I could do with some band advise please

[Johnny Mac]

I/we were supposed to be in the studio tonight but I was told it never got booked even though I got a text at the beginning of the week to say we were in Thursday@7:00. It's probably due to them not having any money. Also this week I've been trying to motivate a few of them as they're long term unemployed and never have enough money for studio fee's let alone a Bass amp for a gig that is being pencilled in for June. So I asked our bass player can you see if you can get one and was told, "no i won't be able to" Its the same story with the drummer. Christ on a ffing bike these two are in their mid 40's and they have the motivation and drive of a dead cat.
The Sax player forgot he was going to see a comedy show in town tonight and cancelled.
We've had nothing but trouble since this got going in March last year and are still no where near gig ready. They smoke too much green and talk bollocks most of the time. They're nice guys but they don't get out of bed before midday.

What would you do? I do enjoy it when we all get in the studio but its so frustrating being let down all the time and listening to the delusional jibberjabber!   

                         

[Dazza1004]

I would try and get another more serious project up and running in tandem.

If you bin these guys you will have to find a new bunch of muso's anyway so if you enjoy hanging around with your current lot why not shoot for the best of both worlds.

[Philly Q]

I've got no advice, but you were seeming really upbeat about the band a few days ago! 

Sorry to hear about the problems.  The second project idea seems good, if you've got the time for it.

[Jonny]

$%&# 'em, Johnny. You have a life to live, and not waste with wasters.

[Twinfan]

Join another band.  If this one carries on, go with the flow.  Put most of your effort into the new venture...

[ToneMonkey]

They smoke too much green and talk bollocks most of the time. They're nice guys but they don't get out of bed before midday.                         

I'd just leave them to be lucky bar-stewards..... or join them








...But not in bed

[Plexi Ken]

I was in almost the same situation and left the band, however (sometime latter, after the dust had settled) I regretted doing so. Everyone else in the band was skint/unemployed, so I had to pay for everything. The keyboard player had lost his enthusiasm. The drummer just played the same pattern on every song. It was driving me crazy, so I ended it.

The singer and I were together in the band for 12 years and that was the main source of the regret. Initial it felt really good to be free from the hassle but with in a few months my feelings changes. It felt move like a bereavement than simple no longer taking part in an 'activity'.

YMMV  :)

[Johnny Mac]

Thank you for the advise. It does look like a good idea to stay with it now after I've slept on it. I will have a look out there for another band but keep with these guys. Things may change for the better. I suppose a rehearsal when they can afford it is better than none.   

With the unemployment issue. They make every excuse not to work and it's this attitude that comes with them on this band project. They won't learn songs in their own time. Which I find confusing. They have all the time in the world and waste it. Then waste studio time learning from scratch. There is so much complacency , which will cause this to fail in a big way on stage. Remember France in the 2002 World Cup? Just because they were world champions they thought they were going to walk it. They didn't even score a goal let alone win a game. Out in the first round. Just like we will be, gigging with arrogance. Booed off after the first song!  :lol:

[Philly Q]

With the unemployment issue. They make every excuse not to work and it's this attitude that comes with them on this band project. They won't learn songs in their own time. Which I find confusing. They have all the time in the world and waste it. Then waste studio time learning from scratch.

I'm a very long way from being the most get-up-and-go person in the world, but that is ridiculous.  What the hell do they do all day?


They should bring back National Service.  Harumph! :snipe:



 

[BigB]

I/we were supposed to be in the studio tonight but I was told it never got booked even though I got a text at the beginning of the week to say we were in Thursday@7:00. It's probably due to them not having any money. Also this week I've been trying to motivate a few of them as they're long term unemployed and never have enough money for studio fee's let alone a Bass amp for a gig that is being pencilled in for June. So I asked our bass player can you see if you can get one and was told, "no i won't be able to" Its the same story with the drummer. Christ on a ffing bike these two are in their mid 40's and they have the motivation and drive of a dead cat.
The Sax player forgot he was going to see a comedy show in town tonight and cancelled.
We've had nothing but trouble since this got going in March last year and are still no where near gig ready. They smoke too much green and talk bollocks most of the time. They're nice guys but they don't get out of bed before midday.

What would you do?                          

Quit. This "band" is going nowhere, never ever.

[Frank]

Let's be honest here, the sax player didn't "forget" anything. He bought tickets to a comedy show and didn't bother about the studio time because it's not a priority for him. And if the bass player and drummer can't be bothered to get out of bed, learn a few songs and lord knows, BUY SOME EQUIPMENT OF THEIR OWN then seriously, the band is dead in the water.

/my 2p worth

[Johnny Mac]

What they do all Night is get stoned and sleep all day.
It is dead, deep down I know it.

[Frank]

It's always difficult to accept that some band members aren't as committed to the cause as you. I know I've been blinkered by my own enthusiasm a few times, most notably when Island Records A&R were phoning me and the singer decided that he'd rather go and work for a firm of accountants.

[Tellboy]

Johnny I'm fully sympathetic with you - I've been there and got the T-shirt - I posted this a couple of years ago:- :D

"I've lost count of the number of musicains over the years who joined/left/didn't bother to turn up for rehearsals etc.

The last permanent bass player in the band I was in was a brilliant musician but had never stuck at a job for more than a month and used to spend most of his day in the pub scrounging drinks off anyone he could find who was gullible enough to buy them. After waiting in an icy cold rehearsal room for over an hour and a half for him to turn up we found him outside a pub. After screaming "Where the f**k have you been?" he calmly explained that he managed to "cadge eight pints of 6X (very strong beer for non-drinkers) during the day and had sh*t himself".
Needless to say I had no wish to check out the accuracy of his claim and decided it was time for me to hang my plectrum up for a while. I still love playing and occassionally 'sit in' with some bands but find it impossible to find any serious musicians in my (senior) age group with my taste in music who are willing to work at it."

The thing that really topped it was at the last gig he played with us, he got so drunk he poured most of the contents of his pint of beer into the mixer. We literally had to drain it out and spent the interval trying to dry it but could only manage to get one of the stereo channells to work.
 

[MDV]

Leave that band.

I had a similar situation with a couple of members (the band only really had me, a bassist and a vocalist since the drummer, who also never did anything, injured his shoulder). I wrote all the material, tabbed it out for them (and they never bothered to learn it), held their hands in learning stuff, recorded the stuff I'd written for the band on my own and they never lifted a finger. It was only even a band in name.

So I scr@pped it and took the stuff I'd done, put it under a different name, called it all and instrumental solo project and carried on basically exactly the same without them.

If, by some miracle, I find some people that
- like the music
- have interesting musical tastes and contributions to make
- are able to play the material (some of its a bit tricky)
- can and will put the effort in

Then maybe it'll be a band again, but for now its me, a handful of guitars, a couple of amps, a few mics, a PC, an interface, a DAW and 50 gigs of drum samples. Gigging is out, obviously, but I'm much more musically productive and happy without having to think about dragging lazy gits (who I love to bits btw, they're awesome guys and very good friends, but they're $%&#ing useless) along with me.

I cant help but note that you have basically the same resources, and seemingly similar interest in getting a bit creative with them, maybe take some time to focus on that, then use that to find committed and compatible members (which surely must be easier in london than west cumbria?)