What is expected in band auditions

[JackANSI]

Rob, Jas and Tommy, I'd never known, heard of, seen, etc.

And we know how that turned out for ya...

To witchhunt's point,
There is a difference here that can't be ignored about prior experience with a person. If you're already known or friends with some people and you pick from that pool, then that is a different kind of 'audition' than auditioning someone you've never met nor heard of before. You don't need nearly the same effort with prior knowledge of a person.

The "overboard" answers to the OP are more from a 'cold' audition point of view. The kind you'll run into when you move to a new area, go for a professional position, or just get going. Once you're established in an area, things get a bit easier each outing. Just a few friends getting together for a local project, no big deal, those come and go so fast and so often, you'd spend more time auditioning than playing. But for a longer term project, if you don't do your homework on someone you'll pay in the long run.

[bassist_25]

No see im jamming with them.

...and seeing if they fit in with what you have in mind. Again, you can call it whatever you want, but what you're doing is "auditioning" that person, albeit in a less formal manner than what your schema of an audition may be.

Im not looking for resumes, a list of references, or a credit score the way some of you are responding with it.

You're missing the point in the name of responding with hyperbole. Nobody said to gather around a board room with a bunch of SPHRs and I/O psychologists or ask somebody to pee in a cup. We're saying that figuring out whether a person fits musically is the easy part. I can tell you whether I like or dislike a drummer's pocket within two measures of the first song. We're saying that it's best to spend some serious time chewing the fat with someone, whether you're the auditioner or auditionee, to see if things are going to fit as far goals, philsosophies, and maturity.

And references are good. If someone I know and respect tells me that Player X is a huge coke head, I'm probably going to heed that warning. Likewise, if that person says that Player Y is a kick ass singer or guitar player, my interest is going to be piqued.

Two questions that can be answered in a hour jam session and talking around the garage with a beer.

In my experience the first question can be answered in an hour; the second question most definitely can't be answered by general shooting the shit. I've been in projects where we've hired a cat without really figuring out if that person was a good fit, only to have problems arise or have them jump ship quickly after. Those things may have been avoided if we spent some serious time finding out about those people.

Again, it's fine if someone else has a different philosophy about this, but don't discount another view because it doesn't line up with that of your own. If you do, then a music thread is no better than an RP political thread.