One For The Giggers

[Robusto]

Dear Site Musos

On a muso forum I drop into, this thread had been posted:

WILL YOU EVER STOP GIGGING?

Do you think there will ever come a time in your life when you no longer play at all, not just gigs but you pack up all together and never touch your chosen instrument again?
I saw an old mate of mine recently who used to play bass in a functions band many years ago. We got chatting and he asked if I'm still playing, etc. He said he gave up years ago and hasn't even touched his bass since the last gig he did with the band. I have to say I was mortified by this. Regardless of whether you're gigging or not surely you'll always want to play, even if it's only for your own amusement?
Personally I will never ever stop - in fact I'm working on some licks to show St Peter when/if I get up there.
For me it's not something I do on a conscious level. I don't say to myself: "I'll pick up my acoustic and play something". It's as natural as breathing or walking. I just do it without thinking about it.
As far as gigging goes, age obviously has some bearing on it because there is going to come a time when carrying amps and cabs and guitar cases etc is going to create more hassles than you might think is worth. There's not much you can do about the age-process, sadly.
I get people saying to me: "Look at the Rolling Stones, they're still gigging and they're all in their late 60's". But my response is always that they have roadies to look after all the gear, they get chauffeur-driven Limos to pick them up and drop them off at the venue. They have absolutely nothing else to do except stand on stage and play. If it were that easy for the rest of us I'm sure we'd all be gigging until we're ready for a bus pass.


There are one or two entries after this which verge IMO on the saccharine.


I then added this:


Will I ever stop gigging?
When the things that are dull about gigging outweigh the bits that are uplifting about gigging.

That's all I wrote on that site.
I'm writing this for our site.You see there are many aspects of playing in a band, playing live, that drive me up the pole. The things which get on my nerves now are the same ones that drove me mad 30 years ago.

Egomaniac musicians
Musicians who aren't flexible in their play
Musicians who are disorganised
Musicians who are always late
Musicians who drive to the wrong town on the wrong date etc etc
Musicians who can't play by ear / busk even 12 bar blues FFS
Musicians who are stuck in one style / genre

Audiences that are drunk
Audiences that are thick
Audiences that don't turn up
Audiences that come on stage and squeeze your balls when you are playing

Venues that are common
Venues that are dangerous, ie someone was stabbed to death there the week before
Venue owners that are twats
Venue owners that hold decibel-meters at you when you play


Carrying kit up many flights of stairs




AND YET... IT'S FUN!!!


Just wondered how you other site musos would answer this...


WOULD YOU EVER STOP GIGGING?

[Lascaux]

Audiences that come on stage and squeeze your balls when you are playing

if done gently its hardly a negative


im 22, played a good 300+ gigs/concerts and the idea of packing it in is non-existant. ask me in 20-30 years time and i may have a different answer but that one plus of being onstage far far outweighs all the negatives,
sometimes ill have a quiet moan about lugging gear to venues, not getting the response you want out of audiences, venues that have bad PA, infact 9/10 gigs im in agony backstage over the set and the whole gig. then the day afterwards ill be dead mentally and physically. but its not something i question.

but from day one to now theres been a constant progression in my playing and in the gigs we're getting so it's always new and exciting. when you reach the top and stay there for a while i can imagine it possibly losing some of its excitement, but i dont think i'll ever want to stop.
the hard part'll be being signed and having to do the rat race tours/promo etc without any freedom, that'll be tough

[Robusto]

Progression in playing is one of the main things that keeps me going. I haven't been in a band with as many good musicians as I am now. My play has improved over the last three years because of interplay with my bandmates. It's horrible to slog on and feel no difference in your style.

I like to choose who clutches my nads.

[Robusto]

This is for Nic, really.

In my close neck of the woods, this is about the only place that supports a range of live acts from the UK and abroad. We were lucky enough to be asked to play there last night and it went very well. A busy night.

There are very few venues with a pulse apart from this one around here. Next stop - London.



From time to time I get very down about playing pub gigs on the local circuit - particularly the shit-holes - and feel like throwing in the towel. Gigs like last night - and Sunday afternoon coming, however parochial - help the morale no end.

But - paradoxically - when you start playing, and you are all playing well, the negatives peel away. It all makes sense.

[Drewmidorn]

I can't do anything else but music and acting! Mind you many would argue I can't even do the music and acting thing. lol

I gave up acting as a major part of my life quite a few years ago. I made great money doing it and did pretty well, but I hated all the politics that went with it. Music has always treated me much better and with more respect.

Now I do 100-150 gigs a year and the rest of the time i'm writing in the studio. If I stopped I'd have no life and no money!

I can't imagine not doing it.....

The thing that i really couldn't live without is writing and recording, but I'd miss gigging massively.... I go stir crazy when I have a clear week without any gigs.

I'm really looking forward to getting some more Aldous Pinch material together and then I'll be gigging that for no money at all!

[nicwing]

I'm really looking forward to getting some more Aldous Pinch material together and then I'll be gigging that for no money at all!

Yeh but we will be there to look admiringly up at you, and buy you a beer and light up with you afterwards. Really looking forward to getting to an AP gig

[Drewmidorn]

Thanks nic,

You'll be first on the guest list!

I'll hopefully be posting a new song called "Aldous The Reaper" towards the end of next week!

I'm in love with Rawlinson End. Truly great recommendation.

D

[Robusto]

Drew.

I didn't know you had acted as well! Increased respect from here, Sir!

A number of my mates who are pro musicians (for want of another term) say just as you have. In essence, that this is what you do and you can't imagine doing anything else.

I've splatted to you before off-stage about some of this. I find I put great effort into teaching and see part-time gigging as a relief to the (mild) stress of that - but more as relief from teacher colleagues.

Then I get fed up when the relief isn't there because of the negative sides of gigging lol.
The lager loutery. The common excesses. The awful clothes out there, darling.

I don't have my own studio or proper recording equipment, but I like nothing more than playing and recording in a studio not far from here. I'm doing that on Tuesday in my week's break and it should be cool.

I seem to have to juggle minor depressions on a busy agenda. At least they are temporary and not too BLACK lol.

I get very morbid - guilty, even - when I think about throwing in the towel. All this in a biggish fish tiny pool culturally deprived milk train provincial Transmanche way.

[cohibaIV]

but I like nothing more than playing and recording in a studio not far from here. I'm doing that on Tuesday in my week's break and it should be cool.

.

OFF AGAIN MATE....

[Drewmidorn]

I'll be honest Bryan I think music is the only thing that keeps me together!... or at least my version of together, which according to most people is "mildly deranged with a touch of the unusual.... but mostly dull!"

As all actors do I had an "inbetween job" which was recording and playing and it just took over... I realised I enjoyed it more. I love acting and I still do the odd little acting job when I get asked if it suits me, but I don't go after work anymore. The problem with acting as a profession is it doesn't actually involve much creativity.

Now jumping about like an idiot playing covers... thats art! lol.... well not really, but it does afford me the opportunity to work hard some days and sit in the studio and do whatever I want on others.

D

[Robusto]

Sounds good - that mix.
Sounds very healthy.

Yes, Dale. Off again.

[Deano]

Wow @ Fairport Convention on with you! Sweet!

[Robusto]

Thank you, Deano!

That's exactly why I am chuffed about this!