In 1969, at the age of 7, I lived a mile down the road from Van Morrison's bassist John Klingberg in a little hamlet near Woodstock NY. (I never met him but I biked past his house all the time).
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"Connections"
- Thread starter newtonbassist
- Start date
In 1969, at the age of 7, I lived a mile down the road from Van Morrison's bassist John Klingberg in a little hamlet near Woodstock NY. (I never met him but I biked past his house all the time).
I worked for years for a guy who was good friends with Muddy Waters . Lots of photos to prove it. My biggest claim is that I am on a first name basis with the guy who owns the best pizza shop on town
D
I worked for plenty of bands for years.... but I doubt any of them knew it..... i was smoking pot on the back of the bus on a tour i was working. The stage manager brought Adam Clayton on board because “he wants to see what a tour bus looks like these days”.
It was a bit awkward but what do you do?, take another hit! (Adam did not partake)
I wonder if Mr Clayton remembers that....
Doubt it
It was a bit awkward but what do you do?, take another hit! (Adam did not partake)
I wonder if Mr Clayton remembers that....
Doubt it
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I used to be good friends with an NHL coach who is in the top 10 all time wins. That really doesn't help us get gigs, though.
The drummer in one of my bands is one of those guys who knows everyone including a lot of business people and trades. 80% of our gigs come from his connections, and I've got a lot of good deals from someone he has recommended.
The drummer in one of my bands is one of those guys who knows everyone including a lot of business people and trades. 80% of our gigs come from his connections, and I've got a lot of good deals from someone he has recommended.
My guitarist is very close friends and grew up with Mike McCready from Pearl Jam. They played together, pre-COVID, in a yearly charity show for Mike's foundation.
My guitarist has also been recording for Duff McKagan's solo record.
His connections have not really benefited us very much because he does not want to be "that friend," always asking his more famous friends for favors. Kind of a bummer, but I respect his decision.
He's got a great picture of himself on stage with Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field. Shot from behind his point of view, you see him with a stadium's worth of people in front of him. It's pretty awesome.
My guitarist has also been recording for Duff McKagan's solo record.
His connections have not really benefited us very much because he does not want to be "that friend," always asking his more famous friends for favors. Kind of a bummer, but I respect his decision.
He's got a great picture of himself on stage with Pearl Jam at Wrigley Field. Shot from behind his point of view, you see him with a stadium's worth of people in front of him. It's pretty awesome.
My wife's uncle went to high school with Buddy Holly.
I guess it's too late to make something from that.
I guess it's too late to make something from that.
I forgot to add that my singer and drummer played in a trio years ago with a keyboardist handling the bass lines. After that band disbanded, the keyboardist went on to become Katy Perry's keyboard player. He is still touring and playing with her now.
Unfortunately, I never met him, but he is still in touch with my bandmates as they were all homies back in the day.
Unfortunately, I never met him, but he is still in touch with my bandmates as they were all homies back in the day.
most of the "connections" stuff i've experienced took place between ages 15-45 (quite a span of years when i see it written!). i don't remember the BS ones so much (convenience?), but the real ones were pretty cool!
per the OP: i smoked some weed with the lead singer of the miracles......irony?
per the OP: i smoked some weed with the lead singer of the miracles......irony?
When I was younger I dated a few girls who claimed they had connections with famous musicians.
Turns, out they actually did.
But I never capitalized on these because 1) I was too small potatoes and 2) I didn't particularly care for the musicians that they had connections with.
While I'm as much as a cynic as most of you seem to be, sometimes people are actually telling you the truth.
Turns, out they actually did.
But I never capitalized on these because 1) I was too small potatoes and 2) I didn't particularly care for the musicians that they had connections with.
While I'm as much as a cynic as most of you seem to be, sometimes people are actually telling you the truth.
A few weeks before he died, Geoff Emerick (he did recordings with a small British group from the 60's, and for it's bass player after that for a number of decades) invited me to become Facebook friends. I think I know how that happened, but the guy (who was really good with connections) that made that tenuous "connection" happen has also passed away. I have also hung out with a few famous musicians at times, and also Eddie Kramer (he did recordings with a relatively famous left handed guitarist in the 60's). I get gigs regularly. They have nothing to do with those "connections".
Anyone who claims to have connections, ask them about the things they've done via that connection. If they actually do have connections that are useful, they'll tell you stories about the person, what they like for dinner, the time they spilled wine on you, etc.
Real connections have more than one dimension to them, and you'll be able to tell from how they tell you if what they're talking about is real or not. I had dinner once with the guy who did FOH for the Tonight Show for 20 plus years - he was 30 feet or something from Johnny Carson for decades, and ...well, Johnny Carson is famously an introvert, The guy told a story about how once Johnny called him at home, with a question about how to do something on his VCR. This guy was as surprised to get that phone call as you or I would have been - despite working very closely with that show for a long time, he didn't have a "connection" with Johnny. In that one evening he probably spent more time really communicating with us than he had in decades at his work with Johnny. A bragging person could have told us "he and Johnny were like this", but I think we would have eventually seen through that.
People who brag quickly about connections probably don't have useful ones. Those who do have useful connections generally don't talk about them unless asked, and then, the stories, as I said, are multi-dimensional.
Anyone who claims to have connections, ask them about the things they've done via that connection. If they actually do have connections that are useful, they'll tell you stories about the person, what they like for dinner, the time they spilled wine on you, etc.
