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Admit it. How often do you dream of being on stage in front of adoring fans playing music loved by millions?
Okay. Forget the fans and the millions - how often do you just dream of being on stage?
There are plenty of Notts musicians out there who have the best of several worlds. They are the Multi-Band Members.
| Dave Cheeseman - Multi Band man
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What's the most number of bands you've played in?
I currently play in 5…and that's about the most so far. Pillow Talk, Fat Digester, Sack Trick and Twin Zero (keyboards) and The Deltarays (drums). |
How difficult is it flitting from one band to another - do you ever get your set lists mixed up?
The most difficult thing is going to all the practices. I often learn a set from a tape and then just turn up for a quick rehearsal before a gig. I rarely get set lists mixed up but sometimes you find that you've completely forgotten a song that you've known for ages. I sometimes think information gets pushed out of your head as you learn new stuff!
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Can you make a decent living playing in different bands?
It depends. I used to play in a covers band who aimed at the wedding and corporate circuit. If you can get it right, this can bring in lots of money. But you have to be willing to play things like "Hi Ho Silver Lining" three nights a week, give up your social life and invest a bit of your own money on equipment, transport and publicity. Playing original music often only covers your expenses and buys a pint of beer….but then there is always the chance that you make it big…and then you 'll be on champagne and limos! |
How often do you find yourself playing a gig in one venue then dashing to another?
I've only done this a couple of times. I'm more often found playing in two different bands on the same night, in the same venue. For example, I played keyboards for Pillow Talk and Fat Digester last Saturday. |
Ever missed a gig because of this?
Nope….I'm far too organised for that! (haha). I reckon it's only a matter of time. |
What happens if two of your bands are booked in different venues on the same date at the same time. Where are your loyalties?
That's a tricky one. The main reason I do this is to have a good time so, given a choice, I often pick the gig that will be the most fun. However, if one gig will cost lots of money in travel then I quite often will knock that on the head and stick to a local gig. You do have certain loyalties to bands as well. In Pillow Talk, I do a lot of songwriting, so I'm generally quite keen to play with them when I can. |
Wouldn't you rather concentrate on making a success of one band?
In some ways, yes, but in order to do this, you need to do a lot of sitting around and waiting for other people to make decisions, learn songs, etc, etc. I'd rather be playing for other bands while they do that! You quite often find that you are in a band with a bunch of people who aren't as committed as you are, even though they are only in one band themselves. They have day jobs and families which are more important. So, I'd rather not put all my eggs in one basket when someone could turn around and say "I've got a promotion from shelf stacker to manager so I'm leaving the band". |
How many multi-band members do you reckon there are in Notts? Is it like being in your own special group?
Well…Fat Digester is rammed full of them. There are also a few guys from the more successful Nottingham bands who spread themselves around. Si Hutchby (former Earthtone9 drummer), plays for three bands that I know of (Twin Zero, Splint and Tarpot). Karl Middleton (former Earthtone9 singer) now sings with The Blueprint as well as Twin Zero. You tend to find that the talented musicians get asked to do lots of gigs…and that's why they're in so many bands. |
Given the multi-skilled aspect of these members, ever thought of pooling your resources and forming a super group?
This does happen (see Fat Digester again), but generally it only works when the original ideas are great. This is why you often find that the main member of a band has only one project….one which they put all of their creative talent into. The multi-band people are often there just to put the meat on the bones and play the live shows. It's just a direct reflection of what happens on the professional circuit. A lot of Sack Trick members are session musicians. Chris Dale (Sack Trick bass player), does Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden) live shows and Alex Dickson (Sack Trick guitarist) has played for Bruce Dickinson, Robbie Williams, Emma Bunton and, more recently, Ronan Keating! I think that myself and other multi-band musicians are just mirroring this on a local level... a bit like underground session musicians. |
Do you play in several bands? Tell us who they are and what your best / worse experience has been.
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