How long have you stayed in one band?

[Skokiaan]

My first band lasted 14 years. Over the years there were 15 different members. I was one of two in for the full ride, while our drummer played the last 12 years.

My current main (most active) band is ending after seven years because the bandleader's health is failing (Parkinson's). I played the last five-and-a-half years (and my wife the last four). We have one gig remaining.

Technically, I have been playing with another band for nine years, but in that time we have only played 24 gigs. None this year.

 

[RescueRandy314]

I've known the guitar player since kindergarten. Taught him how to play the guitar at 9 and then he got better! We created Cornerstone in 2000 and we're still going strong!

 

[Bee Be]

Hey folks,

I've always admired bands where the members stuck together for many years or decades. Not talking about headliner touring bands. Just those lower key weekend warriors (like most of us). Personally reflecting at my old age of 58, I'm good for a year, maybe two before I leave or the band implodes. My longest stint was maybe 5 years with a very good band but eventually everyone got tired of the same old show. Shoot, the past ten years I'm lucky to last a year. I also know my tolerance for -you fill in the blank- has gotten much worse which doesn't help.

Let us hear from you long term folks any ideas on how you keep it together. Also love to hear some of those break up/apart reasons.

Thoughts????

Started our band in 2003 and have had quite few different members, have the lead guitarist now for 7 years and the drummer going on 2. My husband and I are the founding members and still enjoying it in our golden years.

 

[schoonerman]

I've been with the same band, Tuesday Night Ritual, off and on for 27 years. Our current members have all been playing together 11 years. Second album underway. We record mostly...not a ton of gigging, which probably is our salvation

 

[PatsonGodinho]

Being with my band for the last 12 years. Only a DJ added to the group. It's because we live in Bahrain we do not get any exposure and someday would love to jam with all those great musicians in the US and Europe . Just a small jam would do but if anyone wants to hear us out

 

[Kamuilija]

With my main band, now 11 years. (I'm 28 so we were very young when we started.) All the original people are still in, and we added one person two years ago. The band's like a second family to me: we don't get together all the time (it's a periodic thing, everybody has other things in their lives too) but when we do, oh! I love the trust and intimacy from having been together so long.

 

[Krebsy]

Hey folks,

I've always admired bands where the members stuck together for many years or decades. Not talking about headliner touring bands. Just those lower key weekend warriors (like most of us). Personally reflecting at my old age of 58, I'm good for a year, maybe two before I leave or the band implodes. My longest stint was maybe 5 years with a very good band but eventually everyone got tired of the same old show. Shoot, the past ten years I'm lucky to last a year. I also know my tolerance for -you fill in the blank- has gotten much worse which doesn't help.

Let us hear from you long term folks any ideas on how you keep it together. Also love to hear some of those break up/apart reasons.

Thoughts????

I've been playing with the same guitar player since 1995. I basically learned to play drums playing along with him. I've since taken up bass as well and the current 3 piece band we have has been together since 2002. No egos and a diverse love of all different kinds of music has made things last. I personally think the music we have made is good enough for the mainstream but am content doing what we do. We don't play as much as we used to but still get together a good 6-8 times a year and it's like riding a bicycle.

The current more active band I'm in and that I play solely bass with I've been with for about 6yrs now. Lots more drama as drummers have come and gone. I keep offering to play drums but they tell me I'm to good at bass, which is flattering, considering I think I'm much better at drums. It's still a lot of fun and some of us late 40's guys still think they are in their 20's. And most importantly the music is good and fun to play.

 

[bassmangotdbluz]

This one lasted 5 years for me and we worked steadily until I got Yoko'ed.

 

[princeout]

On one of our T-shirts it says "since 1979". Secret is good friends and new materials.
Tim

 

[Inky13]

My guitar player and I have been in some sort of musical situation since 1980. Same band since 1985.

 

[pbass6811]

I like reading these stories! Around here, we've got a few bands that have some longevity, but there's been a rash of bands going dark recently. That's sad and it's bad for business. Bars need multiple, kick-@$$ bands that draw good crowds in order to thrive. Less good bands means that the bars hafta rely on the few that are left. In the short term, it's great for the few bands that remain, but, eventually, the rotation starts to crumble because these bars aren't able to book good bands frequently enough to pay their bills...

I've been in my current band for 15 years. My lead singer and I are the two original members, our drummer been with us for 13 years, and our guitarist has been with us for a month, LOL! We seem to have that "Spinal Tap" thing with guitar players, we've gone through several in our history. Fortunately, you can, pretty much, throw a stick up in the air and it'll probably land on a decent guitar player, so we've always good ones to choose from.

We play a lot, so it's been a great ride! We are getting to that point where we might hafta start looking at booking nursing home gigs...

 

[amper]

Jan 1990- Nov 2009, so just about 20 years, but that was a mistake. I should have left the band many years ago. I felt an obligation to my bandmates, but musically, they weren't interested in progressing or even branching out. They have gotten a new bass player, but not a new vocalist, and now perform as an instrumental trio, still playing the same kind of music. It's a shame, really.

