diff --git a/app/controllers/api_bands_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api_bands_controller.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc4ec602e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/controllers/api_bands_controller.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+class ApiBandsController < ApplicationController
+
+  before_filter :signed_in_user, only: [:index, :edit, :update, :delete]
+
+  respond_to :json
+
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/controllers/api_users_controller.rb b/app/controllers/api_users_controller.rb
index 3b373fb28..d8b612148 100644
--- a/app/controllers/api_users_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/api_users_controller.rb
@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ class ApiUsersController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   def create
-    @user = User.new()
-    @user.email = params[:email]
-    @user.creator = current_user
-    @user.description = params[:description]
-    @user.save
+    User.save(params)
     respond_with @user, responder: ApiResponder, :location => api_user_detail_url(@user)
   end
 
+  def update
+    User.save(params)
+    respond_with @user, responder: ApiResponder
+  end
+
   def delete
     @user = User.find(params[:id])
     @user.delete
diff --git a/app/views/api_bands/index.rabl b/app/views/api_bands/index.rabl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/app/views/api_bands/show.rabl b/app/views/api_bands/show.rabl
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e69de29bb
diff --git a/app/views/api_users/index.rabl b/app/views/api_users/index.rabl
index ca9dc66b9..6e0ebdb53 100644
--- a/app/views/api_users/index.rabl
+++ b/app/views/api_users/index.rabl
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 collection @users
 
-extends "api_users/show"
+# do not retrieve all child collections when showing a list of users
+attributes :id, :name, :email, :online, :musician, :photo_url
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/app/views/api_users/show.rabl b/app/views/api_users/show.rabl
index ef2d8a16e..7183ad3ac 100644
--- a/app/views/api_users/show.rabl
+++ b/app/views/api_users/show.rabl
@@ -1,7 +1,21 @@
 object @user
 
-attributes :id, :name, :email, :admin, :online
+attributes :id, :name, :email, :online, :musician, :photo_url
 
-child :friends => :friends do
-  attributes :id, :name, :online
+unless @user.friends.nil? || @user.friends.size == 0
+  child :friends => :friends do
+    attributes :id, :name, :online
+  end
+end
+
+unless @user.bands.nil? || @user.bands.size == 0
+  child :bands => :bands do
+    attributes :id, :name
+  end
+end
+
+unless @user.instruments.nil? || @user.instruments.size == 0
+  child :instruments => :instruments do
+    attributes :id, :description, :proficiency_level
+  end
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 4de040efa..73064923c 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -43,6 +43,15 @@ SampleApp::Application.routes.draw do
     match '/users/:id' => 'api_users#update', :via => :put
     match '/users/:id' => 'api_users#destroy', :via => :delete
 
+    # bands
+=begin
+    match '/bands' => 'api_bands#index', :via => :get
+    match '/bands/:id' => 'api_bands#show' :via => :get, :as => 'api_band_detail'
+    match '/bands' => 'api_bands#create', :via => :post
+    match '/bands/:id' => 'api_bands#update', :via => :put
+    match '/bands/:id/members' => 'api_bands#members_index', :via => :get
+=end
+
     # friend requests
     match '/users/:id/friend_requests' => 'api_users#friend_request_index', :via => :get
     match '/friend_requests/:id' => 'api_users#friend_request_show', :via => :get, :as => 'api_friend_request_detail'