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I am NOT "your" bassist

#21
Jimmy M-
I always referred to you to you as "my Fliptop expert". I'll start using 'our Fliptop expert'!:)
True Story-
I was playing for 'Larry' who had a heart attack and was out for about 6 weeks. Larry's friend calls me to ask if I could play in his band while Larry's recovering. I take the gig. Larry gets better and is ready to put his band back together. He calls his friend and tells him that he 'wants me back'. They argue for a while about who really owns me, but eventually the new bandleader calls me up and fires me because Larry 'wants his bassman back'. Larry had made it clear that I was only on loan while he was sick.
It was like two good old boys arguing over a hunting dog. It was kind of funny. I told them they could start calling me Rover.
 
#22
ThunderLizard said:
Jimmy M-
I always referred to you to you as "my Fliptop expert". I'll start using 'our Fliptop expert'!:)
True Story-
I was playing for 'Larry' who had a heart attack and was out for about 6 weeks. Larry's friend calls me to ask if I could play in his band while Larry's recovering. I take the gig. Larry gets better and is ready to put his band back together. He calls his friend and tells him that he 'wants me back'. They argue for a while about who really owns me, but eventually the new bandleader calls me up and fires me because Larry 'wants his bassman back'. Larry had made it clear that I was only on loan while he was sick.
It was like two good old boys arguing over a hunting dog. It was kind of funny. I told them they could start calling me Rover.
Click to expand...
LOL! Yeah, at that point, you're property.

BTW, I am not your Fliptop expert, nor am I their Fliptop expert, nor am I anyone's Fliptop expert. I am not a Fliptop expert at all. I'm just a guy who loves Fliptops and owns the Ampeg book and knows where to look up the answers people are asking about ;) People think I'm an expert because I started the Portaflex Club on here, but the truth is I started it to gather up the real experts and bleed them for advice ;)
 
#24
I can understand JimmyM's point, the semantics don't personally get under my own skin. Our former guitarist used "My" all the time and just splattered his ego all over the place, hope he is enjoying cleaning it off his equipment at home with all his new "spare time".
Maybe the "My" IS a tell?
 
#25
This reminds me of an early Rolling Stones story...

In a drunken stupor, Mick Jagger shouts out "Where's my f%#king drummer ?"

Charlie Watts hears this from across the room, calmly walks over and punches Mick in the mouth and says "I'm not your f%#king drummer. You're my f%#king singer !"

:D:D:D
 
#27
I don't know.. I always found it to be a sort of camaraderie thing, but I have just really played with friends for fun as a hobby.

I always liked being referred to as "my bassist" by members of my band.. sort of a brotherhood thing.. I always thought anyway.

That's just my opinion though.
 
#28
When introducing anyone in the band I play in, I use their first name, then their role in the band. Example:

"Joanne, this is Mark, the guitar player, and he needs your immediate attention" :).

I am not much for the "my" classification either, although I usually just shrug it off and quit the band. :)
 
#32
I like the "my" in my current band, because we're a band. We write together, we perform together, we go out drinking together. I'm 'their' bassist as much as he's 'my' guitarist.

If I was doing a gig for pay (and this can have different definition for different people, you know what I mean) I would probably want to punch the someone who said it.

So, as always, its all in what you mean.
 
#34
It's a good point made, and I never really thought about it until now. If we were talking in person I wouldn't say it, but when I type I put in my. Everybody in "my" band says my bassist, and I don't take it badly, but then again none of us are egotistical about it, we know that without each other we wouldn't be what we are. So to me it's no big deal.
 
#38
I work for a drummer who won't hire anyone but me for his gigs, the ones he books. He'll turn down work if I'm unavailable, telling the agent, "My bassist can't make it, sorry." Quite flattering IMO. If he's paying me, I'm quite happy to be 'his' bassist- no problem here.
 
#39
I don't mind being called "my bassist" at all. Very rarely is it said in a condiscending tone, and most people say it in a positive light.

In fact, to me, it sounds very egotistical to throw a backstage hissyfit over something that shouldn't be a big deal. Rather, was something that if you were uncomfortable with, could be mentioned as a reminder after the gig to refer to you differently next time.
 
#40
I see the point of it not being a big deal to some, but that depends solely on the type of bandmates you have. when this sort of thing happens to you in situation such as jimmy or myself, you will definitely have a ah ha! moment. there is a feeling of being pushed to the bottom ladder rung and you will definitely smell s#!^
 

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