The periods of my life when I have become a much better player have been the periods during which I was forced into a new role or found myself playing with new people. Mobility is always a good thing in music. There's nothing wrong with being in the same band for a long time, if you are happy with the music, but I would advise people to always find side projects and sideman slots to make sure that what you are doing with your main group still suits your needs as a musician.

 

[bassguy1960]

Been with my current bluegrass band for 19 years, that's a record for me now.

 

[snowbird89]

Hey folks,

I've always admired bands where the members stuck together for many years or decades. Not talking about headliner touring bands. Just those lower key weekend warriors (like most of us). Personally reflecting at my old age of 58, I'm good for a year, maybe two before I leave or the band implodes. My longest stint was maybe 5 years with a very good band but eventually everyone got tired of the same old show. Shoot, the past ten years I'm lucky to last a year. I also know my tolerance for -you fill in the blank- has gotten much worse which doesn't help.

Let us hear from you long term folks any ideas on how you keep it together. Also love to hear some of those break up/apart reasons.

Thoughts????

 

[snowbird89]

I was with a bluegrass band for five years. We also did some classic country and gospel and the other odd thing just for fun. I liked the variety and the people I played/sang with. The problem was the leader. He had a great ear for music, but a terrible way of talking to people. He ordered the other members around as though they were his servants, and he would badger me to try something, in front of other people, that he knew I was just learning, and then berate me for not doing it perfectly. For a band to survive, members need to treat each other with respect, as well as grow musically. That's the way I see it.

 

[ghostinthemach]

Just put a cover band nucleus into hiatus after running pretty much non-stop for the last 25 years. My wife's health put the quibash on my long nights out to play nightclubs. I'm sure we'll still do occasionals together as this combo puts out top quality with zero effort (or rehearsal hahaha).
Meanwhile I still do a few gigs with a 30+ years combo much closer to home (and earlier gigs) in which i'm the new guy.
I have a tendency to stick when things are working.

 

[tedious1]

20 years come Boxing Day, and that doesn't count all the time in warehouses getting up to snuff to start with.

Our secret? At first it was regularly firing the bass player, but then the band got wise and made me the bass player, so I stopped firing them. Since then, regular hiatus, particularly after we started trucking across Canada, we're actually on one at the current moment. But even on hiatus, at least recently we've made efforts to get together, not play, just for the hang, it's nice to remember these guys are still friends, even though most of the time they feel like family.

 

[Doobass2010]

Hey folks,

I've always admired bands where the members stuck together for many years or decades. Not talking about headliner touring bands. Just those lower key weekend warriors (like most of us). Personally reflecting at my old age of 58, I'm good for a year, maybe two before I leave or the band implodes. My longest stint was maybe 5 years with a very good band but eventually everyone got tired of the same old show. Shoot, the past ten years I'm lucky to last a year. I also know my tolerance for -you fill in the blank- has gotten much worse which doesn't help.

Let us hear from you long term folks any ideas on how you keep it together. Also love to hear some of those break up/apart reasons.

Thoughts????

I was a member of New Grass Revival for 16 years. We were on a "mission" so to speak or a N.Y.C session guy once noted-"get in a van and play 'our music'. We slept on peoples floors the first 8 or so years till we gathered some momentum and basically made our audience one show at a time. Youth definetly helped. I am a band guy, even though i've a had a bit of a solo career I really do like being a part of a team. Going on my 10th year of being s touring member of The Doobie Brothers. I still love music and trying to be as professional as humanly possible in any and all musical endeavors. I've learned a lot from other folks and frankly my own mistakes. It ain't the easiest lifestyle but for me the only one I ever wanted. I'm blessed, happy thumpin'!
John C

 

[PeteInIowa]

I've been with my current band, The 100s, for going on 14 years, and two albums (I was also their producer for those projects). Joined initially as a sideman; stayed to take on other roles as people came and went (went from lead guitar/mandolin/backing vocals to bass guitar/backing vocals - thank you Jack Casady for the mental preparedness to take on the bass chores and absolutely love what I do!). Brief hiatus in 2009/2010 to be called something else with less guys (but the same guys), which eventually saw the current lineup re-forming. Currently in another offshoot band with current and former members of this same band doing a completely different set list of music. Our rhythm guitarist (and one of the two founding members) has moved to the Chicago area but returns to Iowa to play our shows. We must all like playing music together, is all I can figure...

 

[Markoric]

I've always believed that the longer a band has been together, the better they get.

I was in a band early to mid-late 90's. When we started, the band kind of sucked. We did not know this at the time. After 6 years together with the same core, we were locally famous and getting label attention. This is not my opinion but documented fact, we were a very awesome band.
We hired a management company. They started to make changes. Replace drummer, replace fiddle player. I was next, replace bass player "because he does not sing lead vocals". That band disentagrated about 2 months later.
Anyway, IMHO, the longer a band is together, the better they are.