Need some advice...

[Waltstasz]

I'm in a bit of an unfortunate situation with my band and would like some opinions on what I should do.

 

First, I guess I should say that we are a non-touring original band. We have released one album locally and had a mild amount of success (local radio airplay, tv and magazine interviews, shows, festivals, sold some merch, etc.). We are in the process of working on our second album. However, we have been at a standstill for 4 months or so due to my drummer moving about an hour away for his job. He says that he should eventually be around more and that everything should be fine, but he can't give me a timeframe. In the meantime, my bass player has started working with another band and has given my project bottom priority to everything else he has going on. He says that once we get everything moving he'll be back, but he is playing shows with the other group every week. At this point I'm starting to think that my band is pretty much over. I had a difficult time working around everyone's schedules when my drummer lived (literally) 1 minute away and in my experience it's very difficult to juggle multiple bands at this level.

 

I'm starting to think that I should just admit the band is over, finish the album and release it on a very small scale. I don't have any interest in rebuilding at this point. I've played that game too many times before. The songs are all mine. Most of the financial investment is already made (by me). So my question is this: am I jumping the gun? Should I cut my losses or wait it out and see what happens?

 

If I do call it quits I have another problem. Part of me thinks that I should redo all of the drums and bass so that I have no obligation to the guys who will not be in the band anymore. But if I do the quality of the record will go down. If I leave their parts on the album it will sound better, but they won't be around to support it so that doesn't seem right to me either. Also, I am the only one with any financial investment in the record at all so part of me doesn't want to have put up my money and see them walk away with something when they didn't really care enough about it to see it through. I don't know if that is just immature? *shrugs*

 

Anyway, sorry for the life story. Any thoughts or opinions would be appreciated. I'm sure that somebody somewhere has been through this exact same crap.

[6StringSling]

In my experience, people asking for advice have usually already made up their minds and are in reality just looking for someone to support their decision.

 

If you honestly feel that you're the only one who cares enough and is committed enough, then cut ties and do the album yourself.

[SkullCap]

I'm sure that somebody somewhere has been through this exact same crap.

 

...well as a matter of fact...

I'm kinda in the same situation right now and finishing our 4th release pretty much by myself. Our drummer and myself are still into it even with me being recently married and he just had his first child. Our bass player on the other hand, with whom I've been playing with for almost 20 years, is giving us the feeling that he's ready to be out - wife and baby at home, runs his own construction company, etc. - totally time consuming, legit stuff and we understand. The 3 of us have been a band since 1996 and I guess he feels we've pretty much run our course. He's right in some ways but we do have some different views on other matters. The drummer and I pretty much just want to continue to write cool songs and rock out. I've pretty much come to terms with the possibility of our bass player saying "goodbye" after we release this next record and I'm kinda OK with that. We've had a good run, written/recorded some good tunes, had some great shows, met many a cool person.

 

I think you should go ahead and finish the record, release it, and possibly ask the guys if they'd like to do one last show for the release party. If you're still in your 20's then your good to go.

[BlueStrat]

 

I'm starting to think that I should just admit the band is over, finish the album and release it on a very small scale.

 

 

Why in God's green earth would you release an album of a band that no longer exists and you have no way to promote it with live performance? What's the point?

[Rich4Once]

Sure...do it yourself, and keep the band name. It can be your name to use should you ever get guys to play out again...you own the name, you own the songs, you basically become like David Coverdale. The band is you and whomever happens to share the stage with you.

 

That way, you can get airplay, sell merch, and continue on as if you're still a band, using a name folks are familiar with. Should the interest in a live show come up, just get some hired guns, give them the CDs, and you pay them a set rate to be your support band. Obviously, anything you sell is all yours.

[T. Alan Smith]

 

Sure...do it yourself, and keep the band name. It can be your name to use should you ever get guys to play out again...you own the name, you own the songs, you basically become like David Coverdale. The band is you and whomever happens to share the stage with you. That way, you can get airplay, sell merch, and continue on as if you're still a band, using a name folks are familiar with. Should the interest in a live show come up, just get some hired guns, give them the CDs, and you pay them a set rate to be your support band. Obviously, anything you sell is all yours.

 

 

I agree with this.

[BlueStrat]

 

Should the interest in a live show come up, just get some hired guns, give them the CDs, and you pay them a set rate to be your support band.

 

 

He said he was in an original band. Generally, that means playing 45 minute sets with three other bands for very little money. Good luck paying hired guns!

[wades_keys]

 

He said he was in an original band. Generally, that means playing 45 minute sets with three other bands for very little money. Good luck paying hired guns!

 

 

Why pay, when you can convince them that your "scene" is cool and "exposure" is there for the taking?

 

[cherri]

Generally, that means playing 45 minute sets with three other bands for very little money.

Not necessarily. With plenty of original songs + a selection of complimentary cover tunes, an original band can put on a four hour show. However, we do not make enough that I would be able to comfortably pay top notch hired guns. Luckily in seven years we've only needed to hire a stand-in once.

[BlueStrat]

 

Not necessarily. With plenty of original songs + a selection of complimentary cover tunes, an original band can put on a four hour show. However, we do not make enough that I would be able to comfortably pay top notch hired guns. Luckily in seven years we've only needed to hire a stand-in once.

 

 

True enough, and I did what you describe and ALL my band members were hired guns in that they didn't write and I paid them a set rate for the gigs regardless of whetehr I made any money or not.

 

But he just said he played in an original band, which as I said generally means a 4 band night at a bar for peanuts. Maybe he does play in a cover/original band. If he did, I wouldn't see the problem getting a new band together in a matter of days or weeks.

