Do you guys have a plan for what you want to accomplish??

[sickman]

wow- your older bandmates can't complain about your selections. It's not like you're trying to slide Billy Talent or Alice in Chains in on them. It looks like you're just trying to push a little tighter work ethic.

 

 

Well, I was trying to "push" more modern stuff on them. Alice in Chains was actually one of the bands. Hahahaha.

 

The stuff I listed in the previous was more stuff that fits in the era from which the majority of the setlist is made up that I already know the lyrics.

[Vermoulian]

Here's a related concept that you may run up against:

In any band, there is (almost) always one person who has the artistic vision for the band. Even in a classic rock cover band, there is somebody (your bandleader) who decides the overall feel of the band and what it is going to play. I think it is almost impossible to get this person to go in a direction other than where he or she wants to go, and if that person won't lead, it's very difficult if not impossible for somebody else to provide leadership. Often the person with a creative vision for a project will make some compromises in the interest of getting other people to help realize that vision, but there are always limits to how far that will go.

And often, the other people in bands don't recognize this dynamic---there is an "all for one and one for all" myth that seems to apply in many bands, and lots of musicians, especially those who don't have strong artistic visions of their own, confuse coming up with their own parts in arrangements, for instance, with having a say in the band, or consider that their own artistic outlet.

But when push comes to shove, the prime artistic vision will prevail. Unless you are exceptionally lucky and meet someone with a similar or complementary artistic vision and you can really partner up (and this almost never happens), in a band, the players play one of two roles: either they provide the artistic vision and direction, or they are helping someone else realize his or her vision. Nothing wrong with the latter course; it can be very satisfying and fun and maybe profitable---it just helps to realize exactly what is going on.

I say all this because it sounds like you have an artistic vision yourself---even if it's just an idea for some changes to how your current cover band does things, that counts. I'm sure the current band leader doesn't want to antagonize you, but you may want to be mentally prepared for the possibility that changes to accommodate what you want to do may not be as forthcoming as you might prefer. If that happens, keep these distinctions in mind and don't blame your current band---it was put together to realize the current leader's vision and that simply may not encompass everything you want to do. And the other band members who are working to help him realize his vision may not be as interested in working to help you realize yours, especially if that means putting more unpaid time into practice. If it looks like that's the way things are shaking out, you will save yourself time and heartache if you recognize it early, and if it's really important to you, you may need a side project to accomplish what YOU want to do.

Of course, maybe everything will work out fine within the context of your current band. But in case it doesn't . . . some stuff to think about.

Good luck, either way.

[sickman]

Wow.. excellent post. I think you pretty much put into words what I was thinking and feeling. Thanks.

[SeniorBlues]

Absolutely spot on.

Sometimes the "artistic leader" thinks he's going modify things to accommodate a new lineup, but people just don't (usually, can't) change their stripes that easily.

That's what I learned in the band I left a couple months ago. I think I understand the musical direction of the band that I just joined, and the roles that each of the members play in contributing to it.

Give me a month, and we'll see if I've changed my assessment.