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

[Pbassmanca]

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).

Passive aggressive is the name of the game with most bands. How many posts do you see on TB with people venting their frustration at other band members, while struggling to be clear and assertive in person with those they are either leading or playing with? I'm watching a situation like this , only more complicated play out right now in our 9 piece band. The passive aggressive drama is riveting. (And exausting). People upset about the bandleader. People upset about the BL's business partner (who is the drummer). The BL and drummer upset at each other. The BL and drummer upset at the singer and percussionist who are also upset at them. Issues about lack of growth in terms of professional / higher paying gigs. People upset about pay. People upset about the band leader/drummer's cut of the pay. Issues about the drummer's time keeping. Issues about song choices. People upset about not rehearsing. People upset about not learning much new material. Drummer upset about his business relationship with band leader. Drummer upset that his girlfriend (A phenomenal singer) not hired into the band full time. And NO ONE ACTUALLY CLEARLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUES TO THE APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUALS. Unbelievable. Oh well hopefully it gets worked out......

 

[Lowendtech]

Passive aggressive is the name of the game with most bands. How many posts do you see on TB with people venting their frustration at other band members, while struggling to be clear and assertive in person with those they are either leading or playing with? I'm watching a situation like this , only more complicated play out right now in our 9 piece band. The passive aggressive drama is riveting. (And exausting). People upset about the bandleader. People upset about the BL's business partner (who is the drummer). The BL and drummer upset at each other. The BL and drummer upset at the singer and percussionist who are also upset at them. Issues about lack of growth in terms of professional / higher paying gigs. People upset about pay. People upset about the band leader/drummer's cut of the pay. Issues about the drummer's time keeping. Issues about song choices. People upset about not rehearsing. People upset about not learning much new material. Drummer upset about his business relationship with band leader. Drummer upset that his girlfriend (A phenomenal singer) not hired into the band full time. And NO ONE ACTUALLY CLEARLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUES TO THE APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUALS. Unbelievable. Oh well hopefully it gets worked out......

Sounds reasonable.
To complete the dysfunction, you should start a side project/new band with the drummer's girlfriend.

 

[Pbassmanca]

Passive aggressive is the name of the game with most bands. How many posts do you see on TB with people venting their frustration at other band members, while struggling to be clear and assertive in person with those they are either leading or playing with? I'm watching a situation like this , only more complicated play out right now in our 9 piece band. The passive aggressive drama is riveting. (And exausting). People upset about the bandleader. People upset about the BL's business partner (who is the drummer). The BL and drummer upset at each other. The BL and drummer upset at the singer and percussionist who are also upset at them. Issues about lack of growth in terms of professional / higher paying gigs. People upset about pay. People upset about the band leader/drummer's cut of the pay. Issues about the drummer's time keeping. Issues about song choices. People upset about not rehearsing. People upset about not learning much new material. Drummer upset about his business relationship with band leader. Drummer upset that his girlfriend (A phenomenal singer) not hired into the band full time. And NO ONE ACTUALLY CLEARLY ADDRESSING THE ISSUES TO THE APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUALS. Unbelievable. Oh well hopefully it gets worked out......

I should also add, that this is definitely not a band by commitee. The bandleader/keyboard player/lead singer, is in charge of practically all the details of the band: Musical development, band management, booking, charts, new material, advertising, media, accounting, etc. As a rule , everyone is ok with this setup but........

 

[Pbassmanca]

Sounds reasonable.
To complete the dysfunction, you should start a side project/new band with the drummer's girlfriend.

Funny enough, the drummer and his gf started a side project with the guitarist and percussionist about a year and a half ago. But it hasnt really gone anywhere. Everyone always knows the best way to do things and could totally do it better if they were in charge......

 

[sqlb3rn]

Counsel, Warn, Suspend, Terminate....

 

[David Sutkin]

Or human Norseman...

Or, see human horses
View attachment 1153917

Or Sea Norsemen

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

Or human Norseman...


Or Sea Norsemen

or

 

[NoiseNinja]

And yet, despite what a liability he is, you have so much success.

Someone needs to do the obligatory "Your position is in jeopardy" speech.

After that, if the consensus is that it's time to start shopping for drummers, then that's what you must do. You have a solid resume, a motivated talented drummer with a better work ethic would probably be very interested.

I agree with this 100%.

Even if it seems like OP have any justification to be unsatisfied with the drummers atitude and work aesthetics, someone needs to communicate it to him and the rest of the band, eventual find out if there is a more obvious reason to his behavior other than seemingly not giving a flying monkey about the band, and how this situation could possibly be solved, even if eventually the solution could be firing and replacing him.

Now I do not know how you run your band, and with you I mean the members of your band as a team, but to me a decent general adult behavior would dictate to address the problem by consulting all members of the band including the drummer about it and find out what has to be done.

 

[sedan_dad]

Update on him. We had a gig as the back up band for Derek St. Holmes (Lead sing and guitar player for Ted Nugent). We called the drummer out for his lack of practicing and got another drummer to do the gig. This hit our drummer like a ton of bricks. He definitely didn't see that coming. He's taken on a new attitude on practicing and it's showing. He realizes that we will replace him if he doesn't cut it. For now he's doing ok but he knows we're watching.