Owner: Ride's over at Coney Island amusement park (AP)
AP - When reports circulated over the weekend of a last-minute deal to keep Coney Island's historic Astroland amusement park open for another year, owner Carol Hill Albert was not amused.
You've got to keep it clean when you are in a band.
It may not be the easiest subject to broach but if you are going to be stuck in the back of a van with people for considerable amounts of time, personal hygiene is going to become a major issue for any band. It may not always be easy to grab a shower when you're on the road but if the smell starts to get too much, it can make life unbearable when you are living in a small confined space. I completely understand since I recently traveled for 30 days with two other people and a dog.
If it is just one person who has the problem, there is a strong need to inform them of the situation but to do it politely. Depending on their sense of humor, it may be possible to make a joke out of it or at least bring the matter up in a funny way. If they get the hint from a few jokes or perhaps having some soap lying about then great but if not, it may need a bit more direct action. Its never nice being told that you smell but the person may be unaware of the situation and pointing it out to them may be of great benefit to them too. It may just be a simple matter of washing clothes properly and again this can be troublesome on the road but it has to be done.
When people join bands, small issues like this are never at the forefront of their mind but it is the day to day things that really form or break the relationship of the act. Think about how much time is spent in close proximity to other people in the band and whether it is rehearsing, traveling or playing on stage, you will spend a lot of time with your fellow band mates. The best way to look at these issues is to think what you would like to be told if you were the person with the questionable body odor. It is not a nice subject to talk about but you would rather know so you can get it fixed and your band mate(s) are probably the same. Once its out in the open, things will start to improve and make it easier to be in the same room as everyone else.
Pamela Doyle is a Kick Butt Performer's Personal Development Coach.
Read her blogs on http://www.coachpamela.wordpress.com
Coach Pamela assists groups and individuals with developing priorities, balancing band life with day jobs, relationships within and outside of the band and the passion of the art. When you are surrounded by "yes people" it is important to have an impartial facilitator to give it to you straight, to kick your butt when it needs to be. You have agents and managers to handle the band as an entity. You need a coach to guide the most important part of the band, its members, to a life of balance.
