Hi everyone, hope you've all been well! I could really use some insight on this topic because i'm not much of a ' label owner '... (sorry for the long read)

So i've been working with a vocalist for a few years now (i've recorded & produced numerous of his songs) but slowly his work ethic has decreased over the years, and it's sad because he has much talent, his music was starting to bubble, and he his a friend.

We never really had a written contract, but the deal was that we'd work together until we both got big enough to support ourselves off music, like a band would do.

Today I told him that I would be focusing more on my own production because he never pitches up to recording dates anymore (we both work during the week and he seems to enjoy doing whatever he does on weekends)

In a normal situation I wouldn't feel bad but he comes from a disadvantaged family, so i've always tried hard to motivate him to record but things just aren't working..

this leaves me thinking if I did enough, or he just doesn't want this as badly as I do?

Any perspective would be appreciated, because my one side obviously isn't enough to understand this situation.

Peace

 

It takes two to tango.

You threw the opportunity out there, but it was up to the vocalist to take it or not. No hard feelings either way... because it would actually be tyranny if you had the powers to MAKE him take the opportunities he doesn't himself wanna take at the moment.

Doesn't matter if it's "for his own good", it's still tyranny. It's a simple life principle "don't tell other men what to do", and it'll take you a long way if you take it to heart.

 

From what i have learned in life is, dont just blindly trust people with business related stuff unless its family.
Even family can screw you over.
Business is business.
I have been left down by people i really trusted.In the end people have their motives and we all know what ego can do to
relationships, business or personal.

 

Business really is business, and this is why you probably should agreed upon the relevant stuff from the beginning, so you both had a "contract" to follow and if one just don't wanna fit into it anymore than both just part ways without any bitterness or weird feelings.
Years ago I agreed to get in a band from a friend from school, he was a really cool and crazy big asian dude, I was going to play bass, but I knew from the beginning that it was kinda just for fun, none was going to be too invested into it. We didn't even had a drummer, his younger bro was learning how to play drums but he was playing for just 3 months and didn't gave much of a fuck, so we knew we wouldn't have him as a drummer, at least for a while.
We rehearsed at my friend's house, all the other people lived next to him. There was this 14 year old girl which played guitar (most of us had like 16 or 17), my friend also played guitar, I played bass and this tall "latin" (for a lack of better words to describe, he was a bit dark skinned and had long black hair) was our singer. My friend was eager to introduce him to me, he was his best friend, and quite a figure.
He was pretty paranoid we would leave the band, and wanted to control pretty much everything. I had to take my bass and amp to my friend's house, which was not exactly near mine, and I depended on my dad to drive me there, so it was a bit of a drag for me already. Also I would show up early and half the people would be still sleeping, but I was already used to that kind of stuff with my friend (for the record, he was a great friend and changed the person that I am for the better, but I need to point this out for the sake of the story).
We rehearsed a couple of times, we played mostly covers, we would agree on learning a couple of songs but in general people would know only half of them. We also were starting to compose some stuff, it was pretty cool how I would come up with a riff and everyone would have ideas.
One weekend I couldn't make it because I had to go see my gramma with my parents.
The next week I was there the girl wasn't coming anymore. Apparently the "rehearsal" I wasn't there they were watching LotR and singer tried to kiss little girl, and she told him to fuck off. Also our younger drummer wasn't getting any better, and it seemed like we weren't getting anything done. For Christ sake, I had to carry that shitty dirty bag with my chinese cheap bass and my amp in a bus to get there, and they were watching anime while I was bored looking at the ceiling.
I told them I wasn't going to come anymore. That there was no point, and that if they needed a bass player for anything before they could find another I would be there for them, but the singer was a bit mad at me for leaving. He tried to get me to go to his house so we would make music together and stuff, but I didn't.
Why am I telling this story? Because the killed himself, with a gun, like one year after.
Do I feel like I should spent more time with him? Probably.
Death is a fucked up thing. If you miss the person you'll always feel guilty, even if it doesn't make any sense. I barely knew him. I saw him like one or two times, outside the rehearsals.
Do I regret leaving the band? Absolutely not.
It was going nowhere.

So my advice it's just to keep the business and logical part of things as it is. If you try to blend all this friendship thing with your work relationship thing are going to get fucked up. If he need money, he should get a job, or he should work harder with you. If he needs your help and you can help him financially great, but don't try to pressure him into doing something he doesn't feel like.
It doesn't really matters if it's fair, it's life and it's rough anyways, just try to not overcomplicate things for no reason.
Best luck to you.

 

Last edited: Nov 20, 2016

pretty common situation, not fun though.

you said nothing of his reaction, what did he say?

and how is your position really, did you want to develop the project further?
or did you want to go another direction anyways and found the moment so to speak?

 

Last edited: Nov 20, 2016

Trust should not be given but earned.

 

He doesn't seem to respond to text messages on weekends but in the week he will be so eager to get new music out. So far he hasn't said anything which I can understand if he feels bitter about the situation, but that is proof enough to know that things would've crashed regardless, communication is key.

Thanks for the input everyone