20 Things You Are Never Told About Being In A Band

Embassy PicturesBeing in a band is fun. What a lot of people don't realise however, is that its also a lot of hard work. Whether you're Bon Jovi or playing three local gigs a month, you'll be putting in a lot of time and effort into your music, and that effort isn't always something you'll get paid back for in return. In theory, the internet makes it easier than ever to get exposure for your band, but with every other moron with a guitar doing the same thing its often tough to get noticed. Once you do though and you've written a few mind blowingly okay songs, you're ready to start gigging and you'll think you're good to go, but in reality you are most likely still woefully unprepared. Why? Because being in a band is a very different reality to what you imagine it to be. No matter how good your songs are, there is a lot more to being in a band than just the music. Luckily, thanks to the internet and the myriad of bitter and jaded writer-rockers who contribute, together they can offer you a cynical and insightful look into what being in a band is actually like. So it's time to put down the guitar, stop making that sweet looking gig flyer on Photoshop, and time to prepare yourself for the truth about your hard rocking future.

20. It€™s The Most Expensive Hobby You€™ll Ever Have

theorderofthedragon.comForming a band with your friends and creating music that you love sounds like a dream come true right? Well it may well be, but what no one tells you is that the reality of rocking out is really expensive. Weekly band practices? Check. Inevitable equipment costs? Yep. Travelling to play a gig in the middle of nowhere? You bet your tattooed backside. While there are a lot of great things about being in a band, the damage it'll do to your wallet definitely isn't one of them.

19. You€™ll Play A Lot Of Crappy Venues

giphy.comAt some point you'll be playing packed out shows with adoring fans singing back every word. Or at least that's what you tell yourself when you find yourself in the middle of the bill in some decrepit hell hole. Every band has to pay their dues and no one expects to start off at Wembley Stadium, but for every awesome venue you discover from your time in a band, you'll find yourself playing in several that are beyond your worst nightmares. Just try not to use the toilet and picture those platinum record discs as you power through your unappreciated set.

18. And Most Of Those Venues Will Be Empty

Universal PicturesSometimes playing a questionable venue can be fun, and you can even be taken aback by a decent turnout or some cool bands on the bill that turn the evening into a pleasant surprise. Most of the time however, the inexplicably music hating barman and three pensioners nursing their pints in the corner will be your only audience. When you're still relatively unknown this is going to be a pretty regular part of your musical career, so you better start knocking back those Jägerbombs and taking it like a man.