Turned away my first band today!

[Joshua Wickman]

Wooooo does it feel good to say no to a band finally. Sucks when you bite your tongue and say "oh id love to do your project" when your really know its a half ass band and its gonna be a headache.

I'm pretty good at feeling people out on the phone, and this band that was recommended from a previous band Ive done. Well the guy calls me yesterday, and just started asking some really weired questions, and I just got that gut feeling like wow, this project would suck to work with this guy. Then if the band is the same i would probably kill myself. Needless to say, I just told them I'm looking to work with more professional bands, and there is plenty of studios that will take you on.

Well just thought i would share my stupid story and my moment of joy....

 

[Metaltastic]

AWESOME dude, it seriously must rule to be able to be in a position to not have to endure every crappy band that dangles cash in front of you. What kinda questions was the guy asking that sketched you out, exactly?

 

[jesus69lol]

I had a moment like this recently. I was on the phone with a band I was considering doing an album with and we were talking guitar tones. I casually stated that while we can try a bunch of amps the one I will usually pick 9/10 is the mesa recto. This guy says "Yeah, the rectifier sound is good but I don't think its our sound." I said "Yo, do you even know what 'the rectifier sound' is?" After a sort of awkward pause I continued, "Man, eddie van halen has his own sound, dimebag had his own sound. You guys don't have your own sound, capisce?"

I fucking hate ignorant ass players with a falsely inflated sense of self worth.

 

[Meisterjäger]

I had a moment like this recently. I was on the phone with a band I was considering doing an album with and we were talking guitar tones. I casually stated that while we can try a bunch of amps the one I will usually pick 9/10 is the mesa recto. This guy says "Yeah, the rectifier sound is good but I don't think its our sound." I said "Yo, do you even know what 'the rectifier sound' is?" After a sort of awkward pause I continued, "Man, eddie van halen has his own sound, dimebag had his own sound. You guys don't have your own sound, capisce?"

I fucking hate ignorant ass players with a falsely inflated sense of self worth.

... Sounds a bit harsh? I don't think the Dual Rectifier is my sound either, to be honest...

Hope he didn't go and tell all his friends to avoid you cos you're a nutbar

 

[Glenn Fricker]

I don't know how smart it is to turn people away... I'll work with anyone... once.

 

[Metaltastic]

All my favorite recorded guitar tones have been with a Rectifier (usually exclusively, sometimes as the main amp with another blended in) - it absolutely 100% NEEDS a TS, but then for me it's the be all end all greatest amp I've ever heard/owned!

 

[AdamWathan]

All my favorite recorded guitar tones have been with a Rectifier (usually exclusively, sometimes as the main amp with another blended in) - it absolutely 100% NEEDS a TS, but then for me it's the be all end all greatest amp I've ever heard/owned!

Thanks for that Marcus... Now back to discussing turning away bands...

 

[beyond dead]

lol and +1 at marcus.

 

[ahjteam]

I don't know how smart it is to turn people away... I'll work with anyone... once.

+1

 

[Temps]

I had a moment like this recently. I was on the phone with a band I was considering doing an album with and we were talking guitar tones. I casually stated that while we can try a bunch of amps the one I will usually pick 9/10 is the mesa recto. This guy says "Yeah, the rectifier sound is good but I don't think its our sound." I said "Yo, do you even know what 'the rectifier sound' is?" After a sort of awkward pause I continued, "Man, eddie van halen has his own sound, dimebag had his own sound. You guys don't have your own sound, capisce?"

I fucking hate ignorant ass players with a falsely inflated sense of self worth.

That doesn't even make sense. You can't have your own sound until you've become massively popular? Didn't Van Halen and Pantera get to be big because they did have their own sound, and it ruled?

That band is probably going "I fucking hate ignorant engineers with a falsely inflated sense of self worth who will turn us down because we wanted to use a 5150, not a Recto."

 

[Metaltastic]

Thanks for that Marcus... Now back to discussing turning away bands...

Right right, sorry Carry on!

 

[deanbailey]

I've too turned a band away once when I was asked... "uhh...What's a click track?".

ps. Marshall JVM, blew my mind when I heard it (sounds better without a tube screamer).

 

[jesus69lol]

That doesn't even make sense. You can't have your own sound until you've become massively popular? Didn't Van Halen and Pantera get to be big because they did have their own sound, and it ruled?

That band is probably going "I fucking hate ignorant engineers with a falsely inflated sense of self worth who will turn us down because we wanted to use a 5150, not a Recto."

Man, you're a bit feisty aren't you?

Perhaps I miscommunicated my point. I was refering more to the establishment of unique musical identity. Like, maybe your take on tone isn't of utmost relevance on your first demo. I didn't really like his backseat driver attitude, so I passed. Just not something I can deal with for any period of time.

 

[crazykarl]

Man, you're a bit feisty aren't you?

Perhaps I miscommunicated my point. I was refering more to the establishment of unique musical identity. Like, maybe your take on tone isn't of utmost relevance on your first demo. I didn't really like his backseat driver attitude, so I passed. Just not something I can deal with for any period of time.

At the end of the day, if the band isn't happy or comfortable using the equipment you want to use, you're going to get a shitty performance. I'd rather have a good performance by the band rather than good source material any day (just take DI's so you can reamp it when no one's looking )

 

[jesus69lol]

At the end of the day, if the band isn't happy or comfortable using the equipment you want to use, you're going to get a shitty performance. I'd rather have a good performance by the band rather than good source material any day (just take DI's so you can reamp it when no one's looking )

Ya maybe so. Since he obviously doesn't know what a recto sounds like, how would he know the difference Eh, maybe I was harsh but I realllly dont get along with backseat drivers. Still felt good

 

[Metaltastic]

(just take DI's so you can reamp it when no one's looking )

BINGO!

 

[Ermz]

Congrats man, that's a great position to be in.

As with Oz, I don't see the absolute wisdom in turning someone down before you even meet them, but yes sometimes you just get a feeling about a band that it's best to go separate ways. You can usually tell how you interact with one another ahead of time, how difficult the sessions will be.

 

[Joshua Wickman]

I don't know how smart it is to turn people away... I'll work with anyone... once.

Yea it was a style that I have not worked with and I see nothing wrong with turning a band away honestly. Yea over the past few years I took everything that I could. Now I'm setting pretty good and have pretty steady work so why not only work with the bands and the style I want?

 

[Joshua Wickman]

AWESOME dude, it seriously must rule to be able to be in a position to not have to endure every crappy band that dangles cash in front of you. What kinda questions was the guy asking that sketched you out, exactly?

Hard to put into words here exactly how it went down. Just some really left field questions that had no relevance to what i was gonna do for them. Plus a bunch of ego boosting questions he wanted me answer which was weired as well. They just came off as very unprofessional and totally new to recording studio's. Plus as I mentioned above it was not a style that I have worked with much. In the end I just trusted my natural gut feeling.

 

[brianhood]

dude i'm just starting out but i've definitely passed on bands already. I dont really know what's worse though....I just ignore the bands that contact me if i dont want to record them....even though that seems douchey, it seems even more douchey to basically tell a band "i'm too good for you."...which is what you're implying when you turn a band down.

Basically i won't record a band that doesnt have their crap together....especially if the band has a crappy drummer. I charge per song, so i want the band to be able to lay their tracks down cleanly as fast as possible. And i dont want to have guess what the drummer was trying to play when i'm quantizing drums.

the only time i ended up booking a band i wasn't really sure about, they somehow spent 5 full days tracking 2 songs.....