Craigslist......

DumDrum

Member
So I'm looking for some other musicians to play with since leaving my last band and the other day I saw an ad that was titled "Looking for Drummer for gigs in Denton" and the ad pretty much stated what the title says... guy looking for a drummer to play gigs in Denton and a link to his reverbnation page... Denton is not a bad drive for me and I check his link out and decide that the guy has a decent voice (it was only him singing with guitar tracks) and so I sent him an email with ALL of my relevant information including about 5 links to videos of me playing...

The next day I get an email from him that says only this:
"Hey I LOVE your playing. Give me your phone number so I can talk to you."

I replied with a very courteous email saying that I hope he doesn't take offense, but I'd like a little bit more information before I give someone I don't know my only phone number. I also asked him if this was with a full band, as I only heard him singing to a guitar track on his demo, and if the gigs that he was talking about in the ad were were upcoming and if they were paying gigs or not (to which I also added the caveat of "I don't care one way or the other, but I'd like to know what I'm getting into").. he replied an hour later with

"are you only looking for paying gigs or the opportunity to join a starting band where you have creative input and the potential to do a lot of things?"

So i write one last email back to him pointing out that in my last reply I stated that whether the gigs were paid or not did not matter to me, I was only asking for some basic information about the project, and that I'm not going to feel bad for asking about the gigging situation since the original ad came off as pretty much he was looking for someone to play upcoming gigs with....

He hasn't replied back to me, which is no big deal since I pretty much wrote him off after his last reply...

I just wonder if I was wrong here? should I have given my number to a complete stranger before getting anymore relevant information? Is asking whether or not the gigs are paid or not taboo to original musicians? Just wondering if this is the normal kind of response to expect from Craigslist ads from those of you who have used it to find musical projects...
 
I wouldn't worry about it. I don't ever let anyone I don't know via CL meet at my house to buy/sell. Or if it's a musician ad I always want to meet them in person at a public place before I let them into my practice spot. I don't want crazy random people knowing where 1000's of dollars of gear is located. I'd want more info like you. If he can't bother to give you info in a few emails then that's his problem.

I've met some good musicians, and I have met some seriously crazy crazy people on CL. be safe man.
 
Well, back when I started looking for bands, craigslist wasn't invented yet, so we had no choice but to give people our phone numbers. So, had I been interested, I would have given my number. You can learn so much more from a phone call than an email.

Although on the flip side, CL is open to anyone with a internet connection, and thus there is no screening process. Back when you had to place ads in a paper, at least you knew there was at least a minimal amount of serious intent to go ahead and place the ad. So I understand the reluctance to give out a phone number right away, but he asked, you declined, so that's that.
 
I saw that same ad and almost replied to it. I'm not far from Denton either. If you ever want to get together and just talk drums or whatever, send me a PM
 
I'm not trying to sound naive but I've never met any bad people using C/L or even the Recycler before the internet came about. I've met a couple weird ones, but nothing unusually sketchy. I just jam with the older guys now, but I sometimes wonder what it's like to be a kid nowadays with all these predators lurking about. It is odd that he didn't offer his phone number for you to call him first since he's the one placing the ad. It usually doesn't go the way you had it.
 
So I'm looking for some other musicians to play with since leaving my last band and the other day I saw an ad that was titled "Looking for Drummer for gigs in Denton" and the ad pretty much stated what the title says... guy looking for a drummer to play gigs in Denton and a link to his reverbnation page... Denton is not a bad drive for me and I check his link out and decide that the guy has a decent voice (it was only him singing with guitar tracks) and so I sent him an email with ALL of my relevant information including about 5 links to videos of me playing...

The next day I get an email from him that says only this:
"Hey I LOVE your playing. Give me your phone number so I can talk to you."

I replied with a very courteous email saying that I hope he doesn't take offense, but I'd like a little bit more information before I give someone I don't know my only phone number. I also asked him if this was with a full band, as I only heard him singing to a guitar track on his demo, and if the gigs that he was talking about in the ad were were upcoming and if they were paying gigs or not (to which I also added the caveat of "I don't care one way or the other, but I'd like to know what I'm getting into").. he replied an hour later with

"are you only looking for paying gigs or the opportunity to join a starting band where you have creative input and the potential to do a lot of things?"

So i write one last email back to him pointing out that in my last reply I stated that whether the gigs were paid or not did not matter to me, I was only asking for some basic information about the project, and that I'm not going to feel bad for asking about the gigging situation since the original ad came off as pretty much he was looking for someone to play upcoming gigs with....

He hasn't replied back to me, which is no big deal since I pretty much wrote him off after his last reply...

I just wonder if I was wrong here? should I have given my number to a complete stranger before getting anymore relevant information? Is asking whether or not the gigs are paid or not taboo to original musicians? Just wondering if this is the normal kind of response to expect from Craigslist ads from those of you who have used it to find musical projects...

