Heavy is the heart of the man who carries the axe.

I haven't been on here in a while, frankly because I've been given a tough task that has killed my inspiration to play, let alone look at anything bass related.


I've been selected to fire my drummer.


Here's a little back story:

A few months back, we got a new guitarist (an old friend of mine, and a damn good guitarist) to add to the band. Once he came into the band, we started writing stuff that was way better than before. Problem is, our drummer doesn't seem to be able to keep up. Normally, it wouldn't be a problem to kick someone out of the band due to their inability, but there are things withstanding that make it hard.

1) He's a hard worker.

2) He does a ton of other stuff for the band.

3) He's become a good friend to all of us, me especially. He's had me over his home, fed me, and let me spend many a night on his sofa.

4) He came up with the band name, logo, and found the guy to do our website.

Now, there are some negatives, otherwise there would be no consideration of getting rid of him. For instance:

1) He has no internal timing (but he's working on it)

2) He says he can't work with a metronome, it makes him worse.

3) He refuses all outside help.

4) He doesn't look at anything as a challenge, but he looks at things as impossible. (this is my biggest gripe).


Recently, I had a sit down with him to kinda give him a notice that things were going down if they didn't improve. I got kinda harsh because I was a bit buzzed (I couldn't tell him sober, it'd break his heart). Since then he's told the other guys he's felt ostracized. I can't look him in the face half the time knowing what I've got to do.

Oh, and by the way, if you're wondering why I'm the guy who's got to do it, here's the reasons...The first guy that got kicked out of the band, Ken (our main guitarist and co founder) kicked out our singer who was his best friend. So, he doesn't want to do it again. I can't blame him. Joe (our newest guitarist) says he doesn't feel right doing it because he's the new guy in the band and doesn't feel that it's his place to kick out an older member. Mark (our singer) would flat out be rude about it (he's the one most disappointed in Matt). So, that leaves me.

It also doesn't help that life has been raining sh*t on Matt for the past couple of months. He's been struggling with cash, and his live in girlfriend lost her job. Then, as recent as last week, she calls me to tell me that she may have cervical cancer. Kicking him out of the band would be the last thing he needs.

What do you guys think and suggest?

 

Thanks for the ideas, guys...

As far as having him as a manager...we've thought about it and we're going to offer that to him...but I know him. He won't want to manage. He'd rather be part of the band or not at all.

In regards to all of us firing him, we've thought about that as well, and he'd feel like we were ganging up on him. (as you can tell, he's a bit sensitive).

And yes, we're going places. We've been invited down to Richmond, Virginia, to record in the Slave Pit. We want to take advantage of the good price we were quoted, and we know that the main issue would be Matt. The last time we recorded, we were recording 3 songs, and it took him all day to record his drum tracks. Thank god we weren't paying hourly. It took a lot of cutting and pasting to get his parts on the recording to sound right. He doesn't take pressure well. Hence, sometimes he'd perform poorly live. Speeding things up, missing parts, cutting parts short...

I hate talking like this about him, but it's to let you know that we are serious about this, and something has to be done. That's why I gave him the sit down a couple of weeks ago instead of just firing him on the spot. It just sucks that he's such a good guy and has devoted so much to the band. I just wish it was more in the department of playing. I've given him videos to help him out, but he doesn't practice with his free time at home to get better. Even during the sit down he told me himself that he knows he's the weakest link in the band and that we'd be better with a better drummer (which made it even harder for me to say anything-he already knows).

Jimmy...please don't go repeating any of this online. I wouldn't want Matt to get this from a third party.

@ RWP- You're right. We have to treat this like a business. We have opportunities to go places...and he definitely would hold us back. I just wish he'd be able to learn faster than what he is (he has shown some improvement-but it's still not enough).

 

Believe me, we've tried everything.

I've given him DVD's, tips, sent him to websites...but as the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

As far as him being pumped...he was totally excited about recording. But, he seems to have this stigma (mind you, he never said this but he acts like it) that practice is practice and home is home. He doesn't do anything at home drum wise. And, it's not like he has to worry about making noise and disturbing the neighbors. He has an electronic drum set. A really nice $3000 roland drum kit. I spent a half hour on it by myself just going through the myriad sounds on it. He says it doesn't feel right, so he doesn't practice on it. I mentioned to him once "What would you do if there was a show where we were booked to play with a backline?" and he said that he wouldn't be able to play the show unless it was his kit. Granted, for the type of music we play, very rarely if ever do you get a show where the backline is part of the deal, so we don't have to worry about that as much.

Anyway, I digress.

@Steve...

You're right. This is a business. It was something that was discussed in the rules when we joined. We didn't want this to be just for fun, we all wanted this to go somewhere. We wanted fun to be a part of it, but not the gist. He knows that. And, I did tell him on more than one occasion (even at the sit down) that I really don't want to play with another drummer. I just wished that he would've looked at the new material as the gauntlet being thrown down, and stepping up to the challenge. We wanted some syncopated polyrhythms in our songs (nothing too technical), and he just flat out said he couldn't do that instead of trying, working on it at home, and coming in with it down (which is what the rest of us have been doing).

Anyway, I don't want to bash the guy. I love him like a brother. But, this is a business. When I tell him, I won't give him reasons on why unless he asks. That way it doesn't crush him. I will tell him that it's the hardest decision that I've ever been a part of, and none of us really wanted this to happen, but we have no choice.

I just don't want to do it until we find out for sure if his old lady's got cervical cancer. If she does, then we'll let him go after he knows. If she doesn't, all the better. Then he won't have all of that on his mind. She finds out July 3.