How to leave your band

[GigDoggy]

Hey
last week I asked how you guys dealt with firing band members and i got some great stories.
you can check the out at:
How to fire someone from the band The way bands do it

Anyways, now i was thinking about asking the flip question: 'How does one quit his band'.

Answers given are also intented to be posted in a topic on my blog in the week to come. Feel free to share your anecdotes and stories.

Thanks a lot

Gigdoggy

 

[parker1963]

I left a band of 25 years behind and have had a much more creative and gratifying time of playing the last 4 years.I bought an up to date studio recorder and great monitors and mic's and keyboard and just decided to put the politics and garbage that goes with playing in a band behind me.The guys i played with were OK musicians but never wanted to progress or learn their instrument to its full extent and were satisfied to do old chestnut covers but there comes a time where you have to decide for yourself whats best for you musically....loyalty and friendship are one thing but being unfulfilled and stagnant is another.At some point you have to bow out and explain that you want and desire to keep learning and growing and if that does not fit with the other members agenda and complacency too bad.How many times has a rehersal or a gig seemed like bad deja vu, near the end it really just boiled down to an excuse to get away from the wife/ family and drink for about 4 hours and of course play the same old **** over and over.

Life is short and if you have served your time like i have then nothing should stand in your way of leaving and really getting to know yourself and rediscovering your instrument.You will also notice that your abilities magically reappear as well. All it took was the final courage to admit to yourself its done.

P.S buying a new Albert and a SuperSport doesnt hurt your outlook either.
Park

 

[Beth]

Life is short and if you have served your time like i have then nothing should stand in your way of leaving and really getting to know yourself and rediscovering your instrument.You will also notice that your abilities magically reappear as well. All it took was the final courage to admit to yourself its done.

P.S buying a new Albert and a SuperSport doesnt hurt your outlook either.
Park

Very poignant and well-thought out. Can be used for many other facets of life too. Thanks Park!

 

[koogie2k]

I left my last band due to drama. I was tired of playing mediator being that I was the "old man in the band" and supposedly full of some kind of "drama removal" powder. The band "break up" hurt, but, we are all still great friends. That is a huge plus for everyone involved in my opinion.

I then kicked around for a bit and decided to actually try my hand a playing bass using my fingers instead of a pick. So, I practiced as much as I could. It was through many hours of doing chromatics that I am where I am at. I still practice as I need it.....but...my playing has improved 10 fold.

I got with my new band that has my old singer in it. A couple of things he noticed were:

1. No pic
2. Playing better bass lines and not just root noting
3. Throwing in some solo stuff to compliment the song

Made me feel good.

After our first show...many people came up to me and said they noticed a HUGE difference in my playing and that was a great compliment for me. I still practice as I have always been impressed with Dave LaRue's playing and hope to obtain at least 10% of his talent.

OK...3%...who am I kidding!

 

[Jimmyb]

It's not you, it's me. I'm good.

 

[Volt]

"Perhaps it would be good if you and I started seeing other bands."

I made up a story when I quit my band about being addicted to drugs and alcohol and needing time to get my chit together. Oh, wait a minute, that wasn't a story, it was true.

 

[slukather]

Great topic, one band l left, it was pretty easy to leave, as the drummer was just full of negativity, complained a lot, never did anything, (although in his eyes he did everything), at the end it left me emotionally tired, my passion for music had almost disappeared. I've been in a couple of bands since, but l'm sick of the whole complaining/rockstar/ego muso thing now, l'd much rather sit at home and write songs by myself.

Scott.

 

[Volt]

Yeah, the complaining ego thing. One band that I was in (Easy Money), we had an excellent drummer who was also a good friend, but he would always put down most of the songs that we were playing because they were "top-40", and was really spoiling the love of the music for the rest of us. Bummer! I always wanted to tell him to STFU, but never did. We managed to enjoy ourselves in spite of his negativity though.