She offered us $420 cash to play Freebird!

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by SactoBass

Well spoken, MM!

Ya mean we each get to make choices for ourselves? Imagine that.

#&%$@ Philistines!

MM

[Bassic Playing]

As a young Australian, I hadn't heard Free Bird before now when I finally got round to listening it just now.

I don't know if there is some American stigma that I'm not aware of, but for 400 bucks, I would play songs that were a LOT worse.

Like Call Me Maybe to the tune of a Justin Beiber song. But maybe I'm just a very poor teenage musical whore.

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by dhsierra1

I would have started a bidding war between audience members: OK, $420 says we play it, anyone not want to hear the song bad enough to top that? And so on

Now there's an idea: Extort money from the audience by threatening to play Freebird - unless they come up with enough cash to persuade you to NOT do it!

Sort of like the "Grand Prize of one-week trip to Branson; Second Prize of two-week trip to Branson" business model...

MM

[HolmeBass]

Originally Posted by bassistloaded21

I find it odd that people feel the need to insult someone for their personal decision...its a choice. I guess if you guys feel ok taking advantage of a drunken woman waving money for a song then, so be it. Its your choice.

More than feeling ok about it, I feel like it is practically my duty to take advantage of drunken women waving money around. What part of sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll are you not getting, sir?

[JohnMCA72]

Sure showed her! Who the heck do some people think they are, expecting to be "entertained"?! Don't they know that it's all about the musicians????!!??

[JohnMCA72]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Now there's an idea: Extort money from the audience by threatening to play Freebird - unless they come up with enough cash to persuade you to NOT do it!

Sort of like the "Grand Prize of one-week trip to Branson; Second Prize of two-week trip to Branson" business model...

MM

I've actually heard of that being done. Never seen it myself, mind you...

[jive1]

Originally Posted by NYCbassist

I will give you a full course meal to play freebird if You come to one of our shows here in NC. I have seen bass players that really do the song justice and the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

Deal.....next time I'm in NC. Some nice, spicy vinegar base BBQ is always welcome. I will play the bass with a slide for the intro even. Just let the band know that I like to play the bass a 1/2 step up from the rest of the musicians so that the bass is more noticeable in the mix.

[FerK]

It's obvious why they turned the money down, Watson ! The drunk lady approached the stage, offered the wad of cash, they COUNTED the $420, and decided it wasn't enough to cover Freebird.

[lobster57]

OP is in Modest Mouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZCiUrkkElU

[SactoBass]

Originally Posted by lobster57

OP is in Modest Mouse

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZCiUrkkElU

Gotta love his last quote in that vid:

"Life is too f***ing short to play or hear Freebird."

That about sums it up for me. That vid wins the thread.

[bassistloaded21]

Originally Posted by Kmonk

So you find it odd that people insult others for their personal decision but then comment that anyone who took the money was taking advantage of a drunken women. You basically contradicted yourself. It is not the band's responsibility to police her behavior. If she was drunk and woke up the following morning and realized that she had given away her money, it have caused her to change her behavior and not put herself in that position in the future. On the other hand, did you ever consider the possibility that she wasn't drunk? She may be financially stable and just wanted to hear the song.

Its your choice, there is no right or wrong

[hrodbert696]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Now there's an idea: Extort money from the audience by threatening to play Freebird - unless they come up with enough cash to persuade you to NOT do it!

Sort of like the "Grand Prize of one-week trip to Branson; Second Prize of two-week trip to Branson" business model...

MM

Pretty much the way Mariachi bands make their money isn't it? Crowd around your table in a Mexican restaurant and wail on "Juan Delamera" at the top of their lungs till you tip them to go away...

[Factor88]

Originally Posted by Biggbass

We could have plowed our way through like many other local bands might have done and made an unrehearsed mess of it but we politely, humorously declined her offer and continued through our set list, followed our "Tom Landry Game Plan" and were rewarded with a full room standing ovation by playing We Won't Get Fooled Again.

Of course, you could have deviated from the set for one song and probably STILL have been rewarded with the full room standing ovation, the gig fee, AND AN EXTRA $420!!!


That being said, I agree that this is your band's decision, and I won't take the extra step of being critical of it. Lots of bands/musicians would take the cash and play the song, some bands and musicians would not. I can't agree with those who are calling this a fail or stupid, no more than I can agree with those who seem to imply that this decsion makes the OP somehow more noble or better than those who would play it. It simply was a choice that your band had every right to make, and either way really would not harm anyone.

[Factor88]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

Now there's an idea: Extort money from the audience by threatening to play Freebird - unless they come up with enough cash to persuade you to NOT do it!

My wife and I were once the only patrons on a rainy afternoon at a dockside bar in New England where a guitarist/singer was strumming some songs. I offred him a $20 to not play any Jimmy Buffet during the time we were there, speicifying by the way that if other customers showed up he be released from the agreement. Dude was highly offended and refused to take my money. We finished our drinks and left.

[TinIndian]

420.00 to play FreeBird! Holy Crap! As much as I don't want to play that, for 420.00 I'm all over it! That's 100.00 in my pocket for 10 minutes, I'll take 600.00 an hour all day!

Now if it was Mustang Sally........

[MrLenny1]

We use to play it every night, like it or not
it always went over.

[bolophonic]

Something about the scenario of a drunk woman offering several hundred dollars to hear a single, terrible song sounds like an impulse-control tragedy in action that I would not feel good participating in. If it was obviously some millionaire who throws money away on frivolity, then sure, but I immediately imagined that she might have kids who will be someday talking about the time mom spent the rent money on Freebird. i.e., bad karma.

[Spaceman Ian]

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/2fb...rrell-freebird

[Wadge]

Originally Posted by kozmikyak

Maybe you're needlessly living in a world where the band doesn't get to play for itself. Maybe you're needlessly living in a world where curating the set list for the benefit of the listening audience means you're screwing customers.

I play in a 2/3 originals, 1/3 covers band. The number of times we get asked to play Freebird is not large, but it happens. We could indeed learn to play it well.

But why? We seem to draw enough people to make playing worthwhile. Some drunken fool will always ask for the familiar, will always resist hearing something new. Why not challenge them? All songs were new once.

The bar put us in charge of entertainment for the evening. We'll play what we want. We'll listen to requests and decide which ones suit our style and set-list, and if we can't play them on the spot eventually the ones we consider "good" will get into the set list.

What could we gain by playing Freebird? It doesn't really fit our style. We pick covers that match our style. All that gives us is "yet another bar cover band" vibe. That actually _detracts_ from the way we want to be perceived.

Yes, we earn lots less money than a cover band. What's the point of pushing the originals hard, if we're going to just revert to a cover band whenever someone asks for a song? Is not a band's set list part of what they offer? They are "curators" of a set of music that meshes well together. Why throw off the whole vibe for one song, however popular? Are there not hundreds of very popular songs out there?

I am totally with you on this. I am an entertainer, not a juke box. If they are getting booked them must be doing something right. If I was in the audience I'd be disappointed to hear Freebird. They can afford to do things their own way and still get booked, good for them.

[Calaverasgrande]

Originally Posted by NYCbassist

Freebird is actually a fun song to play on the bass. Especially if you take the time to play it right. Most bass players hack it all up. The bass in that song is a work of art.

True. I'm an old punk rocker from the deep south. I used to hate Lynrd Skynrd and all that southern rock stuff. But now I appreciate Skynrd and allman bros. fairly easy bass lines but great nonetheless.