I've been thinking about Mudcatter INOBU's revamping his band Sorcha Dorcha, and it brings back many bittersweet memories.

On several occasions I've tried to put "the perfect" band together, but have always come up short. I'm curious about others' experiences.

I think my frustrations have often been the result of too much pickiness on my part or perhaps I just have unreal expectations. I think that GENERALLY a similar outlook politically is important, for example, I hired a fine fiddler, who could double on several other instruments, sing baritone harmony,....and had his own transportation(!!). After a while it became plain to me that in groups of people (and occasionally on stage) he could be very insensitive in the way he spoke about minorities, women, and in general, anyone who we'd class as "liberal". On a radio show, while talking about how he'd acquired his fiddle, he said he'd "Jewed" the previous owner down. After the show, I fired him. Needless to say, he didn't have a clue what he'd done wrong (in my eyes). I tried to find another fiddler with even SOME of his skills, but no dice. So the band folded. The other two folks in it, thought I was "over-reacting".

Punctuality on gigs has always been paramount with me. Is it too much to ask band members to arrive at the venue A MINIMUM of half an hour before show time? Well, apparently it IS too much to ask, 'cause I've had to practically beg quite a number of folks over the years to do it.

The funny thing about this is that I think I'm pretty damn easy to work for. Lotsa laughing, minimal rehearsals, no penny pinching, no problem with folks making mistakes, and everyone in the band gets featured a lot. Seems that my only "hot buttons" are "social skills and punctuality". Oh...and not to get stupid drunk while on the job (occasionally that's been a problem). Guess that's why I mostly play solo.

I know that many (most?) bands carry on for years virtually hating each other off stage, but I just can't bring myself to live with that kind of situation. Trying to re-form a band when an important musical cog leaves is BLOODY difficult. I think I can understand why Bill Monroe was SO hurt and angry when Flatt and Scruggs left him. In his heart he undoubtedly knew that he'd just lost THE band of his lifetime. He hired hundreds of players over the next 50 years, and had some good bands, but he never recreated THAT dynamic.

I'd love to know anyone's thoughts about forming and re-forming their bands.

Thanks.

Rick