Had to let a band member go...feeling terrible.

[Cornfordcrunch]

The Bass player in one of my bands has an admitted problem with booze...on top of it, he's a guitar player playing bass and plays like it to the nth degree...I could have overlooked one if the other wasnt as much of an issue....his sober playing is questionable and his drunk playing is well...you know..not to mention his iffy backing vocals..

We decided to replace him and I feel awful about it..he apparently had no idea he was as much of an issue as we felt...his reply to the comments about his bass playing never improving and the same mistakes being made over and over was...nobody cares...the people are there to drink and have a good time...they dont hear the mistakes...I feel differently...I feel letting one guy get away with flubbing stuff over and over is almost a liscense for anyone else to only give 75% ....He's right to a certain degree....90 percent of the people probably dont notice or care....is it wrong of me to feel differently?

 

[Anonymous]

Music is a business and should be conducted as such, in order to keep going forward.

While you want your audience to like your music, and while most of them really don't either hear mistakes, (unless they are just really blatant mistakes), or care what gear you use, ultimately you will play your best when you personally are satisfied with what you play on and through.

A person that does not take the band seriously is no different from a person in any other job not taking that job seriously. They are not professional and have no self-pride in the work they do, if they feel this way.

If you are in one of your first bands, this may not be as important to you as other things, such as attracting women. However, once you get better, and realize that you are practicing hard and putting in the time to play well, you expect that from each band member.

while you may feel bad about letting your bassist go, if you get a better bassist, you will soon feel that you have done the correct thing, which in my opinion, you have done.

 

[Peter Diezel]

I totally agree with Stephen

 

[oeatschie]

Music is a business and should be conducted as such, in order to keep going forward.

Music is just leisure activity for me - on the other hand my music is business for Peter and other companies as well

Anyhow I know some cases where it's hard to say goodbye to some fellow musicians. It's not funny having one member not keeping the pace or not willing to. In the long run my relationship to the other guys haven't been hurt that bad by such things and with some distance everybody agreed, even if it was hard at the very first moment. It is just surprising when one day everything was fine and the other day all things come up which might have accumulated for months or years. Maybe musicians don't talk enough about differences they have and prefer to chat about instruments or funny youtube vids (my experience).

I also agree that the majority of the audience isn't aware of mistakes as long as you smile while playing (or bang or mosh, depending on the music you're playing) but for the others on stage it is annoying if it happens to often and if they want to achieve better quality for their own satisfaction.

 

[stephen sawall]

What's the deal with bass players and booze? It seem that is a very common problem. For me none, one or two before a show. I figure I get buzzed up after if I want. I play like crap most of the time if I drink to much. Even if the crowd does not know it throws off everybody in the band. I know this does not make you feel any better about it, but if he is real freind in the long run it well not matter.

 

[Cornfordcrunch]

Thanks for the replys guys. Appreciate it.
Brent

 

[petereanima]

i know i'm too late but i jsut wanted to state that we had to replace our singer shortly, because of the same problem. when we started, about 10 yearas ago, it was just all fun, but as we are getting more and more serious with our stuff, it was unacceptable that he is totally drunk at our gigs, comes 3-4 hours late to the soundcheck (because he had to drink until 5am the night before), and many more things which i won't begin to tell because i would get mad again...(we played 20 shows last year, on 17 of it where problems caused by him).

the point is: altough he was one of my best friends for years - he had to go. all of us put their whole money and free time into this band which we all love, but it makes only sense if EVERYBODY is commited - and it just makes fun as long as you are satisfied with what you do: e.g.: if every show you play WOULD have been good, if there hadn't been this issue or that...you will loose the fun on making music some day and this is the last thing i want to happen.

and if some people are that egoistic and totally ignoring the fact that they are obviously ruining something what means a lot to other people - they do not deserve even a tear to be dropped, just whish him a better life in his future as he has it now and goodbye - it can only get better.

 

[supersonic]

Everyone in a band situation needs to pull their weight. It's never going to work if a member doesn't contribute to a common goal. Keeping someone who holds the band back is a mistake. It's unfortunate that your bass player has a drinking problem, but unfortunately it,s probably only going to get worse.