It’s easy to start a band but hard to finish one. The frustration of having to deal with several relationships intertwined into one piece of art is emotionally, spiritually and physically taxing. Egos get in the way. Ideas are set in stone. People fall in love. While the degree of dedication varies drastically, it can be argued that the most attractive part of being in a band is touring. The freedom, adventure and good times cannot be over-valued. This does not deny the satisfaction of writing, recording and performing music. It’s the crashing feeling of coming home from tour that ultimately breaks some band members. While some may be able to deal with the stresses of tour with ease, they can be turned bitter by the monotonous and often rigorous life that follows the days in between shows. Most bands break up because careers, bank accounts and pride get into the way.

Photo by Flickr User jar0d

Get An Education, Son

One critical mistake many young musicians make is not getting an education. It is critical in the years after high school to attain some sort of trade or certificate to ensure employment in the future. Thinking your band will take you where you need to go financially is a mistake. While there are numerous examples of youth “making it” in the music business, more often then not there are epic failures. Even those who sign record contracts can become burdened with debt and may actually lose money due to greasy record label executives and managers who siphon money from bands. While you are on tour you will not make money in the early stages. Merch sales can only go so far when you have rent, car payments, insurance and possibly student loans, health care and other costs to consider on top of your usual band tax. This can lead to what I like to call Post-Tour Stress Disorder.

PTSD can effect individuals on varying degrees but overall the feeling is the same. The responsibility of modern life comes crashing down like an atomic bomb after experiencing the good times. Quite often in order to tour, band members must take tedious jobs in unattractive fields that can afford to see their employees go away for months at a time. These may include but are not limited to working in a restaurant, hard labour or entry-level office positions. Setting your musical career back a few years and earning a certificate or trade in a field that you not only love, but will accommodate your touring lifestyle is essential to your personal well-being. Careers that are tour-friendly include education, emergency services or journalism. Getting a ticket for welding, pipe fitting or carpentry will put your skills in demand, especially in resource-dependent Alberta. Too often I have seen friends stuck at jobs they hate all because they never took the time to organize their career situation. They become entangled in a vicious cycle of touring and debt that chains them to their tedious work.  Being in a band is expensive, not only with band taxes but in time missed from work.

Create a Budget Before You Go

Securing your money situation before heading out on your first extensive tour (lasting at least two weeks, or one pay period) will allow you to enjoy tour and go without the stress of worrying where your next meal will come from. In the months leading up to tour, try putting at least some money away each paycheck into a savings account. Setting a personal budget while on tour will not only keep your spending in check but will provide you with an idea of how much money you will need before hitting the road. While I have seen individuals run on $5 a day, I recommend having at least $50 per day for personal spending money on tour. Eating out, replacing broken gear and even casual spending can quickly drain your bank account and put you into overdraft.

Communicate

Another common cause of PTSD is unreasonable expectations. As a band you need to sit down with every member (unless they are hired guns) and discuss what it is that each individual expects, demands and wants from the band. Do you want to tour 3, 6 or 10 months out of the year? Do you want to produce a record per year? Do you want this band to be a full-time job, or just a fun side project? Sometimes bands will be together for years, dealing with useless friction that could be avoided if these fundamental questions had been answered in the early stages of the band’s life cycle. Figuring out what everybody wants out of a given project will help your band be more organized, united and prevent post-tour stress disorder.

It’s easy to start a band but hard to finish one. I say this every time I see a band with unlimited potential break up before the true rewards of a band’s work come to fruition. While it’s true that every band eventually breaks up, quite often it’s due to outside pressure and not of the band’s wishes. Finishing on a strong note, such as Choke with their final Edmonton show or Have Heart’s last set ever in Boston, should be the goal of every band. It is better to burn out naturally then to fade away into obscurity before your music may blossom into what you had envisioned. Staying humble, organized and fiscally responsible will reap major rewards for not only yourself but your band and everything that it may stand for…