So my buddy's in a terrible band... Anyone else got stories like these?

[Ubersheist]

So this local band is just terrible, but I consider all the guys my friends, especially the keyboardist and drummer. Seriously great guys, but terrible musicians. They've all been playing for a billion years, and they're all 50 years old or more, except the keyboardist is alot younger. Even he should be plenty old enough to know better.

Whenever they ask questions about how to get a bigger audience, a huge laundry list of things pop into my head. I just don't have the heart to tell 'em... They get alot of gigs because they're good salesmen, they hustle, and they have a knack for finding tone-deaf bar managers who are terrible business people. They also wonder why no one ever calls them back...

Unfortunately, they're not in the slightest bit alone. However, even the other local terrible bands are better then these guys.

What's your story for bad local bands who don't 'get it?'

[robd]

Bar owners don't care if the band is any good, they care about how many drinks they can sell when the band plays.

Lots of terrible bands around here that get lots of gigs because they have lots of friends that love to drink.

Makes me nuts.

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by robd

Bar owners don't care if the band is any good, they care about how many drinks they can sell when the band plays.

Lots of terrible bands around here that get lots of gigs because they have lots of friends that love to drink.

Makes me nuts.

So THAT's what's doing it!

Don't feel bad.

Anyone who's even halfway decent shares your pain.

[Duckwater]

Sounds like my bandmates. They don't like to practice or learn new things, and their stage presence is akin to statues, but we play music to a demographic that doesn't really care.

[bassbully]

I have known bands like this. The worst thing is when they say "what do you think of us? Or "how do we sound?

[NOAH_FX]

I always love when people want to show you a video of their band, that was recorded with a Smart phone and ask how it is.. We'll, i can hear the guitar, and the guy who's yelling at me.... Maybe some China, thats about it.. Nice China though :P

[lfmn16]

Originally Posted by bassbully

I have known bands like this. The worst thing is when they say "what do you think of us? Or "how do we sound?

JUst say, "You have a very consistent sound!"

[ZeroSymbolic]

There is a local prog metal band I have posted a few times, that is a dedicated singer away from being enormous.

[bassinplace]

Meh. As long as they're having fun (or even if they're not) just be a friend and cheer 'em on. I wouldn't worry about it much beyond that.

[thedudebrah]

I know a few bands like that. Super mediocre with forgettable songs. They always offer us shows at weird venues with weird lineups that are poorly organized/promoted with a small crowd.

[BayStateBass]

I'm in one of those bands.

Well, sort of.

We're actually not all that bad, I've heard worse, but people come to see us because we put on a fun show and for some reason they like what we do. The bar we usually play loves us because the register rings all night. We play bad Country songs badly. Old or new. Every one has a rock flair to it in one way or another or somehow eventually incorporates a lot of blues (which is most of our backgrounds, blues and rock).

Well, I say we play them badly, we really don't, but a lot of others could play them a lot better. We have some good musicians but it's not a cohesive group. The only ones who really practice the songs regularly are myself and the new drummer. The drummer, myself, and one guitar are trained/years of lessons, the other two guitarists (yes, you read this right, we have three guitars) are self-taught and play primarily by ear, and one of them can hardly play at all and the other one is only good if it's something he already knows. The one good trained guitarist just never practices and never knows his parts. Then add in a singer who has a lot of talent but is in "karaoke" mode most of the time. Yes, we are a huge band making what is sometimes an incomprehensible wall of noise. And the crowd seems to love it. Granted, it's not a high end place, but the parking lot is always full.

There was another local band that did what we do before we did it. They were also tremendously popular. Again, comprised of decent musicians but no cohesiveness. Their fate is what I assume will eventually be the fate of my band; the members became frustrated or disinterested and eventually just gave up and disbanded.

It always amazes me when we play our songs and people are like "you guys are really great to see, you put on a good show" because I'm sometimes thinking they should probably be throwing rotten vegetables at us.

Guess it just goes to show that you really can play a show all night with only G, C, and D.......

[funkingroovin]

I'm going to support two bands like that tonight..All the guys in both bands have been my friends since grade school and were instrumental(no pun intended)in me becoming a bassist..BUT--they suck. I kinda feel bad about saying it,but it's true.

The awkward thing is that the bass player from band 'A' loaned me all of his gear for the first 6-7months of my bass-infancy and the bass player from band 'B' taught me my first few riffs. Both these guys have been playing about 8-10yrs longer than me(I didn't pick up a bass until I was 23),but in my most humble and honest opinion haven't progressed beyond an intermediate level at best. The reason I said I kinda felt bad pointing it out is because band 'A' buddy knows he isn't that good and is ok with it because he's just in it to have some fun. The guy from band 'B' is the most clueless bad player you'll meet. He thinks he absolutely ROCKS,but in reality,statistics are the only reason he ever hits a correct note..as in "if you play enough of 'em,one of 'em has to be right"...I've tried to help them better their playing countless times,but they're both just 'stuck',unable to grasp things like major/minor scales,roots and fifths,or anything besides a 4/4 count..

But I'll gladly give them the support they've shown me over the years,regardless the pain to my musical senses..

