Band in a rut... help please!

[Microbass]

Background:
The band have been around around 8 years. This is actually my second stint with them - I left previously due to it being impossible to find a drummer and I had other commitments.

We've done a few gigs, mostly out of towners that don't really benefit us since I joined again last November. We played a new year gig in our home town to a great reception, and about a month later the drummer was fired.
So, since I've joined again, we're about 4-5months behind where we wanted to be.

We have a happy line up, and a solid 30min set and 3-4 new songs in the works which I think may just be the catalyst to get the ball rolling again. We always have great ideas for when we do a single launch - where to do it, the inserts and a new website, start using social networking to stay in touch and network with people and everyone gets really into it when we start talking about it - but i'm still waiting for my own band email address. We just can't seem to get over the first hurdle.

I myself contribute to booking rehearsals and will soon be helping with gigs and online stuff, and organising five other guys can be frustrating. Something isn't working and I can't quite figure it out, or sure how to fix it!

We played a gig last night which was a total disaster - broken pedals, dodgy amps, broken bass drum pedal. My only issue was pulling my cable out of the amp - but no one hears the bass anyway

The guys are into this and are dedicated, but how can I get them up for it and over the first hurdle??

thanks for letting me rant.
if anyone feels like checking us out: www.myspace.com/whatthedeadknow - if you have any suggestions as to bands that would have a complimentary sound PLEASE suggest them! or other issue is that we can't find any local bands that have a similiar sound...

[The Bassmonkey]

Hi Microbass!

Im in a similar postion in that i book all the gigs, arrange the online stuff, etc...

I totally agree that organising a bunch of other guys can be very frustrating! Were only a 3 piece (soon to be 4) and i find that challenging enough, 5 must be a nughtmare, especially having to juggle work and other stuff aswell.

As for being in a rut, the best thing to do (and im ashamed to say that i have just realised this after 3 years in this band...not really picking up speed on anything) is to gig gig gig, but make sure you do it in yout HOME town! Thats the place to build up a following. Its cheaper for you to get too and your more likely to know about venues, other bands etc..

Im in 2 bands, 1 of them is getting pretty successful which i only joined a couple of months ago and then there is my primary band...the one not doing so well. The difference, my primary band gig all over the south of england, but the venues are large and there is a big queue for slots so we dont get to play them often, the other band, play a local venue every few weeks. And their starting to get a following.

So the key, lots of local gigs, Myspace, free or cheap demos, get together an emailing list of fans so that you can send them dates, times and entry fees of gigs!

Hope this helps and any questions, gimme a yell!

[dg123]

I know the feeling. My band hasn't had a singer in over a year, and we've been going nowhere fast. I took upon myself to find some singers and audition them, but that backfired because I feel we weren't consistent enough in our schedule. It was impossible to figure out when everyone was free and get them all together so I had to reschedule auditions multiple times.

After all that I told them I'm not scheduling anything anymore, and they should take it upon themselves. I'm not sure if it worked or not, but I'm a lot less annoyed now lol.

So I think the lesson here is that you should break up the work and make certain members responsible for certain things, simply cause you can't (or don't want to) do everything yourself (and you shouldn't have to either.)

You sound pretty good btw.

[klokker]

I really don't know if I'm right, but it seems to me that you need more than a "solid 30 minute set, with 3 or 4 new songs in the works", if you want to move ahead. You just can't play much of a gig with that can you?

I've seen a lot of bands that seem to come up with about 12 or so original songs, (a CD or so) put a nice master together, and then just can't get past it.

Again, I'm not sure about this at all. But IMHO I think you need a much larger set list to be working on.

[MatticusMania]

I dont kow about Scotland, but in Los Angeles most gigs are 3-5 bands with 45 minute sets each. 30 minutes can suffice, and other bands will appreciate your shorter set. Of course, as an original band I think your goal is to continue to write good music, as much as it as possible, and keep gigging.

[Microbass]

30min sets are the norm here with generally 4-5 bands. We can easily do a 45min - something we keep for a once a month home town type of show - there are more songs, but 3 of those are coming together.

i'm delegating responsibility... it's really only the drummer who doesn't have a 'job'. i've been waiting for about 2 months for a band email address... ugh.

[txbasschik]

Do like Bassmonkey says and just gig to within an inch of your lives, closer to home, the better. Build that local following, keep writing, and then you can go branch out. Your following will carry you to the next-nearest area, and that one carries you to the next...

Start using Google calendar, or another easy-to-share online calendar that everyone in your band can get access to. Honey, I have to schedule five women and a man who works at the tire shop (our drummer). Plus keep up with hubby's band schedule, and the band schedules of the people I'm in side projects with. Talk about herding cats! A road-musician buddy of mine turned me on to Google calendar, and it is just about the best thing for keeping from booking your gig on your drummer's daughter's 12th birthday and whatnot. Make your life easier.

Cherie :-)