Their drummer ruins that band. . .

[iammarky]

drummers ruin everything.

[sevesd93]

drummers ruin everything.

That is true, my wife always tells me I am the reason we can't have nice things.

[Ca$hdollar]

I would say a sh*tty singer would be a close second to "most likely to ruin band" because the singer is usually the vessel that communicates the message to the audience. "Singers" rule the music industry and its obvious that they generally get the most attention...and when they suck...that means the band they associate with sucks.

[St. Alfonzo]

read my signature... then read it again.

That's simply not true.

It's gonna be hard not smoking, though. I'll have to take up another hobby/horrible vice while I'm playing. Maybe macrame... Or heroin.


I'm an advocate of hating bands due to pompous, no talent singers. I'm referencing no one person or persons in particular, but these people can usually be seen wielding those horrible silver "Elvis" microphones. Pompous good singers are alright, but that's rarely the case. Especially around these parts.

[bassjones]

it's kind of a joke, but...

I've known drummers who needed a drink to calm them down pre-show and then their timing was spot on, otherwise they were rushing all night. I've known others who were great sober, but seemed to be unable to control their drinking and the more they drank, the worse their timing got.

[Krieves]

I played in a few bad bands back in school, mostly because we were all bad, untalented musicians.

But we had fun.

[flapjacks]

read my signature... then read it again.

hey Mr. Grammatically Correct

sholdn't it be alcohol and drummers are bad?

[Al Quandt]

it's kind of a joke, but...

I've known drummers who needed a drink to calm them down pre-show and then their timing was spot on, otherwise they were rushing all night. I've known others who were great sober, but seemed to be unable to control their drinking and the more they drank, the worse their timing got.

that is how I started, my bad habits on stage. I have only played 3 shows that I can think of completely sober. They were the worst shows I have ever played. I was rushing, but at the same time I became completely concerned with what everyone in the band was doing. Which made me not focus on my own playing. So despite the fact that I may die sooner, I prefer to always have a drink in my hand while performing.

[Oliver's Army]

So despite the fact that I may die sooner, I prefer to always have a drink in my hand while driving.

[deek]

I'd have to second the bad/lackluster singer...

In the context of ruining a band, though, I mean, I think any one member can do that, regardless of instrument. If you are loud enough to be heard, and you our out of tune or off rhythm, most people are going to recognize that and not like what they hear. Now maybe drummers are in the spotlight because they are often the loudest on stage?

But when I think about all things being average, I think the "average singer" hurts a band more than any other member, because as was mentioned, those are usually the frontmen or personality of a band. You take some mediocre music and put some great lyrics in and you have a great song. Take some great music and put some mediocre lyrics in and you have a mediocre song...at least that is my opinion.

[andrew spangler]

I am a terrible singer. but i can't find a singer around here that will listen,and there are verrry few singers my age. Someone has to step up and do it,even if it isnt really good sounding. its better than nothing,to me, at least. I find learning a song on guitar and not being able to sing along to it gets boring real quick.

[Krieves]

I can't listen to a band that has a bad cow bell player.

[deek]

I am a terrible singer. but i can't find a singer around here that will listen,and there are verrry few singers my age. Someone has to step up and do it,even if it isnt really good sounding. its better than nothing,to me, at least. I find learning a song on guitar and not being able to sing along to it gets boring real quick.

'
Better than nothing is debatable, IMO. If you truly are terrible, I'd rather not hear anything at all...

Now, I am thinking that by "terrible", you really just me in the realm of average (could be below or above), just not great. Which again, is fine, but I feel that eventually, having an average singer is going to break up a band, unless of course, everyone else is at about the same level. There are a lot of egos in a band dynamic, and when musicians start becoming "better" than one another, that fragile dynamic normally turns sour and people move on...

Krieves...all I got to say is, more cowbell!!!

[inkspot]

Now I am not going to say that only this or that is what can ruin a performance, but I will say that more often than not, the two members of a band that can really ruin a show from my perspective as a member of the audience would be the singer or the drummer. Granted, I also get annoyed with poor guitar playing as that is my instrument of choice, but drums and vocals tend to be the most common offenders from the local bands that I have seen.