[hokie4life]

I got a call today from a random guitar player playing a gig on Oct. 24, 2009 (very short notice). While i do not like most of the songs on the 24 cover set list it is a benefit concert for the troops in a smaller town that are being deployed to Afghanistan. The show is out doors and will have several bands playing. This guy has played for quite sometime as i am by far the youngest cat in the set. We played 12 covers today and he said we need you. He also said that he can line up 8 more shows that pay. One is some Halloween bash party or something.

My problem is that i am nervous which is normal. I am just getting back in the groove of playing but the cover songs are not that difficult. I have been trying to decipher the harder songs for me to play. I almost got the roll down on "My Generation" by the who. I got little wing down by Hendrix. I got some zz top and even some other songs i have never heard before. I made up some drumming to his original work and i must say he is a great blues/rock player. We are playing every evening and weekend until the event.

I might need to bring another pair of underwear as most of the smaller town population will be involved which is cool. The guitar player told me that he can have us playing for money every weekend especially covers but i am not as interested in covers or most of the covers he plays but i am doing this because i support our troops regardless of your views or my views. Should i just keep playing until the event and just say look i hate playing covers all the time? It would be nice to make some money to buy more gear though What are your thoughts? I can tell i made his band happy and they are some cool cats and easy to get along with. I wonder if he would mind if i played in 2 bands?

[hokie4life]

Just to let you know I also got contacted by another guy who has everything but a drummer and sent him some of my way older drumming recordings. I like his style as i have heard his music on his web page. It is more progressive rock sound i guess. I posted a local classified ad and got calls today. This guy and his band mates live 2 hours away. It is a downfall but hey i got an SUV and gas money I am suppose to meet them on Tuesday of this week and bring my kit or play on an electronic kit if i don't want to lug mine around. I told him ummmm no my kit so he agreed and appeared nice on the phone.

I guess i can give it a shot but it is going to be hard to drum for 2 different bands. I guess it is one of those deals lets see what happens

[Der Trommler]

Well from my previous experience, which has been a few years ago now, I can say that playing in two bands can be difficult and at times a problem. Say you have gigs with each band both on the same night in different cities, this is where the serious problems come in. Both bands are counting on you to help make their living and both groups are good guys, who do you bag on?

99% of the time the reasons behind not doing original material is that there is nobody in the band that write and lyric a tune and/or they are just in it to pay the bills and they have no drive to expand themselves.

If I were you I would go with the first band you mention and here is why...Although I don't care much for playing just covers I have been out of the scene for a while and have not gig'd for some time. I would want to get back into the groove and get my chops tuned up while getting paid. Once I became more comfortable with the group I would start talking about originals. If they are dead set against it then at that time I would look for another outfit.

[hokie4life]

Originally Posted by Der Trommler

Well from my previous experience, which has been a few years ago now, I can say that playing in two bands can be difficult and at times a problem. Say you have gigs with each band both on the same night in different cities, this is where the serious problems come in. Both bands are counting on you to help make their living and both groups are good guys, who do you bag on?

99% of the time the reasons behind not doing original material is that there is nobody in the band that write and lyric a tune and/or they are just in it to pay the bills and they have no drive to expand themselves.

If I were you I would go with the first band you mention and here is why...Although I don't care much for playing just covers I have been out of the scene for a while and have not gig'd for some time. I would want to get back into the groove and get my chops tuned up while getting paid. Once I became more comfortable with the group I would start talking about originals. If they are dead set against it then at that time I would look for another outfit.

Thanks for the input. I have a day job for the bills so i am more into creativity and original songs. I am meeting another group of guys and driving 2 hours tomorrow. I am still doing the benefit show since i said yes. After that then i am looking for musicians into original stuff. I wanna play just a few covers and then mostly originals. I will find my niche hopefully. If not well i am getting more practice playing with others which has a huge benefit for my chops and building endurance. More motivation for sure. The benefit concert guys while nice are in it for the money and that's it but i could be wrong because that's all they talk about during breaks when i played with them tonight. I am heading out tomorrow to play with 2 random guys that let me hear their demos and they supposedly got connections from TN, PA, and NY. The guitar player said he does not have a day job as he relies on music to pay his bills which would be nice. He told me he could have us a 12 gig little tour and work around my schedule and that makes me happy.

Then i am meeting a guy on Wednesday who lives closer to me and wants to start something so in the end if i don't find the right people i will keep trying and something will work out. I would be fibbing if i said i did not want to make a little money but honestly it is at the bottom of my list. The money would be used for more gear so my wife cant say anything about what i buy musical instrument wise I just enjoy music and playing i am not trying to live of dream of being famous one day in a band I like the creativity part and having music (drumming) as my therapy. and outlet from my very very stressful psychological day job. It is not easy doing my day job and many tell me they could not handle it.

[Der Trommler]

Ah I see, well then you answered your own question. Seems to me you know exactly what direction to go now.

Good to see you have a steady means of income, because trying to make a living in a cover band is nearly impossible unless you room with the other 6 guys in the band while sharing a 43 year old volkswagon van!

