rushscored4 Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 ...about your band. Apologies if this has been covered in other topics but I searched and couldn't find anything. I'll start things off with a few... Our male singer never turns up for rehearsals (it's his band and he books most of the gigs...) The band spend hours practicing a new song at the rehearsal the singer never turned up for to play at a gig the following weekend then the singer decides he doesn't want to sing it because he hasn't rehearsed it... During every gig our drummer always asks "what's the next song?" despite everybody having a printed set list (which is more or less the same every time) and he's supposed to start most of the songs... Our lead guitarist always plays a bit of the next song before we start it - he says it's so he can remember the key - which means every gig is like "name that tune"... Our female singer sits drinking a bottle of white wine playing sudoku before each gig whilst we're setting all the gear up... She sometimes drinks too much white wine and forgets where she is in songs and sings the chorus during verses and vice versa (not helped by being as blind as a bat but refusing to wear her glasses so she can't read her songbook...) Our rhythm guitarist has the most expensive gear in the world (Taylor acoustic, AER amp, PRS custom electric) but still needs to read the chords off his iPad despite playing 75% of the same songs from when he started the band nine years ago... The bass player (me) strolls in 5 minutes before soundcheck and tries to sneak away as soon as the gig finishes to avoid helping with the PA and lights...! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzzy Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I've suffered 2,3,4,5 & 6 in the last two bands I've been in. Number 4 is the most annoying, there was one number that had a bass intro and he still did it every time until I lost it and screamed " I know how the f***ing intro goes, so stop f***ing doing it" in the middle of a gig. A bit unprofessional of me, but he never did it again. Singers using ipads drives me mad....."learn the words this isnt karaoke" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upside downer Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 At the moment, the singer and the drummer. Weirdly, our guitarist is no problem 😐 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 4 hours ago, rushscored4 said: Our lead guitarist always plays a bit of the next song before we start it - he says it's so he can remember the key - which means every gig is like "name that tune"... Had the same discussion ourselves recently!!! If you can't remember stuff like the key then you write it on your setlist with a marker. It comes across to me really amatuer, ruins the flow of the gig and must also spoil it for the audience too! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uk_lefty Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 In a former band the biggest annoyance was the guitarist insisting on also being the singer. He was an unbelievable guitarist, but he knew it, and didn't know that he was a terrible singer. The music overrode the poor quality vocal but that band would have been immense with a proper singer. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 There’s a bit of a ‘it’ll be ok’ attitude at times. I don’t want it to be ok. I want it to be the best it can be. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I've had all of those and a lot more over the years. The flawed personality type who is drawn to play in a band seems to have existed forever. Mozart probably had guys like this in his orchestra. If you can't change them or fire them learn how to deal with them. I'll endure almost anything if the gig is good. I've played with the mildly eccentric to the outright criminally insane, but I've met more good guys and they make up for it all. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 The most annoying thing in my band quit just before a USA tour two years ago. It's been great since then. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushscored4 Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 3 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: If you’re keeping your head in that environment, you’re doing a hell of a lot better than I would. The only time we’ve ever rehearsed without our singer is when the guitars get together to work out how songs fit together before we have a proper rehearsal. 3 & 4 are inexcusable. We do have iPads on stage, but that’s because we’re using the Presonus App allowing adjustments to our in-ear mixes. I very rarely have to do nothing to mine, but it’s nice to have there just in case. To be fair we're at Vauxhall Conference level compared to you guys! We play local pubs mainly for fun as gig fees for a band are usually £250 up here. As there's six of us we get £40 each with a tenner in the band kitty so it's a paid hobby for most of us. However we're all decent musicians and our singer is a great frontman so we enjoy ourselves which communicates to the audience meaning we always get people up singing and dancing! