what should i do here?

[varunkapahi]

so i play with a band i really like. i like the music, i like the other guys. We used to earlier jam in the city at the singers place then after a while the singer moved to the suburbs a little outside the city so we had no option but to practice there. although it was hard for me i sucked it up and managed somehow, i dont have a car and i used to tie up with the drummer to drop me and pick me up from a point where from i could catch a bus.

but then the started neighbors complaining and we took a month long examination break after playing a little 2 gig tour (3 out of 4 of us had exams) Now just before we could all get back together the guitarist calls me and says he has found a basement to practice in the suburbs, near the area where the singer and the guitarist live and we do not have any other option but to move the practice place there. since three out of four members were cool with it i didnt give it much thought and we signed the papers and paid the rent.

now only after a couple of days i thought why couldnt we have rented a basement somewhere in the city or any middle point for all of us. right now it is a pain for me to travel that far, it costs me a bomb to pay my share of the rent and travel expense. not only that but it is very tiring and hard on me. i spend 3 hours traveling which included changing buses and what not, while the guitarist and the singer are 2 minutes away, both have cars too! and the drummer has a car and is a real cool guy to pick me up. am the youngest member in the band and i get the least allowance from home. i cant see myself parting away from the band but its now really getting difficult for me.

however this is the only band i ever played real gigs with and made some money! half my gear came from playing with them. i dont know any other band who is as new as us and is doing this good!
now i can only blame myself for not thinking about all a few days back when we rented the place
anyway since am really disappointed with the situation and feeling stuck and hopeless am going to talk to everyone, but it wont make any difference for now. all am wondering is what is it that i can now do? other than leaving the band of course

sorry this got long

[Marko5657]

Maybe ask for some kind of a break on your share of the rent to make up for the extra expense/trouble involved in your getting there.

I have a feeling they’d understand since they’ve got it so much easier.

[jmattbassplaya]

I don`t get why you can`t play in a house in the suburbs considering it`s what I grew up on. My friends and I would go around to the nearest houses(about two to three houses in any direction) and ask them if they would mind if we jammed and if there was a time that would be decent for them. Basically all of them said as long as we were done playing by 9pm then we were cool whenever, but we decided to be nice and try to be done by 7 at the latest as a bit of a thank you and a way to not disturb most peoples dinner.

Anyways, why don`t you guys try that? That way things are free, and then you only have to worry about getting there. Just turn down the amps some and get the drummer to use brushes or buy some muters(I guess that`s what you call them) for his cymbals and toms.

[StyleOverShow]

I've been playing over 40 years and it always is a hassle. The older I get the heavier my Ampeg gets. It's generally referred to as "dues". Urban life, from a western perspective, is a hassle and from the southern Asian view...well your story goes a long way to describe it.

Make the best of it you can. If the band becomes 'Geographically Undesirable' then look around for another band that is closer to you, or talk to your band mates and see if they are flexible (although 2 minute commute for a couple of them is a very compelling reason to continue using the basement).

[Jim Campbell]

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

so i play with a band i really like. i like the music, i like the other guys. We used to earlier jam in the city at the singers place then after a while the singer moved to the suburbs a little outside the city so we had no option but to practice there. although it was hard for me i sucked it up and managed somehow, i dont have a car and i used to tie up with the drummer to drop me and pick me up from a point where from i could catch a bus.

but then the started neighbors complaining and we took a month long examination break after playing a little 2 gig tour (3 out of 4 of us had exams) Now just before we could all get back together the guitarist calls me and says he has found a basement to practice in the suburbs, near the area where the singer and the guitarist live and we do not have any other option but to move the practice place there. since three out of four members were cool with it i didnt give it much thought and we signed the papers and paid the rent.

now only after a couple of days i thought why couldnt we have rented a basement somewhere in the city or any middle point for all of us. right now it is a pain for me to travel that far, it costs me a bomb to pay my share of the rent and travel expense. not only that but it is very tiring and hard on me. i spend 3 hours traveling which included changing buses and what not, while the guitarist and the singer are 2 minutes away, both have cars too! and the drummer has a car and is a real cool guy to pick me up. am the youngest member in the band and i get the least allowance from home. i cant see myself parting away from the band but its now really getting difficult for me.

however this is the only band i ever played real gigs with and made some money! half my gear came from playing with them. i dont know any other band who is as new as us and is doing this good!
now i can only blame myself for not thinking about all a few days back when we rented the place
anyway since am really disappointed with the situation and feeling stuck and hopeless am going to talk to everyone, but it wont make any difference for now. all am wondering is what is it that i can now do? other than leaving the band of course

sorry this got long

would crashing at the practice place a few times a week be an option.......even if you could cut 2 or 3 commutes out of the equation it might help

[varunkapahi]

Originally Posted by Marko5657

Maybe ask for some kind of a break on your share of the rent to make up for the extra expense/trouble involved in your getting there.

