Delighted with your Band?

[xilddx]

I am

There are many threads about band problems and the sh*t you have to deal with. But I thought I'd start one about the opposite, because there SHOULD be one Is your band a delight to be a part of?

I feel so lucky to be in Kit Richardson's band. Everyone is lovely, and quirky, such great people to be around. They are all totally reliable. They are all excellent musicians with panache and musical expression. They are all very serious amateurs and mostly multi instrumentalists. They all look good on stage. Did I mention they are also all lovely to be around and super reliable?

We do it because we love Kit and her music, and we are given the massive bonus of having much creative input, and Kit gives us full credits for our contributions. Kit is also a very lovely nutcase and we laugh a lot. She also pays for everything, which I think is a mark of trust and respect and she tells us this. I truly love the music, I think it's really good. I feel very proud to be a part of it all.

We do really nice gigs, we have a splendid time after when we have time. We have some amazing fans too, including, I am so humbled to say, a number of Basschat members. I feel very proud of this band.

Am I just lucky? Or are there others of you out there?

[JTUK]

Delighted is not the right world ...but we have our moments.
How are we regarded by other bands..?? not so sure as they don't attend our gigs much.
We are very well regarded by our bookers though..and paid well

[lurksalot]

I have fallen in with a brilliant bunch who can play , gig, offer advice and listen to ideas, have wicked humour and they can all communicate .
I texted them all an hour ago with the of chance of a gig from a cancellation at a decent local venue and within 10 mins , I was confirming the gig .
A top crew and a joy to be a part of .

[KingBollock]

I was in a band that I adored. The other members were fantastic, lovely people and very talented. We had an absolute scream. There was never any drugs or booze involved, just us and the music.

Unfortunately I had to leave the band when I had to skip town in a hurry and couldn't tell anyone where I was going. One of my biggest regrets and I still feel guilty about it 18 years later. Never had the same feeling since.

[Lozz196]

I`m lucky enough to be in two bands, both of which are great fun.

The Daves is a punk covers band, and plays Pistols/Clash/Ramones/SLF, all my fave stuff from when I was at school.

The Tuesday Club is an originals band, odd and quirky, which was described by our producer as "If Roxy Music had done Rocky horror, this is how it would have sounded".

In each band, there are no guitar-wars, no-one thinks they are more important than anyone else, and we all get along very well, no personality clashes. It`s taken me years to get into a band where everything feels right - and luckily I`ve managed it twice at the same time.

Great idea, btw Silddx, a real positive thread.

[RussFM]

Absolutely. After a few stagnant years in a covers band I've reformed my original punk band and have a new metal band. The punk band is exactly the band I want to be in, and the metal band is testing my skills and forcing me to be a better player. Loving every minute.

[witterth]

You are the best bass player in that band Nige.
seriously, though, glad its all working out. youre a good man whos posts I seek out.
I'm gonna come to see you play soon as...
(I agree though, a positive thread is what is needed) I like the guys/lass in my band too, even if it is only a covers thing.
its good fun and makes me look forward to saturday. and I dont "sigh" when I pick up the case ( I used to ) I met them through BassChat too!! so all is good.
ATB
W

[Chrismanbass]

thats awesome to hear i know james (jimma) through tech music schools and various sessions hes a good drummer and a great guy to boot

[xilddx]

[quote name='Chrismanbass' timestamp='1352509366' post='1864177']
thats awesome to hear i know james (jimma) through tech music schools and various sessions hes a good drummer and a great guy to boot
[/quote]

What a coincidence! Yeah James is a great player and musician. He's quite new to Kit's band and he's settled in a treat. He's actually brought a slightly more punchy feel to the sound. I really enjoy playing with him, really nice bloke too.

Edited November 10, 2012 by silddx

[xilddx]

It's nice to read the posts above and know there are bands out there who are happy and proud together I was starting to wonder!

[alyctes]

Great thread idea, and I'm glad it works well for some of us

[Roland Rock]

I'm really enjoying our band. It's very diverse in terms of age, ethnic origin, experience, gender and even class. Obviously these differences are not important, as we gel so well musically.
Socially, the conversation doesn't flow like with a close bunch of friends, but we like eachother. I think that side will take time. We can survive five hours in a car together with no issues, so I think we'll be ok!
My last band was a six piece with a hard hitting drummer and loud guitarist, and enjoyable though that was, I'm really enjoying the space that our simple setup creates now.
Oh, and I get to play big, fat basslines with no one competing with my frequencies :-)

http://soundcloud.com/search?q%5Bfulltext%5D=Ujahm+band

Edited November 10, 2012 by Roland Rock

[BigRedX]

I wouldn't waste my time being in a band I didn't like either musically or socially. Luckily for me the Terrortones is the most fun I've had in a band since I was in my 20s.

As I've said before, but IMO is worth repeating, unsuitable band members only exist in public because other musicians continue to put up with them.

[Clarky]

All the bands I have been in since my return to bass playing in my 40s have had strong points - my death metal band got me out there gigging and understanding musicianship and the quirks of playing live and recording, my punk band was closer to music I enjoy and we had a few great gigs (sadly too many with virtually no audience), and Rattlin Bone got me into double bass and playing festivals (I got on well with several members as well, although it went pear-shaped in the end for me).

