Band Dilemma

[Haydenr25]

First off, I'm not sure if this is the write area, but it doesn't belong in gear and not in the marketplace. If it doesn't belong here, can a mod please move it? Thanks.

WARNING: This is a very long post.
Two years ago when I just started to play guitar I was interested in forming a band. I put the word around school and found myself a decent bassist (call him adam) and my cousin (call him steve and who also had recently started playing guitar). We were going for steve on rhythm guitar/vocals, me on lead guitar/backing, adam on bass/backing vocals. All we needed now was a drummer. Found out a lad in my year had been taking drum lessons so I asked him if he'd like to join and he agreed. So we had our lineup.

Every year, my school gets all the people interested in playing together and makes bands and puts on a gig at a local pub. We played that, then adam left due to moving house. No hard feelings, but that now left us without a bassist. As I owned a bass already, I started to take it seriously and took up bass in the band. Now as a three piece, we did a few gigs and the school show again this year which was last month (which went down pretty well). Now here's the catch...

I'm a half decent drummer, a music teacher at school is a wicked bass player, my drummer wanted to sing a cover of ''green day - basketcase''. We got my music teacher to fill in on bass and got an awesome reaction from the crowd. Since then, my drummer has been fixated on getting a new bass player, me drumming and him taking over lead vocals. Me and steve aren't very happy, as i'm much more comfortable on bass and he wants to carry on with the vocals (plus the chances of us finding a bass player aren't very high). People have even told me i'm a better drummer than him (not trying to sound bigheaded, just a matter of fact).

I've even left my kit at his house for him to practice and get better (as he doesn't own a kit and his only time to practice was at drum lessons and playing as a band once a week). My drumkit was sitting in different corners of his garage when I was at his place yesterday, gathering dust.

Also, we have a collection of material wrote that we're planning of recording in the next few months. Me and steve have been having talks of me recording the drum/bass tracks, and him doing guitar/vocal. Overall, this will make our recorded songs sound much better. It's been dawning on us for a while now, as me and steve have progressed with singing/guitar/bass and my drummer has been given my kit to use and isn't even taking the opportunity.

What would you do in my position? Drop him, possibly find a new drummer and (if not possible) record our material with just me and steve? Or convince him to up his game? I know that this won't happen overnight, but I think it's fair that if he isn't willing to put the effort in then me and steve should be liable to drop him and take my drumkit back. He isn't exactly a great drummer anyway, and we're having to scrap covers or rewrite our material to a suitable level for him. What would you guys do in my position?

TL;DR Been together for two years as a three piece, drummer won't up his game for recording of our first original tracks, given him my drumkit to practice with and hasn't even touched it. I could probably record drum/bass tracks and steve record guitar/vocal for our release. Having to scrap lots of cover ideas/rewrite songs suitable to his level. Not expecting him to be John Bonham overnight but he's had everything handed to him and isn't seizing the opportunity. Do we drop him or ask him to up his game?

[mike257]

I think he's had a lot of chances already, but if you're young guys still at school you haven't got tons of pressure on you to get it completely sussed out right now.

Is they guy a good friend? If he is, then give him a chance but be frank and honest with him - let him know that you guys don't want him as a frontman and are happy on your own instruments, and make it clear that he needs to improve. If you haven't told him outright, he may not realise what you guys are thinking. Put the recording on hold for a little bit and see if he shows any improvement in his attitude and take it from there.

Of course, if he's not a mate and he's just a guy who turns up to play drums, tell him to take a hike and get on with getting things done properly!

[Haydenr25]

He is a good mate to both of us, but we don't want to be held back musically. If he's willing to take things more seriously then as we're writing more music he can catch up and get his drumming up to scratch. But yes, he has had enough chances, we've even rewrote and rearranged things just so he can drum for it, or even scrapped songs that are do-able on guitar, bass and singable for us but he can't keep up with the drumming.

[Gust0o]

I'm the end, heart and head will find the right path for you - you just get the odd dilemma along the way.

Part of the excitement, for me anyway, in being in a band was the ability to learn with and from others. I upped my game as my bandmates did, and it became a virtuous circle.

I'd be inclined to give him one more go, to see if you can help him learn. Maybe you could help by setting some real goals, like learning a particular song or getting a particular gig, and keeping the guys focused on getting to that goal.

If that doesn't work, after all your efforts... Well, it's made the decision for you, I would suggest.

Shame he's disrespecting your kit loan - maybe just have a word directly about it, or take the kit back?

[bassmachine2112]

hiho,this is part of growing up as a musician.
Every one has gone through this
It,s a dilema.
Get your recording done it doesn,t matter who plays what-a lot of bands do this .The Beatles were quite famous for doing this.
Drummer can learn tracks after or get a replacement.the other thing is you can rejig who does what for the best sound.
best of luck

[Haydenr25]

Thanks for the replies guys, going on holiday later today, so i'll speak to Steve when i'm back. I want to tell him politely to pull his act together and get ready for recording, he isn't willing to put the time and effort in when two of us are I think we're inclined to take my drums back and drop him.

[Conan]

[quote name='bassmachine2112' timestamp='1344675142' post='1767782']
Get your recording done it doesn,t matter who plays what-a lot of bands do this.
Drummer can learn tracks after or get a replacement.the other thing is you can rejig who does what for the best sound.
[/quote]

Good plan. Sounds like you and "Steve" have got most of the vocals and instrumentation covered between you! Once you have recorded your material the way you want it, you can set clear goals and targets to your current drummer to get up to speed. If he can't or won't, then you can audition replacements much more easily by giving them copies of your recordings to learn and play - same with other bassists/guitarists/vocalists or whomsoever you decide you want to include at a later date.

You seem to have a very mature outlook and attitude, so I am sure you will make the right decisions and do well. But good luck anyway!

[JimBobTTD]

[quote name='Haydenr25' timestamp='1344677295' post='1767815']
Thanks for the replies guys, going on holiday later today, so i'll speak to Steve when i'm back. I want to tell him politely to pull his act together and get ready for recording, he isn't willing to put the time and effort in when two of us are I think we're inclined to take my drums back and drop him.
[/quote]

Tell him now so he can practise when you are away.