Is the drummer always the last to know?

T

The Old Hyde

Guest
Does this happen to you guys at all? I just came accross a posting on my bands facebook page that I have a gig this saturday night. I honestly didn't know, and called up the bass player to confirm. He laughed at me, called me a stupid drummer etc., and filled me in on the next 5 dates and times. Are you guys ever out of the loop on your bands gigs?
 
jon e rotten said:
Sounds like a case of SDS - Stupid Drummer Syndrome. I've been struggling with it for years. You have my sympathy.
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haha it goes along with my BTD bad tempo drummer and my WMB where's my beer drummer.
 
i punished my band out of that behaviour years ago. if they don't keep me in the loop they know i might not come - if i have a free date i will book it for other things - dep gigs, lessons, seminars, work - all real or imaginary. my band knows that i have pencilled them in for every friday and saturday but if there is nothing booked or confirmed by about wednesday then they can't be 100% they will have me or have me on time. i don't do this all the time - just once or twice i made them sweat.
we keep a pretty tight website and facebook page these days - perhaps get your band to do the same.
j
 
I have a bit of an issue with bands who don't contact me directly with gig info, or give me a prescribed method (wheresthegig.com for example) to get that info. I resent having to learn about my schedule when the public or fans do. The exception is with Al, where we work from a secure online itinerary, and dates are posted as they're booked, well before the public is aware of them.

I manage a few of my bands' web sites, and am always amused when they ask me to post upcoming dates that they haven't cleared with me. I have to write back and ask who's playing, and there've been a few times they think it's me, but I'm already commited. That's what they get for not checking my availability!

Bermuda
 
Hey Old Hyde, are your cymbals numerous enough and angled enough that it blocks you out? Maybe at the practice space they did mention it but couldn't see you weren't paying attention because of it.
 
I did exactly what Nutha Jason does. This works well....especially considering the fact that a lot of musicians seem to be poor communicators. They may play well, and be good people, but sometimes that are not thorough at all.
The frustrating part is that in today's world of smartphones, email, IM, Facebook, etc....every member of a group should be "in the know". In my band, I am always the first to arrive at a gig, and normally one of the last to leave, so I guess that's why they assume I'm on top of everything. But this IS a common thread in many bands, at least in my experience.
 
Our bands are usually booked months or weeks ahead, especially the party and reception gigs. I don't ever recall being put into a situation such as that, we all have great respect for one another, so it's a joint decision to where and when we play.

Dennis
 
What you can do is make a gmail calender and share it with your band so they can see when you are working, when you have family plans, giving lessons, etc.

You can block off large amounts of time and don't have to show what it is, they will just see it greyed out. If they book a gig on your grey time, they will have to OK it with you or else drop the gig.

One of them will then probably get the idea to make a calendar for the band, and you can look at all your calendars superimposed to see where there are conflicts.
 
bvoom said:
What you can do is make a gmail calender and share it with your band so they can see when you are working, when you have family plans, giving lessons, etc.
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I eventually made a calendar like that myself, and bands still call when they see I'm busy! It's nice to be wanted I guess.

Bermuda
 
bvoom said:
What you can do is make a gmail calender and share it with your band so they can see when you are working, when you have family plans, giving lessons, etc.

You can block off large amounts of time and don't have to show what it is, they will just see it greyed out. If they book a gig on your grey time, they will have to OK it with you or else drop the gig.

One of them will then probably get the idea to make a calendar for the band, and you can look at all your calendars superimposed to see where there are conflicts.
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+1

I am highly dependent on the google calender and it's been the greatest thing for my scheduling. I've never been a planner by nature but this is the next best thing.
 
When I contacted the bass player he gave me the bookings we have from now till our St Pats day gig. They have a list but for whatever reason never passed it on to me. We have a facebook page as well as a group message that we talk on for practices and to call each other names and stuff. I was just happy I stumbled accross our gig for saturday, it would have sucked getting a 9pm call Saturday night saying where the hell are you!! Also, I would have missed out on free beer which I would have had trouble getting over, they still have one keg left of Sam Adams Octoberfest!!!

Bermuda, is it hard being in a touring act and getting the call? Im sure when Al come out with a schedule, all of you guys need to make it your top priority and not miss a single gig right? For instance does Al only tour every summer or something so there are no surprises?
 
