#1688026 - 08/02/05 03:53 PM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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EddiePlaysBass
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 06/24/04
Posts: 2623
Loc: Belgium
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Originally posted by ATM:
Golden rule, David. Treat others as you would like to be treated.
ATM 
No seriously, that is true. And I guess that just about sums it up as well, so you killed my topic
I'm not about to fire anyone (might quit one of my two bands, but that's a whole story altogether) but I was interested to see how different people handle these sorts of things.
My dad got the boot from a few bands, and usually they didn't even have the guts to tell it to his face.
_________________________
http://www.myspace.com/thedapperdansAfter the various bands you've been in, and the headaches you've seen, you figure having TWO bands at once will be better? - Tom Capasso
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#1688027 - 08/02/05 05:29 PM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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forceman
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Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 5007
Loc: Metro-Detroit, Michigan
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Everybody does it differently, and it happens to everybody someday.
The trick is to not take it personally and never burn bridges.
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#1688028 - 08/02/05 05:41 PM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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Jeff Klopmeyer
10k Club
Registered: 10/13/00
Posts: 16818
Loc: Redondo Beach,CA,UNITED STATES
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Here are a few tips...
1. Why does a bandmate get fired?
First and foremost, the entire band should agree about the firing before it happens. You will cause exteme resentment and possibly the breakup of the band if one person, even if he considers himself the band's leader, takes it on himself to dump a member.
The most common reasons for a firing:
- Flakiness (not showing up for gigs/practices, especially without notifying other bands members first.
- Musical ineptitude, in which case you have to wonder why the person was hired in the first place.
- Being an a-hole. If the person just can't get along with the band and everyone else is miserable, it may not be worthwhile to keep him/her around, even if the person in question is musically talented.
2. Who does the firing?
It should be the person who brought the one being fired into the band. If the entre band brought the person in (via audition, etc.), the person closest to the firee should drop the bad news.
3. Present a unified front.
Often, the firee will want to know whose decision this is. It's much better for everyone if it's clear that this is a decision by all of the bandmates.
4. Do it face to face.
Sorry to put it this way, but if you can't tell a guy with honesty and compassion that he's not in the band, you are a pussy. Don't do it on the phone, or in a text message or email.
5. That having been said...
Don't fire the guy at a gig, or after he's lugged his gear to practice. Go have lunch with him, or a beer if you're so inclined. Don't put him on the spot in front of other people. And be honest about your reasons! if he needs to improve on his instrument, tell him in a nice way. if he needs to improve on his reliability, tell him. Your action may help that person become better for his next band.
Just some thoughts... i'd love to hear more input from everyone.
- Jeff
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#1688029 - 08/02/05 06:33 PM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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forceman
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Registered: 03/01/04
Posts: 5007
Loc: Metro-Detroit, Michigan
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Adding to Number 1...
Sometimes a musician resurfaces that the bandmembers (except you, of course) really want in their band.
Perhaps that person moved away, then moved back, or;
His other band dissolved and became available again, etc.
I was in such a situation once.
The band was upfront about the situation and it was cool.
Hurt a bit but Oh Well.. I got over it.
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#1688030 - 08/02/05 08:10 PM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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KHAN
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Registered: 05/08/00
Posts: 4028
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Just give him/her one of these.
CLONK 
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#1688033 - 08/02/05 09:49 PM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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prblack
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Registered: 01/15/04
Posts: 31
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I found out I was no longer a member of the band when I saw an ad in the local musician's classified looking for a new bass player and recognized the guitarist's phone number. And for some reason they had my email address in the ad. Needlees to say I was pissed. 
I thought that they should have least told me face to face. I would actually prefer that to email or a voicemail.
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#1688035 - 08/03/05 03:44 AM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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EddiePlaysBass
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Registered: 06/24/04
Posts: 2623
Loc: Belgium
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Originally posted by Jeff Klopmeyer:
3. Present a unified front.
Often, the firee will want to know whose decision this is. It's much better for everyone if it's clear that this is a decision by all of the bandmates.
He was good at country and all that stuff, but just could not cut it in the Deep Purple / Status Quo / Golden Earring department.
I mean, every other member of the band had to constantly tell him how to play certain parts. It came to a point where the bass player would automatically walk toward the drum seat as soon as they were going to try a new song.
So my dad told the rest of the band "we need to get rid of him, and get another drummer" ... Everyone in the band agreed, but none of them had the b*lls to tell him. My dad volunteered to "do the deed" ...
Spicey detail: the drummer rents a great rehearsal room, and that's where they rehearsed. Everything's there, drum kit, amps, PA, hell even a few guitars if you look around.
When the day came, my dad tried to tell the drummer, and all of a sudden everyone else started going "well, Idunno, he's good enough, maybe you're being too hard on him" ... Talk about a unified front !!!
My dad decided there and then to just walk away and never look back. Unfortunately, he failed: my band now rehearses there
_________________________
http://www.myspace.com/thedapperdansAfter the various bands you've been in, and the headaches you've seen, you figure having TWO bands at once will be better? - Tom Capasso
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#1688036 - 08/03/05 05:35 PM
Re: Firing a member from your band ...
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Jeff Klopmeyer
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Registered: 10/13/00
Posts: 16818
Loc: Redondo Beach,CA,UNITED STATES
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Originally posted by EddiePlaysBass:
When the day came, my dad tried to tell the drummer, and all of a sudden everyone else started going "well, Idunno, he's good enough, maybe you're being too hard on him" ... Talk about a unified front !!!
The former bass player in my band just wasn't cutting it. Nice guy, but just didn't have the talent to keep up with the rest of us. As you could imagine, a bass player with horrible timing was most bothersome to our drummer, and the drummer was CONSTANTLY complaining about the bassist.
So, we all agreed that we had no choice but to get rid of him and put someone else in the role. My singer, who had brought the bass player in, volunteered to be the one to give the bad news.
Seemingly two minutes later, the drummer came to me and said, "I can't believe he just fired him! That's really cold!", as if none of the conversations THAT HE'D BEEN A PART OF had ever happened.
Reality: you can't have it both ways.
- Jeff
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Moderator: Jeff Klopmeyer
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But since I started the twin thread about adding a member ... 