I've read things like: "if you expect to make lots of money at this, look elsewhere." I take it that's to weed out only those who are looking for paying gigs, and to attract those who might be willing to take a leap with an original band. It's reasonable to want those things, but the wording and the over attitude by which these ideas are expressed aren't always the most tactful. There's nothing wrong, in my opinion, with asking if gigs are paid or not, though it seems if it's an original band, paying gigs would be harder to get than playing covers. You were right to question him, if only just to see whether this situation was right for you, before you ever contacted him.
 
I've replied to Craigslist ads, and I'd say the majority of responses to my responses are somewhat flaky or they don't answer my direct questions or they're somehow just kind of creepy. I think it's par for the course for that site, and I wouldn't take it personally.

But I'm with you on the don't-give-out-your-number-to-strangers thing. I even have an e-mail address that I use only for Craigslist, so if things go weirdly south with spam or whatever, I can just dump the address and make a clean break.
 
I'm not trying to sound naive but I've never met any bad people using C/L or even the Recycler before the internet came about. I've met a couple weird ones, but nothing unusually sketchy. I just jam with the older guys now, but I sometimes wonder what it's like to be a kid nowadays with all these predators lurking about. It is odd that he didn't offer his phone number for you to call him first since he's the one placing the ad. It usually doesn't go the way you had it.

Yeah I agree with this. In my current band we have auditioned at least 30-40 vocalists over the last couple years and only 3 turned out to be musicians imo. Sure we had some weird ones, drunks, druggies, but never any problems or issues. If they didnt work we simply ended it there.
The only real problem I have had with C-list is that sometimes I get the urge to audition for local or regional bands to test the waters. 8 out of 10 times the bands are totally awful and usually very unprofessional (usually the rock bands). Typically these type bands have 1 guy that can sort of play, and a few tag 'a longs. When I play or sit in with jazz, blues and other genres the level usually goes up, but the passion and risk go down.
On the selling gear aspect I have run across several dead beats.
 
You guys are scaring me. I'm from Canada and we use kijiji up here which is basically the same as Craigslist. Most my musician buddies are drummers so I lack guitar friends. I'm looking into joining my first band and have been looking at ads. I was skeptical at first but I've found lots of ads where they don't care if your he best but are willing I learn and grow which sounds fun. Now I have no cases at the moment and I'm still brushing up on stuff since my 3 year amateur drumming has really improved with my regular practicing. However, part of me hates conflict and awkward situations, I'm deadly terrified I'll get tangled up with some weirsoa that know where I live. I sold a handful of gear for the first time to a few different buyers. I was skeptical but the first buyer picked up some pieces from my westbury kit and I gave him a deal. He bought a kit for his son for Christmas but when he drive 2 hours to get a steal in a kit for 75$ the drum had no bass drum hoop on one side and none on the floor tom. Being a non drummer he had no idea so when he found out from a bd that it was missing parts he was looking for parts which he realized weren't just laying around all over the place. I sold him some parts and he was grateful and I was glad to help out a young
Drummer. Then some other guys picked up some stuff and they were weird. I was like great, thy know where i live and that I have drum gear and that I'm not home from 9-5. Just curious as to what I'm going to get tangled up with answering drum ads. I'm new to this as I'm sure some I you experienced guys just know the key signs of when to get out.
 
I'd much rather have a phone conversation to bring these things up, and with that, you can simultaneously try to get a feel for the other personality type. Meet up at a pub, have a beer, talk turkey, find out what each other is about. Tell jokes.

The other thing with not wanting to give out phone numbers is that you risk coming across as paranoid and suspicious - not an endearing trait in a potential bandmate. I say next time, throw caution to the wind and have friendly chat with the other human about what they're hoping to get out of their band, what their looking for in a drummer, and lastly, whether it will satisfy what you're looking for.

Honestly, a couple news stories about Craigslist murders, you'd thing that 1 in 10 are total psychopaths and we should all be scared. You want to play music in a band with other people you've never met, you just gotta get out and meet them without treating them as a potential axe murderers. Someone treated me like that, I'd try to be understanding, but I admit l'd be less likely to want to join forces with them.

I've met a lot of strangers on Craigslist and I'm happy to report that I've made some lasting friendships with other drum geeks buying and selling crap, as well as other musicians that I went and played with and who's company I enjoyed enough to stay in touch with despite that our musical visions didn't quite line up.

I don't think I've been "weirded" out by anyone yet...
 
your intuition is working fine..I've discovered one of the latest craigslist scams, is the " too good to be true" post. like ' John Bonhams' actuall kit for song remains the same..I just don't have room for it in my garage...$100." then tons of people email the guy their number, and get put on a robo caller list. it's happening all the time.
 
Back
Top