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I think I'm done

#21
BassCliff said:
Hi,



I was once where you are, brother. I was frustrated, disillusioned, underutilized, taken advantage of, taking the blame and the butt of jokes.

Then I saw the light. I heard Johnny Paycheck sing "Take This Job And Shove It" and it sounded like an angel choir epiphany.

I decided to give up music and join a country band.

Seriously. The musicians are less flakey, don't play as loudly, the crowds are better, the gigs pay more, the music is more varied and interesting. Give it some consideration.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
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Have you seen Cliff's gig report posts? Everyone is happy, smiling... then there's the crowd shots ;)
Reformed metal head here gone Country for similar reasons... younger happier patrons volume under control ( neither 6 stringer has over 30 watts)
Vocals are the loudest thing in the mix and seldom hit 90db in the room :)
 
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#22
Getting drunk and playing too loud are deal-breakers for me - any issues like this should be able to be addressed at a band meeting. That should be your first option, although I doube anything is going to change. Only you know your limits, but I value my ears, and I don't want to be around with drunks.

Your choice.
 
#25
I think a sit down with all of the band members is in order it looks like you folks have been together for a long time and I don't see a reason to throw it all away without having a heart to heart with everyone in the band. I hope it works out it would be a shame if it didn't.
 
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#26
Sounds like an excellent group to party with, maybe not so much to play in a band with though...

Take a break from live music, do your own thing for a while. I did, and I ended up being away from my bass for about a week. I then started my own home recordings and doing all sorts of projects that I've wanted to embark for a while.
 
#29
/\/\3phist0 said:
Have you seen Cliff's gig report posts? Everyone is happy, smiling... then there's the crowd shots ;)
Reformed metal head here gone Country for similar reasons... younger happier patrons volume under control ( neither 6 stringer has over 30 watts)
Vocals are the loudest thing in the mix and seldom hit 90db in the room :)
Click to expand...
Same here.. made that move (by chance) 3 yrs ago. Have not looked back.
Most of my band doesn't drink or in moderation only, we play more gigs, make more $$, people of all ages dance without needing to get inebriated (tho' there sure are a few who do it anyways) and the there's plenty of eye-candy to boot ('scuse the pun)!
 
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#30
no doubt that the band is fueled by alcoholism. bad cases of it. I know it sounds like I am looking for excuses to stay (which I am probably done very soon) but my guitards are all music professionals. They are all teachers. School music program teachers. It just darkens my perspective to have litterly started going backwards after 15 years.
 
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#32
iriegnome said:
... but my guitards are all music professionals. They are all teachers. School music program teachers.
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Based on their performance behavior you've outlined in the OP, I'd say that is not the case.. if you need that much alcohol to play (I used to be in a blues band like that.. lasted 3 months) and guzzle a 1/5th of jack at rehearsal and are 420 friendly, then stage performance probably doesn't even factor at a gig..

Time to go.. IMHO.
 
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#34
iriegnome said:
After 15 years + with the same band, I think after this last weekend, I have about had it. Guitards on 13 in a room smaller than a closet, bitchen between the 3 of them constantly about how loud each is and how much they each need to turn down but none of them are too loud themselves. Monitors so loud they drown out the drummers. Drummers so loud I can't hear any monitors, me being pushed to behind the drummer so the guitards can have enough room at the front of the stage. Me singing 90% of all backups and not having a monitor. Drunk guitard singing over all my harmonies to show off to his wife. Super drunk everyone except me (I don't really drink) so bad that the drummer was using his coat as a cymbal the other gig. 15 years I have put up with this. I can't take it. 9 gigs and I have driven at least one if not both ways for 6 of them and there are 6 people who are capable of driving. Getting bitched at for a missed note and the same guitard completely just stops playing so he can get someone to get him another beer (usually 15 or 20 per night)..
I mean am I wrong?? I have been looking to join another band for about 2 years, passed on a couple of questionable ones. Seems everyone in my area wants to play metal.. not down with that. Want to be happy. Just hating life in my band right now.. Nobody else to complain to other than my TB family..
Click to expand...


Sounds familiar to me.
Can I ask you a question?
If it has been like that for 15 years, why putting up with this nonsense?

I completely understand the urge to play and to have a regular band, but this sounds like pure stress.
I'd walk away.
 
#35
Hi,

iriegnome said:
no doubt that the band is fueled by alcoholism. bad cases of it. I know it sounds like I am looking for excuses to stay (which I am probably done very soon) but my guitards are all music professionals. They are all teachers. School music program teachers. It just darkens my perspective to have litterly started going backwards after 15 years.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you've got a lot of history with your band and you've all been good friends over the years, seen a lot of good times and bad times. I'm sure it's the kind of thing that you hate to see end. In a perfect world a productive band meeting would result in more mature behavior on the gig, more reasonable volume, less alcohol, more professionalism, etc. It sounds like your bandmates are going through a mid-life crisis and are using the band to fuel their "rock star" self-destructive self-indulgences. I went through a phase like that too so I'm hoping that, if you stick it out, your band will also grow out of it.

My first response was meant to be light-hearted but I was totally serious about country music. The thing about a country band is you can play pretty much any kind of music you want and the people will dig it. Country music enthusiasts like the new stuff, the old stuff, they like all kinds of rock and pop music, blues, swing, oldies, etc, just about everything. On any given gig we will play Ke$ha, Johnny Cash, Adele, Lady Antebellum, Journey, Michael Jackson, Vince Gill, No Doubt, Zac Brown, and other various and sundry fun music.

Since you have worked in the genre I'm probably preaching to the choir. So I will just encourage you to have a heart-to-heart talk with your friends and wish you all the best. Hopefully you can make them see how their actions are not good for them and you can all get back to having fun together. Be blessed.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#39
Big Hoss said:
You put up with that foolishness 14 years and 6 months longer than I would have. If I couldn't iron the professionalism issues out, I would have walked years ago.
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this was my thought right away. NO WAY would i have stayed in a situation for that long.

You don't have to "defect" to other styles either. just advertise your availability and be patient.
 
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#40
You must be a saint, I don't know how you put up with it for so long. I was in a situation (pales by comparison) in which I felt I wasn't being heard (literally). At one point, when were doing a sound check of the entire band, I turned my volume all the way down. The guitarist turned to me and said "sounds good." My response way "yeah, you guys sound good." I put up for this for exactly two gigs. My band makes good money, gets great gigs and at one point I thought about just doing air guitar the entire night. I finally told them that I work hard to learn my parts and I want to be heard. It's much better now. There's a lot of good advice in this thread, but from what you're saying, it doesn't sound like it will get any better. The next band you join will definitely be getting a good deal. Good luck.
 

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