Rick Auricchio
Registered Bass Offender
Look up Keith Relf, the late lead singer of the Yardbirds. That's what killed him.
This is why vintage amps without grounding plugs can be lethal. They're literally "killer" amps.
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Oddest injuries, had mine last night
- Thread starter Redd
- Start date
Look up Keith Relf, the late lead singer of the Yardbirds. That's what killed him.
This is why vintage amps without grounding plugs can be lethal. They're literally "killer" amps.
Okay wasn't me, but it was the drummers girlfriend. We were practicing in his tiny apartment bedroom and she was dancing in the next room over. She trips and falls...right onto a drum throne with no seat on it. Nearly impaled her all the way though. Luckily for her, only two of her rips broke. If she had fallen harder, it would have been though the ribs for sho.
- Mar 1, 2005
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- Endorsing Artist: Crook Custom Guitars
I've had 2 injuries that come to mind........one much more serious, the second could have been serious, but I got lucky.
#1
Five years ago (this March 17) I had already auditioned for and got the gig with my current band. I was going to the first rehearsal, and came directly from work. I was wearing leather sole (translation: slippery) dress shoes as I started down the carpeted steps at the drummer's house, with my MBoogie Walkabout combo in one hand, and a gig bag over my shoulder on the other side. I slipped on the step, dislocated my ankle, broke my leg (spiral fracture) and in the process, the boogie went through the drywall at the bottom of the steps. 2 surgeries and plenty of pain later, I now have a pin in the ankle, a plate on the leg, and not nearly as much range of motion in the left ankle. On the bright side, no damage to the amp or the bass, and I didn't miss any gigs.
#2
Less than a week ago, I started to get into a car, and someone else didn't realize my hand was there as they swung the door shut on my left thumb. POW - instantly swelled up like a bannana! This was a Thursday, no gig until Saturday......fortunately not broken, and the swelling was mostly gone by showtime......just a bit "puffy" and sore, but I got through the gig without a problem. I was my right thumb, and this gig is a country band, so it's not like I was doing a bunch of slapping or anything like that, but I don't want any repeat performance either!
#1
Five years ago (this March 17) I had already auditioned for and got the gig with my current band. I was going to the first rehearsal, and came directly from work. I was wearing leather sole (translation: slippery) dress shoes as I started down the carpeted steps at the drummer's house, with my MBoogie Walkabout combo in one hand, and a gig bag over my shoulder on the other side. I slipped on the step, dislocated my ankle, broke my leg (spiral fracture) and in the process, the boogie went through the drywall at the bottom of the steps. 2 surgeries and plenty of pain later, I now have a pin in the ankle, a plate on the leg, and not nearly as much range of motion in the left ankle. On the bright side, no damage to the amp or the bass, and I didn't miss any gigs.
#2
Less than a week ago, I started to get into a car, and someone else didn't realize my hand was there as they swung the door shut on my left thumb. POW - instantly swelled up like a bannana! This was a Thursday, no gig until Saturday......fortunately not broken, and the swelling was mostly gone by showtime......just a bit "puffy" and sore, but I got through the gig without a problem. I was my right thumb, and this gig is a country band, so it's not like I was doing a bunch of slapping or anything like that, but I don't want any repeat performance either!
Im scared... Ive only been playing for a week and a half and already busted myself in the face with the head, luckily no serious damage done. But with my luck, it'll only get worse...
Oh, and Zon, Im sorry. I had a right inguinal hernia repaired last year, only mine was from an enormous industrial circuit breaker.
Oh, and Zon, Im sorry. I had a right inguinal hernia repaired last year, only mine was from an enormous industrial circuit breaker.
I feel for ya, done it a few times. Funniest time didn't happen to me, but to one of the guitarists in my last band. We were playing a festival on a stage made out of a 40 ft box trailer. The side would open up and we had a roof over us and a nice sheet metal floor to stand on. During the show, the skies opened up sending everyone for cover. We were out of the rain and kept right on playing. The wind was blowing the rain in on the sides a bit and a stream of water ran right where said guitarist was standing getting his feet wet. He played bare footed. When his first song he had lead vox on came up, he got close to the mic and got bit pretty good. Almost knocked him down. Kudos to him for never missing a bit. Same can't be said for the rest of us tho. We were laughing so hard that we lost our place.
