Getting into a new band this week

Bo Eder

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
Well, I should say I’m already in the band, but I’m laying low as the band gets ready to let go of their main guy.

The band has been working steady every weekend for at least the last 15 years and they seem like very nice people - they just want to keep playing and found me to be a suitable replacement.

I guess their thing is that they’re done with the drama. The drummer (from what I’m told) is a real downer and on more than one occasion, he’s screwed with the music on a gig because he was mad at the band for reminding him about how to play a particular song. On another occasion he just up and left before unloading because the band asked him if he could smoke his pot after the gig (apparently he has a problem with marijuana and cocaine in his 60s and showed up smelling of pot).

Whatever their situation is, it feels weird that I’d be privy to all this backstory. Usually I hear nothing about whatever their problems are before joining and we just move forward. Although I couldn’t stay home when they invited me out to see one of their gigs with their drummer. I stayed incognito and wanted to see any issues. From what I heard, he wasn’t very good, but his time was pretty solid. I didn’t see any personality flare ups, but then again the band doesn’t talk to him much. They do appear like they’re expecting the drummer to do something….like they’re on eggshells with this guy.

I appreciate their candor of the situation, and maybe they’re feeling me out to see how sympathetic I am. They book about 65 gigs a year and they’re already booking into 2025 which is why they’ve contacted me. If these guys work that much, this could push me out of the Devo band - and it’s all the fun classic rock stuff I grew up on and they even want me to sing. But is it weird to get their backstory? They’ve already acknowledged I am musically the better drummer after a couple of rehearsals in private, I just don’t feel like whatever their issues are with their original drummer is any of my business. What say the forum?
 
Would it be weird to ask for a 6 to 8 week trial period?. I swear I've not been a part of any band without SOME kind of weirdness. It's never been heaven on earth..ever. Are you deep into your Devo thing?..deep deep. I'd be Leary of just jumping overboard without some kind of life raft. To be continued Bo.
 
Bozozoid said:
Would it be weird to ask for a 6 to 8 week trial period?. I swear I've not been a part of any band without SOME kind of weirdness. It's never been heaven on earth..ever. Are you deep into your Devo thing?..deep deep. I'd be Leary of just jumping overboard without some kind of life raft. To be continued Bo.
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I suppose now until January would be the trial period. I like the Devo thing, but because the tribute band business involves booking agents, we just don’t get booked a lot. I’m sure I could manage both if Devo stays sorta dormant like we’ve been. But this new band has a reputation and lots of followers - in fact, they no longer have to cold call venues to ask if they can play. People just book them (and there’s no agents involved), it’s not a lot, but they said the band probably clears $50k a year. A steady $125 additional a week would be nice on the low end).

About the only thing I find questionable is that they play three songs by Poison. I’ve never heard them, and don’t understand why they’re hits with their crowd 😜
 
Anywhere you can point us to for a listen?..youtube?..songlist?..chick vocalist by chance?...ages...stage appearance...equiptment..you know..Marshall stacks..twin reverbs.....dress code?.
 
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In the end, it's up to you and what you think you can handle, and what a commitment like that probably means. It means they are probably your main gig, and everything gets scheduled around them, no matter how much more you might like to do the other thing. If you schedule first-come, first-serve like I do, and they've already got dates next year, and they stay that busy, then you're going to be exclusive, or very nearly so.

On the up side, the pay is good, you know the guys, and you like the music. Plus, without the ticking time bomb behind the drums, maybe they'll realize how much fun playing music is again, and it could turn into a really nice experience.
 
alparrott said:
In the end, it's up to you and what you think you can handle, and what a commitment like that probably means. It means they are probably your main gig, and everything gets scheduled around them, no matter how much more you might like to do the other thing. If you schedule first-come, first-serve like I do, and they've already got dates next year, and they stay that busy, then you're going to be exclusive, or very nearly so.

On the up side, the pay is good, you know the guys, and you like the music. Plus, without the ticking time bomb behind the drums, maybe they'll realize how much fun playing music is again, and it could turn into a really nice experience.
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They are nice guys. I keep forgetting I’m closer to 60 now, and meeting two guys who are retired and one guy who’s almost retired, all with grandchildren and homes, shouldn’t be so strange. Maybe they’re done beating around the bush too since we don’t have that much time left. The three of them want the team aspect and four heads going in the same direction. They realize they’re a cover band and provide the product with a smile. No huge amps, nice instruments, nice PA. They show up early to start on time and seem to be well-connected just by being booked all the time. They’ve turned it into a nice small business. They did warn me that if I take them on, my weekends could be consumed and I told them Disney owns me Sun-Thurs so if they’re happy with that we can do business together.

They seem like the enthusiastic-about-music-young-college- guys I used to meet but play their material really well because they’re in their 60s.

They do have a Facebook page, but I don’t want to give that out being I’m talking about them behind their back 😉
 
I'm just a hobbyist drummer. Please take my advice with a grain of salt. The biggest problem with the Devo band seems to be having to deal with a middle man "agent". The secondary issue is sparse bookings. From what you've told me about the new band, they seem to like you and want to replace their current drummer. If you decide to jump into this new band, I don't see any moral or ethical problem. It's just business.

