Guide to getting and playing better gigs
Bands & Members
The Capitalist:
They'll play anything, anywhere, at anytime if the pay is right. Professional top-40 club bands or wedding bands fall into this category. These bands are normally quite stable due to the fact that everyone just wants to make money. Normally there is very little ego involved in this type of band structure. The musicians treat the band as a job and for the most part are very professional. The band is normally run by the person who sets up the gigs. This article will probably not help this type of band and if you are this type of band you can probably quit reading now.The Dictator:
This band is run by one person. Often these types of bands are named after the dictator (e.g. Bert Billings and the Bills). Dictator bands have members coming and going all the time, but the band goes on. The dictatorship often plays a lot of gigs due to the longevity of the group. As long as the dictator is going strong, so is the band. The advantage to this system is that things get done fast. The price to be paid here is usually in the final product, the music. With at least one band member ready to quit at any moment and players being replaced often, the group usually doesn't get very tight. The other problem is that the side players usually don't contribute much in the way of creativity because they don't feel like they have much invested in the band.The Socialist:
This band is set up to be for the good of everyone in the band. In more cases than not, it is run by just one or two members. The goal of this type of band is that everyone is a star or else no one is. The top, or lead members, of the band make all the decisions and the rest of the group usually goes along with it. With more than one leader, the band is more stable due to the fact that way out ideas don't get implemented. As long as the main members stay together the band will continue. These types of bands will suffer most in one instrument (e.g. "Why can't we ever hang on to a drummer?"). This problem is caused by the fact that Socialist bands usually need followers and not more leaders. A good example of this type of band would be Kiss.The Democracy:
Everyone has a say and everyone is important to the band. In a perfect world, all bands would be like this. However, in the real world this type of band is very difficult to keep together. Once you can get a band like this to stay together, it will probably be together for a long time. The main advantage of this type of band is the final product. With so many creative minds in action, a lot of good ideas get generated. Bands like Queen and the Who are perfect examples of this type of band.The Anarchists:
There is no leadership. Everyone is doing whatever they want. While these types of band can be fun to play in, they will never get very successful. Without direction, you just can't move ahead. Unless you're just playing for fun, run - do not walk away - from a band like this. This article is designed for people who want to get ahead and may not apply to this type of band.
Many musicians will claim that they want to play music full-time, but are not willing to treat the band as a job. Showing up late, not showing up at all, showing up drunk, and not knowing your parts are all behaviours that would get you fired from a regular job. Many musicians, however, act as if this should be considered normal behaviour. Musicians who display this type of unprofessional behaviour are also the ones most surprised when they get kicked out of the band.
A band is a business. You invest money (equipment, demo tapes, press packs, etc.), you advertise (calls to clubs, flyers, radio spots), you work hard on producing a product (the music), you perform market studies (what type of music will your target audience want to hear), and hopefully you collect revenues for your efforts. A band is a business, a strange business mind you, but a business nonetheless. Employees of this business (musicians, stage crew, managers, etc.) need to be held at least to the same standards that they would be if they worked at Burger King.
Showing up on time, with a clear head, and ready and able to work is not much to expect from someone who wants to get a million dollar contract with RCA Records. If you are a musician who treats the band like a second job, you should expect this from other members as well. If you do not treat your band this way, maybe its time to evaluate what you really want from music and your musical career.
In a dictatorship, or capitalist band, treating the band as a business is the only way it can be done. The other three types of bands would benefit greatly if all the members would behave in a business-like manner.
If it is made clear to all band members, in the beginning, that this business-like approach is to be used in this band, problems will diminish. Any musician who has been around a while knows the frustration of sitting around waiting for a player who is an hour late.
Tolerance and Communication:
This should go without saying, but a lack of tolerance and failure to properly communicate is a big problem in most bands. A successful band will be tolerant of members' needs and quirks, and make adjustments for them. The communication issue becomes important so that everyone in the band knows your needs and quirks, and you know theirs.See also: Band Tips and Advertise For Band Members