Band meetings

[Doctor X]

(27-02-2009 11:11 AM)dead-letter-chorus Wrote:  What sort of band "meetings" do you have, and how useful have you found them to be? i'm talking about times that you get together other than actual rehearsal/practice time, to discuss and make plans etc.

In most ways i'm happy with my band - l really like them all as people, and feel proud of the music that we have written/created. however i do feel a sense of frustration with the fact that things progress very slowly, a lot of talk and not much action (and it usually seems to be me who is pushing things along and nagging the others to do things ... BTW i'm not the main songwriter or frontperson).

we're having a band meeting next week. Any hints to keep things on track or will being too formal and business like just ruin the experience for everyone?

(FWIW we are an original band, we all have day jobs, partners etc in our lives, and its not likely to make us any money in the near term; however like most people with creative aspirations, if we are going to bother gigging, recording, etc i want to find and reach an audience rather than just jamming in the garage for our own amusement.)

Cheers, B

We have pretty much the same agenda with respect to what we expect to achieve, so...

Assuming no one has deep-seated psychological issues.. (can't say my band doesn't but hey, therapy is expensive..):

1. Honesty
2. Respect & love
3. Some kind of agenda - so you don't miss stuff you meant to say
4. Some kind of minutes - who will do what, etc

Nothing too formal, but just so things don't JUST get talked about, that someone does something.

Always try to spread the load. Give people a chance to do stuff, even if you "know" you could do better. Gives people more "ownership" of the band. Make sure no one does nothing!

Our drummer is organising our first gig of the year in this way. Yay! so glad it's not me doing it again!

We email the minutes to everyone after, just so we all know what was said.

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(03-03-2009 07:37 AM)MrDuck Wrote:  I tell the rest of the band what we're going to do, when I need to.

Sometimes I'll ask their opinion, usually I'll disregard it.

But it is good to discuss things reasonably regularly, helps keep motivation levels up.

Seig Heil!

[Thatguykalem]

(03-03-2009 07:37 AM)MrDuck Wrote:  I tell the rest of the band what we're going to do, when I need to.

Sometimes I'll ask their opinion, usually I'll disregard it.

But it is good to discuss things reasonably regularly, helps keep motivation levels up.

Are you a singer, or a guitarist?

=P

[kemanjohn]

Hmm, this sounds interesting and different than what I mean, though probably for reasons related to the end. I am more talking about the complete lack of communication of any kind, as all the band are distant husband.

[cliffkelly]

We all seem to be driving in the same direction. Things will be slow again for a while because our singer go abroad for a bit in April / May, but it was planned anyway, and after his return, we now have dates for registration rough new demo and things.

[Beat Poet]

The bands I've been in have had meetings, with the aim of ironing things out, but they never worked out that way. It's more comfortable sitting round a table and far easier to discuss stuff outside a noisy rehearsal room, but any decisions or promises that are made always seem to be a bit empty.