How to Deal With a Band Member Who Isn't Pulling Their Weight
One person's lack of commitment can slowly become everyone's problem
9/8/20262 min read
Being in an unsigned band is supposed to be enjoyable, but it also requires commitment.
Rehearsals need attending. Songs need learning. Gigs need promoting. Equipment needs moving. Emails need answering. Someone has to organise everything that happens away from the stage.
Eventually, many bands encounter the same problem - one member simply isn't putting in the same effort as everyone else.
It usually starts small. They're regularly late to rehearsal. They haven't learnt the new song. Everyone else shares the gig announcement while they don't bother. Someone asks them to do something and three weeks later it still hasn't happened.
Individually, none of these things seems worth having an argument about. Over time, though, resentment starts building.
The worst thing you can do is ignore it.
Instead, have the conversation early and privately. Don't turn rehearsal into a courtroom with four band members confronting one person. Speak to them properly and find out what's happening.
There might be a genuine reason. Work has become difficult. Family commitments have changed. Money is tight. They might simply be struggling to give the band the time they once could.
Understanding the reason doesn't necessarily solve the problem, but it gives you somewhere sensible to start.
It's also important to be clear about expectations.
One person might see the band as a serious attempt to build a career while another sees it as something fun to do twice a month. Neither person is necessarily wrong - but those two attitudes are going to create problems if nobody talks about them.
Agree what being part of the band actually requires. How often will you rehearse? How many gigs are you aiming to play? Who handles bookings? Who runs social media? How much money is everyone expected to contribute?
Once those expectations are clear, it's much easier to recognise when somebody isn't meeting them.
You should also make sure the workload is genuinely fair. Sometimes the person accused of doing nothing is actually doing plenty - just less visible work. One member might spend hours contacting venues while another handles artwork, merchandise or finances.
Look at the whole picture before pointing fingers.
But there eventually comes a point where difficult decisions have to be made.
If you've talked about the problem, offered support, agreed expectations and nothing changes, you have to ask whether keeping that person in the band is fair on everyone else.
Replacing a band member can be uncomfortable, particularly when they're also a friend. But allowing resentment to grow can eventually destroy the entire band.
An unsigned band needs people pulling in roughly the same direction.
Everyone doesn't have to contribute exactly the same number of hours or perform identical jobs.
They do, however, need to share the commitment.
Because sometimes the biggest thing holding a band back isn't the music, the industry or a lack of opportunities.
It's the conversation everyone keeps avoiding.