When & Reasons Why You Should Quit Your Band

[AfroCubanFunkMa]

Originally Posted by tZer

The "two out of three" rule:

1) Good Times
2) Good Music
3) Good Money

This is gig gold.. you must always have two out of three on the list.. so glad my teacher told me this gem waaaaaay back when..

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

The way you word your post here it sounds like though you are not dependent on the money, you at least use it as fun money.
For me, playing music is mainly about the fun and artistic expression.
I make enough in my day job that Im not short on fun money, and making money playing music isnt as important to me as these other two factors.
However, Id say Im at a point where I do want to get a return on the time and effort I invest into a band.
Still, though, the fun factor trumps all unless Im making a lot of money that I find it still worth my time.

No problem Matt, I respect your position. I think your more in the art business and I'm more in the entertainment business. There's nothing wrong with either.

My concern is for the guys that can't figure out the financial compensation piece of music and how it relates to their hard work and efforts and default to the
" I am not in this for the money" or the " I don't need the money" rational.

For me gigging and financial compensation for my work will trump fun. I'm lucky in that currently I have all three.

Fun
Gigs
Compensation

Blue

[hrodbert696]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Which unfortunately is the case for 99% of start up bands and why I only recommend them for guys just starting out.

Blue

I know, but I don't regret any of them. Each time I picked up some valuable experience and one or two contacts that were worth keeping in touch with. Then again, I am (or was) a guy just starting out - when does that tag cease to apply?

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by hrodbert696

I know, but I don't regret any of them. Each time I picked up some valuable experience and one or two contacts that were worth keeping in touch with. Then again, I am (or was) a guy just starting out - when does that tag cease to apply?

I dont know. Ive been playing in bands for almost 12 years now. I still enjoy starting up my own bands.
In fact, my next endeavor will likely lead to starting up my own cover band. I guess no one will want to join, though...

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by hrodbert696

I know, but I don't regret any of them. Each time I picked up some valuable experience and one or two contacts that were worth keeping in touch with. Then again, I am (or was) a guy just starting out - when does that tag cease to apply?

Good question.

How to lose that "just starting out" label?

Hopefully some other tbers will chime in on this one.

For me it was when I could tell a band that I played and gigged with a locally recognized band for at least a year.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

I dont know. Ive been playing in bands for almost 12 years now. I still enjoy starting up my own bands.
In fact, my next endeavor will likely lead to starting up my own cover band. I guess no one will want to join, though...

Depends on who you are, your abilities as a leader, your location and most important what you have to offer.

Most of the start up ads I see in Milwaukee are not placed by someone with 12 years experience in starting bands.

It's mostly beginners with nothing to offer.

Blue

[MatticusMania]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Depends on who you are, your abilities as a leader, your location and most important what you have to offer.

Most of the start up ads I see in Milwaukee are not placed by someone with 12 years experience in starting bands.

Thats the point I was trying to make. Not all start ups are created equal, and there are some that have lots of potential. I see lots of start ups in my area on both sides of the fence. Avoiding some of the better ones is a good way to miss out on getting in on the ground floor and being a strong second voice in a band that could go somewhere.

[jaywa]

I left my previous band after the gigs became so unenjoyable that I was getting drunk on every gig just to make it through.

There was drama between band members, a stale setlist, lots of unprofessional behavior on and offstage, too much stage volume, and no real desire by anyone to secure any more and/or higher playing gigs than we had been playing for the last 3 years.

Got to the point where I was physically and emotionally drained by the end of every gig and that's not what I got into this for. If it had been only one or two of those factors I could have stuck it out but when they all snowballed into one glob of ick it was time to walk away.

It's real hard to establish hard and fast guidelines on a topic like this cause every situation is different and people have a wide range from one person to the next of how much (and what type(s) of BS they're willing to tolerate. It can also make a huge difference 1) how much money your situation is bringing in and 2) how badly you (and your spouse/family as applicable) are depending on that income.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by MatticusMania

Thats the point I was trying to make. Not all start ups are created equal, and there are some that have lots of potential. I see lots of start ups in my area on both sides of the fence. Avoiding some of the better ones is a good way to miss out on getting in on the ground floor and being a strong second voice in a band that could go somewhere.

True, I've seen some heavy hitting older guys from hugely successful local bands that have goods connections start bands.

But when these veterans start bands, there not really start ups.

Blue

[Joedog]

Originally Posted by tZer

The "two out of three" rule:

1) Good Chemistry
2) Good Music
3) Good Money

If you are getting at least 2 of the 3, you should probably stick around. Any less, you should probably move on.

