I've been in probably 19-20 bands in my life. Out of all those I was probably fired 19-20 times. LOL
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Have you ever been fired from a band?
- Thread starter slowjam98
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- Jul 7, 2010
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Yes my second band. My drummer and I had found a singer and guitarist, so we worked on new material and the singers brother got involved wanting to manage the band. So thought ok I will meet with him and go over the direction the band was to go in. I thought it went well. But after 6 months, the guitarist and singer started to have a different opinion (which I understood and we sat down and talked over and thought it was worked out.) WELL NOT so fast, 3 weeks later the band votes me out and says I am not going in their direction. Now my drummer is a whatever you think type of guy and he is like no but lost the vote 4 to 1.
So they move on and bring in guitarist bass buddy. (we just finished recordings also) Well 5 months later they disband. Guitarist is drinking way too much and singer kept losing his voice.
My drummer friend apologizes and we are still friends today, 35yrs later.
I went on to build another band and had some success for a few years.
And found it was a blessing and learning experience.
So they move on and bring in guitarist bass buddy. (we just finished recordings also) Well 5 months later they disband. Guitarist is drinking way too much and singer kept losing his voice.
My drummer friend apologizes and we are still friends today, 35yrs later.
I went on to build another band and had some success for a few years.
And found it was a blessing and learning experience.
You got kicked out because of a random equipment failure? Stuff happens from time to time, and it's just life - it's certainly not something to bring the firing squad out for. You roll with it, make a joke about god hating bassists who play chords and solo or something, and carry on.
Once. The singer / guitarist / leader fired the other three of us after a gig. Two days later he called to ask me to join his new band, but by that time the rest of us had decided to carry on as a trio under a new name. He showed up to two or three gigs after that trying to convince us to let him back in.
I was in a blues band in the eighties. Guitar and harp player/singer fired the drummer and me, They went on to be successful locally and got really good. The drummer and I started a band with some really fine musicians and did well. I quit, too hard to gig all night and have kids jump on you at 6 in the morning. 30 years later, the harp player/singer and I had started another band. If this covid crap ever ends, we'll be at it again
Once, and what annoyed me was that I was going to quit but they got there first
It was one of my first bands on bass. They went from a 3 to a 4 piece, and their bass player moved to rhythm guitar when I joined on bass. Everything was ok until one day, maybe a month or so in, I showed one of the guys something on guitar. Lead guitar made a comment about liking how I played it, and I saw the rhythm guitarist's face... He wasn't very good, but he was ok for what we were playing, however from that moment on he was kind of frosty towards me, and I had no interest in taking his spot: I had played guitar for over ten years at that point and I was enjoying bass a lot. Then one day we're practicing and he's struggling to hear himself, even if he was super loud, he just kept turning up. I noticed he had cut a lot of the mids and had a lot of bass and shrill highs. I 'made the mistake' of suggesting changing his EQ to fit in the mix rather than keep pushing the volume up. Now he was hurt. Lead guitar guy agreed and he proceeded to explain the EQ to the other guy, and things were ok, but that dude never even looked at me in the eye again.
Two more practices, and I decided I was no longer enjoying this. I cancelled the following practice while I was considering what to do: try to fix things or walk. And that's when I got the email from the drummer, with whom I got along very well, saying that it looked that the 4 of us were not gelling personally and that the band had decided to go back to the 3-piece.
Ah well.
Maybe. But when I searched for existing threads on this topic, I found one that I thought might be relevant and anyway deserved more attention:
Anyone Ever Set a Band Leader on Fire?
Reading some of the responses, I think some people are kidding themselves about whether they were fired or not.
I've been outright fired once for trying to push material that would get us bookings. I've been pu—y fired once by bringing in a second guitarist they knew I wouldn't play with.
Fired twice.
First time ironically because the guitar and harp player wanted to fire the drummer. I told them I would quit if they did. So they fired us both. Shortly afterwards, the other two ended up physically pounding on each other in a bar parking lot.
Second time, BL was a complete butt head but I played with h8m for almost 3 years because I desperately needed the money. When I became less desperate, I told him too strongly one night that he was a butthead and he fired me.
First time ironically because the guitar and harp player wanted to fire the drummer. I told them I would quit if they did. So they fired us both. Shortly afterwards, the other two ended up physically pounding on each other in a bar parking lot.
Second time, BL was a complete butt head but I played with h8m for almost 3 years because I desperately needed the money. When I became less desperate, I told him too strongly one night that he was a butthead and he fired me.
Sure, and I found out when I called up the guitar player three months after our last gig and asked, "when do we get together again?" and the replay was, "uh, oh, didn't didn't anyone tell you?"......
BL never called. Drummer or guitar player, whom I considered both to be friends of mine, never told me....
