gotta rant about my band...

Tony G · #1 07-25-2007, 08:12 AM

Ugh...I'm getting tired of this. I usually stay away from band drama, but this time I felt the need to start it. My last band just totally fizzled out. Rehearsals got shorter and less involved, to the point where nothing was being done. Nobody seemed to want to put in the effort, and the band just collapsed. Now, this is happening with my current band. I see it all over the place. We aren't rehearsing together, just going to our gigs. I'm always trying to make myself available for a rehearsal, but it seems like somebody, usually the same one or two people, always have an excuse for not being able to make it. And well, it seems if one person can't make it, we scrap the whole rehearsal. There are 7 people in my band, so I understand there are going to be bumps in the road with coordinating everyone's schedule, but I'm getting tired of this. We haven't even played together in more than an month.

So, this frustrates me. As I said, I felt the need to start the drama this time. I emailed the whole band to ask what's up, and everyone is on the defensive. I just don't have any interest in continuing with a band that is just going to fizzle out like my last one, but it seems the rest of the band members are completely content with that. Frustrating....

louieeadg · #2 07-25-2007, 08:36 AM

Hmmm. And how does that make you feel?

louieeadg · #3 07-25-2007, 08:37 AM

Hold up...there's 7 people in the band???? And you scratch practice for 1 person??

Tony G · #4 07-25-2007, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louieeadg

Hold up...there's 7 people in the band???? And you scratch practice for 1 person??

Yup, that is what has been happening....

Tony G · #5 07-25-2007, 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louieeadg

Hmmm. And how does that make you feel?

Frustrated.

DaveDeVille · #6 07-25-2007, 08:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriele

... There are 7 people in my band, so I understand there are going to be
bumps in the road with coordinating everyone's schedule, but I'm getting tired of this.
I just don't have any interest in continuing with a band that is just going to
fizzle out like my last one,
but it seems the rest of the band members are completely content with that.
Frustrating....

Quote:

Originally Posted by louieeadg

Hold up...there's 7 people in the band????
And you scratch practice for 1 person??

... uhhh yeah , why can't the rest of the band get together ?

my two bands will practice sometimes without the singer or drummer
{ occasionally without me ...

}
just to learn new songs , or tighten up the old ones ...

louieeadg · #7 07-25-2007, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriele

Frustrated.

And why do you think that is?

Tony G · #8 07-25-2007, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by david meissner

... uhhh yeah , why can't the rest of the band get together ?

my two bands will practice sometimes without the singer or drummer
{ occasionally without me ...

}
just to learn new songs , or tighten up the old ones ...

And that is exactly what should happen. The common excuse right now is that we aren't learning anything new for some upcoming gigs, so we can just go over them on our own. I don't feel that way at all. The best thing a band can do for itself is play together as often as possible.

Tony G · #9 07-25-2007, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louieeadg

And why do you think that is?

Because you keep asking stupid questions...

CelinderMotoMan · #10 07-25-2007, 11:30 AM

I have a couple of thoughts on rehearsals. Keep in mind that the last time that my band rehearsed was when we replaced our singer and guitarist 5 years ago. That doesn't mean that we haven't learned any new songs ( we usually learn at least one for every gig, sometimes as many as 4) just that everyone learns their parts on their own. Let's face it, we are a cover band, our parts are mapped out for us.
1) If you show up not knowing the song you are wasting my time, and after a couple of times of doing it, i'll stop showing up for rehearsals.
2) I hate rehearsing songs that the band has already played live because it is a waste of time, if you need to freshen up on a song, rehearse it with the CD on your own time. It's not my fault that you can't retain knowledge. If the guys can't remember songs because the band doesn't play often enough, book more gigs. If you can't book more maybe you should evaluate the band and music that you are playing.
3) If we play a song and I mess up from not knowing a part, or if you call a song that I don't know and can't fake, you can bet the next night I will know it.
4) One gig is worth 20 rehearsals.

I have come to realise that there are bands out there who honestly love to rehearse more that actually play and I have distanced myself from those bands. I have found some like minded musiciand and we play gigs while the other guys practice. I love it when my reason for not being able to rehearse is because I have a gig.

louieeadg · #11 07-25-2007, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriele

Because you keep asking stupid questions...

Ahhhh, I see. So is it the time together with the fellas that you like or is the music suffering because of lack of practice?

Tony G · #12 07-25-2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by louieeadg

Ahhhh, I see. So is it the time together with the fellas that you like or is the music suffering because of lack of practice?

Both.

Quote:

Originally Posted by CelinderMotoMan

I have a couple of thoughts on rehearsals. Keep in mind that the last time that my band rehearsed was when we replaced our singer and guitarist 5 years ago. That doesn't mean that we haven't learned any new songs ( we usually learn at least one for every gig, sometimes as many as 4) just that everyone learns their parts on their own. Let's face it, we are a cover band, our parts are mapped out for us.
1) If you show up not knowing the song you are wasting my time, and after a couple of times of doing it, i'll stop showing up for rehearsals.
2) I hate rehearsing songs that the band has already played live because it is a waste of time, if you need to freshen up on a song, rehearse it with the CD on your own time. It's not my fault that you can't retain knowledge. If the guys can't remember songs because the band doesn't play often enough, book more gigs. If you can't book more maybe you should evaluate the band and music that you are playing.
3) If we play a song and I mess up from not knowing a part, or if you call a song that I don't know and can't fake, you can bet the next night I will know it.
4) One gig is worth 20 rehearsals.