I have a feeling they’d understand since they’ve got it so much easier.

i talked to them about it after i posted here. they said all they could do is pitch in and pay my share of the rent until i start earning some money regularly. so now its a kinda better for me since i can spend that money into traveling a little more comfortably. but i personally dont feel good about not being able to pay my share of the rent but at the same time there is nothing i can do right now. i think i will be able to pay my share after two months so i'll have to hang on like this until then or i'll start paying a little part as my situation gets better. but am happy that atleast some part is sorted for me, like its been said above its been a hassle and i dont mind it as long as it doesnt get way too taxing on everything else

Originally Posted by Jim Campbell

would crashing at the practice place a few times a week be an option.......even if you could cut 2 or 3 commutes out of the equation it might help

yeah we all sometimes crash there but we never practice two days in a row for some reason.

[varunkapahi]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

I don`t get why you can`t play in a house in the suburbs considering it`s what I grew up on. My friends and I would go around to the nearest houses(about two to three houses in any direction) and ask them if they would mind if we jammed and if there was a time that would be decent for them. Basically all of them said as long as we were done playing by 9pm then we were cool whenever, but we decided to be nice and try to be done by 7 at the latest as a bit of a thank you and a way to not disturb most peoples dinner.

Anyways, why don`t you guys try that? That way things are free, and then you only have to worry about getting there. Just turn down the amps some and get the drummer to use brushes or buy some muters(I guess that`s what you call them) for his cymbals and toms.

the neighbors were not cool with us jamming at all. since the singer is living in a rented appt, we cant do much about the massive windows which let a lot of sound out. we anyway play really low since we all have little combos but the keyboard player cant show up before 8. so what we do is we keep the songs arranged and when he shows up we quickly explain him how to do it. anyway now things are much better

Originally Posted by StyleOverShow

I've been playing over 40 years and it always is a hassle. The older I get the heavier my Ampeg gets. It's generally referred to as "dues". Urban life, from a western perspective, is a hassle and from the southern Asian view...well your story goes a long way to describe it.

Make the best of it you can. If the band becomes 'Geographically Undesirable' then look around for another band that is closer to you, or talk to your band mates and see if they are flexible (although 2 minute commute for a couple of them is a very compelling reason to continue using the basement).

yep. like i said i dont mind some hassle but it should not be total PITA. anyway we have it going as a band and its really cool now.
thanks

[jmattbassplaya]

Ahh, didn`t know it was an appartment. Now I can understand neighbors not being willing to help out =\

[El Bajo]

I would leave the band. You will get over it, plenty of other bands out there. Think how much time you would save out of your life travelling!!! Plus money that you could save (which appealing to the bassist in you could go towards a shiny new pedal).

[Stumbo]

Is the rental unit a month-by-month agreement? or what?

In the U.S., if it's month-by-month you can give a 30 day notice to vacate and that's the end of the deal.

I would take a look at the rental agreement and see what's up with it.

Then you guys can find a place that's cool for everyone.

Edit: Don't forget, as it stands now, you're saving them a ton of money for gas and auto repairs. Probably more than enough cover your share of the rent and pay you the difference.

In addition, they get a lot of extra free time that you don't have. What's that worth to them?

I would look into rental spaces at the half-way point even if you can't do anything right now. At least you'll have some available locations and $$ numbers to talk about when the topic comes up again.

[varunkapahi]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

Is the rental unit a month-by-month agreement? or what?

In the U.S., if it's month-by-month you can give a 30 day notice to vacate and that's the end of the deal.

I would take a look at the rental agreement and see what's up with it.

Then you guys can find a place that's cool for everyone.

Edit: Don't forget, as it stands now, you're saving them a ton of money for gas and auto repairs. Probably more than enough cover your share of the rent and pay you the difference.

In addition, they get a lot of extra free time that you don't have. What's that worth to them?

I would look into rental spaces at the half-way point even if you can't do anything right now. At least you'll have some available locations and $$ numbers to talk about when the topic comes up again.

yep its monthly basis. can vacate the place after a 30day notice so am going to look around for places within the city. they are cool with shifting if i can find a place which doesnt cost more and is comfortable for all of us. but even with the present scenario now where i dont have to pay any rent i think it squares out fair enough for me

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

i think i will be able to pay my share after two months so i'll have to hang on like this until then

So, in two months you'll have to pay your share AND 3 hours traveling from/to rehearsal?

Originally Posted by varunkapahi

...even with the present scenario now where i dont have to pay any rent i think it squares out fair enough for me

Yeah, but...IMO, it takes too much of your time to get there. Time that could be better spent doing...mmmm....let's see...practicing, sleeping, reading, eating, living? Time is one thing you can't back once it's gone.

...they are cool with shifting if i can find a place which doesnt cost more and is comfortable for all of us.

Since they've ALREADY agreed that they would change locations so why wouldn't you at least look into it? Hey, there might be a better, cheaper place to go.

...even with the present scenario now where i dont have to pay any rent i think it squares out fair enough for me

Have your other band members agreed to pay your share indefinitely? Has it been made clear to them that you don't have extra money to pay for your share?

Do you also mean that if you moved the rehearsal space closer to your home they would expect you to pay your share (which you can't do right now)?