discreet

It's true, though. Ideally everyone should be competent at the very least. If the drummer is not, then essentially you have no band - and it will forever be a thorn in your side until you do something about it. Nothing worse than laboriously trying to push and pull a crap drummer timing-wise, IME. A real chore and takes all the joy out of something which should be a great pleasure.

Lozz - I think your situation is a little different as you're not a pub covers band playing to random punters, you're an original balls-out punk band with an audience who have come to see you specifically. I'd be very surprised and maybe even a little disappointed not to have my eardrums rattled somewhat...

This... I'm in an originals band and it's also worth leaving out fills (or other overly-complex stuff) and keep it very simple wherever there is singing, as that's the focus of the song. Sounds obvious, but makes a big difference.

I'm beginning to think that yer average bog-standard drummer is little better than a charlatan! He is inevitably the weakest link! And the guitarist. And singer.

I can only agree. Overloud bands do themselves no favours. Venues are beginning to understand that a duo or a trio are more affordable and are generally quieter. Punters prefer this as they avoid being deafened and can hold a conversation without shouting at each other. If I'm in a bar or club and a band is silly loud I'll go somewhere else irrespective of how good the band is. Mind you, good bands tend not to be deafening. Excessive volume is tiring for all concerned and as said, is the enemy of subtlety, dynamics and any kind of decent show.

I'm finally in a band with a great drummer AND a guitarist who can play quietly and I'm very grateful for that. Those who say they have to play loudly 'to get my sound' are talking crap, basically. Even rock bands can sound 'heavy' without being really loud. My view is that some people like to be loud to direct attention away from their playing, paradoxically.

Hunh? So they're after a professional starving homeless person??

When you listen to properly-recorded guitars in isolation it's a real ear-opener. Even well-known rock hits that apparently have a very chunky, distorted guitar sound are actually EQ'd quite thin, thus leaving the bass frequencies free and clear for the kick and bass guitar. If you can persuade your diva of a guitarist to do the same live, it really cleans up your sound a treat. Now you only have to get the idiot to turn down a bit (i.e. a lot) and you're sorted...

Why does God take the drummers who can actually play and leave behind the millions of chancers who can't keep time?? I reckon he's a bass player and wants the good drummers for his own band...

Er... yes - but not the P Bass. Wanting the P Bass to be a British creation is wishful thinking. The fact remains that it is not. The USA, the UK and Germany were once the workshops of the world, but - for reasons I don't want to go into here - that is no longer the case.

...it stinks.

Have you come over from GuitarChat to insult us, or what..?

Nope. There's something very British about a Shergold Marathon, though.

If you really want the position, learn all the songs. Not only that, I'd completely nail them, too. One band I very much wanted to join asked me to learn three songs... I found a recent gig of theirs on YouTube and learned pretty much their entire set. This blew the competition completely out of the water. Like I say, it depends on how much you want the position...

Good work. But now you must be sure not to exceed your allotted time slot...

Being one who tells it like it is, it took quite a few years and several bands to learn a bit of diplomacy. There's a very fine line between constructive criticism and negativity.

Tell a lie, I had an early 80s G&L SB2 in black and maple. Another fantastic bass I let slip through my fingers.

Ahh... I didn't know that, I've never owned a black bass.

I never use 'em and would rather do without, but my OCD won't allow the screw holes...

Oh dear...