Why did your band fall apart?

The Absolute

Controvertial one..

What caused your band to break up?

You start.

Shreddingblood

They were lazy motherfookers.

The Absolute

Deleted User wrote: »

You start.

Two previous bands, but wouldn't consider either of them real bands (which is why I didn't start off with those). In both cases we had two or three practices, never really hit it off or felt it working, so went our seperate ways. Adolescent bands really, so I don't think they really count.

The reason I've come up with this thread apart from curiosity it actually to try to detemine what bands need to work out, by seeing what causes them to fail, if you know what I mean.

Guessing that poor comminucation, lack of commitment, poorly defined roles and unequal decision making are gonna be the big ones.

Duke Leonal Felmet

The first band I was in split because we knew we were no good. After we recorded our first demo, people just stopped talking about more rehearsals.

The second band I was in didn't have a principal songwriter, so I took on that mantle. However, I cannot write lyrics, just melody and chords, so we had all these instrumental songs, but no lyrics. And we could never tie down a bass player.

The third was a covers band, and it worked really well, with lots of great musicians. I learned a lot about the craft of music there, although I found playing covers soul destroying.

After that, I stopped playing for over three years, and have spent the past year getting a new originals band going.

BornIn84

I find that alot of people dont wanna set up an originals band..they just want to play in covers and make a quick buck instead of building something exciting and new. I find it very frustrating all the bands ive joined in the last while, people just get lazy, dont wanna practice or arent consistent...
I'm playing guitar 11 years now and have lots of live experience, i subbed in and out for a few bands when needed and about 10 months ago decided i wanted to set up my own band. I gotta say trying to find musicians is so hard! Ive found drummers and bassists and then they pull out at the last minute. I have to say there does seem to be alot of singers around who are up for it. but drummers and bassists are impossible. Really wanna get something going but cant find the right ppl.

Dani21

i agree with bornin84 .bassists are impossible to find...female singers are great cause they have the motivation...drummers are hard to get too and guitarists are everywhere...half the guitar players cant even play.i shouldnt say that but its true.

Malice

Funnily enough my experience at the moment is that decent guitar players are the ones that are impossible to find. Not counting myself I know three drummers, two bassists and a vocalist but can I find a guitarist or two to combine them all into a couple of bands? Can I hell!

Back on-topic, my last band broke up because the bassist became a dad and I had to move from Galway to Tralee for work.

BornIn84

I agree about the guitar players. I would consider myself pretty good and always striving to get better. But some ppl are more into how they look holding a guitar instead of learning how to play the bloody thing.
IF you know any drummers and bassists looking to jam, send them my way. really really wanna get something new set up.

The Absolute

Feeling very good about being a bassist right now. :cool: Not the intended result of starting the thread.. If any of you bassist hunters are Galway based, PM me.

son.of.jimi

The Absolute wrote: »

Feeling very good about being a bassist right now. :cool: Not the intended result of starting the thread.. If any of you bassist hunters are Galway based, PM me.

Quick he's a bassist! Catch him!!!

The Absolute

*She*

Duke Leonal Felmet

The Absolute wrote: »

*She*

You're just teasing them now...

Malice

Shreddingblood hit on it earlier as well but I'd go a step further and say that a lot of people totally underestimate the time commitment necessary to be in a band. That results in them seeing the band as a chore rather than a worthwhile investment of time. Once something stops becoming fun and becomes more like a job then enthusiasm drops.

Rigsby

The Absolute wrote: »

Feeling very good about being a bassist right now. :cool:

+1.

My previous band broke up because we did not seem able to hold on to a singer for long. After the third one left, the lads decided it was time to call it a day.

Rigsby

The Absolute wrote: »

*She*

A female bassist !!! Even rarer still.

Owen

The Absolute wrote: »

*She*

Pretty good feeling to be a bassist alright! My bands which never made it were always as a result of people just not understanding that you learn songs at home, not at rehearsal. Silly other things like when you learn a harmony, being able to sing that same harmony again and again - the amount of people who forget and end up singing exactly the same as the lead vocals only slightly out of key!