You're both taking big risks. They're about to dump their drummer. You're about to jump into a new band.

Although I don't have all the details, I'm cautiously optimistic the new band is going to work out. I'm 60 years old. You're "almost" 60. Better strike when the iron is hot. My Dad died at 67. A buddy just died at 70. Figure out what's best for YOU and do it.
 
Maybe part of why they are telling you some backstory is a desire (conscious or unconscious) to tell you ahead of time they don't want such problems in the future. And to let you know they don't do that stuff so you can feel more safe with them.
 
BGDurham said:
Maybe part of why they are telling you some backstory is a desire (conscious or unconscious) to tell you ahead of time they don't want such problems in the future. And to let you know they don't do that stuff so you can feel more safe with them.
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Yeah, from what I gather the three front men don’t drink, smoke, or do drugs, and really have this work ethic of, “we got these bookings already going into next year and we need to honor those”. So I do like them. They realize being a band is more of a hang factor than being on stage factor. Like every band I’ve been in, the hang time when we’re not playing is important, because we need to get along personally (something that didn’t work when I was in the Talking Heads tribute). I think it’s great to meet guys who’ve been there and done that and realize being a pompous ass is no fun. I’m hoping this turns out to be really good. As soon as I nail those Poison songs, they’ll insert me in 😉
 
Bo Eder said:
They are nice guys. I keep forgetting I’m closer to 60 now, and meeting two guys who are retired and one guy who’s almost retired, all with grandchildren and homes, shouldn’t be so strange. Maybe they’re done beating around the bush too since we don’t have that much time left. The three of them want the team aspect and four heads going in the same direction. They realize they’re a cover band and provide the product with a smile. No huge amps, nice instruments, nice PA. They show up early to start on time and seem to be well-connected just by being booked all the time. They’ve turned it into a nice small business. They did warn me that if I take them on, my weekends could be consumed and I told them Disney owns me Sun-Thurs so if they’re happy with that we can do business together.

They seem like the enthusiastic-about-music-young-college- guys I used to meet but play their material really well because they’re in their 60s.

They do have a Facebook page, but I don’t want to give that out being I’m talking about them behind their back 😉
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This sounds like an ideal situation for you. I guess their frustration with the current drummer reached a boiling point, and they liked you enough to unload their problems. I've gone though this recently. I was gigging with a duo who complained constantly about their alcoholic drummer. In the end, he promised to turn his life around, so they stuck with him. Last week, I saw they were advertising for a drummer. I guess he drank himself right out of the band.
 
There's something to be said for playing stuff that people like, and not worrying about the material. Having fun, enjoying playing with one another, no drama...seems like you've already answered your own questions.

I wish you luck. I'll be sad to not be hearing about your Devo stuff, but if that's limited to begin with, and a hassle, perhaps that's for the best
 
BruceW said:
There's something to be said for playing stuff that people like, and not worrying about the material. Having fun, enjoying playing with one another, no drama...seems like you've already answered your own questions.

I wish you luck. I'll be sad to not be hearing about your Devo stuff, but if that's limited to begin with, and a hassle, perhaps that's for the best
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We’ll see how the Devo thing goes - this band has subs and are willing to work around me but for now, Devo has gone dark til the end of the year. So if Devo picks up again in January we’ll see where that leaves us. Our Devo singer goes full time as the emcee for Oktoberfest from Sept-Nov and he just had another child, and that Nov-Jan period he starts working to prep guitars for the NAMM show. It’s this circle of life thing we all do.
 
You got this! I replaced a drummer that i looked up to in a band. It wasn't my idea, he self destructed (booze, drugs) and they came and asked me. I felt honored to be asked and sorry for him at the same time. I didnt like what he did to himself but it was all of their issue so i never mentioned it.
 
I really don't have a problem with them venting about someone with a drug problem. We had a singer with a massive drink problem. You have to cut them loose and there's always a horror story with a drink/drug issue.

Take it as a compliment they're honest with you. We were the same when our current singer came along. It's the relief of finding someone normal!
 
Bo Eder said:
About the only thing I find questionable is that they play three songs by Poison. I’ve never heard them, and don’t understand why they’re hits with their crowd 😜
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How have you not heard of them? :LOL: Not my cup of tea, but you couldn't get away from them in the late 80s.
 
No, I’ve heard of them. I haven’t heard these songs. I was just never a fan so I chose not to hear their music either. And I swear, it feels like I’m taking medicine when I run these songs for mental practice 😉
 
Other than Poison, what kind of music do they play?
I'm a big Devo fan and watched one of your first live streams during the pandemic in 2020.
Change is good! Godspeed in your new venture.
 
Them telling you all of this…

I see it like a second marriage. You’re tired of the BS and you just want to lay it all out there so there is common understanding going into the new arrangement. It as if to say, I’m being totally transparent. I don’t like what was and I don’t want to have to go through it again.

Best of luck. Sounds like it could be a good group of guys.
 
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