Why not to start/join a band

[Beginner Bass]

I was combing through the "Dumb Craig's List Ads" thread, and realized how many people want to start a band for the completely wrong reasons.
I was trying to make a list of bad reasons/reasons not to start a band. So far I have:

• "Score Chicks"
• "Make it big"
• "Show the world my amazingness"
• "Get rich"
• "Play (Insert ginormous venue)"
• "Play a combination of Folk, Punk, Metal, Blues, Jazz, Rock, and Bluegrass"
• "Be the next (Insert famous band name here"
• "Prove those old guys wrong"
• "Start a revolution"
• "Make ground-breaking music"

Anyone else have something to add?

[bluewine]

I think all those reasons to start a band are reasonable, if your 16 years old.

[Stumbo]

Originally Posted by bluewine

I think all those reasons to start a band are reasonable, if your 16 years old.

+1

Don't forget: Have fun, play loud, disturb the neighbors, look cool, dress cool, talk cool "I'm in a band", walk cool, grow long hair, carry a guitar/bass case, buy stacks, buy cool axes...

[Falcynn]

Originally Posted by Stumbo

+1

Don't forget: Have fun, play loud, disturb the neighbors, look cook, dress cool, talk cool "I'm in a band", walk cool, grow long hair, carry a guitar/bass case, buy stacks, buy cool axes...

I thought that was always a good reason

[M.Wrenn]

i think having fun and creating "ground breaking music" are good reasons although instead of the quite arrogant sounding "ground breaking" i might say " creative and original" music

[cheamo]

Originally Posted by bluewine

I think all those reasons to start a band are reasonable, if your 16 years old.

If your 16 years old what?


I always am annoyed by people in bands that think they are going to make it big, especially in my tiny little city in Canada. It's not impossible but it might as well be and most of them suck anyways.

[Sartori]

I don't see what's wrong with the last one. What's the problem with making groundbreaking music?

[Sartori]

Originally Posted by Falcynn

I thought that was always a good reason

So did I.

[jdieh1]

If all these are reasons to NOT start a band, then why should people start bands?

- Make terrible music
- Be miserable
- Earn no income
- To be the same as everyone else but no one else at the same time
and finally
- To never be heard



Honestly, every band has a reason to start and not everyone starts a band under the same circumstances... Yeah some reasons seem less ethical or whatever than others but still, it's motivation that everyone needs to run the hard yards.

Otherwise thee would be no bands, they'd all just die off.

[WookieeForLife]

If your making music who cares? They could say screw music and pick up Guitar Hero. I give any music credit, atleast they tried to learn to play an instrument. WHo cares what their intentions are? Let the kids play

[Beginner Bass]

If these were the only reasons, or you were absolutely convinced that one of these would happen, then you need to step back and take a look at the realism of such, or you will be very disappointed. The chances of you being the next Metallica are very slim. The chances of you creating an entirely new genre, are slim. The chances of you living the rest of your life of the first day of your album's sales, are slim. The chances of thousands of people looking up to you in admiration of your ability to play 4096th notes with 1 finger, are slim. If you start a ban for solely these reason(s), you will be disappointed. It's like betting an obscenely large amount of money on an obscenely unlikely occurrence.

[bobTHEbasser]

dont forget ending world hunger and poverty.

[Ric5]

Here's a Crsigslist post in my area ...

Hey there, myself, 27 (guitar/vox) and big C, 30ish (drums, not a real name at all) are looking for a new bass player. We are a newer bluesy countryish rock blob that is loving the music and loving playing it. Sadly we have to find a new bass player, since ours is reluctantly bowing out to pursue his band that's been on hold for the last while.. To get to the point, we are looking to find someone really chill, with a passion for music as rich as ours. Someone with great grooves and the want to give insight to songs, watch them grow and then kill'em on stage. We have been playing at least 2 times a week and would want you to be available and open to that as well. So if you want to get down with an acoustic guitbox, a guy singing at the top of his lungs, and one kick ass jazzy drummer hit us up!
We should have some music available soon if you'd like as well.
Music is food for the soul... Play on

[mcm]

I like all those reasons! Thats rock n roll baby

[J. Crawford]

Originally Posted by Ric5

Here's a Crsigslist post in my area ...

Hey there, myself, 27 (guitar/vox) and big C, 30ish (drums, not a real name at all) are looking for a new bass player. We are a newer bluesy countryish rock blob that is loving the music and loving playing it. Sadly we have to find a new bass player, since ours is reluctantly bowing out to pursue his band that's been on hold for the last while.. To get to the point, we are looking to find someone really chill, with a passion for music as rich as ours. Someone with great grooves and the want to give insight to songs, watch them grow and then kill'em on stage. We have been playing at least 2 times a week and would want you to be available and open to that as well. So if you want to get down with an acoustic guitbox, a guy singing at the top of his lungs, and one kick ass jazzy drummer hit us up!
We should have some music available soon if you'd like as well.
Music is food for the soul... Play on

Seems like a decent ad to me. I must have missed something.

[Rudreax]

Who cares if someone has a stupid reason if it means they get good at playing and make decent music? As long as their personality isn't crap, they could play for whatever reason they can muster.

[stinger12345]

What's wrong with trying to make it big? I understand there are a lot of kids out there with a skewed image of how to make it there. But I would love it if people loved the music I made that much (that probably means you're doing something right). I thought you make music for people to listen to and enjoy..but it's dumb to want people to like it?? ? Maybe I missed something too...

[Beginner Bass]

Originally Posted by stinger12345

What's wrong with trying to make it big? I understand there are a lot of kids out there with a skewed image of how to make it there. But I would love it if people loved the music I made that much (that probably means you're doing something right). I thought you make music for people to listen to and enjoy..but it's dumb to want people to like it?? ? Maybe I missed something too...

I fully agree. If you actually like the music, then I have no problem whatsoever. If you make billions in the process, even better. But my problem is people who don't want to "Make music", but want to "Be in a band". They don't really want to play songs that they love, they just want to play guitar in a "Hard Rock & Roll band, DUDE!", and just get the attention. I am all for joining a band to actually do something you like, but too many people just do it for the rewards, not the actual process. They join and expect to be known across the world in 30 seconds or less. They don't want to actually preform music. This is my problem. Apparently I haven't stated my point as clearly as I thought.

[GillesUnchained]

I once heard Jimmy Iovine say that when he asked John Lennon why he started playing music, he answered that it was because he wanted to get girls.

I don't think wanting to be the next big band is really a bad reason. Who among us, when we were just learning to play, didn't listen to our favorite band or see them on TV and say "I want to do that!" ?

[Firestrung]

I started playing music to get girls! Seriously...

Now that I'm married, I play music so I can have time to myself...

LOL