The fateful decision approaches....

I have been playing with a pretty successful rock band in London for a year, just got a deal and the record is starting to get some attention. We are being booked to play some festivals this summer and maybe a support gig with a name band etc.

The inevitable questions of time, commitment and job are starting to surface. I have a wife and 2 kids, a pretty successful job and a lifestyle that is geared around my job and not music. What am I going to do if it really starts to kick off? Give it all up because I don't want to risk my lifestyle and home life? or just go for it and hope I don't end up broke without a wife?

How much money can we really make in this day and age in a band?

HOD wisdom required....

No wisdom here, just can relate as I am going through a very similar decision currently.
Tough to sit in a comfortable position and be willing to give it up for a potentially better scene...that is future related.

Oh that faith is a hard thing to do with confidence!

The thing is Pocket....when we're lying on our death beds (a long time from now hopefully)are we really gonna look back and say "gee I'm really glad I didn't go on tour with that band and try and make it, I never would have been able to get that flat screen TV and keep up the payments on my car".

I know that's a simplistic way of looking at it but life is about grabbing your chances when they do present themselves....right?

Hopefully you're more concerned with family than flat screen TV's...

I asked this question to Peter Erskine last week on zildjian.com

He said: FOLLOW YOUR INSTINCTS!

You know your situation better than anyone. No amount of chatting back and forth here will tell the whole story...the only thing I would say is take it one day at a time...don't look too far into the future...the possibilities may overwhelm you.

<font color="#a62a2a" size="1">[ March 14, 2005 10:11 AM: Message edited by: cjbdrm ]</font>

cjbdrm,
well said....i might add...follow your heart. kinda the same as instincts. but it may help being worded differently. one things for sure. you will NEVER know by going half way. you must walk through that wall of fear with faith. nothing worth having....like a dream, comes without sacrifice. if you follow your heart, you will be rewarded greatly no matter what the outcome. either way...you win, because you went for it. but you got to go all the way.
good luck.

I think family (kids) are happy if everyone else is. I think we tend to get too hooked up on the materialistic stuff, hence the comment about Flat Screens and Cars.

I agree that the decision is mine and there probably isn't any advice apart from the obvious...." do want your heart tells you stuff"

Practical experience and interesting examples are what I'm looking for.....if they are out there.

Thanks ZW. If I go for it I will give it all I have....

Gary, it's a though choice, but you're in a good position because you have 2 things happening to choose from, and a lot of people don't have any.
The bottom line is if you're happy with your actual job, if you're not, any amount of flat screens and cars are going to hide that.

In my case, I'm a full time musician, but I can tell you that 80% of my time is wasted in no-musical activities, like traveling, airports, waiting in hotel rooms, traffic jams trying to catch a rehearsal, lines on banks etc. etc..... or resting of all that sh**t!!!!,
and half of the other 20%, I'm doing eternal soundchecks hitting the bas drum for 15 minutes, snare for 10 etc.
I'm not complaining at all, I fell fortunate and I'm as happy as I can be, but sometimes I think that a guy with a day job have more time to really play than I have, so maybe you should keep that in mind when you take your desicion.
Good luck!
[img]cool.gif[/img]

Pedro i was hoping someone would say that!!

Isn't it true to say that anyone who has to work for a living spends most of their time in line's, in airports, dealing with a$%holes etc.

I think I would rather be beating my bass drum than beating my head against the wall for fifteen years because I haven't tested my talent in the real world. It may not turn out to be what I thought it would be but at least I can say I tried.

Thx for your comments amigo

Quote:

---

Originally posted by GaryL:
Pedro i was hoping someone would say that!!

---

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Upss!!!, I think I just ruined a promising career!! [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]wink.gif[/img]

Just don give my address to your band mates!! [img]confused.gif[/img] [img]redface.gif[/img] [img]biggrin.gif[/img]