The bands I were in that did make it usually broke up as a result of unprofessionalism creeping in after a few years. One guy got perpetually drunk and his hygene became a serious issue after he stopped washing himself. Another band just stopped wanting to learn new material, and kept trying to stall the start of every gig and finish them early after a few years.

I think bands who do make it need to keep themselves entertained by learning new material, and playing fun venues. There's nothing worse than the same set night after night in the same surroundings - be that always weddings, or the same 10 pubs. It'll break any good band up. We're humans, we get bored easily!

mdflanner

Commitment is where i always found the problem i seen my fair share of people that lived within a 10 mile radius of where we rehersed and they either wouldnt show or were always late,this annoyed me due to the fact i lived 50 odd mile away and was always there and had my kit set up before everyone else.it was already mentioned above that some people just dont know how much is involved....

Furious-Red

Malice wrote: »

Shreddingblood hit on it earlier as well but I'd go a step further and say that a lot of people totally underestimate the time commitment necessary to be in a band. That results in them seeing the band as a chore rather than a worthwhile investment of time. Once something stops becoming fun and becomes more like a job then enthusiasm drops.

That was very well said . People dont realise if you want to make it as a band in the music industry you need to put as much time into it as possible , it is a job and if you all work hard at it , it will pay off in the end . There is no point in practicing every once in awhile and expect to make it . Also people think once they start gigging they will get a phone call off a record label within no time or they will make it big asap . They may not have the patient to play gigs for ages to even start get a proper following etc

StaticAge11

Ego was the main thing that came into it. Someone joined late and took over the whole group. Then kicked me and the drummer. I'll be first to admit I wasn't the best player at the time (now I am decent at best :P) but we were still in school and learning our ****, me and the other guitarist worked pretty well as a rhythm/lead combo. Just ego of another member ruins it all

Rigsby

StaticAge11 wrote: »

Ego was the main thing that came into it.

I think this is one of the main ingredients in the break up of a lot of bands.

Furious-Red

StaticAge11 wrote: »

Ego was the main thing that came into it. Someone joined late and took over the whole group. Then kicked me and the drummer. I'll be first to admit I wasn't the best player at the time (now I am decent at best :P) but we were still in school and learning our ****, me and the other guitarist worked pretty well as a rhythm/lead combo. Just ego of another member ruins it all

Something similar happened to me with the last band i was in with our singer , the bass player eventually left and i was let go . But in the long run im kinda happy because im in a new band and really enjoying it

Grolschevik

Hmmm...

Death.
Marriage.
Kids.
Mutual antipathy.
Lack of commitment.
Laziness.
Unrealistic expectations.

Audio Carnivore

The (Extremely Helpful) Boards.ie Guide To Not Splitting Up (First Edition)*

1) Finance
Make sure all members of the band are on the same page financially. When you form, determine there and then how you're going to split any profits that might come your way. Whether you've one songwriter who expects full royalties or whether you write together and, like good communists, divide all earnings evenly, decide from the outset how it's going to work. Should you somehow get to the stage where you've got an album in the charts and the record company are asking to know who's account(s) they should credit with the royalty payments, you don't want to all of a sudden find yourselves in the middle of a "lively debate" over who wrote what, who does the most work, who "contributes" the most, whether or not X would have written Y if Z hadn't come up with that really powerful beat first, etc.

2) Decide On What You Want
Do you just want to play some covers? That's fine. Make sure so does everybody else. Do you just want to have fun and write original material for your own edification with a few mates and damn the consequences? That's fine too. Make sure so does everybody else. Do you want to make a living out of it etc etc etc.

3) Ego
Don't let anyone become a dictator (Unless that's what you signed up for, in which case, ask yourself; do you really want to spend several months of the year in a van or tourbus with an overgrown child?). Be nice to one another!

4) Don't Overdo It
Addictions are for when you've already got a gold-plated mansion in Beverley Hills. Hey, it means you can write a critically-acclaimed "comedown" album and reap the benefits of a swathe of "My Booze/Drug Hell" press. Worked for Brett Anderson...

