Your reasons for quitting bands

[Rich]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1467759537' post='3086078']
Unfortunately your probably only going to find that sort of management in a professional band.

Blue
[/quote]Hogwash. A band doesn't have to actually be professional to have a 'professional' attitude, approach and organisation.

[ivansc]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1465466501' post='3068440']
This is the primary reason that cover bands' setlists are so bland and why we all complain everyone is playing the same tunes.

Finding a group of musicians who can pick good tunes that the audience like is very very hard.

I'm not afraid to try anything but I usually say if a tune hasn't gone down well after three outings it's time to bin it.

I guess the big problem is band members who refuse to even try suggestions. It's only a bunch of notes and a few words. Learn them, play them a few times - keep/bin as required. It's not rocket science, people are too narrow minded.

.
[/quote]

Pay a DJ to sort out a good floor filling set for you. They usually seem to manage alright.

[zbd1960]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1467832915' post='3086640']
Hogwash. A band doesn't have to actually be professional to have a 'professional' attitude, approach and organisation.
[/quote] Agree amateur = does something for the love of it. If you want to be taken seriously, you need a professional approach

[BrunoBass]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1467886230' post='3086958']


Pay a DJ to sort out a good floor filling set for you. They usually seem to manage alright.
[/quote]

Indeed. I went to a summer ball last week. The DJ came on - started with Get Lucky, into Blurred Lines, into Prince's Kiss. Floor filled instantly. I wish we could do that!

[joey1234]

Got bored of joining bands and quitting coz of arseholes, going solo is the way for me so much freedom, I have no one to bounce ideas off but that isn't always a bad thing

[blue]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1467832915' post='3086640']
Hogwash. A band doesn't have to actually be professional to have a 'professional' attitude, approach and organisation.
[/quote]

We should all have a professional attitude. I pride myself on having a pro attitude but my band is far from what I would consider professional.

Blue

[progben]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1467832915' post='3086640']
Hogwash. A band doesn't have to actually be professional to have a 'professional' attitude, approach and organisation.
[/quote]

Agree with Rich here. Last August myself and two close friends started a band with the overall goal of playing hardcore punk and seeing where that path took us. Within a week we'd found a drummer and have practised at least once a week, every week since. We like to keep as much as we can in-house, so all four of us took on responsibilities for the running of the band (ie. booking shows, making posters, writing the songs, Twitter etc) and have tried to get good at what we weren't previously good at so we don't have to get too many outside people involved. As a result, we've managed to record three EPs and make enough off of merchandise/small door fees to fund our more expensive ventures. I've also potentially got us onto a start-up record label in NYC to handle distribution in the US, which is very cool indeed!

I guess the TLDR version of the above boils down to: if you go into it with ambition, passion, some talent and most of all, a plan which everyone buys into, you can run things professionally enough. Just look at Portugal last night in the Euros. They lost their star guy, but everyone had a job and ran with it. I think that's the key to running a band, also. Some exceptions though of course!

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1461959599' post='3039224']
my reasons are generally

1) the band is going nowhere
2) the project holds no enjoyment for me anymore
[/quote]

I have just quit a functions band for reason 2 above (and possibly a bit of reason 1). Seemed like a good thing at the start, but looking back on 6 gigs I realised I had only enjoyed 2 of them! Such a low enjoyment level does not justify the time commitment of weekly rehearsals.

I was hoping things would get better, but it became apparent there were other issues that would never be fixed - one of the band members is clearly a passenger, and one of the two people running the band has such poor technique that he is messing up his whole section.

I asked another member how he was enjoying the band, and found that he felt much the same, i.e. neither of us would have been in the least bothered if the project had simply folded. I am not one to bale out at the first sign of any problem, but the flipside is that sometimes I let things go too long when really I should walk. Not this time. I gave the band-leader maximum flexibility and have stepped aside now that he has found a replacement. No tears though, and I have agreed to dep if I am available.

[Kevin Dean]

I organise every thing , supply transport ,PA, book gigs & the they couldn't be bothered to work the songs out properly , The guitarist announcing "I'm not playing those guitar parts because they are too simple & boring " lol .......In fact I'm thinking about retiring from gigging all together .

[Kevin Dean]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1467982258' post='3087792']
We should all have a professional attitude. I pride myself on having a pro attitude but my band is far from what I would consider professional.

Blue
[/quote]
I don't care if The band is getting paid £1 , you're providing a professional service & should be treated as such , besides you never know who is watching .

