Are you friends with your bandmates ?

[Moe Monsarrat]

I'm friends with the guys in my bands. We hang out. Of course, I've been in bands that were put together by producers where I didn't know anybody. It's kinda weird, especially at first. After the recording is over & gigs start, you find out pretty fast who your friends are.

[jimb213]

Yes and no, depending on the group. In my main band, I was the best man at the singer's wedding, and we've known each other since 6th grade, and we've known our drummer since maybe 11th grade (the drummer is also my roommate now).

I have a gig w/ a singer songwriter, and I can't really say I'm friends with the rest of the band. We're all friendly, of course, and get along together pretty well, but I rarely see any of them outside of rehearsals and gigs. This is more of a hired gun gig, though, than what I would call "a band." Although she (the singer/songwriter) calls us her band, and we've got a lot of gigs coming up with her in september. And I like everyone in the band, we just run in different circles.

[hbarcat]

My relationship to my three bandmates is fairly good but each fits into a different category than 'friend'.

Lead guitarist -- My co-worker in a factory. I was promoted to supervisor and he was hired to replace me in production. He defers to me at work but I greatly respect his vast musical knowlege and experience (he started playing his first gigs at age 10) and I usually defer to him in with music decisions.

Drummer -- My younger brother -- He's the manager of the factory where I work and that makes him my boss. My greater musical knowlege and experience (22 years for me and 4 years for him) means he usually defers to me and/or the lead guitarist in the band.

Rhythm guitarist -- My youngest brother -- He's a music novice with 2 years playing and so he keeps his mouth shut and his ears open whether he likes it or not. He's also a martial arts instuctor with a 3rd dan rank and I'm required to call him 'sir' in class as he orders me around like a drill sargeant or has me thrown to the floor for demonstrations.


With these unusual relationships, there are sometimes some tense moments but we do manage to get along pretty well.

[lpdeluxe]

...sometimes overlap, sometimes not. In past years, I have played in groups where we never saw each other except at practice or gigs, and others where we socialized.

But in the bands, the music drove what we did, not friendship. My WORST recording experience was with a longtime friend (he sold me my first guitar, back in 1971) and, in the event, he didn't have the work ethic necessary to record a dozen songs and redo the vocals until they were right. To this day, I have about 4 finished and the rest unfinished songs on my hard drive, and it's a damn shame he didn't have the self-discipline to buckle down to the task at hand.

My most rewarding recording experiences have been with strangers -- professional strangers.

After pondering the whole question, I have to say that friendship is not determining factor in the producing of music. It can be a source of purty good parties, but that's another story.

[SirCanealot]

Hang out with mine a bit. Me and one of the guitarists get on pretty well, so we hang out a bit. Normally everyone else has to bugger off home to practice so it's just me and him saying "Who fancies a quick drink in the local?" after practice

It's a lot of fun to hang out with musicians since they're all crazy, crazy people and luckily everyone in my band is a great guy

[Qvist]

Originally Posted by rylche

I am friends with my bandmates. Usually just friends but not that close. Close friends in a band make constructive criticism a real pain in the ass.

That's so true, and I'm really dealing with it a lot to. It's hard to take criticism from a long-time friend that you've have known your whole life. But yeah, my bandmates are my friends, me and our guitarist are really close to each other and often jam together, alone... in a dark cellar.. with a candle... and then we.. jk

[bstringrandy]

I'm close friends with the drummer. We've known each other about 18 years and this is the 3rd band that we've been in together. We're close enough to do family outings and wife get-togethers on a regular basis.

With the guitarist, and lead vocalist, I'd say that we're good friends. Me and the drummer and been with them about 4 years now. I enjoy hanging with them at rehearsals and gigs. We don't do much with them outside of gigs and practice, but we're close enough to attend marriages, funerals etc. for family members.

It's a good, fun gig.

Randy

[steve-o l 15]

Originally Posted by QORC

I've had it both ways - friends with band members, not friends with band members.

Currently? I'm friends with the singer, but I can't imagine being friends with the guitarist and drummer. They are way too different than me. Frankly, I don't even like them as people. But we're playing together and it's a business venture and you don't have to like the people you're in business with, although it's a bonus.

Although except in my case were a trio and me and the guitarist get along good and are pretty good friends. The drummer on the other hand is his brother...hes a cool guy were just totally different and we hardly talk outside of practice or gigs

[roger winkler]

All of my band members would give me the shirts off their backs if needed, even the female members. I would do the same for any of them. We're all buds in our band.

[basslyon]

I find it a problem that i'm in a band with my friends cos if so one gets slack and doesn't wanna jam one week (or several weeks in a row) then you're in a postition to really grill him about (especially if his brother is also in the band and always sides with him). Seriously had like 3 jams in 10 weeks. and what can you do? can't kick him out cos he's your mate. You just have to go weeks without jamming.

[Buzzgroove]

Pleased to say I play with great guys who are good friends.

[MarchingPig]

I started the band I´m in with the two guitarists, who have been my friends for years. Our current (and hopefully very permanent) drummer is a guy no one knew, but he seems like a very likable guy.

[Tenma4]

Well, I thought I was pretty good friends with my band members until I was informed by the singer on Sunday that she hasn't been able to stand me for the 2 years I've been in the group. She threatened to leave for the prior 2 weeks, citing other responsibilities. Little did I know she then told the other band members that she couldn't continue with me. The spineless jerks let her make the decision to kick me out on Monday.

I'm thinking there's not too much friendship loyalty there. So, I guess I was wrong.

[MarchingPig]

That´s what you get for playing with a woman. Lying, backstabbing, twofaced daughters of themselves.... I wish I was gay.




Just kidding
about one of the two things