Band image matters

[electracoyote]

Band leader
Band member
Maitre’d

Band Leader, Band Manager, Music Director.

In other words, the one who spends tens of thousands of dollars and hours doing the crap jobs no one else in the band wants or is qualified to do.

Like making sure we don't shoot ourselves in the ass, flush all our hard work, and ruin our chances to compete successfully with other cover bands by being unnecessarily inflammatory to talent buyers and their audiences. You know, kind of the opposite of snarky trolls on the internet.

 

[LowActionHero]

Not sure I totally understand the 'hints' but I'm NOT cool with racism, veiled or otherwise. I'd have to walk, and find some more like minded individuals ...

 

[Jim622]

Religion and politics should be left out of any band situation- unless you’re U2.
I am currently playing good gigs with a duo that hired my brother and I to be sidemen.
I worry that my brother ( at some point), will shoot off his mouth about his philosophical views- his beliefs and political rants.
It’s enough that I don’t associate with him outside of playing music together.
So far, so good

This could be another thread - I'm on the edge of my seat.

 

[N. Kentucky Bass]

Religion and politics should be left out of any band situation- unless you’re U2.

Why does U2 get a pass? I could care a less what U2 bandmembers' political or religious viewpoints are. I'm not a big musical fan of that group either, so the political thing makes me want to avoid their "performances" even more.

 

[Jim622]

I avoid shows of bands who have a rep for spouting political views. I want a band to shut up and play, not tell me who to vote for. Why would I give any weight to how a millionaire wants me to vote?

 

[1bassleft]

Pro tip, look closer to the urban centers...i live in a state just north of you, and if i am working with people in the sticks its like a 50/50 crapshoot. Even had a jazz trumpet player in my group who would spout prejudiced crap from time to time...he was a country boy through and through. The hard part was he was otherwise a great guy, but for me when you are against certain groups of people who have never done anything to you, you have a serious personality flaw and i am out. Never plan to play with him again.

I'm from a little island where we're all squeezed together and I don't want to stereotype people because they live in the wide open bits of certain states but Gene Wilder certainly made it funny:

 

[easyj]

They are definitely not the first band whose members have strong political views. Quite a few well-known bands even use their music to promote their agenda. I was never really into the political music thing. That being said, I have listened to songs by Rage Against the Machine, U2, Public Enemy, Muse, etc.

A lot of the music I listen to may have some really bad people behind it. You need to consider that there are many good musicians out there that are not studied scholars on the topics that they have opinions about and you shouldn't care what they think, because they really don't know what they are talking about.

What I really have no respect for is when people take advantage of their audience's attention to push their opinions, when they are not authorities on the subject. I think you need to decide if this is about the music or about politics for you.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

You already know the answer.

Paul & John summed it up:


"Well, you know
We all want to change the World

But when you talk about destruction
Don't you know that you can count me out"


Crows & Blue Jays don't flock together. You looked up your band mates online: your fans & potential employers will, too. Those who didn't will see the band's clothing - do you think an upset crowd will give you a pass because you're dressed in all black? The band has made a political statement, & you are a part of it: you are associated.

Your band mates show up for rehearsals & gigs when they say? They do what they say they are going to do.

Expect them to do what they say.

What are you prepared to do when they act on their speech? What will you say to the reporters, the legal authorities, and the people you know?


You know what to do; ask yourself why you haven't done it yet. Then reflect on it some more.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

How about at the next gig you wear a t-shirt that says "I am with Stupid" and arrows pointing at both of them? They couldn't complain about you exercising your free speech.

Only wear the shirt if you are with them.

EDIT: If you wear an "I'm Not with Stupid" t-shirt, then why are you on the same stage?

 

[JMacBass65]

You'll end up leaving anyway, for any number of reasons, so cut the ties now before you invest any more of your time.

 

[DrummerwStrings]

In one band I wear 1920's prohibition style clothes, and in another band I wear an African Daishiki or something along those lines. It's fair to say I shouldn't mix those up.

Not as contradictory as you think: look up Bumpy Johnson. The faux pas is a flip of US history time periods.

 

[zontar]

While all members of a band don't need to be in agreement about politics/social issues/religion/worldview/etc, if it is a problem and the views too extreme for some or if it causes issues then it is best to walk away.
The Ramones made it several years with politically liberal Joey & politically conservative Johnny, but it won't work every time.
It's a bit different if it's a hired gun situation or a band as well.

