My sub's sub showed up with a 6 string frettless

willgroove2 · #1 02-27-2009, 11:30 AM

Early this morning I got one of those dreaded call from a bandleader complaining about the sub I sent on a corporate gig. He wanted to know why I didn't send my usual sub,which i did, and went on to say that he would like me to approve all subs he didn't know.

I apologized and assured him it wouldn't happen again and about 2 minutes later the guy I called to sub for me called me. He explained that he had a sudden family emergency,His son broke his arm and collarbone, and had to sub the gig out last minute. In his defense I was unobtainable so he couldn't tell me and because of the sudden nature of the emergency he went with the first person who answered his call.

This guy was someone he had met at a music store and exchanged numbers with and had never really heard play or knew anything about his background. The gig was a fairly easy corporate gig,Background music mostly with a few dance tunes at the end,very easy charts.

The guy showed up with a 6 string frettless that he only recently acquired, was for some reason unfamiliar with most popular music (told the band leader he was a jazz-fusion player) and was a very shaky reader at best. He also showed up in slacks and a button down shirt and not a tux or dark suit like everybody else.

The frettless thing would have been ok if he was able to play it correcty,the band leader said it sounded like a cow mooing most of the night, so by the end of the night he was told not to play. The check is issued in my name so I actually have to meet this guy to pay him. The bandleader suggested I don't give him the full amount but I don't do stuff like that,he did show up after all.

bassteban · #2 02-27-2009, 11:32 AM

Domino theory in effect.

Buskman · #3 02-27-2009, 11:43 AM

I guess that's why he's a 'sub's sub'...

xgator4u · #4 02-27-2009, 11:54 AM

Well ultimately it was your gig. This means YOU should be there. If an UNforseen emergency happens then YOU get a sub. Then if some other UN forseen emergency happens, they probably are without a bassist. Stuff happens.

willgroove2 · #5 02-27-2009, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgator4u

Well ultimately it was your gig. This means YOU should be there. If an UNforseen emergency happens then YOU get a sub. Then if some other UN forseen emergency happens, they probably are without a bassist. Stuff happens.

I actually had a session already booked before I got the call for this gig and was asked to send a sub,the producer I was working with has a strict no-cell phone on in the studio policy and I was not able to be made aware of what was happening until after my sub had already subbed out. I actually just talked to the guy who played the gig last night,nice guy who knew he blew it, he was afraid he might not get paid but he's going to meet me at my gig tonight so I can take care of him.

xgator4u · #6 02-27-2009, 12:57 PM

Well if he is a cool guy, and if he realizes he blew it he might be, and IF he can actually play the bass,maybe you guys can hook up and work something out. When someone refers me to a paying sub gig, I always pay them a bird dog/finders fee.And remember when it is a sub gig, the band has to realize (hopefully) that you are a sub, and that means temporary. Therefore you are not expected to know all the songs in the set list, nor are you expected to play them "just like" the regular. And like I said: stuff happens.

kraigo · #7 02-27-2009, 01:12 PM

Unless I was Jaco Pastorius (I'm not), I wouldn't show up at a "cold" gig with a fretless. I love fretless and I even think I play it fairly well, but if I'm sight reading a chart of any sort, I don't (and I'm guessing most of us don't) have the extra capacity to worry about intonation and unfamiliar music at the same time. This does fall under the "what the hell was that guy thinking?" category. Hopefully he's young enough to live and learn from this one.

KO

fishtx · #8 02-27-2009, 01:23 PM

"sounded like a cow moo'ing most of the night"...LOL

"moooooooooooo!!!"

jaywa · #9 02-27-2009, 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kraigo

Unless I was Jaco Pastorius (I'm not), I wouldn't show up at a "cold" gig with a fretless. I love fretless and I even think I play it fairly well, but if I'm sight reading a chart of any sort, I don't (and I'm guessing most of us don't) have the extra capacity to worry about intonation and unfamiliar music at the same time.

And then, if the fretless thing wasn't enough, a 6-string on top of that. I just bet that bandleader got one look at that set-up and thought, oh s**t this is going to be a long night. Cuz if the cat had it together enough on an axe like that, he certainly would not have been doing a sub-sub gig.

Apologies to the OP... sorry it played out that way. Not sure what else you could have done differently, though.

svtb15 · #10 02-27-2009, 01:40 PM

+1

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishtx

"sounded like a cow moo'ing most of the night"...LOL

"moooooooooooo!!!"

Ric5 · #11 02-27-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willgroove2

He also showed up in slacks and a button down shirt and not a tux or dark suit like everybody else.