Edited April 30, 2017 by Kevin Dean

[kevvo66]

Does wanting to bludgeon the guitarist/singer to death count, what a complete dick he was and still is. My reason for leaving and didn't fancy going to jail for murder really, who'd looked after my dog, think I'm done with bands and gigging unless something really special comes along. Food for thought

[ezbass]

[quote name='kevvo66' timestamp='1493539359' post='3288946']
Does wanting to bludgeon the guitarist/singer to death count,
[/quote]Yes it does . Same here, although two different blokes in two different bands (one singer, one guitarist).

[markstuk]

Most recently control freak guitard/singer and a drummer who on the night played most the songs 20% fast (recorded gig so easy to run through a DAW to confirm.. ) His attitude was "so what"? More interestingly I offered to cover the gigs up until July, they declined. Last night was the next gig and they appear to have cancelled..

[kevin_lindsay]

I did a gig last weekend with a newly formed outfit. Girl singer - absolute dynamite, young guitarist who was good, myself, and completing the lineup..... the worst drummer I've ever had the misfortune to play with!!

Spreading up, slowing down, and drum fills that sounded someone throwing a drum kit down a stairwell. His timing was so bad that I couldn't even play straight 8th note grooves as the foundation was constantly shifting. Bloody awful!

Strangely enough, the band did get a couple of other bookings from audience members (which was definitely due to the singer Judith being fantastic), and I had quite a few complementary comments regarding my own playing.

However, the drummer was so awful that I had to excuse myself from committing to any other gigs. The singer says she'd love to perform in another band setting with me, so I guess I'll have to hunt down some of my drummer associates who actually know how to count to 4!!

Edited April 30, 2017 by kevin_lindsay

[gjones]

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1493544368' post='3288983']
I did a gig last weekend with a newly formed outfit. Girl singer - absolute dynamite, young guitarist who was good, myself, and completing the lineup..... the worst drummer I've ever had the misfortune to play with!!

Spreading up, slowing down, and drum fills that sounded someone throwing a drum kit down a stairwell. His timing was so bad that I couldn't even play straight 8th note grooves as the foundation was constantly shifting. Bloody awful!

Strangely enough, the band did get a couple of other bookings from audience members (which was definitely due to the singer Judith being fantastic), and I had quite a few complementary comments regarding my own playing.

However, the drummer was so awful that I had to excuse myself from committing to any other gigs. The singer says she'd love to perform in another band setting with me, so I guess I'll have to hunt down some of my drummer associates who actually know how to count to 4!!
[/quote]

I was asked to join a band a couple of years ago by a guitarist I knew. I turned up to a couple of rehearsals and although the singer and guitarist were good the drummer was beyond awful. I'm no prima donna but, having put up with some shocking drummers in my time, I wasn't prepared to do it any longer.

I told the guitarist I'd only join if they bumped the drummer (he didn't even own a drum kit). At the next rehearsal there was another (much better) drummer sitting on the drum stool.

Maybe you just need to speak to the other two members and tell them that the drummer is rotten and you aren't prepared to join while he's in the band. If you have another, better guy that you can recommend, they may be prepared to bump their drummer for yours.



Edit: and 2 years later we're still together

Edited April 30, 2017 by gjones

[kevin_lindsay]

The problem I had was that the dreadful drummer was the guy whose idea it was to form the band (apparently I was recommended by a guitarist guy I had helped out on a dep gig a while back).

I'm currently talking to drummer friends to see if we can set something up with Judith as she's one of the best singers I've played with.

[AndyTravis]

Some noteable reasons from my mixed bag of bands

1) hated the singer
2) had two bands on the go, one was much busier (was singer in this band and played guitar, hated it at the time)
3) tired of not being at home
4) singer was a drunk/drug abuser
5) two singers both did my nut in, took a better paying gig
6) singer wasn't my cup of tea, personality clash, hated the set

[skidder652003]

[quote name='AndyTravis' timestamp='1493546234' post='3288999']
Some noteable reasons from my mixed bag of bands

1) hated the singer
2) had two bands on the go, one was much busier (was singer in this band and played guitar, hated it at the time)
3) tired of not being at home
4) singer was a drunk/drug abuser
5) two singers both did my nut in, took a better paying gig
6) singer wasn't my cup of tea, personality clash, hated the set
[/quote]
you got vocalitis?!!!!

