Complaining About Bandmates

[Joedog]

Drummer "might" say: "When we are playing onstage, he will get right in front of me, rip a smelly fart, and laugh!"

 

[glocke1]

Let’s turn the table on the complaints about band members. What are some complaints you suspect band members have had about you?

Some Examples:

Complains Too Much
Smells Like a Camel
Ugly GF
Tardy Often
Drunk Often

I’m sure some of us are the 100% ideal bass player in all situations, and are justified is bashing our bandmates. This thread is for the rest of us losers. Enjoy.

Doesn’t move when playing

 

[skygzr]

Sings too loud
Doesn’t sing enough
Plays too many notes
Doesn’t play enough notes
Stares at the drummer when he effs up
Doesn’t communicate with the drummer
Doesn’t magically fix the feedback in the PA

I’m sure there’s more

 

[Richard Martin]

I know they think I'm a pain in the ass and can be moody. But, as the band leader it is my job to try to herd cats and if I have to be a dick once in a while to do it, then so be it. I must not be doing too bad a job. The band is making money and no one has ever threatened to quit over some petty squabble.

 

[IamGroot]

Crazy like Jaco . Veeery intense. Plays that jazz crap and takes solos.

 

[jmon]

I get along with everyone well. But I’ve been accused of being a “Tempo Nazi”. Drummers being off tempo drives me nuts. To the point I have signals worked out with my drummer. The lean back means slow down. A little head bounce up and down means speed up. I’m sure it gets annoying.

 

[cnltb]

Complaining About Bandmates
...is a waste of time, most of the time, unless the members complained about are in the room.

 

[RaniBrandt]

1. Jumps around too much on stage
2. Wants to play the song somewhat the same way every time
3. Is pushy and critical
4. Loses timing if he’s singing lead
5. Brings a different bass every week

 

[5StringBlues]

Doesn’t move when playing

Invalid Link Removed

 

[Dincrest]

I've been told by members of this one band I played in that I'm too dorky, I need to ditch my glasses, I "dance" like a dork-nerd-geek-dweeb on stage, I wear my bass too high, and I don't party hard enough.

 

[trevcda]

1. "Vocal Nazi"- this ain't no campfire sing-a-long. Learn your parts. And shut the hell up if you aren't given one.
2. Picks out difficult songs- even if I'm willing to sing them, if there is too much work involved they're usually not interested.
3. Likes playing and wants to rehearse more than twice a year. I have even rented a rehearsal space and stocked it with drums, amps, vocal PA, computer with large screen on the wall for selecting songs and pulling up lyrics, stocked a fridge with water, beer, snack, etc. Think they could manage to agree on a rehearsal schedule? Nope. I'm out rent for the last year and nobody wants to kick in, because "we didn't use it". Grrrr!
4. "Contract Nazi"- I want it in writing with a signature and a deposit. Keep in mind we are more of an event band than a bar band.
5. I'm sure I could go on, but why?

 

[Ostie]

The first band I was in 40 years ago, they kicked me out cuz my friends were too crazy. I guess that qualifies as a complaint.

My friends are still around and the band isn’t. Course, they’ve calmed down considerably....

 

[garp]

Paranoid: brings back-up gear to gigs ("Just in case," he claims); arrives for gig set-up before anyone else (blames it on "possible traffic"); rehearses his parts at home (well, that's just stupid).

 

[TheDayMan]

“Distracts us with his striking good looks.”

 

[3bc]

Quiet (personality wise).
Stiff.
Doesn’t sing backups.
Doesn’t drink enough (or at all often times).

 

[PauFerro]

Sometimes leaves gig details to the last minute (like the day before, although everyone knows date and time and general location of gig well in advance)
Isn't loyal to any one musician other than a partner who books gigs.
Sometimes asks musicans to bring equipment we don't need in the name of preparation.
Will sometimes start playing early and finish a bit late to make the client happy, without compensation (maybe 5 or 10 mins on each end).
Can be a bit dismissive when the stage mix is awry and people want to know what the problem is as I figure it out. I find it a waste of time to explain everything while the client is expecting unbroken music...and would rather we just played with a bad stage mix as long as the front of house is good...

 

[Roxbororob]

Brutal honesty.

There fixed it, me too!

 

[ChrisNJ]

Steals all the chicks

Can’t keep his tongue in his mouth

 

[honeyiscool]

I’m sure people say I dress too nicely and smell too good.

:adjusts French cuffs and silk tie at Starbucks:

:smells like Prada cologne:

 

[gln1955]

Can't sing a harmony to save his life.
Too impatient (bitchy) when rehearsal turns into yak fest
Too concerned (bitchy) about how the band dresses and keeping the flow tight at gigs