Joining a band pt. 2

Ever since I first touched a drum set, I've dreamed of being part of a band. Honestly, when I was in high school, I assumed joining a band would be easy as pie, and there were times that I was pretty sure I wouldn't even need to have a career plan because everything would be alright - I was going to be a rock star.

Of course, I was stupid. Joining a band - much less being in a popular band - is not an easy task. All of those dreams I had of touring, making money, reaching the pinnacle of success, they were all unrealistic. There are literally thousands of bands out there, and how many reach stardom? Very few. But for some reason, that never crossed my mind. I was convinced that as soon as I got to college I would join a band and we were going straight to the top.

Here I am in my junior year of college, and all I have to show for it is five shows - six with our final one this Friday - with Bananarchy. Don't get me wrong, Bananarchy has been fun; it's just not that serious, not a band that I'm proud to tell everyone I'm part of. It was just a fun project. Putting together a real, serious band is very difficult, which I've discovered these last three years. That's because you have to find other musicians who are serious and committed to the band, not to mention have talent.

I've known some people in college who are incredibly talented and who are serious about putting together a band. I've had a couple of 'close-calls,' bands that almost actually happened. But you have to have all of the puzzle pieces, you have to have a group of people with the same determination, who are willing to set time aside for the band. And for me the puzzle pieces have never come together.

Until now. Being the drummer for The Jarts is cool because I'm coming into a band that is already established; the other band members have already committed themselves fully. The band is practically their lives. And with The Jarts I'm thrown into a band that already has credibility and popularity - we are the band that I always wanted.

But one part of being in a band is different than I thought - recording. When I was younger I always envisioned recording records as the greatest job ever. The thought of chilling in the studio for the day doing nothing but playing the instrument you love would seem to be the perfect life - especially because you're making a record that is going to make you money. Right?

Well recording has proven to be quite different than I thought. Don't get me wrong, it is fun and exciting. But it is a business, and one that people take very seriously.

I've been in the studio a couple of times recording auxillary percussion for our new album with Chris Pyle. It's simple stuff, like tambourine, shaker, a little snare drum and ride. But doggone it if it doesn't take hours to complete. The microphones have to be set up perfectly, the instrument has to have the perfect sound, and you have to nail the rhythm. Sure, you can re-record and fix things you've messed up, but there is a lot of pressure to get it right. And whoever is recording you - like Chris - probably wants it to be perfect and is particular on what perfect sounds like. Like Chris.

After spending a couple of hours in the studio doing nothing but playing the same parts over and over again, you become stressed. You're tired. You want to go home.

Just like work.

And to top it all off, it costs a lot of money to do this. I'm not sure how much, but these things usually cost in the thousands of dollars. And to tell you the truth we probably won't make a lot of money off of it. We'll sell a lot, sure, but unless we get out of Athens and go national, we won't make a ton of money.

These are the sides of being in a band I could never have expected. It is a business. It's not all easy.

But it is fun. It is a thrill, and a true joy to experience. This is art; we are pouring ourselves into making music. It is such a pleasure just to be able to use our passions and skills, to create something, especially because people will someday appreciate it. And I don't care how much time, effort, or money is lost on this project; no matter the cost, it will all be worth it. Because some day I'll be able to tell my children, "I created this."

Sound familiar?