If you look at a lot of successful bands, often some band members have known each other since childhood, or since highschool, etc. My experiences back in the day were like that: we were friends first, then became band members. We already knew about each other, what music we liked, how we played, etc.
Now, many years later (after a very long break) I have changed instruments and have a band where nobody knew each other beforehand. It kind of starts us at a disadvantage. We've had some communication breakdowns. We've been together 6 months and I'm certain each of us thought of quitting a few times.
Fortunately, we have worked through those times and are stronger together because of it. Trust needs to be built like any relationship. I suppose some people look at it differently, but WE all think a band is more than just showing up for rehearsals.
Remember, you may be committing to dudes (or dudettes) you'll need to be around for the next 20 years! You need to like them. :)
The other thing I did starting it up was have A Plan. This did not work at all. :o
As a new lead player, and very insecure about my skill in that area, I started the band and made it clear to each prospect that I was basically creating a platform to be a lead player. It was MY band. I figured if I had control, no one could fire me for sucking lol! 'These are the songs we're playing, this is my part, this is your part, this is how it's played', and all the band needed to do was do it. I was being kind of a dick and the bastards had their own opinions. :eek:
Long story short, I had to modify my expectations. (The hassle of finding replacements made this unavoidable.) This is not the band I planned, this is the band that grew! (Rainey Wat*ers in da house, thank yew, thank yew) I'm a pretty extreme Type A, and it was/is hard to let go of control, to be quite honest, but worth it. What we do is better than what I'd planned or probably any one of us had planned.
But we did eventually write down a plan. Kind of a 'mission statement' that we all had part in and agreed upon. Prior to that, we'd spent a lot of time debating and considering when to gig, what it should be, when and where to record, when to 'go public'. That stuff we wrote down. May seem like coorporate crap for the last flower child to write a mission statement, but suddenly we do not spend time on those discussions.
That's what's happening for me. Good luck with your efforts. Do not get discouraged. It can take weeks sometimes to find someone that you even want to call back a second time, but the right people are out there. ...Ha, there's a niche for you: an Online Band-Mating Service :D
...so ever since then, I always hang on to the buckle.
