Ladies and Gentlemen....Welcome to the Stage, "The Room Emptiers"!

I read a book a few years ago....imagine that, a drummer who can read...called "Brand You", a simple guide to realizing that you are your own entity. The place you work for, or in my case, the band I play with, does not define who I am.

I'm Mike Peacock, drummer, currently playing with the band, "fill in the blank". Actually not a bad name for a band... but it could be anyone.

Just realizing that thought pattern makes things a little more tolerable when bands that I'm associated with begin to venture down an unhealthy path.

Such is the case now. When I agree to go forward with a band, I usually tell them, "Look, I'll give you 90 days and you give me 90 days. Past that we'll take it a gig at a time". I learned that from Alan White who told Yes the same thing almost 40 years ago. He is still with the band. Apparently, it's still going pretty well.

I can't say the same thing with the band in which I'm currently associated. In just under a year, the band has gone from an expanded, more up to date playlist, to converting right back to where when we began. Playing the same old, tired songs from the 70's and 80's... songs that are 30 to 40 years old. Songs that comprised the entire set list a year ago.

This band went from wanting to get better, edgier, more current right back to "brickhouse", SRV, "mustang sally".

Interestingly, it was one of the band member who put it in perspective for me. He suggested that people play that music because, 1) it's easy to play, 2) it's what they know how to play and 3) it's the first songs they learned how to play. That made perfect sense to me.

I've often said that entertaining a crowd has nothing to do with the what the people on stage like to play or even listen to ... it's what the crowd wants to hear. I think the concept really is quite simple, yet so elusive.

Another case in point. Because this band has reverted back to the comfort and convenience of the original set list, this is what happened last Saturday night at our gig. We took the stage at 10. There were well over 100, perhaps even 150 people in the bar. At 11, when we finished out first set, there were about 50 people in the bar. By the end of the third set, there were about a dozen people in the bar.

That's a real kick in the teeth, especially when you know there is nothing you can do about it.

I was talking to the band-mate who made the earlier observations during the first set and asked him if he noticed how many people left during the first set. He admitted he did. He asked me what I thought we needed to do and again, I suggested the set lists are just too old and worn out. He asked what I thought we needed to play. That, I told him, is the age old, 64 thousand dollar question. I said, "The only thing I know for sure is that I don't know WHAT to play. But I sure know what NOT to play".

He nodded in agreement and we went back in to empty the room some more.

There's a misguided notion among some bar managers that it's a bands job to bring in the crowd and I disagree. It's a bars job to bring the crowd, it's the bands job to keep the crowd there. We failed Saturday and were paid for failing.

Which is why I'm leaving this band. I cannot, in good conscious, take money for running off paying customers.

It would be nice to find some people who play music well and understand the simple concept of what it takes to keep patrons in the room. I'm finished with bands that don't. Abiding by this simple rule may lead to my retirement earlier than I wanted.

Damned if you do and damned if you don't....

I may have said this before, but I’ll be damned if you do and I’ll be damned if you don’t. It’s the razor fine line a drummer walks when searching for a new project. I’ll admit that my fellow drummer brethren have not made this easy. Drummers have a bad reputation for being more than flaky, egocentric, unreliable… should I go on? You get the picture.

But for those of us just trying to find a suitable gig, the going keeps getting tougher, the hill just keeps getting a little steeper.

I recently posted a ad on Craigslist… one of the worst ways to find a gig….but what the hell. Now I’ve written plenty of ads in my life. I’ve learned a lot about posting ads. Display too much and you’re judged harshly before picking up a stick. If you want some responses, be a bit more vague and you develop, at least, an opportunity for some dialogue and then maybe you can talk your way into an audition.

People…being people and thus never satisfied will find fault with either approach.

This was the case just today when I posted the following ad:

“Stage and studio experienced drummer with pro gear. I’m mature, dependable and in an on-going odyssey to find the same in a good, local cover band. No country, metal, punk, classic or angry rock. I’m dedicated, reliable and easy to get along with. I have a flexible schedule and I’m a musical workaholic. If you’re serious about your music and are looking for someone who can plug right in, I might be your next drummer. Your complete details get mine in return.”

Succinct. To the point. I thought a pretty functional ad…until I got this response:

“Instead of saying "No country, metal, punk, classic or angry rock" why don't you state what you do play.

From the perspective of a band looking for a new drummer it's a bit of a turn off to read all the negatives. As a "musical workaholic" myself there are certain songs in just about every genre of music that I can listen to, although I wouldn't want to play in a 100% country band there are still country songs that I appreciate on some level, same with Metal, punk, and classic Rock.

I mean what's left,.polka.reggae.disco?

And can you be more specific about your age, your equipment, how long you've been playing, what music you do like, how often are you looking to gig? Can you sing?

I couldn’t take this with a grain of salt….especially since it came from someone I not only know, but have played music with before…of course, He didn’t know that until I responded to his response asking him if I should just run all my ads past him before posting…

A “smarmy” response from him ensued.

It’s all part of playing the fun, wonderful games of trying to play music.

That’s why when people find good music situations, you have to pry their dead fingers off their instruments to get them off stage. They’re so precious and so few and so elusive.

Good times.