eph221
I think it's ridiculously hard to find compatible musicians, at least for me it is.  Just stay in the zone and be professional.  If you ever get to Portland look me up!.

Hard huh?  That tells me that you must be older than 40 or live in a non-Hipster/Redneck/Homeless person area (like Beaverton, for example). 
 
There was one Classic Rock band that I really liked up here, Zuzo Blue, but they stopped gigging (at least for now?) back in 2014.  Turns out I used to live a block away from the guitarist's brother (a drummer who sat in for their normal drummer) and they put on a free show for the whole neighborhood.  This would have been about ten years ago now.  I used to love to go see live bar bands when I lived in So. California, but they were the last I saw up here.  Most of the time you get about six bands trying to play originals all in one night (a soundcheck nightmare to be sure!).  When I had to sell all the gear in my studio I did get to meet some that sounded promising like King Hen (they gave me a copy of their first CD).

Imagine...
 

Karyn
No politics.
No religion.
 

 

bitflipper
Last night I went and jammed with a local band.
 
I broke the ice by asking if there were any Trump supporters in the band, because if there was it'd be unlikely we'd have any common ground

 
I would clarify that...  Uhhh I meant to say TRUMPet supporters.... I'm not a big fan of TRUMPet music....
 

 
...unless that TRUMPet is played by a pro.....

Yeah...I'd go back and jam again and keep politicks out of it.... be there for the music.  If they start talking politicks, bite your tongue and walk away.

Especially if the band is good and they pay well.   The Music & fun of the live gigs might be worth it.  I don't think any of the bands I was in ever discussed politicks.....

Karyn
Just a quiet reminder... 
Dave,  you should join the band,  and next time you mention Trump just point out that he's not a politician...
...

 
Is it time to redo the Bonzo film series?
 
Honestly, though, Bit ... there are times when a counter idea is actually a good thing and yields a lot of productive work and results. However, if this was nothing but a cover band, and tomorrow ... ohhh let's do "Eye of the Tiger' ... kind of thing ... then I might reconsider, and not say anything ... there's nothing worse than being 2nd to "nothing" ... and then think that you are a great musician, simply because you can play 10 or 15 songs a night! Maybe even 20. But, you're not helping your own improvement and desire to become your own musician, I would think, and this part ... only YOU can make sense of.
 
I probably would not last 10 minutes doing stuff that bores the living whit out of me! And folks like this band, are taking advantage of your musical ability and talent.
 

Yeh, that's a concern. I also have a day job that's getting more intense because my business partner is retiring, leaving me as sole Chief Cook and Bottle Washer. Playing in a band would almost certainly cut my recording activities to nothing. Not to mention my time-consuming YouTube habit, which has already suffered. I haven't seen a cat playing a banjo in over a week!
 

It sound's like from the response to your question that politics is not a problem. However, egos and crappy attitudes (from others) may be. Give it a try. Wear a Cruz shirt to the first practice and you'll find out if they are tolerant people you want to spend a lot of time with.
 
J
 

BobF
Our lives are the sum of our experiences.  What do you have to lose by adding another?  

Ah (another one!), but you are forgetting about "negative" experiences! 

Sorry for posting a song here, but Craig mentioned Trump's theme song.  I wrote this for Santorum.  To us gays, Santorum has special meaning.  My parents are well connected republicans so it could actually happen if I pursued it.  :D
 
https://soundcloud.com/da...se-76324214/santorum-1

craigb

BobF
Our lives are the sum of our experiences.  What do you have to lose by adding another?  

Ah (another one!), but you are forgetting about "negative" experiences! 

Without negative experiences, how do we truly appreciate the positive ones?

bitflipper
Now I'm thinking about Bob's observation regarding life experiences and wondering if I'm ready to accept a life in which there are no new ones left.

That should NEVER be the case!!  What are you thinking man?

bitflipper
But introduce me to somebody with a sense of humor and I'll get along with them just fine, regardless of their persuasions.

Well, sure, no mystery there.  People with a sense of humor tend to vote the way the smart people do.  People without a sense of humor vote with the stupid people.  Duh!  

So join. If you don't like it, leave. I managed to get along with some seriously abrasive personalities in bands, but one time it became too much. I left.

I've decided to go for it. I need a reason to get out of the house. First rehearsal is Sunday. 
 
(By Monday I'll know just how badly I really wanted to get out of the house. I've got a gig tonight and Saturday, then this rehearsal on Sunday. My back hurts just thinking about it.)

I wouldn't put too much significance on your initial experience with the singer. She might have felt tetchy for any number of personal reasons (including biological) and that icy stare may well have been totally out of character for her. I'll never forget my first couple of weeks at a new school when me and this other kid REALLY rubbed each other up the wrong way. I remember staring at the back of his neck in class thinking "God I hate you so much." A couple of weeks later we were best of friends. As for political differences, it wouldn't even bother me if she was a Trump supporter or anyone else I didn't like. I have a good friend who's a Marxist and I'm like almost the exact opposite of everything he believes in and yet we get on great because we know when to avoid the subject of politics.

My only worry about joining a band now - and it's been almost 15 years - is perhaps damaging my ears. I hate to say it but I'd be pricing out those fancy fitted earplugs.