Going to see your old bands - mixed emotions ?

[lojo]

With recent posts like Lozz pulling out of his bands , I'm sure there is a fair few of us on here who go to see our old bands?

I'm going to see an old band on Saturday, ok it's a classic pub rock band, but I had a few years of fun gigging with them, I just couldn't keep the commitment and didn't want to hold them back, they gig at least twice a month now and have a full dairy, there is no way I could do that as I also like playing other styles of music, but when I see them having fun , I do miss it.

Anyone else feel the same ?

[TheRev]

Every band I've left has fallen apart afterwards, so no.
Not sure what that says about me...

[the_skezz]

Saw my first band playing a small festival - I'd been with them when we auditioned for it so was partially a bit jealous as I'd been looking forward to it, but it was my decision to leave and the new guy did look to be enjoying himself more than I would've so I suppose it all worked out.

If you can manage to find a much better group to join before going to see your old one, it certainly helps

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1392835330' post='2373324']
Every band I've left has fallen apart afterwards, so no.
Not sure what that says about me...
[/quote]

+1

[rogerstodge]

I left my old band after 10 years, we travelled the world together and got on really well, i went to see them at the Dartford Orchard theatre and walked out half way through. Although we had good times i REALLY had had enough of it.

[flyfisher]

Never look back . . .

[goblin]

It's certainly an interesting experience. I recently ran into some political issues with Electric Lounge, decided it wasn't worth the hassle and walked whilst I was ahead of the game, with the intention to not burn any bridges. Either way, I said I'd dep for them for the last couple of gigs as finding a bass player who drives, who's also willing to stump up an amount of cash for PA, isn't going to be an easy task.

Anyway, I found out the week of one of the gigs they'd had other ideas, and decided to completely sack me off completely, but they were gigging at my friend's pub (gig I'd got them as well to be fair), so I thought I'd go down and watch anyway as it's my local. It's certainly interesting being on the outside looking in. Sometimes you notice issues that've been highlighted out to you, which since you're happy at the time, you didn't think anything of. I also had the moments of "wow that sounds really good, I never noticed that", so it goes two ways.

Do I miss the band? A little bit, but you'll find that it happens when you leave any band, unless sh*t really hit the fan. But, party bands come and go, I've still had some good dep gigs in, and I'm in the process of putting together another function band with the same concept, but managed the way I want to manage it, which will be beneficial to the band (I hope!)

[jezzaboy]

Nah I don`t miss any band I have left. I shot the craw as I didn`t like what was going on and or the people involved. I do miss playing with the drummer who I played with for 6 years or so but I am meeting him for an informal jam on friday with some other guys, so I`m looking forward to that.

[RhysP]

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1392834118' post='2373300']
they gig at least twice a month now and have a full dairy...
[/quote]

What - milk, cheese, yoghurt, everything?

[paul_5]

Not so much. Most of the bands I've left have disbanded afterwards. These days I'd rather play bass at home than see a band playing songs and arrangements that I've heard a couple of hundred times.

[leschirons]

When I left the band I'd been playing bass with for 13 years (in order to move to France) I flew back three times to dep on drums. All good fun. However, I later found out that when my sax playing brother also left the band, due to musical differences he was told, in the heat of the moment, that they were glad I'd gone as I was so "down" on the performances and always "going on" about wanting it to be better

I never mentioned this to any of the band after it came out as we were all old friends. However, I did get to see them at a pub gig 3 years ago when they were going through their "we want to play real music to real people" phase I walked in the pub in Brentwood, lead guitarist's big moment (Sweet child o mine) see's me, and starts the intro like he's had Les Dawson's hands transplanted on an hour before.

I stayed for the whole gig, catching up with old mates. On my return to France, I had an e-mail accusing me of having given the guitarist "a look" and raising an eyebrow, and maybe it would be better if I didn't go to any gigs in the future when visiting the UK.

I'll be the first to admit that can get on someone's case when things are bad but I don't mean cock-ups. They happen to everyone. Good nights and bad nights. That's live music, but what I can't stand is a "that'll do" attitude when it won't do. Members obviously trying learn a number in the car because they haven't bothered since messing up at last rehearsal.

I'm no Marcus Miller but I know what sounds bad and that if you're being paid, you have a duty to the public and to your band mates to execute it all to the best of your ability. I have no problem with playing for fun with mates and it sounding crap if having a laugh is the only intention. Take someone's money, and it all changes for me.

Anyway, haven't seen them since.

[chris_b]

2 gigs a monthy is a full diary?

There are a couple of bands I left and shouldn't have. I'd happily go and see them but I wouldn't waste my time on the rest.

+1 to never looking back.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1392835330' post='2373324']
Every band I've left has fallen apart afterwards, so no.
Not sure what that says about me...
[/quote]

Me too - I have never seen a band I used to be in.

