Does this sound like a lack of professionalism?

Going slightly off piste, part of the problem of many such topics is the breadth of types of musician who are on Drummerworld.
If this was an electrician’s or joiner’s or brick laying forum then the membership would be probably 100% or close to it of professional tradesmen. They might not all hold same opinions but they would all be doing it to pay their bills. So a topic about building a house and being expected to do the work for free/exposure simply wouldn’t get posted.
On musician’s forums there are everyone from the established professional musician to the person picking up the sticks for the first time, and there’s a blurring of the lines as people transition from one category to another, and a further blurring when people FROM one category interact with people from another, and even more when people expect the behaviour of a certain category but aren’t actually in that category themselves!!! Add in that whole artistic temperament thing and statements about “doing it for the love of the music” and “it shouldn’t be about the money”, plus the enthuastic amateur attitude (which we all were once) who is simply happy to play and sees money as a bit vulgar (until a few months or years down the line when they learn that they’re being taken advantage of), plus the longstanding musicians who hold the opinion that money is not important to what they do and the other longstanding musicians who believe that money does have an importance to what they do and those clashes of culture are bound to cause problems.
To write off this lady’s musical career before it’s even started is totally unfair, BUT statistically the chances are that a persons career as an original artist won’t get anywhere. That being the case I would enjoy the journey because that train will probably never reach its destination. At the moment that journey isn’t sounding like a lot of fun, have a discussion and to continue the metaphor you all agree on the terms of staying aboard or he gets off at the next stop.
 
Woolwich said:
..On musician’s forums there are everyone from the established professional musician to the person picking up the sticks for the first time, and there’s a blurring of the lines as people transition from one category to another, and a further blurring when people FROM one category interact with people from another, and even more when people expect the behaviour of a certain category but aren’t actually in that category themselves!!!..
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Those are some very wise words..

The only problem is that people who are not in 'that category' themselves, will never look at themselves as not being in 'that category' themselves..

Thats why my theory has always been, that the more 'musicians' feel the need to use a lot of words/quotes/examples/etc to express their 'wisdom', the less they are actually able to play..
 
MrTheOne said:
Ok, I'll try to keep this short:
My girlfriend recently fired the rest of her band (for being jerks and all around hard to work with even though it's HER name on the bill). She hired me on drums and my friend and the guitar player in MY band as the replacement. I didn't necessarily take it as we are the new full time official band, just more like temporary fill ins until she can get personnel that'll be available to tour and commit to the gig (I'd have trouble doing it because I'm scared to leave my 9-5, which I mentioned in another post).

Anyway, guitar player seems to be hemming and hawing about rehearsal times. We've cancelled obligations in order to accommodate him and his schedule, which she was irritated about, but let slide at the time.

Well, tonight a rehearsal was called to prepare for an important gig, the Winter Blues Fest in Iowa. One issue with him is the promoters got free hotel rooms for that gig, but instead of staying with us and sharing a room, he wanted to get a separate room for him and his gal, which I was bothered a bit by just as a "courtesy" issue, but she see's it as an unwillingness on his part to adjust to a touring lifestyle.

Then, well called a rehearsal tonight, which hey, if your'e into and excited about the gig you should want to practice and prepare as much as possible right? Well, he asked that we do another day this week that's convenient for HIM so that he can attend a local blues jam (the bar is shutting that jam down so he really really wanted to attend the last one, even though he's been a couple times this month already.

So my question is, does this indicate a lack of professional attitude on this gig? I mean, the person who is employing him is calling for a rehearsal and his response is to ask his EMPLOYER to accommodate HIM so that he can go to a jam sesh and cozy up to his heroes. I've gone to some lengths to defend the guy, but even my patience is running out now. If we didn't have an important gig coming up, that would be one thing. But I feel his priorities are not where they should be.
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I have a simple rule: priority and who comes first.

I would take this as rude, and probably unprofessional.
If I have a gig and have a rehearsal, I don't care what other cool stuff there is around unless I need to be dragged to a hospital, I will attend.
There are a couple of times that I don't go to a rehearsal, but I won't play, so as long as it was planned well in advance, it's not a big deal. I would not be missing an important part of "preparing for a gig".
As I'm personally strict with responsibility and stuff, I expect the same from my team members. I wouldn't tolerate a member not caring about such things.
 
veecharlie said:
I have a simple rule: priority and who comes first.

I would take this as rude, and probably unprofessional.
If I have a gig and have a rehearsal, I don't care what other cool stuff there is around unless I need to be dragged to a hospital, I will attend.
There are a couple of times that I don't go to a rehearsal, but I won't play, so as long as it was planned well in advance, it's not a big deal. I would not be missing an important part of "preparing for a gig".
As I'm personally strict with responsibility and stuff, I expect the same from my team members. I wouldn't tolerate a member not caring about such things.
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The problem here though is also the ambiguity of the language.”Tonight a rehearsal was called”, does that mean that on the morning (or the afternoon) a rehearsal was arranged for that night? If so then it’s unreasinable to criticise someone for not being able to attend, it’s too short notice. If the meaning was that a week ago a rehearsal was called for “tonight” and the guitarist said he was already busy then again I think it’s unreasonable to criticise, the guy has a life of his own irrespective of how much he’s getting paid, and we don’t know from the posts what he even is getting paid, and he said he couldn’t do it it’s not like he said he would then didn’t show up.
If the guy is on a retainer and is constantly the only one throwing up obstacles then fair enough, unprofessional. If, as it looks, he’s filling a role until the lady gets her full time band in place (at which point he would be dropped like a hot brick) and not being paid then in my opinion he’s got every right to put himself, his commitments and his girlfriend first.
 
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