Where Are All The Good Bands

[toma_hawk01]

Disco's coming back.  
 
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-

[thumbsup]

The last gigin band i played with was fairly popular and set list included lots of disco,pop & soul, mo town some alternative and of course even classics like alright right now and pour some surgar on me (-:, The ladies love that dance music so we packed em in.  
I'm 54 and have gotten used to being the oldest member in a band and usually end up being a director without opposition from other members.  
I too have gotten fed up with the scenes at times and have just laid it down and went fishing. But I've always ended up back playing in some band some where.  
 
Music does get in your blood so to speak. The guys i play with now are all nearer my age and we spend band night playing past memories trying to stump each other.  
Yes, Floyd, Floyd Cramer, B J Thomas, Mamas & Papas, Troggs, you get the picture....we are tight.....i like what we play.....the problem ...we never play a gig cause no body wants to take the resooncibillty of booking a gig (including me) and an agent wouldn't work cause around here you would play Austin (tx) friday and 400 miles away sat.    
I wouldn't mind going out and playing live and making a little extra change......and now am confronted with basically the same problem of whos out there to play with that can actually play and willing to perform!
 
We all feel your pain brother!
 
Steve

[pace]

I blame the economy.

[88persuader]

Actually I think the biggest issue finding a WORKING band is the fact that bands are simply a dime a dozen. NOT GOOD BANDS mind you but clubs don't care if your GOOD or suck as long as you bring in people and they drink. So if there are 1000 bands in your area (maybe 5 out of 1000 are polished pros) and only a few popular bars who hire bands in your surrounding towns ... well you do the math. And when it's hard to get work it's hard to find GOOD professional bands to join. What's left are the bands who don't really have their act together and a bunch of burnt out pros who are just looking for no pressure projects because their sick of the scene. Sooooooooo finding a good professional level band, at least finding one if you don't live in a big city can be difficult at best. When there's no decent paying work the pros stay home and when they find a good working situation with fair cash they hold on to it for dear life. I found one after 6 months of looking. Great experienced people with a decent (low paying) schedule and low pressure. They play music I don't particulary like, a lot of blues and some country ... I'm a prog rock/jazz guy at heart, BUT with things being the way they are I count myself lucky to have found them.  
 
That's my story and i'm sticking to it! :-)

[ajdover]

I don't think it's really all about age. I have no problem playing modern stuff technically for the most part.  For me, it's just that today's music doesn't move me at all for the most part with exceptions.  Metal - a lot of guys playing a lot of stuff really fast and calling it melodic.  Folks who scream through the whole song (screaming is part of rock and roll ... for example - think Roger Daltrey and Won't Get Fooled Again) and unable to actually sing.  Pig vocals (I've actually seen ads for that).  Sampling constantly as opposed to being able to play an instrument vs. manipulating the work of others via technology.  Guitar Hero - can't play an instrument?  Pick this up and all of sudden you can call yourself a musician.
 
For me, I'm just not going to haul my stuff out of my house to play things that do absolutely nothing for me musically.  I know others feel differently and that's fine.  But I'd rather wait for a band where I can play music I actually feel than one in which I'd just go through the motions to make a few bucks.  Again, that's just me.
 
Alan

[88persuader]

I respect and understand your opinion Alan. For me however, being an old school prog-rock and fusion jazz nut (think Yes, Gentle Giant and on the other end Weather Report and Chick Corea) I've NEVER been able to find a working band that plays music that means something to me personally. So I've learned to enjoy playing music that ISN'T me as long as it's played with polish by the band and it packs the dance floor. I play music that IS me when recording in my home studio. (Clubs and your average Joe doesn't want to hear prog-rock or jazz, never did, never will)

[811952]

I can't find a band either.  I thought I had (excellent drummer, guitar and harp, willing to let things go where they want to musically, etcetera..) but the singer turned out to be a piece of work and I left when he fired the drummer for no valid reason the night before a gig..
 
Now I play with a good blues band when their real bass player (my brother) is unable to.  It's a great band and they let me stretch out quite a bit, but when it comes down to it I'm still just subbing.  
 
I also get to play a few times a year with a horn band in Evansville, and that gig is a blast and a lot of work.  They also let me stretch out just about as far as I like.  Again, though, I'm just subbing.
 
I guess that although neither of these are my most favorite genre (YES, etcetera), the challenges of having to fill a somewhat pre-sized hole in the music keep them interesting and even enticing to me.  Luckily I'm subbing for great players and with great players, so the bar is high.  It's still not the same as being a real part of something.
 
The first band mentioned above really is the first band I've gigged with that just left it all out there for the world to see/hear, and I would love to replicate that stage experience without the off-stage head-games.  Maybe I've just missed my opportunity, maybe not.
 
Essentially, I think we're all suffering through the economics of Karoke.  There is little live music compared to when I was young, but Karoke is everywhere.  Plenty of bands in my neck of the woods, but even the good ones end up playing for free just to play.  Heck, I play for free just to play!  Adding insult to injury, a live local band typically can't duplicate the latest electronic pop hit, so we're anachronisms gone cold.  I don't see it getting any better until the entertainment industry as a whole implodes and reinvents itself.
 
