This is how a band dies near its end....

[Bigskybassguy]

We used to be arguably the best cover band in our city, with awards and followers and packed gig sked.

We got older, much louder, stopped learning new material; one's now a busy daddy, new female singer who doesn't practice to improve, drummer is confident we're the Apex group; and other personnel issues. Bass guy (me) is fighting cancer with some memory/hearing loss, and have offered to bail, but they won't hear of it, because I started it.

Our last gig, I did a simple video/audio recording from back near the sound board. Wow. We now suck in a lazy, arrogant, unrehearsed, uninterested, sloppy fashion. Same old set list. Big pauses between songs. Dumb comments. Little audience interaction. Old people being loud.

No point in making them hear that audio, because they'll find some technical rationalization

And that, youngsters, is how a once good band dies a pathetic death.

 

[shawshank72]

May it rest in peace.
Hope it was worth the ride.

 

[dreamadream99]

Bands/musicians are not like fine wine.
We don't get older we get worse.

Unless you're Pavarotti. He seemed to get better.

 

[Bigskybassguy]

Sorry for the double post, I don't know how to dump one of them.

 

[punchdrunk]

Post the damn tape!!!

 

[Bigskybassguy]

Post the damn tape!!!

Not for a hundred bucks! Not how I want to be remembered.

 

[Renaissance]

A band I was in spiraled under because the others wouldn't learn new material. Crazy! You have to keep updating.

Hope your treatment goes very well. I have a lot of family who are survivors!! Prayers for ya.

 

[Bigskybassguy]

Thanks. Maybe I'll live long enough to become respectable on the bass again

 

[RoadRanger]

 

[vulturedog]

Wow sure sounds like it's time to put it to rest! But first, Did you play the tape for the rest of the band? If so what did they say? After a listening to a live train wreck I'd be like "if we don't improve or learn new material I'm out!"

 

[Old Blastard]

Gotta keep stretching or you get stiff. Try again after you clear out that cancer. That's the first goal.

 

[EVL HULK]

Thanks. Maybe I'll live long enough to become respectable on the bass again

Stay positive bud. With todays medicine cancer is alot more of a mental battle than a physical battle. Know alot of survivors. You can do it man, then you can breath some fresh air on your band and get it jamming

 

[Joedog]

First, best of luck w/your cancer battle. I can imagine that must lower your BS tolerance considerably! Nothing lasts forever, especially most bands. I'd at least have a talk w/them. Tell them your feelings, and that you are at the end of your rope. It things don't change, it sounds like you need to walk? Only you can make the decision. Either way, keep us up to date. Be strong!

 

[Oddly]

I am so sorry to hear of your fight with cancer and wish you every success in overcoming that.
The band thing?
Obviously sad but it sounds like you guys had a good run, far better than most.
I'd cherish the memories of the good times, get myself well again, then consider a fresh start...
maybe involving Balkan Folk Music, or one of those dangerous sounding sub-divisions of Metal, or Korean Girl Pop.

 

[andruca]

Plain cover bands (I mean, not the ones destroying songs their own way) tend to die that way. I mean, there's a ceiling when doing "correct" covers. Also not renewing your setlist can only make it worse.

It's time to go if it's not fun anymore (moreso if you think you're becoming a cartoon of what you once were).

Sorry to hear of your health's struggles. I'm an atheist so I won't pray, but still wish you all possible good from the bottom of my heart man.

 

[TomLawrence]

Old people being loud.

Time to start a new band that does inspire you. You already have a fantastic name picked out. Good luck man.

Tom

 

[bassbully]

Just sounds like everybody is worn out. The same ol' same ol' for so long just starts to sound like S#**. Even some the national bands sound bad doing songs they did for years.

 

[loveandbass]

post up some vids

 

[Bigskybassguy]

(moreso if you think you're becoming a cartoon of what you once were).

This is such an excellent way to put this. I've gotta use this with my guys... like the gnarly old movie star who refuses to acknowledge how stale she's gotten.

Thanks for the encouragement, people, but I'm hoping that my ongoing survival will be an encouragement to others; what I have isn't curable, but, wow, the immunotherapy advances they're trying on me has given me another few years, whereas I should have been dead last year! So everyone be encouraged, and please remember that the research is paying off for all of you!

 

[Bigskybassguy]

post up some vids

I've only got some vids of when we were respectable, with our previous (and really good) singer, so it's dated.

You can Youtube "Zen Classic Rock" "Staker" if you care.

(Maybe i should do a video of our upcoming gig, and create a side-by-side Rockumentary of the Death of a Band.)