[mcnach]

Originally Posted by Ubersheist

So this local band is just terrible, but I consider all the guys my friends, especially the keyboardist and drummer. Seriously great guys, but terrible musicians. They've all been playing for a billion years, and they're all 50 years old or more, except the keyboardist is alot younger. Even he should be plenty old enough to know better.

Whenever they ask questions about how to get a bigger audience, a huge laundry list of things pop into my head. I just don't have the heart to tell 'em... They get alot of gigs because they're good salesmen, they hustle, and they have a knack for finding tone-deaf bar managers who are terrible business people. They also wonder why no one ever calls them back...

Unfortunately, they're not in the slightest bit alone. However, even the other local terrible bands are better then these guys.

What's your story for bad local bands who don't 'get it?'

a friend of mine was in one of those bands. I also did not have the heart to bluntly said what I felt, so I was diplomatic.
Then the bass player left. They had a gig and they asked me to fill in.
I did.
It was terrible.
Then they asked me to join them.
At the time I was looking for another band to join and my friend knew it (I was only in one other band at the time, I am normally in multiple ones) so it was difficult to say no without criticising them too much.

Now I tend to tell the truth when asked, to avoid those situations.

[Plays_For_Dog]

lol..... I'm in one of those terrible cover bands.

[mbeall]

If someone has been doing something badly for that long and doesn't understand that they have not gotten better over time what is there to say? Most guys I run into like this fully understand that they are not that great and freely admit they are total hobbyist just wanting to have fun. But there are the rare ones that still remain delusional after the age of 30 and have no intention of ever really learning music or getting better at performing. But it's been my experience that sometimes people are so outclassed they can't even recognize how far below the mark they actually fall. Telling them most of the time won't do any good and might jeopardize a relationship; it takes a lot of psychological effort to remain delusional about this profession after doing it for several years. Just smile and be nice. This may sound dismissive to some but I find it hard to have a lot of sympathy for the willfully ignorant. As the old adage goes, don't try to teach a pig to sing.....

[BryanM]

I was in a band like that for a few years. Weweren't a bad cover band at all, though there was no flash in our live show. I wasn't a fan of the band's originals and am not one to not speak my mind when something occurs to me, so I was asked to leave the band on the grounds of being too confrontational. I like my current band, and they've had a few lineup changes and their original music is a lot better. They also make a lot more money than me.

The funny thing is none of them were bad musicians at all. Their keyboardist/trumpet player and bassist/violinist actually laid some tracks down for my band's upcoming album and they turned out great, it's just that there wasn't a lot of drive to innovate with their original material for a long time.

[jeffgnr90]

I'm currently in 2 bands, a 3 piece that plays all originals (indie/progressive) and I help support a solo artist with his original pop punk tunes and covers along with a few other guys.

I played a show with my 3 piece Saturday and the other band on a Sunday. The show on Saturday was AMAZING, crappy venue and sound, but it was just a great time, lots of energy. Sunday I played at a great venue with great sound, but the band just blew a$$ lol The music was lame, the drummer (who can play just about every Rush tune there is) was effing up. It wasn't tight in the slightest bit. It was terribly depressing for me go from an amazing show the night before to playing a completely lame a$$ show. On top of that, we got paid for that show too.

So point being, it's funny to me how things like this work out. If you believe in your own music no matter what people tell you, that's what it's really all about. If you're wondering why you're playing whatever it is you're playing mid-set, then get out! I'd rather play an amazing show and not get paid then feel no connection to the music and get paid. I mean, the money is nice (DUH), but making music should come first. Thank you TB for allowing me an outlet to vent my frustrations!

[Bullitt5135]

I have a friend who plays keys in a cover band that only does the occasional charity gig. The band is comprised of anyone and everyone who wants to participate. Way too many cooks in the kitchen. The last time I saw them, I counted 10 people on/around the stage: 3 guitars, bass, drums, keys, trumpet, violin, and two female vocalists. Everybody gets a chance to sing lead whether they are any good or not. A lot of their song choices make me cringe (Footloose and/or Socks In Bed, sung by the nerdiest guy I've ever seen on stage). If they cut the female singers, the trumpet, and a guitar or two, the rest of them are accomplished musicians and wouldn't be half bad.

[mystic38]

Its quite easy....dont say a thing, but read on...

I am in a similar position.. musical friends.. they do not have gigs, but are considering looking in the spring.. so instead of saying anything i offered to record them..

Put the guitarist in the booth, gave him a click track...10 attempts later when he couldnt start on cue (pickup notes, so start on 4 beat), i took pity and offered to feed the actual song to the phones.. another dozen takes later i had a track.

Put the vocalist in the booth, gave then the same track to sing with, did two complete takes.

Suggested they get a drink, did a rapid mix & master, sat them down and let them listen to what they sounded like.

"that was an eye opening experience, we are nowhere near what we think we are", to which i simply replied "takes a lot of practice huh"?

job done

[MostlyBass]

Originally Posted by NOAH_FX

Maybe some China, thats about it.. Nice China though :P

That's a line I'm saving - thank you!