The Life of a Session Musician - By Claire Robinson

Most bands at some time or another need a session musician for a range of reasons, it could be a member of the band is sick and can’t perform, that they need a fuller sound in the studio, or that they want a bigger instrumental section on tour. Whatever the reason when they call in a session musician they want someone who can hit the ground running and do a good job at the same time. Session Musicians in effect are the contract staff of the music world. We decided to find out what makes a session musician tick so I’ve had a chat with Andy Till a local session musician.

Andy: I started out as the bassist in a soul & Motown / party band called PP & The Floorshakers touring professionally around the U.K. After three or so years I made te move to do more freelance work, doing live sessions with various professional touring bands. I made quite a few contacts meeting other musicians/bands and I've been contacted when they need a session bass player and approached for a lot of the work live touring, studio and writing work.
Before becoming professional I was semi-pro doing pubs and clubs, I knew I wanted to become a session player and freelance playing with various different bands and playing lot's of different styles of music when I was starting out as a bass player.

Claire: Would you say it is lucrative work?

Andy: Yes, it is lucrative work, depending on who you play with, at what level and if you’re a session musician who writes and gets royalties. I make enough at the level I session at within the professional bands, tribute bands, function and working bands.
Sometimes it varies from session to session and what bands can afford to pay. I'm happy making enough and feel very fortunate and lucky to make music my full time living. Although I'm always working on getting the more lucrative work all the time, that kind of work is normally with the big name players.

Claire: You must have made some famous contacts, can you tell us about one or two of them?

Andy: I've made contacts and worked with great musicians who have session-ed with some great names from popular music John Lennon, Brian Ferry, The Nolan's, Freddie and the dreamers, The Love Affaire, Jimmy James and others.

Claire: Do you find yourself working with the same musicians time and again?

Andy: I do work with a lot of the same musicians, I have also made some great friends along the way! There is a pool of session musicians I tend to work with a lot, although there are a lot of different musicians turning up and playing all the time. It changes though, I can work with the same musicians a lot and others I’ll work with on a one off session then not work with them again.

Claire: How about funny/memorable moments? Any you would like to share?

Andy: The most funny and memorable... doing session work in a live backing band doing a UK tour in an old Ford transit van one winter. It was freezing sleeping in this transit van going around the country with a backing band. I find it funny as people think being a musician and working in show business is glamorous, if only they experienced those four weeks in a transit! I will always find that a memorable time!
Another funny moment walking on stage and falling in the pit, it hurt, but was a funny one for the other musicians!
Looking back there is always something to make you smile in this job.

Claire: There must be bad things about it though?

Andy: Breaking down on the motorway at six in the morning on the way to a session/gig, although I got to the gig on time in the end!
The worst things are mainly things like late nights followed by early mornings and when things go wrong on the road!

Claire: One for the budding session players out there…what sort of person suits your line of work?

Andy: A people person is good at this type of work who gets on well with everyone as you meet a lot of different people, someone who turns up on time, plays well and plays what is asked; basically an all round great player. If it's doing live session work and touring someone who can travel long hours, handle late nights and early mornings. Someone with a good professional attitude and manner and doesn't mind staying away from home from time to time.

So there we have it, a bit of insight into the world of being a session musician! Thanks to Andy for taking time out to speak with me. If you want to know more about the life of a session player Andy’s website is a good place to start www.andytill.com.