DRUMMER CAFE

Ok, I'll try to keep it short and simple.

Two of my bandmembers will soon leave the band and I'm not sure what I want to do.

Here are the facts:

I've been playing in this classic rock cover band for 6 months and 2 of its members (singer & bass player) will soon leave the band. The singer is leaving to work outside the country (as a 4 months contract) and the bass player will be gone for three years studying in another province. So, the singer may be coming back in January 06 if he doesn't find work in Europe at the end of his contract.

Here's how I feel:

I love playing in this band with these guys and we sound great! I feel that I've found my musical “family” and I enjoy driving this band musically with my heart and soul. Learning that the singer's leaving was a blow and then that the bassist will also leave was like hitting a wall or something...

I'm at a point in my life where I want to play! I've never enjoyed playing drums as I actually do... I'm having a blast! I want to get out there and have fun groovin' on these great covers. I'm afraid I'll have to spend the next couple of months auditionning singers (which are hard to find) and bass players, instead of playing shows.

Right now, I'm in contact with a guitar player who plays a lot with his own band (4-5 shows a month) and who's looking for a steady drummer. I'm interested in auditioning but I'm not sure if I should... I feel like he's all over the place travelling a lot to play shows that are not paying a lot of money. I'd rather jam with my actual band that travel 300 miles for no pay because the “satisfaction” factor will be the same for me.

Maybe I should stay with my band and ENJOY seeking for singers and bass players. Maybe it's time for me to GET INVOLVED instead of quitting when the going gets rough. I'd like to play more, but I strongly feel now that it's time for me to invest with people I care and that I enjoy playing with.

I feel it's time for me to make a commitment of some sort instead of always trying to find a new “toy”, hoping it will make me happier. Maybe it's time for me to build my band with what I already have : two very good guitar players wich are two very nice human beings.

Here's my options:

1. I stay with my band (2 guitar players, one of them is the leader, and me) and get fully involved in the auditionning process and seeking venues to play... Invest myself to build something here.

I think finding a bass player that fits will be easy. The hard part will be finding a good singer, but there are good chances the actual singer will be back in January. Who knows...

I also offered my ex-band to sub for them, so I may get to play some shows there. I forget about the travellin' band looking for a drummer.

2. Leave my actual band to join the travellin' band... But I don't feel right about it. I love the fact that they are playing a lot, but I don't wan't to travel that far. Also, I'm starting working as a freelancer (as my day job) and I'll need to invest some time building my own business.

In conclusion:

What I know is that I want to make drums more present in my life now. I'm not quite sure how, but it's clear in my mind that I finally want to allow more time for what is my very first passion.

Hope that's clear enough. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this ;-)

Ben

I hear you, Bart.

I guess I said it myself:


I agree with you that it's better not to wait after quitting members in hope that they'll come back. If the singer eventually returns and the place is still vacant, then I'll be happy to welcome him back.

This is not an easy decision to make... I'm torn between making the clean break with my current band and buiding a new band with the remaining members. I think I'll have to see first if their goals are still similar to mine. I also have to think about not “burning” myself in playing too much, since I need energy and time to invest in my new freelance day job.

Thanks.

Wow! I'm really moved by your answer... I never knew that I came to appreciate my bandmembers so much, not just musically but as human beings. This is why it's so difficult to make this decision.

There is no good or bad decision to make, but rather what's best for me, right now.

Thanks.

Do you mean having two singers in the band (which doesn't make sense for me - I wouldn't be in a band where there would be another drummer) or two singers available, depending on who's available.

Things have changed and I've changed in the last coulple of months. When I first joined this band, I wanted weekly jams and one show a month. But now, I've gone freelancing with my regular job so I can have more time playing music. The leader of the band is not very fond of bandmembers playing with other musicians and interfering with the weekly jam.

I think what I now have to do is sit down and redefine MY goals. I think I need to do that to be able to make a decision, be at peace with it and then take concrete actions to get there. Then, see with the two remaining members what theirs are. If we want the same thing, then start to look for a singer and bass player.

But first, what do I really want to do, at this point in my life, with my drumming skills.

Thanks for sharing your opinions.

