cracking the whip on band mates

  • Thread starter Thread starter devilboy
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devilboy
devilboy
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any suggestions on how to whip the boys into shape w/out putting them off?

I joined up with these guys last summer. they'd been together for a couple of years, put a bunch of material together, recorded, then lost their guitarist and had this round auditions that was very pro and very intimidating. I was stoked, we had a few sessions back to back and things were getting tight fast.

then it got flakey...

now we're lucky to get together once a month - somethimes less. on top of that, it's a little political too. I feel like I'd be stealing someone's girlfriend if I took the drummer and spun off on another project or even just got him to jam and write w/out the rest.

this is my first "band" since high school (and I'm in my 30's now), so I just don't know what to expect. couple that with the scene being kinda slim pickin's here for what I like to play and I just stay quiet. but lately, we only get about every other session to actually come together and I feel like there's little point to it other than a chane to jam every now and then....

should I try to crack the whip or just start looking around?
 
I would start looking. I'm sure they're bored after doing it for a few years.
 
Call a meeting and get everything out in the open. Silence is a killer.
 
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PoPSkuLL":24404 said:
Call a meeting and get everything out in the open. Silence is a killer.
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probably a very good call; seems painfully obvious now that you say it...
 
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devilboy":02a1e said:
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probably a very good call; seems painfully obvious now that you say it...
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Good luck ...you never know if this might be the tonic that all need for this band to flourish. Worth a shot at least.
 
theres nothing wrong with taking a bandmate and writing/playing with them. thats how i met some great musicians. bands dont stay together forever usually, always keep your options open..
 
+1 with the talk. My band tries to have a talk once a week, if we can. Can't let shit build up. Our other guitarist and I often write together without everyone else....hell I write on my own and bring music in to them. As long as everyone realized that each member has creative control over their own parts, and everyone's flexible and understanding, there are not problems.

Definately call a band meeting, and get shit out there.
 
Tell them how it is- they either need to start working to make shit happen, or you should move on. If they know what's up and still don't make the effort, you wouldn't have any reason to feel guilty for "stealing" the drummer.
 
talk to them about it...you and everyone should be very clear about what your individual goals are, and what you wanna do as a band

if all or part of the guys aren't on the same page, then it's time for someone to part ways...if you can come to some agreement then everyone needs to understand that things should be that way, no excuses

good luck
 
You need to ask yourself what are your goals when it come to music ? If it's a hobby then have a band meeting. If you are looking to do this to get signed then you need to stop the bullshit and see who is serious or not and weed out the people who are not on the same plane. I missed getting signed by a few years back in the day because I was a nice guy and wanted the current line up to make it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have dropped some people like they had the fucking plague. That May sound harsh but that's what it takes and you can do it in the way that you don't douche people but you have to be strict. The music industry is fickle. Spend to much time on one thing and watch teh scene pass you buy. Your music style will come and go before you know what hit you.
 
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Gainfreak":cbd09 said:
You need to ask yourself what are your goals when it come to music ? If it's a hobby then have a band meeting. If you are looking to do this to get signed then you need to stop the bullshit and see who is serious or not and weed out the people who are not on the same plane. I missed getting signed by a few years back in the day because I was a nice guy and wanted the current line up to make it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have dropped some people like they had the fucking plague. That May sound harsh but that's what it takes and you can do it in the way that you don't douche people but you have to be strict. The music industry is fickle. Spend to much time on one thing and watch teh scene pass you buy. Your music style will come and go before you know what hit you.
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+1

hobbyist here.
 
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Gainfreak":91a7f said:
You need to ask yourself what are your goals when it come to music ? If it's a hobby then have a band meeting. If you are looking to do this to get signed then you need to stop the bullshit and see who is serious or not and weed out the people who are not on the same plane. I missed getting signed by a few years back in the day because I was a nice guy and wanted the current line up to make it. If I knew then what I know now, I would have dropped some people like they had the fucking plague. That May sound harsh but that's what it takes and you can do it in the way that you don't douche people but you have to be strict. The music industry is fickle. Spend to much time on one thing and watch teh scene pass you buy. Your music style will come and go before you know what hit you.
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big +1 to the last part of that

i've spent the last 8 years of my life in a band that has potential, and none of that time in a band that's actually going anywhere, because (even tho i've always been pretty serious about it) as a unit we didn't take certain things very seriously

who knows how far we may have come today if i had spoken up about certain things years ago, rather than thinking they'd just work themselves out naturally...it's that kinda crap that can make ya feel old at 23
 
well thanks a bunch for all of the replies you guys. even though I'm only quasi-regular on here, it's easy to see that this is a great group of people - cheers to that!

and yeah, I am a hobbiest, so there's not much more than a little wasted time riding on this. all the same, that's my wasted time...

anyway, I'm doing my best to get the dialogue rollin' and trying not to sweat working with the motivated guy on the side.

again - thanks!
 
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