How many of us are in bands that have broken up?

[Supernaut]

@AndyTravis

[AndyTravis]

Just now, Supernaut said:

@AndyTravis

So many…so so many.

[Rosie C]

I suppose, technically, I still play bass in an 80s cover band. We never broke up, we've just not rehearsed or played any gigs since 2009.

 

[Rich]

45 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

So many…so so many.

I'm not sure whether to  or 😥 to that.

[AndyTravis]

No sign of current band going wrong.

 

unnervingly agreeable 

[BigRedX]

Since I started my first band in 1975 I have been in 17 bands that have either done at least one gig or made at least one piece of music available the public.

 

Of these 17:

7 have split up, usually due to one or more member(s) leaving and the majority of the rest of the band deciding not to carry on.

5 morphed into new bands that I was still in.

1 is still going after I left.

2 haven't technically split or finished but we haven't played or released any new material for years.

2 are still going with me in them.

[snorkie635]

4 hours ago, Rich said:

I was in a band that sort of did that. It was 1988, we were a (ok I'm biased) really bloody good Go West-ish pop rock band with 2 record companies interested. I knew the drummer was having musical differences and it finally came to a head and he quit. The remaining 4 of us arranged a band meeting to decide the way forward; I assumed we were going to audition some new drummers and get back out there, and get one of those labels (Island and Virgin, IIRC) to sign us. The obvious move, yes? Hah.

What happened was that the two main songwriters had already discussed things, and arrived at the meeting to present their decision to split the band as a fait accompli to the other 2 of us. I think they thought they could do a Tears For Fears and present themselves to the record companies as a recording duo with live hired guns. Unfortunately what the companies liked was the live 5-piece they'd seen, and all interest instantly evaporated. Thus buggering it up for all of us. I was *this* close to being a household name. 🙁

Never mind Rich, you're a household name in my gaff. Everyone keeps saying, "If only I were Rich!" 👍

[Lfalex v1.1]

1. Fired

2. Fired

3. Technically still in it. I haven't left and haven't been replaced after 20 years

4. Walked for political reasons

5. Walked for political reasons

6 Walked for political reasons

 

Emerging pattern; Life is too short for pretentious and unrealistic people. 

[chriswareham]

Auditioned for a new band last month. Other two guys seemed nice, songs were great. We went for a coffee afterwards, and that evening the guitarist set up a WhatsApp group for the three of us.

 

I check the WhatsApp group the next evening, only to find the guitarist had misinterpreted something the singer had said and had broken up the band. So that band lasted less than 24 hours!

[Steve Browning]

The band I have been in from college (1976) hasn't broken up, although two of the four members have died since our last gig.

[Paul S]

7 hours ago, Rich said:

I was *this* close to being a household name. 🙁

 

Rich and famous, eh?

[Downunderwonder]

7 hours ago, Franticsmurf said:

Technically, I'm the bassist in a band called 'New Dog Old Tricks' which formed in 2022 and played one gig. While we never formally disbanded, all four of us are in other bands and haven't got together as a quartet since August 22. I sense the opportunity for a reunion gig sometime in the future as we're all still on friendly terms. 

 

 

 

You could rename it "Exit Strategy" and do a couple of gigs a year. 

[TimR]

The drummer has left one of the bands I'm in as he's moved away. I have had a drummer ready to replace him since December but we haven't practiced yet. We are all a bit busy at the moment. I might try and organise something in March. But I'm just the bass player...

 

 

[Newfoundfreedom]

Technically my highschool band from 35 years ago never broke up.

 

We just discovered girls and forgot we were in a band. 

[bassbiscuits]

Many many times. In fact I don’t get my hopes up too much just in case these days - I just try to enjoy it for what it is instead. 
 

 

[paddy109]

On 24/02/2024 at 15:02, Lfalex v1.1 said:

1. Fired

2. Fired

3. Technically still in it. I haven't left and haven't been replaced after 20 years

4. Walked for political reasons

5. Walked for political reasons

6 Walked for political reasons

 

Emerging pattern; Life is too short for pretentious and unrealistic people. 

Like your style!

[Geek99]

On 24/02/2024 at 12:20, Franticsmurf said:

Technically, I'm the bassist in a band called 'New Dog Old Tricks' which formed in 2022 and played one gig. While we never formally disbanded, all four of us are in other bands and haven't got together as a quartet since August 22. I sense the opportunity for a reunion gig sometime in the future as we're all still on friendly terms. 

 

 

 

Now changed to “older dog, a few new tricks “?

[Franticsmurf]

5 hours ago, Geek99 said:

Now changed to “older dog, a few new tricks “?

Several old and decrepit dogs, same old tricks. 😃

 

Ironically it seems that I may be getting back to play with the drummer again. Early days but we're talking about a kind of reunion/reboot/rehash. It'll be good to play with him again as we used to lock tight as the engine of the old band. 

[Linus27]

 

1. 1988 - 1990: Band was disbanded for legal reasons so legal action couldn't be taken against us.

2. 1990 - 1992: New band was formed with the same members as the band above but with a different name to avoid legal action. After 3 years, the singer left and the band ended.

3. 1995 - 2001: Band was signed but due to suing the record company for breaching contract we disbanded after winning the legal battle.

4. 2008 - 2009: Quit the band after a year after wasting way too much turn on flaky band mates who never turned up and who did the talk but not the walk.

5. 2011 - 2012: Quit the band after a year and a half after the two songwriters refused to credit myself and the drummer on the album as musicians who played on the album but credited themselves.

6. 2018 - 2020:  Gave notice to the band leader that I was leaving in 6 months after being with them for 2 years. Band leader threw a huge wobbly, went AWOL and did not turn up for the gig that night. The band disbanded soon after.

7. 2019 - 2020: New band formed with same members as above but with a new name. This band and the above band had been together for 3 years and was doing about 100 gigs a year but decided to call it quits when Covid hit.

8. 2019 - 2019: Played with this band for a year but the guitarist was a fraudster and conman so 3 of us quit the band.

9. 2021 - : Still going strong and with the singer who was in band 1 and quit band 2.

Edited February 28, 2024 by Linus27

[Jack]

On 23/02/2024 at 18:47, tauzero said:

 

I'm in a couple which are in indefinite hiatus, and possibly in another one which I departed from the offshoot of.

It took me a few goes to realise you meant a couple (of bands) and not a (romantic) couple. 

[Mickeyboro]

On 24/02/2024 at 14:59, snorkie635 said:

Never mind Rich, you're a household name in my gaff. Everyone keeps saying, "If only I were Rich!" 👍

I’d much rather be Rich than famous…💰

[Rich]

On 28/02/2024 at 13:23, Linus27 said:

 

1. 1988 - 1990: Band was disbanded for legal reasons so legal action couldn't be taken against us.

2. 1990 - 1992: New band was formed with the same members as the band above but with a different name to avoid legal action. After 3 years, the singer left and the band ended.

...

9. 2021 - : Still going strong and with the singer who was in band 1 and quit band 2.

That's amazing, making music with a bandmate from 30 years ago. I wish I was still playing with the frontman from my 1988 band, he was a good guitarist but he had a singing voice to die for. Glad to say I managed to get in contact with him a few years ago and we're mates again. Although he lives 300 miles away, so starting a band with him would be tricky