Final Proof

[LiquidMidnight]

If you're going to allow sit ins, especially those that are popular with the local crowd, then it's best to just have fun with it, even if he sucks. IMHO, flipping him the bird and otherwise being rude to him may actually cost you some fans.

+1

It's always very awkward when you're put in that position, but sometimes you just have to grin and bear it. There are times I've had sit-ins that I literally wanted to bust out laughing right there on stage, but I always just keep a straight face and get through the number. While certain approaches to sitting in can be classless, disrespecting the person who is sitting in can be classless as well.

Case in point, I remember playing an Italian club years ago. The band I was in had a steady gig there and the club manager really liked us. He asked if some friend or family member could sit in, so we obliged. Our singer and rythmn player let him use his guitar. I don't think the guy ever really played in a band before, because it was like a kid going to rock camp for him. I still can't forget when we played the opening chords to Gloria and he proceeded to rock out like he was at the Civic Arena, striking poses as his wife took pictures. He wasn't a bad player, either, but he played these wanky, self-indulguent penatonic leads that just went on and on. The whole thing was funny. I wanted to laugh, but I just rolled with it and had fun. We took care of the club manager's guest and had a great relationship with that venue for the rest of the band's tenure.

And I hope that "I Hate My Life" is one of your strongest songs! I like Theory of a Deadman, but that tune isn't exactly rocket science.

 

[walterw]

Hot tambourine ladies are the possible exception as everyone loves hot tambourine ladies. I do as well- as long as they are nowhere near my side of the stage.

hot ladies yes, but a tambourine is a dangerous weapon in the wrong hands.

just get 'em up to dance around the band, works every bit as well.

 

[Muttleybass]

You should have used that onion.

 

[mellowinman]

And I hope that "I Hate My Life" is one of your strongest songs! I like Theory of a Deadman, but that tune isn't exactly rocket science.

It's one of Arthur's best lead vocals. On the original song, it's kind of nasally, and nerdy. Arthur sings it way better than the Theory of a Deadman guy, and he really shines on it. We sing a great three-part harmony on the verse. We play it with acoustic 12-string, one electric, bass and drums, and it just has a nice, jangly sound that it seems other bands don't capture.

I would dare say, we do the best darn cover of that song around, and it kind of rubbed Krystal and I the wrong way to have some non-drumming fool messing it up.

We're just like that. Arthur and Scott had a lot of friends, family and friends of friends and family at this gig, and treated it more like a party than a pro gig. They have the right to do so, and nothing against them for doing so.

But it's hard for me to do that, OK? I am a very, very obsessive person when it comes to music. It is HARD for me to let go. I have fun; not just fun; what's the word for it? I get a sense of TOTAL SATISFACTION when a song is performed flawlessly. Not just flawlessly, but technically perfect, with feeling, and giving a top-notch performance. If anything is amiss, I am NOT having fun. That's just me. I realize it's a flaw. I realize I'm not perfect. I realize I should probably work on that.

And I do.

But on an internet forum, where I am venting my honest opinion, and communicating with other players, I don't mind mentioning that for me, that alleged drummer should have been beaten to death with drumsticks, (for irony,) and Scott, (and Arthur, if he was involved in this nefarious plot to put that kid on our stage, -and I think he WAS,) should be smacked around JUST A LITTLE; not enough to damage either man, especially their hands.

And just so you know, I use the writing style of slight exaggeration to make my point, so imagine me YELLING some of the words, ala Louis Black.

It's all fine. We're all OK. The serious part is simply NO MORE GUEST PLAYERS unless they are in established bands, and even then, please GOD keep it to a minimum.

I didn't mind the first guest drummer. The guy was good, and he was gracious about playing with us, and I like him and his band. I might go see them next week.

That kid? Tommy, or Timmy, or Jimmy, or Johnny, or Sammy or Rover, or whatever he was named?

I WANT HIM TO STAY AWAY FROM DRUM KITS.

And meth.

 

[Bert Slide]

But it's hard for me to do that, OK? I am a very, very obsessive person when it comes to music. It is HARD for me to let go. I have fun; not just fun; what's the word for it? I get a sense of TOTAL SATISFACTION when a song is performed flawlessly. Not just flawlessly, but technically perfect, with feeling, and giving a top-notch performance. If anything is amiss, I am NOT having fun. That's just me. I realize it's a flaw. I realize I'm not perfect. I realize I should probably work on that.

You sound kinda like my brother, a guitar player I've played in many bands with. We have endless arguments over these kinds of things. He's such a perfectionist he sometimes misses the forest for the trees. We are there to help everyone have fun and sell some booze afterall. Here's a few things he's done over the years:

We're back in our hometown playing with a new band to an almost empty venue made up mostly of some friends of mine from high school, some I haven't seen in 25 years. One of them is the guy who was the singer for my band in high school. I ask him before we we play if he wants to sing one and he says sure. I show him the set list and ask which one and he picks "The Real Me" by the Who. My fault I guess because I tell my bro in advance that my old singer is going to get up and sing one but I neglect to tell him which one. We launch into it, my friend jumps on stage on my mike holding his phone with the lyrics he has pulled up and starts singing. So he's not that great and messes up some lyrics so my brother starts singing over him as loud as he can in his mike. After the show my bro is all mad because "that's one of my favorite songs to sing and you didn't tell me, I wouldn't have let him sing that one, blah, blah, blah..." I don't get it. We were all friends there and the small crowd was loving it.

