The Steel Guitar Forum

Author Unknown wrote:

1. Great bands are built around great vocals. Nobody sings along with the guitar solo.
2. If you don't have a first rate bass player, your band will never rise above the mediocre.
3. The best all around guitar amp for gigging is the Fender AB763 Deluxe Reverb.
4. Great guitar players are a dime a dozen. If you don't sing, you don't get a lot of work. (see #1)
5. The typical consumer of live music does not appreciate your skill as a musician. They are mainly interested in dancing and/or singing along with the vocalist. (see #1)
6. Drummers are terrible time keepers. The job of keeping time in a band belongs to the bass player. (see #2)
7. The person who books the most gigs is almost always the weakest player in the band.
8. You should never play for "the door" or "exposure". By doing so, you're lowering the value of your product. The only exception would be a legitimate charity event that you enthusiastically support.
9. Karaoke is the worst thing to ever happen to live music.
10. Never let an unknown club patron sit in with the band.
11. Bands with a female singer usually break up within the first year.
12. You can cover any gig with a Fender Stratocaster and/or a Gibson ES-335. (see also #3)
13. Club owners don't care how great your band is. They only care how many buddies you have that drink beer.
14. "Pay to Play" is for 14 year olds. (see #8 )
15. Bands with more than 4 members are usually a pain in the ass.
16. A large percentage of gigging musicians are alcoholics, recovered alcoholics, or pot heads. Especially drummers, in my experience. (see #6)
17. 100 watt amplifiers are as useful as tits on a bull unless you're playing outdoors. (see #3, and always have a spare SM-57 and cable in your gig bag.)
18. If it takes more than two trips to the car, you're bringing too much gear to the gig.
19. Pay attention to your personal appearance.
20. If it's not fun, it's time to move on. You're better off staying home than bringing your bandmates down with a lousy attitude.
21. Bands that are run as a ''democracy'' almost always self destruct. Somebody has to take charge.
22. Always help load the P/A in and out.
23. If you book the gig, be prepared to pay the other musicians at the end of the night. If you get a check, they get a check. If you get cash, they get cash.
24. Horn players are usually prima-donnas with less than perfect pitch.
25. At least once a month, hand your wife the cash from the gig.