Hilarity at the practice space...

Beej · #1 06-30-2008, 09:46 AM

So we're practicing the other night and it was a bit windy and rainy out. The studio is on the top floor of a building complex and there is a vent to the roof that occasionally makes some noise in the wind. I've noticed it before, but since we don't record there it doesn't really matter. The vent itself looks like a partially ajar bathroom fan cover, and happens to open directly above the drumkit, specifically, right over the stool.

So this thing was flapping a bit in the wind and we could hear the pitter patter of rain in between songs. So during the third song or so, I can see the vent cover sort of shaking, and I think, this is weird. Our drummer, Paul, sees me looking at the vent and looks directly up at it and sees it shaking too and we stop playing. He gets up and checks it out and then says, "its just wiggling around cuz of the wind." So we start into the same tune again.

A short while in, I see the cover moving again, and suddenly, a small, grey-brown and furry looking creature comes straight down out of the vent opening and drops right onto Paul's shoulder before running across the room and tearing up the wall into the rafters.

Paul's reaction to this was a bloodcurdling scream as he threw his sticks in the air, leapt from his stool, tore his shirt off and ran across the room screaming "IS IT ON ME?! IS IT ON ME?!"

At the same time, our guitarist jumped probably three feet straight into the air backwards and landed right on top of his amp (2x12 combo) and our singer screamed super loud into the microphone "HOLY F**K! WHAT WAS THAT!!!"

I guess part of me was already ready for something because I didn't jump or yell or anything. Well, I might have pooped a little.

Turns out it was a squirrel. He paced around in the rafters while we calmed down and figured out how to open the skylight. Then he zipped out to freedom and we all had a good laugh. Kinda killed the evening's flow though....

69nites · #2 06-30-2008, 09:56 AM

fantastic

whitedk57 · #3 06-30-2008, 10:02 AM

I would say I'd be a better man about it, but my wife would tell you differently (an incident with a mouse behind the fridge comes to mind). I too hate creepy crawly things coming anywhere near me.

()smoke() · #4 06-30-2008, 10:03 AM

great story!

Spinal Tapper · #5 06-30-2008, 10:05 AM

Shoulda caught it. New pet for the jamspace.

wld3 · #6 06-30-2008, 10:12 AM

LOL

varunkapahi · #7 06-30-2008, 10:16 AM

lol that was awesome!

punkbassistfc · #8 06-30-2008, 10:17 AM

Haha, good stuff

bkbirge · #9 06-30-2008, 10:22 AM

Bassenstien · #10 06-30-2008, 10:24 AM

Ha that cracks me up. "Is it on me?"
Good story.

Beej · #11 06-30-2008, 01:53 PM

I told them it was good enough to post on the internet, and of course, Paul made me swear not to use their names, or say that he shrieked, or tore his shirt off. So of course, I had to say all three...

**Rune Bivrin** · #12 06-30-2008, 03:39 PM

Cool!

Me, I love furry things. Once I caught a mouse with my hands by the compost. I brought it in to show the kids. Then it jumped from my hands down on the floor and proceeded to run up my trousers. We all laughed profusely! Once I got it out it jumped again and ran behind the freezer. Took me about 5 minutes to get it out from there and catch it. By then the kids had lost interest, but I was having a blast!

whoneedstherapy · #13 06-30-2008, 08:54 PM

My old band used to jam in a friends shed on his farm and one day the singer popped in to use the toilet and forget to check before he sat down. About a minute later he comes screaming out of there with his pants around his ankles and stacks it so we're laughing our arses off.

It turns out their was a frog in the bowl and it's jumped on his arse just as his business hit the water...

anderbass · #14 06-30-2008, 09:55 PM

Ha, great story Beej...

I'd suggest installing some heavy gauge metal screen over that vent hole and especially up at the roof opening very soon.
Your visitor and all his buddy's might just start munchin on yer wires... (the ground squirrels in my area do)

#15 07-23-2008, 02:54 PM

I hope I'm as cool a bassist as you should a situation like that present itself. I seriously doubt it, though. I'd probably look more like your guitar player.

joeydavidson · #16 07-24-2008, 03:44 AM

Hahaha, we had the same exact problem at a practice except it was a cockroach, it seemed to really like the lead guitarist, when it wasn't trying to crawl under his amp it was climbing up on the wall behind him, lol.

machine gewehr · #17 07-24-2008, 06:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whoneedstherapy

It turns out their was a frog in the bowl and it's jumped on his arse just as his business hit the water...

His business? hahaha

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beej

our singer screamed super loud into the microphone "HOLY F**K! WHAT WAS THAT!!!"

Shout into the mic? The whole story is hilarius but this one's epic.

Dave R · #18 07-24-2008, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Me, I love furry things. Once I caught a mouse with my hands by the compost. I brought it in to show the kids. Then it jumped from my hands down on the floor and proceeded to run up my trousers.

Careful...when I was a kid, I "saved" a mouse from my cat. Stupid mouse sunk his rodent fangs into my index finger. My mom absolutely freaked, and made me go to the ER to get a tetanus booster and the whole nine yards. I still have a scar from the bite.

And, to keep it bass related, the scar is on my plucking finger!

M@ddest_H@tter! · #19 07-24-2008, 07:49 PM

wicked, you should make the squirell and honorary member of your band

jmcgliss · #20 07-24-2008, 08:17 PM

The funniest part of the story? That you paused to tell us the specific detail of your guitarist falling backwards onto a 212 combo. Only a gearhead....