Real connections have more than one dimension to them, and you'll be able to tell from how they tell you if what they're talking about is real or not. I had dinner once with the guy who did FOH for the Tonight Show for 20 plus years - he was 30 feet or something from Johnny Carson for decades, and ...well, Johnny Carson is famously an introvert, The guy told a story about how once Johnny called him at home, with a question about how to do something on his VCR. This guy was as surprised to get that phone call as you or I would have been - despite working very closely with that show for a long time, he didn't have a "connection" with Johnny. In that one evening he probably spent more time really communicating with us than he had in decades at his work with Johnny. A bragging person could have told us "he and Johnny were like this", but I think we would have eventually seen through that.
People who brag quickly about connections probably don't have useful ones. Those who do have useful connections generally don't talk about them unless asked, and then, the stories, as I said, are multi-dimensional.
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In her teens our daughter did a lot of drawing and had quite a talent. My wife traveled to England on business and a woman named Dwight in the London office had a famous cousin. We sent a couple of drawings to her and quite some time later our daughter’s drawings of Elton John were returned with his autographs and compliments. The connection was of no use to me but we’re still pleased about how that worked out.
FWIW daughter threw away that talent. Art teachers wanted her to stretch out and try more things but she wanted no part of the work involved. Now she doesn’t draw at all.
FWIW daughter threw away that talent. Art teachers wanted her to stretch out and try more things but she wanted no part of the work involved. Now she doesn’t draw at all.
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Dave Grohl used to rehearse in my basement and was in his first couple of bands with my younger brother. I played an open mic with him, (probably his first time on stage). Sorry to say, but no, the connection did not get me any further along in my musical career. It would have been nice when he was forming Foo Fighters and needed a bass player to give me a call, but at that time we were on opposite coasts. LOL
At least I got a cool avatar out of it!
At least I got a cool avatar out of it!
Attachments
When I was in my rock band back in the 70s, there was some awesome guitarist guy practicing about a block away from our practice spot. I think his name was Eddie Van Halen. Does that count?
It's simple. "It's not who you know, it's who knows you."
I don't know anyone.
I don't know anyone.
I knew a hooker once named Minnie Mazzola...
And my first wife graduated from the same high school as Ben Orr. And we both went to the same college as Ric Ocasek. As I understand it, Ocasek occupied space in the same dorm that I did.
And my first wife graduated from the same high school as Ben Orr. And we both went to the same college as Ric Ocasek. As I understand it, Ocasek occupied space in the same dorm that I did.
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A few years ago I played a few gigs with a singer/songwriter that I worked with.
He always had a vibrant imaginary life ("I was offered a deal with a million dollar advance but that's too low/I wrote <insert well known song here>/I worked for the national intelligence service" etc).
He'd connected somehow with a guy that had been a musician and was on the same Liverpool/Hamburg circuit as the Beatles - this guy would do a couple of songs in the middle of the set.
There were a couple of younger players/singers that fell for his stories but my favourite was the one at the first gig we did.
We're in the "dressing room" (small room in the back of the bar we were playing at) and he came in, did a pep talk and said he wanted to pass on a message to everyone. In my head I'm thinking "please please please don't say it".
He said "Sir Paul called and said to tell everyone have a good gig." Oh he said it.
Despite selling a hundred or so tickets at $10 each somehow no money made its way to me.
Haven't seen him in years but I do miss his stories.
He always had a vibrant imaginary life ("I was offered a deal with a million dollar advance but that's too low/I wrote <insert well known song here>/I worked for the national intelligence service" etc).
He'd connected somehow with a guy that had been a musician and was on the same Liverpool/Hamburg circuit as the Beatles - this guy would do a couple of songs in the middle of the set.
There were a couple of younger players/singers that fell for his stories but my favourite was the one at the first gig we did.
We're in the "dressing room" (small room in the back of the bar we were playing at) and he came in, did a pep talk and said he wanted to pass on a message to everyone. In my head I'm thinking "please please please don't say it".
He said "Sir Paul called and said to tell everyone have a good gig." Oh he said it.
Despite selling a hundred or so tickets at $10 each somehow no money made its way to me.
Haven't seen him in years but I do miss his stories
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Lol! Yeah, sometimes it can be entertaining to listen to the stories, even though you know that it’s BS.A few years ago I played a few gigs with a singer/songwriter that I worked with.
He always had a vibrant imaginary life ("I was offered a deal with a million dollar advance but that's too low/I wrote <insert well known song here>/I worked for the national intelligence service" etc).
He'd connected somehow with a guy that had been a musician and was on the same Liverpool/Hamburg circuit as the Beatles - this guy would do a couple of songs in the middle of the set.
There were a couple of younger players/singers that fell for his stories but my favourite was the one at the first gig we did.
We're in the "dressing room" (small room in the back of the bar we were playing at) and he came in, did a pep talk and said he wanted to pass on a message to everyone. In my head I'm thinking "please please please don't say it".
He said "Sir Paul called and said to tell everyone have a good gig." Oh he said it.
Despite selling a hundred or so tickets at $10 each somehow no money made its way to me.
Haven't seen him in years but I do miss his stories
Used to work with a guy that was just one outrageous story after another, and he knew we all knew it was outrageous BS, but it didn’t stop him. After he got fired, the shop just wasn’t as lively as it was with him. I think even the shop foreman kinda regretted canning him.
JazznFunk
Supporting Member
Generally, the people with the real 'connections' will not talk about them openly, or in a flashy sort of way. Similar to people who are extremely wealthy but don't drive crazy cars or wear blinged out Rolexes.... or talk about their wealth.
