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Thread: Drama can occur anywhere.....

  1. #1

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    Default Drama can occur anywhere.....

    Even as a 3 pc band that gets along drama will find its way into any arrangement.

    So it goes with my band, as well.

    Unbeknownst to me, our bassists wife has been becoming less and less social with the band and wives and this weekend hit a new low. She refused to dance with the other wives, sat in a corner by herself and complained the music was too loud. Come to find out this has been going on for several weeks if not longer. I just found out about all of it Saturday night.

    After the gig, the bassist and wife insisted that he couldn't stay to help load gear since he wasn't feeling well. He has Type2 diabetes so we know he has to really take care of himself. If that was the case Saturday night it got the best of him and he left early. His wife got in the guitarists wifes face as they were leaving and was really rude and was the final straw of them letting her be rude.

    To make a long story short since it didn't end well Saturday night, the bassist called both the guitarist and myself late last night to resign from the band for health reasons. (We know it's wife issues more than his own stuff but that makes for a better story, right?)

    We have a fairly full schedule for the rest of the year with more gigs being booked weekly. At this time there are only about 6 weekends this year we aren't busy. We are even booked into next year.

    Well, as it turns out, since we had a shaky start up and the bassist has been the weakest link in our endeavor we have been prepping other bass players, just in case.

    That just in case happened we called the first choice, he got the song list last night, we will start rehearsing with him this week and hopefully be ready for our next show on Aug. 11th and a very important first time in to the venue.

    It was sad to have to happen, but in the end more of a blessing in disguise as the new bassist and I have good history from the previous band. He'll get up to speed in no time and will hopefully take us to a new level.

    The current bassist lacked in remembering stuff, overplaying and playing parts that don't exist as well as singing parts he never rehearsed. We made it work but IMHO any "surprises" or making stuff up will no longer be a problem for us.

    In a way I wanted this to happen but in a way I didn't. We did sever the band relationship on good terms all around, as far as I'm concerned. No hostile words, actions or attitudes occurred during the phone conversations and I don't think any of us hold a grudge.

    Truly we are excited to make the change.
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  2. #2

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    That's a shame because the videos I've seen here and on FB have shown that you guys were starting to gel nicely. Things happen for a reason and maybe you now progress to being even a better band. Luckily for you, you had Plan B in your back pocket so the transition should not be too traumatizing. I I've said before, it's like herding cats.

  3. #3

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    Thus, a wise man once said, "No chicks on tour."
    Mmm... Saturns.

  4. #4

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    I agree you had a great band. With this bassist that you played in the past you will be in action in no time. Good luck to you man.
    Last edited by Pearl MCX Man; 07-23-2018 at 11:20 AM.

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by inthpktplayer View Post
    That's a shame because the videos I've seen here and on FB have shown that you guys were starting to gel nicely. Things happen for a reason and maybe you now progress to being even a better band. Luckily for you, you had Plan B in your back pocket so the transition should not be too traumatizing. I I've said before, it's like herding cats.
    Thanks for noticing or not, lol. We hid the ugly pretty well and every gig there was less and less to the point we were almost perfect. That's the sad part. All the work and effort and attention to detail was starting to reap the rewards. We may take one step back but will hopefully take several steps forward and it shouldn't take very long.

    Quote Originally Posted by weezy View Post
    Thus, a wise man once said, "No chicks on tour."
    And most of the rest of us agree.

    Quote Originally Posted by Pearl MCX Man View Post
    I agree you had a great band. With this bassist that you played in the past you will be in action in no time. Good luck to you man.
    Thanks! We are all excited to move forward.
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  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bish View Post
    [B]We hid the ugly pretty well and every gig there was less and less
    As you well know, "hiding the ugly" is the product of learning and knowing how to play with the players around you and really is the definition of "gelling".

  7. #7

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    Sounds to me like exactly what needed to happen for the band. Move forward, don't look back. Good luck to you all!

  8. #8

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    Yep, female vocalists are a dime a dozen around here but most bands don't want 'em because they're usually drama magnets.

    It was smart of you guys to have a plan B "just in case". Good things will happen ...

  9. #9

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    You guys will be fine....especially if he was the weak link musically. You sounded great to me.
    I said it before, but we lost a key member this spring in almost exactly the same way. It wasn’t his choice to quit, but in reality, it was what he really needed to do to get his home life back on track...and we all understood that. From a “band” perspective, it changed our sound & character. Which in turn, has taken some of the excitement out of it.
    BUT...it’s also forcing us to rethink our selves and the rest of us to step up a notch. In the end, it will be a good thing, and I think it will be for your band as well.
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  10. #10

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    With plan B in your pocket, now I'm looking forward to seeing more videos w/your new bass player!. . . . . .Keep rock'in!

  11. #11

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    I'm a type one diabetic, and I have my struggles, but I always help load in and load out. Hate that this went the way it did for you guys, but it seems like you're on the ball with a new guy in a new direction.
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  12. #12

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    Sorry to hear about the drama Bish, but it sounds like you and the guitarist have a solid plan (added bonus of having good history with the new guy). Can't wait to see what the new iteration sounds like.
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  13. #13

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    We had a similar situation that also worked out for the better. Our bass player actually did have health issues and was consistently missing practice and we were always afraid he would cancel on a gig at the last minute. This started in one band and continued and got worse in the next band that 4 of us moved into. There was no issue with his wife though, it truly was health related. Fortunately, before we had to let him go, he came to us and said his health was preventing him from committing to the band and he resigned. After a couple of subs for gigs, we landed a bass player I knew from my home town who played in a band that gigged at several of the same venues my band did 35 years ago. He came in, was up to speed immediately and has really raised us up a level. We are still friendly with our former bassist, in fact he comes to see us on occasion. Now we do have drama with our female singer, but that's a story for another time...

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  14. #14

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    women...... nuff said

  15. #15

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    OMG................the timing -- and Deja Vu all over again !!!

    Almost exactly one year ago, my band got the YOKO effect from our bass-player's wife...................
    We formed the band before he met this insecure psycho..................but in the end she won out.
    He said he was burnt out -- we knew it was the new wife that couldn't handle him being in a band..............especially with a beautiful female lead vox.

    Furthermore -- just this weekend I went to a gig to see a guitarist who is moving away and was playing his last gig here in town.....................I walk into the club and who do I see ?
    My former bassist and the Yoko-psycho.......................first time to see either of them since the departure.
    He was courteous (as usual) and she was psycho (as usual).

    I made sure I talked to my guitarist friend and left after 30 minutes of the first set.

    We replaced that bassist in 10 days, and if you recall, fired the female lead vox and got in an old friend to do the job.
    This is the same singer I worked with for 10 years in another band and he is even better than he used to be.
    Both of these guys were just waiting for us to call them and they jumped at the opportunity.
    Result ?.....................we are now a better band all around.

    And yours will be also !
    Just get prepped for August 11th and the rest will fall in.
    Gretsch USA & Zildjian
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  16. #16

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    Well, as we all know Yoko Ono broke up the Beatles. She had to be there all the time and annoying the boys and of course John could not see that. When you are in love you are blind.lol

  17. #17

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    Thanks for the great stories and iterations, everyone. Much appreciated.

    I'll be keeping you posted. Our first rehearsal will be sometime later this week, once the new guy has a little time to do some homework. Can't wait. lol

    P.S. We are stealing him from two other bands he is working with. We have a little bit of pull plus we are busier than both his other bands put together. He should notice a serious revenue increase.
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