House of Drumming.com

Isaac Lee wrote:I already have a potential audition this week. Woot!

Welcome! Be sure to share what is sure to be an eye opener of an audtion!

By eye opener, I mean to say that, chances are, the people who are auditioning you are complete delusional morons. Hopefully I'm wrong, but, I'm gonna get the popcorn ready just in case.

LA:

Expensive. Most violent city in America, sure it's always in competition with other cities - but what kind of competition is that?
One of the most stressful places you can live.
By far one of the most expensive places to live, sans again other major cities like NYC.
Traffic and Driving is - Absurd to say the least.

Also has by far the largest music scene on the planet.
The most amount of competition for any given spot.
More clubs then anywhere, more music then anywhere.


Pros and Cons.


Not to mention SO many people move to LA, just to "make it". Many who've grown up there have grown accustomed to the stress's and various issues.
Some of us got sick of it, having experienced life elsewhere.

But I'll gladly rent my houses out to people willing to live there and shell out, literally 2.5x in rent then I pay for a place twice the size.

Best of luck, many opportunities, competition sharpens the edge and above also else it will be a great chapter in your journey of life!

If you can live for very long in LA on 2K a month, you will have my admiration. That takes some guts and serious will power.

My only advice is to make sure you take advantage of the things in LA that drew you there. Make sure you track down the players for lessons. Make sure you go see the players when they're playing. Don't watch TV, don't go to movies, don't get a girlfriend. Sell out to your dream, because it sounds like you have very little time (and money) to make this happen. If nothing else and it doesn't work, if you do that you will still have some positive experiences to take with you wherever you end up.

Well said Gaddabout.

$2k/month is a tiny budget for LA. Just gas alone would be prob 10% of that. Learn what times + directions to stay away from freeways.

Don't get a girlfriend - that's probably the biggest right there!

To rack that out to perspective - if you allotted $200/month for food, at 3 meals a day, that's $2/meal. Pretty slim.

YamahaPlayer wrote:Don't get a girlfriend - that's probably the biggest right there!

You guys got it all wrong. Get a girlfriend with money!

DSOP wrote:You guys got it all wrong. Get a girlfriend with money!

Touche!!!

Just make sure, being LA, it's an actual girl..... *cringe*


I do miss 'Perversion' on the thursday nights on HW.blvd, entertaining as all get out!

Oh boy...lol. Thanks for the dose of reality fellas. Consider it noted.

Well that wraps up day 2 here. I'm pretty much freaked out at this point. This is going to be one crazy ride. I went and checked out the jam night at the baked potato. Some guy gets up there and KILLS it. I mean, KILLS it. Then Ronald Bruner Jr. walks in. He didn't play though. I think he was grooming the band or something. Wasn't down with sitting in anyway.

I propose we gather a bunch of us drum folk and attend one of the upcoming Mike Stern shows at Catalina in December. Dennis is playing drums. When he goes into one of his usual "space time bar-line-avoidance vamps", we can all start clapping the quarter notes.

What?

Isaac Lee wrote:

Speaking of which, what line of work are you in anyway?

Well I've done all sorts of things. Painter, Cook, Retail Sales (music store), Computer Tech, Army Ranger. Pretty diverse. My Resume is kickin' too!

Wondering how your fairing in the big city. Found it interesting that you list Army Ranger after Painter, Cook , Retail and IT.
Delta is the only thing standing between Hamid Karai and 72 virgins.
Executive protection and more to the point " Celebrity" protection is hugh in LA. They " Don't leave home without it ".
Hang around the upscale clubs and engage the security teams and tell them who you are.
Pro Tip : don't tell them that your a Cook or a Painter.
You will also gain insight into the fame machine and make a ton of connections!