Another time we were playing a bar by our house where we know everyone and one of the employees is a drummer/singer. I see him in the crowd and wave him up on stage to my mike to do some backup vocals. He gets almost to the mike and then turns around and goes back in the crowd. I look over and my bro is giving him the stoniest look you've ever seen. I'd have turned around too!

Another constant debate we have is requests. He won't take them unless he thinks we can really nail them. We know hundreds of songs that we can at least pull off a respectable chorus and verse or two. When we do play requests that we don't really know they are sometimes among the best crowd response of the night. My bro will say later how it was horrible and we butchered it but who cares? People were singing, dancing and drinking and that's what it's all about.

 

[hsech]

A few years ago we had a female vocalist sit in with our southern rock trio. She was bad news and the audience showed their displeasure. Some started to leave. We had to pry the microphone from her hands to get her off the stage. We tried to make lighthearted asking her to leave by doing the old "cut throat" with our finger, but she couldn't take a hint. Finally it was time to turn the microphone off and take it out of hands while the crowd booed.

 

[the yeti]

At least I have a shot at milking it for laughs.

don't know why but this made me laugh.

 

[bluewine]

It is HARD for me to let go. I have fun; not just fun; what's the word for it? I get a sense of TOTAL SATISFACTION when a song is performed flawlessly. Not just flawlessly, but technically perfect, with feeling, and giving a top-notch performance. If anything is amiss, I am NOT having fun. That's just me. I realize it's a flaw. I realize I'm not perfect. I realize I should probably work on that.

That must be hard. I have goof nights and bad nights, and I'm ok with that.

Do you require your band mates to play flawlessly?

Blue

 

[ChrisB2]

Sit-ins; had good ones and bad ones. The ones that make me cringe the most are when our singer gets shown up. Our guy is good, but there are better. We played a wedding once where two friends of the bride were co-lead singers in a band. She wanted them to sing and... well, they blew the roof off the place. I would hate to have been our singer. Can you say "break time"???

A previous band, we had a rule; anyone in the band who gets the request to sit in, they reply, "We have a rule; I have to talk to the band and get everyone's okay." Go get a beer, walk around, go back to the person and say "Sorry, I was okay with it but the rest of the band voted no." Hopefully saves a little face for everyone involved and keeps strangers off the stage. I liked that rule.

Known entities; we take them on a case-by-case basis. It usually is not a train wreck, the sit-inee and all his friends/family love it, it's good will for the band, and you go on. Usually no one gets hurt and everyone goes home safe. It's only rock 'n roll in a cover band, what's the big deal???

 

[HolmeBass]

Glad it didn't tank your gig. Live and learn.

I once was amongst the victims of a 'singer' that drunkenly insisted she be allowed to sit-in with our blues band. The closest her repetoire came to authentic blues was "Johnny B. Goode", which she proceeded to butcher horribly. She missed every single cue, knew none of the words, and then of course, BLAMED US for not following her as she was booed off the stage.

The only people that should be allowed to sit-in are big-time, celebrity musicians, former band members, and known commodity friends that can actually play.

Hot tambourine ladies are the possible exception as everyone loves hot tambourine ladies. I do as well- as long as they are nowhere near my side of the stage.

Oof, I have to disagree. The tambourine, especially the really loud plastic ones, is a dangerous instrument in the wrong hands- can totally destroy a groove. In the right hands it can totally make a groove.

 

[dtripoli]

2 take a way's:
*Never overestimate or assume your audience's musical intelligence
*Always, always wear earplugs

 

[bassbully]

Just add Alcohol any everybody thinks they can sing better ,look better ,play better..you know the story. We had a guy at a show we did once play lead on a cover and he was awesome. I told the guys in the band after the family member asked if he could play that it was ok, I knew him from a music store and that he was good.

We have been asked to have us let others sing or play and our policy is always no.

 

[JohnMCA72]

...
I am a very, very obsessive person when it comes to music. It is HARD for me to let go. I have fun; not just fun; what's the word for it? I get a sense of TOTAL SATISFACTION when a song is performed flawlessly. Not just flawlessly, but technically perfect, with feeling, and giving a top-notch performance. If anything is amiss, I am NOT having fun. That's just me. I realize it's a flaw. I realize I'm not perfect. I realize I should probably work on that.

And I do.
...