* To be added to ad hoc

Duke Leonal Felmet

The (Extremely Helpful) Boards.ie Guide To Not Splitting Up (First Edition)*

1) Finance
Make sure all members of the band are on the same page financially. When you form, determine there and then how you're going to split any profits that might come your way. Whether you've one songwriter who expects full royalties or whether you write together and, like good communists, divide all earnings evenly, decide from the outset how it's going to work. Should you somehow get to the stage where you've got an album in the charts and the record company are asking to know who's account(s) they should credit with the royalty payments, you don't want to all of a sudden find yourselves in the middle of a "lively debate" over who wrote what, who does the most work, who "contributes" the most, whether or not X would have written Y if Z hadn't come up with that really powerful beat first, etc.

2) Decide On What You Want
Do you just want to play some covers? That's fine. Make sure so does everybody else. Do you just want to have fun and write original material for your own efication with a few mates and damn the consequences? That's fine too. Make sure so does everybody else. Do you want to make a living out of it etc etc etc.

3) Ego
Don't let anyone become a dictator (Unless that's what you signed up for, in which case, ask yourself; do you really want to spend several months of the year in a van or tourbus with an overgrown child?). Be nice to one another!

4) Don't Overdo It
Addictions are for when you've already got a gold-plated mansion in Beverley Hills. Hey, it means you can write a critically-acclaimed "comedown" album and reap the benefits of a swathe of "My Booze/Drug Hell" press. Worked for Brett Anderson...

5) Know Your Enemy
Don't give people with attitude problems the time of day. If you wouldn't have a pint with the person, you shouldn't be in a band with them,

dw_newtown

I rarely talk about it but I've decided that this thread is the perfect place to tell the story of the cover band that i was in, The Renegades...

The story begins in Newtown, a townland in Lobinstown, Co.Meath where my little brother acquires his first electric guitar in Sept 2005. Being the jealous, curious type I decide to get my own after a couple of months figuring out whats what and whos who. After moving to Glenwood, Dundalk with a college mate (bass player of note from Kells called Coli) to make up the rent, the next year or so was spent learning bits and pieces.

During the summer, the little brother had become a mini-celebrity by playing little spots at Newtown Country Club across the road. The owner recognised a willingness for us to play and offered the lounge for us to practice. This sowed the seeds for the jamming sessions which led to the formation of Blackjack, a new venture with a bass player (me) because i had money to get one and a drum kit obtained from one of my brother mates. Our next door neighbour Dean started battering away and our lead singer Colm hadnt much going for him other than an interest in RHCP!

By Oct/Nov 2006, Colm got bored and the band became two guitarists and a bassist. it became clear that a real drummer was needed. Shay from Rathkenny answered the call and The Renegades were born. We played our first spot at Dean's sister's 21st on 1 December 2006. Songs like Buck Rogers, Dani California and Monster became our party trick...

The next two years were spent trying to get gigs and practicing, buying more gear, drinking the majority of what we earned and making a lot of noise!

In relation to the thread, the split of this band hurts me a lot because we had a better opportunity than most to get up and running properly on the basis than we had a lounge with a stage to practice instead of shed like most other garage bands. we didnt work hard enough to learn all the songs properly, we couldnt decide on a definitive set list, we didnt invest enough money towards better gear, the best thing we could have done was wait another 6 months.

it was a shotgun introduction to the life of a cover band, which needs a huge commitment of time and money coupled with a real passion for music and a desire to get better at your instrument. The fact was that all the members wanted different things. I wanted to be successful and respected, the drummer wanted to be in a country band and the guitarists were metalheads!

while i have probably left out the finer details of the dynamics that were at play, its worth considering this: Do I regret it? the answer is always no. i dont regret failing at something i thought i would like to do. we fell into the age old "teenage rock band" category that a lot of people do and i learned way more from doing it than thinking about doing it.