[FinnDave]

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1493544309' post='3288981']
Most recently control freak guitard/singer and a drummer who on the night played most the songs 20% fast (recorded gig so easy to run through a DAW to confirm.. ) His attitude was "so what"? More interestingly I offered to cover the gigs up until July, they declined. Last night was the next gig and they appear to have cancelled..
[/quote]

Not out Bicester way, were they? I played for a band out that way who would match what you said (though never gigged with them, so can't be sure about the drummer) but I told them I'd leave after the booked gigs and they dumped me immediately. They were only a 'something to do on quiet nights' band for me anyway, been with my main guys for 4 years now.

[markstuk]

[quote name='FinnDave' timestamp='1493550150' post='3289022']
Not out Bicester way, were they? I played for a band out that way who would match what you said (though never gigged with them, so can't be sure about the drummer) but I told them I'd leave after the booked gigs and they dumped me immediately. They were only a 'something to do on quiet nights' band for me anyway, been with my main guys for 4 years now.
[/quote]

Nope Banbury/Brackley based, but I had had the same conversation with the drummer a number of times... If I had wanted to join a thrash band .......... Main guitarist was a great player,well prepared and a really nice guy - the other guitarist/singer had no stage presence and appeared to want to tune his guitar between every song... And wanted to be in charge without doing any of the work :-)

[FinnDave]

[quote name='markstuk' timestamp='1493566107' post='3289130']
Nope Banbury/Brackley based, but I had had the same conversation with the drummer a number of times... If I had wanted to join a thrash band .......... Main guitarist was a great player,well prepared and a really nice guy - the other guitarist/singer had no stage presence and appeared to want to tune his guitar between every song... And wanted to be in charge without doing any of the work :-)
[/quote]

Definitely not the same crowd, then. There are so many about!

[TimR]

[quote name='kevin_lindsay' timestamp='1493545603' post='3288991']
The problem I had was that the dreadful drummer was the guy whose idea it was to form the band (apparently I was recommended by a guitarist guy I had helped out on a dep gig a while back).

...
[/quote]

Always question why a drummer wants to start a band. Good drummers are even rarer than good bass players. I'm always deeply suspicious of any drummer or bass player who is bandless but wants to play.

[Guest gazzatriumph]

I've been in three bands over the last six years and there always seems to be one person that pee's me off , I try and do get on with most people but in the end I take so much and leave. I've not been in a band now for six months and to be honest I've not missed it, I thought I would, I just seemed to have lost any drive or enthusiasm to be in another band. Has anyone else gone through this and did the urge to join a band again come back. I'm seriously considering selling my gear but just holding back just in case. I'm 54 by the way.

[Wolverinebass]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1493582433' post='3289269']


Always question why a drummer wants to start a band. Good drummers are even rarer than good bass players. I'm always deeply suspicious of any drummer or bass player who is bandless but wants to play.
[/quote]

Maybe they've got young children. Maybe they want to perform their own material and have just started looking for people. Maybe they aren't interested in covers. Maybe they like specific types of music that are difficult to play and so the chances of finding people who are willing and able to commit is limited. Maybe their job has had awful hours until now.

Just saying that there are always reasons that aren't just that the person in question is awful.

On the other hand, my reply comes from someone who hasn't played a gig in 2 years. Be suspicious! Ha!

[Dave_the_bass]

Normally I don't quit, I stay until the band stagnates and we agree that it's time to pull the plug.

Most recently, I quit!
Myself and the singer formed the band from the remnants of our old band (I'll point out now that I always felt that he struggled to sing the musical style of our old venture).
We got a few song ideas drafted between us, found a drummer, carried on writing, eventually found the right guitarist.
Got the songs written and, after a couple of open mic night type warm ups, hit the road as opening act for a reasonable name.

First night was a train wreck from my perspective, soundcheck with earplugs in then can't find them for the gig meaning that my monitoring was shot to sh1t, but me and the guitarist got a stellar piece in the review. Someone filmed our set, the singer was awful!
Second show. I played, in my opinion, much better as I didn't lose my earplugs. People who were at this show too said they thought I was good at the previous one but had taken it to the next level! 😃 Anyway, I overheard a few people discussing my band and there was a common theme "the band are awesome but the singer is dogpoop"
At the next gig I paid a little more attention to the singer. Yep, he was bad. His stage presence was non-existent and he thought every song was in the key of Yale. I also noticed that, for the first few songs, the crowd were really getting in to it until the singer opened his mouth.
Couple all of this with the things I'd recently found out about his personal life, in particular they way he had been treating his partner (who is a friend of mine and my partners), he's lucky that:
A. I finished the tour before I quit
B. I didn't knock him out