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 (edited) I'm not currently gigging and haven't done so for some time because you can guarantee that 1-7 will be at the rehearsal plus uk_lefty's great guitard who's a s..t singer and the inevitable rubbish drummer. Edited April 7, 2018 by spectoremg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 My number one annoyance is guitarist and drummer not being able to keep quiet at rehearsals. If we're working out new stuff, how the hell do I communicate with anyone if you pair of feckwits insist on playing random riffs and fills. The only other thing is placing the singers microphone dead centre on the stage area. Sounds wierd but there's three of us across the front all playing guitars, I have to stand to the singers left at the guitarists request as, for some reason, he can't cope if he's that side. If the singers mic is dead centre on a small stage that means his headstock is over in my area so I'll just stand behind the PA speaker then shall I. If we all take a step to our right then we'll all fit, but they just don't get it. Then they comment that in most pictures or video I'm obscured from vision. It's a small stage tonight (The Thistle in Plymouth if anyone's that way and bored ) so we'll see if they've worked it out yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 56 minutes ago, rushscored4 said: To be fair we're at Vauxhall Conference level compared to you guys! Even that sounds a bit dated dated nowadays I had an annoyance at last weeks gig, I did the sound check and all was goodish , a horrible stage space , almost a box with us playing through a big gap , so the on stage sound was getting bounced back at us and the monitors had to as low as useless to prevent feedback. We had comments at the end about how clear the vocals were and lead guitar and what a lovely blend it all was , but after talking around to a few there , it was like lead guitar and vocal was all that mattered , the rhythm section were just there to fill the rest of the stage , the annoying bit is that to a lot of the punters , that is just about what they expect, a good singer and lead guitar 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfrasho Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 #4... I dunno why but that one has popped up loads of times for me. I dunno if it's just a safety blanket type reaction, but it's bloody annoying! Only seems to h guitarists that do it too! Keyboardists in my experience don't do it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I think I must be really lucky, yes there are little quirks about the other guys in the band, and I`m sure I have mine, but none that I find annoyin g to the point of even trying to recall them. In the past I`ve been in bands with literally all of the annoyancies mentioned, but currently, well to quote Dean Friedman, I`ll count my lucky stars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spectoremg Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 2 hours ago, Maude said: My number one annoyance is guitarist and drummer not being able to keep quiet at rehearsals. If we're working out new stuff, how the hell do I communicate with anyone if you pair of feckwits insist on playing random riffs and fills. The only other thing is placing the singers microphone dead centre on the stage area. Sounds wierd but there's three of us across the front all playing guitars, I have to stand to the singers left at the guitarists request as, for some reason, he can't cope if he's that side. If the singers mic is dead centre on a small stage that means his headstock is over in my area so I'll just stand behind the PA speaker then shall I. If we all take a step to our right then we'll all fit, but they just don't get it. Then they comment that in most pictures or video I'm obscured from vision. It's a small stage tonight (The Thistle in Plymouth if anyone's that way and bored ) so we'll see if they've worked it out yet. Been there - four across the front with the singer's mike in the middle? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 50 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: I think I must be really lucky, yes there are little quirks about the other guys in the band, and I`m sure I have mine, but none that I find annoyin g to the point of even trying to recall them. In the past I`ve been in bands with literally all of the annoyancies mentioned, but currently, well to quote Dean Friedman, I`ll count my lucky stars. I'm also in the minority. I've played in the past with people who fell into most of those categories but I wouldn't tolerate that these days. I'm at a stage where I am really enjoying my playing and gigging and if there was someone spoiling my enjoyment then they would either need to change or I would walk Luckily we're all really accommodating and if something needs to change then we'll work out the best way to do it, no one moans, everyone turns up to rehearsals having learnt their parts, everyone turns up to the gig on time and we all get on really well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushscored4 Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 55 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: I think I must be really lucky, yes there are little quirks about the other guys in the band, and I`m sure I have mine, but none that I find annoyin g to the point of even trying to recall them. In the past I`ve been in bands with literally all of the annoyancies mentioned, but currently, well to quote Dean Friedman, I`ll count my lucky stars. Most of mine were tongue in cheek to be honest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 13 minutes ago, rushscored4 said: Most of mine were tongue in cheek to be honest! Yeah, my two grumbles are very minor compared to the fun and enjoyment I get out of the band. I have absolutely no issues in my other band, such a joy. