Would you be friends with the people in your band if...

[MacDaddy]

... you had never been in a band with them?

[gary mac]

Most certainly

[gary mac]

Most certainly not with some members of the band that I left last year.

[KevB]

In some bands it has been the case and in others not. Current band? probably not.

[bartelby]

We were friends before we were in a band...

[paul_5]

Probably. Some of my best friendships have been formed with band members. I'm not in bands with them anymore but we're still great mates.

[Gust0o]

[quote name='bartelby' timestamp='1369817085' post='2092946']
We were friends before we were in a band...
[/quote]

This.

[Happy Jack]

Ye Gods! You wouldn't believe the guy we have on lead guitar ...

[SpaceChick]

My last two bands, I can think of two people that I would be friends with.... And I am in contact with them after leaving the bands.

My current band, I like everyone and we get on well, but I'm not sure they "get" my warped sense of humour, so maybe we wouldn't be friends in real life outside the band? That said, we do have fun but it's the music that holds us together, and to me that's just fine

[BigRedX]

Band members are just like any other people you work with. Some of them you want to see outside of work, some of them you don't.

Some of my very best friends are people I used to be in bands with. IMO the people who continue to be friends outside of the band are those you have something in common with other than you are in a band together.

[Lozz196]

With both of my bands, I was mates with some of them before joining. Not close mates, but friendly enough to chat etc at gigs.

[Cat Burrito]

I'm 100% in agreement with BigRedX here (he's obviously not talking about 70s Fenders!). I don't dislike anyone I've worked with but a couple of people in my 2 current bands I probably wouldn't actively seek out after the band ends. Just a case of little in common outside of the band. I think you should at least be able to tolerate people. And I believe I am working with people who are likely to be the types of friends that are friends for life.

[L_Bass_Dog85]

Yes. I had known our guitarist before the band was formed but get on with the singer a lot more. We socialise outside of the band a lot more as our minds are on the same wave length despite the 19 year age gap though!

The dude has been here for me over the last couple of weeks since I split up with the girlfriend, that says something.

[Dave Vader]

Yep, although to be fair, I would have been unlikely to run into and become friends with the 2 16 year olds in my current band, what with being 20 years older than them.

Some people I've been in bands with however, really no, really really...

BRX has the right of it.

[BernardJazz]

Depends who it is, I don't speak to anyone in the previous band I was in except the drummer, although he's my brother so that's kind of different.
I get along great with my current band though, I had never met two of them and only had occasional drunken banter with the drummer at open mic nights prior to forming the band.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1369818903' post='2092977']
Band members are just like any other people you work with. Some of them you want to see outside of work, some of them you don't.
[/quote]

Yes exactly that.

I'd just add that you have to look for and work at two things when you work with people - what you have in common and how you complement each other.

[Dad3353]

Presently in my old age, it's a family affair; I drum with our two sons and a couple of buddies. Back then, as a 'pro' drummer for variety bands, it was a job, and 'friendship' was not a factor. They were colleagues, or workmates.

[arthurhenry]

You mean you can have friends outside your bands?!!

[Gust0o]

You have to spend time with them; and you can chose bandmates much more readily than you can choose work colleagues.

So why not have someone you like?

[4-string-thing]

Can't answer this, as I have no friends, no band and (very soon) no job! Jeez, I'm screwed!

[seashell]

Singer in number 2 band - yes definitely. We are girlies with quite a lot in common.

Drummer - we get on very well musically and he is a really nice bloke. But probably wouldn't be huge friends outside the band. He's very quiet (yes contradiction in terms for a drummer I know!) and also a lot younger than me. Not that this would preclude a friendship, but it's just that we don't have that many common reference points.

The rest of them are a bunch of chumps, so no not really.

It's a shame though, because I was hoping to get a bit more socially out of it. I've always socialised with my drama and comedy buddies. But I guess with them there is a bigger pool to draw on.

[Jayben]

Ehh, probably only the guitarist of the metal band. Other than that, I very much doubt it, predominantly because I tend to meet people through the band.

[Westie9]

Friends or acquaintances? There's a big difference between the two...

[PaulWarning]

I've been in the same band for 8 years and found it difficult to stay close friends with band members after a while, due to disagreements, always remember an interview with Pete Townsend, after (what he thought) was the Who's last tour he said "it's the happiest I've ever been knowing I wouldn't have to see the rest of the band ever again" struck a chord with me

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='BurritoBass' timestamp='1369820385' post='2092993']
I don't dislike anyone I've worked with ... I think you should at least be able to tolerate people.
[/quote]

Well, there's my problem right there.
I can't abide work, and many of my "colleagues" are simply Satan's apostles in disguise.

By the time I'm done at work,
1) There is no time
2) I'm utterly "peopled-out"

So I just can't commit to this band stuff.

In the past, I have generally found the drummers to be the good guys. With the odd notable exception.