Nothing like a 50+ message group text about what we're going to wear. 
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BL vs democracy
- Thread starter Sunset Shalom
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I was the founder of my band and I set the original musical direction. I'm also the president of the LLC, which basically means I handle the bank account. But two of the four other guys step up to the plate and take leadership roles from time to time. This is especially true of one guy, who makes the set lists and generally runs our rehearsals (he has the most formal music education). It can be bumpy occasionally, but has served us for 15+ years.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Because someone has to make the decisions. Just like when you are in the studio mixing tracks with the engineer, it's greta if the whole and isn't in there.
Bandleader over democracy all day long IMHO - but - you have to have someone capable of being a leader. A poor leader causes more problems than no leader.
Pink floyd might be a good example as they have had like 3 BL's/ frontman over the years. First Syd then Roger then Gilmour.
Personally I prefer their earlier and later stuff when they were working together best, it shows in the music which is much less aggressive and very well rounded.
Rogers did a good job leading them for awhile but I am glad the rest of the band got more creative room later on as it led to some really great songs such as:
Learning To Fly
On The Turning Away
Dogs Of War
Take It Back
Coming Back To Life
I love a lot of earlier stuff written with and without waters as well of course.
That's interesting, because my observation is, the majority who post about their bands are in, and prefer, "democratic bands." With many of these bands, there is one person whose vote weighs more than the others, so it's not a true democracy, whether they are willing to admit it or not.
I think a truly democratic band works if you have a bunch of very talented people who naturally make great choices separately and together, without competing and incompatible ideas and animosity. A very rare scenario IME.
I am the designated BL/BM/MD in my band. The way I put it to my band members is, there are good ideas, better ideas, and the best idea. I don't always think of the best idea, but I do recognize it when I see or hear it, and I'm determined that the best idea is the one that gets implemented, regardless of who thinks of it.
My band is a Top 40/Variety formal event showcase band that plays private events and the A rooms in my area for the better money. I can't comment on other formats or originals bands. The most successful bands I've been in had a designated leader with a vision and the resources and experience to see it through. It's purely personal preference, but that's mine.
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Nothing like a 50+ message group text about what we're going to wear.
What a coincidence. My female lead singer was just asked to resign from my band because she didn't understand that when people are having a formal event, the band is required to follow the dress code and be formally attired. She was fired over a $40.00 evening cocktail dress. Such a waste, but I'm not going to bring inappropriately attired musicians into a scenario where the dress code is clearly implied and expected.
The payday vastly offset the one-time expense of a formal gown. Sometimes you need to go a little beyond buying a microphone to make things work.
She was replaced the same day by a very talented and open-minded singer. Team players, and good coaches, make a band successful.
A band needs a benevolent dictator.
My instrumental trio is a democracy. everyone dies their strengths. been going for 5 years without a hitch.
I attribute it to no guitar players or singers .
I attribute it to no guitar players or singers .
I think it's only a thing if the band is only in for the money/gigs (covers/tributes) or if it is primarily one person's vision (originals). I have never been in a band in 30+ years that was anything but a full democracy and I wouldn't be in one.
Easy to answer. Both Geddy and Alex did solo albums. One sounds like an unreleased Rush album. One doesn't.
Back on topic, personally, I prefer being in non-democratic bands. Leader or hired gun, either one is fine.
I have been in both. assuming he/she is not a dipstick, band leader is a much more efficient way of doing things.
That being said, it would take a special person for me to work under one again.
Supply pie and booze and I'm yours forever.....(Unless I find a better supplier of pie and booze)....
Think that sums it up!
Think that sums it up!
I think most groups work best with a leader, and IME one usually develops naturally. But the question for me is really what kind of leader the band has, rather than whether or not there should be one. Our BL does pretty well at getting everyone's opinion and isn't too buffaloed when things get a little "testy".
My band is really a bunch of grumps who really like to play. So we vote on songs to play, places to play all the time, the BL just sort of runs the election process and like the VP votes in a tie. Then someone thinks it sucks, but we move on. Too often, the biggest nay sayer can run the show, a good leader won't let that happen. If someone lights a match, the BL should be the guy that isn't newspaper.
My band is really a bunch of grumps who really like to play. So we vote on songs to play, places to play all the time, the BL just sort of runs the election process and like the VP votes in a tie. Then someone thinks it sucks, but we move on. Too often, the biggest nay sayer can run the show, a good leader won't let that happen. If someone lights a match, the BL should be the guy that isn't newspaper.
I've never had any issues with democratic bands, it's worked great for me. My current and past bands were basically founded on "Ey, we all love each other, and if a decision on something came down to 3v2 then the majority wins but we don't dis-value your thoughts at all". That's pretty much the short version haha but I think democratic bands are the way to go.
At the risk of tripping some kind of infraction here, any democracy only works when people are benevolent. When malevolence becomes fashionable, the democratic system sooner or later ends.
