Teenage communication

[garythenuke]

I'm 15, I know what this is like. I apparently got into some metal band with some people I half know about a year ago, endless talk of what we were going to do, but then nothing happened. After about 10 months I found out I had been kicked out for no explained reason! Not that I care for that matter, in my mind and everyone elses apart from theirs this band never existed, I'm in a few other serious bands (in comparison to theirs) anyway so this would have been too time consuming for me.

Most teenagers can't communicate, this is why I'm pedantic as hell and make sure every tiny detail for anything I'd confirmed. Perhaps I'm annoying to my peers, they just want to have fun. But I consider being a musician not being something you "become" when you grow up, but something you make yourself. They clearly aren't that yet.

Rant over.

You've probably heard this, but you are wise beyond your years. I work with guys who are less mature and level headed than you seem. Keep up the good work.

Why do they practice on Mon/Wed?
Couldn't the days be changed?
How about the weekend to get ready for the gig?

Also, since they didn't contact your son timely, he can always turn down the gig. No harm, no foul.

Sure he could have called earlier but they didn't even call him to let him know he was "in" the band. How redunculous is that?

M/W practice is what works for everyone else. My son joined last so he is apparently the only one with M/W conflicts. They all have track or XC practice and other things during the week. It should smooth out over the summer unless my son can land a job.
They will surely have the weekend before the gig to get ready, but my son would rather have more than one eight hour marathon session to tighten things up. At least he understands THAT concept.

 

[Ric5]

Or lack thereof...
They just don't communicate for ****.

I find a LOT of adults don't communicate. There are a lot of people who simply don't return emails or phone calls.

 

[DaDrew2112]

Or a secret fb group. That's nice because fb gives you notifications on it plus I guarantee they all use fb a lot anyways.

 

[oniman7]

Or a secret fb group. That's nice because fb gives you notifications on it plus I guarantee they all use fb a lot anyways.

+1. We use a secret invite-only Facebook group where we can have and archive discussions and documents

 

[Moloch666]

The 3 blokes I play with are all 30-ish and they have varying degrees of sucking at communication.

The drummer doesn't always have credit so can't reply to calls/messages, tries to use email instead but the rest of the band doesn't (apart from me). The vocallist/guitarist is usually too busy having sex to answer his phone but will try and SMS back. The other guitarist gives vague details about the dates of gigs ("End of the month") but always answers his phone and messages.

The last band I was in (Playing 2nd guitar in a 6+ piece ska/punk) sucked so badly at communicating I got sick of chasing people and stopped sending messages asking about gig details/practice/jam sessions. I didn't hear from anyone for 3 months. So I checked the Facebook page and I'd been taken off the band roster. Now they all avoid me in the street.

I just try to keep hounding people until i get ALL the information that I need. Pisses people off, but with my work, family and other commitments I need details with as much notice as possible.

 

[winndaddy]

^^^^^^^^^^

 

[mikegug]

I manage a teenage band. If I don't communicate with all of them NOTHING happens.

I've had three guitarists quit because they were all gonna start other bands. Nothing ever came of those bands, as NO COMMUNICATION worth anything happened.

Have your son be the communicator. Don't wait for these other musicians to communicate. (They are teenage musicians for crying out loud!). Have your son be the communication hub. If they like his bass work, they will welcome communication and someday they will realize that his communication made things run more smoothly.

Without good communication, success is FAR less likely.

 

[Dave W]

Just out of curiosity, how did your son audition and "nail" their songs, yet not know if they are originals or covers?

 

[garythenuke]

^^
He went in and they played a few songs they all knew. Then they introduced their own songs. They were simple enough that my son picked up on them right away. He didn't do any vocals, but the bass lines were straight forward. So he doesn't know if they like to intersperse covers with originals or do all original or even all covers in live shows...


I suppose it's kind of like a guitarist playing Stairway or Freebird. EVERYONE knows these songs, even original bands, but groups don't necessarily do them in a show.
Good question though...

I appreciate all the insight here. You guys do have a ton of experience, and I really enjoy reading what you all have to offer.