Stable Bands?

martinw

How do you get in one? Are there any?

Bands seem to follow a usual progression for me: everyone starts off full of enthusiasm, putting in all the effort, sharing the load, getting gigs etc, then after a year or so, either someone leaves because of work or family pressures, or the other band members start seeing things as a chore and not doing them, or some combination of those factors. Sometimes they end up moaning about the number of gigs we're doing ffs.

All I want is a nice, stable rock covers band to play in, with 3 or 4 like-minded people who realise that there's a bit of graft involved in keeping a band going, and want to gig more weekends than not. is that too much to ask?

Grrrrr.....

vasselmeyer

That does seem to be the pattern, Martin. I think the key is to have a number of decent deps who can step in if one of the members of the band is unavailable for whatever reason. I've recently done a dep where our singer couldn't make it and we pulled in someone from joinmyband. We sent him our song list, he picked a set, we did one short rehearsal with the songs he wasn't quite sure of and then gigged twice. We're done the same with our bass player when he had an operation on his hand.

guitarfishbay

Basically if it isn't at the level where it is a significant portion of someone's income then it is just a hobby and people get bored of hobbies all the time.  Frustrating for sure but I think this is generally what happens with most bands

bluechargeboy

I think it is much easier to sustain as an originals band, because you have a shared "vision" and the buzz is much greater when people are dancing to songs that you wrote.

In my band none of us have kids, which I believe has made it much easier to commit to things. My job has cocked up a couple of opportunities due to business travel but in general I can juggle everything to make it happen.

Also each of us has a role:

Me: social media, finances and navigation
Bassist: driver, provider of rehearsal space, PA and biscuits
Drummer: gig booker and networker

ESBlonde

People are inherently lazy, once they realise someone else is good at/keen to attend to a chore, they back off and leave them to it. It's been a constant source of irritation over the years I've done it. Now I too have backed off and I just play guitar and sing a bit. PA stays out the equation unless I provide extra mics/stands etc. and I just enjoy the gig as well as leave at the end of the night without running about like a loon.
One way to reward effort is to value each task and pay from the pot before dividing up the takings, so
Provide PA £30
Found/organised/negotiated the gig £ 20
Drove/transported gear (irrespective of distance) £10
Provides rehearsal space?  £10
Arrived early to set up (at weddings and corporate events) £30

The sums are arbitrary and your own circumstance would dictate what was appropriate (and when). But it teaches lazy singers that rolling up to play 20 mins before show time and lolling about being a superstar with thire 'fans' will cost them cash. YMMV.

firepaulmusic

Oh, I thought this was a thread for jockey guitarists???

monquixote

It's pretty much as you describe.

I don't think any bands stay static (I've just left mine, but it will carry on without me). In my case I just got bored and didn't want to do weddings which was there they were headed.

I was in a band that had run for about 10 years before I was in it and is still going now 5 years later. It was two brothers plus whatever drummer and bass player was with them at the time. 

Rocker

firepaulmusic said:

Oh, I thought this was a thread for jockey guitarists???

Me too. Kinda feel a bit let down now...

Danny1969

I've said it before, money is a great motivator ..... don't undersell yourself, get paid decent money and no one will be leaving the band or missing gigs. Keeping original bands together was always harder for me, money was non existent and most gigs were playing to your mates and family. 

PolarityMan

ESBlonde said:

People are inherently lazy, once they realise someone else is good at/keen to attend to a chore, they back off and leave them to it. It's been a constant source of irritation over the years I've done it. Now I too have backed off and I just play guitar and sing a bit. PA stays out the equation unless I provide extra mics/stands etc. and I just enjoy the gig as well as leave at the end of the night without running about like a loon.
One way to reward effort is to value each task and pay from the pot before dividing up the takings, so
Provide PA £30
Found/organised/negotiated the gig £ 20
Drove/transported gear (irrespective of distance) £10
Provides rehearsal space?  £10
Arrived early to set up (at weddings and corporate events) £30

The sums are arbitrary and your own circumstance would dictate what was appropriate (and when). But it teaches lazy singers that rolling up to play 20 mins before show time and lolling about being a superstar with thire 'fans' will cost them cash. YMMV.

 We'd have to go down to the pennies level for originals gig and 13p is unlikely to be enough motivation to do these kind of things

p90fool

guitarfishbay said:

Basically if it isn't at the level where it is a significant portion of someone's income then it is just a hobby and people get bored of hobbies all the time.  Frustrating for sure but I think this is generally what happens with most bands

This. I don't  bother playing with people who have good jobs, they don't have the staying power.

I've never found a local government official or busy plumber who wants to do anything other than dabble for a while. 

Luckily my lot are all dependent on our gigging income and all of us have taken bookings into 2018. 

To be fair, although music is a major part of my life and I was a pro for a while, I wouldn't want to spent every weekend slogging around pubs or weddings if I didn't have to either. 

monquixote

p90fool said:

guitarfishbay said:

Basically if it isn't at the level where it is a significant portion of someone's income then it is just a hobby and people get bored of hobbies all the time.  Frustrating for sure but I think this is generally what happens with most bands

This. I don't  bother playing with people who have good jobs, they don't have the staying power.

