Quitting A Gigging Band?

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, spongebob said:

I'm doing another gig as a final one, the a friend of the BL's (whose depped for me before) will cover the remaining bookings. 

I think that's the end of the band, anyway. As I mentioned, I felt that it's been on the slide for a while....and my leaving has confirmed it, given that I won't be replaced, and the rest of the gigs will just get covered. 

This is a sad story but inevitable, all bands have to end at some point.

I think it stems from people's lives changing other priorities come into play. 

Band member who were once all on the same page switch pages.

I do think the main band killer overall is from lack of gigs or gigs slowly start to tapper off.

Blue

Edited February 17, 2018 by Bluewine

[Bluewine]

On 2/14/2018 at 10:47, tinyd said:

Sounds like you're bored of the material - might be worth speaking to the others (apart from drummer), suggesting a completely new set list and seeing who wants to join you.

Bored with material? In my world that's a minor issue or really no issue. 

I think what has saved me is the ability to give 100% to all material whether I like it or not or if I'm bored or not. There's always a way to make songs fun to play.

The only thing I get bored with is low gig count on the schedule.

Blue

Edited February 17, 2018 by Bluewine

[spongebob]

Our gigs has gone right down over the last couple of years. This year's was looking to be the worst yet. 

Material, venues, a whole load of things. I've felt more pressure recently at gigs to check my car wasn't being vandalised, which has happened before. The gig before last, the police were outside on 2 occasions before we even started. This ceases to become fun. 

[discreet]

37 minutes ago, spongebob said:

I've felt more pressure recently at gigs to check my car wasn't being vandalised, which has happened before. The gig before last, the police were outside on 2 occasions before we even started. This ceases to become fun. 

It comes to something when you're gigging in areas you normally wouldn't even walk through. Definitely not fun.

[Bluewine]

20 hours ago, discreet said:

It comes to something when you're gigging in areas you normally wouldn't even walk through. Definitely not fun.

We had a place that was in a questionable area. Sort of a dicey crowd too. Always dreaded playing there.I didn't feel safe.

They always gave us multiple bookings.

You guys should vknow I never frown at good paying gigs, however we no longer play this place and I'm fine with it.

Blue

Edited February 18, 2018 by Bluewine

[Count Bassy]

On 2/12/2018 at 18:57, spongebob said:

 

However, we then suffered a run of bad 'drummer luck' - went through a good few, our current one has been with us around 18 months.

 

Bizarre gardening accident? Spontaneous combustion?

[DaytonaRik]

I quit Think Lizzy who had around 30 gigs booked for 2018 for a few reasons

1. I'm not a Thin Lizzy fan!
2. Out of 80 gigs we played, only 2 were within 10 miles of where I lived, the rest were an average of bout 100 mile round trip - funny, but the b/l's average trip was about 10 miles each way...go figure!
3. Other hobbies/interests
4. I wanted to spend more weekend time with the significant other
5. I had formed another project which involved less gigs (10-12 a year MAX!) and contemporary material that I actual enjoy

The biggest bugbear was a combination of travelling 100 miles every other weekend to play music I wasn't really enjoying playing - I guess I could have put up with one or the other, but not both.  Once that resentment kicks in then you know the writing is on the wall.  I tried discussing the problem of travel with the b/l but the idea of gigs nearer to me always seemed to fall on deaf ears.  He was genuinely shocked when I called it quits.

Music is a part of my life (albeit a very important part), but not all of it.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited March 1, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[discreet]

21 minutes ago, Jus Lukin said:

Once the only reason to stay was the money, I had to go.

A brave decision given how hard it is to make any sort of living from music. Who would continue to do what they do if cash wasn't king? I'm sure most people remain where they are through inertia and/or fear of insecurity.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[Woodinblack]

2 hours ago, DaytonaRik said:

I quit Think Lizzy who had around 30 gigs booked for 2018 for a few reasons

1. I'm not a Thin Lizzy fan!

One could guess that the level of Thin Lizzy content didn't gradually sneak up on the group?

I mean my last group the number of Jam covers did creep up because the drummer liked the Jam, but it would have been less surprising if we had been a Jam tribute act!

 

[discreet]

2 hours ago, DaytonaRik said:

I quit Think Lizzy who had around 30 gigs booked for 2018 for a few reasons

1. I'm not a Thin Lizzy fan!

Yes, I too wondered about this...  I do sympathise with anyone who is not having fun in their current band, but I would ask the question... if you don't like Thin Lizzy, why did you join a Thin Lizzy tribute band..? Did not their name give it away somewhat..?  Mind you, regularly travelling 100 miles for a gig is a giant pain in the bum, I know that for sure. It grinds you down after a while, especially if it's no fun when you get there.

[DaytonaRik]

14 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

One could guess that the level of Thin Lizzy content didn't gradually sneak up on the group?

I mean my last group the number of Jam covers did creep up because the drummer liked the Jam, but it would have been less surprising if we had been a Jam tribute act!

