My band is recording our second album next month. We are kind of popular in Central Illinois, and for this album we are working with a kind of big wig producer who thinks that there is going to label interest. Maybe not major label interest, but there is a chance that my band could make music our career following this album, at least for a little while. We're all in college, I am graduating next year (hopefully) and so is our drummer. Our bass player is graduating in 2026.

Maybe this is naive of me, but I believe that we have the chance to tour and be a real working band for a while, but it would put our professional and academic lives on hold. This is something that our drummer and I have agreed is fine by us, but we are worried our bass player is not up for the adventure. He is very industrial, and we are afraid he will probably try to work or go to grad school right after he graduates. We've changed bass players before, but he feels like a part of the band in a way that no other bass player has.

How can I convince him to at least give music full time a shot, even if it means giving up a cushy engineering job for poverty on the road? What did you do with your bands in/after college?

wolf wrote: Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:41 pm How can I convince him to at least give music full time a shot

You can't, or you shouldn't. I wouldn't. He might harbor resentment for having his academic passions discouraged, and that would definitely inform his playing and group dynamics. If he feels as strongly about the band as you've stated then you should leave it up to him and insert your opinions when asked. It's a bit sad not having everyone on the same page, but it's better to maintain a healthy relationship with your friend than a dysfunctional one. I would keep chugging along, and, if you'll forgive the expression, cross that bridge when you come to it.

Good luck!

I'd say to wait for the demand before making any drastic moves. If you start getting calls from the big showcases or whatever, then you might need to resume that conversation but until that happens, do small tours over spring and summer breaks or maybe some weekend shows in bigger cities?

^ Was just about to suggest trying to arrange tours during the summer if you can. Most schools have, what, 2-3 month breaks in summer? That’s a good chunk of time for a tour.

I fully agree with the advice from FMs rsmurphy and penningtron.

Having been in fairly aspirational bands in my college years I think a lot of music creation, performance and promotion can happen while living the college life. My only regret was trying to play college towns while on spring break. But from central Illinois you could be doing weekend trips to Chicago, Bloomington-Normal, Champagne, Madison, Milwaukee, St Louis during semesters. That's a pretty solid region to work while you wait for summer to push for a coastal tour.

I think the cart before the horse caution is wise. When things get awesome to a point where an amazing opportunity doesn't work with duder's schedule, then you start looking at a fill-in person or have conversations about making permanent changes. A lot of exciting and/or disappointing things can happen before you reach that point and it's entirely possible you never will.

you absolutely want to book some small weekend tours. if you’re in Central IL, do Chicago on a Friday Night, then Milwaukee on a Saturday Night then drive home on Sunday morning. then do St. Louis area for two nights…then do Quad Cities and Iowa…

Before you can plan on spending a few weeks with a band see how it goes for a few days. If those go well it may help him see that playing out more often is fun. It could also show any of you that maybe you dont want to tour with these guys

akosinski wrote: Fri Dec 22, 2023 4:18 pm do Chicago on a Friday Night, then Milwaukee on a Saturday Night then drive home on Sunday morning.

One could call this itinerary The World Doesn't Give A Fuck mini tour. But that's an important thing to experience sooner rather than later I guess!

rsmurphy wrote: Fri Dec 22, 2023 3:00 pm

wolf wrote: Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:41 pm How can I convince him to at least give music full time a shot

You can't, or you shouldn't. I wouldn't. He might harbor resentment for having his academic passions discouraged, and that would definitely inform his playing and group dynamics. If he feels as strongly about the band as you've stated then you should leave it up to him and insert your opinions when asked. It's a bit sad not having everyone on the same page, but it's better to maintain a healthy relationship with your friend than a dysfunctional one. I would keep chugging along, and, if you'll forgive the expression, cross that bridge when you come to it.

Good luck!

FM rsmurphy is spot on here I think. Put your friendships front and centre and the rest will make sense. I am writing this as both and academic and a musician (albeit an old one).

wolf wrote: Fri Dec 22, 2023 2:41 pm How can I convince him to at least give music full time a shot

"do you want to be hiro yamamoto or jason everman?"
who?
"exactly!"

Randy is right 100%.

You don't want to go on tour with someone who isn't into it. I did this for a while with someone who was no longer interested in doing it--someone extremely talented and a massive part of the band at that time. It was super unpleasant and ended badly in the moment, though in the grand scheme of things, we still love each other and things are OK.

So try do some stuff when you can work it around school. See how it goes. You might not take to it either, who knows. It's very definitely not for everyone.

I have never had any commercial aspirations, so please take whatever I say with at least one grain of salt, if you have them and want to try to make a career out of things.

But I will say if you just want to be a band and really push things, do it now while you are young and have the chance.

I ditched college and spent almost eight years making records and touring everywhere as the main focus of my life, not making very much money at all, working when not on the road. I wouldn't trade it for anything--learned so much, cemented music in my life permanently. Finished college and integrated music and work into a pretty normal life eventually anyway--none of that stuff is going anywhere.