From: someone@anywheret.net   
      
   "JimD"  wrote in message news:2017022623200912177-email@nowherecom...   
      
   > I guess if you don't like it, you shouldn't do it much. Seems simple to   
   > me.   
      
   I've done it but it's so lonely, all by  myself (not a bad tune  to do for   
   such an  occasion), just me singing and playing keys, alone again naturally   
   (another appropriate tune)  - I do that enough at home when I'm practicing,   
   and it's lonely then too ;)   
      
   > More and more I actually like the solo, or duo, work better than band   
   > stuff. Solo is easier, and plays better.  Ok, part of work load with the   
   > band is because it's MY band, meaning I take most of the pa and lights and   
   > am responsible for getting it all working.   
      
   My Soulmate does the same thing, brings the pa and sometimes lights.   
      
   > Who else would do that, the drummer or the chick singer ?   
      
   Do they even have the equipment?   
      
   > If I were just a side man, then maybe band stuff would be more " fun ".   
   > You know, not worrying about booking the gig, or bringing much gear. Then   
   > there's that I could show up just before starting time, assuming someone   
   > else will have brought a pa, got it in the venue and all set up. Oh, and   
   > someone else will have talked to whomever is in charge and figured out   
   > whatever weirdo conditions the gig has.   
      
   As things progress over here, I plan on doing more and more of that myself.   
      
   > Yep, I could be a sideman real easy.  No stress in that.  No worrying if   
   > the bass guy you hired for this one gig will find the place.   
      
   Unless it's important to have bass in the songs, and it almost always   
   is...so that's cause to worry, no matter who hired the bass player....of   
   course with my other keyboard, I could always say, in the event the bass   
   player didn't show up, that I'll just play keyboard bass, then I wouldn't   
   have to worry   
      
   > And if they do, do they actually know any of the tunes they said they did   
   > ?   
      
   That's something everyone should worry about.   
      
   > And hope they don't bring some loud mouthed spouse or date or live in   
   > along who causes trouble with the bar manager or seating or wanting free   
   > drinks.   
      
   That can be a danger, no matter who does the hiring.   
   Personally, I'm more worried about some drunk messing around with the   
   equipment and possibly damaging it or even destroying it. That almost   
   happened not all that long ago, and I feared for my keyboard, but the   
   rowdiness never got that far, although close, and nothing bad   
   happened...probably because I calmed them down with our cover of Elton   
   John's "Tiny Dancer" - for some reason, practically everyone seems to like   
   that tune and it gets them feeling somewhat mellow.   
      
   > I could go on for a long time on the stress and aggrivation of bands.  But   
   > who cares.  If you've been there, you know already. And if you haven't,   
   > you won't believe me anyway.   
      
   While there is a particular variety of stress and aggravation related to   
   bands, it's still there even if it's a duo, or solo, just a different   
   variety of it.   
      
   > The solo or duo work is much better at my time in life. I don't need   
   > stress :-)   
      
      
   Jim   
      
   When I'm all alone like that i.e. solo performance, I feel a kind of stress   
   insomuch as that it's all up to me, and as a result, I feel put on the   
   proverbial spot, which after all I am.   
   I'd Much rather be in a band where everyone gets along!   
      
   Ouisie   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)