Does anyone want a steel player?

[David Hartley]

If so, I could do with some gigs..

[JanO]

I second that. But to answer your question: Yes I think some people want a steel player, but (s)he has to be willing to also do guitars, backing vocals, banjo, mandolin, dobro, and set the coffee at apropriate times.

[David Hartley]

That's a shame, I don't make coffee.

[SHAKEY]

I reckon if you advertised on the British Country music website Dave you'd get loads of gigs, that is of course if you'r prepared to work for next to sod all and of course pay your own petrol.

[Jimmy Gibson]

Yes Dave you hit the nail on the head and it don`t matter how good you are if you want to gig for near sod all pay your own expenses there is work to be had I have been offered gigs miles away from home for between £50/ £75 and would have to pay for my own fuel .So that`s why All my gigs are local ...

Jimmy/

[slimbo]

That is the question, "Does anyone want a steel player"?
Any gig=£100 per muso and no one will even consider a 5 piece+ fuel so that stop's the travelling as most of us arn't as hungry as we used to be, and the club's arn't there anymore, so we have to adapt to work,i.e. local gig's old folks homes, and some folk will say, No Way, but it's home early, and most of the older folk like country as they used to go to the clubs anyway.
It just means not being to clever, and playing a program they will remember, in other word's, old country, and it's suprising the inversions you can come up on the older stuff, I never hardly play the same lick on the program we do, and it makes it interesting.
And who want's to go 300 miles to do a gig, but thats me, old has something to do with it.

[SHAKEY]

"Does anyone want a steel player"?

Well Slim the answer is yes. there are lots of bands duos trios etc. that want a steel player, in fact would love a steel player but again it comes down to the same old problem, NO MONEY. Just recently, surprisingly, I have had a few offers but every time it's fell through because "we can't afford that," and I wasn't even asking for a hundred quid, no where near. I would love nothing more than to go out again with a band but I would expect to go home with a few quid after buying a beer or two. No names mentioned but I had a quite well known singer ring me the other night to do a gig with him tonight (Saturday) and said he couldn't pay me but he would buy me a couple of beers and knowing I don't drive, could I get a taxi to the gig (which was 28 miles from my house) and he would go halves for the taxi. Cheek or what??
Bugger it I'll stick to Youtube. I don't make any money from it but at least I don't lose.

[Ted Nesbitt]

David. move to Ireland, and you will earn £1500 a week...

[David Hartley]

I simply can't believe that Ted.

[davegallagher]

How far are you prepared to travel David ? I'm 5% of your talent but am working a lot. 3 nights next weekend. Dorset, Oxford, Southampton. Normally £80 a night and I love it, but from leaving home to getting back it probably works out at £5 per hour after motoring expenses. I'd be better off pushing trolleys at Tesco.

BUT...If you love playing live gigs then money doesn't matter really. It's the joy of playing country music.

If you want to travel then you can have my job. But you can't pick and choose gigs. It's all or nothing. I'm looking for a change but don't want to let my band down, so if there's a handover you have to be able to take on the commitment.

What do you reckon?

Dave