Experienced U.S. musician, Mike Mosier, passes on the wisdom that only experience can bring…..
I've been playing music for over thirty-five years and consider myself very fortunate in my experiences with bands. During that time period, I have played off and on with five different groups, and although four of these groups eventually disbanded, I am happy to report that none of the breakups were the result of acrimony or dissension. Each time that a group that I played in broke up, it was because of life changes (members moved away, left for school, married and started a family, or decided to pursue other endeavors). My present group has been together for almost eight years now, after I came out of a self-imposed retirement, and we are showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, we completed our first studio project in 2000 and will begin another in the very near future. We are also playing about two times a week, and we each hold down full-time day jobs (well, almost all of us!).
I attribute this success and longevity to surrounding myself with good people. My musical career now spans parts of 5 decades (the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and now, the 00's). I think that the same rules that applied way back when still apply today.
The main consideration, surrounding yourself with good people, actually has several components. I will attempt to address them in the following comments.
1. Musical Compatibility--It's essential that the members of your band are compatible musically. For a band to be successful, the members must be in agreement on the general style of music that the band is going to play. This is not to say that the music can't be eclectic or diverse, but the members should be in harmony when it comes to the musical direction of the band--they should be "of one mind".
2. Personalities--If you form a band, you will be spending a lot of time with the other members. Make sure that your musical lineup have personalities that are compatible. I've seen a lot of good bands over the years blow up over conflicts that had nothing to do with music. I've also seen several uncompromising musicians who refused to listen to other views or ideas that came from fellow band members, leading to an eventual breakup.
Get musicians who are open-minded and can accept constructive criticism. Remember--these guys will be your musical "family", so make sure that the personalities mesh.
3. Goals--Be sure to have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve as a band. Do you want to be a party band or a bar band? Do you want to travel and play in diverse venues? Do you want to do cover tunes or write, record and produce original music? All of these options, as well as some I haven't mentioned, are fine, but your band should be in complete agreement as far as these goals are concerned.
4. Work Ethic--Being in a band involves much, much more than public performances. Recruit members who are willing to sacrifice their time for rehearsals, auditions, promotions, and gig-hunting. I want to stress that the non-glamorous side of the music business involves a lot of hard work, particularly for rehearsals to get your band tight, so make sure that your members are willing to make that commitment.
5. Roles--Make sure that the roles and musical responsibilities are carefully assigned among the band members. The old adage that "too many cooks spoil the broth" has a lot of truth in this regard. Only one person can sing lead at one time, and most bands don't require two guitar soloists. Just be certain that everyone knows what his job is; bruised egos and superegos can quickly lead to a band's demise.
6. Intangibles--These are the other things which I can't quite describe that need to be in place in your band. Get musicians who play well together to create that warmth or electricity that only an "in tune" bunch of guys can project. Your members should have "people appeal" so that audiences will immediately become excited about your band and its music. Appearance and confidence are also two factors that are essential to longevity in a band.
I'm sure that many of you will read this editorial and think of other things that I haven't mentioned. I've tried to list the things that I believe to be important in forming and maintaining a band. This formula has worked and is working for me, and I believe they are good general guidelines to follow.
Mike Mosier ain't your everyday Legal Eagle. A criminal lawyer by day, Mike's been playing guitar for 40 years (or as he prefers to say, since he was 13). He lives in the city that was home to Carl Perkins, and has been playing in the same band for the last seven years. Mike lists the Beatles, Jimmy Page, Brian May, Michael Schenker, Jimi Hendrix and Angus Young among his influences.
Mike's column was originally published on epinions.com, and has been used with permission.
