I hate to use this forum to vent and I know I will probably take a beating for this one. I live in St Louis Missouri. Over the last few years I have had to search for replacentments for my band now and then when a player decides to move on. Reguardless of the position each time I place an ad I would get answers from what I call 'jobbers'. These are musicians that are like hired guns. They will play with anyone anytime anywhere. Some of them are players in weekend bands and try to get fill in gigs whereever they can during ther band's off days. So why, you might be asking, do I have a problem with this/
I will tell you. These are musicians that could not make it as a professional but didnt want to join society and get a regular job. Many of them work part time in a music store or giving lessons but play for a living. My problem is that guys like me go to work, earn money to buy the PA equipment nessessary to do the gigs and do all the legwork to book the jobs and whatever else is required to put a band together and keep it busy. The 'jobber' player shows up just to make his/her money and thats it. They share no risk or responsibility. What'a more, they have a personal schedule that they are constantly trying to fill so while you are working to put money into everyone's pockets by booking work they are actually working against your interests by booking their own personal schedule that will in all likelyhood conflict with yours. And when it does conflict with yours guess who will get the short end of things? Well, It wont be them, I can assure you. The the majority are drummers and to a man they are really great guys. It's a livestyle for them. I feel a little sorry for them because sooner or later father time will catch up with them and they will have to join the working world. They will be old with no skills, no pensions living in an apartment or trailer somewhere eking out a living hand to mouth.
None of the bands I know around town job out with 60 plus year old guys unless its the symphony.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
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1 comment:
Thanks for the post.
This is so unbelievably true and I couldn't have said it better myself. Funny thing also is that drummers also think they don't ever need to practice and that they can play ANYTHING. Don't always work that way.
Bottom line, the good ones are hard to come by.
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