"A" list player?" or "With Who and When"

[John Ritsz]

What makes a really "A" List Player?

It's not only that he can read and play perfect a part. It has to be more than that... Example I know a lot of guy who can read like hawks and play the perfect part and nail it the very first time, even better than some "great name cats" and still they are not "A List Players", I think is more about with "who" and "when" you are, in other words, perfect time and perfect people it's like "assosiations drives the succes in people"...

A lot of drummers, for example, the kid playing with Ashlee Simpson, you will tell me that that kid is A List, and he's making a ton of money, living like a king, or some other guys, is like they had the spoils of war of other people's work and lives on the road, that is a perfect case of not "A List Player" is a case of "Who and When you are with" and in my point of view that's completly unfair and makes so much damage to the music industry sometimes unreversible.

[Riddim]

What makes one an A list player?

The people who put you on the A list, and keep calling you for gigs.

I'd imagine that if one aspires to become such a player, it would help to be highly skilled, liked, reliable, and available, with a track record of doing a great job all the time.

If you want to catch marlin, you gotta go where the marlin are. For someone trying to break in, that means living close to the major market of your choice, and networking. If and when one becomes in demand, it may matter less where you are, but until that happens, you need to readily accessible.

I'm not sure what's unfair about people hiring capable folks whom they know and like. Would you hire someone who lacks one of these basic attributes? Two great ways to avoid establishing positive relationships with others in the business, and to be a jerk.

Kvetching about how unfair life is pointless. Imagine a universe in which life is fair and one gets exactly what one deserved. Is that really a place we'd be comfortable? That'd be great when one acts above board -- but how about when one doesn't?

Like it or not, this is the only life you have at the moment (unless one is schizoid), so make the best of it. Whining is not an endearing behavior.


Hope this helps.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ November 25, 2005 01:40 PM: Message edited by: Riddim ]</font>

[Groovesmitty]

You are not making any sense John.

First of all to talk about A list players, and then mention The Ashlee Simpson gig is wierd. You most likely will not find an A list player on that gig. Then again, how are you so sure he is not a masterful drummer? I'm unfamiliar with his playing, and I obviously don't attend Ashlee Simpson concerts.

Second, there is always an element of being at the right audition, or playing a gig where Sting walks in, etc. However, there are no drummers who can do what you describe, like the A list players we write about, who have simply had bad PR luck. That's simply untrue.
I don't care if a drummer lives in New Hampshire, if he can play like you described, and played gigs, people would hear about him eventually. For those drummers who have not achieved those gigs, well there must be a musical reason. And my friend in the real world, it's not always about nailing the chart. It's more about musicality and feel. Do think Steve Jordan nails a complex funk chart on the first take? I doubt it.