Would you ever go back?

What's Hot
Had an interesting pair of conversations earlier. I was talking to the singer in my old band (Closed Circuit, if you remember...) bemoaning the fact that female singers always advertise themselves as sounding like/influenced by Nightwish/Evanescence/Halestorm etc when they actually sound nothing like, it's just that one of their mates chucked out the name of the only female-led band they know when she was wailing at them one time.

Anyway...she suggested getting the band back together. That surprised me, because it all kind of went to shit (mainly because I chucked my toys out of the pram) and she was _really_ upset at the way it all went down. So I get hold of the drummer (who's the bassist in my current band), expecting him to be the voice of reason and torpedo it. He did nothing of the sort.

The old bassist isn't in a position to go with it, but all we need to do is find a competent bassist (or drummer) and we're back on the road.

Question is...would you do it?
<space for hire>
0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
«1

Comments

  • <reserved for future I-told-you-so's>
    4reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • KeefyKeefy Frets: 2272
    Nostalgia - it's easy to remember just the good stuff about previous bands. Once you get back together with your former bandmates, you may find yourself being reminded of the not-so-good stuff too...
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    Alternatively you might decide that the team is capable of producing some good music. You might not like each other, but neither do Jagger/Richards. Fleetwood Mac’s relationships are legendary. 

    Why did you chuck the toys out and has that changed?
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • digitalscreamdigitalscream Frets: 26453
    edited November 2018
    Keefy said:
    Nostalgia - it's easy to remember just the good stuff about previous bands. Once you get back together with your former bandmates, you may find yourself being reminded of the not-so-good stuff too...
    To be honest, I've been trying to look at it objectively. The problem with that band was that I ended up doing most of the work and it got on top of me; however, the problem with my current band is that everything's done by committee, and that rarely results in good, consistent decisions.

    For an example...my current band has been going eight years, and is just going to release their first album (on about the third or fourth attempt, due to poor choices) in April next year, which has been in tracking and production since November last year. My previous band...we were together seven months before recording the album, and it was released a few months later.

    Basically, I miss being the boss and being able to get shit done quickly

    There's also the fact that the old band was more my natural kind of music, whereas the current one isn't.

    All that aside, though, my major problem right now is that I can't physically play the old stuff. It was a lot more difficult than the current band's material, and I've become really lazy with my playing.
    <space for hire>
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    ... my major problem right now is that I can't physically play the old stuff. It was a lot more difficult than the current band's material, and I've become really lazy with my playing.
    That won’t take long to sort out. A bit of practice and it will come back.
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • prowlaprowla Frets: 4896
    Keefy said:
    Nostalgia - it's easy to remember just the good stuff about previous bands. Once you get back together with your former bandmates, you may find yourself being reminded of the not-so-good stuff too...
    Nostalgia ain't what it used to be...
    1reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • vizviz Frets: 10644
    prowla said:
    Keefy said:
    Nostalgia - it's easy to remember just the good stuff about previous bands. Once you get back together with your former bandmates, you may find yourself being reminded of the not-so-good stuff too...
    Nostalgia ain't what it used to be...
    It’s a thing of the past...
    Roland said: Scales are primarily a tool for categorising knowledge, not a rule for what can or cannot be played.
    Supportact said: [my style is] probably more an accumulation of limitations and bad habits than a 'style'.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FretwiredFretwired Frets: 24601
    There's only one answer. Give it a go, play some gigs and then ask yourself if it's worth continuing.

    Remember, it's easier to criticise than create!
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • viz said:
    prowla said:
    Keefy said:
    Nostalgia - it's easy to remember just the good stuff about previous bands. Once you get back together with your former bandmates, you may find yourself being reminded of the not-so-good stuff too...
    Nostalgia ain't what it used to be...
    It’s a thing of the past...
    I thought Nostalgia was a Swedish Black Metal band
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Roland said:
    Alternatively you might decide that the team is capable of producing some good music. You might not like each other, but neither do Jagger/Richards. Fleetwood Mac’s relationships are legendary. 