[lojo]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1392843824' post='2373505']
2 gigs a monthy is a full diary?
[/quote]

To qualify, yes for them thats what they wanted, it's the perfect balance of weekend rock and family duties, nice to see them doing what they set out to though.

I agree re not looking back, but it does stir up some emotion even though you logically don't make it an issue.

[Lozz196]

I`ve seen a couple of my old bands, and will no doubt go and see The Tuesday Club when they play locally as it wasn`t an awkward split, I`d just decided things weren`t right for me. I`m still on good terms with the guys so will happily watch them when local. Will probably bring those thoughts of "oh no, have I made a mistake" but it`s easy to look at the positives, like the great songs and think that, but I`m sure leaving was the right thing for me to do.

[thisnameistaken]

I still go see my last band if they play locally, I still jam with the front man sometimes. They sound pretty good these days, the drummer has improved immensely and really carries the whole thing along now.

[Roland Rock]

I've been to see my old tribute band several times; they are on bass player number two since I left. I can't help but think "that's not how I played it" or "why the f*** is he slapping in that song" etc.
that said, both players are technically very good players, but when you worked hard to recreate a bass line or add bits that create a lovely pairing with the drum part, it's difficult to see it done differently without being a bit critical.

[0175westwood29]

for me its strange seeing how other people play the songs, i wrote a few songs in a punk band and the new bassist plays them totally different so the songs sounded a bit weird at first

andy

[Deedee]

[quote name='leschirons' timestamp='1392842948' post='2373483']
I'll be the first to admit that can get on someone's case when things are bad but I don't mean cock-ups. They happen to everyone. Good nights and bad nights. That's live music, but what I can't stand is a "that'll do" attitude when it won't do. Members obviously trying learn a number in the car because they haven't bothered since messing up at last rehearsal.

I'm no Marcus Miller but I know what sounds bad and that if you're being paid, you have a duty to the public and to your band mates to execute it all to the best of your ability. I have no problem with playing for fun with mates and it sounding crap if having a laugh is the only intention. Take someone's money, and it all changes for me.
[/quote]

+1. Absolutely agree. If you're going to do it, do it as properly as you can

[neepheid]

I've only seen one band that I used to be in, once, unintentionally. It was an off-the-cuff thing at a wedding and I wasn't really that fussed for it. Not fussed for going to see them properly either. I'm a bridge burning git, me.

[JTUK]

No, I am pretty sure I made the right decisions.
Certain, in fact, and I don't turn back.

[CamdenRob]

To follow on from a couple of people mentioning bands have fallen apart after they have left, this has also been my experience.

I'd imagine it's different with covers bands, but with originals bands I always think once you lose a member you should basically start a fresh with material. Otherwise you end up with the situation of bringing someone in with zero creative influence over what they play on your back catalogue. No-one I know who is looking to play originals would want to play a load of basslines written by someone else. I've only every worked with projects where I have absolute control over what I'm playing, if they don't like what I'm doing they can find someone who plays what they do like and I'll move on

Guess it's different if your a huge global success, then you can just tempt people with large sums of money to stand there and play other peoples basslines...

Edited February 20, 2014 by CamdenRob

[BigRedX]

All the originals bands that I've been in either split or didn't survive me leaving. One of them struggled on for one more gig without even bothering to find another bass player before calling it a day.

The covers band I used to play with was pretty much a revolving door for musicians - they had 3 drummers and 5 singers in the short time I played with them. Also since one of the guitarists is a very good friend of mine, I'd seen them play several times before I joined, and I'm sure I'll go to see them again in the future and probably enjoy it a lot more if I'm not playing.

[KevB]

Although I've been far from indispensible most of the bands I've been in have either folded while I was in it or don't seem to have lasted. The only one I actually got sacked from seemed to be a long lasting kind of thing and if they played locally I might have popped in out of curiosity. However I recently bumped into a guy who always seemed to turn up to our gigs and he said he hadn't seen them for months, their web site has no upcoming gigs lised and looks dead. I did see a band using the same name as one I was in (folded with me in it) and the backdrop was our old one but none of the members were people I'd played with nor did they know the guy who's band it was when I was in it. They must have just got the name and banner second hand or something, bit weird that one. They still gig but with a slight alteration to the name and a new backdrop. I see people in bands I've either been in past bands with or jammed with fairly often so it wouldn't be a big deal seeing an entire 'ex band'. They have all been covers acts so I don't hold any particularly 'special' feelings about them, if it was an originals band I'd been in for a long time with long term friends I might feel a bit different.

[thisnameistaken]

I should add I stayed with that band until they found a replacement, and had all my parts recorded so the new bassist could pick them up quickly. The new player does struggle with a couple of them though, which is always nice to know. :-)

Edited February 20, 2014 by thisnameistaken