Went to practice tonight and I talk with the other two remaining members. I told them that I need time to think about it and I would tell them my decision in two weeks, after our final gig with the leaving members.

The leader of the band told me that if I'm staying, then he'll keep on going on with the band, looking for a singer and a bass player. If I leave, he'll call it quits. He didn't say this to put pressure on me. It's just that he doesn't want to go to the trouble of building a new band, again. The guy has a wife and three kids, so I can understand. He's ok to do a show every three weeks. The other guitar player wants to contnue and play.

My feeling tonight is that I think I'd like to get involved and find a bass player and a singer. Maybe it's time for me to be much more present in the band I'm in, instead of always being the last guy in. I feel like I'll be starting my own band and that I already have two guitar players. I feel comfortable playing and hanging out with these two guys and for me that's important.

I'll need to check if my goals are the same as them, in terms of number of shows. I'm also thinking of getting involved in other musical projects. The offer to sub for my ex-band is still on the table so maybe I'll get a few shows there.

I'll think about it.

Let me clarify the situation:

1. Two members of my present band (classic rock covers) are leaving, so that leaves me with two guitar players. If I'm staying with them, we'll have to audition singers and bass players.

2. I may do some subbing for my ex-band. I'm not waiting after them but if they need me, I'll be happy to play an occasionnal gig with them. Maybe that won't happen, but I'll take it as a bonus. The music is fun to play and they play at very good venues.

3. I'm in contact with a guitar player who's seeking a steady drummer. The guy has a list of 100 names to sub in and wants to invest in someone who's willing to commit to the band.

Vexen, the band in looking for a drummer (#3) plays about 100 shows a year (bars, festivals, corporate gigs, etc.) as a rock/blues and CCR tribute band. The leader is an experienced guitarist and loves to play. For now, I've only been in contact by e-mail with him. What's bugging me is that he sometimes play very far (more than 5 hour drive).

Well, again, I'm not sure what to do. Maybe it's not time yet to make a decision. Let's see what happens.

That I'm really not sure I can handle.

I'm right at the beginning of a career move (going freelancing) and I need all the energy I can get. I feel that my #1 priority right now is my regular job.

I guess I'm a little confused right now about what I really want. Maybe I'm seeing all the cons of playing regular gigs, instead of seeing the fun of it.

I feel like it's now time to go out there and play drums like I've always wanted to, but I also feel like maybe staying with the remaining members of my current band and getting involved in finding new musicians could be a great experience for me, both as musician and a learning human being. Maybe it's time for me to show some leadership in the band I'm in, instead of being a follower.

The remaining musicians in my band are ok with a weekly jam and a show every three weeks or so.That's ok with me, considering I need time and energy for my freelance job. Also, I feel very good about getting involved in auditioning musicians with the band I'm currently in.

Of course I love playing in front of people, but I have to choose between a jam with my band and driving 5-6 hours for a live gig, I'd choose the basement jam. It takes 4 hours of my time, instead an entire weekend and I get the same level of satisfaction out of it.

This is how I feel right now. I'll think about it. Thanks for sharing your point of view.

Well, I spoke with one of the guitarist (the leader of the band) tonight before our jam and it seems our goals are quite similar...

We talked about starting a new project and look for a bass player who can sing, keeping the band as a trio instead of five musicians. We also talked about a show every three week, which is ok with me.

I'm really excited because I like playing with this guitarist. It really works between the two of us, both musically and as far as personality is concerned.

You know, even if this was mentioned by some of you, I didn't think it was possible to start a new project with the same band. It means we'll have to fire the other guitar player, who is a great guy but has some personnal and musical issues that are sort of a problem.

I think this new project IS what I was looking for. I didn't believe anymore that the band was worth more than a weekly jam, but I now feel like this is a project I'd like to get involved with. I feel like it's what I need right now.

It's important for me not to wait for the singer to return in January of  2006, if he returns. I want to hire a bass player who can sing to complete the trio.

I feel like I found the answer and I'm really happy about it!

My theory is that great bass players are hard to find because:

1. Everybody wants to be the guitar god (if they aren't good enough to be a drummer.. haha), because

2. The bass player is viewed as a "failed guitarist."

Finding a great bass player who fits your needs is actually difficult, but not impossible. Have some patience and actually be picky.