    Why did you chuck the toys out and has that changed?
    On a personal level, we get on just fine. From a musical perspective, we know we work really well together.

    The problem back then was...everything else. Logistics etc.
    <space for hire>
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    Sounds like there were good elements to it. I say give it a go.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14321
    edited November 2018
    I was talking to the singer in my old band ... she suggested getting the band back together. That surprised me, because it all kind of went to shit (mainly because I chucked my toys out of the pram) and she was _really_ upset at the way it all went down.
    Playing Devil's advocate.

    Q1: Has your former singer participated in any other bands since Closed Circuit folded?
    Q2: If no, why not?
    Q3: If yes, what is she finding so unsatisfactory about the current project that resuscitating Closed Circuit looks like a better prospect?

    Question is...would you do it?
    Get all involved parties to agree on a short list of compositions to attempt. Book a rehearsal facility somewhere. Have a portable recording device running in the corner of the room. Bang out some choons. See how it turns out.

    After a few days, review the session recording. Carefully note how much of it is music and how much is yacking and/or arguing.

    Be seeing you.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • merlinmerlin Frets: 6595
    Was the bassist the root of the problems? (see what I did there?) if yes then go for it! 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • merlin said:
    Was the bassist the root of the problems? (see what I did there?) if yes then go for it! 
    Heh...no, not at all. If I'm honest (and he'd say the same), he struggled to keep up with the playing - he'd literally been playing a year when he joined the band, whereas the rest of us had been playing for a couple of decades at a minimum. It wasn't really a fair environment to put him in, really.

    However, the main problem wasn't anything to do with the music or the playing. I wasn't in a good place, and the strain of dealing with absolutely everything got to me; the frustration of stuff constantly not getting done turned to rage, and....rage quit.

    I like to think I'm a bit more zen nowadays, particularly since I've made steps towards fixing the insomnia problem, and the others seem to recognise their part in it all going wrong too.
    <space for hire>
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom


  • There's also the fact that the old band was more my natural kind of music, whereas the current one isn't.

    You will never be truly happy playing stuff you don't like.....and that's even if you are a functions/wedding band and just doing it for the money. 
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • RolandRoland Frets: 8590
    You know you want to do this. It sounds as if they do too. 
    Get all involved parties to agree on a short list of compositions to attempt. Book a rehearsal facility somewhere. Have a portable recording device running in the corner of the room. Bang out some choons. See how it turns out.
    JFDI. 
    Tree recycler, and guitarist with  https://www.undercoversband.com/.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 1reaction image Wisdom
  • I think the answer is dependent on if you have time for it. You're clearly going to invest more in that band and inevitably end up doing more than the other and / or your current band. This is all fine of course as long as you have the capacity as from what you've read I think possibly that the lack of capacity for all that work was the stresser rather than the work itself.

    You're bound to be more invested in it s a band, and I personally find being more invested more rewarding...but it is a bit pressure on time.
    ဈǝᴉʇsɐoʇǝsǝǝɥɔဪቌ
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • My band reformed in 2010 after an acrimonious split which saw myself and the singer not speaking for nearly a decade. 
    NEVER thought that would happen when it all ended (my decision) as there was partnership tax/ VAT bills outstanding which caused a lot of stress and resentment at the time but we're all older and wiser and get on famously now. Go for it
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • monquixotemonquixote Frets: 17485
    tFB Trader
    In my experience there are two types of bands: one in which everyone tries to be a democracy, but there is lots of politics and nothing gets done and one in which someone is the obvious leader and stuff gets done, but people sometimes get their nose out of joint from being told what to do.

    The latter is much better I find and I say that as someone who has been in the getting told what to do position a few times.
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
  • Interesting answers all :)

    I should say...I wasn't asking the question in the hope of getting advice; I'd already decided to do it. The question was for two reasons: curiosity, and so that if anyone said, "Go for it!" then I get to blame them when it inevitably all goes to shit :D
    <space for hire>
    0reaction image LOL 0reaction image Wow! 0reaction image Wisdom
Sign In or Register to comment.