[Inazone]

Well, I'm in a very similar situation, or was until recently. It was further complicated, because it was our vocalist who had moved out of town, and he is also acting as our recording engineer for our in-progress album. He recently moved back (a mile away from me) but is now working and going back to college part-time. Our drummer plays in four bands at the moment and is also going to school part-time, and neither of them has any money for things like merch. I schedule all of the studio time and gigs, doing the best I can to keep things rolling, but most of the expenses fall in my lap as well.

 

If you are quite certain that the band's current incarnation is on its last legs, but you feel strongly enough about the songs that you want to finish what you started, then I would suggest getting everything in whatever format works best that you can either have other musicians re-record the parts later, or do it yourself. It really depends on what lengths you want to go to in preserving the songs. If playing live is still something you want to do, look at it two ways:

 

1) You might find some studio musicians that would be interested in playing some originals live from time to time.

 

2) You might find some live fill-in musicians who have good chops and would be as good as the current guys . . . or better.

 

It sounds to me like you aren't under from anyone other than yourself, so you do have the luxury of time. If you do decide to (re)record everything yourself, you can always hold onto it as a demo to play for prospective new bandmates. On the other hand, if you decide not to carry on with the band, at least you will have a finished product that you can play to anyone who cares to hear it.

[Rich4Once]

 

He said he was in an original band. Generally, that means playing 45 minute sets with three other bands for very little money. Good luck paying hired guns!

 

 

 

He said he was getting airplay with the previous record, so it would stand to reason that he could get similar support a 2nd time around. If he doesn't need to play live to get that airplay, he could allow it to simmer until an opportunity came up to play out. Opening for a larger act would fit this bill. Even if there's not much income from that, the potential for profit from merch sales is there.

 

If he can get record/merch sales without the gigs, great. If not, an occasional gig based on past reputation isn't out of the question. Hired guns would be ideal in this situation, assuming there's income from those occasional shows.

 

Also, sales from a web presence would be quick and easy, and the requirement for a backing group isn't there.

[corbind]

Seems like it would be much harder getting fill-in players for original songs (compared to covers). Hope things work out for you either way.

[Waltstasz]

Thanks for your thoughts, guys. I appreciate it.

[BlueStrat]

He said he was getting airplay with the previous record,

 

What does that mean? Regular rotation airplay nationwide, or an occiaisonal play on a 10,000 watt college station? I get regular airplay on three local blues shows every week in a market area of 3/4 of a million people, and I still have a hard time selling the CDs I have because the band I made them with doesn't exist anymore. Out of sight, out of mind is the reality of this business.

 

Some other frends I know had a great band, won all kinds of regional awards, played Microsoft parties, got great reviews by national magazines, etc. And as soon as their band folded, it was over. In fact, I got their horn players and keyboard player when they folded. That was in 2000. The old band leader still has about 600 CDs in the basement collecting dust.

 

Yeah, if the guy is a great songwriter and has a great presence in his market and is currently drawing huge crowds, there may be a chance he could sell CDs and justify the cost of continuing. But if not, I don't see the point in continuing the project. I understand being invested in something emotionally, but emotions isn't a sound basis for making business decisions where money is concerned.

 

But that's just me. Of course, he can do what he wants, and will anyway. WTF do I know?

[Rich4Once]

I don't know what it means...he wasn't that specific and I'm no psychic. You've done this on your own, and I haven't. I've always been part of a band, so what do I know? I do think that he can keep it going if he chooses to...whether it's worth it or not, only he can determine.

[BlueStrat]

I don't know what it means...he wasn't that specific and I'm no psychic. You've done this on your own, and I haven't. I've always been part of a band, so what do I know? I do think that he can keep it going if he chooses to...whether it's worth it or not, only he can determine.

 

Indeed. In the end, we're all armchair quarterbacks when it comes to figuring out what someone else should do!

[germs]

I'm going through a similar thing. I essentially got offered a promotion to the tune of about $10K/year. Here's the catch: I have to pick up my {censored} and move 2 hours away. Oh yeah, the timeframe from now is about a month. That means leaving my band, and we're just about to release our first REAL album. We have Discmakers pressing/designing the album, as well as a merch package and all kinds of {censored} coming in, tying up all kinds of band revinue. I've been with these guys for going on five years now and I would feel like I'm letting them down.

 

Some people would say that it's a no-brainer. But I'm not one to just up and quit something I've worked so hard for. What do I do?

 

So yeah, I know what you're going through. My advice is to finish the album as quickly as you can and hold on to the Pro Tools (or whatever you use) masters as insurance. Play as many shows as you can and sell as many albums as you can so that you make as much money as you can. Recoup what is possible, and burn the rest. That's probably what I'm going to have to end up doing.

[ggm1960]

 

Yeah, if the guy is a great songwriter and has a great presence in his market and is currently drawing huge crowds, there may be a chance he could sell CDs and justify the cost of continuing. But if not, I don't see the point in continuing the project. I understand being invested in something emotionally, but emotions isn't a sound basis for making business decisions where money is concerned.

 

 

Maybe it's just me but I think there's a tendency to take it to seriously. Ok, so you had one album, they played some songs on the radio but did that really translate into cash inflow? Apparently the band members are still working regular jobs that take priority.

 

Why not go ahead and finish the record unless your spending unreasonable amounts of money on it. Make music enjoyment the priority and don't concern yourself so much with the business end, you're not at that level. Be reasonable with your expectations.