Insufferable Band Member(s)

[Geri O]

I was in a months-long sit down in a nice supper club in a good band. We had a blind piano player, very good, but over the course of the evening as the 'free drinks for the band' added up, he'd go from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde.

We all had the usual pity for a blind guy, but after a while, it wore on us enough the gloves came off. We'd been asking him to back off just a little on the Old Crow, but, you all know how well that usually works, and now enough . . . . was enough.

So . . . Tonight was the Night. About three sets in (and three sheets in the wind . . . ) he needed one of us to lead him to the Men's Room . . . . except we steered him to the Ladies Lounge. He emerged forthwith in a big hurry, what with the screams and flying purses.

He comes back to the stage, where we'd strategically applied electric tape to several keys here, and here, and down there, which of course he doesn't see, nor does he realize they're there until he's playing lots of clams he'd never ordinarily play.

The drummer, myself, and he car-pooled. His wife was ALWAYS in his face when he'd come home all tore up. So when we go to drop him off, there was a ditch in front of his house, with a little foot bridge crossing it. We pull up, help him out and get one hand on the railing, and jump back in the car. He always wanted to sneak in so as not to wake her. We'd lined him up to where his hand was on the railing, all right, but it was his right hand . . . on the left rail. He takes two steps, and whoops, he's in the ditch. At the same time we sat on the horn and burned rubber, hung a U-turn, and he's pulling himself out of the mud and here she comes down the front steps giving him up the country.

He slowed waaayyyyy down on his drinks after that, and it was never mentioned again.

I love it when a plan works out.

Dang!

Maybe I should play with you guys and ya’ll could make me cut back on my incessant snacking!…

 

[PDW30]

I guess some of the stories from the band bus in the old days would be too rough for y'all.

Tell us - I'm prepared to take the chance. In this case I suggest we suspend the 'no picture, didn't happen' rule.

 

[richntiff]

I guess some of the stories from the band bus in the old days would be too rough for y'all.

wow. What a badass!

 

[turf3]

Hey, those stories didn't happen to ME. I'm not nearly that much of a badass.

 

[PDW30]

Hey, those stories didn't happen to ME. I'm not nearly that much of a badass.

Aren't the best stories always the ones that happen to other people? I'm waiting ...

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

I've been playing full time since I was 31 (I'm 56), and there will never come a day where I can draw breath and hold a bass, that I will be as punch-a-clock jaded as many of the posts I was just reading. Music is supposed to fulfill and inspire. If the gig drags you down/bores you so much, maybe find a new hobby/hustle?

"You think I do this because I WANT to?!?! I do this because I HAVE to!!!" - Nick Nolte in NY Stories

I often wonder about the "as long as I get paid" comments, usually followed by derogatory comments about the material being played. Like what the hey? No one forces this on you! I don't like playing football. So I don't play football...

 

[1st Bass]

Football… the one with points on both ends of the ball?

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I often wonder about the "as long as I get paid" comments, usually followed by derogatory comments about the material being played. Like what the hey? No one forces this on you! I don't like playing football. So I don't play football...

But you would play if someone paid you enough, right?

As my band's EP proudly stated: "Ev'rybody's Got Their Price"

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

But you would play if someone paid you enough, right?

As my band's EP proudly stated: "Ev'rybody's Got Their Price"

To be honest, I really wonder just how high that price should be. In the past 20 years, I've tried out a lot of genres. And I know which one I decidedly do not like: the wedding band/top 40 kind.

Did it for two years or so. It was a good band, VERY good musicians, especially the two female vocals.
But I died inside, and frankly I just won't play that music anymore. In this band's case the money was not good (cos the BL took it all...) But it wasn't even about the money for me. Despite the musical growth (learned to REALLY play pick style then, for one) I just realized I do not enjoy playing two or three sets worth of that music. I'll gladly go see bands that do. Just won't play it.

I know my current band will draw 4 to 5 people next time we play - assuming I bring em all. But musically it's just so much more rewarding. And that's why I started doing this, all those years ago.

 

[PDW30]

Football… the one with points on both ends of the ball?

So what game do you play with a ball with a point on only one end?

 

[1st Bass]

Good question! I s'pose if you sharpened one end of a rugby ball it might qualify, but then what would the game be? Other balls don't have "ends" at all, as a rule. Of course, a cricket ball, because of the peculiar manner in which it is stitched, might be said to have "ends," but really, they are just hemispheres, so it seems a mistake to call them ends. On the other hand, people sometimes talk about the "ends of the earth," too, and it isn't exactly an elongated shape, either.
It's amazing what phiolosophical questions can arise in such a discussion as this! Press on!

 

[gln1955]

So what game do you play with a ball with a point on only one end?

Badminton?

 

[SixtyCycleHum]

So what game do you play with a ball with a point on only one end?

Monopoly

 

[tycobb73]

You must have been so proud doing all that to a blind man. What a great addition to my ignore list.

As a blind man myself I can tell you sometimes people deserve it. Blindness or any handicap, I also have cerebral palsy, is no excuse to be an ass and i fully support my band mates if they did this to someone who was an ass, handicapped or not.

 

[lfmn16]

As a blind man myself I can tell you sometimes people deserve it. Blindness or any handicap, I also have cerebral palsy, is no excuse to be an ass and i fully support my band mates if they did this to someone who was an ass, handicapped or not.

Here’s a crazy idea - deal with the problem like an adult BEFORE it gets out of hand.

 

[bassbully]

I play music for fun and it’s good for my mental health. If somebody interfered with “ the fun” it would hopefully be them to go but if not it would be me. I don’t have time to deal with difficult people. Bands are for music not politics or a personal agendas. I have had a few Difficult band members thru my many years, thank God they are long gone.

 

[Spidey2112]

So what game do you play with a ball with a point on only one end?

Sudoku?

 

[Spidey2112]

Bands are for music not politics or a personal agendas.

Totally agree.

 

[51PRI]

......I know my current band will draw 4 to 5 people next time we play - assuming I bring em all. But musically it's just so much more rewarding.......

So what's the point? You book a gig and bring "4 to 5 people" you won't get rebooked.

I like playing music that I like but not if the band can't be successful doing it.

 

[31HZ]

Here’s a crazy idea - deal with the problem like an adult BEFORE it gets out of hand.

View attachment 4664360

And if that doesn't do the job?

It was already mentioned that firing him wasn't an option.

What's Plan B? And then Plan C when that doesn't work?

I guess we could just go onto a forum and spew 3rd-grade drama about "ignore lists" if Plan D doesn't work.