What Would John Doe Do? – Band Power Struggles

A Question from M.R.

Dear John,

I’ve been playing my own stuff for about 7 years and doing very well with it!  I moved about 2 years ago far away from my main stomping grounds and although I’ve toured all over the country, I happened to move to a large city that I’d never played in before, on TOP of having my first child.  So… I took a little break.  Trying to get back into it has been the hardest thing ever but I managed too get my foot back in the door in a brand new town.  I found myself with this band of people who were all amazing musicians with ‘connections’ out the wazoo.  We started out as Me & The Band (this is the way we billed ourselves, but I’m obviously not using the real names).  After about 4 shows that went wonderful, some of them with big named people, they decided to mutiny and basically ABSORB me into THEIR band… Long story short.. they are holding their connections over my head saying I’ll never make it in this town without them so I better play with them.  My role in the band now is to play/sing the songs that I’ve written on the side of the stage while they do some of their originals (instrumentals mostly).  They want me in the band because “everyone loves this band this way” but they won’t give me credit or any say even over the set list or stage plot…. I feel like a sell-out b/c they are holding the fact that I don’t know anyone (have even threatened to bad mouth me if i leave) and the fact that I have been out of it for a few years over my head.  But I know my music is better than that…… what would you do?

- M.R.

What Would John Doe Do?

Hey M.R.,
YIKES ! !  Unless you can use this kind of bad situation to write great songs, it seems like a real drag. There can be a positive sort of competitive edge & power struggle that exists in band dynamics but it doesn’t sound like that’s happening.  It also sounds like petty, small town politics and a type of musician that will never really achieve more than limited success. I would move on, enjoy yr kid & yr  life instead of hanging out w/ a bunch of selfish, frightened, dream crushers.
hope this helps & as always, thanks for writing.
yrs,
JD

If you have questions for John Doe about music, the music business or life feel free to email them to wwjdd@knowthemusicbiz.com.

For more information on John Doe check out theejohndoe.com or YepRoc.com .