9 April 2012
Being friends with someone is one thing, being in a band with them is another. I found myself in a very fragile situation around two months ago. The bassist in my band happened to be a good friend of mine, but I could not stand him during practice sessions. He was essentially a beginner bassist; I had no problems with this. What bothered me was that he became fixated on his equipment. He spent over a grand on a new 5 string bass, a massive amp that would tear eardrums and a bass head. Now, this really pissed me off. I spent years developing my ear and skills as a drummer, and I was still left with my half-decent, budget-value equipment. It was not only this, though. He developed an arrogance; he was a beginner, yet he acted like a master. He had all this information about the specifications of his amp, the physics of sound - yet, no knowledge or understanding of how to play bass correctly. It got to the point where he would challenge me during practice, proclaiming that I was off time when, really, I wasn't.
Needless to say, we broke up a few weeks ago. Too much big egos for my liking. Right now I'm with a fantastic group of musicians, playing jazz, soul and funk. Couldn't be happier!
Egos And Bands • Opuss № I