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikel Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 We have rules,and as the band is an equal vote thing problems are few. We all agree on a song and learn our parts at home once the key and version are agreed. If anyone is not up to speed on a new song its put to bed till next rehearsal to allow anyone struggling to catch up. A song is not on the gig list till it is right. No noodling, ever, not even at rehearsal. That includes vocals and drums. Tune up only silently, almost every tuner has a volume mute. We practice quietly so errors are obvious and easy to rectify. If any member really dislikes a new song it is dropped. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steantval Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 14 hours ago, rushscored4 said: ...about your band. Apologies if this has been covered in other topics but I searched and couldn't find anything. I'll start things off with a few... Our male singer never turns up for rehearsals (it's his band and he books most of the gigs...) The band spend hours practicing a new song at the rehearsal the singer never turned up for to play at a gig the following weekend then the singer decides he doesn't want to sing it because he hasn't rehearsed it... During every gig our drummer always asks "what's the next song?" despite everybody having a printed set list (which is more or less the same every time) and he's supposed to start most of the songs... Our lead guitarist always plays a bit of the next song before we start it - he says it's so he can remember the key - which means every gig is like "name that tune"... Our female singer sits drinking a bottle of white wine playing sudoku before each gig whilst we're setting all the gear up... She sometimes drinks too much white wine and forgets where she is in songs and sings the chorus during verses and vice versa (not helped by being as blind as a bat but refusing to wear her glasses so she can't read her songbook...) Our rhythm guitarist has the most expensive gear in the world (Taylor acoustic, AER amp, PRS custom electric) but still needs to read the chords off his iPad despite playing 75% of the same songs from when he started the band nine years ago... The bass player (me) strolls in 5 minutes before soundcheck and tries to sneak away as soon as the gig finishes to avoid helping with the PA and lights...! Annoying, it’s sounds like an absolute nightmare. So many of them in one band, life is too short to waste with these people. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushscored4 Posted April 7, 2018 Author Share Posted April 7, 2018 38 minutes ago, steantval said: Annoying, it’s sounds like an absolute nightmare. So many of them in one band, life is too short to waste with these people. See my previous reply mate, we have a laugh and the pubs we play seem to like us. I can put up with the odd little peccadillo now and then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 I always make sure that I am the annoying one. Works great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted April 7, 2018 Share Posted April 7, 2018 16 hours ago, rushscored4 said: Our male singer never turns up for rehearsals (it's his band and he books most of the gigs...) The band spend hours practicing a new song at the rehearsal the singer never turned up for to play at a gig the following weekend then the singer decides he doesn't want to sing it because he hasn't rehearsed it... During every gig our drummer always asks "what's the next song?" despite everybody having a printed set list (which is more or less the same every time) and he's supposed to start most of the songs... Our lead guitarist always plays a bit of the next song before we start it - he says it's so he can remember the key - which means every gig is like "name that tune"... Our female singer sits drinking a bottle of white wine playing sudoku before each gig whilst we're setting all the gear up... She sometimes drinks too much white wine and forgets where she is in songs and sings the chorus during verses and vice versa (not helped by being as blind as a bat but refusing to wear her glasses so she can't read her songbook...) Our rhythm guitarist has the most expensive gear in the world (Taylor acoustic, AER amp, PRS custom electric) but still needs to read the chords off his iPad despite playing 75% of the same songs from when he started the band nine years ago... The bass player (me) strolls in 5 minutes before soundcheck and tries to sneak away as soon as the gig finishes to avoid helping with the PA and lights...! You're ALL bloody terrible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted April 8, 2018 Share Posted April 8, 2018 13 hours ago, rushscored4 said: . I can put up with the odd little peccadillo now and then! I don't know why but whenever I read the word 'peccadillo' which, to be fair, isn't that often, I always get these images in my head in true Reggie Perrin fashion. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rushscored4 Posted April 8, 2018 Author Share Posted April 8, 2018 So last night we played a gig in our female singer's sister's pub in Manchester. It was a great gig, the pub was packed and lots of people were up singing and dancing. A lot of them were her friends and family. However she got absolutely blathered on white wine again and murdered a few songs. We debuted 'Hanging on the Telephone' by Blondie which we'd practiced for months and played perfectly over and over at rehearsals this week but it was an absolute car crash last night from the opening "I'm in the phone booth..." line which she sang completely flat, forgetting her words throughout and basically making us all look pretty stupid. Luckily after the Manchester derby 90% of the pub were more wellied than she was... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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