OK, here's the deal. I am bassist in a classic, old school blues band, and as I'm sure many of you who are in bands have experienced, there is a tendency for personnel change. I think that is normal. For the last year and a half, we've had this guitarist who is a superb player (no negatives other than the usual 'too loud') in all respects. OK, so, occasionally he would step on the vocalist and the harp player's solos, and yes he took his solo's a bit too long sometimes, but being a blues band, we just rolled with that, after all it is the blues, and flexibility is a natural part of that music form. We dealt with that because he is just that good, not to mention the only guitar in the band.
That being said, he has had his 'hissy fit' moments; walking out of a rehearsal and an open mike for no apparent reason, being the two most egregious episodes, but again, he is just that good, we dealt with his adolescent outbursts. Until two weeks ago. In the weeks leading up to that weeks rehearsal, he was acting like he had to advise the singer on how he wanted the sound, her 'emotional output', and such like. Did I mention that he seriously lacks any interpersonal skills? It came to a head when during the initial run through of a new song we wanted to include in the set, he just stepped all over her singing - just started sing, then stopped the song and started to rant about 'it is HIS song, and she should just listen to how he sings it and do it that way', etc., it was getting ugly. The singer, to her credit, says 'I'm leaving before I say something I don't want to say', and left. The guitar player then proceeds to rant on and walks out himself.
The following days were filled with IM's flying back and forth, most of which from the guitarist were incoherent rants, and finally we (the rest of the band) had to cut him loose. We had to. Out lead singer is that good, too, and we didn't want to loose her! Now, we were faced with two gig's booked less than 10 days away, and no guitar!
A friend of mine, that I've jammed with a few times, I recruited, we rehearsed twice and played the gigs (this past Friday and Saturday nights), and as might be expected, we have sounded better. Now, we are faced with the decision of keeping him and helping him 'grow' into the role, and get up to speed with the music, or finding someone else. So far the consensus is to keep him and give him the time to grow into the role.
There, I feel better, I hope I haven't bored you, but it has been an emotional rollercoaster for us in The Blues Drivers!
Please feel free to voice your opinions, stories and advice!
That being said, he has had his 'hissy fit' moments; walking out of a rehearsal and an open mike for no apparent reason, being the two most egregious episodes, but again, he is just that good, we dealt with his adolescent outbursts. Until two weeks ago. In the weeks leading up to that weeks rehearsal, he was acting like he had to advise the singer on how he wanted the sound, her 'emotional output', and such like. Did I mention that he seriously lacks any interpersonal skills? It came to a head when during the initial run through of a new song we wanted to include in the set, he just stepped all over her singing - just started sing, then stopped the song and started to rant about 'it is HIS song, and she should just listen to how he sings it and do it that way', etc., it was getting ugly. The singer, to her credit, says 'I'm leaving before I say something I don't want to say', and left. The guitar player then proceeds to rant on and walks out himself.
The following days were filled with IM's flying back and forth, most of which from the guitarist were incoherent rants, and finally we (the rest of the band) had to cut him loose. We had to. Out lead singer is that good, too, and we didn't want to loose her! Now, we were faced with two gig's booked less than 10 days away, and no guitar!
A friend of mine, that I've jammed with a few times, I recruited, we rehearsed twice and played the gigs (this past Friday and Saturday nights), and as might be expected, we have sounded better. Now, we are faced with the decision of keeping him and helping him 'grow' into the role, and get up to speed with the music, or finding someone else. So far the consensus is to keep him and give him the time to grow into the role.
There, I feel better, I hope I haven't bored you, but it has been an emotional rollercoaster for us in The Blues Drivers!
Please feel free to voice your opinions, stories and advice!
