Update on my singer who is addicted to karaoke

powderfinger · #1 06-04-2011, 09:49 PM

Original thread...
lead singer is addicted to karaoke...

So, it's official... my singer is now out of the band. This is true story, so brace yourselves. My singer truly needs counseling or something. So he dragged me to karaoke last night....

Many of you agreed with me that the guy obviously has issues. Others believed that somehow the band simply wasn't giving him what he needed. So this story should clear up any confusion.

My singer got up onstage and sang a Roy Orbison song, "You Got It". He did great. Everyone applauded. Well, this older guy got up there next and did "Pretty Woman" by Roy. During this song, a group of old cougars got up and started dancing in front of the karaoke stage, and the people in the crowd, after the song, REALLY went nuts applauding this guy. My singer slammed his fist into the table, and let out a chain of expletives. I told him, "CALM DOWN, DUDE... THIS IS KARAOKE... NOT A DAMN COMPETITION". I also told him, use this energy and talent you have to make our BAND a success. He then looked at me and said, "this is my stage.... I get more out of karaoke than I ever did playing in bands". This is a TOTALLY ludicrous statement considering my singer had a great deal of success in several popular bands in the 90s and early 00s. I honestly think dude has lost his mind.

So next... my singer puts in "Mean Woman Blues" by Roy Orbison. He gets on the karaoke mic before the song starts and says, "I see we got alot of singers in the house who think they can pull of Roy Orbison.... well, sit back.. and I am going to show you ALL how Roy Orbison is done". I sat there and wanted to die. During the song, he said on the mic, "cmon... lets see some dancers"... the OTHER Roy Orbison singer guy gets out there, and immediately, the ladies ALL swarm this guy. Now, this guy was about 55... and looked like Kenny Rogers, and was dressed in tight jeans and a button down dress shirt and gold chain. The ladies were all grinding on this guy like he was a celeb or something. After the song, my singer leaps off the stage, and gets right in this guy's face and says, "WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO STEAL MY SPOTLIGHT" and shoves the guy. The bouncers immediately broke it up, and my buddy got thrown out.

I left his ass there, and dropped off our other bandmate. His ass is FIRED immediately as of then. So anyone who thought the problem was anything besides my singer being a lunatic.... think again. Anyway, I will sing lead vocals from here on out, as I was singing half of the songs anyhow. I spoke to a female friend of mine tonight who is a great singer, and asked her to join. She is very professional and jumped at this chance. This way, we can incorporate some female covers into our country sets (Tanya Tucker, Loretta Lynn, etc.).

You know, as much as this has been a huge ordeal with the singer, I am SO done with him in a musical sense. I am moving forward with the rest of the band, and his ass can stay at karaoke as far as I am concerned. He might be family, but he is a LUNATIC.

AfroCubanFunkMa · #2 06-04-2011, 10:46 PM

Right on man... I bet it feels good to be able to have and work this new path.. Good on you for knowing where to draw your line in the sand and kudos for showing folks here that there are always options.. Onward and upward..

Downunderwonder · #3 06-04-2011, 10:59 PM

The dude needs help. I hope he doesn't have a gun.

powderfinger · #4 06-05-2011, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Downunderwonder

The dude needs help. I hope he doesn't have a gun.

He does. But Ive never seen him pull it out, or use it. Thank goodness. This is actually a sad story. My singer was a guy who was a fully capable, respected frontman of several great bands in the southeast in the 90s. He had a couple of great recordings he did, with original material, which IMO, was as good as anything on country radio in the 90s or 00s.

Somewhere in between then and now he has become someone I dont even know anymore. I honestly have no idea how he went from being a respected, working musician to some sort of amateur, psychopathic, karaoke addict. Thats what he has become. He is a damn joke now, and only a small shadow of his former self.

Ive never seen firsthand someone fall from grace this bad, and take such a HUGE step backwards in their music career.

Oh well, the band move onward. Hopefully he finds peace at karaoke, and hopefully no one else tries to sing any Roy Orbison on the same night he does. Sad. Heartbreaking.

JimmyM · #5 06-05-2011, 12:51 AM

I must admit I didn't think he was a lunatic. Now I do. But what a great story!

Rob Martinez · #6 06-05-2011, 05:59 AM

Wow. WOW!

Tumeni Notes · #7 06-05-2011, 06:06 AM

Are you sure it wasn't Kenny Rogers?

