I only ever recorded as a band on a couple of occasions and at the time, because it was new and "cool" - "yeah man, the gigs are on hold, 'cos we're in the studio at the moment" -  sounded a good thing to say when someone asked what you were up to and part of me didn't want it to end, but taking off the rose tinted specs and looking back, there was an awful lot of just hanging around doing not much while the guitarist did take 67 of that solo he'd never played the same twice, so does it really matter FFS !!
 
So, if your new band mates experience of recording is kinda like that, then that might explain their reluctance. Personally speaking, I've been asked a couple of times to join bands in the years since, but it wasn't really practical as other commitments meant that I didn't really have a proper amount of time to give to it, so I declined. Now I have the time, but can't be bothered with the whole performing thing, so I'm just a recording guy now for my own interests. I've done a few on-line collabs as I like having the input/ideas of someone else too, but even then it's got to be someone who is on the same page as to what the aim of the project is.  I guess it depends what you really want out of it at the end of the day. I have no ideas about becoming famous, known even, or making money. Most of the people around me don't really get it, why do I do this and what is the point ?  I tell them, it's just something I do to the best of my ability for my own enjoyment and hopefully get better at over time, there is no plan. They look at me like WTF ???  That said, I don't really understand their fascinations with gardening or constantly fiddling with the house or whatever either, so I guess I can't blame them for not getting it.
 
 
 

paulo
Now I have the time, but can't be bothered with the whole performing thing, so I'm just a recording guy now for my own interests. I've done a few on-line collabs as I like having the input/ideas of someone else too, but even then it's got to be someone who is on the same page as to what the aim of the project is.  I guess it depends what you really want out of it at the end of the day. I have no ideas about becoming famous, known even, or making money. Most of the people around me don't really get it, why do I do this and what is the point ?  I tell them, it's just something I do to the best of my ability for my own enjoyment and hopefully get better at over time, there is no plan.
 

This, me too. ^^^

Hi, Chuck. Sorry, man. I should have read the content of your post but I've got a million things on the go so I'm bouncing all over the place. My answer was in response to the title.
 
If you guys have been gigging and rehearsing a lot get thee to the studio for sure. I don't know what it is about some musicians and sabotaging possible recordings but it seems like I've ALWAYS (aside from one of my earliest bands) had to drag my bandmates into the studio kicking and screaming. Even then I've had multiple recordings f*ck up at the last minute because people lost their minds and disappeared or did something so incredibly stupid we had no choice but to hoof them. Insecurity? Fear of success? Laziness? Insanity? I have no idea. I've always been the type who WANTS to get my stuff recorded and LOVE being in a studio cutting tracks.
 
I'd really press your guys to serious pre-production rehearsing if they are feeling their parts need some work and set a date to at least get your beds down. I kind of pissed off all of my bandmates one time by flipping out on one member who kept being all wishy washy about his parts and the recording I had been pushing for a year. I basically said get your sh*t together, practice your ass off every spare moment you have and quit being such an Eore or I'm gonna play your parts. He almost cried and the rest of guys were calling me all upset because I was so "mean" to him but you know what? He did it and his playing got a million times stronger. I booked the studio for a couple weeks later and I consider that album to be one of the most important things I've done to date. It was a group effort of course but if I hadn't have kicked their asses into gear and made all the necessary arrangements with the studio and a local label it never would have happened. As soon as it was released we went from just another droogie f*ck up band playing krust gigs to being asked to play EVERYWHERE and our shows were always packed with highly enthusiastic young lunatics.
 
Unfortunately the followup got sabotaged by multiple lineup changes, screwed up beds and general chaos. Now I'm taking what was actually put to tape and going to try to cobble something together from the useable stuff and build around it all on my own. It breaks my damned heart we didn't get that one in the bag when we had the chance. The reason? Our drummer was losing his mind and decided to quit. I made him PROMISE me that he would show up to do the beds with me and the engineer. All he had to do was show up, play the set a couple times and that was that. He swore up and down he would be there. The night comes and me and the engineer wait for 3 freaking hours before we packed it in. I never saw the drummer again and the band was never as tight as it was after that. F*ck!
 