A few words of advice to complement whats being said already and to young lads aspiring to do the same: Make sure everyone knows the primary objective of the band. Set SMART short-term and long-term goals. Do it and dont let anyone put you down. Stand by your decision and dont let some old **** tell you youre wasting your time. it your own time so give it a lash and apply yourself the best you can. And enjoy the bloody thing and rock out!!!

MrTrebus

on behalf of bass players, I gotta say.
I cant even remember the amount of ads I replied to here and got nowhere with.
I mean you reply to the ad and ya get a message back saying "yeah, we're looking for a bass player, I'll let ya know when the auditions are "!
Really, if your looking for someone then at least have the auditions set up and ready ffs

then ya hear nothing back and thats the end of that, back to square one !


Im lucky now I seem to have found a decent bunch of lads that Im really enjoying playing with !
First gig with them coming up really soon too

Should be an "unwritten" rule that people advertising here looking for a band member should at least have audition location/times/track listing ready to go when the ad goes live !
my 2c worth anyway !

Malice

Duke Leonal Felmet wrote: »

Don't give people with attitude problems the time of day. If you wouldn't have a pint with the person, you shouldn't be in a band with them,[/SIZE]

I'm not sure sure I'd agree with this. There are plenty of ridiculously talented musicians out there who come across as complete arseholes. Yes of course it helps if your bandmates are also drinking buddies or even just buddies but given a choice between jamming with Dave Mustaine or Jimbo the distinctly average guitarist I'd choose Mr. Mustaine (assuming of course I wanted a thrash metal band).

Duke Leonal Felmet

Malice wrote: »

Duke Leonal Felmet wrote: »

Don't give people with attitude problems the time of day. If you wouldn't have a pint with the person, you shouldn't be in a band with them,[/SIZE]

I'm not sure sure I'd agree with this. There are plenty of ridiculously talented musicians out there who come across as complete arseholes. Yes of course it helps if you're bandmates are also drinking buddies or even just buddies but given a choice between jamming with Dave Mustaine or Jimbo the distinctly average guitarist I'd choose Mr. Mustaine (assuming of course I wanted a thrash metal band).

I just find difficult people difficult to work with. I really don't care about 'making it', I just want to have fun when I play music. That's what matters most to me. This is impossible with a muppetl.

Lothaar v2

One thing that used to wreck my head was band members not 'working on' songs. Like, we'd put something together at a rehearsal... I'd go off and come up with ideas for my bit (another bass player)... but the others wouldn't even think about it until the next rehearsal. Then we'd just jam the exact same thing again. There was no polishing, no attempts at innovation, no experimentation - nothing. The lead guitarist would play the first thing that came into his head, then try to replicate that exactly every time. Same with the drummer. It was a pity, as the guitarist and drummer were very talented - they just didn't realise that they could put some thought into their music.

I don't think that broke us up, though. It contributed to us seriously under-achieving. We had the stereotypical cocktail of egos, bad communication, differing goals etc. It all came to a head and left everyone with a pretty bitter taste.

That was in 1998. I haven't been in a band since I still play the 10 or so songs I had been hoping to record with that band.

rootjuse70

some of the best reasons why my band broke up again and again and again.

- Drummer leaving to go follow the love of his life to Spain.

- Guitarist breaking his collar bone just as we were on the cusp of maybe being offered the chance to play support to someone in the olympia. Guitarist got back to full fitness played one more gig (not at the olympia) then hightailed it off to Scotland

- Another guitarist heading back to the US of A with the wife and kids

- Bass player wanting rid of the drummer due to commitment issues. Bass player then installs drummer who he vouched for. Drummer turns out to be good until drummer gets tired of playing different beats and wants to turn every song into a four to the floor rock song a la BRMC (we were not this type of band and never were).

- Final straw was bass player ringing me one day saying that he was never going to play in the band with the drummer again. no reason was given, just that it wasn't going to happen ever again. no consideration for anyone else in the band. it was over it was his say so.

and apart from a brief period of jamming again the band was over.

