All these options! But so many questions

There certainly isn't a dearth of musical opportunity for me. If my luck holds out, I'll soon be playing in three bands:

1. World Peace Party - my over-rehearsed classic rock covers band that hasn't gigged since 2005 but is now trying to make that happen again
2. Indiana - my developing (drummer-less) band that just this month decided it wants to change direction and play originals and will start rehearsing regularly again in February
3. the Usual Suspects - a covers band, for which I auditioned on Sunday and believe I passed, although a member complains they aren't getting paid gigs because of the material

I just don't see what's wrong with playing covers that a band can't get gigs. Whether it's "Gimme Some Lovin'" from 1967, "867-5309/Jenny" from 1982, or "Dammit (Just Growing Up)" from 1997, isn't this what people want to hear? From my experience playing in bands, it's really tough getting people to pay attention to originals!

I honestly don't think I'm overextending myself by proposing I could be playing in three bands. For one thing, World Peace Party doesn't need me to rehearse the same material anymore. I don't want to rehearse with them anymore until there's progress on getting a gig. It's a waste of my time, and obviously I'll have less available if I'm playing with these two other bands. I'll gladly show up for a gig and maybe put in some time just ahead of it to make sure our sound is tight. But until then, they'll just have to get used to the idea of playing without me -- or, if they would prefer, they can replace me with somebody else who will want to sit around and rehearse with them for three hours every weekend for the next three years.

By joining the Usual Suspects, I could just be setting myself up for another band that gigs infrequently. If the fact is that it's tough to get gigs for a covers band, then it would also be a waste of time.

If that happens, then I'm left with only Indiana, a band whose reputed original material so far is all stuff that has been created in the absence of half the band. I haven't ever heard any of it before. On top of that, the last time the four of us all played together, or even saw each other, was in November. Oh, and don't forget that we don't have a drummer yet!

Things were a whole lot simpler when I could just show up onstage with Alowishious Farhatt, to a gig they'd had booked for months, and jam with them -- having never rehearsed -- and spend 20 seconds figuring out what song to play next and then launch right into it. Those days are gone!

Oh well. I have a gig this Thursday night in Manassas where I'll be doing that -- with myself.