Reasons for cancelling Band Practice.

[arbiterusa]

Is "my dog got killed" an acceptable reason?

Never mind practice, the day I lose my dog someone's going to have to talk me off a ledge. No lie. Of course it is acceptable.

 

[tbz]

I'm actually pretty happy to not have a career in music these days. Back when I was playing full-time, everyone's ability to make a living depended on everyone else being there all the time. I played through all sorts of illnesses, etc., because to not do it meant two things - nobody got a paycheck that night (or maybe that week) and you'd never play that room again, so the loss wasn't limited to just one incident- it was one incident plus any future income from that venue. When music income is all you've got, that matters a lot.

That's actually a lot of pressure and it's not a lot of fun, nor does it involve any macho posturing, it's just the way the thing worked back then.

I cancelled one show at the last minute in ten years because I was too sick to stand up. Never saw another dime from that venue and that's exactly what I expected would happen.

Nowadays there are so many bands with so few gigs that it's easy to replace someone at the last minute, so the venues are much more forgiving. That's not the consideration it once was. I've been happy to be in some of those last-minute replacement bands, too.

No, I mean a day job that’s an actual career. People that have non-career day jobs, and are in amateur and semi-pro bands, tend to take those projects way too seriously.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Pets are family members to most of us, but the way it was stated was as if someone's MOM died and they were chastised for missing rehearsal.

You really can't say "family member" without qualifying that if you're including the dog, especially out here on the internet where people run everything into the extreme end of whatever. It's very hard to have a conversation with any nuance because people are constantly assuming extremes. But I get your point.

It's legitimate to ask whether a pet is considered a family member. Not so legitimate to ask that about someone's mom (assuming they're not estranged or something).

Totally, and that’s on me for assuming all would include pets in that category.

 

[bass.slinger]

What are acceptable reasons for missing band practice? Is "my dog got killed" an acceptable reason? I guess it is. Just wanting your thoughts.

Yes. End of story.

 

[DwaynieAD]

For 99% of bands out there "I don't feel like it" is a good enough reason

 

[/\/\3phist0]

You have everything you need in that post to write an original song... well, except the music.

Start with a 'G'.

I will be in the Key of "L"

 

[LBS-bass]

No, I mean a day job that’s an actual career. People that have non-career day jobs, and are in amateur and semi-pro bands, tend to take those projects way too seriously.

Ah, ok... I see what you're saying. Not sure I agree based on some of the folks I've attempted to work with. Some serious professionals seem to be that way about every single freaking thing they do! Some definitely just do this to blow of steam and don't want to be serious about it at all. But the people I know in music who don't have serious careers tend to be that way about everything else in life, too.

Totally, and that’s on me for assuming all would include pets in that category.

I certainly do!

 

[pglaser01]

There's a bridge in Mustang Sally?

yeah…..it was covered in that one rehearsal you skipped!

 

[tbz]

Some serious professionals seem to be that way about every single freaking thing they do! Some definitely just do this to blow of steam and don't want to be serious about it at all. But the people I know in music who don't have serious careers tend to be that way about everything else in life, too.

Most of the folks I’ve played with, that have serious careers, are rational about things like the OP. E.g., canceling a practice for an incredibly valid reason. They too have other stuff going on, and have to regularly juggle conflicting priorities. So they’re rational.

Ones that don’t tend to get hyper sensitive and butt hurt over stuff like this. Because they’re still delusional enough to believe that their $100 gig matters, and could lead to “bigger things.”

I’ve never really met someone with a good career job, that was legitimately serious about their music project. I’ve played for at least 4 vanity projects, either funded by millionaires or heirs. Millionaires were always reasonable about real world conflicts. Heirs never were.

Guess which category was legitimately depending on the project to eventually turn profit positive, despite being well outside of the age where that could rationally happen lol.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Again?

I guess duct tape doesn't work on everything.

 

[eldorado2001]

I dislike band practice very much. Any reason to cancel is good enough for me.

* I do my homework and nail my parts. We have 2 weak players in this group who don't nail their parts, so rehearsals aren't as productive as they should be. And there are no upcoming gigs. On the other hand, I do enjoy just jamming with these same guys.

 

[LBS-bass]

Most of the folks I’ve played with, that have serious careers, are rational about things like the OP. E.g., canceling a practice for an incredibly valid reason. They too have other stuff going on, and have to regularly juggle conflicting priorities. So they’re rational.

Ones that don’t tend to get hyper sensitive and butt hurt over stuff like this. Because they’re still delusional enough to believe that their $100 gig matters, and could lead to “bigger things.”

I’ve never really met someone with a good career job, that was legitimately serious about their music project. I’ve played for at least 4 vanity projects, either funded by millionaires or heirs. Millionaires were always reasonable about real world conflicts. Heirs never were.

Guess which category was legitimately depending on the project to eventually turn profit positive, despite being well outside of the age where that could rationally happen lol.

I actually meant to delete that first bit because I realized we're really in "takes all kinds" territory and my experiences possibly aren't generalizable to everyone out there. I've just found that personality traits carry over in people regardless of what they're doing, in a lot of cases.

 

[tbz]

I actually meant to delete that first bit because I realized we're really in "takes all kinds" territory and my experience possible aren't generalizable to everyone out there. I've just found that personality traits carry over in people regardless of what they're doing, in a lot of cases.

Gotcha.

While I agree with that in theory, I don’t think most folks with a real job, over the age of 35, would rationally believe practice for their $100 a gig band is more important than the death of a pet.

Regardless of their level of personal commitment to the project. Or how serious they are.

In one of those vanity projects the singer/bl spent like $100k on two albums and a video shoot in the span of two years. All band members were compensated for each rehearsal, gig, etc. He was serious enough to commit real money. But he was a rational adult. If you couldn’t make a gig he cancelled or got a sub. If you couldn’t make practice and the band needed to practice, he’d reschedule.

Level of seriousness isn’t the delimiter here imo. Level of personal awareness is.

 

[Keyser Soze]

Yes to the dog thing. A band that gives me a hard time about not being up for stuff after my pup dies is a band you'll see advertising for a new bass player.

 

[LBS-bass]

Level of seriousness isn’t the delimiter here imo. Level of personal awareness is.

I would agree with that.

 

[Keyser Soze]

When I worked for the phone company in NYC, there was a good description of the absence control policy:
You can’t call in sick.
You CAN call in dead, but you can only do it once.

My wife's a retired cop. When she was a shift commander, she had a rookie call her during a (rare here in the southern US) snowstorm. The newb wanted to know if he could stay home because it was a "snow day."

 

[Mosfed]

What are acceptable reasons for missing band practice? Is "my dog got killed" an acceptable reason? I guess it is. Just wanting your thoughts.

yes of course it. What’s wrong with you?

 

[Grizelda100]

Dog? Yes.

Cat? No.

(Kidding)

 

[rtslinger]

Yes if my girl got killed to say I would be difficult to be around at that time an understatement

 

[Eric Lester]

I remember a lead guitarist cancelling rehearsal due to car trouble. BL didn't hesitate to offer to pick him up... easily an hour, round trip (times two, at the end of the night).

Drummer and I jammed, working out parts of songs we were having difficulty with. Once the two arrived, you could tell the guitarist was pissed, because a solution had been found, which he had no excuse to back out of.

Lo and behold, it wasn't much longer after that incident, he quit.

Our problem solved.

Back when I was a supervisor (shudder) I used this technique on an employee who called in and said that he couldn't come to work because of car troube. "I'll be there in 20 minutes." Ha.