How do you Start a Band?

i've had this idea for a while now, get a bunch of people from my youth group together to start a band that can compete in local Battle of the Bands competitions and play at community events.

i'm just not entirely sure on everything a band would need to work.

i know you need people..we'd probably have singers, pianists, guitarests, saxophonists, drummers, and maybe more...

their equipment, meaning instruments, amsp, mics and all the wiring...

songs..

but that's all i know. like, should all players, say, be able to read and understand general pop music chords, or music, or what? (i know many people who can play guitar by ear but don't know anything about reading music). i don't know what each person should be capable of to play in a band, or anything really (only bands i've been in are marching, concert, and jazz bands for school).

any tips for the rookie?

I can't play sh** and I've recieved offers to join people's bands.

The trick is: Grow some hair.

What I did?

-Live near NYC
-Start going to concerts/local shows with a friend or two from middle/high school
-Meet people with similar interests at said concerts
-Play music

You might want to start by going to local shows and meeting new people that you might have something in common with. I don't know where you live, but if you give me a location, I can get you a list of what's going on in your area. Either that, or if you join MySpace, you'll probably find a lot of people in your area (unless you live in a bumblef*** part of the US) looking to do the same thing you're doing.

oh i'm taking care of the hair thing.. i haven't had a hair cut since august, simply because i didn't care to cut it..

and i know WHO i would ask to be in the band, it would be people from my youth group or prospective members for it, because we all already have a small sense of each other's musical talents and share other things in common. i'm just not sure like, let's say we wanted to play a song, what do you do? look online to see if there is music, arrange it myself, do my own thing? any other things i should know?

i'm not like wanting to go for being some big popular band like some people dream, i just want to have something we can have for say a year or so here in my area (western toledo, OH) and maybe make into a tradition for the youth group.

Unless you want to be a generic cover band, you write music. Riffs and all. With everyone.