Wow, do I sound negative or what?!  
 
On a lighter note, Blues At The Crossroads is this weekend (Terre Haute, Indiana), and I'm taking pictures of Dicky James and The Blue Flames Saturday afternoon at 1:30pm instead of playing..
 
John

[cozmik_cowboy]

Pig vocals (I've actually seen ads for that).  
 
IIRC, you're a not Deadhead, Alan, so I will point out that may not be as outrageous as you might think; I would read that as a call for a blues singer able to do extended rave-ups a la the late Ron Pigpen McKernan.  Or, on the other hand, they may actually be looking for an accomplished oinker - I've seen worse things on stage  
 
...I would love to replicate that stage experience without the off-stage head-games.
 
I don't think I've ever known a player who didn't voice some variation on that theme!
 
Peter

[toma_hawk01]

Had anybody seen the movie The Groomsmen
by Edward Burns?
 
It's about these guys who loved one another yet gotten older and started their own families and wanted to unite to restart their band again.
 
It was a beautiful movie, which I believe relates to our generation.
 
 
Peace and Love,
 
Hal-

[ajdover]

88 - you're spot on about trying to enjoy music that may not be one's cup of tea as long as it's done well.  I've played in a band like that.  And while I would agree that prog rock is not something you hear everyday in clubs, bars, etc., there are places where you can.  There just aren't a lot of them, unfortunately.
 
Peter - Nope, not a Deadhead, most likely never will be.  Never got the whole jamband thing, though I can respect the musicianship nonetheless.  But yes, I mean sounding like a pig, no joke.  There are musicians here who actually strive to sound like an oinker and call it music.  Now, the sound of a pig grunting and oinking might be attractive to some.  Me?  If I want to hear that, I'll go to a farm, not a concert, club or music venue.  And like you, I've seen worse things on stage as well! ;-)
 
Alan

[rjmsteel]

88 & others- I also concur, being from the late ~70\s early \80\s fusion chops era. You are right.  
However, I have been doing the Monday night Blues jam locally and have been fortunate to play/run into some Really great players.
 
I\ll slip in some grooves when asked by the guitar /keyboard players, (they\ve run out of ideas or their is a lull in what to play next).  
 
Looking forward, (as I\ve told their house bassist I would) bring and see their reaction when I bring my pretty soon Series bass to the jam -  yep I\ll be careful.
 
Hope this keeps up, even though it makes for a late night: that is if I have the chance to play beyond the 3 song section I normally play, and which does sometimes happen and I\m asked to keep the low end, with a solo section going.
 
    -Rich

[rockbassist]

I put an ad on Craigslist. I was very specific about my influences and what I wanted to do. I have received 6 replies. None of them were even close to what I put in my ad. I have toured and have played with some very well known musicians. I took some time off because I developed tendonitis in my hands. I have been fine for a couple of years but can't find a band. If anybody wants more information about what I have done please visit myspace.com/kevinmello. I can do rock,blues and country.  I have a good friend who lives in Nashville and works in the music industry. He keeps suggesting that I move to Nashville. My wife is against it so I am living south of Boston. I just want to find a good band. I'm glad I am not alone in my assessement of the current music scene. It's pretty sad.

[88persuader]

I live north of Boston in Southern NH. Gee I would think if you're close enough to town there would be more opprotunities? Of course that also means more professional level musicians looking for the same gig, but still ... more chances. Up here in NH (too far north to be in a Boston Band) it's slim pickins. I feel lucky to have found some fairly professional and very friendly people to work with. They aren't on the same level as some bands I've been in musicianship wise but they make up for it in attitude and willingness to put in the work.  
 
OH and Craigslist is not that great. My experience is many Craigslist bands are either entry level, people looking to JAM in the basement or people trying to start a new band. When I asked about work experience and the clubs they play half the people who replied to my original adds for a bass player looking for work never replied again.

[ajdover]

Re: Craigslist ...
 
Same thing here in Fayetteville.
 
Alan

[glocke]

I think networking, as opposed to craigslist is really the way to go.  
 
My experiences with craigslist are, by and large, similar to Raymonds, although by carefully wording my ads I have found some decent musicians.  
 
When posting on craigslist I have found it helps to be as specific as possible in describing what you want....
I even ask people to provide a recording, it does not have to be a pro-level recording, just something that shows they can play a complete song with other people or by themselves.
 
Jam sessions are a good way to meet other musicians, but the catch is you pretty much have to wait 2-3 hours to play for 20 minutes.
 
Also, and this is probably the next step for me, if you cant find people that play what you want and you still want to be in a band that plays out, you'll probably have to think about getting into another genre of music.
 
Another thing that has been making it hard for me to find a band recently has to do with rehearsal times.  I've run into many more people that want to schedule a rehearsal on saturdays or sundays midday, or for the whole day.  In the past Ive never had a problem with working with people who would do a weeknight or weekend night rehearsal.  Im really alot less inclined these days to give up an entire weekend day for music.
 
(Message edited by glocke on September 13, 2010)