Drummer Problems

[casonwood]

So I've been playing in this fun progressive band with my good friends for over 5 years now, but recently we've had some problems. Our first drummer was a good friend of mine and played with us for a couple years, but the rest of the band decided that he wasn't what they wanted (they wanted someone a little more . . . rock and roll I guess) and decided to change drummers. Our second drummer was amazing and I've since become really close friends with him and we hang out really often. Unfortunately he has another group that is moving on to bigger and better things and couldn't be a part of our group due to the fact that his other gig practices, essentially, every day. Our third and most recent drummer was a friend of our lead vocalist and worked really well with us, but alas he is mormon and currently on a LDS mission (I live in Utah . . .).
The other two members of the band are both mormon and plan on going on missions within the next year so we decided to get our tunes recorded so that we have something to remember the band for if I have moved out of state before they get back, they don't want to play, etc. The lead vocalist has a nice home studio set up in his basement, so we've been recording the raw audio there and we're taking these tracks to a studio for mixing; we also have help from a lot of experienced people who have worked in top of the line studios to help us with mic placement, etc. Our only problem is that we don't really have a drummer to record with so we've been trying out drummers to try to find someone who will work with us.
Yesterday we were trying out a drummer who was just awful and I couldn't jell with the guy at all. I'd count off a tempo to one of our songs and he'd play 20 - 30 bpm slower in 4/4 instead of 6/8 No one else in the band seemed to notice how bad he was and the vocalist offered him a spot in the line up without consulting either me or the lead guitarist.
The source of my frustration is that neither of the other guys noticed how bad this drummer is (either that or they're just really desperate to find someone to record with). Not only this but I feel like we're moving too slowly to get all the recording done since we're minus one very important member. The second drummer we had has offered to record for us if we get him the raw audio tracks once we're done recording guitars and bass, but I'm not sure if I want to even play with the band anymore. I mean they're both going on missions for two years soon and I feel like my time would be better spent looking for a new gig (especially if they actually want to keep this new drummer). Please understand that these guys are all really good friends and I don't want to screw them by leaving. Any thoughts guys?

 

[DWBass]

If it was me? I'd be saying 'buh bye'! Seems a really good recording is not a priority so I really wouldn't waste my time. Move on.

 

[aztomr]

Don't get me started on drummers, a friend and I started our band a couple years ago, currently searching for a drummer( again!). I actually started playing bass with this band(we had too many guitar players), last night I went to a local bar and had several people recognize me as a bass player. I always joke I would have learned the drums instead of bass if I knew this was going to be an ongoing problem. We're trying out a couple new drummers this week, both come with a guitarist attached( our last drummer had a harmonica player on his coattails). Both auditions were set up by the attached guitar players, both of whom are probably on some guitar forum complaing that the potential new bass player has a guitarist attached to him. These drummers are #7 and #8 for us. If you play drums and want to be appreciated, move to northern Arizona.

 

[casonwood]

If it was me? I'd be saying 'buh bye'! Seems a really good recording is not a priority so I really wouldn't waste my time. Move on.

I've been leaning towards this, but at the same time I would love to have those recordings to remember all the good times and all the work that we put into writing all of those songs. What I really am considering is just recording those songs but tell them that I don't want to play live with the position we're in and look for other groups to play in during this transition period for me. Don't think finding a group will be hard, as I have a lot of drummers who know me and want to start a group. These guys don't want to play in my current group because the other guys are leaving so soon - actually, this is not the full story with two of the drummers I know (they have personal reasons for not playing with the other two members), but I don't really want to go over a long story about drama because I HATE drama. My worry is finding a good guitarist; guitards who are overly obsessed with metal are flooding my age group here in Salt Lake. I'm hoping that once I'm old enough to play in clubs here (21 in Utah . . . and I'm soooo close) I'll have access to more well rounded guitarists and less wannabe metal heads. Maybe I should take the 9 months or so off from a gigging group, take some time for reflection, learn some new stuff, and start playing the 21+ scene in Utah when the time comes.

 

[hrodbert696]

Yesterday we were trying out a drummer who was just awful and I couldn't jell with the guy at all. I'd count off a tempo to one of our songs and he'd play 20 - 30 bpm slower in 4/4 instead of 6/8 No one else in the band seemed to notice how bad he was and the vocalist offered him a spot in the line up without consulting either me or the lead guitarist.
The source of my frustration is that neither of the other guys noticed how bad this drummer is (either that or they're just really desperate to find someone to record with). Not only this but I feel like we're moving too slowly to get all the recording done since we're minus one very important member. The second drummer we had has offered to record for us if we get him the raw audio tracks once we're done recording guitars and bass, but I'm not sure if I want to even play with the band anymore. I mean they're both going on missions for two years soon and I feel like my time would be better spent looking for a new gig (especially if they actually want to keep this new drummer). Please understand that these guys are all really good friends and I don't want to screw them by leaving. Any thoughts guys?

If you can get that good second drummer to come lay some tracks for this swan song recording session, by all means do it. Meanwhile, seems like the real problem is the singer and guitarist having no awareness of what a good drummer is.

