Find a new band or start one?

[SteveXFR]

A couple weeks ago the band I was in split. I was really enjoying the original stoner metal/grunge crossover sound and got on well with everyone so it was a big disappointment. 

Now I'm keen to move on and join another band so I joined bandmix and started searching and found nothing within 50 miles. I'm open to both styles of music, punk and metal and prepared to travel. 

Am I being impatient or should I try starting a new band? Does it usually take a while to find something? Is there somewhere better to search?

When I found the last band it took me literally five minutes on bandmix and that was it.

[Happy Jack]

Are you a go-with-the-flow type or do you set high standards and expect to meet them?

[SteveXFR]

I'll just go with the flow and try to meet their standards.

I'm not the sort of person who will throw a tantrum because they've simplified a cover version or quit because the guitarist thinks the Earth is flat (so I'd be fine in Deftones!).

I mostly just want to have some fun playing loud music and hopefully play it well and maybe one day play to a pub full of people who are annoyed because we're blocking the dart board.

[Newfoundfreedom]

5 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

I'll just go with the flow and try to meet their standards.

I'm not the sort of person who will throw a tantrum because they've simplified a cover version or quit because the guitarist thinks the Earth is flat (so I'd be fine in Deftones!).

I mostly just want to have some fun playing loud music and hopefully play it well and maybe one day play to a pub full of people who are annoyed because we're blocking the dart board.

 

Those are lofty aspirations.

 

I think you're going to have to be a bit more realistic. 

[Waddo Soqable]

Have a go at starting one, what's to lose ?

At least if it's "your" thing you can steer it in the direction you want, and choose who you play with.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

...I'm open to both styles of music, punk and metal...

 

I'm enjoying this bit, very much 

[steantval]

Do you personally own a PA, if not it could be difficult starting a band.

 

The ideal is to find a frontman vocalist who already has one.

 

If you have no PA then things can become difficult with all the band members as to who is going to fund the purchase of one and transport it to gigs.

[weepaul]

No harm in trying to start your own unit. Also, keep looking for a band, at one point I was in three. Look about for local rehearsal spots, handy for jamming and trying people out. PA provided, basic drum set up and cabs, most will give a block booking discount.

Edited August 27, 2021 by weepaul

[SumOne]

It seems that https://www.joinmyband.co.uk might have a bit more stuff going on.

 

[steantval]

2 minutes ago, SumOne said:

It seems that https://www.joinmyband.co.uk might have a bit more stuff going on.

 

That site is full of mostly dreamers, extremely frustrating trying to weed out the decent people.

[SumOne]

It's a bit all over the place but there are adverts here https://www.facebook.com/groups/bassplayersavailable/?ref=share

[SteveXFR]

12 minutes ago, SumOne said:

It's a bit all over the place but there are adverts here https://www.facebook.com/groups/bassplayersavailable/?ref=share

 

I'm already in that group. Not a lot going on. I'll try Joinmyband. 

 

I don't have a PA. I didn't realise I'd need one to start a band. 

[Newfoundfreedom]

1 minute ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I'm already in that group. Not a lot going on. I'll try Joinmyband. 

 

I don't have a PA. I didn't realise I'd need one to start a band. 

 

I suppose it depends if the potential singist has one. 

 

To be honest I'm a bit old school. My amp / cab has always been my output to the room, I've barely ever gone through a PA. The same with the guitarists I've played with. For small pub type bands I've always been of the opinion that the singest is responsible for the PA. The bass and guitar have their own amplification. The drums rarely need any. The PA is the singers amplification so it's their job to have it. 

[TheGreek]

IME The hardest band member to find is a decent drummer. If you can find one you're well on your way. 

 

Obviously we're not counting good singers without an ego...

[steantval]

25 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I'm already in that group. Not a lot going on. I'll try Joinmyband. 

 

I don't have a PA. I didn't realise I'd need one to start a band. 

Yes, you don’t need a PA to start a band, but you will need one once you are rehearsed and ready to go out gigging, still needs discussing with the band before you get too far into it.

