What's worse: being fired due to bad musicianship/work ethic, or being fired because people/someone doesn't like you?
This is a vent thread. I just got fired from a gig for the first time.
It wasn't due to my musicianship. I do a good job. I played on the wrong side of band politics. Its a long story.
Basically, a year ago I agreed to join an original rock band. It was quickly apparent that the level of commitment required wasn't one I wanted to give, so I had a sit-down meeting with the members and told them I want to quit. At the time, they seemed to understand, and I agreed that I would stay on-board for a few months until they could find a new bassist. I thought it was a very civil compromise, as I could have just left at that moment if I wanted.
It turns out they weren't really cool with it.
The thing is, I knew these musicians through doing gigs in my city. On the side, I did a Rock cover gig with the same lineup of the original band, and a separate R&B cover gig that happens to have the same drummer and the lead guitarist.
Anyway, after six months, they finally found my replacement for the original band. However, it turns out the lead guitarist (with a history of vindictive behavior) had been secretly demanding for months that I be fired from ALL THE GIGS and replaced with whatever bassist they manage to find. The mantra is "all the gigs have to have the same personnel".
See, the lead guitarist (shred guy) has a massive ego that is easily bruised and apparently is offended that anyone wouldn't want to be in his original project. He is also extremely demanding and often threatens to quit if minor requests aren't met. Him and I often feuded. He's even offended that I don't hang out after shows and get drunk, even though I told him multiple times I have f***ing Crohn's disease and am not supposed to drink or smoke.
Everyone except me and the drummer automatically go along with whatever he says. Apparently the drummer, who I had a long history with, advocated for me for a few months, but he ultimately gave in to the demands of the guitarist in order to stay in the group.
Anyway, I'm quite bitter about the whole thing, as I now have to make up for a lot of lost income on really short notice, and the reason for firing me was SO PETTY.
God, I HATE MUSICIANS SOMETIMES. Had I had known I was going to get **** on in the end, I would have never offered to help them out!
This is a vent thread. I just got fired from a gig for the first time.
It wasn't due to my musicianship. I do a good job. I played on the wrong side of band politics. Its a long story.
Basically, a year ago I agreed to join an original rock band. It was quickly apparent that the level of commitment required wasn't one I wanted to give, so I had a sit-down meeting with the members and told them I want to quit. At the time, they seemed to understand, and I agreed that I would stay on-board for a few months until they could find a new bassist. I thought it was a very civil compromise, as I could have just left at that moment if I wanted.
It turns out they weren't really cool with it.
The thing is, I knew these musicians through doing gigs in my city. On the side, I did a Rock cover gig with the same lineup of the original band, and a separate R&B cover gig that happens to have the same drummer and the lead guitarist.
Anyway, after six months, they finally found my replacement for the original band. However, it turns out the lead guitarist (with a history of vindictive behavior) had been secretly demanding for months that I be fired from ALL THE GIGS and replaced with whatever bassist they manage to find. The mantra is "all the gigs have to have the same personnel".
See, the lead guitarist (shred guy) has a massive ego that is easily bruised and apparently is offended that anyone wouldn't want to be in his original project. He is also extremely demanding and often threatens to quit if minor requests aren't met. Him and I often feuded. He's even offended that I don't hang out after shows and get drunk, even though I told him multiple times I have f***ing Crohn's disease and am not supposed to drink or smoke.
Everyone except me and the drummer automatically go along with whatever he says. Apparently the drummer, who I had a long history with, advocated for me for a few months, but he ultimately gave in to the demands of the guitarist in order to stay in the group.
Anyway, I'm quite bitter about the whole thing, as I now have to make up for a lot of lost income on really short notice, and the reason for firing me was SO PETTY.
God, I HATE MUSICIANS SOMETIMES. Had I had known I was going to get **** on in the end, I would have never offered to help them out!
. If he isn't the vocalist (only guitars) he can be replaced a lot easier than you and the drummer (who I gather has found a compromise with him but has a history of not taking his bullying . . . which means he may follow you out the door soon enough).
People like that need to keep picking to constantly assure themselves of their dominance - a bad choice of band member and a disastrous choice of leader.
