Hello people. I'm new to this forum and pretty new to forums in general as you could tell from my previous posts.

So this is the lounge and pretty much a general discussion right? So I would like to hear what everyone is doing with their lives.

I am at a crossroads. I have played music professionally all of my life and would like to continue doing just that. I had a day job back in my twenties for Bank of America before everything was so computerized. Wow was that different from today. People actually came into the branch and I actually had to balance statements with real math.

My dilemma is that I work for cruise ships right now and do not want to go back to hustling gigs back home. But, don't know how long I can continue to do ships. Ships are a blessing and curse all rolled into one. I was thinking about auditioning for Cirque du Soleil but that would be the same thing every night which I cannot handle for too long. That is the beauty of freelancing back home. Different gigs and also the beauty of ships. Different types of work and styles every night. I get bored really easily.

Let me hear what you know. I have also thought about touring Broadway shows. Broadway roadshows, but I have no idea how to get a hold of who books and auditions.

One of the drags about ships is that you lose all your connections terra firma. You meet a lot of players from all over the world, which I have, so anyway, let me hear from you.

What do you know? Hope I made some sense here.

Sounds like an interesting life. I'm 68 yrs. old and have spent most of it on solid ground, looking at pretty much the same things day after day, and thats OK. I've been Playing Guitar and writing all my life, as a hobby. Outside of some gigging as a kid, have never done anything professionally. I earned a living working 38 years for a large Company, and have been retired for several years. Now I spend about 8hrs a day working on my music and writing. It's a good life. Welcome to the FORUM its a good place to spend some time . Lots of knowledgeable people and as many laughs to.
----Danny,

Hello boblogan and welcome to the forum. After reading your post, I have a question for you. Is it the travel part of the B'way road shows and Cirque that appeal to you?
Once you take out the travel component you're back to playing the same score nightly. I would think a place like Branson or Nashville, maybe Memphis would offer a chance at getting your land legs back as well as a network to tap into.

Good luck,
John.E

I can tell you one thing for sure.
Don't try and open a small business in the state of California.I was a painting contractor for years and painted custom homes and actually did quite well when the economy was cranking.But now....between Workers Comp Ins.,Liability Ins.,EDD and dirtbag employees and other contractors who cheat you will never make it.I played by all the rules and was getting beat outta bids by every damn cheater in town.Things got slow and one by one I had to let my employees go and I had to get my $@! out in the field.I quickly found out that I was just too old to carry these big ladders and heavy equipment around the houses and now I'm screwed.I really hate contractors or people who claim to be contractors but are just fly by night acts that cheat an don't pay taxes and Insurance and beat up the good guys that pay like they are supposed to.
I now have to figure out how to pay my bills doing something else.I may just start painting guitars since I have sprayed enough nitro and poly to kill everyone on this forum.Thank god for respirators and fresh air systems but it sure took its toll on me anyhow.I don't know ......maybe I should open a marijuana dispensary and play guitar all day while I sell medicine to those that need it
Oh wait....I forgot there is a dispensary every 2 blocks here in a 30 mile radius...Crap
I gotta figure something out and it sucks having to change careers at 45 years of age. I hope you can find something you love to do Bob...
Best of luck bro

Eric

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1986 Fender Sidekick Reverb 35
1990 Fender Red Knob - "The Twin"
1992 Fender Newporter - Acoustic
2000 Fender American Series Strat - Natural ash
2010 Fender Mustang 1
2011 Fender Blacktop Jazzmaster -Sunburst
2012 Fender Champion

When we went on a cruise of the Eastern Carribean last year we built up a great friendship with one of the solo acts on the ship.He was only in about his late 20s but he loved the cruise ship life.I can see though where it could become a bit monotonous like playing the same room with the same patrons for weeks on end even if there is a passenger change every week or so.
I am really itching to get back playing just as soon as my hands get back to playing condition.Gigging is something that gets a hold of you just as strong as a narcotic but you like to be able to change venues yet still be assured of a steady income.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

Hey guys, and to John.E yes the same monotonous thing every night would eventually drive me crazy. So I assure you it is not the travel component. Although I wouldn't trade what I've seen or where I've been. But let me tell you, I AM DYING FOR A GOOD GROOVE! Sorry for yelling, but that is the way I feel. But you have to make a living and pay the bills also.

Unfortunately the best playing situations I have been in didn't pay $%&# and were not attended by many people. And believe me I don't need a lot of people watching to get enjoyment. And I don't need to take solos either. Just give me a good groove with a solid drummer and a solid bass player and a piano player that doesn't play everything available to him just because he can, and I am in seventh heaven.

A couple of months ago I played with a pretty good drummer on this particular ship and we used to sit in his cabin afterwards just listening to Prince and a ton of gospel stuff that he had. And I'm sure you guys have heard some of that serious gospel. Wow! Those guys can not only play but they can write and arrange also. I found myself saying to this drummer friend that I would PAY to play with one of those cool gospel bands. Screw making money. I would find another way to make money.

The second money enters into a playing situation, the creativity and art goes way down. I kind of think it is that way with every aspect of business.

Okay so I need to end on a positive note. At least I am getting paid to hold this damned guitar everyday and to see some cool places.

And guitslinger, yes those guys who do the solo acts on ships actually make more money than the showband musicians do. Go figure. We have to do way more than they do and have to be way more qualified than they do yet they make pretty good scratch.

And to scarleg, the closest thing I ever came to having my own business was owning a recording studio for about six months in california of all places where we eventually lost the lease and now I have a storage unit full of equipment that I am dying to get to use some day in the future. But I'm really too stupid to really own my own business and yes in this economy it is just crazy. What do we do?

Don't want to be a drag but I have recently found out that in europe some countries have government sponsored musical gigs. May not be the greatest but you can get paid by the government to pursue your love. A Romanian piano players father has worked in their opera in Romania all of his life. But like I said before, I need to take stock in the fact that I have work on the horizon and I'll be able to get back to the Mediterranean.

Cool talking with yous guys.