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- Thread starter bluewine
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If one member has a conflict, tell him you won't be able to do the gig. Once or twice having to go back to the venue and explain should teach him. Each member of our band books gigs and we all book tentatively, meaning we will get back to confirm with the venue after clearing the date with all the members. This gains respect from the venue and works with everyone's schedule.
do you have a shared calendar? if not get one, no consultation neccesary. or, if you guys are really serious play whenever, wherever.
What is your arrangement as far as bookings? I mean, you call him the 'band leader' - do you and the rest of the band give him your schedule and he can book around it, or do you require he check every date individually with each member before confirming? (That's a very cumbersome way to do business...)
Having to check every date every time a booking possibility arises with 4-5 other people before getting back to the person who wants the band can sometimes take long enough to lose the date. But also, booking a date and then cancelling because the band (or a portion of it) is not available looks bad for the band, and the leader.
Having to check every date every time a booking possibility arises with 4-5 other people before getting back to the person who wants the band can sometimes take long enough to lose the date. But also, booking a date and then cancelling because the band (or a portion of it) is not available looks bad for the band, and the leader.
Google calender. Set up a band calender that everyone can post their schedules on (or at least days they absolutely CANNOT gig). Should be an easy fix to this situation.
Things like this only stop when the other members grow a pair and refuse to play a gig that wasn't booked with their consent.
bluewine said:
How difficult it must be to deal with someone who always thinks he is right about everything.......
These types of people rarely change. They tend to surround themselves with weak- minded musicians that are either desperate for a gig or lack the ability to stand up for themselves. They tend to rotate through a lot of musicians, since most won't put up with their crap for long.
Personally, I love this way of getting things done, so long as certain perameters are in place. When I was heading up my own band I had the permission of all band members to book a show anywhere, anytime. The only guidelines were my own personal ones, like not playing too late on a weeknight, or only accepting gigs that I wanted our band to play. I asked everyone to let me in in advance if there was a date they couldnt play, otherwise every day was open for a possible booking.
Things are different now, since Im no longer a bandleader, even though I'm "2nd in command". I'll run every offer by the band
This is how my current band rolls, and it works MUCH MUCH better than in the band I left (where everyone had to check with everybody else before accepting anything). BUT, in my current band everyone understands that this is their main gig and that while we do have subs on call if needed, the expectation is that everyone will be available for every gig booked unless the BL is given ample advance notice. Also, our BL is really good about making sure every gig he books is worth our time monetarily, so we all know he's not gonna commit us to an entire weekend and a 300 or 400 mile trip unless we're gonna come out of it with at least a few crisp benjamins apiece.
OTOH, in bands where some or all of the members other than the BL are juggling 2 or 3 bands, I could see there being a lot more problems with the unilateral approach practiced by the OP's BL.
Yep. Set up the calendar yourself, invite everyone but the bandleader, everyone posts their unavailable dates - and only THEN invite the bandleader to the group calendar.
A pickaxe should do it.
Or, if you'd prefer to not have to become a prison band, maybe the band needs to sit down with the leader and have a little chat. That might not go your way, though - once, a long time ago, when I was leading a band, the members sat me down for a talk. They didn't like how I was running things, and they wanted some control. I let them talk for a while, asked a few questions, and once I had ascertained that they had absolutely no concept of what it takes to run a band, I showed the collective group the door.
I then went across the street to the open mike and recruited a much more skilled lineup.
Not saying this is you; just sayin' it could happen.
I think you're best off either firing the band leader collectively, or quitting individually. Control freaks just aren't happy when not in control, and will constantly seek to regain power when they've lost it.
Also it doesn't hurt to be pro-active in giving advance notice of unavailable dates, even if they are months out.
Example, a few weekends ago we were driving back from a gig and the BL got a text offering a gig on Thanksgiving night. I told him that was a no-go for me and by the way so was December 24 and 25. He said no problem, made some notes in his phone calendar and now we both clearly understand he's welcome to take gigs on those dates if he wants, but he'll be doing them with a different bassist. Our lead guitarist is of the same mindset as me regarding Thanksgiving and Christmas gigs... and we're both quite a bit older than the BL... so that makes it easier too.
Example, a few weekends ago we were driving back from a gig and the BL got a text offering a gig on Thanksgiving night. I told him that was a no-go for me and by the way so was December 24 and 25. He said no problem, made some notes in his phone calendar and now we both clearly understand he's welcome to take gigs on those dates if he wants, but he'll be doing them with a different bassist. Our lead guitarist is of the same mindset as me regarding Thanksgiving and Christmas gigs... and we're both quite a bit older than the BL... so that makes it easier too.
+1 for this. Everyone in my band puts their unavailable dates in the calendar. Then, we can each book gigs based on an open date in the calendar. Once the gig is booked, it goes into the calendar so there's no chance of double booking a given date.
Yeah, I even got my new band into a similar fashion for booking gigs. Its pretty simple, really - everyone make it public knowledge if there are any days you will be unavailable to gig. Simple as that. Then you follow that up with letting everyone know the details to the newly acquired gig as soon as its confirmed with the booker/promoter. I hate having to ask "can everyone play saturday the 20th at 10pm?" and it taking two days to get a response from everybody.
MatticusMania said:
Let me paint a clearer picture.
First of all,management, administration & communication is poor overall. In the 6 months I have been in the band, not 1 band meeting.
We lost our drummer & second guitarist within the last 2 weeks because of the way he runs things.
So -
you know how he operates, you know what is involved. Either deal with it, or quit and find a band where everybody is a buddy or start your own and be the leader.
IME of over 25 years of steady gigging, the bands with one leader and hard fast rules are the ones that work and make money (as long as the leader is looking to work and make money and is a talent, or understands how to hire talent). Too many times the democracy makes bad decisions, then wants to play the blame game. One leader = one decision = one @$$ on the line.
The one time I worked with a guy who was a bad band leader, he was not very talented (guitarist), would not allow more talented vocalists to sing, and would not bring in a guitar player who could truly handle the material. He was more ego than skill - that can lead to issues. I have a sliding scale of BS to talent. If you're really good, I can put up with a lot of BS, but if your BS ever exceeds your talent, I'm gone. It's a simple philosophy that has served me well
you know how he operates, you know what is involved. Either deal with it, or quit and find a band where everybody is a buddy or start your own and be the leader.
IME of over 25 years of steady gigging, the bands with one leader and hard fast rules are the ones that work and make money (as long as the leader is looking to work and make money and is a talent, or understands how to hire talent). Too many times the democracy makes bad decisions, then wants to play the blame game. One leader = one decision = one @$$ on the line.
The one time I worked with a guy who was a bad band leader, he was not very talented (guitarist), would not allow more talented vocalists to sing, and would not bring in a guitar player who could truly handle the material. He was more ego than skill - that can lead to issues. I have a sliding scale of BS to talent. If you're really good, I can put up with a lot of BS, but if your BS ever exceeds your talent, I'm gone. It's a simple philosophy that has served me well
just curious, when you joined the band was booking discussed? did anyone at any time lay out some expectations?
January 2 each year our drummer & I email our BL the dates we will be unavailable (basically 3 weekends for me) to do gigs. If he wants to book a gig for one of those weekends he knows he will have to hire a sub. Otherwise it is book away & we'll be there.
For any other weekends I want to travel, camp etc. I plan those trips around our gigs.
To my way of thinking all of this is just common courtesy & respect.
For any other weekends I want to travel, camp etc. I plan those trips around our gigs.
To my way of thinking all of this is just common courtesy & respect.