A number of years ago, after not having been in a band/potential band situation for a few years I answered an ad for a guy looking to get a new start with new musicians, and wasn't looking for kids, I answered the ad and went & auditioned--at the time it was just the two of us on guitar (As I play guitar as well--but I would have considered playign bass if it came to that--but he wanted a second guitar player in the band as well)
He had a bunch of the old songs and we jammed on some of them and tried a few other songs.
Musically we meshed real well and had a lot of the same influences--so it seemed quite promising.
When I left he gave me some papers that were some lyrics and the philosophy & ideas behind them.
Since we jammed instrumentally without lyrics I had no idea what the songs were about, and the titles didn't give away too much.

After I went home & read through it I was creeped out & a bit freaked out by it--and just got a bad feeling about it.
So while we meshed quite well musically & even personality wise when we jammed--the ideas behind his lyrics were too far removed from where I was at that I wouldn't have been able to just play & hold my tongue.
And it was his band--so there woudl be that as well.

He did get some other guys & called me (I wasn't home) and left a message to join, and phoned a few times after that--but I had to decline.
As far as I know his new band never went anywhere, so I didn't miss out that way.
But I have still wouldn't have regretted my decision--it wasn't a fit for me.

 

[gjohnson441496]

In an effort to give Wandering Bass the benefit of the doubt, perhaps we've all overlooked the obvious, in that, he is one of them.

 

[Jim622]

In an effort to give Wandering Bass the benefit of the doubt, perhaps we've all overlooked the obvious, in that, he is one of them.

I don't believe so. What would his game be. Is this some kind of recruitment tool? Doesn't seem very effective.

 

[sean_on_bass]

I'm from a little island where we're all squeezed together and I don't want to stereotype people because they live in the wide open bits of certain states but Gene Wilder certainly made it funny:

Such a great film. I agree, i don't want to assume that folks living in the country are like that. I've lived in the country myself at various points of my life. While i know there are plenty of good people in the country, i also know there are many with a closed mind as well because i have met them face to face.

 

[4001]

I remember back in 1984, our little band had a "manager".... the day he showed up with the black danskin tights and said "you guys need to wear these"... is where I drew the line. Yeah, we wore silly black and red clothes, sometimes used hairspray because hair metal bands were on the rise..... no thanks. Two more years of than and I was done. At that point I realised that music did not matter one bit... although it did to all of the bands that I looked up to and for some reason they did what they wanted to do musically but... my hopes of doing that gig were about ten years late...what could I do? I was just 18 then.... I thought that music was important in a ...band. How foolish of me to not think about posing and stage moves... In bars? Give me a break.

 

[buldog5151bass]

I disagree.
An original band almost has to. Almost...

Look at u2, rage against the machine, Bob Geldof. Everyone involved in any of the "aid" concerts or recordings - tons of bands from the 60's and 70's (Neil young, black sabbath), in the 80s and 90s megadeath and Metallica as well as iron maiden all had politically charged songs. These are personal beliefs / political.

The issue here isn't having personal beliefs and political agendas. It's having the wrong ones.

Like anything else, if you make personal beliefs part of your marketing, it is one more hurdle to clear.

 

[StraffordMike]

Such a great film. I agree, i don't want to assume that folks living in the country are like that. I've lived in the country myself at various points of my life. While i know there are plenty of good people in the country, i also know there are many with a closed mind as well because i have met them face to face.

It's not just a rural thing, there's plenty of ignorance in the urban areas too. Ignorance goes both ways. Condemning someone for their views without first empathizing with them and trying to understand their viewpoint is ignorance. You don't have to agree with it, just understand why they think the way they do. As a matter of fact I think the cities are worse City folk tend to be just as ignorant of rural life. Just saying.

I think Snoop Dogg is regarded as highly successful in his genre. Also Rage Against The Machine didn't like how the law was enforced in the US and they too were successful. The hippies promoted drug use (not heroin or stuff like that though), peace and love and they were very, very successful.
Ted Nugent, on the other hand, is a dick.

Yet here we are, 30 plus years after Nugent hit his high mark and we're still talking about him. RATM not so much.

 

[Papalampraina]

Yet here we are, 30 plus years after Nugent hit his high mark and we're still talking about him. RATM not so much.

Not because of his music, but because he is a delusional, right-wing clown.

 

[sean_on_bass]

It's not just a rural thing, there's plenty of ignorance in the urban areas too. Ignorance goes both ways. Condemning someone for their views without first empathizing with them and trying to understand their viewpoint is ignorance. You don't have to agree with it, just understand why they think the way they do. As a matter of fact I think the cities are worse City folk tend to be just as ignorant of rural life. Just saying.

Yet here we are, 30 plus years after Nugent hit his high mark and we're still talking about him. RATM not so much.

Totally agreed...it goes both ways!