When the band I'm in started out, we were "on a mission", to be the best and to be proud of what we were doing. Now 5 years down the road, it's become a party central for the singer and the drummer. Thier goal each night is to see how drunk they can get. The practices are non existant, and no one calls each other during our time off to keep in touch. If it wasn't for the love of playing and my trusty '78 Strat at my side, I think I would go insane.

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Life is like a sh*t sandwich. The more bread you have, the less sh*t you have to eat.

This is something that happens a lot. You can either go along with it or sit down and discuss your feelings with the others.

Is there a dedicated band leader or majority rules?

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

The singer is the band leader. He put the band together, and had all the plans laid out until he got bored with it lately.

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Life is like a sh*t sandwich. The more bread you have, the less sh*t you have to eat.

Maybe you should hit them with some demos of your own songs. Show your dedication. If they don't wise up then do some gigs of your own.

Things like this happen in bands, I for one am guilty of it and enjoy a drink and the after party but I never get pollaxed before a show. Just during.

Get recording, show them your stuff and if they are still only interested in partying then like I said, go out and play them yourself.

CC

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Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
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Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
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Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

It sounds like the honeymoon is over. If your band members aren`t taking their playing seriously enough then you might want to find another group to play with or start your own band. Having a few drinks may be fun, but when your paid to perform you should to be at your best.

Very common thing with lots of people that call themselves "musicians."

Having had to deal with this in my own past, you have two choices:

1) Put your thoughts out there on what the band should be in your opinion, and why it's not that now, see if they're willing to get back on track or you're outta there, or

2) Keep quiet about it and on your own time look for something else and jump ship when possible. Down side to this is you need to make a clean break and don't want to ditch out of committed gigs.

Either way, sucks when it happens but very common. That's why I feel so fortunate to have been playing with the same drummer for 17+ years, and the guitarist now for 6. We're middle aged and have no delusions about what we're doing, it's for fun but we do want to be good at it too.

GOod luck whatever you decide.

[quote="Celtic Cyclonus"]Maybe you should hit them/quote]

+1

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Rated "M" for meaty.

Have two goals :

One for the short term and one for the long term.

Stick with it. A positive attitude and clear focus is a HUGE help!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I've been there. Great Band gone bad. Some nights the bass player was so blasted he could hardly stand up, (before we started) The drummer would be fighting with his wife who was flirting on the dance floor. And when and if we practiced it wasn't very productive. It changed my attitude about playing. It went from the most fun in my life to a JOB. It starts reflecting on the Band and then on you as a musician. You will start to lose the good gigs and get more bad gigs. Things rarely get better unless/until those people deal with there problems/addictions.

1. Talk with the other members. if they agree then have a band meeting and lay down some new rules or find some new members.
2. Do nothing and let the band fade into oblivion (which it will)
3. Just pack up your gear and move on.

#1 may lead to #3 but #2 is the harsh reality

Masterhacker,

As the others have stated, you should discuss your feelings to the other band members. The drummer and the singer might be good with what they are doing, but it sounds like the guitarist (you) and bassist might not be. You cannot make music without a drummer, and lyrics are nice in songs; but these elements can be replaced.

You have to do what is best for you. Otherwise you will end up in a situation you do not want to be in. Can you live with playing in a band where 2 band members are hell-bent on self destruction, or do you want to be in a band that is productive?

This may be a phase or it may be the start of a long windy road to oblivion. Action needs to be taken if you are not happy with what is going on.

RK

Sounds silly but...I have always had a strict policy that the drinking goes on after the rehersal and show...if you can't abide by that then hit the road. If people are paying good money to see me play I will be darned if I am going to steal from them by being drunk or having one of my bandmates drunk!

Sounds like it's time to find a new band.

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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."-John Wayne

"When did giggin' become partyin'?"

Probably in the 60's.

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Tune Low, Play Hard & Floor it!

I especially hate it when the singer gets so drunk he starts staggering around the stage knocking stuff over.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.