should i start another band?

[reaper]

Ok i already have one band that isn't quite going the way i want it to musically and creatively but i don't want to quit because we are an established band in the area and are starting to make a few bucks for our gigs (im only 17 and the oldest in my band so it's kind of a big deal bc none of us have a jobs). So i was thinking of starting another band. How hard is it to be in 2 bands at once? do the members of the first band usually get mad? is it complicated?

[Lee Flier]

Hmm well, it depends on how well you manage your time and, of course, the personalities involved. Some people get jealous and mad, others don't. If you get double booked or constantly put one band on the back burner in favor of the other one without defining your priorities up front, it could get complicated, yeah.

 

I'm in two bands but it's a kind of unusual situation. First of all we're all good friends (all the members of both bands) so that helps. Second, everybody's reasonable people. Third, its absolutely clear to the second band that they're my "side project" and that my main band is always the first priority, and everybody knows that. That's not really an issue anyway since the second band only does a few gigs per year and is mostly a recording and video band, so it's pretty easy for them to be flexible with the schedule. My two bands have even played on the same bill on occasion.

 

The bass player in my main band was also in another band for a couple of years, again it was a friend and somebody we respect so it was no big deal. In two years there were really only a couple of situations where a gig caused a conflict with a potential gig that my band had. It kind of sucked, but we lived. And also shared some bills with his other band... etc.

 

So it can work out all right, you just have to know who you're dealing with, be very up front about where your priorities are and keep everybody in the loop about your schedule so that conflicts don't come up too often.

[jackcheez]

How hard is it to be in 2 bands at once? do the members of the first band usually get mad? is it complicated?

It seems like where I live in the Los Angeles area EVERYBODY is in at least two bands. It's OK. The key is communication.