How do you tell someone their website is HORRIBLE?

LMAO

If it hasn't changed since 1998, is there any CSS being used? If not, tell him that it simply needs to be updated to be in line with current trends and technology.

No way you'd post a link?

There's no way around it....you have to be straight up.

Be direct about it but not demeaning, just tell him you appreciate the time and effort that he has put into the site but the simple fact is….its out of date, the information is incorrect and the links are broken.

Try to explain that you don’t feel that the site accurately reflects the image of the band.

He should treat the site like a band member, if its just a hanger on and does nothing to contribute then perhaps it should go.

Well, you could try making a mock up of a good design, or showing him other band websites, to get the juices flowing that he really does suck. It's generally easy to accept that your **** does stink, when someone else's smells like roses. Don't be agressive about it, but be proactive, say "look, this is what it could be, I just think it would be cool, blah blah blah" and maybe even go through some cool things with him, and have him be a part of the solution, rather than the problem.

Tell him it sucks and not to give up his day job

but seriously, the make a draft idea sounds good, offer it as a helpful helper - "how about if we ....", " or what about ...", "these sites are doing this ..."

Get him here so that we can take care of him
On a serious note .. get a layout done, just the image of the site at first and put it under the band's nose. Make them see how it could look. If they still want the previous design, let them have it, maybe they deserve the crap

Another angle to take would be to casually show him some other band websites. Has he seen what other bands are doing? Maybe if you and the other band members get enthused about what others are doing he'll realize that what you've got just isn't cutting it. You know "check this out, isn't that great... maybe it's time for us to get a real professional to do our site..."

Being straight uplike others have said would be the best option if that doesn't get you anywhere. But it's important to acknowledge what he has put into the existing site. Soemething like "We know you've put a lot of your time and effort into the site and we really appreciate it. On the other hand, it would a big help to the band if we had a real professional work on a site with us....they could help us get more visitors to the site and help us get or message to the fans."

How does the rest of the band feel about it? If everyone hates it, and you all are only being nice to spare his feelings...at the expense of the band and the website, you *have to* say something...

well thanks everyone!
the replies made us laugh--nope - im not going to provide a link...

good points everyone....
unfortunately- he is a profesiional in the web world as well- hes an IT guy!
its just a mess.... i think the band is goign to approach him with a letter- but heres the rub...
he owns the domain, and has his OWN server, so getting this site from him is not easy.
He is very bad with updating- takes a few weeks to get new show dates up, info is old, etc.... how do you get someone to give it up or let someone take control when they are control freaks to the point of virtually owning the domain and server space?
:lovesick:
hes just very lazy--- and this is a sticky situation.
Ive sent him over the past 3 years of what other bands are doing, message boards that work well, and ive even poured hours into new logo banners and animated gifs that never seen the light of day while old logos and 5 yr old band photos have center stage.I even gave him a copy of Dreamweaver- which collected dust- the site still uses Front Page..yuck.
nothing happens.
when you tell a man that he is doing something wrong- if its coming from a woman, he passes it off as PMS... and noone else in the band is really as versed in HTML as I am - ive designed 6 sites on a small level that blow his site away:)
oh the humanity

Wow. This is a really crappy situation. Good luck with that. He uses Front Page? If I were him I'd be standing in the corner out of shame right now...

Well you could explain that old outdated code is going to suffer (and cause suffering LOL) in todday's browsers. That XTHML and CSS is where the web is today. That html as he knew it then is not the same. Explain about standards and usability.

As far as the design...well...err.....some talent is involved....

now you see my pain????
this has brought me to tears.....

yeah-front page....

im glad i have like minds here:)

lol

It seems that he really does believe his ????? don't stink.

An option you might wanna take is ask him for advice on a site, ask him to reccomend you some sites that you could emmulate for another project, if he comes up with nothing but crap you need to democratiicaly remove him from web power, but if he comes back with some excellent sites (obv not his) maybe that will spur him on.?

ohhh a stuburn male - your doomed j/k

Another method ...
If the band is making money, the site can be written off as tax (you don't say where you are so tax option may be out), if you are able to put the site through the books, have a 'band meeting' and suggest you put it through the books to get some perks (depending on your country), if they agree the site and domain name should then be placed into the bands name (really need a trust type of thing set up) - or if you have a manager ...

Another method
You say your husband is in the band but not you, so do the supporting wife thing and have a moan to the webmaster about how you wish you could do something for the band ... and come up with a bright idea about doing the website (guys hate woman moaning I didn't say that).
The other option is to just get another domain name and start your own one, like a fan site to the band. Some fan sites are bigger and more popular than actual band sites.

** One time, at band camp ... I made a website ** don't worry, coffee hasn't kicked in yet

If he won't give it up after the whole band presents a letter demanding a change, I would go with getting a different domain name and setting that up as the Official band page (assuming all other members of the band agree).

I think it will really come down to his responce to the rest of the band's demands. If they don't seriously push it for the change, then he's gonna stay in charge and just have to deal with it.

Do as others suggested about getting samples of similar band sites, or designing a prototype to show the rest of the band what can be done with the site if they do not already know.

Good luck in your situation, hope it turns out well for the band.

-Greg

** hopes we all get free tickets when the world tour happens **