Need Advise.

[Dallastx]

I got out of one band and joined another. At the time I had a gravy position working until 4, 5 days a week. I recently got promoted to store manager. The store is broke and requires alot of my time. I have been working everyday for 3 weeks basically 6 to 7 everyday. I'm 52. By the time I get home I'm exhausted. Picked up my guitar once in the three weeks. Still learning the songs and the lead singer keeps adding these complex songs to learn. She doesn't understand that they take time to learn them. The band would be playing Saturday nights. This means I would wake up at 5 go to work, get off at 8 and play a show from 9 to 1 get home at 3. That means 23 hours.. I'm thinking I should bow out of the band until my work load gets lighter at work. I hate to let the band mates down, but I just don't think I can handle it right now... What do you think?

D

[Guest farnsbarns]

Been working like that for 3 years. It gets easier. What do you have to to on a Sunday and how much do you want it?

[Dallastx]

Been working like that for 3 years. It gets easier. What do you have to to on a Sunday and how much do you want it?

 

Will get 3 Sundays off a month.

[Dallastx]

OOPs! key board!!

[neilpanda]

Well, that doesnt sound like a very good band to be in. I say you should leave the band and focus on work.

its not worth it if you'll be THAT tired and they dont give you enough time to learn songs.

dont sweat it, its just not healthy for you do be doing so much of that stuff. If you want to keep it up,

thats up to you, if you want it, go and do it. good luck mate!

[Enmitygauged]

It gets easier but be careful you can burn out. Two weeks ago my schedule was 60 hrs of work including weekends then Thursday rehearsal 5 hrs Recording 2 hrs on Wednesday, Plus Rise Against concert on Friday night. Today is my first full day back at work after a week and a half off with the flu virus thing that bloody near killed me. But It gets easier.

[LarryUK]

I'm 52 too. I used to work silly hours. Not any more. You'll be in a box if you carry on doing what you're doing.

I hear all the time that companies make their staff work long hours. I'd look for another job.

You should be slowing down now not working your heart out. Does it pay well? Taking into account all the hours.

[Dallastx]

I'm 52 too. I used to work silly hours. Not any more. You'll be in a box if you carry on doing what you're doing.

I hear all the time that companies make their staff work long hours. I'd look for another job.

You should be slowing down now not working your heart out. Does it pay well? Taking into account all the hours.

My income doubled. I have nothing saved up for my retirement and if I can do these hours for a few months, my staff will be on the same page and the store will run normally without me. I will retire very comfortable in 10 years if I can get the store rockin.

[Jeff-7]

If you enjoy gigging with that group I would do both if I was in your shoes. Lose a little sleep for a few months, and hopefully when things settle down you can do both and get plenty of rest on top of that. I just think you'd be missing out if you dropped them now and then when you are more able to play again they might have filled your shoes already.

[damian]

If you aren't a fully professional musician, your day job should be your priority....Work the band and music

 

around your job.....Bands come and go, jobs don't........This is my opinion only.........

 

I've worked as a pro, and tried to juggle both, sometimes succesfully, often not..........

 

ie, you won't be able to do much band work if you can't support your self.......

[Kimbabig]

If you aren't a fully professional musician, your day job should be your priority....Work the band and music

 

around your job.....Bands come and go, jobs don't........This is my opinion only.........

 

I've worked as a pro, and tried to juggle both, sometimes succesfully, often not..........

 

ie, you won't be able to do much band work if you can't support your self.......

 

I thought the whole point of joining a band was so you could starve, Please excuse my inexperience in bands, but I always thought if you're not starving, then you're not doing it right.

 

Why do you think people starve fuzz pedals?

[retrosurfer1959]

Interesting question - I just had this conversation with a bass player that I was filling in for after a injury what I told him was that when your in a band to have fun well then when it's not fun it needs to be over. if it's not fun then do you make really good money playing if neither of those is the case you have a decision to make.

 

Ive been in quite a few bands over the years one thing I have always found to be 100% true. If your even thinking about quitting a band let alone discussing quitting the band with other you probably should quit because it's obviously not meeting some need you have from the band already or you would not even be thinking about quitting.

 

if this was a great band that you truly loved you wouldn't be thinking about quitting you would do anything to make that music work. Not hearing that so focus on the job that pays the bills and start a band you won't be willing to quit.

