Janis
Chicago, IL
Female, 0
I’m a bass player in an independent Chicago-based band called Family Groove Company. We’ve released 4 full-length albums and have played over 800 shows in 34 states, all with no record label or big-name booking agency. My favorite part about being a musician are the connections I make, whether it be in writing sessions with my longtime bandmates, improvisational performances with musicians I’ve never played with before, or interactions with fans at live shows.
Fortunately for me, I have a very good memory and pretty start focus while performing. That's not to say I don't ever slip up, though! If I do start to blank, my best resort is to just NOT think about it, and let my muscle memory take over. Usually my fingers know what to do.
The band has never been completely "full-time," so over the years, we've all kept busy with projects outside the band. I actually prefer the variety of it!
I don’t typically get recognized out in the “real world,” like at the grocery store or a bank or whatever, but if I attend a concert or music festival around town, it’s not uncommon to get flagged down and asked for a photo or autograph. It’s pretty cool!
My band is sort of lame in the sense that we don’t do too much partying while we’re out on the road. It’s a lot of hard work to drive several hours, set up, play a show, tear down, then repeat, so usually we’ll opt for a good night’s sleep rather than trash a hotel room or drunkenly throw a TV out the window. Probably one of our most intense moments on the road was during a February 2004 tour through the Northeastern US, where our van and trailer did a 180 on the interstate in some freezing rain and ended up stuck in the snow in the grassy median (luckily, no people or gear were injured!).
Radio program/music director
HR Executive
Claims Adjuster
We do a variety of styles of covers, as you know, so I wouldn't rule out a tune like Ace of Spades, even though it's a "slight" departure from normal FGC material. However, in the rare cases that I take lead vocals on a song, the song usually has some meaning to me, otherwise I don't feel as confident about pulling it off. I will start listening to the song on repeat and see what I can do! :)
That's a good question! I'd like to think that we can keep going for another 25 years. My bandmates are some of my best friends in the world, I love the music, and I adore the fans. Let's keep it going!
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