12stringbassist

To a large extent, I try to avoid going watching people I've played with in the past, unless they are great mates of mine. I expect what they are doing to sound at least something like it used to, if they are doing the same stuff we did. My problem not theirs. I got dragged (a while ago) to watch a guy who used to sing with a band I was in years ago, when I was first in bands. His new band are doing quite well, but I don't think, from what I have seen on video and from my brief viewing of them in person, that they are actually that good. They have a brilliant set list, but they are carried by goodwill, rather than a great sound. People have said it to me, which made me look at their videos after seeing a few songs played by them in person. Another guy I used to play with has lazily surrounded himself with his mates, rather than players at his brilliant level of ability, and it really irks me that he isn't playing to his potential and has a rather scrappy band around him. I've seen him wince onstage a few times at mistakes. I did once travel to see a band in Horwich, (only a short distance from me, that I was actually on sick leave from following a serious life-saving operation). I only stayed for the first half, as I really didn't like the venue at all and was glad to get out. I also listened to what the dep bass player was doing to the songs and naturally it set off some sort of an OCD that I didn't know that I had. It sounded WRONG because he was a very different bass player. He made some utter howlers that the band either didn't notice or care about and I was so put off by this mess that I made concrete plans to give my notice in to leave in a few months. Best thing I did in the last ten years.

Following on from the bit of a meltdown I had the other week when I was particularly unwell and my band-mates decided to give me a stern and tediously long lecture on my bass volume, causing me to get all worried about the fact that I was struggling to hear my bass, while they weren't.... I have demonstrably rolled the bottom end off and haven't touched it. I think my sound has lost an amount of balls, but tbh, I'd rather have a thinner sound than put up with those two continually getting annoyed. My drummer would like my bass to have a distinct click to it, to go with his bass drum. He's not going to get that. It's not my style. Anyway, the gigs since then have gone back to us playing properly as a team, with no complaints about my sound. This last weekend, we played in Todmorden at an amusingly named pub, which is the best live venue in the area. We went down really well, as usual. On Saturday, we had taken a gig on at short notice in a brilliant biker's pub in Southport, as the band who had previously been booked by old management wouldn't confirm their gig. So we were rescued from losing out in a double booking situation. We went down really well and are waiting to hear about next year from them. Sunday was our regular jam night. we are working up a set with a guy who's been on Stars in their eyes on TV as a well known rock star, doing a set of his songs. It's hard work as the songs are usually played by a fair old pack of musicians and there are three of us to replicate those arrangements the best we can. If it comes together, great, but it feels like we are rushing it to get songs together. We only really try things out when we do our opening spot at the jam night, so we'll have to see how it goes...

Next up - first album by Cheap Trick

You boyz make big noize album by Slade.

The truth of the matter is that once people start doing other things, it dilutes the original band. Diaries clash and disappointment and dep players get involved. Can't be doing with it.

A weekend off at the end of the month... YESSSSS!!!! Going to watch The Bootleg Beatles on the Sunday.

I voted 1. However, if I was in an originals band, I would be far more prepared to take a punt on gigs that involved more effort at good venues.

Your way forward is maybe to contact your friend and tell him that unless the other people are going to show enough interest and commitment in a stated period, then you are going to depart. That gives him a chance to replace you if he acknowledges that they aren't going to join in - or even possibly replace them.

I'm the bass player...

Being in a band realistically has to fit in with a day job, relationships, families, holidays, other hobbies and a whole lot of other things. All that anyone who runs a band (and there's very often one main person who runs the diary) needs from his / her band-mates is a fair degree of honesty about when they are available and when they are not. If someone doesn't block a date off as not available and a gig comes in, then they should do it, unless it is some sort of really pressing reason preventing them from doing so. You have to all be on the same page or there's no point in doing it.

At least you know where you are up to with him now. People who thinking blowing gigs out are a waste of time. I don't think much of people who are in more than one band either.

They are saying "You and the band are less important than going off for a weekend of drinking and bunking up with the Mrs". They may even have a point. Using the babel fish to translate that though, I get the wording "PLEASE SACK ME BEFORE I F*** THIS BAND ENTIRELY". The babel fish is very reliable. It knows, you know...

What people are saying is that other people are A PROBLEM. The easiest way to solve a problem is to REMOVE THE PROBLEM. Removing a problem may indeed cause a bit of stress, but replacing the faulty part with a new one generally makes the machine work. No pain, no gain.

That's awful. You have my sympathies. Cancelling gigs is for when someone is really unwell. I cancelled one on the day a couple of months back, because my wife had had a routine heart operation (an ablation) in Liverpool that day, and though we were expected to be home late afternoon, so someone could stay with her, we ended up still being in Liverpool 'til 10.30pm. When I got an inkling it was all going wrong as far as going straight home went, I rang and cancelled. That is when you cancel a gig, not because someone decides that going off in their camper van and telling YOU to ring the venue and cancel, so you look a d*ck instead of them is the way forward. In 'my' band, we put our not available dates in, as far as is practicable. I have blocked the same sets of weeks for the next 3 years - same as I did when I was at work. We don't play on our birthdays, other halves birthdays and wedding anniversaries as a rule. We are all fairly skint, so we are gig hounds. Our date list is quite good. I'm lucky to be in a band with two guys who are on the same page.

It's ok for people to block dates out as 'not available'. When people do that, you know what you have to work with. In the instance above of the guy who turns down gigs willy nilly to spend weekends with his wife - he needs to own up and be honest and say that being in a band is at the bottom of his list of priorities. Bands with a player like this maybe need to realise that, sooner rather than later, he will be more of a problem than an asset. As in my post just above, I have had someone in my band who was effectively a time-waster and have watched him bounce from band to band in the last couple of years, making these bands disintegrate. The worst thing is, he seems oblivious to why it happens when i talk to him. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the situation of the original poster, whose guitarist has just declared himself unavailable for booked gigs.... and unable to commit to next year because he doesn't know when his holidays are yet. That comes with some jobs, but as far as the band goes, it is a problem. If it was me faced with this situation and getting another guitarist was virtually impossible, I would find another band myself.

I have a mate who has played guitar in a band I was in. He has a nice job with a bank and brilliant gear and is a real tech head about guitars. With his brilliant job goes brilliant pay. With his brilliant pay, they have bought a holiday home abroad. He likes long weekends in the sun with his Mrs. He has messed about five bands around in the last couple of years. Gigs pulled, unable to plan ahead. Love the guy to bits but I would never be in a band with him again. He really needs to stick to going to jam nights, rather than being in a band.

and just about every Sunday...

I've had it happen to me. A couple of Hercules stands have ended up in bins outside venues. Never again.

As much use as a chocolate fireguard - get rid.

Why should he have to find a dep for ONE gig arranged yonks in advance? Sack the bugger. You all need to be on the same page.

BREAK IT DOWN AGAIN EP - TEARS FOR FEARS.

I SHOULD COCO by SUPERGRASS. The good news has sparked a listening frenzy.

I have typed up a setlist of utter clunge to hand to the next pest. I will hand it to him, saying "This might be our set, if we feel like it....."

Stolen.

Tools. Pension fund.