Nu2Keys Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 The lead singer/frontman in our blues band may be taking another job soon which would require him to move to another state and be on call, which would require him to quit playing music. While I truly want the best for him, and this move would double his salary, I don't want the band to end, either, and it effectively would if he wasn't in it....we could add a member and keep going but it wouldn't be the same and we wouldn't get the same high profile gigs that he can get. My conundrum is that I don't know what to feel or think about this....I definitely have mixed feelings but I can't do anything about it, either......Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Backing tracks... Record him now, while he's still around. "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J. Dan Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Why is it that only he can get these gigs? In my experience, any band member is replaceable (even me), no matter what they may think. If you got an equally good front man, why couldn't you get the same gigs? Better yet, get a front woman and get even better gigs. Dan Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opdigits Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 If you're band is playing high profile gigs now, you can get them with a replacement singer. Ask your current singer to help you by giving you his contacts, and in helping to find his replacement while he is still here so the transition can be timely and smooth. If you love what you do you'll make it work. Nobody told me there'd be days like these... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baldwin Funster Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Learn to sing FunMachine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickd Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Sounds like your singer is happy to help with the transition, which is good. Could you get another singer in before he leaves, and do some gigs with both singers? Then you can hopefully carry on with repeat bookings, because at the point where he leaves your new singer has already proven themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nu2Keys Posted August 16, 2013 Author Share Posted August 16, 2013 It's kinda hard to explain but, because of our singer/frontman's high profile high visibility day gig, and his regional blues rep, too, a lot of the cooler festival type gigs would be gone without him. While I realize we could go on, and maybe even be a better overall band with a new member, and play bar and club gigs, we would be a totally different band and we would certainly lose most of the cool gigs. Think this way: Who would come to see BB King's band if BB King wasn't going to be there?....or The Fabulous Thunderbirds without Kim Wilson? It's that kind of thing (on a regional level). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffLearman Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Appreciate what you had; time to move on. You could find a new lead, or maybe do something completely different. Find an opportunity and make the most of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Loving Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 My conundrum is that I don't know what to feel or think about this....I definitely have mixed feelings but I can't do anything about it, either......Thoughts? If you can't do anything about it, don't worry about it. Let it play out, get another singer and keep close to the good gigs. Worrying will cost you too much serotonin. "Forget it, Jake. It's Chinatown." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richwhite9 Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Here you go. A new lucrative career. http://www.forbes.com/sites/zackomalleygreenburg/2013/08/14/electronic-cash-kings-2013-the-worlds-highest-paid-djs/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mate stubb Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 "Ain't no way to keep a band together. Bands come and go. You got to keep on playin', no matter with who." - Dell Paxton http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/47889587/Del+Paxton.jpg Moe --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opdigits Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 "Ain't no way to keep a band together. Bands come and go. You got to keep on playin', no matter with who." - Dell Paxton http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/47889587/Del+Paxton.jpg + 1,000,000! My thoughts exactly!!! Oh, and "watch your money, you'll be alright!" Nobody told me there'd be days like these... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProfD Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 It sounds like the lead/frontman is the draw on many levels. Follow the advice of getting all of his contacts information. Look for a replacement lead/front-person. Refer to "The Look" thread. Seriously, the show can go on contrary to what you think right now. PD "The greatest thing you'll ever learn, is just to love and be loved in return."--E. Ahbez "Nature Boy" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncledunc Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 I'd be looking for a female singer. It could take the band in a different direction, but it wouldn't necessarily close the door to the festival gigs. If she's good and has charisma you could keep that door open, assuming your departing singer would hand over his contact list. This might actually make it easier for you to get repeat bookings, since you would now be a new and better version of the old band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wmp Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Quitting music for double the money would drive me crazy. I've done that, and it drove me crazy. The front guy may have been your draw and a lot of your connections, but he couldn't deliver the goods without a good band. Since he's quitting music and leaving town, he should have no problem hooking you up with his contacts as best he can. You have something substantial to offer a singer. Be very picky. Singers need bands at least as much as bands need singers. Probably more. If your singer was also the band leader and the gig pimp, somebody has to step up and do that. It's my oft repeated assertion that in most cases all that matters is the front and the gig pimp. If you have that, you'll attract good players as needed. If you have the band and the gig pimp, you have a lot to offer singers. Be very picky. It'll be a different band with different people up front. Looking for somebody to do the exact same material and step in for this guy would be foolish. I'd diversify as much as possible. I might