Semi OT: A Second Wind

[Outkaster]

As many of you know 14 months ago I had a band that broke up and it was pretty devastating to me and a lot of the local scene.  We had a great following and a good standing in the regional music scene.  After  a lot of back in forth, advice, and building up our confidence I decided to revive the band.  Everyone else is back on board.  We had to come together because we felt the music and the band was larger than any one of us.  We also figured out that there is a huge need to have us back on the scene.  It’s been an interesting year because I was constantly asked about the band, once even when I was in a different city.  People, whose, advice I greatly respected, have told me to move on.  They said “singers come and go” They even said the logo was bigger than any one member. The other day Robert Lamm from Chicago was on Facebook being interviewed by Dan Rather.  He mentioned that the Chicago name was important than the individual members.  He said they have changed membership.  The way  things ended up last year it took me awhile to figure out where the problems were.  I realized the common denominator was the singer and her extreme dysfunctionality which even pitted members against each other.

 

The issue is we built the group around the singer and it has become a double-edge sword.  We want to find a singer that is as good and can work with the band (doesn’t everyone).  We are trying to figure out how exactly to get a singer.  .  One worry I have is that bands kind of exist in a space of time and have a shelf life. I ask myself a lot of questions like;  Can you reclaim a crowd again?  Will you be compared to your own past? , etc.  I kind of know the answers to these questions but am willing to take a risk.  We have 4 original members minus the drummer.  He is a friend of mine, and even though he was an original member the music was never in his wheelhouse.  The bass player has a new drummer he wants to try. The other 4 of us are solid to move on.   Right now we are subbing and doing gigs here and out of town with some people that are in the same genre.  We have realized we mean more to each other and have still managed to be in each other’s lives this past year.  Craigslist, flyers and networking are the only things I have done so far. I’d be interested to see if any of you have experienced  a “second wind” or “second coming” of any projects you were involved with.

 

[Delaware Dave]

29 minutes ago, Outkaster said:

As many of you know 14 months ago I had a band that broke up and it was pretty devastating to me and a lot of the local scene.  We had a great following and a good standing in the regional music scene.  After  a lot of back in forth, advice, and building up our confidence I decided to revive the band.  Everyone else is back on board.  We had to come together because we felt the music and the band was larger than any one of us.  We also figured out that there is a huge need to have us back on the scene.  It’s been an interesting year because I was constantly asked about the band, once even when I was in a different city.  People, whose, advice I greatly respected, have told me to move on.  They said “singers come and go” They even said the logo was bigger than any one member. The other day Robert Lamm from Chicago was on Facebook being interviewed by Dan Rather.  He mentioned that the Chicago name was important than the individual members.  He said they have changed membership.  The way  things ended up last year it took me awhile to figure out where the problems were.  I realized the common denominator was the singer and her extreme dysfunctionality which even pitted members against each other.

 

The issue is we built the group around the singer and it has become a double-edge sword.  We want to find a singer that is as good and can work with the band (doesn’t everyone).  We are trying to figure out how exactly to get a singer.  .  One worry I have is that bands kind of exist in a space of time and have a shelf life. I ask myself a lot of questions like;  Can you reclaim a crowd again?  Will you be compared to your own past? , etc.  I kind of know the answers to these questions but am willing to take a risk.  We have 4 original members minus the drummer.  He is a friend of mine, and even though he was an original member the music was never in his wheelhouse.  The bass player has a new drummer he wants to try. The other 4 of us are solid to move on.   Right now we are subbing and doing gigs here and out of town with some people that are in the same genre.  We have realized we mean more to each other and have still managed to be in each other’s lives this past year.  Craigslist, flyers and networking are the only things I have done so far. I’d be interested to see if any of you have experienced  a “second wind” or “second coming” of any projects you were involved with.

 

 

My band, Dyin Breed, had a three year hiatus due to rumblings from within.  We reformed in 2013 to do a one-time benefit concert for a friend of ours.  We then rekindled the band with the same 5 players but it was never the same for us the 2nd time around.  Eventually I had to kick out the bass player for being belligerent.  The drummer and bass player were best friends so inside a year the drummer bowed out (neither one of them has done anything substantial since).  With a new rhythm section the chemistry of the band was different and COVID broke the final straw.  I never fully revived the band since Covid; we all say that we will do large shows/venues only and I am offered that business frequently but excuses lead to 3 out of every 4 of those opportunities being turned down.  Eventually people stop calling/pursuing the band.  While it was a good run (20 years) for me it was time to shut it down and move on.

[Outkaster]

Right, the chemistry is different Dave, I get it would be.  My fiancé thinks I am playing with fire but I still want to try.  The other 4 players have proved we can work together well. 

[mate stubb]

I have had replacement singers work both ways - increased success and extended band lifespan, and train wreck leading down the drain.

 

You won't know until you try. If you're going to do it, strike while the iron is still hot.

[KuruPrionz]

I've been through all sorts of ups and downs and currently a great friend wants to fly me down to Fresno for a reunion of a band we were in 34 years ago. 

I'm down for it but not focused on repeating that which has been done. All of us continued to play, all of us are different people and different musicians. 

The breakup was amicable so a reunion should be as well. It would just be one gig for shits and giggles anyway. 

 

My best advice on finding a singer is to start going to all the local (and/or nearby) karaoke events. I've heard some fantastic singers (yes, some where fantastically BAD!!!!), including a kid who got up and nailed Bohemian Rhapsody one night and everyone was gobsmacked. Might as well check out the open mic nights too.

You truly never know what you might find. Worst case, somebody will be so awful that you will laugh for days. 

[Bill H.]

 

 

To those who aren't familiar with Noble Vibes, here's the kind of singer Jason is looking for. She starts doing her thing about 1:10.

My opinion - and I think I said this last year - you guys are super solid and have the bases covered without her. She's icing on the cake for sure - but not essential. The band - that's essential!

 

A similar thing happened to me back in Seattle 40 years ago. We lost some gigs, but gained others. There were comparisons made, but we just kept playing and didn't let it get to us. If the four of you are good to go, I'd suggest taking the leap. And who knows - if you are out there in public, your front may just come to you. 

 

You guys were awesome! Watching your videos, I wished I was there - and I don't say that very often. 

[Outkaster]

Thanks for the compliment. She was talented, but did/doesn't know it.  She could do more than this.  A lot of people are afraid of success and self-sabotage themselves. The chink in her armor was that unless something was kind of easy she had a hard time learning new music. People thought she was English Jamaican or wasn't from the states sometimes even.  That was a show when we opened for a dead band in 2017 that is in a local public market.  It wasn't the best gig looking back. We'd be using a different drummer now.  The bass player and the drummer didn't mesh well musically.