Excellent! I've broken that rule several times, and regretted it every time. Now that I'm 40 plus years north of my first paying gig, "having fun" (a combination of numbers 1 and 2) are mandatory. #3 is gravy (or is it "carrots"?). Not gigging much these days, and fine with it. Still playing every day though!

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Joedog

Not gigging much these days, and fine with it.

Also 40 + years since my first gig and have the same enthusiasm for gigging that I had when when I was 13.

Fine without gigging, for me that would mean my life would be over.

Blue

[bluewine]

I think losing a key band member or your "star" usually impossible to replace is something we would all have to think long and hard about.

Blue

[Russell L]

The last time I actually quit a band myself was due to changing musical directions on my part. I was tired of playing so much beach music, country clubs, tuxedos, and the usual stuff for beach/variety/wedding bands. I wanted to play music I identified with more, even if it meant playing smaller venues for less dough. Four years later I am in two bands that do stuff I like, and a third band that does a lot I like, although they also do some of the old stuff I used to play. The dough is less per gig, but I bring in as much or more now. Thing is, it's much more enjoyable nowadays. I'm not just being a mercenary anymore. I'm 62, ya'll, so it's important for it all to be as enjoyable as possible from here on out.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Russell L

The last time I actually quit a band myself was due to changing musical directions on my part. I was tired of playing so much beach music, country clubs, tuxedos, and the usual stuff for beach/variety/wedding bands. I wanted to play music I identified with more, even if it meant playing smaller venues for less dough. Four years later I am in two bands that do stuff I like, and a third band that does a lot I like, although they also do some of the old stuff I used to play. The dough is less per gig, but I bring in as much or more now. Thing is, it's much more enjoyable nowadays. I'm not just being a mercenary anymore. I'm 62, ya'll, so it's important for it all to be as enjoyable as possible from here on out.

I'm going to some degree get where your coming from and because your 62.

For younger guys I like to say " being in band is not soley about what you like."

Blue

[Phalex]

My band hadn't been fun for about a year or so before I quit.

In the months preceding my departure, there was an uptick in douchebaggery.

The final straw was when they had just about every single weekend in the upcoming year booked. Which meant I was going to have to deal with douchebags and not have fun 100 nights out of 365.

No sir, I don't like it.

[Kmonk]

There could be many reasons for leaving a band. The first would be due to family obligations. The second would be if you get a much better opportunity. Third, if you want to try something different in order to become a better player. Fourth, if there is too much drama and it is no longer fun.

[electracoyote]

I have only quit bands because of some fundamental factor that was absent or not attended to, or if I felt I was being personally insulted or otherwise compromised personally or professionally.

And I have only quit bands after voicing my concerns objectively and without emotion, and those concerns were either ignored or not addressed. I have never walked out on a band without giving notice, no matter how dysfunctional the situation.

Most recently, I quit a band because I had rehearsed and played with them for about eight gigs, put tons of effort into it, and they refused to publicly recognize my contribution with the simple act of listing my name on the band facebook page. Rude, immature, and insulting. I also never made a dime with this band, but public recognition is par for the course in my book. Four months in, we talked about it. Nine months in, I resigned.

I have also quit a band because the stated goals and business model were not being met, and the keyboard player was blasting me off the stage with his left hand and volume. We were getting nowhere in the market in which we were attempting to compete, and the noise from the keyboard player was unacceptable.

Again, I objectively voiced concerns both times while going about being the best bandmate and bass player I could, both times I either met resistance or went ignored. Sometimes quitting and moving on is the only option.

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Phalex

My band hadn't been fun for about a year or so before I quit.

In the months preceding my departure, there was an uptick in douchebaggery.

The final straw was when they had just about every single weekend in the upcoming year booked. Which meant I was going to have to deal with douchebags and not have fun 100 nights out of 365.

No sir, I don't like it.

Are there other bands that gig that much in your area?

Being booked every weekend for the whole up coming year sounds ideal to me.

However. I have never worked with D bags.

Blue

[powmetalbassist]

Originally Posted by chaosMK

If it makes you mad all of the time when you think about the situation and you've tried talking about it.

+1

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by Phalex

The final straw was when they had just about every single weekend in the upcoming year booked. Which meant I was going to have to deal with douchebags and not have fun 100 nights out of 365.

No sir, I don't like it.

There are guys here on this forum, that are in bands that can't get 1 gig.

Blue