look for multiple singers and gig the same band as different acts under different names. You had a singer with a following, so look for the same. Be very picky. I'll agree that bands come and go and that you have to keep playing no matter what. But with whom matters. Be very picky. --wmp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phloid Posted August 16, 2013 Share Posted August 16, 2013 Sounds like your singer is happy to help with the transition.... How did you get that idea from the original post? The lead singer/frontman in our blues band may be taking another job soon which would require him to move to another state and be on call, which would require him to quit playing music. While I truly want the best for him, and this move would double his salary, I don't want the band to end, either, and it effectively would if he wasn't in it....we could add a member and keep going but it wouldn't be the same and we wouldn't get the same high profile gigs that he can get. My conundrum is that I don't know what to feel or think about this....I definitely have mixed feelings but I can't do anything about it, either......Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B3bluesman59 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 uncledunc said: I'd be looking for a female singer. It could take the band in a different direction _________________________________________________________________ "Make sure she has big tits". Those words of advice were given to me many years ago and have worked every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brettymike Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Make sure She's got a good Bubble Butt . Brett. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodyMary Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Hey, Dave Growl made it without Curt Cobain Seriously, I can feel your pain, as my current band depends as much on the lead singer. If he leaves, most gigs are gone. If you still got some gigs left, try to squeeze into the gig pimpong thing, try to get to know his buddies at festivals and all that. You're a band, not his project, right? Make it work! Stage: MOX6, V-machine, and Roland AX7 Rolls PM351 for IEMs. Home/recording: Roland FP4, a few guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nu2Keys Posted August 17, 2013 Author Share Posted August 17, 2013 Hey, Dave Growl made it without Curt Cobain Seriously, I can feel your pain, as my current band depends as much on the lead singer. If he leaves, most gigs are gone. If you still got some gigs left, try to squeeze into the gig pimpong thing, try to get to know his buddies at festivals and all that. You're a band, not his project, right? Make it work! Yes, Dave Grohl certainly has done quite well without Kurt Cobain, but in totally different bands. He was smart enough not to try to keep Nirvana going with a new front man. Our lead singer/frontman was not an original member of the band (there is only one original member left, and it isn't me) but, because of the notoriety of his day job, he became the defacto face and identity of the band. Every member of the band has had subs on gigs. It could actually be all subs and nobody in the audience would care, or probably even notice as long as he was there. If he gets this new job I see it being a totally different band, 'maybe' with the same name, maybe not, or even the band break up completely. All of the members of the band already play in other bands, anyway. The problem is that none of our other bands can get the cool high priority gigs that he can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HammondDave Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Break up the band... move on... '55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekewaka Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Regroup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana. Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 "Make sure she has big tits". Those words of advice were given to me many years ago and have worked every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yannis D Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Break up the band... move on... This Since the guy could possibly form another band with the same name -as you wrote- It's better for you to move on with another band and another name. Be grateful for what you've got - a Nord, a laptop and two hands Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phloid Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Dave Grohl certainly has done quite well without Kurt Cobain, but in totally different bands. He was smart enough not to try to keep Nirvana going with a new front man. Also, talented enough and confident enough with his talents to move onto other projects. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloodyMary Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 I brought up Nirvana as an example of a background guy who made it without the famous frontman, and without doubt being a Nirvana background guy helped get the Foo Fighters running. Stage: MOX6, V-machine, and Roland AX7 Rolls PM351 for IEMs. Home/recording: Roland FP4, a few guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tusker Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Ahh ... freedom! The freedom to move on ... to change things up ... to try something you could have never done in the old band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 My conundrum is that I don't know what to feel or think about this.... "Conundrum" usually is used to refer to a situation where you have a tough choice to make. Here, you have no choice to make, at least not one that you're describing to us. How you feel about it will be up to you. Some people's inclination would be to sit at a bar and stare into a glass of beer. Other people will think "every time a door closes, another one opens." What sort of person are you? What sort of person do you want to be? edit: ok, so I guess you do have a choice, but I still wouldn't call it a "conundrum." Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adan Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 Regroup. Ekkiwakka, where do you get this stuff? Gigging: Crumar Mojo 61, Hammond SKPro Home: Vintage Vibe 64 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phloid Posted August 18, 2013 Share Posted August 18, 2013 I brought up Nirvana as an example of a background guy who made it without the famous frontman, and without doubt being a Nirvana background guy helped get the Foo Fighters running. Sure but there has been more to Grohl's success than having occupied a background spot in a famous band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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