Bands - who needs 'em?

[chris_b]

Who needs 'em? I do! Bands can be crap or great or anywhere in between and all at the same time, but band music is what I do, so networking, resilience and a thick skin are always good qualities to develop! I'm lucky to be in a good patch at the moment where the 80/20 rule is reversed, but it wouldn't surprise me to find everything falling apart next week or next month! It's what happens but something better usually crops up!!

All problems have to be overcome in order to get to the "good bits", so have a holiday, regroup take a deep breath and then start fixing it! Keep as many irons in the fire as you can. Find another singer, get the blues band back on track after the holiday season and then see what else is around. Next year will be good.

[2wheeler]

Is it sacrilege to suggest you fill out the set with standards and work up the originals when you really do have the time?

[thunderbird13]

I totally understand where your coming from as I am going through the same thing at the moment and I've come close to throwing in the towel a couple of times but, through this website and talking to people, I came to realise thats its not just me. Now I regard the whole band scene as a bit of a joke and have adopted a "what can go wrong next " attitiude. I mean think about it, what other area of life do people act so strangely - not turning up for rehearsals with no explaination, playing a gig staring at chord charts and hope no one notices , bitching about another band mate is wearing. and all the time playing music that ( if we're absolutely honest ) 9 times out of 10 no one outside the band is that bothered about !! Bands are worth it just to see how stupid people can be. I'm just looking forward to the next bunch of lunatics I'm going to come across!
Dont know if this helps or not but I found that treating it with humour has helped me deal with all the other bullshit

[cetera]

Stick with it Al!

Take a breather if you need to..... but decent bands/musical experiences have a habit of coming along when you're least expecting!

[chris_b]

[quote name='thunderbird13' post='517401' date='Jun 18 2009, 02:08 PM']....I regard the whole band scene as a bit of a joke and have adopted a "what can go wrong next " attitiude. I mean think about it, what other area of life do people act so strangely - not turning up for rehearsals with no explaination, playing a gig staring at chord charts and hope no one notices , bitching about another band mate is wearing. and all the time playing music that ( if we're absolutely honest ) 9 times out of 10 no one outside the band is that bothered about !! Bands are worth it just to see how stupid people can be. I'm just looking forward to the next bunch of lunatics I'm going to come across!....[/quote]
Too true, and when you throw in the promoters and "joe public" you realise how masochistic you have to be to keep going!

[quote]....Is it sacrilege to suggest you fill out the set with standards and work up the originals when you really do have the time?....[/quote]
Sounds to me like that's the fix you need?

[MythSte]

definately another "stick with it" from me Al, The sorry truth is that as bass players, generally speaking we're not much without a band. I dont know about you but i can pick up my bass in my room for about 10 minutes before i get bored and put it down again. Give me a drummer i can go for hours, Give me a well arranged band and im out for weeks!

I'd stop looking for bands that are going places and find a few guys that are playing that crappy little hole of a place - but playing music you like. You'll progress further and faster this way, you can trust me on that one!

Best of luck withit Al, And if you need someone to babysit any of your gear while you reflect, let me know!

[dub_junkie]

2 weeks in Crete sounds fab! where? I was in Ag Nik - loved it

given a band or a holiday right now I'd be on the plane

[niceguyhomer]

My mate has a fantastic house near Almirida

[thisnameistaken]

I wouldn't pack it in just yet. I spent a full year trying to find good people to put together an originals band (and the singer I ended up with lives literally around the corner from me, typical), and it's taken us another 9 months to find a suitable drummer for that gig. And as soon as all that got going, I got an offer to join another band which I'm really enjoying.

It sounds like you haven't been idle for very long at all really. I'd keep looking if I were you, something good will turn up at some point. Or start putting a band together yourself.

[obbm]

I went through something similar last year Al. Don't give up, just take a break, give it some time and it'll all work out OK. I must admit that Crete sounds and looks very attractive.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Being in a band-any band..is like having a job. You have to deal with moods,
songs, sickness ,holidays ,starters &leavers.
The band I was in has been split to just me andMR.Drums. We get a really good singer who is now on honeymoon,
get aguitarist who Mr.Drums knows who does a Tod Carty on the ice rink and fractures his arm for6+weeks
Mr. Guitar gets guitar2 ..who quits!