Bad thing was, he did it at least four more times during that song. He refused to sing anymore after that. We couldn't blame him tho.
Told this before I think.
This happened to the guitarist in my band. We were playing a pub when someone (guess he didn't like our music) ran up to the stage and tipped one of the PA stacks over him. He injured his left hand, and the guitar split right down the middle of the neck all the way to the body. Kinda making it a 3 string double neck
This happened to the guitarist in my band. We were playing a pub when someone (guess he didn't like our music) ran up to the stage and tipped one of the PA stacks over him. He injured his left hand, and the guitar split right down the middle of the neck all the way to the body. Kinda making it a 3 string double neck
Holy smokes! 
Somebody actually knocked over the PA speakers on purpose? Did you guys smack the piss out of him or at least get to watched the bouncers pound on him a little?
Thats crazy, we've had equipment damaged by drunk people on accident by spilling drinks on stuff or knocking things over while dancing, but never intentionally!
Sorry to hear about the guitar and the guitar playing being hurt
Some people have no respect.
Derek
Somebody actually knocked over the PA speakers on purpose? Did you guys smack the piss out of him or at least get to watched the bouncers pound on him a little?Thats crazy, we've had equipment damaged by drunk people on accident by spilling drinks on stuff or knocking things over while dancing, but never intentionally!
Sorry to hear about the guitar and the guitar playing being hurt
Some people have no respect.Derek
Happened to me at an outdoor gig in IA on a summer evening, opening for Cheech and Chong. Funny getting it in the head.
-richard
Electric shock got me once. During setup one night, I was back by the soundboard, one hand adjusting the (metal) lamp sitting on the table and the other pointing at a setting on the board. A sudden spasm in my chest, a bolt of lightning flew from my fingertip, and the lights went out. In the building. There was a hole in the mixer's case where the bolt struck. I had to have a couple shots just to calm my nerves down.
An injury that was really a blessing in disguise: we got a gig playing at an AA dance held at some rural sportsmen's hall. We were told not to play "Cocaine" and if we wanted to drink, we had to bring our own and drink in the woods outside during breaks. Which we did. This hall had an unusual loading dock that had an open stairway running down along the outside wall with no railing at the edge of the deck. During load-out that night -- you guessed it -- I stepped back and went down, wedged my leg through the open risers and twisted it. It wasn't broken (somehow), but my right leg was bruised solid purple from the knee to the hip for several weeks. To this day, I carry a noticeable indentation on my upper thigh. It wasn't too long after that when I quit drinking, and my "AA scar" is a constant reminder of what it used to be like. :scowl:
An injury that was really a blessing in disguise: we got a gig playing at an AA dance held at some rural sportsmen's hall. We were told not to play "Cocaine"
and if we wanted to drink, we had to bring our own and drink in the woods outside during breaks. Which we did. This hall had an unusual loading dock that had an open stairway running down along the outside wall with no railing at the edge of the deck. During load-out that night -- you guessed it -- I stepped back and went down, wedged my leg through the open risers and twisted it. It wasn't broken (somehow), but my right leg was bruised solid purple from the knee to the hip for several weeks. To this day, I carry a noticeable indentation on my upper thigh. It wasn't too long after that when I quit drinking, and my "AA scar" is a constant reminder of what it used to be like. :scowl:Holy smokes!
Thats crazy, we've had equipment damaged by drunk people on accident by spilling drinks on stuff or knocking things over while dancing, but never intentionally!
