I recently got into a band. Its great fun and im enjoying it. its tough as i have to travel an hour to practice once or twice a week, meaning I have to leave work early those days. No biggie, i just go in an hour earlier.

Occasionally something comes up and i just cant leave work so i miss practice.
The guys in the band have the oppertuinity to book some gigs outside our home town, which means having to get a half day from work on any days we have a gig far away. This is not posible during week days.

Now the guys in the band are either unemployed or have a very flexible work schedule. My circumstance is not so flexible and im afraid im holding back the band due to this.

They have not said anything yet but you know when you just "know" they are a bit miffed.

Im going to talk it out with them on thursday, see how they feel and offer to step aside for another guitarist who might be a better fit, schedule wise.

I like the band, but work puts a roof over my head and food on the table( and guitars under the bed!).

what do you guys think? what would you do?

i have the exact same problem. just be honest and do what you feel is right.
just a little something to add here. i'm the only member who works 2 jobs. one member does not work at all and may be on disability. needless to say, his opinion doesn't mean jack to me.
just sayin'.........

This topic is one of the reasons I left the band I had been in for almost 10 years. The singer, who started and runs the band, lives 60 miles away from everyone else in the band. We never practiced because it was "too far" for him to go to get to us, even tho we said we would go to him for practice. That resulted in not learning anything new and having basicaly the same songlist for all that time. But he would book jobs around his area, meaning we would have to travel that hour just to get to the job, set up for an hour, play 4 hours, tear down in an hour and an hours drive back home. Once in a great while we would play in our neck of the woods. I was taking time off of work to get to a gig in time, and when I was offered a job with a local band with no travel except across town, I took it.
I have a wife that has become somewhat dependant on me due to a new medical condition, and being close to home and not messing with my day job hours seemed like the best thing to do.

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

ok so heres the deal. if you think that your holding the band back
you probably are.
the best thing to do is talk it over with them. tell them how you feel.
you might not want to hear what they have to say so be ready.
if they have any understanding at all they will deliver the bad news
with respect. its hard work putting a band together but it looks like thats what your gonna have to do, but in your area.
it might take some time but im sure it can be done. you might also have to deal with a player or two that doesnt have as much talent as the rest of the group just to make it happen. patience is the key here.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

As bad as this sounds maybe it is time to leave, but make a band with people closer to where you live. As unless your someone like chris cornell who can afford to live in one area and have another house in another area to live in when you need to work, travelling for an hour or 60 miles away is ridiculous unless you plan on moving closer.
On the positive side you may find better musicians and enjoy playing in a new band more.
Peace

As bad as this sounds maybe it is time to leave, but make a band with people closer to where you live. As unless your someone like chris cornell who can afford to live in one area and have another house in another area to live in when you need to work, travelling for an hour or 60 miles away is ridiculous unless you plan on moving closer.
On the positive side you may find better musicians and enjoy playing in a new band more.
Peace

i should apologize for my insensitive remark on one of my band members. what bothers me about the non-working member is that he is healthy enough to smoke, move equipment and play 4 hour gigs. he should be healthy enough to work to help his wife with finances.
i'm sure i offended someone and i will take the heat for it.

no worries we dont know him or the situation so we cant hold him accountable for not working.

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63supro
"The good thing is in a club situation, most of the patrons are trashed and really can't tell the difference."

This is the same situation we found our last drummer in. He came to us and was honest. He had a feeling that he'd be called to work while we were obligated to play certain shows. So he asked us to find another drummer.

Our whole band was so appreciative of his honesty that he's still in our band. Our solution was to have him do hand-percussion. If he happens to mis a show, it's not the biggest deal. If he can make it, his hand percussion adds a lot to the music.

Always best to have an honest talk with the band.

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schmintan, good to see your post Bro, some times when you are thinking your band mates are miffed its just you thinking because you are concerned for them, I of course being concerned for you agree that finding a new band closer to were you live so that you may be able to enjoy and not work so hard is really a good idea. Be prepared, during your talk with the band, to find out that you are needed and how you will handle that subject. IMO YMMV

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

After close to fifty years of bands and their related problems, I can relate to everything expressed in this discussion. Running a band is, at times, a lot like running a group home for crack babies. I'm afraid I can't offer any real sound advice. Sad, but true. Being honest and up front with your band mates is the only ethical way to handle the situation. (That only works tho if everyone is honest and up front) Funny how many "musicians" are too lazy to work a real job. And it seems that there's always one who wants to play more than the rest. Folks who want to play music for a living should do just that. Unfortunately there aren't enough jobs of that type to go around, so a lot if them end up working with "part-time" weekend warriors and complaining that the pay isn't enough, or he isn't getting to play enough. Usually this guy is also the one with the least amount of decent equipment and worst transportation of the bunch. Loyalty, or lack of it is another problem. Then there are the afore mentioned guys who are on disability, who if caught, are gonna leave you in the soup, not to mention the trouble they'll be in. Sometimes I don't even tell people I am a musician, because of some of the bums I know. Really good players, but lacking in the morals department. Not all, but a lot of musicians are kind of shady indaviduals. I wish you all a lot of luck and if anyone finds the answer, be sure and post it.
If any of this offends you, you need to take a good look at yourself.

well, do whatever's most important for you; your job, or your enjoyment. personally i dont have any problem fitting a practice session in my day, i practically have nothing to do all day

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riley

I'm in two bands at the moment, I play bass for a band that practices on Mondays and I play rhythm guitar in a covers band that I started up in work that practices on wednesdays. Both bands are about three months away from gigging live for the first time and then things will get a whole lot more complicated. Throw into the mix a full time job, a wife and eight year old son and it could be a recipe for disaster.

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