Diagnose Your Band
Prescription Ideas for What Ails You
By Jason Borisoff
Remember the first few practices in the basement of the drummer’s house? Everyone was really digging the tune selection, the solos were great, and beer was flowing freely. But now, after several months or years of practice, it’s not uncommon to notice that the music is not quite as healthy as it used to be; your bandmates are sick of the tunes that they once got such a kick out of playing, arguments and discontent (either active or passive) run rampant, and worst of all, you actually dread going to practice.
If it’s gotten to this point, a band break up is imminent. If you’re not ready to throw in the towel just yet, consider putting on the white coat and diagnosing the problem. We certainly aren’t doctors, but here are a few common ailments that get in the way of having a great band, and our prescriptions for setting it all right again.
Schedulitis
This is one of the most common problems associated with recreational bands. Unless you’re all pro or semi-pro musicians who play in the band for a living, group rehearsals are just another activity to be juggled around work schedules, Little League baseball games, and family time at home. If one or more of your members are too busy to practice, ask them if they can realistically continue to play in the group. Everyone gets busy from time to time, so it may just be that you need to give them space for a few weeks until their schedules clear out. If they can’t make time in the foreseeable future, consider finding replacements.
Gigaphobia
If your band is perfectly content jamming for yourselves, then great, you have our blessings. But, chances are, you and your bandmates started jamming together to play gigs. Nothing kills a group like never playing out. Practices become meaningless when there are no gigs in sight. But before you book a gig, you have to convince your band (and yourself) that you’re good enough to take it out of the house.
Trust us, that time will never come by only rehearsing at home—there is such a thing as over-preparation. Learn the tunes the best you can, then ditch your inner perfectionist and get out and play!
Multiple Personality Disorder
Discussing band-related goals is probably the last thing on your mind when you start jamming. Everyone is too excited about the music to talk about that stuff, or you may think that only professional bands need to talk business. Still, finding out what every member of the group wants from the band early on is an important step in fostering a healthy relationship and avoiding disappointments and hurt feelings down the road. Decide how many times per month you would like to gig, how much money you want to make, when to practice, the overall musical direction, etc. Remember, this is not an agreement written in stone, but rather a fluid dialogue. Goals change, so work on making rehearsals a safe and nurturing environment for everyone to voice their feelings.
Delusions of Grandeur
There’s nothing like a giant ego in the band to ruin an otherwise good thing. You know the type—they always have to be two notches louder than everyone else, hog all of the solos, and in general, bully and bend the rest of the group to their bidding. This behavior might be tolerable if they are the boss, and you’re a well-paid sideman in a touring band, but in general, you’re playing music to get away from people like that.
Band together and stick up for yourselves. Find a polite, but firm way to deal with the situation. If kicking this person out becomes necessary, go for it, but only with the support of the other members.
Terminal Illness
Just like in modern medicine, sometimes there is nothing to be done. If it wasn’t meant to be, accept it and move on. All is not lost; maybe you can team up with a member of the group that you got along with, and form a new band around that relationship. At any rate, the lessons learned from every band experience, both good and bad, will prove invaluable.