So, all in all no gigs since June last year, but a lot of hasssle!
I gave bands a break for about 7 years and altho' I've not minded our little break, I'll probably
advertise my services to another covers band to get the dice rolling again when I start getting too lazy.

I say keep the gear and wait till you know what you're gonna do..whenever that is .

[RhysP]

I'd be very surprised if I ever play in another band - I've always found it to be a 95% pain in the arse.

I can't see why not gigging should mean giving up playing - if you enjoy playing just do it for fun, and if you find bass to be a boring instrument under those circumstances (which it is) then maybe do what I did & have a go at playing another instrument or two.
I've had more fun over the last few years playing guitar & keyboards on my own than I ever did just playing bass with a band.
I mess about trying to write & record stuff too - it's all crap but I really enjoy doing it, and that's the bottom line for me.

[Born 2B Mild]

Take a travel guitar to Crete (cheap on eBay), a pad and a pen and maybe an mp3 player that has built in mic. see what happens. you might come back with some songs that you can either take to the band or build a new one around.

[Cat Burrito]

To be blunt, you are in the wrong band! If you are not a full time professional musician this [b]has[/b] to be about FUN! If it isn't, you have to ask why you are doing it. Don't give up - just get your name back out there & another act will come along. Best of luck.

[grumble]

[quote]I play only for my own pleasure and fulfilment now and enjoy it immensely.[/quote]

+1 on this
Me, a few beers and a drum machine and I'm away with the fairies.

Gave up the band crap a long while ago but I'm getting itchy for playing with other folk so I'm gonna get a few buddies together soon and try to sort out a beer/curry/jam session.
Hope to god we don't enjoy it too much and try to spoil it by gigging.....

[skankdelvar]

I've been through 5 bands in the last 12 months. Most of them had pretty much similar problems as you've experienced - scheduling rehearsals, unrealisable expectations, unclear objectives.

Maybe this stems from working with family guys - for most of them, a band's rarely going to come first. They like the idea of being in a band, but they don't want to do the work.

While I'm not flogging my bass gear, I've realised that the only way I'm getting out there in the near future is to work on the singing and get out there with a guitar and a tiny amp. Seasick Steve, only rougher and more basic.

Edited June 19, 2009 by skankdelvar

[niceguyhomer]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='518349' date='Jun 19 2009, 01:22 PM']While I'm not flogging my bass gear, I've realised that the only way I'm getting out there in the near future is to work on the singing and get out there with a guitar and a tiny amp. Seasick Steve, only rougher and more basic.[/quote]

Need a bassist?

[geoffbyrne]

I've just joined a new band & playing stuff I'm more happy with (kingazera.net) but the other middle-of-the-road band I'm in is really starting to get to me. I'm not going into detail, as the guys are decent blokes individually, but the skill level is sadly lacking.

Since the blues band I was in, Spellbinder, folded around 2 years ago, I've really missed playing the Old Blues & R&B stuff.

Anyone looking for a bassist for a blues/R&B band within striking distance of Loughborough?

G.

[molan]

For me the playing with other people is what it's about.

My ability is pretty limited (Jakesbass is my witness!) but I love holding down the bass slot in a pretty decent soul / disco band and have have just, sort of, agreed to work with a local band who are just starting out trying to play 'slightly obscure' 80's stuff.

One of the great things about the soul band is that I absolutely know I could spend a nice evening down the pub with any one of them individually and my 'audition' with the '80's band consisted of going to the pub and trading ideas & theories of what to play and how we'd arrange things.

Don't get me wrong - I have a great time just sitting in my little study trying to learn new stuff & just playing along with whatever's on the radio but I do feel that playing with other musicians is what it's all about really.

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='518355' date='Jun 19 2009, 01:27 PM']Need a bassist? [/quote]

Welcome aboard! We've got 48 songs to write and routine by July 1. Tour starts July 2 for a year, sole headliners. (We need to find a drummer, 3 percussionists, Keys, Zither, Pan-pipes and a full brass section).

Rehearsals - sorry, no can do anytime Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday next week. Weekend's out too. Or any time the week after.

It's gonna be great! Big Time, here we come!!!

PS: I've decided I want to pursue other musical directions. Thank you for your interest.

PPS: Hi, don't know if you're still available but...

Edited June 20, 2009 by skankdelvar