The "Can you get our band out of a pinch" messages via email or Facebook messenger

[DrumWhipper]

Apparently in the Little Rock, Arkansas area drummers are leaving groups like crazy. In the past two weeks I have received close to 10 emails/Facebook messages asking for a drummer to

1: Fill in for a gig in two days for a band who just lost a drummer.
2: We are in a battle of the bands, made the finals, and our drummer quit. We need someone today.
3: We have an out of state gig and our drummer can't make it. Can you come play with us?

I have no issue sitting in with folks if I know them, but I scratch my head at people who contact someone they have never met to fill in for someone for situations like I listed above with only a one or two day notice. I'm sure not going to sit in with any band that is playing out of state that I've never met, but they just want me to load my gear up and meet them at the venue. Nor am I going to fill in for a drummer who quit on a band who is in the finals of a "Battle of the Bands" situation.

Am I being too cautious in situations like this? How would you handle these kind of situations?

[6 Stroke]

Call them and ask for more details? Just talk to them and see what kind of vibe you get. Meet with them in person if possible.

[DrumWhipper]

I have had two situations arise in the past two weeks. The first was a band who made the finals of a battle of the bands. They called and said their drummer quit, and they needed a drummer. The finals was in two days, and they were doing seven original songs. I passed because I wasn't going to be the guy that was new, and take the blame if they didn't win.



The second was a message I got from a band that is local to me who claimed to have a casino gig four states away, and their drummer quit. They were playing three nights - four hour sets - and they wanted me to meet them at 8am the next morning to leave. They contacted me at 6:30ish pm. I turned that one down because I'm not willing to travel four states over with a group of guys I've never met without some money up front. Not gonna take the chance of being burned!

[Bish]

If you have the luxury to pick and choose the gig, band and venue, more power to you!

[DrumWhipper]

One thing we have here (this wasnt a situation with anything I listed above) are guitar players who play through an iPad with drum, bass, and keyboard tracks. They occasionally get hired for gigs, but are told they need a full band in order to get the gig. I've had SEVERAL fill in gigs like this.

[N2Bluz]

I think I would shy away from them as well. Unless you actually know them personally or know who they are.
It’s one thing if it’s a gig at a local venue, but no way would I travel very far. It’s a bit like a blind date, but with money involved.

[inthpktplayer]

I'd be very picky about who to work with. Get as much info as you can, then pick and choose.

[DrumWhipper]

I turned them all down (the ones I mentioned above). I am a guy who goes with my gut feeling a lot. I'm sure not driving four states away on a 10 hour notice to play for someone I've never met.

[nubdrummer]

You're not being over cautious. There is not enough information here or advance notice to accept these gigs.

[rickthedrummer]

I have always said no. The only 1 I regret saying no to still makes me want to have somebody like "the Rock", kick me in the a$$.

[N2Bluz]

I’ve helped out a few local bands, but I more or less knew them personally or was familiar with them. I knew what I was getting into, and they knew what they were getting. The big fear is things not going well and not knowing the type of people you’re dealing with. Especially being far enough from home that a wife or friend can’t come to the rescue.
Our new guitarist has told me stories about being a professional hired gun on the touring Blues scene...showing up for a big show, putting on a 4hr performance, only to be told at the end of the night that there was no money because the headliner took an advance and spent it all on drugs, LOL.

[rickthedrummer]

"I'm sure not driving four states away on a 10 hour notice to play for someone I've never met."

4, did you say 4 states??????? I've been asked, and turned down, where all I had to do was drive from 35th street, where I lived, to 30th street, where they were playing.

If you drove 4 states, I would have to go and have a long talk with you!!!!

[N2Bluz]

Unless you have a new Mustang GT. Then a 4-state drive would be an adventure on its own.
On the flip-side, I don’t own a vehicle that I would trust on a 4hr trip...let alone 4 states.
Last year, I drove back from a late night gig 100 miles away with a blown rear brake line. Our guitarist tried to fix it by wrapping duct tape around it before we left....which explains a lot about guitar players, LOL.

[rickthedrummer]

Unless you have a new Mustang GT. Then a 4-state drive would be an adventure on its own.
On the flip-side, I don’t own a vehicle that I would trust on a 4hr trip...let alone 4 states.
Last year, I drove back from a late night gig 100 miles away with a blown rear brake line. Our guitarist tried to fix it by wrapping duct tape around it before we left....which explains a lot about guitar players, LOL.

Brian, you have to remember that my GT is a '17, so it is no longer "new".

The problem with it is that the S550 is by far, the best Mustang ever. The problem is that it's built so much better than all previous 'Stangs that you can find yourself doing 90 and there is no feedback from the car that you are doing freakin' 90. I have owned 10 Mustangs, so I can consider myself a 1/2a$$ed "expert" on them.

These cars are built for racing. Where do you see cars that come with line lock and launch control, heavy duty front and rear sway bars, and it probably should have come with slicks cause street tires just don't cut it. I tried the line lock once, blew some blue smoke and realized that I could burn $600 worth of Pirelli 305x19 tires into slicks in about a minute. (the manual says that the car will turn the line lock off after 15 seconds but a guy at Ford told me that it can be disconnected which, I'm obviously not doing). I had the Rousch tune put in (like 435HP wasn't enough) so it's at 485HP, 440ft/lb's torque. I like spending $3.30 a gallon for 93 octane gas, but I miss the days when I could get Sunoco 260 for about $0.28 a gallon.

Bottom Line: The most fun car I've ever owned. The Eco-Boost I had last year would be 2nd. The trick now is not having to buy a gas station.

[DrumWhipper]

Bah Gawd I'm doing a fill in gig tonight!

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