Did I screw up, or am I a hero?

[bass-icly me]

The few times I've done things this rude and self-serving to others, they acted as a wake-up call that I need to adjust my attitude and keep my ego in check more often. It seems to have worked this way for you, and I'm glad you manned up and sent an apology note. Live and learn, and go forward with a bit more class.

And FWIW we live in a society that doesn't accept alcohol as an excuse for bad behavior.

As a practicing musician and professional/semi-pro entertainer, I learned long ago the virtues of how to be a good supportive audience member and patiently let others have their moment when I'm not on the stage, regardless of their skill level, especially in a distinctly non-professional amateur situation. That's my version of cool. You got your kicks by stealing someone else's thunder, embarrassing him, and ruining his night, and that's just not how it's done. You were the bully and show-off, and that's never cool or heroic, particularly for practicing musicians.

That dude might have gotten his healthy round of applause same as you, but he got robbed instead.

And I'd be willing to bet there were at least a few in that gathering who were sober and aware enough to recognize what happened and would agree with me.

Self-awareness, pretty cool stuff, ain't?

 

[kopio]

I think heel at first...then hero for making it right.

That being said....I would have been in the front row eating popcorn watching all the drunk neighborhood drama! I haven't drank in many years...but I love watching people with liquid courage do stupid stuff!

 

[hotrodjohn]

Heel. You shoulda grabbed the bass too.

 

[Wfrance3]

You didn't do anything wrong, exactly. I would have probably let him finish the butchering, mostly because if it was my neighborhood pool I'd have to see the guy again. Face it civilians just don't "get it"...
Now I (absolutely) WOULD have thrown my hat in with a different Rush tune just to make things right with the world...

 

[yodedude2]

...and here's your answer

repeated for emphasis. jerk move. don't do it again.

edit...skipped from p.1 to p. 8

2nd edit...saw the apology. good on ya. that takes strength.

 

[MustangWally]

If the guy couldn't carry the tune in a bucket then he had no place being onstage, regardless. Pat yourself on the back for saving the day and the song. Full disclosure: a) I really do not like hearing any music being butchered; and b) I have very different social standards than most people.

 

[Frank77]

Obligatory:

(I kid, of course. To each his own.)

I know this is meant as a joke, but I've met my fair share of Rush fans who could say stuff like that (or worse) and be dead serious. A good proportion of their die-hard fans are plain insufferable. The situation depicted in this thread is a good example.



* flame suits up *

 

[And I]

You definitely screwed up by not including a poll on this post. Also by your behavior at the party, but from my perspective that's secondary to not including a poll.

 

[slowburnaz]

Douche move... no two ways about it.

 

[RedHatter]

I can understand (and even agree with) why you did it, but were it me I would've left it alone.

 

[JimmyM]

Hero to the crowd, goat to the band guy.

 

[HolmeBass]

Sorry brother, I know it's important to you, but not so much in the grand scheme of things, where many people butcher kareoke.

So you are a heel.

 

[Bass Viking]

im going with not cool. and honestly youre lucky the guy didnt beat your butt.

It reminds me of something I heard on the TV show Dallas: once you take a man's pride he'll do almost anything to get it back.

 

[2F/2F]

Dick move, dude. And your story is even worse. "Not on my watch." OK, tough guy...

And all over Rush too, of all bands. Hilarious. Keepin' that stereotype of insufferable prog rock fans alive, man!

This is reason #1 why people hate prog rock. It's too damned serious for rock-n-roll.

You deserved to get thrown in the drink, at the very least. Don't be like that any more, 'K?.

P.S. You must live in a pretty awful neighborhood if Rush gets played by a live band at a neighborhood pool party. I would seriously think about getting the hell outta there.

 

[BadSanta1281]

Bad move. It was a party not a concert, right?

You should have just rolled your eyes or made faces while he stank it up.

Or laughed uncontrollably like "Green Shirt Guy" who was in the news last week.

 

[mindwell]

Sing "YYZ." That'll learn him!

 

[wintremute]

It looks like OP heeded the words of the majority in this thread, and apologized to the original "singer".

This post reminded me of Reddit's "AITA" sub-thread. I agree with the majority. Because of the setting: heel.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Heel.

Part of the fun of karaoke is watching people like him.

And it just ain't cool to do that. Much more cool to smile and say, "I'm glad you're having a blast."

 

[BurningSkies]

So every year at my neighborhood pool, there's an adults-only party. My band played it a couple of times. The beer, wine and liquor always flow freely at this shindig and things can go a little sideways…

This year they hired a cover band, who handed out song lists at the beginning of the night so people could come up and sing one. I can carry a tune and there were a couple of Rush songs on the list and there's no bigger Rush fan than me, but I don't sing with my band and I had no intention of jumping on-stage at this party. Until…

A neighborhood guy who I don't even know got up there and sang some song which I don't remember, and it wasn't so good, but whatever. Everyone's having a good time. Then he stayed up there, consulted briefly with the band, and they launched into "Tom Sawyer". So I move close to the front of the stage 'cause this is gonna be cool.

But right from the first line of vocals, he's screwing it up. Badly. Off key, not in time with the band. I'm looking at him, we make eye contact, I'm mouthing the words in time, trying to get him back on track, and it's not happening. And I'm thinking to myself, go ahead and desecrate the Cranberries or Sublime or 'Brown-Eyed Girl', but not Rush. Not on my watch.

So after "the river…", I took the #%$^&* mic out of his hand and finished the song, in tune and on time. And the crowd went wild. This guy and his wife, however, did not.

Several minutes later, he saw me and said "not cool", pretty forcefully. I apologized. He wasn't having it. Then, a few minutes later, his wife comes charging at me, calling me every name in the book, saying I embarrassed her husband because I'm "a professional", etc. And then they both stormed outta there, flipping me off.

Thinking about it later, if someone had done that to me, I probably would have been pretty pissed. Then again, I wouldn't have been butchering one of the greatest songs in rock history. So, I'm dug in – sorry not sorry, as a massive Rush fan with some liquid courage, I did what I had to do.

Am I am heel or a hero?

There are no heroes in a live-band karaoke situation.

 

[tekhedd]

If it contains the meaning of the universe [...] then maybe you've got some justification.

Well, it was Rush.


Although it may seem counter-intuitive, musicians should stay sober in locations where terrible music will be performed. It is generally safe to drink either at home where you control the music, or in sports bars where the thing that makes you want to commit homicide is commercials (and the underperformance of your local team). We all know that karaoke is evil that should be destroyed, and the danger is that, being drunk, you will forget you're surrounded by people who worship that evil and do something that endangers your life. No I'm definitely not speaking from experience here. Definitely.