Quitting, Why, When & How

[discreet]

5 minutes ago, Bluewine said:

...being in a band was the only way I could get  sh@##ed.

Ew! You weren't playing with GG Allin, were you?

[Bluewine]

1 minute ago, discreet said:

Ew! You weren't playing with GG Allin, were you?

No, a few choice childhood friends.

Blue

[bazzbass]

13 hours ago, arthurhenry said:

The day we add an original to our set is when I'll quit.

But it'll never happen.

I feel sad for you, playing and recording original music is SO much more rewarding than being a jukebox. The thrill of playing covers disappears the second I've learnt it .

To mock an original artist when you are just copying others work seems silly but go for it

[police squad]

interesting but mainly similar stories.

My early bands, same singer. We left our first band together as we got a much better offer from 2 other blokes, plus the guitarist was having an affair with a groupie and I couldn't really cope with it. His wife was lovely and I wanted no part.

2nd band, the singer started an affair. again I didn't want to be anywhere near it, so left.

Brings me to my current band.

I rejoined this band because the band leader and bass player had terminal cancer and his singer had left. Music had kept him going throughout his treatment. I went back happily. He lasted another 4 months but importantly gigged right up until he passed (3 gigs in 3 days was his swansong)

Fast forward 3 years and it's like herding cats. We recruited the original singer (band has been going 31 years now) and it was a laugh. We work well together, a real frontman/ sideman thing. But he now has terrible memory problems. He literally can't remember what he did 10 minutes ago and it makes calling the set out a challenge. He knows he has problems and he's had all sorts of tests.

It really is hard work but we still have great gigs. Added to this, the guitarist does PA hire and I never know if he's gigging or not and he tries to call the set out but has no idea how to make it flow.

I am, chief cook and bottle washer. I get no help.

I'm hoping it will fold as I don't want to let them down by leaving.

I just don't know what to do 

[Wolverinebass]

9 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

In the last few projects I’ve been ready to wrap a Jazz bass around someone’s head.

So would I. But that's mainly because I don't like jazz basses.

[Woodinblack]

5 hours ago, bazzbass said:

I feel sad for you, playing and recording original music is SO much more rewarding than being a jukebox.

Maybe to you. I enjoy gigging and I would rather play a cover of a decent song that everyone dances to than a poor original to an empty room. The thrill for me is playing something the audience like. Much happier being a jukebox

[Al Krow]

6 hours ago, bazzbass said:

I feel sad for you, playing and recording original music is SO much more rewarding than being a jukebox. The thrill of playing covers disappears the second I've learnt it .

To mock an original artist when you are just copying others work seems silly but go for it

Patronising nonsense.

I guess you're not a fan of Oscar Wilde, then, who rightly said: "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery that mediocrity can pay to greatness".

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

Maybe to you. I enjoy gigging and I would rather play a cover of a decent song that everyone dances to than a poor original to an empty room. The thrill for me is playing something the audience like. Much happier being a jukebox

+1^^ Very well put. Couldn't agree more!

Edited August 12, 2018 by Al Krow

[Trueno]

I've played in an originals band, but mostly in covers bands. I think both are hugely enjoyable for different reasons. But... small audiences with the originals band and the last covers band I was in had a bit of a following... sometimes the places we played were packed to the rafters.

As for the OP... I've left loads of bands. It's always been down to bandmates... ambition mismatch, heavy drinkers, flakes. I've been in a band full of talented "thoroughly decent chaps" who regarded the enterprise as no more than a social get together... and I've been in a band full of talented misanthropes with a heavy gigging schedule... and every point between the two extremes. I usually measure the "gain vs pain" as a percentage... once it's 51% pain vs 49% gain, I leave.

[arthurhenry]

7 hours ago, bazzbass said:

I feel sad for you, playing and recording original music is SO much more rewarding than being a jukebox. The thrill of playing covers disappears the second I've learnt it .

To mock an original artist when you are just copying others work seems silly but go for it

Who did I mock? I write and play originals too.

[Delberthot]

10 hours ago, bazzbass said:

I feel sad for you, playing and recording original music is SO much more rewarding than being a jukebox. The thrill of playing covers disappears the second I've learnt it .