[hokie4life]

Originally Posted by Der Trommler

Ah I see, well then you answered your own question. Seems to me you know exactly what direction to go now.

Good to see you have a steady means of income, because trying to make a living in a cover band is nearly impossible unless you room with the other 6 guys in the band while sharing a 43 year old volkswagon van!

D.T. thanks for your input. I should have thought of those question in the previous post myself. Are you a therapist? You could be you hit the mark on all my unanswered questions i had for myself. My family might get mad if i left my day job that supports us. I don't think they will fit in the Volkswagen van with 6 other guys because we got 2 have easy access to showers and toilets

[Mugsy]

Some do, some don't mind...but what do you do when BOTH bands are gigged for the same night in different towns? Hey as long as I'm here and this is somewhat connected, does any one have any drum tabs for Alice Cooper? My band got hooked into playing a Halloween Party and we're doing one set of Alice and two sets of Black Sabbath. I got the Sabbath stuff under my skin already but am having a little trouble with Alice, namely Go to Hell, Cold Ethyl, and Muscle of Love. If you could help me out I'd really like it. You can send it to billw@rock.com and thanks.
Now, I knew a singer once who was in 4 bands at the same time. He would worke out the bookings so that he'd be with one band on Fri, the next one on Sat, and then the other two on the following weekend. Once he even booked 2 of the bands to play at the same place the same night, one opening up for the other.
And never give up your day job. You'll need it to keep buying sticks!

[hokie4life]

Just an update. I played with the other guys and drove freaking 90 miles to get to there practice space. The space was so small that I literally could not work my hi-hats so i kept it closed. I arrived at 5 pm and left at 2 am. While i was playing i could not get to my 16x16 floor tom. I tried it on an original song and my elbow hit the PA speaker that was behind me for vocals and almost knocked me out My drums did not get damaged but i did put a ding on the head (skin) At least i can replace that.

I am meeting another guy Friday and it is only 20 minutes away. While i liked the other guys i just don't think it is worth driving that far. I called into to work today which is not good just because i played all night. I did not get home until 4:30 a.m. I woke up and i have not been this sore in ages. We played for about 8 hours with only about 30 mins. total in break time. My legs are freaking killing me which is to be expected.

The guys are really like-able guys and want me to come back Sat and Sun. I just don't want to travel that far and they have offered me gas money since i do travel far. While i have nothing against marijuana users they did toke on it and that was the only time we stopped playing was for that purpose . I am 31 and i feel that i really don't need to be around drugs because that is my personal choice and plus it is something i don't want to be around.

The cover band guys don't do any drugs or anything in front of me and are very respectable guys even though they are older. I may just stick with them if the guy on Friday does not work out. The band last night said i was one of the top 3 drummers they have played with. I smell B.S. because i am not that good. I told them heel toe method and a lot of double bass does not always make you a good drummer. One song we did play was mellow kind of like a sublime jazz song cant really explain it but i liked it and we recorded it.

Overall i got to be honest with these guys and tell them the news that i am not playing with them because of the 2 hours it takes to get there. They might get pissed but oh well my job and family come first. Hopefully the local guys work out because it is no longer than a 20-30 min drive which makes it easier for me to practice 3 times a week. Thanks for reading my venting process. My head has a cut on the top of it and i can barley walk from playing so much double bass and have the worst blisters on my hands. At least i am building endurance i guess

[Der Trommler]

Sounds like a real adventure hokie. You had to give it a try, thats the only way to find out if it was going to amount to anything.

As for the drugs, your job and your family I believe you are being very smart about choosing who you play with, kudos to you.

[hokie4life]

Thanks Der for the comment i and i agree. I played in a blues fest with one of my friends on Friday it was fun. I just left another fellows house today and we are getting together tomorrow. This guy is an awesome singer and is the first person i have met that can sing and write really well original songs. He has a degree in sound engineering and is very particular on of course how everything sounds He plays guitar and sings but he even knows how to get the best sound of of drums which is cool. I will and have learned a lot from this guy on recording which is neat. He has done concerts for several big name performers which is good and i saw the videos and pictures. We just clicked and have talked on the phone a lot this week and i am not a phone person. I think within 3 months maybe 4 we will be ready for shows. He has been playing and writing since 16 and is 30 years old so we are around the same age. He does not use drugs and is very glad that i can drum without thinking the double bass pedal is the only thing that matters in drumming

We already picked 10 songs we are going to do that he wrote excluding 2 that i wrote. I am excited. This is the first guy that really gets it or appears to get it. All of his songs sound like something has or should have been on the radio. He recently did an acoustic set on college radio in Knoxville and Nashville 2 or 3 weeks ago. When the demo is done i will post it for you guys. The drums are not to flashy but fit this type of music. He sending out the demo at Christmas time once he meets his friend (old buddy from high school) who is in L.A. and works for epic records to hear our demo. Nothing will probably happen but it is still exciting. I am sure we will be done with some of the songs within a month or so so i will post to receive your feedback.

Thanks