Drummer is on thin ice , and it's got a bunch of cracks.

#21
Sounds like your band is doing great in spite of the drummer!
Imagine how much better you would do with a competant one.

As stated by others, I suggest treating it like a business (as it is) rather than a basement jam-session & allow this person to learn a life lesson by perhaps having his feelings hurt. I'd be scheduling auditions today...
 
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#22
sedan_dad said:
He walked into a dream gig with us and he's committing suicide. He dresses like crap on stage.. He doesn't practice on his own. (My pet peeve) He goes brain dead at gigs. Not knowing how a song starts, the accents or even the lyrics on ones he sings. He will not check the bands web site for recently added gigs. His stupid phone is constantly glued to his eyes reading Facebook. We've recorded a CD thats getting national and international air play. High profile gigs being the backup band for people like Mitch Ryder , Magic Dick , Barrance Whitfield, Dereck St. Holmes, Joey Molland. Large festivals. Out of state touring. We're doing movie sound tracks. We're working every weekend. And this guy is so damn caviler about practicing.. He always has a fricking excuse. I don't except excuses. I think he's resting on his laurels. I will not put up with this. I'm actively looking. I'm the bass player. I run the rhythm section. My mind is made up. I'm just venting before tonights gig.
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With a band going in the direction yours is you need a talented and dedicated player. I would find a new drummer. BTW..where is Mudstock Ohio?
 
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#23
sedan_dad said:
He walked into a dream gig with us and he's committing suicide. He dresses like crap on stage.. He doesn't practice on his own. (My pet peeve) He goes brain dead at gigs. Not knowing how a song starts, the accents or even the lyrics on ones he sings. He will not check the bands web site for recently added gigs. His stupid phone is constantly glued to his eyes reading Facebook. We've recorded a CD thats getting national and international air play. High profile gigs being the backup band for people like Mitch Ryder , Magic Dick , Barrance Whitfield, Dereck St. Holmes, Joey Molland. Large festivals. Out of state touring. We're doing movie sound tracks. We're working every weekend. And this guy is so damn caviler about practicing.. He always has a fricking excuse. I don't except excuses. I think he's resting on his laurels. I will not put up with this. I'm actively looking. I'm the bass player. I run the rhythm section. My mind is made up. I'm just venting before tonights gig.
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Does it matter what the rest of the group thinks? Just asking.
 
#26
With such positive stuff going on, you could advertise and lure a gifted professional who has a great attitude. Many would be willing to travel to your area (Mudsock?) for a concrete opportunity. From what you've written, your present drummer has no perspective and the only reason he's tolerated must be friendship with somebody.
 
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#29
Playing devils advocate here, but I find it odd that a member of the band has to check a public website to confirm the dates he's playing. Is nothing run past him with respect to availability? Maybe the effort isn't there because he actually feels ostracized? Decisions are seemingly made about his own future behind closed doors, I'd probably shut down too. Maybe I misread the OP though.
 
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#30
sedan_dad said:
...He dresses like crap on stage.. He doesn't practice on his own. (My pet peeve) He goes brain dead at gigs. Not knowing how a song starts, the accents or even the lyrics on ones he sings. He will not check the bands web site for recently added gigs. His stupid phone is constantly glued to his eyes reading Facebook...He always has a fricking excuse...I think he's resting on his laurels...
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Going, going, gone!
 
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#31
I played in a high profile band for a few years. If you're doing that well, good players should be lining up to be in the band. I was actually a replacement for a bass player that wasn't cutting it. When I left, I gave three months notice. They had a new guy up to speed in about two. He wasn't cutting it and they found a better bassist in very short order. Your drummer is being disrespectful to the band and should go. The reality is that you can't remediate lack of common sense.
 
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#32
So, you’re the BACKUP band for Mitch Ryder? Not just the opener on a five band bill, but his actual backing band? Is it he blows into town and you’re a pickup band, a la Chuck Berry? Still...how in the world do you even get that gig with a crappy drummer in the first place? I gotta move to your town...
 
#34
laklandfan07 said:
Playing devils advocate here, but I find it odd that a member of the band has to check a public website to confirm the dates he's playing. Is nothing run past him with respect to availability? Maybe the effort isn't there because he actually feels ostracized? Decisions are seemingly made about his own future behind closed doors, I'd probably shut down too. Maybe I misread the OP though.
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Isn't that a bit passive-aggressive though? If he feels ostracized then he should bring that up with his band vs. being an underachiever just to get back at the band (which I doubt is the reason, it's probably just in his nature).
 
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#35
I suppose it's possible, but I've never seen these situations fix themselves permanently. I joined a friend's band and the drummer could have been adequate, but not much more. After three months of letting him know that he had to learn the songs, lock in with me and work on his timing, I went off on him at one practice. I won't go into all the details but I told him if he wanted to stay in the band he needed to learn the songs, lock in with me and quit following the guitar player, and get a metronome and work on his timing. He obviously practiced really hard for about two weeks because he was noticeably better; then it was right back to the same. We fired him last week and had our first rehearsal with our 'new' drummer (he had been in the band a couple of years ago). I don't know how I played with the guy we fired for so long.

Anyhoo, my advice is just fire him. Save yourself a lot of time and trouble because that's where it's headed. Do not pass go, do not collect $200, just fire him.
 
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#38
If the drummer has consistently behaved in this way I wouldn't expect him to change and would start looking elsewhere. I would also address it with him and see how he reacts but wouldn't be optimistic.

If this behaviour is new then I would listen to the drummer and see what his current mindset is; there may be personal (or professional) stressors that are affecting him.
Ultimately, you have a better gauge of his personality and reading your post it seems like the decision is apparent.
 
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#39
petrus61 said:
Am I the only one who sees the OP as a sarcastic tongue in cheek jab at the attitude TB seems to have toward drummers lately, or does my sarcasm detector need adjusting? All the trademarks are there and is kind of brilliant if so.
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Lighten up sparky. What I posted are the true facts. Like I said, I needed to vent. I'm keeping my options open and radar on. We just can't abruptly jettison him without a ready to go guy in the wings. I have to admit that when he's on task he's great. Super sense of tempo but consistency and sense of team is demanded.
 
#40
Ekulati said:
So, you’re the BACKUP band for Mitch Ryder? Not just the opener on a five band bill, but his actual backing band? Is it he blows into town and you’re a pickup band, a la Chuck Berry? Still...how in the world do you even get that gig with a crappy drummer in the first place? I gotta move to your town...
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As someone who does these kinds of gigs all the time, including backing up Mitch a couple times in the past, I can tell you that I've seen musicians in backup bands who range from mind-blowing to incompetent. Not in mine, of course, but in other bands. How do they get those gigs? The time-honored practice of underbidding.
 
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