So, why are you in a band?

[Lee Flier]

So what on earth makes us want to be in a band? :D Is it purely practical - we play in a musical style that requires other musicians to be able to flesh it out? Or are there other deeper reasons? Why do we bother? Discuss. :)

[Tedster]

Because we can't do it all live ourselves. We dig that interaction, that unholy noise that's made after the drummer clicks four on his sticks.

We're gluttons for punishment. Being married to one person isn't enough, we want to argue, as if we were married, to three or four other people.

Because...hmmm...it's the best high anyone ever invented...

[THB]

Nothing left to do for me. I fucked everything else up.

[Tedster]

Originally posted by THB
Nothing left to do for me. I fucked everything else up.

:D

[Faber]

To play good music with good people. Being part of something which is greater han the sum of the parts is highly rewarding, and good fun :)

[THX1138]

When I was a wee lil chap I used to turn off all the lights in my bedroom, turn on some old christmas lights my parents had, and then listen to Kiss Alive II through headphones while staring at the pictures on the album til my eyes glossed over. Just imagining what it must be like to have all those people going completely berserk over your band... not to mention the God-factor of all that power coming from the stage and being washed in all those lights... what a spectacle.

It deeply engrained in me a strong need to be a rockstar. I've spent the rest of my life tryin to feed that inner child's wishes.

[xonetruedesirex]

Because it's fun, and playing shows is a much better way to spend my evenings than sitting at home doing nothing.

[KHAN]

As a guitarist, it's my solemn duty to inflict my disease on 3 or 4 other guys, and as many audiences as possible. :o

[orfalot]

Mainly because its fun. I question as I approach 50 if my motivation is shifting from the fun of playing, period, to the love of performing. We've just started our tenth year together and stay a little busier than we'd probably like but its just such a rush to get a club hopping even if it is with covers.

[caveman]

Because that's what I do. Who would have thought that back in 1953 when I was picking out my first recognizable melodies that all those years of gigging would follow.

I quit a couple of years ago because of my heart. I've got that patched up and now I'm back after it again.

Years ago I used to joke with my old bass player that we'd end up in nursing homes playing for geriatric hippies. Nowadays that doesn't seem so far fetched. :eek: :D

[THB_bassman]

Originally posted by THB
Nothing left to do for me. I fucked everything else up.
As did I...and THB needed a bass player.

[Preacher Will]

i make too much money in my day job and needed some way to get rid of the excess . . . :D

[slugball]

two bands -- one for artistic expression that makes me happy (and sometimes fans too). one that pays pretty well and makes bar crowds happy -- I enjoy that too. one way of the other, it's about connecting with other musicians and crowds for me.

[Dave Martin]

I play in a band because very few people want to hire a bass player doing a solo gig.

[LateGreats]

I'm in a band because I'm too lousy a guitarist to play solo. If I didn't have good friends in the band, I'd probably do it anyway.

[Help!I'maRock!]

because i can't write lyrics. if i was even able to finish a verse, i'd just do it all myself.

[BLAH]

Im in a band because.....

Practice is awesome we drink have a laugh and generally arse around, while making some great music

Talking about it is good to other people and band mates.

Being in a band is cool.

And last but not least theres the chance that one day i'll be mad famous and rich

[forceman]

I play music with other musicians because I am a masochist. :)

[Brian Krashpad]

It's fun. Being onstage is a great high. Plus you get to make music (in my case, almost all the music both bands do is original) and meet cool people.

Plus by being in a band I bankroll making a record every few years. All the money from my main band goes into a merch/recording fund.

BK

[JTbaddog]

Truth
As a teen I was so deathly shy and afraid to talk to girls that I HAD to think of another way to get noticed by them. I loved rock music, esp. guitar, so I got my ma to by me a tiesco ( is that right ?) and a cheapy amp. Whaddaya know, after about three months I was starting to get the hang of it ( had exactly one lesson, then my teacher quit - my ego wasn't sure how to take that ) and I graduated to a tele copy and a better amp. At a year I got my first real Fender Stratocaster, black w/white accesories like Claptons' Blackie. I still have it ( 30 years later ) , though it's been through a lot of changes, just like me. And I got in my first band. And I GOT LAID for the first time ! My plan worked ! Over and over again ! THAT'S why I got in a band.

[NeoSK]

I play in a band, because I like it. I consider the band my family and we spend a lot of time together. I really like that. And also all of us listen to all kinds of music what makes our sound somehow different (well really, when ppl asked me what it's like what we play, I couldn't really tell exactly what it's like). And I think all of us enjoy what we're doing...

[Badside]

Save for our drummer, we've been together since high-school, that's almost 15 years! I couldn't see myself living any other way. I feel more at home on a stage than.. at home!

Give me a Gibson plugged into a Marshall, an audience, and these 3 guys and I become another person. I'm kinda like a werewolf, and I prefer being a wolf!