The moral of the story? You never know what's gonna happen or when. Best to strike while the iron is hot otherwise you may end up kicking yourself years later like I am.
 
Good luck.

Spacey - I am not knocking cover bands bro!   I've been in a couple of them myself.   I guess what I mean is that at least for me covers always seemed to take less effort.  I learned the tracks, played them like a record...  It was more effortless and made more money than originals.  Yes doing a mixed format is good and keeps people interested but around here many of the original music bars don't want covers played at all (some won't pay BMI and only have local stuff in the jukebox to avoid the annual fees), and most places that host cover bands don't want originals played there....   They ole' "cover songs won't sell a record and an original song will never sell a beer" dilemma.  Taking the time to hone your own original works is both more time consuming, than learning a cover, and in my humble opinion... takes more guts to go jump on a stage an play your own stuff and face the potential rejection.
 
Paulo & Beep -  Ya know, I don't really know what their deal is but I am ready to take my football and go home.  I am not in this to gig endlessly and never have anything to show for it, no token to keep 10 after the band has dissipated.   Beep.... it's ok to be a d*ck sometimes to make things happen.  I fall into having to play that role a lot more often than I like in my life.   
 
 

ChuckC
 
  I am not in this to gig endlessly and never have anything to show for it, no token to keep 10 after the band has dissipated.     
 
 

 
Yeah, I hear ya there. My old band recordings all got stolen along with my regular music collection in a burglary and that was the worst bit about the whole episode - most of the bought stuff was/is easily replaceable, but the band stuff would have been totally worthless to anyone else and probably just chucked away somewhere once the burglar sat down and went through his haul and realised what he had there, so now I have nothing to show for any of that other than a few photos and a crappy video. There were some damn good songs amongst that, but now people have to take my word for it and you can almost hear them thinking.........ok, yeah, if you say so...........
 
I agree about the covers v original thing too. We occasionally slipped a cover in as part of an encore type thing, but other than that stuck to our own stuff which is much harder to get across to your typical bar crowd.

ChuckC
    Back in December the guys hesitantly agreed to do so in Jan. after the holidays.  It got pushed back as some gigs came up, same thing now in Feb.  They are saying march, and asked what was the rush?... they didn't/don't feel we were ready yet and that parts were not "locked down".  I ask who's parts aren't?

The first band I was in, we committed to a certain date by which we'd go get an agent, join the union and start looking for gigs. As that date approached, two of us felt it was time to take the plunge, the other three didn't. Ken, the other guy who wanted to get the ball rolling, forced the issue by contacting an agent and having him come over for a listen.
 
As it turned out, we were as tight as any brand new band can get without playing in front of people. The agent took us on and had us booked within a couple of weeks.
 
The point is: they're ready; they just don't realize it. The first thing I think they need to deal with is getting past that fear that grips everyone the first time they go into a new situation. If you guys had been recording every song at every practice (assuming you have access to a set-up that allows this), by now you'd have it all done because it would be old hat to everyone.

My 2 cents:
 
I've played in a number of bands, most of them really decent bands, gigging and making money. We were mostly cover bands and I tended to be the only songwriter in the groups. We played a few of the songs I wrote but that's as far as it went.
 
No one, in any of the bands I was in really took it seriously beyond the Friday & Saturday night gig at the honky-tonk, and pay me in cash on Saturday night.
 
I tried to talk about recording and maybe trying to write as a group and that was almost always met with the deer in the headlights stare, followed by an awkward period of silence, until someone broke the silence with..... "hey, lets go to the burger joint, I'm hungry" and that was the end of that conversation.
 
I see your situation as normal...based on what I have lived. Gigging and playing covers is like the one night stand that turns into a shack up situation. It's good and we're gonna stay here for a while and enjoy this thing...... whereas recording becomes the "ring and vows" part of the equation. It indicates a more serious commitment to the relationship in the band.... and some folks don't want that.  (am I reading too much into it?)
 
