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Ever Been Recognized?

#23
It happened a lot when I was in my 20's in a popular band in college- but it is more like a peer thing than a fan thing. One time was really kind of cool though.- about ten years after I was in that college band, I was wine tasting with some friends in a town near where I went to college. All of a sudden, the CD from our band started blasting and the winemaker came out and introduced me a "famous bass player" - he was about my age and went to school the same time as me and liked our band a lot. He was really cool and really made it an inside joke that I was famous- most of the people that were there were older wine enthusiasts and for all they knew or could care- I was a rock star, not just a dude that played in a local band in 1997.
 
#24
It's a running joke in my band that no one ever recognizes me. For instance, I was sitting at our merch table after a performance, and a guy came up, talked to a couple of the other members, asked for autographs on the CD he'd bought, and got a weird look on his face when I grabbed the CD and proceeded to sign it. "Oh, I thought you were one of the band member's dad." I circled my name on the back of the CD, for emphasis.

Another time, a couple of guys came up to one of the guitarists (very recognizable) and me and started talking to us. It was mentioned that I was in the band too, and he said, "Oh, right, you're the singer. Yeah, good job." We're an instrumental band.

I have dozens of these stories. I'll admit that I do a bad job of cultivating an image. I sometimes have a beard, sometimes don't, wear glasses all the time *except* when I'm on stage, I lost like 50lbs between two major appearances, so there's no telling what I may look like from one time to the next, but I don't think I'm so nondescript that I step off stage to get something out of my bag, then not be allowed back onto the stage because security doesn't believe I'm in the band. That's happened.
 
#25
chunkstyle_mm said:
It's a running joke in my band that no one ever recognizes me. For instance, I was sitting at our merch table after a performance, and a guy came up, talked to a couple of the other members, asked for autographs on the CD he'd bought, and got a weird look on his face when I grabbed the CD and proceeded to sign it. "Oh, I thought you were one of the band member's dad." I circled my name on the back of the CD, for emphasis.

Another time, a couple of guys came up to one of the guitarists (very recognizable) and me and started talking to us. It was mentioned that I was in the band too, and he said, "Oh, right, you're the singer. Yeah, good job." We're an instrumental band.

I have dozens of these stories. I'll admit that I do a bad job of cultivating an image. I sometimes have a beard, sometimes don't, wear glasses all the time *except* when I'm on stage, I lost like 50lbs between two major appearances, so there's no telling what I may look like from one time to the next, but I don't think I'm so nondescript that I step off stage to get something out of my bag, then not be allowed back onto the stage because security doesn't believe I'm in the band. That's happened.
Click to expand...

It's funny... in one of the bands I'm in I dress the most "distinctly" (I wear bow-tie's, weird hats, etc.), I'm by far the busiest, and if I'm being honest, most advanced musician in the band... they all know it... yet still, every gig, we walk off stage and know one says a single word to me. And, if they do, they don't realize I had played...

There have been a few instances in other bands where people did talk to me after the gig, and I felt awkward... so maybe it's for the better...
 
#27
Some people recognize me; some don't even know I'm in the band :D

Most recently I was hanging out before a show of ours with a girl I knew. We aren't really friends but rather friendly acquaintances who see each other around town from time to time. Anyways, my singer came over to where we were sitting and told me to write the setlist for the evening. I said sure and began working on it, and the girl I was hanging with began looking at me all confused. She finally popped up the courage and asked, "So wait, you're in the band, too?" I laughed and was like, "Yeah, that's why I'm always in your house with a bass guitar when *my band's name* is rehearsing." She has seen me at her house numerous times while we've been practicing and she never knew I was in the band! :D It was both incredibly funny and slightly disturbing lol.

By comparison, though, I have people come up to me from time to time when I'm out with friends and say hi and tell me that they've seen me play and that they really dig my band and what we're doing. I'm always thankful for those moments because it makes me feel like I'm doing something right lol.
 
#28
It's happened a few times, mostly since I started using the Rip Topaz moniker. One of my old bands had an article in the local music mag, and at the time I was working as a lowly convenience store clerk part time. On a regular basis people would come in and recognize me and ask if I was Rip. I denied it a few times, but then it started getting me chicks, so I just go with it now.
 
#29
A couple of blue haired elderly ladies came up to me after a show in Fort Worth once asking if I was Kenny Rogers. They had show posters and were wanting an autograph. I only barely resembled him, barely, but had a white beard at the time and even though I was playing bass for a country singing rhinestone cowboy and wasn't the front man, I figured I'd not be the one to burst their bubble and
signed, 'best wishes, Kenny'
 
#32
I was in the LEGO store with my son when one of the clerks came up to me and asked if I used to be in a band which I was actually in. The guy got kinda excited about it and said he used to go to all our shows, met his girlfriend there and had lots of memories from going to see us play.

After my son looked at me and said "I knew you were in bands, Dad, but I didn't know you were any good!"
 
#35
It has happened to me quite a few times and I'm never really comfortable with it...I just thank them for coming to see the band, good memories, etc.

Most recently was in a hospital about 5 years ago...remembering my band from 20+ years ago!!!
 
#37
I have been "blessed" I mean cursed with having red hair so people almost always remember me before I remember them. What is funny is I am in a Brazilian band and our percussionist is also a red head. People often ask him if he is me but noone has ever asked me if I am him. I chalk this up to me practicing a lot more than him. Although our musical talents are probably on par, me playing a few hours everyday makes people "see" me much more than him. In the end, man I wish I had black hair ):
 
#38
Biggbass said:
A couple of blue haired elderly ladies came up to me after a show in Fort Worth once asking if I was Kenny Rogers. They had show posters and were wanting an autograph. I only barely resembled him, barely, but had a white beard at the time and even though I was playing bass for a country singing rhinestone cowboy and wasn't the front man, I figured I'd not be the one to burst their bubble and
signed, 'best wishes, Kenny'
Click to expand...

:cool:

DudleyMoore_KennyRogers_TonightShow.jpg


There's a clip of him playing bass and singing Ruby with the First Edition. Complete with rhinestones.:)
 
#40
A guy came up to me at the Arlington Guitar Show several years ago and told me he'd heard my new album and how great it was. I still don't know who he thought I was.

I'm one of those guys that people always think they've seen on TV. I usually tell them I was on America's Most Wanted...
 

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