I get the agent part of it; he has a commitment and he has to honor that. I can also understand the fear of a vocalist upping and leaving. But those don't exist in a vaccuum. What about the message to the other vocalist and the rest of the band? "Speak up and you're out!"?
I didn't really respond to this, but I think it's a little off base. John didn't can Lex, and he didn't can her because she spoke up. The problem (as he sees it) is that she
didn't speak up. He knew he was pushing everyone hard, because of the aforementioned logistical constraints, and asked if everyone was okay. No one said anything. He said at one of the December rehearsals that we was putting a new promo package together and letting Agent Dude know that we'll be ready come February, and asked if anyone could think of any reason why he shouldn't do that. Again, no one said anything.
Now, realistically, I understand that Lex didn't say anything because she didn't want to be the whiner, the new kid who can't handle the pressure of a big-time band blah blah blah. I told John that he needed to make sure the new singers were cool with it. I expected (and actually wanted) him to contact each of them separately, and let them know that he's aware, all that. I think it would've gone a long way towards them not feeling like they're just the new parts in a machine, but actual people with feelings he respects. I'm guessing he never did any of that, because he keeps saying that he asked if anyone had any objections and no one did. No one spoke up because there are seven of us and no one wants to be the whiner in front of the other six.
But after riding everyone hard that last practice, Lex finally lost it and left, then texted John saying she couldn't deal with it. John's response was to blast her, telling her he just spent $500 on promo packets after asking if he should and no one saying anything. He asked if everyone was okay and no one said anything. I still absolutely blame John for the fact that we're apparently moving forward, but with both eyes open for a new singer if one falls into our lap. Yeah, right. The result, as far as I'm concerned, is that everything feels tentative right now. I keep expecting someone to finally quit, really quit, and while I'd be disappointed, I wouldn't be surprised at all, and part of me would actually be relieved. Yeah, I love to play, and I'd rather play than not play, but doing all this work just to get to the fun is tough. I know, I'm repeating myself again.
So I put together the Facebook Events for the March, April, and May gigs, which are all confirmed. I'm gonna keep on keeping on, because it's what I do. Same as anything else; I'm gonna do my job, and try to help others do theirs, but I'm not gonna take on the weight of the world.
We have that supposedly confirmed gig in February, the timing of which is what caused all of this pressure to get so many new songs together, but there's still no contract. When I was putting together the Events, I double-checked with John that those three were confirmed, and John said February is also confirmed. He hadn't said anything to the band via email or text, which he usually does, so I was surprised (and also doubtful). I asked him to clarify, since he hadn't said anything before, and he said that Agent Dude would be sending a contract. We're supposed to open for (aka be the "special guests of") one of the top cover bands in the area. An hour set, easy enough for us, and gets us exposed to some new people. Yay. But the gig is not on their Facebook page, and it's not on the venue's page either. Two weeks later, it's still not. Katrina asked John last week if it was confirmed, in the band text thread, and John said Agent Dude was going to send a contract. I fucking hate that. It was a Yes or No question, and John's response did not answer it. Is it confirmed? Saying we'll supposedly be getting a contract is not a Yes. It's a "we think so, supposedly".
That was a week ago. Still no contract. Still nothing on the other band's site or the venue's, and still no word from John on it. John has finished his time in South America and sent some pictures of Antarctica the other day. I finally got some idea why he's doing this, and it's what I thought but weird that he wouldn't just come out and say it. It's on his bucket list. He wants to set foot on all seven continents, and Antarctica is number seven. That's cool and all, but wrecking the band over it is dumb. Priorities, man.
But... he is still connected. The County Fair contacted him, and they want us to open this year's fair. Opening night (a Wednesday), main stage, no other bands. All us. Fee will probably be $2000 or more, our biggest take yet. Everyone's in. So John's still wheeling and dealing, which is why the fact that we don't have a contract for the damned February gig is so frustrating, and honestly discouraging. It's a Friday night, us playing for an hour then the headliners playing the rest of the night. The other band
does have a gig the next night, Saturday, and they also have a "special guest" that night. A different venue. We've seen the special guests before; they played right after us at a big multi-band thing a few years ago. They're good. But what are the odds that the big-name band would have gigs two nights in a row? Maybe they're okay with it because both nights have opening acts so they don't have to play the whole night, but that's still playing, tearing down late, then playing the next night somewhere else. All gigs are one-night stands these days.
So we continue. If/when gigs are confirmed, I set up Events for them. We play. The band goes on. If/when something happens and the band does not go on, bummer, but that's life. I've been involved in this project for six years now, which is easily the longest I've ever been in a band. I've seen many come and go, and waited out multiple hiatuses as the band retools and/or finds new members. It has become almost a non-event when someone quits or is fired, which I find interesting. It should mean something. I'm not going to cry about it, but I feel kinda bad that I
don't feel bad about it, if that makes any sense.
But hey, County Fair, opening night, this July. That will be a hell of a gig, pretty much as big as a cover band gets these days. Incredibly, we continue to get better, and get better gigs. So I continue, and we continue.