An interesting opportunity, but at the same time depressing!

[Inazone]

A friend of mine plays drums in a band that recently signed on with a management agency and quickly booked shows in California and Mexico, plus at least one festival here in the US and another in Europe. They've done some very successful support gigs for bigger touring acts too. Basically, they're doing a lot of the stuff that I *wish* my band was doing.

Due to family obligations (terminally ill parent) their lead guitarist has left the band. The guitarists handled all the vocals, so with one guy gone, they are reduced to a three-piece and are much more limited in what songs they can do live. On Friday night, they approached me about taking over on lead guitar. I'm flattered that they would ask, would love the opportunity to travel without having to tour non-stop, and could probably pick up the material fairly quickly. I probably wouldn't be in a position to jump right in and do the California/Mexico dates due to Under Eden's recording schedule, and it's more of a traditional heavy metal style that I'm not all that interested in, but I would be able to play solos the way I want and not have to do vocals.

But of course there is a negative, and even though it seems stupid, I can't get past it. I can't get "fired up" about doing all this stuff with another band when my band (playing songs that I wrote) has an EP being mixed and hopefully will have a full-length out before the end of 2008. I feel like this is the kind of stuff that MY band should be doing, even though it's not realistic with the obligations of the other members due to jobs and college. I wouldn't mind doing a couple of one-off festival dates or something, but that isn't really helping out the other band. It's not so much a matter of turning them down as it is a bit of a wake-up call that my own band isn't providing me with those opportunities.

Short version: play music that I care about but might never get to play beyond the local/regional level VS. play someone else's songs (that I don't really care much about) in places that I'd otherwise never get to see.

And that is my bitch.

[levantin]

Dude, just go for it. Opportunities don't come easy. 99.9% of bands never even get signed, let alone tour or get to play high profile gigs. Get out there and have some fun. That's what I would do. In fact, if you don't want the gig, give it to me!

[Jason1212]

Brad Gillis left Night Ranger for a time to play with Ozzy. Their types of music are night and day from one another in my opinion. There are others that have been in the same situation. Take the opportunity, things happen for a reason. Once you are done if your band was meant to be at the level you are looking for it will happen.

[z1n]

Dude, just go for it. Opportunities don't come easy. 99.9% of bands never even get signed, let alone tour or get to play high profile gigs. Get out there and have some fun. That's what I would do. In fact, if you don't want the gig, give it to me!

+1

They need your help. Also, you may not like the music but its a job and will help you to be more dynamic (not that you need help). If you can, I'd say go for it too!

[Spivonious]

Here's another vote for "Do it."

You could play in your other band for 15 years and never get out of the local clubs, or tour with this band and perhaps get noticed by someone.

[guitarsjb]

Yeah go have some fun. Plus the different styles will bring different ideas to Under Eden also. You'll only learn from the experience.

[~K~]

You need to go for it .. stuff like this opens up bigger doors at times ...

[TexasRocks]

Do it. What have you got to lose?

[yard dawg]

Dude go for it. You can USE them and the tour to promote your band haha. The extra cash you earn will help pay to promote your band also. You can get new gear blah blah blah.. I would do it just for the exposure and money.

[dg]

Yep, think of it as a great chance to do some networking & learn stuff that you can put to use w/ Under Eden or any other future project.

[sonicsamurai]

dude, as they say, this is your once in a lifetime opportunity to get on the ladder, and hey, who knows which record people you might meet who may be interested in your bands cd? think of the possibilities. go on tour and take a load of ur cds, give them out to people or summin backstage or by the tourbus or in the signing area or whatever. you might just get the break u were looking for

[horns666]

Dude, I say go for it..in a selfish way to look at things is..You just may make a few new freinds in some good circles that could assist you in your own.

Me and Sonic seem to be on the same page in thinking on this.

[Bengal]

+1 to what everyone else has said. Go for it. More doors just might open that provide an even better situation...

[Rsmacker]

FFS, DON'T DO IT!!!!!!








Nah, not really, go for it, it might pay some bills, you get some more experience at their expense, and you never know who you may bump into.

[Ace]

It's up to you. My personal opinion is that you should fill your plate with as much music as possible. HAVING SAID THAT, I've been in the same position plenty of times, asked to join established bands, and almost every time I turned them down to pursue my own band. And where is my band now? Well, that one is gone anyways(DUDE), and I have a new band I am starting over with. Do I regret turning down offers. No. Do I wonder what it would have been like had I joined another band? Sometimes.