I've never found a local government official or busy plumber who wants to do anything other than dabble for a while. 

Luckily my lot are all dependent on our gigging income and all of us have taken bookings into 2018. 

To be fair, although music is a major part of my life and I was a pro for a while, I wouldn't want to spent every weekend slogging around pubs or weddings if I didn't have to either. 

There is great wisdom in this. One of the reasons I've left my band is that I have a well paying job that I enjoy. When you are knackered on a Friday evening you sometimes think can I be bothered to be working until 2am in a rough pub.

There is a flip side that I've found some pros get to the point where they don't really like music any more and will quite happily play tie a yellow ribbon at an old people's home if it pays.

Roland

p90fool said:

... I don't  bother playing with people who have good jobs, they don't have the staying power. 

I've also found the opposite, where people on benefits or low paying jobs couldn't be depended on. 

p90fool

Roland said:

p90fool said:

... I don't  bother playing with people who have good jobs, they don't have the staying power. 

I've also found the opposite, where people on benefits or low paying jobs couldn't be depended on. 

Me too, I don't play with people on benefits either, as a gross generalisation they don't stick to deadlines and have no transport anyway. 

Gassage

Horse.

They were a stable band.

IvanMC

At times you've got to make concessions with yourself. I'm in two bands, one is an ensemble and I love it because we play Zappa, Piazzolla, Mancini, and some songs written by the "boss". So, it's not MY band, but it's hugely useful to be part of it, since I enjoy every single second there, and the other musicians are first-rate ones. The other band I have is a rock one. Simple and nice. I do enjoy being there, but again: it's not MY band either. We gig a lot, which is fruitful and uplifting but I can't play MY songs. Well, that's the goal for now. Gig, learn, enjoy and keep recording on your own, IvanMC... I have tried to have MY band, but without success. Team work was hard to attain when I had my band... ended up falling out over tiny shite some months back and never patched up things again. One day I will have MY band... I might win the lottery and be able to pay session musicians... joking apart, yeah, it's tough! More than it should be!

PolarityMan

p90fool said:

guitarfishbay said:

Basically if it isn't at the level where it is a significant portion of someone's income then it is just a hobby and people get bored of hobbies all the time.  Frustrating for sure but I think this is generally what happens with most bands

This. I don't  bother playing with people who have good jobs, they don't have the staying power.

My band has been together since 2009 and I have a pretty decent job.

p90fool

I was grossly generalising obviously, but I've never found anyone with a proper career who wants to gig two or three times every week, which our lot have to do to stay afloat. 

Voxman

Martin, I hear you mate and I'm in a similar position myself.

Problem with my current band is just as you wrote -  the gigging is petering out because of life issues, jobs, families, etc and even at band practice I seem to be about the only one making an effort to learn new stuff that we've all agreed to learn.   All nice guys, we get on, and play well together - but I think I'm looking for something a bit more regular gigging wise, where I can regularly earn a few quid, and with folk who do their bit in learning new stuff too.  I've reached a stage that I could semi-retire/retire and want to earn some regular gigging income.  

So, I'm also on the lookout for a gigging covers band/classic rock/blues band looking for a lead guitarist in North London, Barnet etc and like you I'm struggling as to where to look.  Join my band site seems difficult to filter, and there's not too much on Gumtree.  

If anyone knows of any other decent ad/musician sites, please do flag 'em! 

skaguitar

Voxman said:

Martin, I hear you mate and I'm in a similar position myself.

Problem with my current band is just as you wrote -  the gigging is petering out because of life issues, jobs, families, etc and even at band practice I seem to be about the only one making an effort to learn new stuff that we've all agreed to learn.   All nice guys, we get on, and play well together - but I think I'm looking for something a bit more regular gigging wise, where I can regularly earn a few quid, and with folk who do their bit in learning new stuff too.  I've reached a stage that I could semi-retire/retire and want to earn some regular gigging income.  

So, I'm also on the lookout for a gigging covers band/classic rock/blues band looking for a lead guitarist in North London, Barnet etc and like you I'm struggling as to where to look.  Join my band site seems difficult to filter, and there's not too much on Gumtree.  

If anyone knows of any other decent ad/musician sites, please do flag 'em! 

I find sites like join my band and band mix etc to be next to useless.... I'm in a 9 piece band so you can imagine trying to get all those together for rehearsals and organising learning new songs..!

How about finding a couple of local open mic / blues jam nights where there will be like minded musicians and if you go regularly you'll get to know people there and maybe something will come of it...and it's good to play with other musicians and being put on the spot a bit...? I know of one in St Albans which isn't far from you...I think it takes place at The Goat pub...might be an avenue worth trying.

Voxman

Thanks Ska, not a bad idea but might be a bit too long-winded.  I think I'll advertise myself first and see if I get any bites.  I'll also keep an eye on 'wanted' ads in local music shops.