I'm with you, for the most part. I believe in taking every possible step to be ready, & working hard to make sure everything is "right". I also recognize that, once the lights come up & the music starts, anything can happen. Sometimes a show actually goes off flawlessly as rehearsed. Sometimes (thankfully, seldom) there's a train wreck. Most times, though, unexpected things happen. Some are big, some are small, some good, some bad, & sometimes even something goes "wrong" that ends up making the whole night special for everybody.

So, my expectation & desire for "perfection" stops at rehearsal. At rehearsal, everything is under control. But at a show there's a venue & audience that are are part of the show, too, & they weren't at rehearsal. The audience, especially, is almost 100% spontaneous & reactive. I could drive myself crazy trying to herd cats, or I could roll with it & have fun!

 

[mellowinman]

That must be hard. I have goof nights and bad nights, and I'm ok with that.

Do you require your band mates to play flawlessly?

Blue

I don't think I'm really in a position where I can actually "require" them to play flawlessly. I like it when they do, and I feel that, much of the time, Arthur and Krystal do.

The weak link has usually been the drummer, and we all know the ratio of really GOOD drummers to people who own kits.

I've heard what this band is capable of. We really do want to be the BEST classic rock cover band in the area we play, and the reason is simply because the material we are playing DESERVES that kind of respect.

I play for a love of rock and roll. It is my religion, and I feel it is a darn good one.

We have had moments where the performance was as good as, or even maybe better than the band we are covering, or at the least, very VERY close.

And I'm talking about some of our more difficult songs, too.

Whole Lotta Love
Money
Freebird
Sweet Child O'Mine
Tie Your Mother Down
Any of our Beatles covers

Songs that maybe any individual part is not that hard, but where the band really does have to play together, and the vocals have to be top notch, both lead and harmony.

In those moments when we nail it, I am so proud, and my fellow bandmembers are the most important people in the world.

Any time "it's only rock and roll," I just don't see why I'm wasting my time.

 

[walterw]

So, my expectation & desire for "perfection" stops at rehearsal. At rehearsal, everything is under control. But at a show there's a venue & audience that are are part of the show, too, & they weren't at rehearsal. The audience, especially, is almost 100% spontaneous & reactive. I could drive myself crazy trying to herd cats, or I could roll with it & have fun!

sage advice!

get your stuff tight ahead of time and be ready, but when things get goofy, know how to let go and have a laugh with the audience;

the gig where they had fun, saw you having fun and want to come back next time is the gig where you actually did your job, perfect song renditions be damned.

 

[guy n. cognito]

sage advice!

get your stuff tight ahead of time and be ready, but when things get goofy, know how to let go and have a laugh with the audience;

the gig where they had fun, saw you having fun and want to come back next time is the gig where you actually did your job, perfect song renditions be damned.

Agreed completely. I've learned two things:

1. The audience rarely notices minor mistakes (sometimes even major ones) and
2. The crowd will pick up on body language and anger in band mates.

I can remember watching a video posted here one time. I don't remember who it was, but the OP was posting the video to try to demonstrate how much work their drummer needed. Even as a musician, I didn't see too much issue with the drummer, but I DID pick up on another member of the band glaring angrily at the drummer during the entire song. That body language said, to me, that no one on that stage seemed to be having a good time.

Perfection is great, and we all strive for it. Sometimes, people slip up. Try to let it go when they do. If you have a "guest" on stage, just smile and have fun, even if they suck. Have a way to get that person off stage quickly and get back to yoru show.

 

[the yeti]

Agreed completely. I've learned two things:

1. The audience rarely notices minor mistakes (sometimes even major ones) and
2. The crowd will pick up on body language and anger in band mates.

I can remember watching a video posted here one time. I don't remember who it was, but the OP was posting the video to try to demonstrate how much work their drummer needed. Even as a musician, I didn't see too much issue with the drummer, but I DID pick up on another member of the band glaring angrily at the drummer during the entire song. That body language said, to me, that no one on that stage seemed to be having a good time.

Perfection is great, and we all strive for it. Sometimes, people slip up. Try to let it go when they do. If you have a "guest" on stage, just smile and have fun, even if they suck. Have a way to get that person off stage quickly and get back to yoru show.

agree. hardly anyone (no one) plays "flawlessly".

 

[QORC]

Not a fan of the "sit in", although our lead singer has done it to us (with drummers). It never sounds good.

However, we bring up women all the time to dance on stage (when they are larger stages). Always a hit with the crowd, but never would give them even a tambourine. And I crowd my microphone to make sure they can't get near it. But that's different. They aren't screwing up the song.

 

[bluewine]

Last night, we played a very successful gig. We had the audience in our pocket 100%. We sounded good; the performance was good; everybody was "on."

Seen several of your bands video clips;

Your band has a very rowdy, rock & roll party look, vibe and sound. I like it, I think it's what the scene is missing.

Keep on Rockin.

Blue

 

[jazzbo58]

The band I'm in will not let anyone sit in. In the 80's I was in a 9 piece band that played private dances and weddings. everytime someone sat in it sucked. I agree that alcohol brings out the Star in most people, unforutnately they're only good in the own mind.

Cheers,
Jim