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by Faber
To play good music with good people. Being part of something which is greater han the sum of the parts is highly rewarding, and good fun :)

[Fr!tz]

Because I play drums and drums don't always sound good by themselves....:D

[GWS5987]

It's exactly the same three reasons for all singers, musicians, dancers, actors, actress', politicians, etc.

"LOOK AT ME"

"LOOK AT ME"

"LOOK AT ME"

And everything that then goes with it.

Any other reason is pure BS.

George

[pretaanluxis]

99% of the music I enjoy comes from bands, plus I suck at singing

[Strings74]

Originally posted by GWS5987
It's exactly the same three reasons for all singers, musicians, dancers, actors, actress', politicians, etc.

"LOOK AT ME"

"LOOK AT ME"

"LOOK AT ME"

And everything that then goes with it.

Any other reason is pure BS.

George

Hilariously true.

"THAT is the fucking buzz, man!!!"

[fuge]

I live to play the gig.
Everything else in my life (with the clear exception of my family) is what I have to do.
Gigging is one of the only things (besides satifying base physical needs) that I actually WANT to do. Look forward to doing.
Get excited about doing.

[Jiggs]

Playing the music I have written over the last 10 years with a band is so much more satisfying. There is the "look at me!" factor, yes, but the satisfaction of playing with guys who want to play your stuff and play it well feels great.

[ShoNuf]

Being on stage is like being in a delivery room. Each time a song gets played it is like birthing a child, having it grow up and then leaving home. The feeling that you get from creating an original song is amazing, and being able to share that with the band is beyond measure.

"I made this" is why I play... with a bit of "Look at me" thrown in as well. ;)

[Lee Flier]

Lots of great responses! I would say I play in a band because I have to. It's a pretty compelling urge like having a mate or eating. :D The feeling of making music with other people that are invested in developing a sound together, is incredible. And we're all friends and get along personally so it's a social thing as well, like some of the rest of you have said. I tend to think music is really a communal art, unlike writing or painting. It's done best with other people, as much of a pain in the ass as other people can be. :D

[PBBPaul]

All of us who play in gigging bands know that there are no words to describe the sub-intellectual, almost ethereal level of communication and energy that occurs when a group of disparate musicians and audience members are in the zone. I don't know exactly what it is and it doesn't happen every time but when it does, when the audience 'gets it', when the band members are reading each others' minds and playing from the gut, there is a communicative energy generated that is beyond sexual in its power and addictive properties. That's what keeps us coming back.

Or maybe I just like having my ego stroked.:p

[whiteroom]

I really wish I knew. I love it but I don't know why.
All the normal people my age play golf. I see 'em when I drive to rehersal.

(plays harp-sounding day-dream music) I wonder if they think as much about golf as I do music? I wonder if they enjoy it as much? What about painting, hunting, model trains, bowling, knitting, skydiving, AHHHHHHH!
(stops playing harp-sounding day-dream music)

We're the one's that are really having fun. Ain't we???

[MrKnobs]

Originally posted by Lee Flier
Lots of great responses! I would say I play in a band because I have to. It's a pretty compelling urge like having a mate or eating. :D

+1

I'm addicted. I can never be truly happy unless I'm doing it, and then only momentarily under specific circumstances.

Can't quite put my finger on exactly what I get out of it, though the guy that said "LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME" can't really be argued with in most cases! :D

When I started out as a kid, it was simple. I just loved to play bass, and it was more fun with a band.

Then, at 16, something random and life changing happened.

My crappy high school band auditioned a guitar player from the music paper, who turned out to be a lot better than we were so of course he didn't join. But he did invite me to go with him to another audition that night for a band that was also looking for a bassist.

They passed on him and hired me.

It was a house band gig at a strip club, a 9 piece band with horns, keys, the works. In one week, I played for (good) money for the first time, saw my first naked woman, smoked herb for the first time, got seriously drunk for the first time, and got arrested for the first time.

I was in heaven, and I knew this was the life for me! :cool:

I did that for about nine months until the club converted over to DJ music. But by then, the damage was done and there was no going back.

I played in various bands, changed to guitar at some point, sent in a basement tape to MTV, made a few vinyl albums and then a CD or two. Played covers, originals, everything from metal to rock to country, none of it particularly well. I liked the lifestyle, the travel, and especially the girls.

Then I made a mistake. I opened a recording studio, met some country players, decided to grab a little extra cash doing live shows, and got picked up by some country stars and taken on tour. I liked the cash and the big venues, so I put down the guitar for a long time. Eventually, I walked away from a dream career that a lot of guys would have killed for, because what I really wanted to do was play.

I've pretty much written my life story during this period over on the Stupid Stories Thread (http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17271) .

So now I'm a mess. I have a day job as a university scientist, a wife, a house, a cat, and a pretty nice recording studio. But I still want to get out and play. Yet, I miss the thrill of being at the controls during a huge production. I'm not one tenth the player compared to some of the guys I've worked (George Strait's excellent band comes to mind) so it's unlikely I'll be seeing those venues from the stage anytime soon.