To mock an original artist when you are just copying others work seems silly but go for it

Utter pish - I play what I want because I enjoy it and don't feel sad in the slightest. I've enjoyed playing a lot of good music over the past 31 years - other people's music. 

 

So to reiterate; utter pish 

 

Edited August 12, 2018 by Delberthot

[Grassie]

1st band: We became very popular very quickly and it soon became apparent that we were gigging so much we didn't have time for rehearsing new songs. When the singer and drummer (who were an item) decided they wanted to go out as an acoustic duo with the drummer playing guitar, the rest of us questioned how this was possible when they couldn't find time for new songs with our full band. Cue massive argument outside a venue on a Sunday night and dummies spat all round. I still regret it to this day.

Band 2: Played with this lot for around 7 years, great bunch of guys, we played rock covers but the singer and lead guitarist wanted to do originals and push it to the point of getting into a studio and trying to get "famous". We managed to come up with two original songs which were absolute dog 5h1t and used to go down like a knackered lift when we played them in front of an audience. I've never wanted to write original songs within a band setting and have always enjoyed playing covers, so this push to become something we were incapable of was the tipping point for me, along with the increasing ego of the singer. 

Band 3: Rock covers again, very busy but the singer/guitarist had various issues including turning up late for gigs and leaving the rest of us to set up his PA system while he tuned his arsenal of guitars, changing guitars for nearly every song which would kill any momentum we had managed to build up with an audience - they would go and sit down while he checked his tuning on his newly chosen instrument, and his inability to recognise the fact that his volume knob on his amp could actually be turned anti clockwise. Incredibly loud and the reason we lost a couple of venues because of the volume. 3 years of this and I was done, and so was my hearing.

Band 4: An originals band (yes, I know what i said about band 2...) but these guys were serious and the songs were already written, I was replacing their previous bassist who had "commitment issues", I was told there was gigs coming up plus recording sessions at the singer's studio (which was an apple Mac set up in his bedroom). The gigs booked were all weekday evening gigs, unpaid and unattended. I was getting pushed to commit to gigs at the last minute when my day job were in the middle of changing my shift pattern so I couldn't say yes to anything until that was sorted. I sensed the leader was getting frustrated so I suggested that they would be better off finding someone who could commit the time and effort required. My name was swiftly (within the hour) removed from all social media pages, ads etc. and they got the guy I replaced back in.

Currently with two bands; one is a function style group playing regular pub and function gigs, quite eclectic and very good musicians. Good fun. The other is a jazz style band playing some standards and pop-jazz (think Caro Emerald) but this one is all rehearsals and no gigs apart from two paid ones that I organised, and some freebie parties. This one might be coming to an end for me, as no-one else seems that bothered about playing regular gigs.

I had a message last week about joining a new britpop covers band, which I'm considering....

😁

[chris_b]

Same as Blue: never quit until you have something else (hopefully better) to go to and don't do "personality clashes". They are a pointless waste of time.

I have just one bottom line, I'm in bands so I can gig. It's always a bonus if the band is made up of good players but as long as the gigs are good then I have no problem playing with anyone. I mostly play with great guys anyway, but over the years there have been a few very unpleasant people. I make sure I''m friendly with everyone. I treat everyone in every band and every gig with a "professional" attitude. It helps that most of the guys I play with are professionals, either making a living from gigging or teaching their instruments, so I see very few personality problems.

Most ex-bands have folded and just broken up, so how to leave wasn't an issue. I've been fired a few times, usually so the band leader can get in one of his mates. C'est la vie. I've left a few to join a better band. Twice I left because I just didn't have enough time to juggle the number of bands I was in with a young family and a job.

I've only quit one band, that I can recall, about 10 years ago, because the band leader started messing me about, ie cancelling gigs and not telling me. I emailed him after the second time and told him where he shove his band.

[bassbiscuits]

On 12/08/2018 at 01:45, Bluewine said:

If the money is good I can deal with a##eholes.

Blue

Maybe.

I have a day job tho which brings in most of my income, so I don't need to stay in a band with a##eholes just for money.

That's why playing solo works well for me - I can be an a##ehole all by myself then!

[Bluewine]

5 hours ago, bassbiscuits said:

 

I have a day job tho which brings in most of my income, so I don't need to stay in a band with a##eholes just for money.

 

Unfortunately I don't have that option.

