I’m just back from my month-long holiday in the UK, and I still have a bit of jetlag, but see I have not done a blog post for six weeks now. I’m so busy, but I’ve got to write something fast!
Now I’m back home, I’m again closely following the ups and downs of my friend Adam Green’s frustrating efforts to form a band once again. My heart goes out to him – It’s not easy getting a band together and keeping it moving forward, especially if all amateurs and other things take up their time and attention. It takes a lot of time, commitment and energy, which are always limited. I’m experiencing something similar with my efforts, but I seem to be getting more success, perhaps because I’m working as just a duo or trio.
Some musicians insist that bands should be run like a democracy where everyone gets a veto and every opinion must be equally accommodated. This makes things even more complicated for anyone trying to move things forward!
Sometimes it can feel like two steps forward, three steps back. Sometimes it actually is. A bass player decides he doesn’t have time and quits, a drummer gets sick, the vocalist goes on holiday, keys throws his teddy in the corner, the music studio is shut for a month, and so on.
No wonder that musical acts driven forward by a motivated, single personality often have most success – think Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Frank Zappa, Neil Young and Johnny Cash. When you see how Oasis suddenly blew apart with Noel and Liam Gallaghers’ spectacular punch up, having just two such competing, managing figures can have its dangers.
Bands are all about differing personalities working together as best they can in an atmosphere where their gifts, aspirations and opinions are respected. It’s not easy managing this at times, sometimes it’s impossible, but someone has to do it or the musos just carry on playing in their bedrooms, and nothing ever gets created or achieved. The prize, when it comes, is when you are on stage and you hear the applause (and hopefully some whistles etc too)!
So here’s hats off (again) for people like Adam Green! (Click here for my first blog post.) Keep on at it, Adam, and don’t give up and you’ll win through in the end!
Andy Tong Dee
One reply on “Hats off to Adam Green (again!)”
Great post, Andy. I was in touch with Adam, but it turns out our musical tastes diverged too much for comfort! But like you, I wish him all the best. If he ever makes it along to the Coconut jam, or similar, it’d be great to see him play. Keep up the good work 🙂