But I'm working on it. :)

I can't give it up, it's in my blood. I've even written a couple songs about that, maybe I'll post an MP3 of one sometime.

:)

Terry D.

[ZenFly]

USed to be to make a living
Used to be to feed the music habit
Used to have control of me...
now it's for fun.

The band I'm in is actually a bunch of guys who were recruited by the singer. She has a talent for finding gigs...I've worked with her now for about 6 years since my divorce. We tear the roof off a bar about 50 miles from my house every month or so for 2 nights.

i try very hard not to repeat a song from the previous night. We excell in adlibing songs we've never played before, have no ego, or other usuall issues associated with most "bands".

After 10 hours of this (5 per night) My various addictions (all musical) have been sated until about a week later..then that urge to play live starts tilckling my brain..

Also, we play what we want, how we want to play it. No "dinner sets" no "turn it down" bs.

We have a great time, and usually the audience does too!

[Nrrrk]

I'm in a band because I like to play guitar / sing, ATTENTION on stage and writing great music with your friends. Drink a lot on stage (well my guitarist and bassguitarist, me and drummer need to be sober ;) at least, a little bit )

Performing and having a good time with the crowd is fucking awesome, it's just the thing I wanna do. Period.

[chunkathalon]

I'm a very reactionary player. I play bass, and on my own I don't get much out of noodling. I like enhancing other people's music a lot. I like being a team player. All that stuff.

Honestly, while I enjoy playing gigs, I enjoy playing with people on a regular basis just about as much.

[KeysBear]

Playing live gives me that endorphin rush that makes me able to get through the rest of my humdrum life. I don't do it for the money, the fans, or the girls (rare, but even us old geezers get an offer now and then). I say I don't do it for the money, but OTOH, as some of you already know about me I won't play for free except for that very occasional charity gig.
Man, playing is my identity.

[Carbophos]

1. I am not good enough to make all music on my own. I mean, I can sit at my PC and program some drums, bass and keys, but I believe that the input of real players is necessary. I also can't sing :p

2. Playing with the band is the real thing. It's like sex, you need someone else to have a real sex.

[Sordid1]

For me there isn't much in the world that is better than being on stage with good musicians playing good music. I love to play at home by myself but it just does't compare to getting the band together.

[readybeans]

i make music because i am made out of music.
Everything is made out of music.


Every single thing is made out of music.

[elbow]

I saw my first concert at 15.. Styx... and they were at the height of their careers.. talk about shock and awe.. I was absolutely blown away. The whole crowd was going nuts and the band looked like they were having the time of their lives and playing just for us.... I was hooked.

I saved my money that summer and bought an old Hondo LP copy and a used Yamaha 1x12 combo. I literally played til my fingers bled. I listened to every album I had and messed alot of them up by picking up the needle and moving it back a 1/4" or so to get that part just right. I met a few noodler wannabees like me in high school and we were off. We played anywhere they would let us and some places that didn't until we'd get shut down... the best part was the chicks!

To attempt to get to the end, I will skip some time. In a nutshell, life got in the way after high school and I didn't pick up a guitar for nearly 20 years. My oldest son wanted a guitar for Christmas, I got him one, and taught him some basics to get started. He had a friend come over to jam one night and he brought his dad.. who was in a band. We played together for about 10 mins, and he asked if I was interested in playing in his band... like riding a bicycle. That was 5 years and more than a few thousand dollars ago.

The chick thing ain't what it used to be, but it is amusing when some 40ish year old woman (my age) with a few drinks in her yells something after a song that makes me grin. I am all about the music.. something lit back in those early days that stayed with me and I didn't know it until recently. Once in your blood, you are hooked.

[Roy Brooks]

It's my job. I am in three or four different bands. All bands work.

[brassic]

1. Fun. I work in the music industry, but this is the one music-related thing I do that has nothing to do with work.

2. To become a better guitar player. I started to learn about seven years ago, but my playing has improved ten times more in the eight months since I've been involved in our band.

3. Too much money. Last year, I came dangerously close to having a healthy bank balance, but luckily I found a new, expensive habit just in the nick of time.

[Guitar Centaur]

Originally posted by GWS5987
It's exactly the same three reasons for all singers, musicians, dancers, actors, actress', politicians, etc.

"LOOK AT ME"

"LOOK AT ME"

"LOOK AT ME"

And everything that then goes with it.

Any other reason is pure BS.

George

That's it for me.

The attention whore in me needs validation!

:D

[flip333]

I am a multi-dimensional being with a soul. This physical, egotistical personality you now see is a small part of who I really am.

My inner being is magnificient. It knows and sees the most fabulous visions of eternal glory. It is a creator.. and therefore, so am I.

This personality is like those natives who see an airplane and then build a straw replica to honor it.