Little bit of backround... I started out a year and half ago as a hired gun for this band. For whatever reasons drums always came last in their lineup. I actually got a long with these guys really well, dug the music and we became pretty good friends along the way too. It was an interesting mix of a "professional" working situation as well as an "artistic outlet" sort of thing do... a majorty of the gigs were contracted, were out of town, private events, fundraisers, weddings, etc, and then all the gigs we played in town were at the more "prestigous" (for lack of better term) live-music venues in Austin such as Momo's or Stubb's (I played some of my "goal" venues with this group). I was as emotionaly involved in the band as I was involved with the business side of things.
Long story short, the main songwriter/lead singer decided our sax/rhythm guitar player wasn't quite up to par with the rest of us and thought that he needed to go in order for the band to grow... which is a choice I agree with. His chops needed some work and we needed a player with a bit more control over pitch and a stronger ability to improvise in solo sections. I love the guy to death (he's the singers roomate since college, no less) but it was the right move. Turns out he was thinking about moving off with his girl and going to grad school.
When our lead guitarist heard the news... he decided he'd step down too and thus- the band is done. The catch is that we were planning on going into the studio next year, with a pretty big producer in town. Lead singer/main songwriter guy will be going into the studio with this big producer with new songs (a few of which we actually wrote and arranged together as a band) and it's unkown if the rest of us will even be involved.
Oh, and he's locked down JJ Johnson to record drums. I can't compete with that, and I don't even know if I'll be asked to do live work with the "new project"... I understand that it's not personal, and it's also not even about my playing. In fact, I'd RATHER it be about my playing or that we really don't get a long or something. It's strange that after a year and a halfs worth of work and gigs, I'm kind of back to square one. Granted, I've still been networking the whole time, and I've already gotten a call for something unrelated in March- but it's just kind of funny/interesting/whatever that even at any level of the music business, sometimes you find yourself back to "square one" so to speak, and have to resort back to putting your name out there, making it known that you're availiable for work, and waiting for the phone to ring or an email.
It's an interesting transition point for me, to say the least, and I have to just stay confident, keep shedding and networking, and try not to dwell too much on the situation and try not to get too much in my head about the whole thing.
Bands are like women- they come and go until the right thing comes along.
Thoughts? Comments? Advice? I'm sure this is a situation a lot of us have been in.
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