You can get by rehearsing by putting the vocalist through a single powered cab or monitor, works just fine.

[SH73]

I have the same difficulties, join a band. There was one before the lock down, but the guitarist/founder was over aspirational. He arranged a rehearsal then pulled out the joining his old band.

So... fast forward two years...nothing

[BassAdder60]

Definitely start up a new band and JMB isn’t that bad but you need your idiot radar running to filter out the time wasters !

 

When you find a singer without PA go to rehearsal rooms as they provide a PA as part of the room hire 

[SteveXFR]

I've found a singer with PA and lots of experience in some relatively well known punk bands. I've contacted a few drummers who I know are good. Guitarists shouldn't be too hard to find.

Maybe we'll be the next Idles but even older.

[DiMarco]

When you say the words "we're looking for a guitarist" in the pub you will have found one within 5 minutes.

Been there done that. Everyone and their mum plays guitar. 😁

 

[SteveXFR]

3 hours ago, DiMarco said:

When you say the words "we're looking for a guitarist" in the pub you will have found one within 5 minutes.

Been there done that. Everyone and their mum plays guitar. 😁

 

 

Is that the same everyone and their mum who's packing heat around here?

 

Farmers and farmers mums?

[Nicko]

IME you are best of starting a new band.  Most of the originals bands on the websites have unrealistic expectations of releasing a number 1 album followed by stadium tours and world domination, oh, and they want you to be under 25 and don't understand that this is not a career for you.

[NancyJohnson]

On the subject of the OP, a bit of both.  I circulate in a fairly tight pool of musicians, maybe a dozen or so; we're all a certain standard - if one band folds, another one starts up, nobody is quiet for very long. 

 

I do find it difficult trying to work with other musicians, especially where you're going in as a bass-player to an existing band.  Too much history.  Pre-C19, I jammed with a three 'bands' and just found them all somewhat underwhelming - it was almost as if they were desperate be playing music, but they'd learnt everything from a book and that this what made the magic happen.  No swing, very blinkered and unable to move outside of the confines of what they were doing.  I was told by one guitarist that bass players should just stick to the root as there was no way you could play an E over a G or something.  Too much baggage.

 

If I had the go in me, I'd just try and start something new.  Plenty of musician sites., I'd love to just get in a room with three or four like-minded strangers and just make some noise.

[uk_lefty]

On 27/08/2021 at 20:00, SteveXFR said:

I don't have a PA. I didn't realise I'd need one to start a band. 

I don't think you do. Singer may have one,  otherwise hire one. Most practice places worth playing at should have one in place and would probably hire you one, or there would be local hire companies. The music shop in town when I was a kid used to hire out a decent PA for twenty quid if you could collect it. Also, what is a PA? The guitarist in my attempt to set up a band insists his Line 6 powered speaker is a PA. I insist it is not. 

[uk_lefty]

19 hours ago, BassAdder27 said:

you need your idiot radar running to filter out the time wasters !

Definitely! It all starts with everyone being nice and everyone following the script. Then a few rehearsals in, say you've started an 80s band for example, you get asked can we play this song... Its from 2006 so, No. Then the guitarist seems to only learn bits of songs, you think it's him only learning his suggestions but it turns out he doesn't know them either. Then he wants to play synths but you find he can't really play. After a while you realise you, a drummer and a singer have just spent a few months learning songs just so you can attend a show and tell of someone's arsenal of very expensive gear that you're not sure they can actually play. 

 

Short answer, even if someone seems good at audition, make the audition period last 3 or 4 rehearsals but don't tell them that outright. 

[SteveXFR]

I went for a beer with the vocalist yesterday,  really nice bloke. I checked out some videos and recordings from his last band and the dude can sing in a punk style and has stage presence and his lyrics are good, the make some sense and the lyrical content suits me. Political but without in a way that's different.

I've sent a message to a local drummer who's band recently split, he's the ideal drummer but I'm not too hopeful although if you don't ask, you don't know.