loveable whackos?

idResponse · #1 10-22-2008, 11:52 PM

do any of you have a key member of your band who you think is a fantastic player, an excellent musician, but doesn't know how to take care of his gear, makes really birdbrained decisions, and can generally frustrate the crap out of you a lot?

but, you're not willing to ditch this person as they bring an amazing element to shows and the music...

how do you deal with your resident crazies?

CatfishStudios · #2 10-23-2008, 12:01 AM

Well it usually ends up that Im the wacko.....People tolerate me because I posses some talents I guess....but I would annoy the hell out of myself.

projectMalamute · #3 10-23-2008, 07:12 AM

yes.

these people are called drummers.

Kraken · #4 10-23-2008, 07:17 AM

lol, just had a think about it, I think it might be me.

Oh well.

Phalex · #5 10-23-2008, 08:27 AM

I'm the only normal guy I've ever played with.

gonzorob · #6 10-23-2008, 09:52 AM

We call our drummer Animal, like Animal from the muppets. I've never seen a guy who can drink a case of beer during rehearsal and actually get better. Hes a nut. He has as much energy as my 6 year old daughter and you can't be around him without having a good time.

mfgl · #7 10-23-2008, 10:11 AM

Isnt being misunderstood a prerequisite of being genius?

Spinal Tapper · #8 10-23-2008, 10:16 AM

We had a drummer like that - we eventually fired him...he couldn't keep time too well though, and that was the biggest problem - still good friends with him today

bassteban · #9 10-23-2008, 10:23 AM

Every band I've played in has had a liberal sprinkling of insanity. It's best when there's a fairly equal spread amongst members. My current semi-regular gig is w/a primarily acoustic guitarist(ADD), the best drummer I've ever played with(OCD/anger management issues)& me who has NO ISSUES whatsoever.

Well(according to some

), maybe a touch of ADD, OCD, general laziness & irresponsibilty, control issues, anger, false humility hiding an IMMENSE ego...

Fretless1! · #10 10-23-2008, 10:29 AM

You'd have to ask the other members of my band.

etoncrow · #11 10-23-2008, 10:31 AM

Phenomenal guitar player, songwriter, performer; played left handed, strung right handed. He slept on the pool table where he bar-tended, no driver's license, addictive personality. I once got up in the middle of the night to relieve myself after a party and found him sitting on the floor in the hallway snorting ashes out of the ash tray...

We had to get him out of jail more than once to play. He'd miss practice and we'd find out he was 1500 miles away cause he had a ride....did not care where the ride was going...

One day he just sorta disappeared. That was twenty years ago and I still do not have a clue where he is....

Arguably the best rock guitar player I ever played with.

**Stumbo** · #12 10-23-2008, 01:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idResponse

1) ... doesn't know how to take care of his gear,

2) makes really birdbrained decisions,

3) and can generally frustrate the crap out of you....

1) Take care of his gear for him. If it involves $$, deduct it from his cut. This affects the whole band, so get everyone else on board. If it's that important, do it yourself if no one else will.

2) are these band decisions or his non-band decisions? Do they affect the band? He probably won't change but you can always try to talk to him about these things.

3) Accept him for who he is. Help him out in whatever way you can to reduce all the drama around him so when he gets on stage, it's all worthwhile to you and the band.

Can't change a dog into a cat. Can't go down the same street and expect to get to a different destination. If he won't change and you want to keep him in the group, you have to change.

Willy2911 · #13 10-23-2008, 01:41 PM

Most of my friends say I am Nuckin Futz But I would have to Disagree

B-NoteCowboy · #14 10-24-2008, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idResponse

do any of you have a key member of your band who you think is a fantastic player, an excellent musician, but doesn't know how to take care of his gear, makes really birdbrained decisions, and can generally frustrate the crap out of you a lot?

but, you're not willing to ditch this person as they bring an amazing element to shows and the music...

how do you deal with your resident crazies?

Are you suggesting that there are flakey musicians??? That's so hard to believe!

My lead guitar player is amazing. But twice he's showed up to practice with his Marshal half stack, JCM 900, pedal board from hell, rack, wireless and..... NO GUITAR.

Twice, I tell you!

bnutz · #15 10-24-2008, 12:47 PM

I love this topic!!! I think it's great (although gets frustrating at times, too) that we have a business that tolerates "fringe personality types" much more than the rest of general society. Although I think often folks in the "real world" just know how to keep quirks hidden because they know eccentric behavior isn't generally accepted.

I've played with so many of these kind of guys over the years I can't even count 'em anymore.

But I have a good friend I've worked with quite a bit who is one of those guys who can pick up any instrument and make it sound amazing. He's got perfect pitch and is one of the most musical people I've ever had the pleasure to play with. The guy never plays a note that's less than perfect and is a dream to share a stage with. Offstage is another matter entirely...

He usually lives out of hotels, which in and of itself isn't a huge thing, but it can make it really hard to get ahold of the guy and know where he's going to be, which is crucial because, of course, he doesn't have a car. So the rest of the band always has to arrange transportation.

He doesn't really have gear either. Part of getting him to gigs usually involves a trip by one of his "friend's places" to pick up a guitar, amp, keyboard, bass, steel, mando, etc. (he plays all of these instruments, and many more, brilliantly). And, as often happens with borrowed gear, no one is suprised when one or more pieces doesn't work properly. (Referring to a friend's treatment of a guitar- "Man, I can't believe he left my Strat out in the back yard when it rained". !!!!!!) Somehow he always pulls the show off, though. The rest of the band is just totally stressed out until downbeat.

His personal life is usually in a shambles, as well. Most of the time it involves a girl, but recently (and this is a big concern to those of us who consider ourselves his friends) he's having health issues and, of course, is totally uninsured. But there's always a story, and "way too much to talk about right now". (When he was thinking about leaving a band and wanted me me to be his replacement, he didn't actually tell me about it. Instead he'd show up at gigs and say to me "You and I got a lot to talk about. I've got big changes that could affect you, too... But we can't talk about it right now". This went on for like 6 months. He never did actually fill me in of what was going on- the band leader of the group he was leaving just eventually called me.)

Unfortunately, purely for personal reasons, this guy has lost more amazing, marquis gigs than I will, probably, ever be offered. And I try and take that as a lesson. It's not only what you play that keeps you on a gig, but the whole package.

-b

idResponse · #16 10-24-2008, 11:04 PM

that's a good story man... i oughtta forward that to my band.

seanm · #17 10-25-2008, 01:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassteban

Well(according to some

), maybe a touch of ADD, OCD, general laziness & irresponsibilty, control issues, anger, false humility hiding an IMMENSE ego...

But that's just nitpicking..... it makes them look small just for bringing it up.