 

 

I'm also 52 years old and retired last year and am doing art full time now to make my retirement go much further in the future. I play in a band that's a blast and I love the music and the people so I would never willinly quit playing with them if it's even remotely possible. but were on a 90 downtime

 

Since I have a studio project I am working on with another band and two singers singer. Were cutting a album in the studio and getting them ready to go out on toucr so were getting songs fleshed out for a pop singer getting her ready to go on a tour in October. I hate the music they are having me play and I honestly don't even like the kids in the band but the paychecks are very good and Ill get residuals for all the road work as long as Im there to play three large venue shows this band sucks but plays well where my band is wonderful and so far we have a good night if we can cover the bar tab.

[stein]

I don't think it is a simple answer-there are a lot of variables that you haven't really revealed in two short paragraphs.

 

For one, if you aren't able to learn the songs and keep up with the rest of the band, then in a way you are already letting them down in a sense. But, I am sure you all have lives as well. How much they want YOU because you are you and how much they are willing to tolerate/accommodate is the big question here.

 

The other big question is how long you are going to do this long hours at your day job, and what is the reason behind it. If the reason is to train staff, then even with long hours you should be able to train someone long enough on a day-to-day basis to cover for you on particular days. But if it an understaffed thing, perhaps a matter of getting enough capital to hire? But here, don't know enough to understand what the company wants to get out of you and how able/willing the company is to deliver on any promises to you.

 

What I can figure is that 3 months is not that long. It may take that amount of time for the band to find another guitarist and get him up to speed. By that time, if they choose to stay with you, they will have learned the songs well enough and got to know you well enough they can quickly get you up to snuff.

 

Also, it seems your work situation could change quickly. I can't say from here with what I know, but if they are requiring you to work these hours, they may not be very stable. You may learn in the next weeks that what was planned is going to be a different plan. Perhaps more hours longer or maybe they go under.

 

I say for now just keep on keepin' on.

[zigzag]

Work to live, not live to work. I'd look for another day job. Give it all you've got while you're there and leave it when you're gone.

[Artie Owl]

If the pay is good and you're able to save money then keep the job. Especially these days when jobs aren't always a guarantee.

 

Unless you see you and the band being paid to play stadiums on big tours and you sell a lot of T-shirts there's no reason to throw away a good paying gig for a band that might or might not make it, or even stay together.

 

You can always play in a band full of retired guys and girls later!

[milod]

Back when I was a kid, maybe 28 or so, I was playing thurs-sat in a band from 9-2, working an average of 70-hour work weeks and training maybe 10-15 hours a week.

 

My girlfriend at the time told me I hadda quit the band or she was gone. I told good bye on grounds that such an ultimatum was a bad foundation for a relationship. Had she told me I hadda quit the band 'cuz it was too much physically for anybody to handle, heaven knows what may have happened.

 

Three weeks later I was outa the band when we ended a steady saloon gig and an easy "out."

 

That was the right decision at the time, I think.

 

Nowadays I only average the 60-80 hour work week. I'll admit I'd not mind swapping ages with some kid of 52. <grin>

 

m

[Versatile]

Most or all of the salient issues are covered by the aforesaid...pearls of wisdom

 

Lead singers/front men and women are a breed apart...particularly the 'non-players' who are often the best

 

It takes nerve and much confidence to head up a band....

 

Often there can be clashes of personality and strong desire for quick success...sometimes an overbearing attitude to song arrangements etc.

 

In my book, the big question is 'Do I like the set-list?'

 

To be carefully balanced with 'No 2-bit part-time band is worth losing one's health over'

 

V

 

[Thundergod]

I'm thinking I should bow out of the band until my work load gets lighter at work. I hate to let the band mates down, but I just don't think I can handle it right now... What do you think?

D

 

I think that's what you should do. Your "real" job is more important unless the band can satisfy that need (the income your job provides). If the band cant do that, put it on standby for now.

 

Best of luck.

[TommyK]

Boy, promoted to store manager of a foundering store?

 

Why did the previous manager leave?

 

Will the gigs pay you anything?

 

I have a sneaking suspicion you need to figure out if this store is salvageable. You may have a lot of free time in the near future, and you may need the gigging income, meager as it may be.

 

If the store is salvageable, you'd better hang up the guitar until you start making money. If this is a sizable chain store, you may just be filling a position until they decide how and when to liquidate. In my opinion, you need to concentrate on what will make you the most dough or has a future. You may need to hang up one or the other to look for better employment.

 

As a fellow Pentagenarian, I know that finding work is extra tough on us. Keeping those kind of hours was much easier when we were 20. Now? fugeddaboudit.

 

6-7 hours X 7 days = 45.5 hours a week? You ain't even scratched the surface. Management should expect to work 50+ hours per week, 5 days a week, minimum. Bringing a business back from the dead requires 110% effort. You may even have to spend a couple nights a week at the store.