This is not really something that I have an answer for but I see some problems with it all time. Many bands have side projects, they always tell you that ohh this project is the one we are going for. Well, at least the head person will tell you that. Then you can feel that the other persons sometimes are burning more for another project.

So should you let the members have other bands and projects. Metallica is a band that is not letting you have another side project. if you are a member of Metallica you are a member. a reason why former bass player Jason Newsted jumped off after years with them.

The good part of this move is that you won’t bump into the problem when a side project goes well and the main act dies. So was the case of Millencolin. They all played in main projects like Seig menn, Charles Hårfager, and Kung Pung. Millencolin was just a side project. Today it’s the main thing. They still have side projects but Millencolin is the main one.

Then you have Queen that let the members have really many side projects. Just so that people could get expressions of their art.

But I see a problem when you are on the baby steps of a band. It’s not unusual that I work with artists that actually changed names four times in four years and switch members. The problem is that they change project so fast that if something is going ion it won’t be since they already have changed. You can’t expect that the project will be at full speed all the time and as soon it calms down a bit you change project. Chasing your dream like that will just end you to make a lot of projects that lead to very little to none success.