Bret Alexnder in a succinct piece for Indie on the Move:

Most, I’d dare say almost all, of my musician friends don’t play with one band anymore. They play with several. That includes me. Off of the top of my head here I just thought of 13 formats that I play in (various bands, duo formations, solo, etc). ’Tis the way of things now.

His experience mirrors mine almost exactly. Almost. I do manage to hold onto the good old days with the Bottom Dwellers and Pleasant Valley Boys. I’ve been with both groups for over ten years. In a good year, we might break even. We do it because…

[...] there is nothing like a group of guys¹ that live with each other every day and can read each others minds.

I sit in with my share of bands, but there is nothing like your home band, where you know (and like) the other players so well they are more of an extension of your chops than they are individuals. This is why we hang on.

1. And girls. I actually play music with some of those, too.  â†©