Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

..."If I got hit by a bus tomorrow, would I want this to be the last band I was in?"

ROTFLMAO!

Funny thing is I finally talked to the singer today...he's got a small web business selling dart supplies and asked me to help with the web site (I'm not a web programmer, but I have far more ability to do some of this...)

Not ONE word about the band. I think he knows he screwed it up. But the plan is to just play it out...Joe and I are meeting with a potential new drummer tonight. Eventually the two idiots will find out that we are working on another project. It has been mentioned before that we might.

Or...maybe they remain clueless (pretty possible, I've played a few rehearsals with my fretless and they have not noticed) and when they say "I'm done" Joe and I will say "OK, no problem". Or...after this new project gets going well they pull some more BS and the two of us say "See ya!"

Funny thing is we have a couple of gigs at the end of the month and early November, and no word about the next rehearsal. These two wads *think* they are good enough to wing it; they are not. Supposedly we are getting $1500 for the second gig...

You'd think they would be a little more interested in earning it?

As usual, you guys help me to feel better about this circus.

One thought that came to my mind the last couple of days...any band that last more than a year or so is in constant danger of falling apart. Anyone in such a circumstance that expects the band to always stay together is setting themselves up for a really hard fall.

Should I mention Big Al's Band Rule #2? It's about having chicks as singers...

Alan...don't know if you think the singer is a chick...he is not a chick.

Although I wholeheartedly agree with you Rule #2.

Actually the idea of never playing with a person that's "just a singer" seems to be pretty sound logic also.

We had our first real gig on 1st October & I wanted to do a dry run - the landlord at my local pub gave us the nod,so we did a one hour set. Its only a small pub & around seventy people turned up (the pub is full with thirty people in!!). It went better than I expected, but we had to learn the lessons of the night, so I asked the other two to turn up for rehearsal on the Tuesday and the Thursday prior to the big night (over a hundred-fifty people were due to turn up). Singer said it wasn't needed & he thought we'd be fine - well me & the guitarist did the two rehearsals on our own & we WERE fine, but the singer screwed it on two songs, forgetting the words.
Just goes to show ....

I have found out the hard way that if it isn't fun, don't do it. Music should be something you look forward to, not something that you dread. I would personally tell the singer and the drummer to go pound sand and concentrate on your new project. I mean, do you REALLY want to be in a band with a so-called "musician" who blows off the band for a Bucs game? Or a singer who brings others into the fold without consulting the rest of the band? If it were me, I would say "see-ya!" to those two clowns.

I have similar issues. I play in two bands. Both bands do originals and this is not our day job since we are university students.

One band is very talented, original and creative… however the drummer (who is amazing) has the band as low priority, and one guitarist never practices at home, forgets his parts and gets moody a lot. Some jams will be a waste of time… but when we are on, we are REALLY on and nothing compares. Of note... this band has a singer-only and he is a great guy with a great voice. I see this band as being similar to putting up with a moody annoying girlfriend for amazing sex.

The other band all tries really hard and is a great group of guys, but I am just not into some of the songs they have written... mostly predictable 4 chord pop rock (they went for a while with no bass player) with forgettable vocals and guitars. The drummer is insane though... which is fun for me (and why I decided to play with them), but it doesn't really jive with the style. I see them as a really nice honest girlfriend, but a rather plain and prudish.

If only I could only mix the talent and creativity of one band with the ethic of the other…

Anytime you get 2 or more people together it becomes a weird thing. The band I'm in started out as just something to do on the weekends - meaning just some guys playing together. Early on we made a conscious choice if we were just going to continue with this hobby or if we were really going to go out and solicit business. Unfortunatly, one member left becuase he just wanted to do it for fun and didn't feel or didn't want to contribute the time needed. It's a shame too becuase he's a heck of a rhythm guitar player and one good singer. He even had the stage presense once he was up on stage.

Seems like then you would have the perfect girlfriend.

"Anytime you get 2 or more people together it becomes a weird thing."

Agreed... different dynamics yield different results. In my case one band has lots of tension, but produces some great stuff. The other gets along really well and works hard... but is rather boring.

Agreed ken... hahaha.

This has me wondering if any bands experience easier times if there is a clear leader of the group? Or is there just more opportunities to butt heads?

I know in my band, everyone defers to me. I've stepped up and taken control over certain things, and if I say it sucks, it doesn't fly. BUT....I want everyone to be happy, so we vote on everything. It definitely helps to have a "leader", but make sure everyone is following.

I am the closest thing to a leader in one of my bands (the moody but creative one) simply because I tend to be more level headed and organized. As a result I get stuck with most bookings. There is a fine line between "leader" and "band *****" eh steve... lol

I am quite happy to just show up for rehersals/gigs in the other band.

As long as a "leader" doesn't turn into a "dictator", I'm okay. I put up with enough bosses at the job to get bossed around in my hobby.

Our guitar player does the booking work and oversees the website but I'd have to say that we don't really have a "leader". We all make decisions on song choices and anybody can "veto" a gig/practice if they want to. We are just beginning to work on originals and it is going great. Each of us have presented ideas and we seem to have a good mix of being supportive but not to the point of not speaking our mind if something isn't right.

We have been together for 14-ish years and have had our share of ups/downs but have worked through it with only one position change (@%^%@^$&^ drummers). I did quit twice though .

It's very easy going so it can be done!

BTW....our singer just sings and that is fine with the rest of us.....