# My Thoughts On Being In A Band
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-thoughts-on-being-in-a-band/570991
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [February 11, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-thoughts-on-being-in-a-band/570991 "2011-02-11T04:44:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-thoughts-on-being-in-a-band/570991/1 "2011-02-11T04:44:07Z")
First of all, I _miss_ those years, and I remember every one of the guys and girl (there was only one lady and she was the lead singer in a R&B group I drummed in) I played with.
Musicians, see if you agree (or disagree), but being in a band is a lot different from being a co-worker in a normal 9-5 job.
In a band, you’re way more dependent on each other, because for 3 or more minutes, you’re playing music which requires _total participation_ for that amount of time, and if one of you isn’t “getting it”, then the whole thing is for shit.
This makes for a “closeness” which you just won’t find in any other endeavor except maybe in the military where your life actually depends on what the other guy is able to do to protect you and themselves.
Long story short, the numerous bands I have played in have made me a better person, because I knew I was being depended upon over and over for a whole 3-4 hours onstage.
I really miss those days.
Thanks
Q
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### Author:  [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2011, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-thoughts-on-being-in-a-band/570991/2 "2011-02-11T05:25:19Z")
Disagree on the closeness thing being unique to musicians. You get similar levels of joint effort in acting or team sports, for example.
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### Author:  [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)
#### Post date: [February 11, 2011, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-thoughts-on-being-in-a-band/570991/3 "2011-02-11T14:18:13Z")
You’re right, of course, **Oakie**. Team sports were never anything I was good at, favoring things like fencing (in college) and track, so maybe I can be forgiven that sports would not jump quickly into my mind.
Acting?
Yeah, did some of that too (Community Theatre), and I agree there as well, although during one Agatha Christie murder mystery I caught myself having to feed his lines to one of my fellow actors who tended to tipple a bit too much. I knew what his lines were, so I’d ask questions to jog his memory. The guy was also one of my English profs at West Georgia, which made it especially awkward.
I couldn’t do that these days, of course, although I don’t think I’ve lost my drumming abilities.
But I do have to stay with musicians being that close to one another, simply because it is what I know best, and not only onstage - one also learns what a fellow musician is like offstage as well.
Thanks
Q