Members vanlatte Posted October 12, 2005 Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zookie Posted October 12, 2005 Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 The music market is tight in many areas. Sounds like one would be shooting oneself in the foot to automatically rule out Saturday gigging in the first place. It's one thing to not take oneself too seriously, but I do think you all have to take at least some part of this seriously enough to go get gigs whenever and whereever you can get them. I try to avoid late gigs on a work night, but I've never turned one down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members worthyjoe Posted October 12, 2005 Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 I personally have never been good at dealing with members being in other bands. I would only do it if my band was the top priority but even then the line gets fuzzy because there's practices, spur of the moment gig opportunities, etc. I guess you have a few choices: - Ask him to commit 100% to your band so this won't happen and you can do Saturdays as well (sounds very unlikely he'll say yes) - Deal with the situation and make the best of it. (if he's good and you get along with him, might be worth it) - Start looking for someone who is willing to commit full time to your band, then fire this guy. (for longer term success/happiness, I would go with this one) Sucks though. I hope it works out for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fastplant Posted October 12, 2005 Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 This guy sounds like a very irresponsible guy. At one point I was playing in 4 bands at the same time. And I was still able to work the schedules out so that no one was angry. Sounds like he just wants things his way. I think it's time you found his replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted October 12, 2005 Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 Well... I'm going to have to side with your guitar player... but only because you are at his mercy. He let you know that Saturdays are taken and he already has a booking on the desired night. Do you have a copy of his gigging schedule? You should and it should be his responsibility to give it to you. If he didn't or you didn't ask well then there are larger problems at play. If he had a gig booked with his other band, then it should be his discretion to ask his other band to cancel it or not. Can I guess... this Friday night happens to be Nov 18th or 26th? Both weekends (especially the 26th) tend to be some of the biggest nights of the year. College lets out and the bars are packed. Canceling the other date is not so much as keeping a commitment to your band as it is breaking a committment to his other bandmates. If you were opening for a National act... well then maybe in his mind it's worth it to squash a big night with the other band. If you are playing the "Chinese Fire Drill" lineup of local original acts that can easily be rescheduled... well then, again it's his discretion... he had the date first. I feel for you though... the whole situation is bull{censored} in a nutshell. I think it is worth having a band meeting. What is his role in the band... sole guitarist, lead guitarist, principle songwriter? Who does the booking? (Can I guess you;) ) My point is that you should let him know how you feel and you need to work out a plan of "definites" and not "what if's". If he is going to be in two bands then he has to understand the time he has to commit to make both parties successful. If your band is losing opportunities because of his limited commitment then maybe it's time for a replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vanlatte Posted October 12, 2005 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 Originally posted by wheresgrant3 Well... I'm going to have to side with your guitar player... Who said it was the guitar player? Originally posted by wheresgrant3 but only because you are at his mercy. He let you know that Saturdays are taken and he already has a booking on the desired night. Do you have a copy of his gigging schedule? You should and it should be his responsibility to give it to you. If he didn't or you didn't ask well then there are larger problems at play. The date in question is a Friday...not a Saturday. Thats what has made this such a mess. If he had a gig booked with his other band, then it should be his discretion to ask his other band to cancel it or not. Can I guess... this Friday night happens to be Nov 18th or 26th? Both weekends (especially the 26th) tend to be some of the biggest nights of the year. College lets out and the bars are packed. Canceling the other date is not so much as keeping a commitment to your band as it is breaking a committment to his other bandmates. If you were opening for a National act... well then maybe in his mind it's worth it to squash a big night with the other band. If you are playing the "Chinese Fire Drill" lineup of local original acts that can easily be rescheduled... well then, again it's his discretion... he had the date first. I feel for you though... the whole situation is bull{censored} in a nutshell. I think it is worth having a band meeting. What is his role in the band... sole guitarist, lead guitarist, principle songwriter? Who does the booking? (Can I guess you;) ) My point is that you should let him know how you feel and you need to work out a plan of "definites" and not "what if's". If he is going to be in two bands then he has to understand the time he has to commit to make both parties successful. If your band is losing opportunities because of his limited commitment then maybe it's time for a replacement. He knows how we feel, no question about that. What it comes down to is the cover band makes money and we dont. Kind of hard to argue with money, but it still feels like we are being dumped on. I mean these guys play EVERY weekend. All we are asking for is ONE friday in over two years and we got a flat out "no", so they can play some corner dive to 10 people and make $50. