How long have you stayed in one band?

[BEvans383]

While other members have come and gone, my drummer and I have been playing together since we met in 1993. I guess that makes 24 years. Originally he was the guitar player and I was the bassist. I'm still the bassist, but he switched to drums a few years back when we started a classic rock band with some younger guys from where he works. We're a pretty good rhythm section, and have been attracting some pretty talented guitarists, so we have a few other project bands that we are working with as well. Here's to another 24 years, or more!

 

[bkirk]

I guess you could say I'm in 3 bands.
Band A: the only one that gigs fairly regularly. Played with the guitar/songwriter since '78, keyboard player since '90. Outdoor gig tomorrow night. Forecast says it'll be 105.
Band B: mostly original, all instrumental jazz. Guitar player since '84. Musically my favorite but rarely gigs. However the music is so enjoyable to play that I look forward to band practice every week.
Band C: singer/songwriter since '76 and includes guitar player from Band B. This one only gigs 2 or 3 times a year. Singer is threatening to get us a gig. We might be almost ready.
B

 

[Richland123]

The longest for me in one band was 12 years. And, we had the same lineup from 2001 to 2013. We played 879 gigs in that time.

 

[giannispezza]

31 years and counting...

 

[QORC]

7 years is the longest I've played with anyone

 

[markoc]

I'm coming up on 10 years with one band I work with and it's the longest I've held any job in my life. I stepped into that band playing 4 days a week for the first few years off a rare craigs list success story. I don't see any reason we can't play together for another 10 (BL health permitting).
I've been working with another BL about 7 years now and going strong.
Outside of that most groups I've worked with have had a pretty short shelf life.

 

[rufus.K]

pushing 7 years with current trio.
5 years before that (guitar player went off the deep end and band fizzled)
6 years before that (till I moved 3k miles away)

 

[GreyEagle]

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????

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 my current band mostly since 1980. I took a 2 year break from playing (frustrated) & the guys dragged me back (around '84); bought the amp of my choice & got my bass back. I haven't looked back since! I enjoy original rock & playing some classic rock (although I still have a thing for punk & hard rock). I have no time or tolerance for egotism; we're in this together & we're all competent. Opinions will vary, but that's a big part of the creative process. As long as all members are listened to!

 

[Steelers Fan]

Family group since 2006.

 

[MightyMag]

I fronted a band in 1967 called the Myst of Tyme. They continue to play and I continued to sing lead when I am available. Their are still 4 original members after 50 years. I am now 67 years old and still gig regularly.

 

[ynot]

Band I'm with now has been together for 10 years. It just takes so much to find compatible personalities and once you do it's do i really want to start over.

 

[rtslinger]

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????

Ok we started out in 2003 by 2005 I had my keepers lined up and I lost members through illness and family tragedy. Or I am sure the lineup would still be those keepers. We were 5 now we are down to 3 original members plus a singer. But the the others including myself remained because it was for fun and never about the $. That and family was always more important. When any of us had issues on the home front and maybe had to cancel a gig. It was and still isn't held against them. And although we rarely see each other till the night of a show we are still like brothers from another mother. We keep it fun and joke around. When I put this together with Cliff my singer who was forced to leave due to a paralyzed vocal cord. We set the rules of what we wanted to do and the way we want do it. That code of honor which we aren't doing it for $ we are doing it because we love to play and we set out to find others who wanted that same thing. Which I found in John, Teddy and Bobby. I guess when it becomes no longer fun, if ever we will all still be forever band mates who had many, many memories of great times sharing the stage.

 

[GonePlaid]

I tried out with a band in Miami whose bass player had left. They liked my playing and asked me to join. I said "lemme think about it". 15 years later we finally ran outta gigs and disbanded. Still occasionally worked with the drummer and a keys player until the drummer passed away last year. Now playing(past 2 1/2 years)with a local band doing classic rock and light jazz plus 2 concert bands just for gits and shiggles.

 

[davekoch]

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

Dear John C,
OMG. Love your voice with the New Grass Revival!! AND, I love the Doobies. Your voice is amazing! Is it just solid goose bumps playing with the Doobies? WOW!!!

I played every gig with a band lasting 21 years (1974 - 1995) in Twin Cities MN.

 

[Russell L]

11 years, '90-'01.

 

[s0c9]

7 yrs.. ran my own rock/variety band. For years 4 thru 6 (3 yrs) of that we had a solid core. Keys player left, then singer (health reasons) and we replaced them during the last year.. then it folded due to lack of gigs.
Then 4 yrs in my last one.. thought we were in for the long haul.. well known in the area, playing 75+ gigs a year, all "A" venues, etc. Then the BL folded and quit for "family reasons". That ended July 1st, 2017
Think I have a new band.. talked with the lead guitar and he did not recognize me - even tho we'd played in a band together for 3 weeks (5 yrs ago).
Then I told him who I had been playing with for the last 4 yrs and he goes "Oh Wow! OK. So THAT's who you are!! We're good!".
Working thru 22 new songs and waiting on the BL to call rehearsal..

 

[ghostinthemach]

About 22years now for our 'nucleus' consisting of me on bass/vocal, a lead vocalist/rhythm guitar (with Lou Gramm kinda voice) and a drummer.
We were all originally in a band under a BL (lead guitarist) who, after many years together, fired each of us for various silly egotistical reasons, but once we were all out we just got together w/o the leader and all was good. It was about 10 years before the firings and a little more after, and that's been better by far.
I suppose he did us two favors:
1. he got us all together
2. he fired all of us
We became an infinitely better band by simply hiring gun slinger lead players and changing them up for variety and/or availability.
Still working together, this golden combo never rehearses, but has strikingly great vocals and performance consistency. We've all been playing over 40 years.

 

[Spectre1966]

Longest for me is 3 years.

 

[JimK]

1989-2010...20+ years.
Caveat: We all played in other projects, too. This band generally played "events" such as opening for major New Country acts.
In that time frame, I would say Faith Hill and Shania Twain were the only two "names" we did no open for.
We were treated great & paid great.

I'm pretty sure I lost money in the other bands I played in during this time.

 

[Robroy]

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????

If the expectations of all the band members are either in synch or, better yet, just low, it can stay together for quite a while. Since I've never depended on band money to be anything but petty cash, every band I've been in is peopled by people that are in it "for fun". I have a very hard time finding people like me who are in it "for fun" but also want to be good. I also notice that, because I'm old and, therefore I have to be in bands with "older" members, these folks are pretty set in their ways and mostly deaf. They are typically not interested in learning new stuff and getting really good. They just want to play what they already know, and I never need to play Knockin' on Heaven's Door again.

I last usually a few months to two years with a band. The more they play, the shorter my stint.

The one band that was great was the one I started with two of my daughters. Because all the members (except me) were in their 20's and wanted to be good, the band really was amazing for the short time it existed before I moved to KY and the drummer took off for Africa. Sadly, I'm too old for such a band so I'm sorta stuck. And I just started a thread about the last bar band I'll ever join.