Starting to put together a new band

[A J]

It's still in the planning stages but I'm currently working on putting together a 3-piece classic rock cover band from the ashes of two different local bands. Neither guitarist has ever met, but they're very similar in age, background and musical skill. Both guys are willing to share bassist duties. Right now, I'm playing the role of middle man, exchanging set lists, etc, before I actually get these two guys together.

What I find most interesting is that both guitar players seem a little nervous about "auditioning" with the other. During texts back and forth, I had to assure both guys that they have excellent musical skills and vocals (all very true). I think some of their uneasiness comes from their personalities. Both guys are technical wizards, spending most of their lives doing construction, electrical, rebuilding engines. You know the type. Me? I've been in management my whole life, essentially "herding cats" and coordinating the efforts of subordinates who are oftentimes way smarter than I.

The reason I'm so geeked about this potential band is not the skill level of the musicians. It's the fact that both guys are genuinely nice guys and very easy to work with.

 

[Bozozoid]

That's a great feeling...hey..do some Pat Travers for me.... kick some butt .

 

[rungeflash]

That's a great feeling...hey..do some Pat Travers for me.... kick some butt .

Travers and Aldridge….snort’in whiskey

 

[Smoke]

What?!? How could two guys from local bands not know each other?

Awesome, A J!! Do some ZZ Top and Grand Funk for me in your new Band Barn.

 

[2 hit wonder]

Lol, I know. I'm still meeting people after 2 years, really.
Got to jam with some active guys this week who didn't know some of the also pretty active players in bands that I knew.

Think I turned them off when I said the last bands I quit just played standard bar bullchit. Man, just can't drag my drums out to play Tush and Hard To Handle for $100-150 regularly.

 

[Over50drumguy]

The reason I'm so geeked about this potential band is not the skill level of the musicians. It's the fact that both guys are genuinely nice guys and very easy to work with.

Arguably the most important thing for success , fun and longevity at any level !
Congrats and good luck on the exciting endeavor .

 

[rungeflash]

This thread got me thinking about Travers….and I came across this photo of Aldridge behind a set of Phonics, bet that made some noise! Lol

 

[A J]

Arguably the most important thing for success , fun and longevity at any level !
Congrats and good luck on the exciting endeavor .

The jury is still out on this one. I finally sent contact information to the two respective "string players". They have yet to speak to one another. Up to now, I've been the middle man for all communications. I'll give them a few days and see if the "bromance" blossoms.

 

[PorkPieGuy]

What?!? How could two guys from local bands not know each other?

This is what I was thinking! I know just about all of the local musicians whether I like them or not!

I'm looking forward to hearing some tunes from this new project! My only advice would be to give it at least two practices. Bonus points if they play bass like actual bass players instead of frustrated guitar players.

 

[No Way Jose]

So you try it out and it either works or it doesn't.

 

[A J]

This is what I was thinking! I know just about all of the local musicians whether I like them or not!

I'm looking forward to hearing some tunes from this new project! My only advice would be to give it at least two practices. Bonus points if they play bass like actual bass players instead of frustrated guitar players.

The two string players live about 40 minutes apart and run in a different circle of friends. One is a rough biker dude. The other is a slightly nerdy engineer type. They hit it off well on the phone. We'll see.

I may have found the solution to the "frustrated guitar player who gets stuck playing bass". I just got a call yesterday from a long-time friend who LOVES playing bass (and guitar). His band just broke up and he's interested in this project. So now, I have THREE string guys who live fairly close to one another who've never met. I'm quite the matchmaker!

 

[A J]

Update: We got together yesterday afternoon. It didn't go so well.

The two guitar players had trouble playing together. There were lots of volume control problems. Each guy cranking his amp just a tiny bit more so he could hear better. We had PA problems and nobody wanted to reposition speakers or try some other basic fixes in order to get the sound right. It seems pretty obvious to me that each guitar player would be fine if they're the only guitar player in the band. Put two of them together and they just don't play well together.

Oh well... I tried.

 

[Tracii]

What I find most interesting is that both guitar players seem a little nervous about "auditioning" with the other. During texts back and forth, I had to assure both guys that they have excellent musical skills and vocals (all very true). I think some of their uneasiness comes from their personalities. Both guys are technical wizards, spending most of their lives doing construction, electrical, rebuilding engines.

