Doing it for the music

[blazer986]

It seems like every band I have been in starts out, "doing it for the music." Then the "if we could get big we would go for it" starts to creep in. :? Then the "we must eat, breath, live the band 24/7, we must be famous!!" :twisted: final comes in. I'm a pretty laid back guy, but I have pissed off more people with my "lack of commitment." Any of you in a real doing it for the music group?

 

[derekjason]

eh, thats always a problem man, im in a band now that i just do "for fun" , but inside all of us lies a desire at some point to actually make a living off of it. i've been in bands where everyone wants to "make it" :twisted: . but thats when dudes get disappointed and quit or leave. such is life.

 

[blazer986]

I guess there is always that little bit inside that wishes to play full time. I guess my last experience was just frustrating. I'm working full time and working on grad school. Some guys I know want me to join up and play some shows. I think alright sounds like fun. I make it clear though that I am really busy and am just doing this to have some fun on the side, which they agree sounds good. Then they get disappointed when I say I can't tour for a few weeks this summer, or practice with 30 minutes notice at random. This is just a local band, with a decent following, but nothing beyond the hometown.

I have had enough friends, or known of enough people who have bet it all to go big. Most of them are 30 and living with their parents and still just about to make it big. I think there hits a point where you have to start making a few decisions, like get a real job, and have a reality check. I think I am just an old grouch (bitter that I never made it :roll: )

 

[JOEY B.]

I guess there is always that little bit inside that wishes to play full time. I guess my last experience was just frustrating. I'm working full time and working on grad school. Some guys I know want me to join up and play some shows. I think alright sounds like fun. I make it clear though that I am really busy and am just doing this to have some fun on the side, which they agree sounds good. Then they get disappointed when I say I can't tour for a few weeks this summer, or practice with 30 minutes notice at random. This is just a local band, with a decent following, but nothing beyond the hometown.

I have had enough friends, or known of enough people who have bet it all to go big. Most of them are 30 and living with their parents and still just about to make it big. I think there hits a point where you have to start making a few decisions, like get a real job, and have a reality check. I think I am just an old grouch (bitter that I never made it :roll: )

Don't get me started! I am pushing 40 and recently went to a local bar to see some of my friends(of the same age) play music. When I got into a discussion with the drummer about the songlist, I knew exactly why I got out of the "cover band" game. When he said that he would rather be playing(.....), but this is where the money's at, I knew his heart was not in it. I have been in a band with an excellent songwriter, so I know the difference between an artist and a musician. Sadly, I am just a musician, with a good ear for guitar tone. :wink:

 

[Heritage Softail]

I guess there is always that little bit inside that wishes to play full time. I guess my last experience was just frustrating. I'm working full time and working on grad school. Some guys I know want me to join up and play some shows. I think alright sounds like fun. I make it clear though that I am really busy and am just doing this to have some fun on the side, which they agree sounds good. Then they get disappointed when I say I can't tour for a few weeks this summer, or practice with 30 minutes notice at random. This is just a local band, with a decent following, but nothing beyond the hometown.

I have had enough friends, or known of enough people who have bet it all to go big. Most of them are 30 and living with their parents and still just about to make it big. I think there hits a point where you have to start making a few decisions, like get a real job, and have a reality check. I think I am just an old grouch (bitter that I never made it :roll: )

Got you on that exactly. I quit a band to finish undergrad. Went to grad and ended up with a great 6 fig job. Now I play for fun. I may even take a week of vacation here and there to do a mini tour and that would probably be a total blast. Of course I have nothing but total respect for the guys that do music for a living. Some tough it out, living in a rental car and making tomato soup out of catsup packets.... and then end up being RUSH...

There is a cool line in a song by the Jayhawks, great american rock band with some hippie influence, Hollywood Town Hall is the LP. Says something about a guy that quit his great day job to chase a dream and now just wants to get it back.

 

[domct203]

Music is my hobby. Some guys play golf, I play guitar

I'm 42, and have been lucky enough to be in bands since my teens. Music is a passion for me, and every week I just can't wait to get to rehersal, like a little kid waiting for Christmas morning!

With that said, I'd rather be in an original band any day, writing and sharing my own music, over the cover band thing. I have a steady day job to pay the bills, I'll never sell out to covers just 'cause "it's where the money is".

I've paid my dues with gigs in front of ten people, and enjoyed the rush of a 1000 person SRO show.

I'll be doing this until I'm 6 feet under. I guess you can say I'm in it for the music!

Dom