 

 

8 minutes ago, discreet said:

Yes, I too wondered about this...  I do sympathise with anyone who is not having fun in their current band, but I would ask the question... if you don't like Thin Lizzy, why did you join a Thin Lizzy tribute band..? Did not their name give it away somewhat..?  Mind you, regularly travelling 100 miles for a gig is a giant pain in the bum, I know that for sure. It grinds you down after a while, especially if it's no fun when you get there.

No, I knew it was a Thin Lizzy tribute band.  My point is that there was insufficient interest in the material to offset the pain in the backside that the travelling became.  When in three years you get two gigs on your doorstep whilst the b/l is home and in bed whilst you've not unloaded the car yet grates after a while!   Had it been music I really enjoyed listening to and playing then the travel would have been an inconvenience, not just another reason to stop/look for something else

[discreet]

5 minutes ago, DaytonaRik said:

 

No, I knew it was a Thin Lizzy tribute band.  My point is that there was insufficient interest in the material to offset the pain in the backside that the travelling became.  When in three years you get two gigs on your doorstep whilst the b/l is home and in bed whilst you've not unloaded the car yet grates after a while!   Had it been music I really enjoyed listening to and playing then the travel would have been an inconvenience, not just another reason to stop/look for something else

I joined a pro function band for the money but in the end it wasn't enough. Miss the cash, but not the band!

[DaytonaRik]

4 minutes ago, discreet said:

I joined a pro function band for the money but in the end it wasn't enough. Miss the cash, but not the band!

I know what you mean - when you're fed up everything becomes an excuse to call it a day - little things grate like dumping gear in stupid places, commandeering too much stage real-estate, being inconsiderate, insistence on ear-shattering levels because that's 'my tone' instead of relying of FoH and monitoring...grrrrrr!

In the new project things couldn't be different, we're all respectful, keep levels down, put each other first - just how a band should be.

[discreet]

5 minutes ago, DaytonaRik said:

In the new project things couldn't be different, we're all respectful, keep levels down, put each other first - just how a band should be.

Makes all the difference. My new band has a quiet drummer AND guitarist (Yes I know). Most bands usually have one idiot who is way too loud, but this time I think it might be me... 

[NancyJohnson]

I'm a little late to this thread, but last November I quit a band I started about seven years ago now. 

We were gigging too much, rehearsing too much, travelling hundreds of miles playing to 10 unappreciative people, arguing, the singer was a control freak and asshat (I think Andy/Wolverine sussed him out reasonably quickly when he travelled with us to a gig in Kent).  The link to the thread is here if you're interested.  [HERE]

Notwithstanding the fact that we were a really decent band (sometimes great) band...on point, acerbic, clever at times...ultimately it came down to a few things; was it still fun (no), did you like the people you were playing with (honestly, no, not really), do you like what you're playing (at the end, not so much), does it affect your band/work/home lives (yes, totally), so I walked.  I enjoy reading the singers ridiculous posts on Facebook big-upping their recent activities and took an immense amount of pleasure at calling the replacements in my band 'The Imposters' and hearing that the singer, rattled, nearly popped a vein at one gig, barking out, 'We are not the imposters!' between songs.

Interestingly, don't be too qualmed about being a man of a certain age and not being able to get a band.  Three months on, while still harbouring a tang of bitterness, I have three new projects going on, but they're all sensibly planned and unpressurised.  I'm done with plans for musical world domination.  It's just not worth it.

 

 

[discreet]

28 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

I'm done with plans for world domination.  It's just not worth it.

If only Hitler had been as sensible.

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[skankdelvar]

28 minutes ago, discreet said:

If only Hitler had been as sensible.

The problem I had gigging with Hitler was he was always booking shows hundreds of miles from home, usually in the dead of winter. Getting back was often a nightmare; we'd be on the road, up to our nuts in snow and he'd just swan off on the train with his mates. 

It all started well enough; touring the continent, big crowds, good money. Then we took on too much work and the quality began to slide; eventually he'd call band meetings then just ramble on about 'the future' even though we weren't getting the gigs anymore. It all collapsed when he suddenly told us he didn't want to carry on and that he was more interested in marrying his girlfriend.

I'd do it all again, mind you.

Edited February 20, 2018 by skankdelvar

[discreet]

17 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

...he suddenly told us he didn't want to carry on and that he was more interested in marrying his girlfriend.

...people always mention Yoko in this context, but Eva was far worse!

[Jus Lukin]

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Edited February 25, 2022 by Jus Lukin

[discreet]

31 minutes ago, skankdelvar said:

The problem I had gigging with Hitler was he was always booking shows hundreds of miles from home, usually in the dead of winter.

Wait, that sounds very familiar - was it New Order..?

[skankdelvar]

16 minutes ago, discreet said:

Wait, that sounds very familiar - was it New Order..?

Strictly speaking, we were known as The Dictator's.

Edited February 20, 2018 by skankdelvar

[Woodinblack]

4 hours ago, discreet said:

I joined a pro function band for the money but in the end it wasn't enough. Miss the cash, but not the band!

 

I went for an audition for one last week. Money is great, the level of contacts the guy has got is impressive, I can do it, but they sent the full set list through and.. well.. I know in my current cover band I wouldn't listen to half the stuff, in this I probably wouldn't listen to any of it at all.