Eggonyerface

I had a band when I was in school, a few friends of mine came together and tried really hard. But after a while Jimmy quit and then Jodie got married. I probably should have known we'd never get far

Duke Leonal Felmet

Lothaar v2 wrote: »

One thing that used to wreck my head was band members not 'working on' songs. Like, we'd put something together at a rehearsal... I'd go off and come up with ideas for my bit (another bass player)... but the others wouldn't even think about it until the next rehearsal. Then we'd just jam the exact same thing again. There was no polishing, no attempts at innovation, no experimentation - nothing. The lead guitarist would play the first thing that came into his head, then try to replicate that exactly every time. Same with the drummer. It was a pity, as the guitarist and drummer were very talented - they just didn't realise that they could put some thought into their music.

I don't think that broke us up, though. It contributed to us seriously under-achieving. We had the stereotypical cocktail of egos, bad communication, differing goals etc. It all came to a head and left everyone with a pretty bitter taste.

That was in 1998. I haven't been in a band since I still play the 10 or so songs I had been hoping to record with that band.

In my opinion, it is the responsibility of the composer to communicate these issues to other members. They can't hears your 'vision' of the song, only you can. So just asking them to try something different and having the will to keep the song on course is required.

That said, band members can also play things that never would think of, and can give the song a character that you never considered. Again, communication and a willingness to bend is also required.

It's tough, but a fine balance of both these options must be found. But with a difficult personality in the band? I don't know how that is done...

raindog.promo

Duke Leonal Felmet wrote: »

In my opinion, it is the responsibility of the composer to communicate these issues to other members. They can't hears your 'vision' of the song, only you can. So just asking them to try something different and having the will to keep the song on course is required.

That said, band members can also play things that never would think of, and can give the song a character that you never considered. Again, communication and a willingness to bend is also required.

It's tough, but a fine balance of both these options must be found. But with a difficult personality in the band? I don't know how that is done...

I think he was saying moreso that other band members weren't putting in the effort into improving their parts of the song. An "it'll do" type of attitude when "can I improve this?" is what he was looking for. People more in love with the idea of being in a band than actually being in a band and making it work.

Folmhaim

Regarding the thing about people with egos, I certainly wouldn't agree that being in a band with a bunch of people you get along with is automatically a good idea. When you're in a band with a bunch of your mates, I think what tends to happen is that people tend to start worrying about hurting other people's feelings, and the one thing you don't want in a band is to be surrounded by a bunch of yes-men - if you've written a bad song, you need someone to tell you that it's a bad song, not tell you it's a good song so your feelings don't get hurt. The last bad I was in split up partly cos of this, in that the singer and the drummer were really good mates and whenever the singer wrote a song the drummer would tell him it was really good and so on, even if it wasn't. I'm not sure if the drummer in question was even aware of doing this, but I imagine if the two of them hadn't been good mates then he would've been prepared to give the singer more honest feedback. So I think it's either a good idea not to be in a band with a bunch of your mates, or if you are, then to make sure your mates can keep the personal relationship and the band relationship completely separate.

Rigsby

Folmhaim wrote: »

Regarding the thing about people with egos, I certainly wouldn't agree that being in a band with a bunch of people you get along with is automatically a good idea. When you're in a band with a bunch of your mates, I think what tends to happen is that people tend to start worrying about hurting other people's feelings, and the one thing you don't want in a band is to be surrounded by a bunch of yes-men - if you've written a bad song, you need someone to tell you that it's a bad song, not tell you it's a good song so your feelings don't get hurt. The last bad I was in split up partly cos of this, in that the singer and the drummer were really good mates and whenever the singer wrote a song the drummer would tell him it was really good and so on, even if it wasn't. I'm not sure if the drummer in question was even aware of doing this, but I imagine if the two of them hadn't been good mates then he would've been prepared to give the singer more honest feedback. So I think it's either a good idea not to be in a band with a bunch of your mates, or if you are, then to make sure your mates can keep the personal relationship and the band relationship completely separate.

Some good points made here. I think all members of a band should have the maturity to accept constructive musical criticism. IMO you are not being a good mate if you say one thing but think something else. You are all supposed to be part of a team, working together for the common good. Like you say, the band relationship can and should be left behind in the rehearsal room after practice. Sounds great in theory, but is not always the case unfortunately.

