As a side item question maybe we should add: "Have you ever gotten so angry that you've killed a fellow band member?" I've been pretty close at times.
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Have you ever been fired from a band?
- Thread starter slowjam98
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- fired kicked out poll
I was the singer of band that brought in a girl background singer. That the bassist and I both worked with. She was cute and curvy and a decent singer as well. Soooooo before you know it she is screwing the lead guitarist and getting me removed from my position. But to make it better for me, they begged me to be their manager. You know, help them be successful. I declined.
But with the new singer comes a different song list. Softer, gentler and such. For years I was asked to sit in for four songs or so to the harder edge of things. Which I did as much of the time I didn't have nothin else going on.
If you've never been fired from a band or any other position in life, you have not challenged yourself or the rest to your fullest potential. Every time I've been fired, I've always wound up in a far better situation within a few weeks.
I'd rather live a spice filled life of 1000 firings than wallowing away in the disguised safety of complacent mediocrity.....
I'd rather live a spice filled life of 1000 firings than wallowing away in the disguised safety of complacent mediocrity.....
JeezyMcNuggles
Inactive
- Feb 23, 2018
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I've never been fired from a band, but...
Twice I've auditioned and not got the job. Once I was disappointed, but once relieved - the music was good but the guys were d!ck$ and I'd pretty much decided by the end of the audition that I didn't want the job.
Three times I've quit bands. Every time because what started out as fun and collaborative became tedious and frustrating as one person exerted their will and personality to turn the band into their project.
Twice I've auditioned and not got the job. Once I was disappointed, but once relieved - the music was good but the guys were d!ck$ and I'd pretty much decided by the end of the audition that I didn't want the job.
Three times I've quit bands. Every time because what started out as fun and collaborative became tedious and frustrating as one person exerted their will and personality to turn the band into their project.
Once for "creative differences" - totally fair, because they wanted to get more shoegazery, and I was all about the wall of hard-rock sound at the time.
Once for being totally outclassed. Passed the audition as rhythm guitarist, then they got a lead guitarist whose playing was so busy they didn't need me. I saw it coming, and they were honest and sympathetic, so no hard feelings there either.
Once for being totally outclassed. Passed the audition as rhythm guitarist, then they got a lead guitarist whose playing was so busy they didn't need me. I saw it coming, and they were honest and sympathetic, so no hard feelings there either.
yes. it was 1975 or 76: i was playing in a big band. i was young and i thought the band (specifically, the charts) could have been more 'aggressive'. one night after the gig i 'pressed' ( 
) the issue and the BL fired me right then and there. he told me that the band would get along fine without my "brilliance."
) the issue and the BL fired me right then and there. he told me that the band would get along fine without my "brilliance."
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EdwardofHuncote
I Still Dream of Jeannie
- Aug 21, 2013
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Not as a bassist. I was playing guitar in this particular band... and was replaced without notice. Showed up at a gig one night, there's this other guitar player there. I'm like- hey, what's Zoowicky doing here? Oh, he's going to be our guitar player from now on. Well okay, you guys have a great time... Thanks for nothing.
I was in another band where the bandleader was a Class A jerk-weasel. One night he decided to make a real show of strength and fire everybody from the stage. So we all left. Right before the set break he announced- I'm so-and-so, and none of these people will ever set foot on stage with me again. Big into humiliation, he was. It just didn't work out for me.
I was in another band where the bandleader was a Class A jerk-weasel. One night he decided to make a real show of strength and fire everybody from the stage. So we all left. Right before the set break he announced- I'm so-and-so, and none of these people will ever set foot on stage with me again. Big into humiliation, he was. It just didn't work out for me.
Yes, just once. The busiest gigging band I've been a member of so far was a classic rock trio. They had been together for ten or twelve years when their bassist got a new job that prevented him being able to continue. I was recommended to them by someone who had met me at a TB GTG, actually. The guitarist came to a gig for another band I was in at the time and hired me on the spot. I played with them for about a year and a half, gigging about 4-6 times a month, and had a great time.
Then one night, after we had loaded out from a gig and the drummer had left, the guitarist/BL took me aside. There had been a wedding gig they had played that I had been unable to do because of a conflict, and the old bassist had subbed in. He wanted back in and playing with him felt comfortable "like an old shoe," so they were bringing him back and I was out.
What especially sucked about it was that, as my life had gotten busier, I had dropped all other music projects just to focus on this one a couple of months before that. Now I didn't have anything at all.
On the other hand, this was late 2014, and over the next year or two, I saw aspects of the BL coming out that I probably wouldn't have wanted to continue playing with him anyway.
Then one night, after we had loaded out from a gig and the drummer had left, the guitarist/BL took me aside. There had been a wedding gig they had played that I had been unable to do because of a conflict, and the old bassist had subbed in. He wanted back in and playing with him felt comfortable "like an old shoe," so they were bringing him back and I was out.
What especially sucked about it was that, as my life had gotten busier, I had dropped all other music projects just to focus on this one a couple of months before that. Now I didn't have anything at all.
On the other hand, this was late 2014, and over the next year or two, I saw aspects of the BL coming out that I probably wouldn't have wanted to continue playing with him anyway.
It happened one time. In a gig, suddenly in the middle of the song my music sheet stand opened and my chord book got down and i played some chords wrong. On the next day they called me and said - sorry we don't want to play with you again if you make that stuff happen, but i would leave that band, too, because i didn't liked way they played.
Only once...the BL (and lead singer) of a country cover band quit due to moving to Florida (from Delaware). I was asked to move from bass to lead Vocals. Another bassist was hired. He was fresh off the road from a touring band. The BL moved back 3 months later...yup, you guessed it, they fired me although I did perform with them until the end of our contracted dates.
2 months after that, the bassist went back on tour with his original band. I was asked back and told them if I wasn't good enough, for them, after 3 years of performing...I'd just form my own band. They only lasted about 6 more months.
2 months after that, the bassist went back on tour with his original band. I was asked back and told them if I wasn't good enough, for them, after 3 years of performing...I'd just form my own band. They only lasted about 6 more months.
Firing would imply it was run like a business. Businesses exist to make money. The band I was dismissed from/quit existed to bleed money. In 2004, the guitar player made the super reasonable decision to book a Midwest tour(from Baltimore) in Jan/Feb/March—snow anyone?—without really consulting the rest of the band. Mind you, we had no proper releases, any merch beyond our own basement made shirts, and barely a following in our own town. I had a baby on the way, so the idea of more than likely spending money to tour held no appeal. I said it would be a hard pass for me. He said he figured and had already found a tour replacement for me, and he could use my gear. Fine, you found a tour sub, great, but my gear going without me? Um, no. But he doesn't have the right gear! Well, then I guess he's not the tour sub after all. We went in circles for about an hour at the practice space before I just packed up my stuff and loaded out for the last time, while everyone tried not to make eye contact with me. Didn't talk to those guys for more than 2 years. And of course the tour never happened anyway.
I've been fired a couple of times over the years. The first time was justifiable as my goals were different from the BL's goals and the second time was when I was in a band put together by a talented but raging, temper tantrum throwing narcissist, who fired musicians constantly.
I was fired because I sucked , couldn't swing and couldn't read.
I took lessons with the best players and teachers available, got better and now I don't suck or get fired anymore.
The great thing about lessons from the best available players in town is that once you put in the work and progress , they refer you and send you in as their sub.
I took lessons with the best players and teachers available, got better and now I don't suck or get fired anymore.
The great thing about lessons from the best available players in town is that once you put in the work and progress , they refer you and send you in as their sub.
