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So our band is wrapping up an EP and preparing to work harder to promote it. Problem is, our drummer has a kid on the way and isn"t very willing to play outside of the state, so we're beginning to look for a possible backup or replacement. Being in the Midwest, finding someone who's into shit besides teh metalz or Dave Matchews Barnd may be a problem.

So I was just wondering if anyone has any creative ideas for seeking out a new drummer.

Thanks in advance.

I can never find a drummer so I just end up doing it myself, lol.

Craigslist ads can be really hit or miss, but they might be worth a shot. It's not like it costs anything.

The latest drummer was found through mutual friends. We were supposed to do a project together already in 94' but the band died before me and all the other bands kept us busy doing all the different stuff. Funnily enough, his wife ended up first as my old bands keyboardist, then as the singer, without us knowing first of such connection through mutual friends. Funny thing, that. You know, of course, about the theory of the six handshakes?

The previous drummer I found from his side projects gig, which was pretty damn cool. So I Went to him after the show and told blatantly I want him to be in my bands drummer and I'm not taking no for an answer. He was my chosen drummer for two bands for some ten years.

The drummer before him was head hunted from a gig, too, though I didn't even get to hear him playing. I was just told that this young guy was making pretty fast progress with his drum studies and his own band was basically stuck with being a college boys band and sucking. We both saw the win-win situation, played together for some two years only, though.

Ha... I found my drummer through a consignment shop. Bought a cool little bass, started talking music with the guy at the register, turns out he was a guitarist with a drummer but he (the guitarist) was moving back to Texas, I asked him for the drummer's number, and the rest was history. Not the most easily reproduced technique though.

ALTHOUGH it does bring up the technique of looking in the non-obvious places: find the weird little consignment shops that sell used instruments along with furniture and old toys, and post flyers there. I find that you're more likely to hook up with interesting musicians that way than by frequenting Guitar Center. Also, if you live near any college towns, flyer along their main streets - there will be plenty of college kids into DMB and whatnot there, but there also might be some open-minded weirdos as well. That's how I found my previous band's drummer (sadly, he had to quit when he graduated and moved away, but we had him for two years before that).

bandmix.com lets you put in a zipcode and find everyone in your area, within 25, 50 miles, or more. I was on there for a month after waffling in Charlotte with no friends for a year. Now I've auditioned for one cool band as a guitarist (no dice), then found another guitarist/singer while I play bass and sing (working out quite well! AIC/King's X kinda thing) and now he and I have auditioned two and soon a third drummer. Here's my page as an example: http://www.bandmix.com/peter-kay/.

If you put up an add, don't be coy about your influences. If someone puts "Anything and Everything" I don't bother. I have found that "Anything and Everything" often refers to the wide open space "From Nickelback all the way to Godsmack." So you know, everything.

jrmy wrote:...it does bring up the technique of looking in the non-obvious places...

Word.
Plus...
I likes your band. Nice New Order tonez. And a little Enon. You know them?

Seedy wrote: "From Nickelback all the way to Godsmack." So you know, everything.

And thanks for the link!

julius_deane wrote:

jrmy wrote:...it does bring up the technique of looking in the non-obvious places...

Word.
Plus...
I likes your band. Nice New Order tonez. And a little Enon. You know them?

Hey, thanks! Yep, plenty o' New Order going on in our influences. I know Enon a little - I've got a few songs by them that I really dig. Are there any full albums that you'd recommend?

jrmy wrote:

julius_deane wrote:

jrmy wrote:...it does bring up the technique of looking in the non-obvious places...

Word.
Plus...
I likes your band. Nice New Order tonez. And a little Enon. You know them?

Hey, thanks! Yep, plenty o' New Order going on in our influences. I know Enon a little - I've got a few songs by them that I really dig. Are there any full albums that you'd recommend?

First two: Believo and High Society. Former Brainiac member, if you didn't know. ex-Blonde Redhead on second LP.

Cool! I did know about the Braniac connection, but not the Blonde Redhead crossover.

Good luck with the drummer! That kind of thing always happens at the worst possible time.

It always helps to know the bands in your scene and get to be friends with them. My newest band formed by absorbing 2 members from a different band that was folding. Plus there's always good players out there who are in the wrong band that are willing to jump ship, just gotta ask them.

Go to shows and steal 'em!

in2thegapagain85 wrote:It always helps to know the bands in your scene and get to be friends with them. My newest band formed by absorbing 2 members from a different band that was folding. Plus there's always good players out there who are in the wrong band that are willing to jump ship, just gotta ask them.

Go to shows and steal 'em!

Yeah, some bands have tried to poach our current one. That always kinda rubbed me the wrong way, but I understand it. Nobody's tried to poach me.

julius_deane wrote:

Seedy wrote: "From Nickelback all the way to Godsmack." So you know, everything.

And thanks for the link!

There is so much truth in that statement.

If you haven't found a band/artist you don't like, you don't listen to enough music. Or at least not a broad enough array of genres.

Someone may have already said this have you thought about putting up a paper ad in music stores, coffee shops, secondhand bookstores (at least the cool ones that will let you)? It's not as aggressive as actually talking to people, but it'll cover more area than you possibly can at one time.

Seedy wrote:that "Anything and Everything" often refers to the wide open space "From Nickelback all the way to Godsmack." So you know, everything.

I've heard this also in form All sorts of music, everything from Off Spring to Greenday as it was used in late 90's by an unsuspecting teenage girl in TV when asked what kind of music she listens to Really, that was a cracker back then.

Bought drums and did it myself, people come and fill in now and then when I just want to play my fucking guitar.