I've started playing with a second band recently, a singer and guitarist founding it who have said they see themselves as the Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the group (apparently making me Bill Wyman - which is OK, I get to sleep with ten thousand women). There is no drummer yet, but two have auditioned; the first, a friend that I arm-twisted into doing it (he wasn't all that interested in the song selections). He has great chops, impeccable timing, played fantastically after giving the songs just one listen. The second came in with a set three times the size of my friend's, pounded the living crap out of the things like they had killed his mother, making my eardrums bleed, and could not keep a steady beat to save his life.

Mick and Keith considered the drummer slot a "toss-up" between the two of them.

 

[Plays_For_Dog]

Throw your tracks down best you can. Wipe your hands and walk away. If it sucks, so what? They're leaving and you're going to look for another band anyway, so give them the curtosey of finishing an album for memories and move on once they go off on their thing.

Ten years ago I had the same thing happen to me. Only in my deal the singer kept the raw tracks, never mixed them and won't let either the guitarist or I have them. We've approached him with cash but he's set on keeping them. We want them for the sentimental value they have to us (both our first band). Nope, old singer won't part and won't mix them (he works in a studio!) and give us copies. Don't know what the guy's deal is, we never fought... just a wierdo I guess.

 

[Cycho]

I think the vocalist was wrong to offer the job without consulting your bandmates. I also think you also made a mistake by not speaking up at the time. I know the guy was right there but that wasn't your fault. I suppose you could have objected to the process rather than the drumming, but in any event you got a bad result by not sticking up for yourself. Just my opinion.

 

[eSmith]

I find it commendable that you are holding out concern about leaving two guys who created this mess by telling you they were going to leave you first. A little nieve, but comendable.

If you want to be in a band, you need to find guys that want to be musicians first. Not guys that look at music as a hobby or something to do when nothing else is going on.

Now, these guys told you they were going to go off doing something else for two years. Ergo, they outright quit on you. Any expectation that you should sit on your duff so they can dust you off in two years and start trying to learn to play again is just silly. Go find others that want to play today and don't look back.

Besides, could you imagine the scene when the people in your crowd realize two of your bandmates are responsible for dragging them out of bed on sunday mornings!!!! Best to avoid that all around....

-eSmith.

 

[tdub0199]

we are in a simular situation, we have tried out atleast 6 or 7 drummers in the past 6 weeks, it's either their timing is awful or they have too much baggage, don't have transportation, etc.... I wished i would have taken up the drums sometimes....

 

[bobunit]

Bands come and go. Sure it's sad, but a reality we all face. You just enjoy it while you can and then move on. Yeah it's always a bummer leaving especially when you have close friends involved, but if you have a recording you can say, "hey, I did that!". Personally, I would suggest to the guys that you consider the second drummers offer.

 

[Andrew Van Lear]

Dude, whatever people hear and see you do now is what you will be remembered by down the line. If the drummer can't keep time and the other guys can't even notice then it sounds like you're ready for bigger and better things. If you play on the session then your name is forever on whatever is produced in the studio. Think about finding people who want to pursue music because they have a passion not because they have a hobby. It sounds like you're passionate about what you do and you should always surround yourself with people who believe in the music the same way you do. There ARE talented drummers and singers and guitarst out there (I'm sure even in Utah lol jk) that want the same thing you do. You just have to put in the time to find em. Hope my words were encouraging bro. But opinions are like buttholes, everybody has one and they usually stink. LOL rock on brotha!

 

[Andrew Van Lear]

Check out my band. All I do is write songs, tour, and love life because I surrounded myself with TRUE BELIEVERS from the beginning.

 

[Stumbo]

So I've been playing in this fun progressive band with my good friends for over 5 years now


The source of my frustration is that neither of the other guys noticed how bad this drummer is (either that or they're just really desperate to find someone to record with).

Since your band mates are your "good friends", why is it okay for them to speak up and for you not to?

I suggest you take a stand and let them know your thoughts on the drummer and ask them why they offered him a spot before speaking with you?

I suspect they already knew that you wouldn't approve of the drummer and they passive-aggressively bypassed you on purpose.

So you need to decide whether to speak up and remove the source of your frustration or live with it.

If you speak up, the risk is that they won't wont to record with you. If that's how it goes, they really aren't as good of friends as you think they are. Weren't they paying attention in church on how to treat people?

The second drummer we had has offered to record for us if we get him the raw audio tracks once we're done recording guitars and bass,

+100 on doing this.

but I'm not sure if I want to even play with the band anymore

Basically your band has broken up and is recording for posterity's sake. I suggest that you hang in there and get it done.

IME, in a few years you'll definitely be kicking yourself for not finishing the recording.

Please understand that these guys are all really good friends and I don't want to screw them by leaving.

Seems to me that they already screwed you by bypassing you on the drummer choice. I'd call them out on it and come to a "band" decision. If they overrule you, then you have a decision to make.

Good luck.

Edit: Realistically, since you really don't have a working/gigging band with a future, I have doubts you'll find any serious musician that will join you in your recording project unless you pay him/her. In light of this, the offer by drummer #2 to record is the optimum course of action.

 

[PauFerro]

I would lay down the tracks with these guys. It's nice to have a relic of every band you played in -- a recording or something to remember it by. I would even consider getting the tracks without the drums, mixed and everything, and then adding the drums with a different drummer at another time if that's important to you.

It would be to me. Us bass players have an ear for drummers.

I'd stick with the guys out of friendship since they are leaving on their missions soon. Who knows what might happen when they get back in a couple years. Don't want to burn any bridges.