Why do I keep putting myself through this?

If you don't want to hear my depressed rantings, just move on.  I don't care.

So I see a post for a show from a band that I got canned from.  Of course, I click on it...you know that immediate "Huh,those guys are playing and I'll probably never step on stage again" feeling.  Yeah, that.

 I'm stupid.  Excuse me while I find a bus to jump in front of.

rocket88:

I'll probably never step on stage again

???

Are you a drummer?  Or maybe a bass player?  If so, I guaran-got-dam-tee you can get into another project within days.

If you are or if you aren't... look at it this way: Your options are finally open. 

At least you're not 500 measley dollars away from releasing an EP for a band who can't keep their members long enough to schedule a CD release party.  Missing a show or three is one thing... being inches away from a life-long goal when the bottom falls out is another.

I'll announce it.  Second Class is looking for a bass player AND a drummer.  And yes, the EP is done.  No, we don't have the money to duplicate it.  Yes it will probably be another 4-6 months before its released.  Yes, I realize most people have lost interest in said release already.  Yes, it's quite possible it will never see the light of day.

And no, this does not mean I'll never play on a stage again.

The end. 

Hey! You don't need no steeenkin' drummer and bass players!

Have you ever considered throwing a couple of you lovely accoustic songs in there to make that EP, an LP?

Just curious.

<-----rarely buys EPs.

Good luck guys. You'll find new band mates eventually I'm sure.

Jason Why not putting your EP on Itunes via Tunecore.com at least you would get some money from downloads in the mean time.....(hopefully)

I wish I were a drummer or a bass player!  Unfortunately, I'm a guitar player...there's only 70,000 of us in town (not counting the suburbs).

 The Crime Novels have a record in the can, too.  Full Length!  No money to manufacture, and no drummer anymore.  I think even Octo's lost all interest in the Crime Novels...

Rationally, I don't think it's really over.  I just have a tendency to get really depressed.  Even Zoloft can only do so much.

rocket88:

I"Huh,those guys are playing and I'll probably never step on stage again" feeling. 

I know this feeling extremely well. Every band I've been in except for one moves on to bigger and better things post-me, so that's always a nice reminder of my failures. 

Look at it this way, Lance... you are a stepping stone and/or a prerequisite to greatness. 

Why do you keep getting canned? Are you not showing up for practice, banging other members girlfriends, or smoking so much weed, you forget your in a band? Whats going on?

Step 1: Start metal band

Step 2: Only play this song

Folkerts:

Are you a drummer?  Or maybe a bass player?  If so, I guaran-got-dam-tee you can get into another project within days.

I guess I just suck. 

 Honestly, Josh, I've seen you play in at least 2 projects over the past few years and I've never doubted your ability.  Plus, you've got that mean mad-cow stage presence that always lends to the rock.

That said, I'm still waiting for that "Josh joins Emmett Brown" post.  WHY HAS THIS NOT HAPPENNED YET!?!?!?!!?!?  Emmett Brown does the indie rock really well, Josh does the indie rock really well.  Emmett Brown likes beer, Josh likes the occasional drink.  Emmett Brown likes large, ear-splitting amplifiers, Josh has a rig that will short out the neighborhood.

Ya'll are FOOLS.  FOOLS I tell ya.

So... Toughline, meet Josh.  Josh, Toughline.  Both of you can thank me later.

 Start up a Counting Crows tribute band.  That's the answer to all of life's problems.

Folkerts:

Are you a drummer?  Or maybe a bass player?  If so, I guaran-got-dam-tee you can get into another project within days.

If you are or if you aren't... look at it this way: Your options are finally open. 

At least you're not 500 measley dollars away from releasing an EP for a band who can't keep their members long enough to schedule a CD release party.  Missing a show or three is one thing... being inches away from a life-long goal when the bottom falls out is another.

I'll announce it.  Second Class is looking for a bass player AND a drummer.  And yes, the EP is done.  No, we don't have the money to duplicate it.  Yes it will probably be another 4-6 months before its released.  Yes, I realize most people have lost interest in said release already.  Yes, it's quite possible it will never see the light of day.

And no, this does not mean I'll never play on a stage again.

The end. 

Sorry to hear that Folkerts. 

erick rahzor:

Why do you keep getting canned?

This seems like a reasonable question.  Nobody's gonna address it, huh?

Because musicians are unstable people!  At least I am...

rocket88:

Because musicians are unstable people!  At least I am...

Does that mean you show up to practice drunk and unable to play?  Does it mean you start sobbing out of the blue and accuse everyone of "hating you"?  Does it mean you forget to take your meds and go on random shooting sprees?

What level of instability are we talking about?

Well, it's more that self-destructive tendency, and it's those doing the firing also.  I think there's a tendency to think that if you just get rid of one problem, your band will become immediately better, or that when things aren't going well it's a good idea to just torpedo the whole thing. 

On my end, it's just that sometimes I don't really want to peel myself away from home or deal with stressful situations.  This last time I had bandmates that wanted to start practice at 7:00 sharp to the point that at 7:05 I was getting calls on my cell phone.  It took awhile before they realized that I work until 6:30, and just wanted to stop at home for 15 minutes to change my clothes and grab a little something to eat.  Eventually they got it, but it still hung over my head that I was delaying practice, and it was stressful.  That stress, coupled with depression caused me to lose enthusiasm for the project.

Folkerts, I'm just giving you a hard time.

Rocket, I've been in almost that same situation, and it sucks.  I want to be very respectful of other peoples' time, but all you could do is be up front with them and say "look, 7 doesn't work.  I can commit to being here at 7:15 every time, and if I'm earlier, I'm earlier."  If they were still hassling you after that, or even copping an attitude, then you shoulda killed them in the face.

That said... I was in a band where 3 of us were consistently waiting around for practice, recording, load up for shows, etc, etc, because one of our bandmates was "having supper", had to do something, yada yada yada.  It was always about "him" (yes, he was our frontman... and still a friend and a good guy).

 We would shift official start times by 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, to accommodate and expect him to make it.

 He'd consistently be 15+ minutes late.  Sometimes 30-45.

 Don't be that guy.

mikko:

That said... I was in a band where 3 of us were consistently waiting around for practice, recording, load up for shows, etc, etc, because one of our bandmates was "having supper", had to do something, yada yada yada.  It was always about "him" (yes, he was our frontman... and still a friend and a good guy).

 We would shift official start times by 15 minutes, 30 minutes, an hour, to accommodate and expect him to make it.

 He'd consistently be 15+ minutes late.  Sometimes 30-45.

 Don't be that guy.

Agreed 300%.  It might be the tendency for bands to fire one person and expect everything to get better.  But if you fire THAT guy...it DOES get better.  Lots better.  Like a million times better.  I've been in bands with THAT guy and fired his ass.  It was like a self-absorbed storm cloud blew away.  Everything improved.  Our attitude, our level of committment, our songwriting, our practices.

The problem with those types is they refuse to see the pattern of lameness.  They think they're just random, unrelated events that "could happen to anybody".   Dude, you have to understand.  I just HAD to do this thing and that's why I'm late....again.  Then, they complain that their bandmates are too demanding.