My band is pretty good at communicating all band plans. There's only 3 of us, so that helps.

However, I got a call last week from another band needing me to fill in for a gig this past Saturday. My band was free so I agreed as long as they sent me a setlist to practice. Saturday rolled around and I hadn't heard from anyone, no setlist sent either. I assumed they cancelled and forgot to tell me.

Later Saturday night, I seen the band had posted that the show went well. I messaged the guy who called me initially, he finally told me their drummer was available after all. Kind of pissed me off to be left in the dark for so long, especially after I agreed to help them out.
 
NUTHA JASON said:
i punished my band out of that behaviour years ago. if they don't keep me in the loop they know i might not come - if i have a free date i will book it for other things - dep gigs, lessons, seminars, work - all real or imaginary. my band knows that i have pencilled them in for every friday and saturday but if there is nothing booked or confirmed by about wednesday then they can't be 100% they will have me or have me on time. i don't do this all the time - just once or twice i made them sweat.
we keep a pretty tight website and facebook page these days - perhaps get your band to do the same.
j
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Good policy. There is no reason any member of a band should be in the dark in this day and age.
 
I arrange all the bookings with both my bands and the rehearsals with one of the 2. I'm always the first to know!
 
I count this as "drummer is last to know".....

So last night my wife was "taking the gray out" of my hair and beard [she likes doing it - I like letting her]....and it turned out great, or so we thought.

So today she comes home early from work, sees me from across the room in new light, and apparently [actually NOT apparently], the dye was stronger in parts of my moustache, giving me a darker hue around the center area, resembling a ruthless 1940's dictator I would rather not mention by name.....from a distance....

Suffice it to say, the beard/moustache combo is now gone, as is any resemblance to said evil fascist dictator. Whew. Good thing my wife spotted it before I left the house today.

/threadjack
 
bermuda said:
or give me a prescribed method (wheresthegig.com for example) to get that info. I resent having to learn about my schedule when the public or fans do.
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I hate, hate, hate that!

The songwriter/guitarist in the band I recently left (the above being one reason out of many that had accumulated) would book whole batches of dates without telling the rest of us and then send us all a text telling us to check the website because new dates were up. It went horribly pear-shaped for him in May, I was booked to do some festivals in Belgium/Luxembourg for another artist and had just got it confirmed the day before the band got "the text"...needless to say I was in a double-booked situation and rather unfairly and unjustly I got it majorly in the neck, brought up at any juncuture thereon in order to make a point. All of this despite making him fully aware that I needed at least a months notice before a gig was booked.


Hyde, I'd use Nutha Jason's advice

Hope everyone is well,

Kev

p.s. to add insult to injury, I got the worst stomach cramp of my life right outside the Duke's palace in Luxembourg City and nearly threw up on a guard!
 
K.Howden, I am so tempted to go Nuthas route. Thankfully he supplied me with a list for the next four months but I really had to scramble for this one. My wife had a commitment and I was supposed to stay home with the kids but thanks to the magic of my Mom, I have have a sitter. Its not a big gig tomorrow, probably get 150. bucks and I drink for free all night(soda too) but I really like this band! I JUST WANT SOME DAMN RESPECT....i feel better now
 
Aww man, it's one thing to be shown that kind of discrespect when you're single etc, but when you have a kids...

Maybe you should have a chat with them and make them aware that it's not just you that it affects, but also your wife and children. I know it risks sounding like you're "playing a card" but I think it's something you have every right to bring up.

Hope you're well,

Kev
 
Well, I have an input to this at the moment as I've experienced this just recently.

Basically what happened is I'd been jamming with two other guys (3 times in total since last year) Not a regular thing.

Things had been going well, good chemistry between the band.

I'd been messaging the guitarist a few times on facebook and by text and no response. I'm left in the lurch.

Turns out now he's started a new band. A different type of band, acoustic guitar with violin and cajon, female vocalists.

It's not even that he's started this band. If he had told me honestly that he wanted to leave I'd be fine with that.

I just think it's very rude to not even let me know and leave me hanging round unsure of what's happening. Totally indecent.
 
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