My band is getting a dep for me!

koneguitarist

Well this is a first, we have used a few deps for bassist and drummer over the years, but I am not available for the first time.

I have to nip to Falkland Islands for 20min inspection, and will not get back till midday Saturday , unfortunately band has two gigs that weekend Friday and Saturday. Normally if I cannot make a gig we don't gig as I tend to take gigs anyway, plus band would never gig without me. 

Anyway, I have got a mate to cover for me, a pretty good guitarist( much better than me) 

He is quite a classy player with a bit of jazz thrown and someone I have admired for ages. 

Point is, if you could not make a gig, would you put in someone better to cover for you? 

EricTheWeary

We gig once or twice a month and sometimes joined by a sax player. A couple of the gigs I haven't been able to make so they've expanded the role of the sax player and our singist has increased his guitar input. I'm not sure we could dep the singer very easily but everyone else is basically deppable.

Deijavoo

"Nip to Falkland Islands"???

koneguitarist

Yeah, gotta inspect some gear, will take about 20mins, then rest of week to me, hopefully be able to do a radio show down there.

ThorpyFX

Do you work for BFBS?

koneguitarist

No, i work for a crane company, but funnily enough not on cranes! I cover inspections on Doors and aircraft staging amongst other things.

ThorpyFX

koneguitarist said:

No, i work for a crane company, but funnily enough not on cranes! I cover inspections on Doors and aircraft staging amongst other things.

ah, it's a long journey to the Falklands, but at least it's a bit warmer this time of year. Will you get a stopover in the ascension isles?

koneguitarist

Yep usual two hours at Ascension but 16 hour flight, just in time for the Christmas party!

BGG

We have had deps for our keys, bassist and drummer over the last year, I was never keen but the people being replaced for the night were fine with it.

Then last week we were offered a gig at The Jazz Cafe in Edinburgh, seems like a canny venue but it's first set at 12.45am :O so seems a bit of a trek for 2x 45 minutes sets starting at that time and just for a normal pub fee (£350). So I suggested a dep to cover me, first off the lads weren't happy ?? but now they are sorting one

RocknRollDave

I have been depped for a number of times and only once was I satisfied that the guy was, technically speaking, a LESS capable guitarist than me. Usually they are better! That said, "technically better guitarist" does not equal "better fit for our band". . My style seems to work well with what we do. As it happens, the band is disbanding at the end of tbe year, with me carrying it on with a new line-up, sothe deps certainly did me no harm in the long run!

thomasross20

What does "dep" actually mean?

vasselmeyer

Deputy

EricTheWeary

vasselmeyer;866819" said:

Deputy

You can always spit them in a band by the silver star on their chest. And that Bob Marley didn't shoot them.

randomhandclaps

I hope you have insisted that under no circumstances is your dep to smile whilst playing.  The last thing you need is turning up at your next gig for some bunch of old dears to start crowing on about "What happened to the cheery one, we loved him!" just in case it invokes some band coup.

rossyamaha

I do a lot of dep work but like you, for the first time, I'm needing to get some cover for me. I have a guy lined up who is an astonishing player. When the time comes, there is a little fear of not having a job with the band. :-/

firepaulmusic

koneguitarist said:

Well this is a first, we have used a few deps for bassist and drummer over the years, but I am not available for the first time.

I have to nip to Falkland Islands for 20min inspection, and will not get back till midday Saturday , unfortunately band has two gigs that weekend Friday and Saturday. Normally if I cannot make a gig we don't gig as I tend to take gigs anyway, plus band would never gig without me. 

Anyway, I have got a mate to cover for me, a pretty good guitarist( much better than me) 

He is quite a classy player with a bit of jazz thrown and someone I have admired for ages. 

Point is, if you could not make a gig, would you put in someone better to cover for you? 

It won't be the same if there's more than your one country lick. Your audience will be totally confused mate

viz

Exactly! Can he do major pentatonics, that's the thing.

koneguitarist

What's a major pentatonic? @viz @firepaulmusic Mick Howe is the dep for me, classy player! Lots more than country licks even dare I say it Jazzy licks!

viz

mike257

I always try and book someone better than me to dep for me! I want the band to sound great, do for someone to step in and nail it you want the best people you can get.

Danny1969

I have had some guys dep for me in one band as being in a lot of bands means sometimes I'm double booked and the lesser paid band loses out .... which is a bit naughty but I need the money.  I've never really worried about anyone being better ....... I mean it's all covers so whoever deps has to play what's there. They could stick a harmonic minor neo classical solo in Mr Brightside but it probably wouldn't fit or sound great