This band started out as a top 40 cover band. However the singer (who is new) is a singer songwriter who is very young and probably just wants to get the stage experience that this band can provide for him.Damir Besic wrote:there is two different scenarios here, if the band is about up and coming new artist, who has hired you, then you do what they tell you to do, as long as they pay you, what you asked them to pay you... you don't haul lights or PA if they don't pay you for that, and you don't pay for rehearsal room or ear monitors (if the new up and coming artist wants band to use ear pieces, he needs to provide them as well) , actually, they should pay you for rehearsals ... and second scenario is, you are playing with your friends, and buddies, people you enjoy playing music with, in that case you may have to help with lights or PA, pitch in for a rehearsal room, or you can complain about your parts in the song, or ask guys in the band to play a certain songs, because you like them...I personally hate drama, and confrontations, as long as I hear myself through my amp on the stage, I don't care what comes out in the front mix, if someone in audience tells me I need to turn up, I go to the guy in the band who does the house mix, and let him know, I do that only once, and from there on I don't care, or even want to hear about it again, if there is a sound guy who works for the venue, I don't do anything, it's his job to figure that out, not mine... less drama, the better... with the friends you play because you enjoy it, and with the "up and coming" guys, you play because they hired you, and they pay you to play, so it's more a job, and working for money, then enjoyment... many steel players didn't make it in Nashville, because they didn't play what producers (or guy who was paying them) asked them to play...
I never wanted to be in a top 40 cover band. The way I have always worked is that I get paid to show up and play, maybe do a couple of rehearsals before the gig. The band leader has always sent me charts and a set list well before the gig so that I could prepare. When the lead singer of this band decides to branch out on his own and start doing originals I will be happy to work with him, but paying to be in a cover band that will never be anything but a cover band is not worth it to me, especially with all the other requirements of this band. I ahve never been expected to pay for a space, haul gear, or show up for practice every week before this band. Band practices are spent listening to parts on the original recordings and learning them. Its a complete waste of time and something I could be doing at home. Most of the songs dont even have steel guitar in them so I dont really see the point. The guitar player emailed me last night. They want me to do the gig tonight with them, so I will. I may mention that they can use me on occasional gigs if they want to but the rules will be that I dont haul gear that is not my own, show up to practice every week, and I expect a set list and charts before the gig as well as the keys they will be doing the tunes in. These are the limits I should have set in the first place. They can offer me a price per gig and I can accept or decline.