Skitch it! · #8 06-05-2011, 06:17 AM

I have seen a few singers come unstuck in they're time but that's some story, then again a singers favorite vocal warm-up has always been: Do - Re - Mi - Me - Me - Me - ME. Poor chap needs bringing back down to earth methinks.

duff beer · #9 06-05-2011, 06:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tumeni Notes

Are you sure it wasn't Kenny Rogers?

It can't be...he said the guy sang great.

parsons · #10 06-05-2011, 06:46 AM

You should check local asylums to see if your singer is missing.

One Drop · #11 06-05-2011, 06:54 AM

Get a video camera and tell him you want to follow him around while making a karaoke documentary where he is the star.

I guarantee you will become rich and famous from the resulting document. He will achieve the recognition he deserves, too.

Stinsok · #12 06-05-2011, 07:00 AM

That's sad, disturbing, and awesome!

SBassman · #13 06-05-2011, 07:21 AM

Would be interesting to hear more about Psycho Karaoke Guy - Outside of music. Does he lead a normal family and business life?

skwee · #14 06-05-2011, 08:34 AM

Sell this story to Hollywood. You could do a movie for karaoke like what Boogie Nights did for pR0n. Or if you don't want to, I'd be happy to…

wow.

bassmonkeee · #15 06-05-2011, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by powderfinger

Hopefully he finds peace at karaoke, and hopefully no one else tries to sing any Roy Orbison on the same night he does.

So, now that he's been throw out, what happens if he gets banned from the Karaoke bar?

That's a messed up story.

powderfinger · #16 06-05-2011, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tumeni Notes

Are you sure it wasn't Kenny Rogers?

No, because thanks to plastic surgery, I wouldnt have recognized the real one.

Stinsok · #17 06-05-2011, 09:52 AM

I'd assemble a group of guys and ask them all to step up and sing nothing but Roy Orbison tunes!

powderfinger · #18 06-05-2011, 10:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBassman

Would be interesting to hear more about Psycho Karaoke Guy - Outside of music. Does he lead a normal family and business life?

Well, he is single with no children. He's actually fairly intelligent, handsome guy. He was engaged once to a very beautiful woman, but she ended up leaving him. She told us that he would berate her 24/7 however, over the smallest things. He is an OCD neatfreak and once punched a whole in his wall when she spilled something on his new carpet once.

He has a pretty respectable job, and from what I understand he composes himself pretty well throughout the day. I do know this however. He is "that guy" at the store, always harassing and brow beating the clerk when they make an honest mistake at the counter. He threatens at least one poor store employee a week to "have their job".

I dont where where he went wrong. He didnt used to be like this. The OCD, the brow beating, verbal abuse to girlfriends, threatening to take jobs. When he was in bands, he was NOTHING like he is now. He was THE most pleasant, easy going guy you'd ever want to know. I remember in the 90s, trying to get him to go to karaoke with me (remember, I am way younger than him, and this was BEFORE I got into bands), and he would always shun karaoke and say how stupid it was. Ironic.

I cant figure out his problem. I know for a FACT he isnt on drugs. Ive known him my whole life, and he is my best friend. Trust me on this one, I would have found out, either from him or someone else by now if he had. And physically he still looks good and is in shape. He's actually an avid runner. He does drink, but moderately... he USED to drink ALOT when he was a normal guy. So I know its not alcoholism doing this to him. Ive no clue. Id love a professional to diagnosis him.

And YES, to an earlier poster, maybe I should take a camera and make a doc. about him and his karaoke outings. And no worries, there are about 10 other bars/restaraunts he can do karaoke at if he gets banned for good from this other place.

powderfinger · #19 06-05-2011, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinsok

I'd assemble a group of guys and ask them all to step up and sing nothing but Roy Orbison tunes!

I asked him if he wanted to do "Handle With Care" by the Travelling Wilburys, and I told him he would do Roy and Id do George Harrison, and he told me "f*** no". But yes, Id love to get a group of guys to sing Roy to him.

BTW- he watches Roy Orbison Black and White special once a week.. AT LEAST.

powderfinger · #20 06-05-2011, 05:25 PM

So he called today and said he was sorry. I told him no problem, and that obviously the band just want what he wanted right now. He then told me he wants to make everything right. I told him he doesnt owe me anything, and he replied, "not with you.... I need to make this up to the bar owner so I can go back and sing this weekend". I could slap him.