now I remember why I decided to move on

[claytitan]

Well I gigged with a band I used to play with last night. I hadn't played with them in at least 6 months. Subbed in for their vacationing bass player. Just a short three hour gig at a bar. Had fun and there were a few times where the music was pretty good. But...I was still seeing all of the same bs that drove me nutty when I used to gig with them regularly.

Starting late - well over a half hour late. And as usual it was the lead singer and lead guitarist. Geez I just don't get this. If you have to setup your own PA and gear and you pull in 35 minutes before your supposed to start you're probably not going to make it. Whether you are making good money or not (we weren't) I think you should start at the time you say you are. I was much less conserned about it then I used to be because I was like whatever I am just subbing in for one gig.

Major overplaying by the drummer - I always had a rough time clicking with the drummer and after playing with a few new guys I see why. The guy is all over the cymbals and toms with no kick and has all of these complicated off beats and stuff. You know smacking the cymbal on the 2 instead of 1 all the time and that stuff. When the lead guitar starts into one of his solos the drummer beats harder and harder and hits every cymbal and just covers it up. It feels more like competing than complementing.

Big low end EQ on the lead guitar with lots of distortion. Between the overplaying on the drums and the hugh bottom end coming from the lead guitar cab I felt like I had no room to play in....Whenever we did a song with a bit cleaner guitar sound it is like aaaaah yes now I can hear everything.

Noodling between songs - Frickin' drives me crazy! Nobody wants to hear someone practice their Eddie VH licks between every song. Sometimes this went on for a good 20-30 secs. I started crossing my arms and just stared at him.

Song choices - There was some good stuff but hardly what I would call party music. The lead singer pretty much only likes 80s hairband and 90s or newer hard rock. Anything that doesn't fall into those catagories is immediately shot down. The song choices seemed more likely to appeal to 35 years males than 25 year old females....

I guess all I'm sayin' is sometimes it is best to move on.

[Stumbo]

If they're still gigging on a regular basis, not withstanding your complaints, them seem to have found their market.

[steveksux]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

If they're still gigging on a regular basis, not withstanding your complaints, them seem to have found their market.

Not sure how that works, Darwin does NOT seem to apply to bands.

Boils down to people not having an ear for music. Or maybe we are too fussy expecting bands to act professional and focus on taste, tempo and temprance during gigs....

Randy

[delta7fred]

Originally Posted by steveksux

Not sure how that works, Darwin does NOT seem to apply to bands.

Boils down to people not having an ear for music. Or maybe we are too fussy expecting bands to act professional and focus on taste, tempo and temprance during gigs....

Randy

It's a well know fact that punters (and bar owners etc) have cloth ears, they don't know a good band from a bad one.

A good friend of mine, a retired professional guitarist, refers to them all as MAB - mobile acoustic baffles, and he is not wrong.

[jeffbrown]

HAHAHA! MAB! Gotta remember that one!

Need a new keyboard now. Note to self - Shouldn't have a mouthful of adult beverage at the computer.

Got tossed from a band years ago. The leader was a putz. Money issues, etc. Don't miss HIM at all, but missed the rest. Oh, well. One door closes, another opens.

[claytitan]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

If they're still gigging on a regular basis, not withstanding your complaints, them seem to have found their market.

They have a few friends that always come out to support them and that helps. They haven't been gigging every weekend that's for sure. Besides, if you really want a gig you can find them. That not what it's all about for me anyway. I've got a good paying job. I would rather have one gig a month and really ace it than half a-s it twice a weekend.
I wish them the best really. There is talent there for sure. It mainly seems like stupid mistakes and stubborness that make no sense to me that keeps them from being better. I am definitely happy I am not working hard with that group because I think it's gone as far as it is going. Just sharing some thoughts to see if others have run into the same.

And yes maybe I'm too picky. But some of this is basic stuff. Show up on time! Don't noodle at a gig! Basic Common Sense!!

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by claytitan

And yes maybe I'm too picky. But some of this is basic stuff. Show up on time! Don't noodle at a gig! Basic Common Sense!!

I agree with you. I'm not saying you're too picky. Obviously you want to be better band (organization/musicianship). Just saying that they go their way and you can go yours. You're both happy.

[slaps76]

Is this my last band, haha. 20-30 seconds of dead air in between songs(while watching the people who were just dancing walk away) waiting for one of the guitarists to tune every string to perfection. Solos dragged out into complete jam sessions(does anyone really want to hear "rocking in the free world for 12 minutes?), and no work ethic to learn new songs & drop the terrible ones from the setlist.

Oh yea, showing up late for gigs, and taking 40 minute breaks in between sets, while just cutting the sets short to compensate. Oh how much I miss those idiots.

[ColinGWood]

Originally Posted by claytitan

Major overplaying by the drummer -

The guy is all over the cymbals and toms with no kick and has all of these complicated off beats and stuff.

It feels more like competing than complementing.

I feel your pain