Sorry to hear about the guitar and the guitar playing being hurt
Derek
hehe. We ran after him outside to find him and *have a quick chat with him*, but he was gone. The bouncers didn't care, and the bar owner tried to blame it on us when he saw all the XLR connectors on the back of the PA was busted from the fall... At least we got paid
Back in 2004 I was playing at the old Loft in Madison. The stage was concrete with no under side (meaning that it was open benieth the stage) and about 5 feet high. To top it off, the stage wasn't very deep at all, having an extended section in the middle where the singer was wedged. Anyway, you guessed it, I rocked off of the stage and busted my ankles and dislocated my left big toe. It was gnarly, instant pain but more laughter coming from my mouth than anything... I finished the song (luckily our last) and had my band member take care of my gear. Next thing I know there's an ambulence with a gurney ready to take me. I ended up sitting in the hospitol with my mangled up feet (also ended up with tendion damage) for 4 hours before I even got x-rays, 5 hours before they started an IV drip and 6 hours before the doctor came in and relocated my big toe and gave set my ankles the best he could (actually had to go to a private practice to get them casted).
Worst thing was, I had 4 shows coming up in the next week and 2 more the week after. Since I didn't have insurence at the time I wasn't they gave me soft casts that I had to keep getting replaced so I took matters into my own hands.
Large tube socks over their weird wrappings (never seen anything like these constrictive wraps), then took the laces out of some old Nikies with the elastic on the tounge and duct taped up over the shoes... that way I could stand and play.
Ankles are fine now, they tell the weather real well but aside from that they function properly. I'll just never forget taking my chucks off while on the floor and seeing the instant purple and black on my feet and shins.
The other noteable injury was last weekend actually in Stevens Point. The venue is the Afterdark, which is a very cool cafe with rad art all over the walls (amazing coffee and food BTW). The music room is large enough to hold a couple hundred packed in there and there always seems to be a big crowd. The stage on the other hand is very small and of a very odd shape but only about 12" high. Well we had drums, two half stacks, my set up and 5 guys up there. We were rocking out hard and my foot ended up stepping off one side of the stage... I took a spill back into one of my guitarists amps... I was dazed at what had happened and could only think "I hope that JCM 900 and 3 space rack doesn't teeter off onto my head," well I got lucky, it didn't... but my guitarist put the lids to his rack case ontop of the JCM 900... as soon as it stopped teetering the lids fell off right upon my head... slam... that's what brought me back to... I threw them, got up and went back into the song (missed maybe 2 measures) like nothing had happened. Get back to where we were staying, take a shower and pass out as we had to hit the studio the next morning. I wake up and feel the back of my head, there's what feels like a huge lump on my head... after further inspection I peel off a 2" scab that's about a quarter inch thick... no blood what so ever. Just shocking.
Been shocked a few times, mostly when running off of generators, but there was a small problem with the wireing in the place we used to practice, got that taken care of and I'm glad that I've not had to deal with any "real" shocks.
Other small injuries include torn fingernails (only ever had this problem with stainless steel strings) and hematomas from getting hit with headstocks or mics.
Our tour van actually kicked my ass (read punched my face) a few weeks back. I went to release the seat position lever to move it forward a little bit, well it decided to spring forward and split my lip open real good, a bit of blood and a fat lip was the result...
Yep, I've been beat up a bit in my time.
-Benny
Worst thing was, I had 4 shows coming up in the next week and 2 more the week after. Since I didn't have insurence at the time I wasn't they gave me soft casts that I had to keep getting replaced so I took matters into my own hands.
Large tube socks over their weird wrappings (never seen anything like these constrictive wraps), then took the laces out of some old Nikies with the elastic on the tounge and duct taped up over the shoes... that way I could stand and play.
Ankles are fine now, they tell the weather real well but aside from that they function properly. I'll just never forget taking my chucks off while on the floor and seeing the instant purple and black on my feet and shins.
The other noteable injury was last weekend actually in Stevens Point. The venue is the Afterdark, which is a very cool cafe with rad art all over the walls (amazing coffee and food BTW). The music room is large enough to hold a couple hundred packed in there and there always seems to be a big crowd. The stage on the other hand is very small and of a very odd shape but only about 12" high. Well we had drums, two half stacks, my set up and 5 guys up there. We were rocking out hard and my foot ended up stepping off one side of the stage... I took a spill back into one of my guitarists amps... I was dazed at what had happened and could only think "I hope that JCM 900 and 3 space rack doesn't teeter off onto my head," well I got lucky, it didn't... but my guitarist put the lids to his rack case ontop of the JCM 900... as soon as it stopped teetering the lids fell off right upon my head... slam... that's what brought me back to... I threw them, got up and went back into the song (missed maybe 2 measures) like nothing had happened. Get back to where we were staying, take a shower and pass out as we had to hit the studio the next morning. I wake up and feel the back of my head, there's what feels like a huge lump on my head... after further inspection I peel off a 2" scab that's about a quarter inch thick... no blood what so ever. Just shocking.
