Before we get into band intervention or “band counseling” it’s important to give an overview of our philosophy about what a band is. We believe that a band is an unusually complex social group. Typical group therapy approaches can overlook the social, financial and creative complexity underlying the band’s interpersonal dynamic and resulting difficulties the band is facing.
A musical band is a complex creative commodity. It is a set of interpersonal relationships, an artistic endeavor, a brand and a musical product (including song compositions, masters, and performances). Bands operating at the level of mainstream pop-culture are first and foremost a commodity complicated by typically being identified as primarily a piece of art. In some cases, the identity of the individual musician within the band is the brand and a human product of sorts. Meaning, the musician’s identity is primarily what the audience seeks out as a product, and the vehicle in which the audience consumes the musician’s identity is via listening to music. Consumers introject the feeling elicited by the music; they identify with the feeling and storytelling of the music as relevant to their own lives. Through these associations they project personal meaning and a personal attachment to the identity of the musician and band. The result is the creation of the band’s identity product (or brand) that consumer’s long for.
At times, consumers seek out consumption of the identity of the artist, even despite the music. Huge pop stars are a widely recognized powerful musical identity brand. Much of the time, the rock or pop star’s identity precedes the music and they are sought out as a celebrity brand by consumers and industry professionals who want to be connected with the brand. These brands of personal identity effect how a band is perceived by consumers and how each member of the band is perceived and consumed in the mainstream cultural zeitgeist. These audience perceptions play into influencing the roles band members take on and covertly affects the cohesion of the band. This is in addition to the very human aspect of interpersonal relationships happening within the band. The depth of conflict and cohesion of a band is imbedded in the interpersonal sequence of transactions between band members and their implicit and explicit agreements with one another. Many, many factors are at play in affecting the relationships between members and the overall cohesion of the band.
External influences that affect band cohesion and stability (in no particular order):
Revenue
Publishing
Record label
Management
Other team or touring members
Other musicians/songwriters
Fans/Audience
Critics
Family
Friends
Music Business Law
Touring schedule and quality
Venues
Radio/Streaming/Listening outlets
On-line social movements and social politics
Unexpected and sudden emergencies
Internal influences that affect band cohesion and stability (in no particular order):
Band structure of roles and financial agreements
Sense of self of each member
Relational and communication style of each member
Musical skill of each member
Songwriting contribution of each member
Time commitment of each member
Emotional stability of each member
Perception of one another in the band
Financial status of each member
Individual health and wellness issues of each member
Romantic entanglements and connections
Changes and upheaval in bands are dependent on a sequence of transactional dynamics between the external influences and the interpersonal reactions among band members. The extent to which a band can sustain its cohesion is a subtle and often unspoken dance of all the external and internal elements. Band intervention and support is a nuanced art that takes into consideration communicating about all these areas and at times requires true clinical intervention when issues of substance abuse and emotional exhaustion are at play. The greatest hope a band has in overcoming these obstacles, and all the factors at play, is through communication.
The consultants at J & S Consulting collectively have three decades of experience with facilitating communication. The goal of J & S is to facilitate healthy, stable, cohesive bands and introduce the process of communication being the mainstay of the band’s wellbeing. Sometimes there’s a stigma in getting help or seeking out “band therapy,” but J & S consulting focuses on making the process relatable and easy-going. Successful bands ultimately learn to find respect for their unique hierarchical or equitable roles as band members, while finding a balance between personal and overall band needs. They learn to work through communicating about difficult creative and interpersonal conflicts. Bands that want to stay together learn that comittment to this process is the cornerstone of sustainable long-term success.
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