I was left to twist in the wind.
Class move.
BL never called. Drummer or guitar player, whom I considered both to be friends of mine, never told me....
I was left to twist in the wind.
Class move.
I've never been fired, but I once was in a band that all the members quit at the same time, after a gig. It was a Classic Rock, cover bar band, and from almost the beginning, we were bickering with each other. The last gig, the drummer was yelling at the keyboard player, the guitar player was yelling at the drummer, and the keyboard player was yelling at me. This went on most of the night, tempers flaring on almost every song. At the end of the night, we all looked at each other and, almost simultaneously said, " I'm done ! " So I guess you could say we all fired each other.
Yep! Just once. This company had booked us a gig at iirc a sandwich shop around 5 or 6pm in Stockton, CA, which is easily 4-5hrs of driving both ways in rush hour traffic. It would've been a grueling money loser for a weird, tiny show. I said no. They offered more. Still no thanks. Thus far the company had mailed us each a free t shirt and then this one gig, but the other two band members were into them.
Good example of priorities. I was not looking to sleep on van floors for a loss or for minimal profit. They were. Been a while, but last I checked they were doing better, but still not to the point where I would want that to be my whole life. Taking silly gigs for fun is one thing. Needing crappy gigs for food is another. I don't judge either way. Priorities.
Good example of priorities. I was not looking to sleep on van floors for a loss or for minimal profit. They were. Been a while, but last I checked they were doing better, but still not to the point where I would want that to be my whole life. Taking silly gigs for fun is one thing. Needing crappy gigs for food is another. I don't judge either way. Priorities.
I've never gotten fired or kicked out of a band. Every band I left, I left on my own accord. Bands often wanted to keep me around because I'm actually responsible, accountable, dependable, and reliable.
Oh sure... After 40 years of doing this it is likely to happen in one way or another.
It doesn't necessarily say any more about the one being fired than the ones doing the firing.
Sometimes people just don't gel and the band decides to go with someone else.
If you're fortunate to find the right players, it may go on a good while.
I've seen bands "breakup" and reform minus one member just to avoid firing them, but it's a firing at any rate.
I never count on anything anymore. I show up, do what's asked of me, give it all I have...yet I know for any reason it could end tomorrow.
Human behavior involves a lot of unseen factors. You may think you are dealing with rational thinking, then the next week you get a call saying "you don't fit with what we are doing."
When I was young I thought a band should be a forever thing
.. age and experience has taught me that there are very few Rolling Stones and ZZ Tops....
but I have to hope for all players that they find their place and it turns out to be a life long venture.
It doesn't necessarily say any more about the one being fired than the ones doing the firing.
Sometimes people just don't gel and the band decides to go with someone else.
If you're fortunate to find the right players, it may go on a good while.
I've seen bands "breakup" and reform minus one member just to avoid firing them, but it's a firing at any rate.
I never count on anything anymore. I show up, do what's asked of me, give it all I have...yet I know for any reason it could end tomorrow.
Human behavior involves a lot of unseen factors. You may think you are dealing with rational thinking, then the next week you get a call saying "you don't fit with what we are doing."
When I was young I thought a band should be a forever thing
.. age and experience has taught me that there are very few Rolling Stones and ZZ Tops....
but I have to hope for all players that they find their place and it turns out to be a life long venture.
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Cant be fired from one if youve never been in one!
Numerous times. So much so that I sought out professional therapy to properly own my contribution to those situations.
I will say that out of 6-7 firing incidents (in 54 years), in only one case did the band actually improve themselves with my replacement. That was a somewhat special situation. An older female acoustic duo replaced me on bass with a young good looking pianist. Not only was piano a better choice for a third instrument than bass, but they young eye candy didn't hurt them either. They've currently been out of action for almost two years, so something clearly happened that had nothing to do with me.
Also, no band that has fired me is currently a going concern.
I will say that out of 6-7 firing incidents (in 54 years), in only one case did the band actually improve themselves with my replacement. That was a somewhat special situation. An older female acoustic duo replaced me on bass with a young good looking pianist. Not only was piano a better choice for a third instrument than bass, but they young eye candy didn't hurt them either. They've currently been out of action for almost two years, so something clearly happened that had nothing to do with me.
Also, no band that has fired me is currently a going concern.
Trust me, even your "friend"s let you down in a big way, it's good to know where you stand with people. Good or bad.
Place this info in the "lessons learned about people" area of your brain. Don't take it personal. When I was younger, I thought like you and when I left a group the so-called friendship was non-existent. But I've found out most of my musical relationships are just that. Based on the music only. But that's ok too. No hard feelings when it ends. Time to put your shingle out again and seek your next gig, my friend. Good luck and enjoy!
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