Been shocked a few times, mostly when running off of generators, but there was a small problem with the wireing in the place we used to practice, got that taken care of and I'm glad that I've not had to deal with any "real" shocks.
Other small injuries include torn fingernails (only ever had this problem with stainless steel strings) and hematomas from getting hit with headstocks or mics.
Our tour van actually kicked my ass (read punched my face) a few weeks back. I went to release the seat position lever to move it forward a little bit, well it decided to spring forward and split my lip open real good, a bit of blood and a fat lip was the result...
Yep, I've been beat up a bit in my time.
-Benny
Reefed on a dead shrub in my garden to pull it out and compost it, and when it suddenly let go, a thin branch went right into my left ear and tore out my eardrum. It was the creepiest feeling being able to breathe through my ear. Doc said if it had gone in 1/16" higher, it would have destroyed my ossicles and made me permanently deaf in that ear. As it is, it grew back in about two weeks, but I have a significant reduction in hearing from my left ear now...
A friend who also plays bass in a local band (honest - not me this time), did something similar a couple of weeks ago...
The difference being he was loading gear in by himself, so everyone else was inside, and he slammed the door on his own hand, trapping his hand AND LOCKING THE DOOR!!! He couldn't get his hand out, and there was no one to unlock the door for him - he just had to scream until someone inside heard him.
I haven't seen him since the accident, but apparently he's out of action for a few weeks.
I got my right thumb in the driver's door of my car a couple of weeks ago. Dislocated my thumb, but at least I didn't lock the door. Hurt like heck when I reset the thumb, but mostly just felt bruised after that. I play finger style so didn't slow me down playing too much, fortunately.
Rehearsing in the drummer's basement one day, took the bass off and nailed a ceiling fan above me with the neck. Shattered the globe and a big piece of glass hit me right in the thumb. Cut it very nicely, and bled all over myself. Healed fine, but pretty stupid. I hadn't been with the band very long at that point either. It's probably a miracle they didn't fire me and get someone less-destructive/more-coordinated.
Shocked myself a couple nights ago at practice.
Had a couple beers with the guys and jammed a little. Realized it was dark, so I went to plug in the xmas lights. I hadta feel around for an available socket with my index finger as I plugged in the lights wiht the same hand...some of my finger got between the outlet and the plug - BZZZZ! It was a sobering experience...
Had a couple beers with the guys and jammed a little. Realized it was dark, so I went to plug in the xmas lights. I hadta feel around for an available socket with my index finger as I plugged in the lights wiht the same hand...some of my finger got between the outlet and the plug - BZZZZ! It was a sobering experience...
First night of a 2 week tour. We were playing in a basement in west virginia. I'm a very... animated... bassist and i flail and move around a lot. Well, i was flailing and swung my right hand back and totally whacked the low-hanging celing beams. Broke my meta-carpal. I had to tough it out with LOTS of tape and tylenol for the next 11 shows 
Like around 1985 or so, I'm playing a gig with a new band I had just joined. They asked me to help with setting up the lights. I'm ok with that, so I agree to help. As I'm standing on top of a Perkins cabinet for the PA with lights in both hands, and trying to reach the truss to attach one of the Par cans, the keyboard player "who has only one arm" reaches for the Perkins, grabs it, and yanks it right out from under me. "He said he didn't see me standing on there" but man when he pulled it, I went to the ground hard trying not to destroy the lights. I shattered my left wrist in the fall. Played the gig almost completely until I just had to stop due to the extreme swelling. 
Talk about a killer first gig with a new band eh!
Talk about a killer first gig with a new band eh!
