Tried to get into a band and was told your equipment didn't have the "look"?

[Denis]

A while back a buddy forwarded me a list he'd received when expressed interest in auditioning for a psychobilly band. That list explicitly outlined the equipment and guitars you could and could not have. He declined because it seemed like so much BS to him. I agreed but after thinking about it thought it made a little sense IF it's a tribute band and the equipment is part of the whole "as close to the real thing as you can get".

Ever happened to anyone here? Thoughts?

[gweimer]

Tribute bands are one thing.  Posers exist in all genres of music.  I saw one of those local sorts of rockabilly bands.  A guy I know was playing guitar for them shortly.  Although there was a promise of great money in Europe, where he was told "anything American" sells like crazy, it turned out to be a bust.  The leader of the band wasn't all that good to be calling the shots.  Bands that go to that level of control are either THAT good, or are really just prolonging their failure, and passing the blame on to "nobody gets it".

[eb2]

I only go along with that if the band is cross dressing.

[uwe]

We already have one Fräulein Rommel, Jim, please!

Frankly, I think it is a load of crap. If you are a musician you should be able to project your music on any working instrument and that means being able to play country on a Flying V and heavy metal on a Telecaster. If you have issues with either, take up tennis as a pasttime.

Unless you're 16 years old. Then (and only then) are you allowed to falsely believe that you need certain brand equipment to "make it".

[Dave W]

It is crap, but you can't always explain that to someone who has a certain vision of what his band ought to look like.

[gweimer]

I went to a jam a few years ago, and a young kid showed up with a Peavey Wolfgang and a 5150 half-stack.  Since it was a blues jam, all the geezers started smirking and grumbling in the corners.  The kid got up and did a dead-on Duane Allman slide guitar, with perfect dynamics and all the little subtleties that Allman always put into songs.  That pretty much shut everyone up, right quick.

[Highlander]

From an audition I went to...

... And I quote...

"You can play a darn-sight better than some of the pro's we've had down, including some guy that used to be in Jethro Tull, but you just ain't got the leather trousers..."

Pretty-boy rock band from '82 - a spin-off from a spin-off of a well known Brit act - they reformed recently and I can chuckle looking at them now...

[TBird1958]

I only go along with that if the band is cross dressing.

We already have one Fräulein Rommel, Jim, please!

Yes Herr Moderator, the world only needs one of me 

[Pilgrim]

There are always bands that are more hung up on image than getting the right musicians for what they want to do.

My band isn't a commercial endeavor, but we choose members for personality first...because we want to enjoy playing together.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

It's the same crap that is the rationale behind boy bands and other pre-fab "stars," only it's more pathetic because it's usually required by a bunch of semi to no-talent wannabe's.

[dadagoboi]

You think Ringo had to agree to get the haircut and dress like the rest of the Beatles when he joined?

[nofi]

yeah that happened to me. i went to an audition for a band that wanted to be the next ny dolls. i looked like i belonged in the allman bros. so that was that. they shoulda' told me.

[Pilgrim]

Maybe that's why my band is called Vintage Winds (for "Old Farts").  We sure do look the part.

[gweimer]

I used to think that it was only metal bands that did this kind of stuff.  The more I'm around, the more I see how even blues and country bands play the same game.

[Psycho Bass Guy]

Craigslist ads for "up and coming" country acts around here often specify an age limit (usually under 28), look ('pretty'), and gear.