Bands that run their course...

gribuski · #1 01-17-2011, 09:40 AM

So last night the indy/punk trio I've been in for the last 3 years is playing one last show and calling it quits. I'm pretty disappointed about it, but honestly don't disagree. I've seen it coming for a few months...

The guitar player writes all of the material, but he brings it to me and the drummer to hammer out and make our own parts - so its very collaborative. It's been about a year since he's written any new material, despite assurances that there were more on the way. We were planning our next gig(s), and he just said "So I was thinking we do one last show...". I knew exactly what he meant.

Anyway, since I've been with them, we've played nearly 100 shows in town and on the road, made an album that turned out great, and generally made tons of music we're proud of. They've actually been in the band for 10 years (with different bass players), and their old material stands on it's own, too.

Two questions:

1) Does anyone else have any experience with this? Has anyone broken up a completely solid band b/c it was just time?

2) How in the heck do I find another gig that's anywhere near as rewarding as this? Music that I really dug with super-talented guys who I'm also friends with, that perfectly suited my abilities - it's quite a void to fill....

Anyway, it's cathartic for me to post about it. If anyone has any thoughts, I'd be glad to hear them.

On to Craigslist I guess.

Spinal Tapper · #2 01-17-2011, 09:55 AM

This kinda depends on your age...do u have a wife/kids? Do your bandmates? What are you looking to peruse now?

Stay friends with the guys...sounds like it's ending on good terms. They might get the "itch" to rock out a few more times in a year or two, you never know.

Craigslist should be loaded with people looking for a bassist...at least the one around my city is. You can try to post an ad yourself, describing what you're looking for in a band, if you want to be more specific

gribuski · #3 01-17-2011, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

This kinda depends on your age...do u have a wife/kids? Do your bandmates? What are you looking to peruse now?

Stay friends with the guys...sounds like it's ending on good terms. They might get the "itch" to rock out a few more times in a year or two, you never know.

Craigslist should be loaded with people looking for a bassist...at least the one around my city is. You can try to post an ad yourself, describing what you're looking for in a band, if you want to be more specific

I'm 30, no kids, long-term girlfriend. Good day job, so I'm not looking to hit the road or anything. They're both 40+, no kids also. It was a perfect situation for me b/c I'm NOT a songwriter, but love the woodshedding process of learning and putting together tunes. I haven't had to "look" for a band in forever - all of my experience happened pretty organically so the whole process is foreign to me.

I live in Nashville, so there's not a lack of good musicians, with ample fill-in work, will keep an eye out. I still play bluegrass regularly with the guitar player, and we all know tons of good players that might need help at some point.

It'll work out eventually...I've got an ad posted already.

bassteban · #4 01-17-2011, 10:40 AM

1. I've quit a band or two that were doing well but I was just done for one reason or another; something better eventually came along.
2. Get out & look- take the off-time to go see some bands; musicians often check out other shows, sometimes looking for new peeps to play with.

essentre · #5 01-17-2011, 10:46 AM

Maybe you guys just need to take a break from it. If it's a good band and everyone's into it, there's no sense in breaking it up. Finding the right people is such a tough process. If you know you've got people you click with, I'd try to make it work.

I personally have always found that if I'm in a writing slump and no ideas are coming to me, the best thing to do is step away for a while. Don't even think about music for a few weeks. When you come back to it it's fresh and fun. Ideas will just roll out.

gribuski · #6 01-17-2011, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by essentre

Maybe you guys just need to take a break from it. If it's a good band and everyone's into it, there's no sense in breaking it up. Finding the right people is such a tough process. If you know you've got people you click with, I'd try to make it work.

I personally have always found that if I'm in a writing slump and no ideas are coming to me, the best thing to do is step away for a while. Don't even think about music for a few weeks. When you come back to it it's fresh and fun. Ideas will just roll out.

I honestly don't think his heart is in it anymore. His house was flooded last April (during the big one here), and he hasn't been the same since. He just got his house back again, and the hope was that once he got back into a routine, it would all come back to him...and it hasn't.

The other thing is that he has tons of notebooks with assorted lyrical ideas and tapes with riffs and progressions. Any other time we've needed tunes, he sat with the tapes and books and knocked out new stuff in a day. I've heard nuggets of ideas, and there's good stuff in there (and I've told him so)...he just doesn't seem interested in doing it any more.

Honestly, I think it's as good a time as any to just let it go completely. No shows are booked and we haven't worked on new material in forever so there isn't any lost effort.

hrodbert696 · #7 01-17-2011, 11:51 AM

"Ain't nothing can keep a band together... bands come and go." --That Thing You Do.

Can't think of much else to say, especially since I don't really get WHY this band is breaking up. Is it just that the leader's gotten discouraged after his house flood? No other drama, money problems, creative differences? Well, that would suck. Go enjoy polishing your chops in the woodshed for a couple of weeks and then go put another band together. You'll do fine.

Eater_of_Birds · #8 01-17-2011, 12:28 PM

im still friends with my first two band guys. my main one ended when our drummer moved further away for university. it was gutting at the time but in hindsight it was probably alright timing, as now most of us hate the stuff we were playing due to changes in taste (i also used to be on guitar!) and our projects now are pretty different.

gribuski · #9 01-17-2011, 01:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hrodbert696

"Ain't nothing can keep a band together... bands come and go." --That Thing You Do.

Can't think of much else to say, especially since I don't really get WHY this band is breaking up. Is it just that the leader's gotten discouraged after his house flood? No other drama, money problems, creative differences? Well, that would suck. Go enjoy polishing your chops in the woodshed for a couple of weeks and then go put another band together. You'll do fine.