^I had to think of this.^ Sounds like they had a point worrying about playing together. Maybe their backgrounds have conditioned them to try to "power through" any obstacles they encounter?

 

[A J]

^I had to think of this.^ Sounds like they had a point worrying about playing together. Maybe their backgrounds have conditioned them to try to "power through" any obstacles they encounter?

That's entirely possible. Their careers (construction, engineering) sometimes favor people with great technical skills but not-so-great people skills.

Whatever the reason, I don't think either of these guys are particularly suited for a 2-guitar player band. Both have entrenched ways of doing things and neither appeared willing to change. Don't get me wrong, on the surface, everyone was polite and cooperative. The music, however; just didn't click. Yeah; we sounded great on a couple tunes right out of the gate. What we lacked was that cooperative spirit, a team-player mentality. Without that, it just ain't gonna work out.

I car pooled with one guitar player and he wasn't thrilled. I'll touch base with the other later on just to get his take and give him my feedback. In the end, it wasn't a total loss. I'd be happy working with either of these guys in separate bands and projects.

 

[rungeflash]

Update: We got together yesterday afternoon. It didn't go so well.

The two guitar players had trouble playing together. There were lots of volume control problems. Each guy cranking his amp just a tiny bit more so he could hear better. We had PA problems and nobody wanted to reposition speakers or try some other basic fixes in order to get the sound right. It seems pretty obvious to me that each guitar player would be fine if they're the only guitar player in the band. Put two of them together and they just don't play well together.

Oh well... I tried.

I think those combos are few and far between….not many Glenn Tipton/KK Downing duos out there lol

 

[Smoke]

Well, shoot. Sounded like a potential "Thin Lizzy" coming down the pike. I guess if you found two guitarists from which to choose and a bassist who just likes to play, you might be able to build something from the ashes.

 

[Rattlin' Bones]

Update: We got together yesterday afternoon. It didn't go so well.

The two guitar players had trouble playing together. There were lots of volume control problems. Each guy cranking his amp just a tiny bit more so he could hear better. We had PA problems and nobody wanted to reposition speakers or try some other basic fixes in order to get the sound right. It seems pretty obvious to me that each guitar player would be fine if they're the only guitar player in the band. Put two of them together and they just don't play well together.

Oh well... I tried.

So get rid of one or the other guitar player and start working with the one you and bass think is better and easier to get along with. Find someone to play rhythm later.

 

[PorkPieGuy]

Sorry it didn't work out, but I commend you and the other guys for trying!

One thing that will always bug me is how guitar players will spend tons of money on guitars, amps, pedals, cables, etc., but they won't bother spending $40 on an amp stand that points their guitar at their faces. They keep turning up and wonder why they can't hear their guitar when the amps are blasting their knees.

Idk if the guys you played with did this, but I had to mention it.

 

[doggyd69b]

Update: We got together yesterday afternoon. It didn't go so well.

The two guitar players had trouble playing together. There were lots of volume control problems. Each guy cranking his amp just a tiny bit more so he could hear better. We had PA problems and nobody wanted to reposition speakers or try some other basic fixes in order to get the sound right. It seems pretty obvious to me that each guitar player would be fine if they're the only guitar player in the band. Put two of them together and they just don't play well together.

Oh well... I tried.

In one of my bands it was the keyboardist and the bass player/singer fighting for stage volume while the guitar player and I just stood there and watch them like angry neighbors upping their volume more and more until I had to explain to them that it was not just a one man act but a whole band, and when one element stands out (because of more volume) the whole thing (including that element) just sounds like garbage. I proceeded to demo that by having them play at normal volume while I was bashing the drums at full volume, while I was playing the correct parts at the correct tempos, the volume difference was very evident and very annoying... They got the message.

 

[2 hit wonder]

You have to watch the guitar player. Some songs that I play will have a louder or more prominent drum part. Guitar players want to up their volume and not bring it back down. Letting them know that I'm bringing drums down after the song has worked at preventing them from dialing up volume.
By the end of the night it's typically too loud anyway, in bar bands.