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tucktronix Posted October 12, 2005 Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 Originally posted by vanlatte He knows how we feel, no question about that. What it comes down to is the cover band makes money and we dont. Kind of hard to argue with money, but it still feels like we are being dumped on. I mean these guys play EVERY weekend. All we are asking for is ONE friday in over two years and we got a flat out "no", so they can play some corner dive to 10 people and make $50. I think what Grant is saying is that it is at the singer's discretion to choose which gigs he should play. It's nothing uncommon that a band member may favor a gig that pays more, but it's obvious that he is holding you guys back and you and the rest of the band definitely need to talk with him. If he isn't setting any time aside for your band, then you guys need to look elsewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wheresgrant3 Posted October 12, 2005 Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 Originally posted by vanlatte Who said it was the guitar player? The date in question is a Friday...not a Saturday. Thats what has made this such a mess. He knows how we feel, no question about that. What it comes down to is the cover band makes money and we dont. Kind of hard to argue with money, but it still feels like we are being dumped on. I mean these guys play EVERY weekend. All we are asking for is ONE friday in over two years and we got a flat out "no", so they can play some corner dive to 10 people and make $50. Oops Sorry!!! I didn't mean to assume it was the guitar player. They can just be difficult sometimes... haha!! Take it from me ... I'm a guitarist! haha!!! Actually... money really wasn't the issue on my mind. ... I was thinking in terms of holding on to a good room on a popular night. I don't make anything extra on Friday Nov 26th... but being one of the busiest bar weekends of the year you want to make damn sure that you are booked in an A-list room. If you are... you are playing to a fantasic crowd and #2... you are keeping your competition out. Not sure how popular his cover band is but if he is gigging every weekend they must be doing something right. In a cover band... regardless of how friendly you are with rest of the area bands you are all competiting for the same key rooms and the same key dates. Again, I was just assuming that Friday fell either the week before or day after Thanksgiving. I could be way off base. But if it were me and it was a choice between my cover band and/or original band on one of the busiest bar nights of the year, I would have to inherently go with the cover band. Why?... because that key night is important for me to continue to be first call for bookings. As an all original venue you'll play for the crowd that you bring... and maybe the next three bands... but the date isn't nearly as important (unless you're in a college town)in regards to how much you draw. Again this is all assumption... but remember your bandmate said that Fridays are almost 'always' open. I feel for you... but if his band has had this date inked since July and it's a key booking on a popular night at a popular venue... then that's probably the basis behind his response "It has to be better than a local gig". If it's just about $$$ and his other band would care less if they lost or moved the date, then he is being a dick. There needs to be some compromise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vanlatte Posted October 12, 2005 Author Members Share Posted October 12, 2005 Originally posted by wheresgrant3 Oops Sorry!!! I didn't mean to assume it was the guitar player. They can just be difficult sometimes... haha!! Take it from me ... I'm a guitarist! haha!!! Actually... money really wasn't the issue on my mind. ... I was thinking in terms of holding on to a good room on a popular night. I don't make anything extra on Friday Nov 26th... but being one of the busiest bar weekends of the year you want to make damn sure that you are booked in an A-list room. If you are... you are playing to a fantasic crowd and #2... you are keeping your competition out. Not sure how popular his cover band is but if he is gigging every weekend they must be doing something right. In a cover band... regardless of how friendly you are with rest of the area bands you are all competiting for the same key rooms and the same key dates. Again, I was just assuming that Friday fell either the week before or day after Thanksgiving. I could be way off base. But if it were me and it was a choice between my cover band and/or original band on one of the busiest bar nights of the year, I would have to inherently go with the cover band. Why?... because that key night is important for me to continue to be first call for bookings. As an all original venue you'll play for the crowd that you bring... and maybe the next three bands... but the date isn't nearly as important (unless you're in a college town)in regards to how much you draw. Again this is all assumption... but remember your bandmate said that Fridays are almost 'always' open. I feel for you... but if his band has had this date inked since July and it's a key booking on a popular night at a popular venue... then that's probably the basis behind his response "It has to be better than a local gig". If it's just about $$$ and his other band would care less if they lost or moved the date, then he is being a dick. There needs to be some compromise. Your thoughts are right on the money. The date in question is Nov. 11....does that fall under one of those hot dates you mentioned? Its pretty much a dead horse at this point since we all decided to move on but, eh, I am bored at work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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