Rough gigs

thomasross20

New singer is in. She's got doubts about the drummer's timing but seeks keen to play with me.
Will see how it goes and maybe reduce other band practice to once a fortnight.

ElectroDan

At least you've got something to build from now. You can audition players and sus out whether they'll fit in with you socially too. There are people out there that will love to be part of your more professional band vision. You may find that you are better off taking more of a leadership role from early on, and making it clear to potential new band-mates what you'll expect of them and where you are going with the band. Just keep plugging away and actively seek out the right musicians.

If you build it, they will come.

EricTheWeary

I think Thomas' new band should be called Rough Gigs.

thomasross20

Lol to both comments!!
Rough gigs is a cool name lol

Have already taken on that role a little. My only niggle is she doesn't reply to email often (once every two or three days)

thomasross20

After our drummer telling jokes and playing about for the whole practice yesterday I've decided he's not the serious type I want in the new band. I mentioned this to the new singer and suddenly she's a whole lot more responsive. Meeting next week and will draft and ad for serious members!

failed_astronaut

Hi Thomas, I've kept out of this because, like most things in life, you have to make your own mistakes, and bands are no different! However, I'm glad you've seen sense about that drummer. I'd have binned him long ago and this new singer sounds switched on if she's pegged him as second rate so quickly. Keep it chill, enjoy playing with with someone new and find good players, they'll sharpen up your chops like you wouldn't believe.

thomasross20

Thanks, man! 

I feel good about it (though don't know how I'll go about telling him!) - a fresh slate, no existing members with any existing problems. I'll keep it going with the other band but will try to wind it down a bit - fortnightly "maintenance" sessions. 

thomasross20

P.S. prefer if you'd just said lol

I just couldn't believe it last night.... non-stop from 7-10pm at the singer's house... he was messing around putting things on his head, telling jokes (some inappropriate sexual ones), just goofing around. 

BloodEagle

Yeah, sounds like a fairly typical drummer in my experience

Cabicular

She should be flattered
It's part of their mating ritual ...

Fretwired

viz said:

Might have mentioned before, but had a gun waggled in our faces once in South Africa and asked to stop playing Van Halen, so switched to UB40 and it quietened down. Glad you're ok.

@Viz Was that Mike's fault .. :-)

thomasross20

Gah, this other singer ... meant to meet on Monday but messages are like a week in between (so I still hope it's happening but communication is lax right now ). It's frustrating because she's really great and she writes seriously amazing songs of her own, too. I just want something great (musical-wise) to happen to me for once

bigjon

thomasross20;839149" said:

Gah, this other singer ... meant to meet on Monday but messages are like a week in between (so I still hope it's happening but communication is lax right now ). It's frustrating because she's really great and she writes seriously amazing songs of her own, too. I just want something great (musical-wise) to happen to me for once

I've said to you before, you need to do Facebook in order to be part of a well-functioning band these days. You get quicker replies on Facebook message than you do for emails & texts, plus you are part of an ongoing conversation with Edinburgh's musicians and listeners.

I haven't had any really rough gigs that I can recall. It was a struggle when a rock pub booked my jazz duo with glamorous female singer for valentines night one year and it was obvious that the punters hated that style of music, but they were quite sweet about it really.

mike_l

Fretwired said:

viz said:

Might have mentioned before, but had a gun waggled in our faces once in South Africa and asked to stop playing Van Don't blame me, I wasn't there...Halen, so switched to UB40 and it quietened down. Glad you're ok.

@Viz Was that Mike's fault .. :-)

Don't blame me, I wasn't there.
:P

thomasross20

I get your point bigjon and my band use facebook messenger but all I'm talking about is initial contact via e-mail for a little meet-up to discuss the route ahead. Anyway, whatever happens happens. Just gutted if it doesn't work out.

viz

Fretwired said:

viz said:

Might have mentioned before, but had a gun waggled in our faces once in South Africa and asked to stop playing Van Halen, so switched to UB40 and it quietened down. Glad you're ok.

@Viz Was that Mike's fault .. :-)

It was! We used to do Vai, Satch, Van Halen, Gary Moore, all that stuff, but we had a backup set of Bee Gees, UB40, Elvis and the like ready, just in case it kicked off with knives, lesbians, guns, etc.

thomasross20

John_P

bigjon said:

thomasross20;839149" said:

Gah, this other singer ... meant to meet on Monday but messages are like a week in between (so I still hope it's happening but communication is lax right now ). It's frustrating because she's really great and she writes seriously amazing songs of her own, too. I just want something great (musical-wise) to happen to me for once

I've said to you before, you need to do Facebook in order to be part of a well-functioning band these days. You get quicker replies on Facebook message than you do for emails & texts, plus you are part of an ongoing conversation with Edinburgh's musicians and listeners.

bigjon is spot on with this advice imo.        You don't need to use FB for all the gossip etc but it makes it so easy to find musicians and message people - you can see when they've read a message etc.    There are plenty of groups for local musicians that make finding people and plugging gigs easy and quick. 

thomasross20

I might have found a drummer with 30 years experience... Yes...

Fez

As @bigjon says Facebook is great for keeping in touch and organising things. The trouble I have is our drummer isn't on Facebook only has work email and is crap at picking up messages on his phone and only responds eventually. Bass and Vox are great with email and faceache (though could help a bit more with promotion) other guitarist good with email and has a faceache account but doesn't use it much.