However, All The Queens Ravens is a different proposition. All the other band members are younger than me, all are very talented, there's no inflated egos, and when the incredible lady singers are at the top of their game (which is nearly all of the time) the music is sublime. We don't meet up socially that much but when we do we all get on as -while we are a mix of very different personalities - everyone is pretty easy going. I do think I have struck it very lucky with this band and - although I am way less competent on double bass than their previous classically-trained bassist - I bring tons of commitment and the occasional much-needed kick up the @rse to get things done. I hope sincerely that this is the start of a long running association as I am truly enjoying myself with this band.

[Mr Fretbuzz]

I'm really looking forward to being in my Band. So far I've just met the two guys for a coffee, seemed to be good guys, good chat , enthusiastic , looking for a bit of fun, and happy to give a newbie bass player a go with no pressure. :-)

[bassace]

Well done, Nige, an uplifting thread for the weekend. So pleased you're happy with the band; I've heard some clips, Clarky's as well, and you have every good reason to be pleased with the performances.

I'm a bit happy too. For years I've been a cynical old freelance bassist doing good gigs in UK and Europe and playing with good semi-pro bands and having a good time - mostly. A couple of years ago I was approached for help by a couple who live in the same village as me; he on violin and she on guitar. We formed a trio doing jazzy/folky stuff from Django to Coltrane and called ourselves Fiddlebop. We then took on another guitarist and after a few low-key gigs here and there we're starting to snowball with a gig in a Kings Road restaurant up coming, plus a lot of other stuff as well. It's fun to have started off from the ground floor, as it were, and see it all happening at last. I still do all the other stuff but Fiddlebop puts a spring in my step.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Nice thread . Makes me wanna join a band again.
( well ... Not yet...(.

[deaver]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1352498582' post='1864017']
Am I just lucky? Or are there others of you out there?
[/quote]

Me too. First and foremost they're a lovely bunch of people. They put loads of time and energy into the music and they're really an excellent bunch of musicians. Shame they have a static, lazy fud of a bass player but you can't have everything

[Blademan_98]

The latest incarnation of The Underdogs is great.

I feel that I must become a complete ar*e and ruin it all as it is too much fun

[Benplaysbass]

Its all good for me too. Play with a great bunch of chaps who are pretty good at what they do. We all seem to be on the same wave length in all aspects of the band. We have a bloody good laugh.

[PTB]

Happiness here too. Great bunch of guys, like the material, appreciative crowds but, for me, the best bit is that I don't have to get the gigs. This is always the part I've struggled with in previous bands, both in terms of getting enough time to do it well and the success factor. Our frontman does all of this and we have more gigs in good places than I know what to do with. Oh yes.....and when I can't do a gig, he sorts out a dep!

Long may this all continue!

[RandomBass]

What a great thread.

My current covers band started up 3 years ago. We all come with different musical influences but a great attitude. Everyone is keen to give something a try, and if it doesn't work, we don't push it - we move on to another song idea.

We always try to put our 'stamp' on the songs if we can, and if it warrants it. We don't do it every time because we know it's not always appropriate.

Our singer is probably our USP: she has a beautiful voice, and can cover most styles with ease.

We all get on as friends, and our guitarist is my best mate - and was my best man just recently.

Yes, I am delighted with my band. Long may it continue.

Geoff

[ezbass]

I'm in a band that was only formed earlier this year. It includes a collection of people that I have played in in other bands over a number of years. It started well, but as it was a new project we were finding our purpose. It started as a vehicle for twin harmony lead guitars but has morphed into an 80s covers band. Because of this there has been some changes in personnel, none of it acrimonious, just some of the early members deciding they couldn't commit as much as they would have liked or that the new direction wasn't really for them. Everyone was really grown up about about it (as it should have been as none of us are spring chickens) with no throwing of toys out of prams or arguments. The nett result is we now have a great band of like minded individuals who seem to inspire each other to new levels of playing and even taking on roles we'd never done before (we all sing lead on at least one song each, definitely a new one for me). Our lead singer, occasional rhythm guitar player and keytar player (80s tastic!) is amazing and she is the most fantastic front person, just super talented. She just buoys everybody with her enthusiasm, you can't help but get right into it, I've moved from standing at the back to being at the front and engaging in repartee with her. I've been in bands for 40 years or so and this is without doubt the best band I've ever been in, super talented people who are also good friends into the bargain who never fail to compliment each other on each other's talents. Super happy with my band.

Oh as an aside they are all Gasaholics too, not financially helpful but great fun !

[krysh]

thanks for this positive thread nigel. the vibes are there!

atm I'm really delighted with my trio. nice and reliable people who can play with their heart.
I can't remember whenever I enjoyed even the rehearsals this much.
and also we had a great 1st gig yesterday.
still only 8 songs, still on the way to refine ourselves, but isn't this the way to go?
nevertheless we were able to touch some souls.

[sykilz]

Love my band Mentally Yours, doing our own metal with melody type stuff, we reunited this year after few years apart because of having kids and other "life" stuff, and we just had our 25 year anniversary!!!! Writing new stuff too. All the guys are like brothers to me,we`re still the original line up minus the singer who we dumped 20 years ago, me and the rhythm guitarist share the vocals. Been in other bands, but this one is currently my only one, it`s like our baby....who`s now 25...!!!! Never any disputes or volume angst, we all play loud as hell.