Yesterday I left my band...

[TripleFan]

Yeah, well, as the headline says...

OK, here´s the story: I´ve been with these guys more than fifteen years. I´m one of the founders of this band. We´re one of the biggest Rock cover bands in our location (not necessarily THE biggest. But usually we do shows with around 1000 people - that´s not to bad when you take into account that nobody of us has ever taken any music lessons).
Anyway, over the years the band and me have developed in different directions. The band wants to do more Hardrock and 80s Metal and I have grown into more heavier stuff. Only last year I have discovered the sevenstring and what it can do for me musically .
The point is however that I can´t get my band to play the music that suits me and I can´t get into the stuff the band wants me to play.

Next there´s the way the band wants to present itself to the audience. For one of our biggest gigs they wanted to hire a stripper. I can clearly see that you "need" a stripper when you organize a biker party - but if you are a band playing a show I think it´s a bit odd if you bring a stripper with you! I mean can´t the music we play stand for itself - do we have to hide behind a set of boobs?! Think of any cliché which comes to your mind when you think of "Rock Music" - these guys are only too trigger happy to explore it...

To make a long story short. Last friday I received a email. One of the band members asked if he should get some inflatable plastic guitars as this would be "quite some fun on stage". Well, I was all like "WTF"!
In the end it was four people saying "Let´s go for it" and one person (me) thinking that this is completely retarted.
End of it is that I told them in band practice yesterday that I will leave the band, because musically I can´t do what I want to and this plastic guitar thing was just the last step pushing me over the edge.

OK, now, bash away - do I have over reacted to leave the band just because of such a minor issue?
Or give me a heads up - is musical satisfaction too important to take false compromises.

Any way, tell me your opinions...

 

[XEN]

Whatever makes you happy is most important. If you're not satisfied and you want to take things a little more seriously then you've probably done the right thing. Some might think you're taking things too seriously if this is your main job and you stand to actually lose income from making this decision, but if you are unable to live with the direction they wanted to take it would be hard to stay with no matter what.

 

[noodles]

You're doing the right thing. If your not happy now, and they keep moving in a direction you don't want to go in, what makes you think it will get any better? At the end of the day, you need to find satisfaction in what you are doing. Unless music is your full time job, your happiness should be the most important thing.

 

[Zepp88]

You made the right choice, you're now free to make the music YOU want to make.

 

[huber]

I'm with you on that choice dude. I wouldn't have stuck around either.

 

[Michael]

You did the right thing. It's better to be happy with what you're doing.

 

[Matt Crooks]

You're doing the right thing. <snip> Unless music is your full time job, your happiness should be the most important thing.

QFT.

I started Division (then called Visionary) in 1994, and leaving the band in 2005 was a very difficult decision, but ultimately the best one I could have made. The last year or so I was in Division I didn't even want to play a guitar, now I can't wait to play.

I think you'll know pretty quickly if it was the right decision for you.

 

[Naren]

I think that you did the right thing. After your description of those guys, they seem like they aren't the kind of guys you could play with for much longer. Play what you want to play and make the music you want to make. If you're unhappy with your band, I would never tell you that it's wrong to quit. Just last year I quit the band I was in. I had been feeling uncomfortable about the direction the other members were trying to take the band and when they told me to change my singing style and guitar playing style (I remember my words "Yeah, I can sing like that, but I don't want to"), I knew at that moment that I couldn't play with them anymore and that ended up being the last time I played with them. I'm glad I quit, though, because my current band is literally a thousand times better. And the current members have the same vision as me, the same taste in music/bands, and our personalities get along really well.

 

[garcia3441]

You are not the first musician to quit a band due to creative differences, and you most certainly won't be the last.

 

[TripleFan]

First of all: Thanx for your kind answers.

Perhaps I should apologize for my bitching and whining.
I´m just a bit torn about my decision. I know that (for me) I have taken the right action. But after all those years hanging and playing with these guys it feels a little like giving away a relationship of over a decade.

I know that I´m not the first to leave a band nor will I be the last. Just wanted (and needed) to talk about it.

I´m looking forward to (hopefully) meet new musicians who share my musical taste.

Once again thanks for your kind words.

 

[Shawn]

Although it is a shame you quit after 15 years, I think you made the right choice, you'll be alot happier. Now, to move forward, anything is possible.

 

[loktide]

For one of our biggest gigs they wanted to hire a stripper.

monster-magnet style


now, seriously: i think you made a good decision. you should pursue your musical interests and not get held back by playing cover music. Unless, of course, playing with this cover-band constitutes a major financial income for you...

btw, where are you from? i'm still looking for people to start a band. I'm from stuttgart. Grüße!

 

[TripleFan]

Well as I said, it somewhat hurts a little to split with them. But on the other hand it´s clearly the right decision.
If I hadn´t stopped it now what would have been the next to come? A GNR cover (yukk!!! )... PUR ... metal karaoke ... ?! Seriously, no, thank you!

I have no problem playing cover music.
I have never tried writing music of my own. I have no idea how I should take a start at it and I´m lacking all the basics you need to know to attempt this.
But even if I shouldn´t find some new guys to make music I´ll rather concentrate on and try re-recording some songs I like or shit like that.

Ich wohn in der Nähe von Konstanz (Radolfzell).

Ingo

 

[Eric]

After 15 years of playing you surely must have made other friends that play and prefer not to use plastic guitars... Jam out with some other people and see what happens. Can't hurt.

 

[Ancestor]

It sounds to me like the right decision. If money is an issue, I'm sure that you should be able to put together another cover band that is a little more to your liking. You already know all the venues and who books the shows.