job back, and to be honest, if he wants it and the band wants him back, being a douche and refusing to let him play is not going to stop it. Jive1 said it - hold things loosely and stay classy.
Yes, let Tony play. I wish he'd come to one of my gigs and sit in on at least 1 song. It would give me an opportunity to:
1) Break out my Android and get a good video of the band live
2) Hear what my rig sounds like out in the audience.
Hopefully, Tony is a decent dude who respects your bass and rig.
1) Break out my Android and get a good video of the band live
2) Hear what my rig sounds like out in the audience.
Hopefully, Tony is a decent dude who respects your bass and rig.
Good post, but kind of boring.
Why not embellish the story?
I was playing guitar with this Classic Rock band and there was a gig I couldn't do due to another booking with a different band. Anyway, I called in a guy who just moved to town that seemed cool and hooked him up with that gig. He was a much better guitar player than me, and in the back of my mind I was thinking he may be a better fit, and they may replace me. So, he does the gig and it all goes well. I get an e-mail from the BL that he wanted to stop by and talk to me.
Turns out the other guitarist was a Soviet Spy, and had slept with both of our wives, and three of our dogs. The BL and I hatched an elaborate plan to turn him into a bowl of Petunias, involving Sharks, Monster Trucks, and a lot of excessive flatulence. First, we had to have a weeklong date with these twelve nurses.
After leaving all twelve with a satisfied smile on their faces, we began loading in the explosives. The BL and I blew up six buildings, and a mailbox belonging to a Nazi that was on the run from Simon Weisenthal. Weisenthal ended up coming to a number of our shows, and because of him, we got a job catering Bar Mitzvahs in Nevada. And that was where I met Chris Squire, who taught me a little known secret for playing bass that involved hypnosis, and a lot of Picante sauce.
(continued on page 7)
You could compromise: hold your ground on bass, but let him sing.
My willingness to let someone else sit in is a case-by-case basis... it depends on my bandmates' opinion of the player, and if I don't know them, the person's reputation (personal and professional). I like to hear how my rig sounds in the room, so I usually let someone sit in as long as it's not a random person I don't know and never heard of.
We let a singer sit in two years ago. He's a friend of the drummer and since the upcoming gig was in their hometown and all their friends would be there, we had no problems doing just one song with him. We agreed on U2s "With or Without You" as this was his favorite song.
He totally tanked in an awesomely hilarious way. Bum notes all over the place. He was so embarrassed that he never asked to sit in again.
He totally tanked in an awesomely hilarious way. Bum notes all over the place. He was so embarrassed that he never asked to sit in again.
Pay attention, the "real" advice is about to come.
This is your one big chance, and you have to knock it out of the park.
It's ragequit time. That's right, at the next practice/rehearsal you should just go off...flip out...and ragequit the band because they want the old guy to play/sing one song. Kick stuff and slam doors. Take a prop bass and smash it while you're screaming at them. It'll be awesome.
You'll be amazed at how good you'll feel.
This is your one big chance, and you have to knock it out of the park.
It's ragequit time. That's right, at the next practice/rehearsal you should just go off...flip out...and ragequit the band because they want the old guy to play/sing one song. Kick stuff and slam doors. Take a prop bass and smash it while you're screaming at them. It'll be awesome.
You'll be amazed at how good you'll feel.