Duke Leonal Felmet

Unfortunately people seemed to have confused these statements:

1) You should be in a band with people you would have a pint with.

2) You should be in a band with people that you do have pints with.


Difference.


A person with an ego is excruciatingly difficult to work with. I just find it impossible. This goes for bands as well as any other job. People must have infinite patience on this forum.

Krispie

Ego and ego.
2 biggest reasons imo for the breakup my past bands.
Singer, who in fairness actually wrote very good rock/pop songs, which did get national airplay, started to believe what media said about us that bit too early.:( He tended to listen to his "new friends", bloody clingons, rather than the growing number of arguments in rehearsals. We had started out with a similar goal, were on the road to acheiving it, but then the Kiss of Death. "The Next U2" Arrrggghhhh. Back in the 90's anyway this meant, once it was written about you, goodnight Vienna/Slan Leat/Auf Wiedersehen/Bien Nuit.......

On the issue of mates with other members, it helps if you can tolerate them but imho you dont need them to be "mates". We treated our band as a business, just like any job, and no one likes all their workmates but for the purpose of gaining a wage, they show respect and tolerance to the people they spend most of their day with.....
We had the occasional pint after a gig and that was it. NEVER did we meet up in town outside of rehearsal/gig's and it worked, to the relative level that we acheived. My two cents.....

ohigg84

Just can't find anyone absolutely dedicated. Rhythm guitarist and drummers are hard to find. An ac/dc tribute band, you think that you'd find people interested and dedicated. I'm still looking. Gone through so many drummers. Maybe I should have just started an original band!

Yakult

Singer is going to OZ. Don't blame him tbh. Lost without the band tho and finding a singer who can actually sing in tune is near impossible down here. Theirs always some ****ing link missing.

viadah

The death of any band or band relationship I've ever had stems from the same reason all the time. Someone was being a dick. It's entirely oversimplified but I'd imagine it sums up most people's experiences.

Fandango

First band:

Different tastes, different aspirations. We had been playing together for about 7 years, had been signed and a few years later dropped from a label so band had basically run its course and different members wanted to move onto different things at that stage.

Second Band:

Alot of enthusiasm when it suited some members but absolutely no commitment or effort for the mostpart. One in particular would go months without even picking up his instrument yet expect to be gig ready after one practice. Eventually I got sick of it and left.

Current band is the absolute opposite thankfully. Only been playing with them a few months but everyone seems to be constantly trying to get better even though they are all solid musicians already. Everyone works on their parts for new songs at home which i think is very important to keep interest up. If you come to practice each week and have to claw through a new song slowly over a month or so to get it sounding anywhere near decent it becomes a nightmare. If you come to practice a week after starting a new song and everybody has worked on their parts and you notice an instant increase in the songs quality it makes you feel alot better and keeps you interested. As for working with someone you find difficult, it really depends on the circumstances. Ive been in bands with people i didnt get on with/other members didnt get along etc as we were simply different people but while it could be difficult, we just got on with it. Things like that only become a barrier if you make it one. Obviously if your only playing for fun and not as a career, you want to get on with everyone but if your playing to make a career out of it, just be professional and put up with eachother. If its a case that you despise another member then its obviously different. In most bands there is some sort of friction at some stage but make sure the communication lines in the band are open and discuss any problems people have before they become a major thing.

PS. Bassplayer also and have also had big problems finding other committed members. Before i started with the current band I must have sent out about 20 PMs and got maybe 3-4 replies within a fortnight of sending, another 3-4 after about a month or so. Personally see it as a major warning sign as if it takes that long to reply, you can imagine how disorganised the band probably is. :rolleyes:

MrTaiwo

So does anyone hear actually play in a band or want to join a band maybe?

