DragonDrumNinja
Member
It just came to mind about the drummers of these popular acts nowadays, how do you think they get the chance to do stuff like this (I have no idea)?
Network, network, network.
It is rare an popular artist hold an open to the public audition, although on occasion it does happens. Usually someone in the band, or the management, compiles a list of people they either know, or have been recommended to them by people they trust, and those are the ones who get told when and where the auditions are being held.
Around Los Angeles, you often see name musicians playing small local gigs in-between tours. I used to think it was how they blew off steam, because they can play different things than they do on the name artists tour. But recently, I realized, no, it's how they network. You do a small show with a name bassist or name guitarists, or whatever, and that's how (maybe) your name gets thrown into the hat for the next major thing.
Of the people I know who have gotten some larger tours, it's because they spent years and years doing smaller tours and sessions, building a name, until they got into a position for a major audition.
You never really know though.
Back in the 70's, when Mick Feetwood was looking for a new guitarist for Fleetwood Mac, Mick was visiting a recording studio, and someone said, hey, let me play this track we recorded the other day, and Mick said, "who is that guitarist? I want him for the band" And that's how Lindsey Buckingham joined Fleetwood Mac and which lead to selling some 100 million records over the next 15 years.