Band armageddon???

Iroquoi · #1 07-09-2009, 03:09 PM

Hi everybody,

I'm having serious troub le with my band, i'll try to be short and explain you guys what is happening:

I'm the leader of a punk/indie band, and we are in a very crucial and decisive moment of our carrers, we started 6 years ago as a garage band just as kids trying to have fun, but the dream got bigger and bigger and about 3 years ago we got a contract of recording in a professional tudio with a very respected producer, so the problems started.

When we first got into the recording scheme we realized how much we sucked and how much we should improve to get "pro". So the first thing we made was rehearsing very much just drums and bass, because our drummer couldn't even record in the right tempo. I rehearsed with him abou 1 year and he was still very childish and was not training to improve his techniques, so we couldn't record our so dreamed cd because he couldn't even play the drums in the right tempo, i know that some of our stuff is pretty complicate on drums but the guy simply did not practice at all... Later i got knowing that he was playing Samba in another band so we decided to fire him.

So we needed a new drummer and we decided to give a chance to our fan #1, the guy who was ALWAYS in every rehearsal just to watch us playing, and the guy was very helpful when we had gigs, like a helper for free. Due to this and to his musical influences, and liking our band, we decided that he was our new drummer. He could barely play the drums and we knew that he sucked more than the last drummer, but we believed in him and we tought that he would practice more and more until he got good enought to record our cd. Well it did not happen... So we decided to keep him in the band and pay for a professional drummer record our songs, and when we got the recordings of the drums finished we gave it to him to practice.

Now our cd is almost complete and ready to release, but the guy still SUCK HARD on drums and can't play our songs 100% correctly, so we have fear that he harms our live performances; for a "ok let's go" band of teenagers i think he is "ok" but for a professional band who wants to earn cash with playing he is not doing his homework...

Our producer told us to change the drums scheme and use it as Mareen of Velvet Underground, so it's easier to play drums just with the hands, but he is too much proud to follow our producer advices...

And our guitarrists also can't play at all, so we had to pay a pro to play the guitar...
I know that i'm pretty good on bass and my producer said that actually i'm the only one who is very dedicated to the band, the guitards are ok because at least they are studying but the drummer is a Pain in the ***

WHAT SHOULD I DO???? Quit the band???
Fire the drummer????

MatticusMania · #2 07-09-2009, 03:24 PM

Personally, I wouldnt have recorded a CD if niether the drummer nor the guitar players can play their parts. You got a recording contract from a producer? For a band that couldnt even play well in the first place? How much are you guys paying for studio time? It seems to me like youre being taken...

On a side note, there isnt much money to be made playing punk music these days. It can be done, but its not like venues are chasing down punk bands to play their place. Id get out of there and go start a punk band just for fun and not take it so seriously, and not listen to some producer trying to get paid.

dalkowski · #3 07-09-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Personally, I wouldnt have recorded a CD if niether the drummer nor the guitar players can play their parts. You got a recording contract from a producer? For a band that couldnt even play well in the first place? How much are you guys paying for studio time? It seems to me like youre being taken...

+1. Something hinky's going on, and I fear you're gonna be left holding a very costly bag. Good luck.

Iroquoi · #4 07-09-2009, 03:39 PM

we got the contract because we won a contest, and the contract was part of the prize, it's not "the band can't play", yes we can play, but "the band isn't playing correctly to the eyes of someone who is very talended and experienced with music (productor)

ThunderLizard · #5 07-09-2009, 03:44 PM

Iroq-
I would have done the primary recording with the band that won the contest. You're a punk band...you're not supposed to sound like you know how to play correctly.
If a big name wants to sit in, no harm there.
Just don't be talked into digging into your pocket to fund this thing.

Meyatch · #6 07-09-2009, 03:44 PM

either you were good enough to record an album, or you weren't. You are either demanding too much of a band that was already at least "good enough", or you had no business recording an album in the first place.