Furious-Red

Fandango wrote: »

Current band is the absolute opposite thankfully. Only been playing with them a few months but everyone seems to be constantly trying to get better even though they are all solid musicians already. Everyone works on their parts for new songs at home which i think is very important to keep interest up. If you come to practice each week and have to claw through a new song slowly over a month or so to get it sounding anywhere near decent it becomes a nightmare. If you come to practice a week after starting a new song and everybody has worked on their parts and you notice an instant increase in the songs quality it makes you feel alot better and keeps you interested.

Thats the way my band is going . Only be jamming for a few weeks but thats the way we are going . Have been doing a few covers and they all came together quickly and we jammed 2 riffs out a few times and cant wait to see how it comes together the next practice

Sergio

Yeah this is a bit of a controversial topic alright.This is a tough game to in with the alot of people having very strong personalities.Theres is also an awful lot of back stabbing p**cks in this game too.
I have been trying to get a good coverband together for the past two years and have played and met with alot of different musicians.Thought i had a potentially very good band together at the start of this year but things fell apart when the drummer started to act the bollix and the singer had to move with his job(so we thought).I also at the time just before we broke up had lined up a very good keys player for an audition with us so i essentially put the whole band together.I have got a new band together now and hopefully will be gigging in the new year but found out a few months ago that the 3 lads from the last band have a band up and running now but got anew guitarist and bass player to replace us so we essentially got shafted!!!

raindog.promo

Colinboy wrote: »

I have got a new band together now and hopefully will be gigging in the new year but found out a few months ago that the 3 lads from the last band have a band up and running now but got anew guitarist and bass player to replace us so we essentially got shafted!!!

[Tony] Wilson was a great catalyst, a champion bull****ter and a pretty terrible businessman - all thoroughly commendable qualities. He was also a dream interview, and very funny on the rare occasions I spoke to him. “Don’t print this,” he once told me, “but all musicians are c*nts.”

- Stephen Dalton (Uncut Magazine)

DANNY22XX

i was left to do everything sorting gigs,,,was never of the phone then when i wanted to rehearse they didnt want to ,,they wanted bread but not to put the time in to keep the band fresh ,,so i through my hat at it and went solo havent looked back since ;)

Pinklady11

I remember joining my very first rock band when I was 17. The guys were all a bit older and had more experience at gigging. So there was me (singer) 2 guitarists, bass player and male singer and a drummer. Things started off great. Was never an issue with commitment. The only problem was the bassist/singer and his little temper tantrums. Seriously no one ever knew where we stood with the guy. Anyway we eventually went on to play our first gig and it was epic. BUT songs I sang where better known than the songs he sang therefore I got a better response from the crowd. Your man had a fit and the band split up shortly afterwards. Was a pity, we were really good.

Sky King

Tried a few collabs but people weren't really into it and that's frustrating. I have a mate who i get great results with but he's so busy with work he has no time for it.

I'm a drummer so to get around the lack of other instruments I just learned melody theory a few years back. Happy now with results.

Need to learn to sing next... or find a singer! Been looking a good while now without any success

The Volt

It was more and more like a chore towards the end. I was doing most of the work, the drummer had started playing with another band and our rhythm guitarist would rarely make it to practice. As a result, our live performances begun to suffer and the whole thing just wasn't fun anymore.

Best advice I can give is to find like-minded musicians with a high work ethic.

Omena

I'd say it's an absolute must that every member have their own steadfast personal fire, drive, and reasons for wanting to do this, otherwise they are not tapped into the regenerative cycle of give and take that retains their interest in continuing to devote time to the band.

I agree that you should be happy to go for a pint with your bandmates, as well as be proud to have their back. Reason being that if you will be collaborating on original compositions, it is not really a business arrangement, it's a co-creative relationship in which you will ideally, hopefully, be baring a lot of yourselves, which requires a degree of trust. If you are writing without passion, it will show. It will not feed you, and your empire will be fleeting. People can feel slapdash, they can feel 'sleepy', and it is an insult to impose it on others.

My experience has overwhelmingly been that the band crashes when one or more members cease to be fed by their commitment. The rest (dickish attitudes, etc) seem often to arise as a consequence of mismatched levels of investment.