No drama at ALL, I can't imagine a band with less drama. Bands do come and go, especially here in Nashville - it's brutal to original bands.

Part of it is that he's got a live-in girlfriend now (that he didn't have when he at home before), and he's unlikely to get into his old routine. He's got a bit of history of losing interest when he's got a girl, honestly...I don't really like using that perspective, but it can't be ignored.

I'm definitely more interested in practicing on my own now than I have been in a while (especially my upright playing), so there will be some woodshedding involved.

NOAH_FX · #10 01-17-2011, 02:40 PM

Goodluck

Martin89 · #11 01-17-2011, 03:45 PM

Keep the networking open and if it is just that guy maybe start a side-project with other members? Try something different, have fun, enjoy friendships.

gribuski · #12 01-17-2011, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Martin89

Keep the networking open and if it is just that guy maybe start a side-project with other members? Try something different, have fun, enjoy friendships.

Thought about it, and if a situation arises, I definitely would. Funny story, I got an e-mail from the drummer in response to the Craigslist ad I posted.

We ended up exchanging a couple of e-mails about the whole deal and he sees things the same way I do (not surprised).

Martin89 · #13 01-17-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gribuski

Thought about it, and if a situation arises, I definitely would. Funny story, I got an e-mail from the drummer in response to the Craigslist ad I posted.

We ended up exchanging a couple of e-mails about the whole deal and he sees things the same way I do (not surprised).

I would probably take it as an opportunity to work on my own song-writing skills and do a side project(dare I say it) sans bass. Although I'd love to see 2-pc punk band with just a drummer and bassist.

derridiandrift · #14 01-17-2011, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gribuski

Has anyone broken up a completely solid band b/c it was just time?

Yep. Last week.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gribuski

How in the heck do I find another gig that's anywhere near as rewarding as this?

Look at all the possibilities you have now. You might get calls once word gets out that you're available.

Jonyak · #15 01-18-2011, 06:41 AM

I had a great band that just kinda stopped.

we played our biggest gig, and then just stopped playing together.

everyone knew it, and there was no hard feelings.

stylonpilson · #16 01-18-2011, 08:09 AM

Stay in touch with these guys. It sounds like you had a good chemistry, but you'd all just run out of inspiration. Once the inspiration returns, you'll be grateful that you can quickly surround yourself with musicians that you know you can tolerate.

S.P.

EddiePlaysBass · #17 01-19-2011, 08:34 AM

My rockabilly band has all but run its course. I have been working hard for it the past couple of years, and before our most recent gig we came to the realisation that in this line-up, we have been together for about 5 years now. I guess with that, both the lead guitarist and I finally realised how tired we are of this band, because the other day we were talking about how much fun it no longer is.

In truth, we never really realised our full potential. Mostly due to one particular member. At one point I suggested we replace him but the other two, while agreeing, simply did nothing and left everything to me to handle. Same as they always did for every aspect of the band, I guess. I ended up lacking the balls to make the necessary move, so we plodded on.

Next gig we have is in June. A wedding reception for a friend of ours. I wanted to do a special set, and learn 3 - 5 songs of the bridegroom's favourite band, but That Particular Band Member said "no let's just do one song, and play the regular set we always do". Problem is we've been doing that for close to 3 - 4 years now. And we're a cover band

So once that gig is over and done with, I am definitely pulling the plug. Already talked with the guitarist about starting a new project and I look forward to that more than to actually performing with the rockabilly band. And then there is the blues band I recently joined so I have enough going to keep myself busy.

jaywa · #18 01-20-2011, 04:19 PM

Eddie above could have been reading right out of my script.

I think I'm in this situation now with my main band of 5 years.

Last year we had played 6 gigs by the first week of March but this year we only have 6 gigs on the books for the entire YEAR. Our original drummer quit last fall and the guy who replaced him is talking about quitting now. We've added about 3 new songs to our show in the last 2 years. There's not really a lot of drama (although there has been at points in the past)... just a general lack of enthusiasm and "whatever" attitude, members prioritizing personal interests, vacations, etc. over rehearsals and gigs, no real effort to expand out into other than our usual venues, and our regular fans showing up less and less.

We've had a lot of good times, made some good money and had a good run over the last 5 years... but it's feeling like it's time to pack it in. Our original drummer (who is one of my best friends) sat in with us last weekend and on Monday I got an e-mail from him saying he could tell I wasn't having fun with it anymore. We all still get along with each other, it's just... blah. And I need a lot more than one gig every 2 months for creative and financial reasons.

So we'll see... I'm actually going out tomorrow night to check out another band that needs a new bassist and has indirectly been recruiting me for the last few months. May be signing on with them and playing out the string with my current band. Stay tuned.

Gougedeye · #19 01-20-2011, 04:34 PM

I'm in a similar situation. My main band has been together for 15 years. We have had a lot of great times together and in the past have been very popular, locally. Well, things have slowed a bit. I ended up joining another band and now it has surpassed the popularity of the original band, while the original band is struggling to find jobs. I came to the realization that the original may have run its course.

Raymeous · #20 01-25-2011, 04:04 PM

Maybe the only thing that needs to change is the direction.

Maybe all it is is a sense of burn out of that particular musical style. A personnel shift of lead singer, adding a second guitarist or keys player may be all that it takes to rekindle the spark. It could simply be that you guys are bored with the current (old) band and just need a fresh start. You guys obviously work well together so no real need to end that.

I say a new band made up of some of the same guys with a new face or two added, and start over, both in terms of material and genre.