I have come to realise that there are bands out there who honestly love to rehearse more that actually play and I have distanced myself from those bands. I have found some like minded musiciand and we play gigs while the other guys practice. I love it when my reason for not being able to rehearse is because I have a gig.

Personally I feel that a good band needs to practice, whether it is just the same old stuff or not. Sure, playing the same old covers you can just practice on your own, but playing the same old covers with the band is a little different. You need to learn and grow together as a band. If all you want to do is practice on your own and just throw it all together on the gig, I feel that you will never become more than just an average run-of-the-mill cover band. Yes, they are just cover tunes that everyone has heard and played a hundred times before, but the band has its own dynamic. I see not rehearsing together at least once a week to be a bad thing. It isn't a question about forgetting the music and what not, it is in complete regards of the band becoming "one".

Bayou_Brawler · #13 07-25-2007, 12:34 PM

if these guys don't have it in them they don't have it in them.....

find some guys that want to PLAY....that need to PLAY....that want to PLAY after they just PLAYED....

louieeadg · #14 07-25-2007, 12:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bayou_Brawler

if these guys don't have it in them they don't have it in them.....

find some guys that want to PLAY....that need to PLAY....that want to PLAY after they just PLAYED....

This is true. You need to find those people...they're out there! Now go get 'em tiger!!

JKT · #15 07-25-2007, 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriele

Both.

Personally I feel that a good band needs to practice, whether it is just the same old stuff or not. Sure, playing the same old covers you can just practice on your own, but playing the same old covers with the band is a little different. You need to learn and grow together as a band. If all you want to do is practice on your own and just throw it all together on the gig, I feel that you will never become more than just an average run-of-the-mill cover band. Yes, they are just cover tunes that everyone has heard and played a hundred times before, but the band has its own dynamic. I see not rehearsing together at least once a week to be a bad thing. It isn't a question about forgetting the music and what not, it is in complete regards of the band becoming "one".

I tend to agree with this for the most part and we're going through similiar trips with certain band personell's reluctance to practice.

We are a I guess you could say, a cross-over blues band. Lot's of jazz, soul and rock influence there, not only in our interpretation of covers but in the writing. With a genre like the blues, it is easy to work a whole lot and not practice. As a matter of fact it seems like almost a given among many blues musicians and afficianados of the blues that it must be played half-crappy to be authentic. We as a band disagree with this. What separates a lot of good bands from really great ones is not only practice but the right kind of practice.

Like the list that was posted previously:

1) Know your material. Rehearsal is a time to practice performing or to create. It is not a time to learn the song or your instrument.

2) scheduling practice sessions when there is not a lot of gigs is a great way to prepare for gigs and still leave everyone with a life. (If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy)

3) sometimes the whole band does not need to be together.
If you need to work out vocal arrangments, don't torture your non-singing members.

4) get a bunch of tunes down and in rotation and periodically lay-off rehearsal so more people are looking forward to rehearsal when it really needs to happen.

Diifficult thing this being in a band. But if it was easy, everyone would be doing it.

JKT

CelinderMotoMan · #16 07-25-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgabriele

You need to learn and grow together as a band. If all you want to do is practice on your own and just throw it all together on the gig, I feel that you will never become more than just an average run-of-the-mill cover band." "It isn't a question about forgetting the music and what not, it is in complete regards of the band becoming "one".

See # 4

Tony G · #17 07-25-2007, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CelinderMotoMan

See # 4

I simply don't agree.

invader3k · #18 07-25-2007, 01:49 PM

I guess some bands get to the point where rehearsal isn't needed, but I'm not getting that tone from the original poster.

It sounds like the other people in the band don't have the passion or interest to keep things going. If people are getting defensive and making excuses, maybe there's some deeper issues going on.

Maybe it's just time to find another band, and if something happens again with the current band, great...if not, oh well, you've moved on.

Tony G · #19 07-25-2007, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader3k

I guess some bands get to the point where rehearsal isn't needed, but I'm not getting that tone from the original poster.

That seems to be the concensus of the band currently, though I don't agree. I think there is always something that could be gone over to make better. While the other members of the band don't exactly dissagree with me, they don't seem too worried about doing anything about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader3k

It sounds like the other people in the band don't have the passion or interest to keep things going. If people are getting defensive and making excuses, maybe there's some deeper issues going on.

Maybe it's just time to find another band, and if something happens again with the current band, great...if not, oh well, you've moved on.

I have a feeling this is what is going to happen anyways. This thread was just a place for me to rant.

seanm · #20 07-25-2007, 01:54 PM

CelinderMotoMan and xgabriele, how often do your bands gig?

I joined a new band. We are hoping to quickly get to the point where we only have to rehearse once in a while to learn new songs.

One band I was in had a rule of one "event" per week. So if there was a gig, no practice. If there was no gig, we had a practice.

And I have to agree with CelinderMotoMan, gigs are much more valuable than practices *assuming* everybody knows the song.