Throughout history there have been numerous examples of family bands: bands that are composed entirely of family members. You will find that there have been bands composed of a husband, wife, and children. You will find that there have been bands composed exclusively of a husband and wife couple.
You will find that there have been bands composed entirely of a group of siblings. And there have been hybrid bands as well, where some of the band members were related whereas other band members are not. When the passion for music, and the talent and aptitude to perform music, run through the blood of an entire family, then you will find that the collaborative synergy of a family unit can make for an extremely successful formula for a band.
Famous Family Bands
There have been hundreds, if not thousands, of family bands over the ages. Just to name a few from contemporary times, in the past few decades, include the Jonas Brothers, The Beach Boys, the Jackson Five, Sonny and Cher, and many others, there being far too many more to name here in the space allotted. These are just a few examples of the band family bands that have achieved the pinnacle of stardom and success in the music industry, capitalizing upon their family bonds in order to make a name for them and sell their family identity as a commercial, household brand name.
So just what does it mean to be in a family band?
What type of impact does being a member of an entire family that has dedicated its livelihood to performing music, as a singular unit, in front of a live audience? Each family member is dedicated to a common cause that serves the greater good of the entire family. Rather than pursuing their own individual ambitions, each family member is committed to working together to make their brand a success, with all of the scrutiny and the blurring of the lines between personal and professional family ties that come with the territory.
So what are the pros and cons of being a member of a family band?
Let’s take a look at some of the pros first:
- Being a member of a family band can bring the family together.
- You are all working together on a common cause.
- You each have a passion and a talent for music that you can share with one another.
- You get to spend all of your time together rather than being apart.
- Your strong family ties and intimate relationship to one another makes it easier to work together as a cohesive team.
- There is no need to “audition” for the band. You don’t need to worry about being “fired” from the band. By virtue of the fact that you are a family member, you become an integral part of the band’s identity and core composition.
Now let’s take a look at some of the cons of being a member of a family band:
- By being a member of a family band, you may feel that you are giving up a certain degree of your individuality and personal freedom. Rather than being free to choose your own career path, you may feel compelled and obligated to participate in the family band, out of fear of evoking the disappointment and scorn of your family members. This is similar to what anyone who is part of a family that owns a “family owned” business goes through
- You have to deal with the whole issue of trying to keep from mixing business with pleasure. This can be very difficult in a family situation, since your private and your professional life consist of the same people. You can never “get away” from the concerns of your family’s vocation, because it is part and parcel of what makes your family tick.
- Your private life falls under greater scrutiny, as your social interactions within your own family are fair game and fodder for media reporters.
- The success and failure of your band’s livelihood depends on the collective efforts of the whole family. You are putting all of your eggs in one basket.
Mixing Business and Pleasure
Having enumerated each of the pros and the cons above, the question then arises: Let’s say that you do end up being part of a family band. How do you avoid mixing business with pleasure? How do you manage to preserve some sense of individuality? How do you safeguard your own privacy? Is that even possible to do considering the circumstances? Well, the fact of the matter is that if you have these concerns, it is extremely important that you sit down with the rest of your family members and have some frank and open discussions about your concerns. Let them know how you feel. Let them know what boundaries you need your family to respect. You as a family will need to come up with some ground rules on how to operate in such a way so as to respect each other’s space, each other’s rights, and each other’s ideas.
Conflicts and Resolution
Then comes the question: What if a family member wants out of the band? This can be a particularly thorny issue to deal with. You want to be loved and accepted by your family. You want to be there for your family. But being a member of a band with your family members is just not something you want to pursue. Making the decision to quit a family band can be a difficult one. It can be a bitter pill for your other family members to follow. But your family needs to respect your decision. It won’t necessarily be pleasant and easy. But your family at least needs to be civil about it.
Conflict resolution skills are a must when it comes to being a member of a family band. Family members will inevitably get into fights, quibbles, and quarrels with one another from time to time. But what if your band has a rehearsal or a performance that day, but one or more family members are not exactly on amicable terms with one another over some dispute? There’s the old showbiz saying: “The show must go on”. And so it must. Conflict resolution is something your family will need to work on, and if it means sitting down and setting some ground rules on how to resolve family disputes, then that is what must be done.
Being a member of a family band can be an extremely rewarding experience, as long as you and the rest of your family members are able to respect one another’s differences in opinion, one another’s boundaries, and are able to handle conflicts in a decisive and respective manner. Being a family band requires teamwork.
Tina is a freelance writer who writes on different topics such as music, entertainment and lifestyle. She holds bachelor’s degree in electronics. Her famous articles includes article on Female singer wanted. She loves to travel and make new friends.