Also, who in the world spends 3 years recording an album?

Something bizarre is going on.

Stumbo · #7 07-09-2009, 03:51 PM

Punk band that won a contest? IMO, you should be recording what won the contest, warts and all. How did you win the contest if the drums/guitars can't play?

Legally, how can you fire people who were in the band that won the contest/contract?

Finish the recording the best you can and move on. 3 years is a long time to produce 1 CD.

If the other guys really can't play the parts recorded on the CD and you want to play out with the songs you recorded, well.....there's only one variable to manipulate in this situation. It doesn't really sound like you have a band.

You may have trouble finding new band members that want to cover unknown original tunes.

IMO, sounds like you'll have to quit, then start or join another band with guys that can already play.

Good luck.

Iroquoi · #8 07-09-2009, 03:58 PM

We won the contest, but when we came across the studio, the producer gave some tips and suggested us to chance some things, and when i realized teh whole album and every single song was completely different...
We aren't PUNK like sex pistols, we have influences of punk, but we play something a little bit more experimental...

Dogbertday · #9 07-09-2009, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iroquoi

We won the contest, but when we came across the studio, the producer gave some tips and suggested us to chance some things, and when i realized teh whole album and every single song was completely different...
We aren't PUNK like sex pistols, we have influences of punk, but we play something a little bit more experimental...

The Sex Pistols could freakin' play though...

If it's a contest thing I would have just recorded what you could right away and have something that really represents you.. then move on as far as getting better... you can always re-record

i_got_a_mohawk · #10 07-09-2009, 04:17 PM

Best think to do would have been recording your own stuff before diving into this pro stuff.

That's what we have been doing and it really lets you see your own abilities and limitations etc.

RicPlaya · #11 07-09-2009, 04:29 PM

So what's up with the CD, is it getting distributed and are you guys going on a tour or something?

Your asking us if you should quit or change your line up? I would first slow down a little and just relax. Is anything going to come from this CD? If no..then don;t worry about it. If your going to tour or something, I would get a good drummer and guitar player before looking like a jerk on stage with guys that can't play. If not and you like the guys, you have to weigh friendship over angering someone if you fire them, what's more important to you? I wouldn't quit if you really like the group and the music.

MatticusMania · #12 07-09-2009, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iroquoi

we got the contract because we won a contest, and the contract was part of the prize, it's not "the band can't play", yes we can play, but "the band isn't playing correctly to the eyes of someone who is very talended and experienced with music (productor)

Right on, Im glad to hear youre not paying for this whole debacle, however this statement: ""the band isn't playing correctly to the eyes of someone who is very talended and experienced with music" is the equivalent of this one: "the band can't play". Because if your drummer or guitarists can't play in time, they can't play. I'm sorry, Im not trying to knock your band or your abilities as a bassist or anything, but I think if a band needs to pay a pro to sit in for a recording, you probably shouldnt have been recording.

If I may ask, who wrote the songs? I'm assuming it was you?

And don't get too down on yourself if everything doesnt work out, this happens to most musicians at one point or another, heck, you can go read all about my band problems in the Having Your Cake and Eating It Too thread if it'll make you feel better.

Implosion · #13 07-10-2009, 03:37 AM

Few questions. Is the studio recording an actual album or a demo tape? What is the average age of your band members because your profile is empty. I bet people could give you better advices if they knew more, because there is a difference in band related problems when players are 17 compared to 27 or even 37.

Also, this would make a great signature:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iroquoi

Later i got knowing that he was playing Samba in another band so we decided to fire him.

Marko5657 · #14 07-10-2009, 06:20 AM

I’m interpreting this as… you won a BOTB contest, the prize of which included x-hours recording time in a professional recording studio.

Not to be harsh, but it sounds to me like you’re having some serious delusions about where/what you are as a band.

I suggest you just have some fun in the studio with your buddies.

Peace,
Marko