Blue

[bubinga5]

I left the last group because I asked them what chords they were playing and they couldn't answer me.

[leschirons]

20 minutes ago, bubinga5 said:

I left the last group because I asked them what chords they were playing and they couldn't answer me.

So none of you knew?😂

[leschirons]

Never been fired from a band but have been told once that everyone was glad I'd left😂 To be honest, I admit, was a nightmare to work with, expecting them to play in tune, in time and actually learn the songs properly so, my fault entirely.

Have left four bands, two to play with better musicians, one to play with simply, musicians😂 and one because I moved to France.

All is rosy in the camp now. Play with a three other people I love dearly, who sing and play to a great standard. Not my ideal choice of music but also occasionally play with a sax player where I get to play exactly what I love. Earn great money with both and no egos involved at all.

[chris_b]

2 hours ago, bubinga5 said:

I left the last group because I asked them what chords they were playing and they couldn't answer me.

It was their starter for 10?

[Fozza]

On ‎12‎/‎08‎/‎2018 at 00:04, josie said:

"Life is too short to play bass with ä**ëhölës." 

I prefer using my fingers.

OK, I'll get me coat...

[FinnDave]

10 minutes ago, Fozza said:

I prefer using my fingers.

OK, I'll get me coat...

Too many bum notes otherwise.

[tauzero]

On 12/08/2018 at 04:05, bazzbass said:

I feel sad for you, playing and recording original music is SO much more rewarding than being a jukebox. The thrill of playing covers disappears the second I've learnt it .

To mock an original artist when you are just copying others work seems silly but go for it

I feel sad for you, not being able to get any sort of thrill from playing covers.

Originals and covers are rewarding in different ways. The originals band I'm in plays a few covers as well as originals (not that 99% of people would have heard of the bands we play covers of). The covers band I was in played several original numbers (until guitarist left and was replaced by another guitarist who was better but didn't want to play originals). I'm perfectly happy with a foot in both camps and can't see any point in slagging off either camp.

[Bluewine]

3 hours ago, tauzero said:

I feel sad for you, not being able to get any sort of thrill from playing covers.

Originals and covers are rewarding in different ways. The originals band I'm in plays a few covers as well as originals (not that 99% of people would have heard of the bands we play covers of). The covers band I was in played several original numbers (until guitarist left and was replaced by another guitarist who was better but didn't want to play originals). I'm perfectly happy with a foot in both camps and can't see any point in slagging off either camp.

I think there are core issues in both camps.

Originals

Writing good material. 

Covers

Having the production values and ability to deliver a high quality covers. 

Blue

 

[chris_b]

On 12/08/2018 at 04:05, bazzbass said:

I feel sad for you, playing and recording original music is SO much more rewarding than being a jukebox. The thrill of playing covers disappears the second I've learnt it .

To mock an original artist when you are just copying others work seems silly but go for it

I'm currently playing with 2 bands who are playing approx 80% originals and 20% covers. It varies on the night and the gig. The other 2 only play covers. They are all good bands with great players and playing very good songs. IMO there is no difference to originals or covers, playing both is the best approach to being a good bass player.

It's always disappointing to see the originals guys dissing the covers players. Blinkers are never a good accessory for any musician.

[FinnDave]

I play in three bands, all of them play covers, and two of them include a few originals, but they need to be up to the standard of the songs we cover. Neither of them play top twenty material, nor anything particularly modern, and none of us play the originals as they were first recorded, we use the song as a framework and then do what we want with it. The third band is a Grateful Dead tribute, who were the biggest touring band in America, selling out huge stadiums, and whose material contained a large proportion of covers. They never played the same song in the same way twice, and we try to continue that legacy. Playing songs to an audience of Deadheads who cheer when they recognise a song after the first few notes is a real buzz.

Edited August 16, 2018 by FinnDave

[bassbiscuits]

My current gig - solo guitar and singing - is 90 percent covers, 10 percent original material (gradually adding to that as and when i write stuff that's worthy of using) but none of my covers are slavish copies of the originals. They're also mostly songs you don't hear everyone else already playing.

I've had to rework them for acoustic guitar and voice, with different arrangements and dynamics, rather than just being a bloke bashing out pub covers.

Saying that i love the buzz of writing a decent original song, and also hearing people respond to that.

There's room for originals and covers in this world if you're a gigging muso.