You have to wear a tux to play ... bummer dude ...

Mushroo · #12 02-27-2009, 01:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willgroove2

I actually had a session already booked before I got the call for this gig and was asked to send a sub,the producer I was working with has a strict no-cell phone on in the studio policy and I was not able to be made aware of what was happening until after my sub had already subbed out. I actually just talked to the guy who played the gig last night,nice guy who knew he blew it, he was afraid he might not get paid but he's going to meet me at my gig tonight so I can take care of him.

I agree with the decision to pay the sub's sub. He showed up on short notice and did his best. I think you handled the situation well, and I do not think it will tarnish your reputation.

Jefenator · #13 02-27-2009, 01:46 PM

Sounds like one for the books.

Might want to have a talk with your sub, though. You've got an emergency, you call guys you know can do the job, you call the band leader. You do not call some guy you just met at the music store - what's up with that?

Sounds to me like it would have come out better if the sub had been able to contact the band leader. Obviously he would have been happier to have been informed of the situation and gone without a bass player than he was with what he got.

Oh, well. Hopefully the sub and the sub's sub have learned something from this.

(I must say, though, I think 6-string fretless boy needs a good slap. A real jazz-fusion player would have totally nailed that gig.)

jaywa · #14 02-27-2009, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jefenator

(I must say, though, I think 6-string fretless boy needs a good slap. A real jazz-fusion player would have totally nailed that gig.)

Yep... the old phrase, "All hat and no cattle" comes to mind.

willgroove2 · #15 02-27-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric5

You have to wear a tux to play ... bummer dude ...

They pay me well to wear that tux

willgroove2 · #16 02-27-2009, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgator4u

Well if he is a cool guy, and if he realizes he blew it he might be, and IF he can actually play the bass,maybe you guys can hook up and work something out. When someone refers me to a paying sub gig, I always pay them a bird dog/finders fee.And remember when it is a sub gig, the band has to realize (hopefully) that you are a sub, and that means temporary. Therefore you are not expected to know all the songs in the set list, nor are you expected to play them "just like" the regular. And like I said: stuff happens.

True, but for this kind of gig it's not really a matter of playing the gig like me but playing appropriate for the style and situation. just talked to my sub,his kid really hurt him self broke his arm in 2 places,collarbone and dislocated his shoulder and they have no insurance

Brado · #17 02-27-2009, 02:06 PM

You might talk with the band leader/ let him find a list of subs that he know's will work in a pinch. That way, it isn't your problem if you're un-able to make a gig. I do it that way with a few bands I'm in & it works great. About the only input I have is recomendations on who NOT to hire for sub work....a.k.a. the 6 string fretless player (owner) who shows up for a blues gig.....that's like showing up to a water pistol fight with a bazooka. funny story/ in hindsight....sorry to hear about the broken bones.

RTL · #18 02-27-2009, 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willgroove2

the band leader said it sounded like a cow mooing most of the night

Steve Wishnevsky subbed for you? How cool is that?

vinny · #19 02-27-2009, 02:24 PM

Shame on sub-sub dude for only bringing one bass. A fretless sixer at that. He knew he'd just gotten the bass, he should have at least brought a back-up (like the good ol' fretted four banger) to an unknown situation.

**john turner** · #20 02-27-2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willgroove2

Early this morning I got one of those dreaded call from a bandleader complaining about the sub I sent on a corporate gig. He wanted to know why I didn't send my usual sub,which i did, and went on to say that he would like me to approve all subs he didn't know.

I apologized and assured him it wouldn't happen again and about 2 minutes later the guy I called to sub for me called me. He explained that he had a sudden family emergency,His son broke his arm and collarbone, and had to sub the gig out last minute. In his defense I was unobtainable so he couldn't tell me and because of the sudden nature of the emergency he went with the first person who answered his call.

This guy was someone he had met at a music store and exchanged numbers with and had never really heard play or knew anything about his background. The gig was a fairly easy corporate gig,Background music mostly with a few dance tunes at the end,very easy charts.

The guy showed up with a 6 string frettless that he only recently acquired, was for some reason unfamiliar with most popular music (told the band leader he was a jazz-fusion player) and was a very shaky reader at best. He also showed up in slacks and a button down shirt and not a tux or dark suit like everybody else.

The frettless thing would have been ok if he was able to play it correcty,the band leader said it sounded like a cow mooing most of the night, so by the end of the night he was told not to play. The check is issued in my name so I actually have to meet this guy to pay him. The bandleader suggested I don't give him the full amount but I don't do stuff like that,he did show up after all.

yikes, that sounds like a nightmare.