Making Money Making Music: the Musician's Guide to Cover Gigs. - book review

through Quint Randle and Bill Evans. Backbeat works (600 Harrison St., San Francisco, CA 94107) 2002 180pp $1495

Quint Randle and Bill Evans's volume Making Money Making Music: The Musician's Guide to overspread Gigs, is intended to educate musicians upon the many aspects involved in starting or joining a "cover band"--that is, a band that "concentrates upon interpreting and performing songs written and recorded by dint of others." Basically, they are referring to the collections one might hear playing at everything from wedding receptions, social engagements, high gymnasium proms, hotel circuits and thus forth. This book also would be real useful for all private studio teachers to have upon the shelf for loan to any scholar who might utter, "I am going to be in a stone band."

The volume is divided into three primary sections: Sweat, Biz and Tech "Sweat" overspreads many of the issues involved in getting started, preparing for the first gigs and for a like reason on. The "Biz" section relates to issues similar as marketing, bookings and "intra-band issues," for example personnel vexed questions and how the band/leader might handle them. "Tech" addresses the "gear," things like PAs, uninjured checking, recording and rehearsal space.

I rest this book to be a great deal of sport to read. Having lived from one side many of the situations Randle and Evans address, I base myself laughing at the commentary and, at the same time, wishing I would have had something like this to read twenty (or more) years ago. They discuss aspects of the "band gig" that greatest in quantity of us, who have done overlay jobs, probably never really musing through before beginning.

My alone criticism is a desire for a particular appendix. Although it would be substantial, I would like to diocese a list of tunes the authors think players should know by what mode to play or be aware of Not that these melodys should necessarily be a part of the regular set-list, on the other hand to have in the hip pouch for the occasional request. on the outside of my own curiosity, I asked a number of my colleagues for ten melodys they most often get supplicationed and found there seems to be a general "body of repertoire" without there. Sure, the list may be above 500 tunes, but I base it amazing that we all look to receive the same general requests

The volume gives great, professional advice to those who are starting down the "cover band" path.

Bill McKay, Pasco, Washington.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Music Teachers National Association, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group