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Reasons for quiting band

B

bhpmoto

Jun 28, 2010
8
0
#1
OK. Long time lurker, first time posting.

So I'm in this band. I like the music.....well most of it....we are fairly successful as in "getting some local air play" but not a huge fan base. I'm pretty sure I'm going to quit after the gig this Friday. I just want to check to see if you guys think I'm being a prima donna about this...
Anyway, I grew up playing and made a living at music for about 5 years until it just became tiresome (touring, sketchy management, evil drummers.....) Basically, quit playing for a living in my mid 20s. Got my engineering degree, family, mortgage, kids, etc....I'm now in my mid 30's and still love music and playing out a couple of times a month.
Our drummer quit a couple of months ago (great drummer). I suspect due to being told how to play by the Singer/songwriter who also changed the band name to his name (solo act). He writes some good stuff but doesn't listen at all to others suggestions (he is in his late 20's). He also refuses to use a tuner to tune up, even in the studio. His ear is not as good as he thinks it is. argh!!! We spent the last few days in the studio....pure hell.....The new drummer refused to play to a click track or metronome, we had to re-track every song at least 12 times with multiple drummer stops. Everything sounds off (speed up/ slow down).the singer who says that being a musician is (as he takes a bong hit) his life, wouldn't tune to a tuner. He decides that the studio is a good time to teach everybody his new hit song...in drop D.......I should mention that the 2 guitarists have no studio experience. His voice is out of key............The poor rhythm guitarist thinks all this is normal, as in "this will get fixed in post production" (not in this studio it wont). It was like a bad VH1 documentary. I understand guys get excited in the studio (delusions of grandeur, etc...) but this was ridiculous. Even as a session musician, I have never seen a session/s as unproductive as this.
But then again it might just be my personal feelings about the singer songwriter who neglects paying child support by living with his girlfriend in the basement of his mothers home (no job). Or it might just be that I feel like an unpaid session player working for a douche.......I've been playing with these guys for a year, so, not that long. the catalog is about 28 songs. 5 of them are actually pretty good and fun to play. I feel bad for the rhythm guitar because he is a super nice guy. Have you guys ever been with people this unprofessional....is this normal.....have I just been lucky so far? or is it just that I moved from Austin to Seattle...........It's OK you can laugh.

Thanks guys/gals.
 
#6
Unfortunately there's a lot more "jerk offs" out there like these cats you're playing with than there are with more professional attitudes. If lack of professionalism is why you want to quit then that's reason enough. If you're not happy and have tried talking things through first then yup, it's time to depart from the situation and find one that will make you happy.
 
#8
No disrespect, dude, but your in your mid-30's with an engineering degree.

Do you really need to be letting yourself follow a deadbeat doper around?

You already know what you need to do. Dump the clowns. You can find better ways to spend your time and your musical energy.

Your question is really a no-brainer, man.
 
#9
Thanks Guys. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't being a prima donna about it. I actually just got a voicemail from the singer/songwriter explaining to me that there is no reason for me to come into the studio after work today because there are too many "rhythmic inconsistencies" on all the tracks........He and the drummer are going to "pound through them" tonight. I wonder if they are going to use the optical metronome that I brought into the studio the first day......or teach the drummer to play to a click track.........I wonder how long it will take for him to realize that his guitar sounds like crap because he thinks he can tune by ear...........There is a studio tuner there as well. He just thinks he has the golden ear.
I am going to tell them that I just can't make the level of commitment that their ambitions require (US tour, maybe Japan...Very ambitious/somewhat dilusional) after the show this Friday. I will play the local radio appearance and the next show but make that the limit. That should leave me free to be playing with other bands guilt free if I bump into them around town.
I'll post a link to the voicemail later. It made me laugh a couple of times.
 
#11
HunterBrodt said:
I dont understand why people refuse people help with songs. I understand that the first ideas came out of there head but god if other peoples suggestions are going to make a better song TAKE THEM
Click to expand...

This.

When I used to write original music there was almost never a time when I wouldn't go to the rest of the guys and ask them to come up with something here or tell them that I need suggestions for this part or whatever.

To refuse suggestions and help all the time is immature. It's just silly. Yes, you came up with the idea but it can be improved upon with a little tweak here and there.

A lot of people don't like KISS, but if you look at the songwriting credits on all of their 70's albums, you can see that the entire band collaborated when putting together songs. Most of the the time it was Simmons and Stanley but there's a healthy helping of Peter Criss and Ace Frehley as well. Gene and Paul are ruthless businessmen but they had the wisdom to listen to the ideas of their partners.
 
#12
+1 to all above - time to move on.

Whenever any of the guys in my band (not MY band, the band I'm in - its OUR band) bring something to the table its just plain understood that anyone can make suggestions to tweak it this way or that. We'll try whatever it is, and if we feel it works, then great. Still, its also understood that the song is the writer's creature, and if it doesn't fit in w/what he intended, he can (diplomatically) say that in his mind it really wasn't where he wanted the tune to go. None of us are so ego-intensive that we can't take that for what it is.

Dump the doper and find a better band. Or start your own w/the best of the band you're in. ;)
 
#14
no more weed till they use tuners and clicks, or your out... I would find another band that is fun, pays, and sounds good before I quit this one. also moving to a new city sucks, I've moved back and forth from Denver to Los Angeles, and every time its like starting all over, takes a while to find the RIGHT people to play with, but if there is any reservations, don't even start. I wouldn't even want my name on a recording thats out of time, and tune. plus your paying for this?
 
#16
I'm in a band that has been together for about 8 months. We're all 40+ year-olds who have jobs, families, and lives outside of music. Music is just our hobby, but we take it pretty seriously, and work hard to do as good a job as possible. Our singer, drummer, and one of our guitar players have been performing and recording for 20+ years, my own band experience is only a few years, and our other guitar player hasn't been in a band since he was in high school. 3 weeks ago, we recorded 6 songs for a demo CD at a local studio. The process was efficient, professional, and a ton of fun. Everyone did their job, played well, and there was no drama. Although we're not playing originals, there is are always song arrangement issues that come up. They're always dealt with colaboratively and without any drama.

My point of all this?

There's no need to keep suffering with a bunch of idiots. Even if you aren't getting paid, you can still take the work seriously and behave like a pro. I say it's time to move on, and find people at your level.
 
#17
+1 for keeping it fun.

I'm not paying for any portion of the recording. And I have no idea where the singer is getting his money to pay for it.....I know he sold some gear to pull some of the money together and it is a HUGE investment for him.....It is just really sad that his inability to take advice has made this project either worthless or will wind up costing him 4x what it should in studio time. I already put in three days of recording with off time drums, it is going to be too painfull to watch any more of this train-wreck. He fancies himself as a primo bassist as well, so he shouldn't have any problems laying down the bass once they iron out the "rhythmic inconsistencies". I'm not going back into that studio to waste any more of my time.
Definitely the first/last time I commit to a solo act without pay.
 
#19
Yeah, I don't know how I'm going to get through tonight's rehearsal with out spouting off or ranting. I'm just going to tryand keep it professional till after the gig tomorrow night when I will resign (politely).
Actually, I kind of like playing covers. My philosophy is that; if you didn't write the song, it's a cover.
Just cant do them when out of tune and off rhythm.........
 

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