The last band I played in was exactly like that. Great guys and girls, we had a house gig for 2 1/2 years and were as tight musically and vocally as any band could want to be...... but when it came to recording...... oh no, "I need this money for other things".......( we were before the days of decent home studios)
 
I have no desire to gig now. So I write, and record and try to place my music......
 
Like I said, my 2 cents....
 
 
 
 

Guitarhacker
we were before the days of decent home studios)
 

 
I call BS Herb. I know I'm older or about the same age as you and there were many home studios around me in 1970.
You apparently just weren't around or knew of any.
Man in 1980 I helped turn a bass players double car garage into a wonderful 8-track studio.
 
The problem was what the hell did you do with a tape?  Back then if you didn't have contacts you were simply "unsolicited material" and dead in your tracks if you didn't have something very special and the "right" person heard you AND if you knew where to mail the tape. I've seen my share of that "unsolicited material" stamp. If you've been there then you know...they don't even open it!
 
Back then that tape was limited to the local radio station IF you were lucky enough to know the owner and DJ or your material was something you did for a local commercial or special event. Very limited use for final product so expense was hard for many to justify...because it wasn't cheap. Nothing like what can be done now, no doubt.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Guitarhacker
 
 
I've played in a number of bands, most of them really decent bands, gigging and making money. We were mostly cover bands and I tended to be the only songwriter in the groups. We played a few of the songs I wrote but that's as far as it went.
 
No one, in any of the bands I was in really took it seriously beyond the Friday & Saturday night gig at the honky-tonk, and pay me in cash on Saturday night.
 
I tried to talk about recording and maybe trying to write as a group and that was almost always met with the deer in the headlights stare, followed by an awkward period of silence, until someone broke the silence with..... "hey, lets go to the burger joint, I'm hungry" and that was the end of that conversation.
 
I see your situation as normal...based on what I have lived. Gigging and playing covers is like the one night stand that turns into a shack up situation. It's good and we're gonna stay here for a while and enjoy this thing...... whereas recording becomes the "ring and vows" part of the equation. It indicates a more serious commitment to the relationship in the band.... and some folks don't want that.  (am I reading too much into it?)
 

Well, yes...I can see why a covers band wouldn't be too interested in recording, but Chuck's band is doing all original material. Seems strange to me that they wouldn't want that material recorded.

Hi,
 
From a theater/film perspective, you have to make room for some fun, and not worry about recording, or anything, just playing it out and it doesn't matter what comes out. The result of this is that it creates some nice moments that you can play again, and have fun with.
 
I find it bizarre, how seriously one takes this, and then forgets how they can learn more and improve their own art. That's utterly bizarre, and weird and crazy! AND very stupid. It tells you that all you are doing is some rock'n'roll bullmerde and you don't mean crap, and your ability and talent isn't worth a nickel. QUIT NOW!
 
Recording, without having any idea what you are doing is stupid and expensive. But getting to that point has to be addressed. And in my days of directing there always was a bunch of exercises, or rehearsals, where you spent your time figuring out how to go around the table and deliver your lines properly, feeling wise, and making sure your movement makes sense and is smooth. Now, why the fudge do musicians think that they don't need to learn these things in order to figure out how to do things? However, do remember that there are schools out there (krautrock is famous for this) that never gave a cahoot about anything, and did it all live, and it is VERY WELL REMEMBERED, and most nickel adn dime players can't even consider what they did and how! But there is a level of trust and ability and communication that underlies this, that most bands are scared ****le$$ about!
 
But you have to make room for fun, and NOT EVER record it, or take a look at it (you might later, and this was what became "Tago Mago" by CAN). There is a part of this that needs to be let go, in order for you to gain the inner ability and freedom to fly smoother. It's one of the biggest secrets in acting! And if you think this doesn't work in music, it is because most musicians don't believe in a George Martin, or what I call a "director" to help frame things better and create communication, when there isn't any, and you guys are wasting energy in arguing!