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Scott Thunes Interivew I don't get it?
- Thread starter kalo
- Start date
Hey, Berklee 46, as long as we're having this cop love fest, let this Bostonian ask you how much you pulled in in detail work last year? I'm sure a lot of your bass gear got paid for while standing at a construction site watching guys work. How much is it now? $46 an hour or something? We've got the highest taxes in the country and every cop I know here is the cousin of some politician and starts getting paid the second his eyes open in the morning.
By the way, for the rest of you, you can pull a U Turn in Boston in a flaming car with no license plate and drive right through Commisioner Evans' office and there's zero chance that anyone is going to pull you over for it. Matter of fact, if you ever need to find a cop car, just look for the double parkers outside the Dunkin Donuts.
I'm sure none of that applies to you (and full respect as a fellow bassist), but that's the perecption of Boston cops by most Bostonians- a bunch of guys at the public trough who avoid crime while directing traffic at every pothole in town. And if you disagree with that, I double dog dare you to go give somebody a parking ticket along Broadway in Southie.
By the way, for the rest of you, you can pull a U Turn in Boston in a flaming car with no license plate and drive right through Commisioner Evans' office and there's zero chance that anyone is going to pull you over for it. Matter of fact, if you ever need to find a cop car, just look for the double parkers outside the Dunkin Donuts.
I'm sure none of that applies to you (and full respect as a fellow bassist), but that's the perecption of Boston cops by most Bostonians- a bunch of guys at the public trough who avoid crime while directing traffic at every pothole in town. And if you disagree with that, I double dog dare you to go give somebody a parking ticket along Broadway in Southie.
Not really much to do with our boy Scotty, eh?
Perhaps we should get back to the matter at hand and you could PM that or start your own thread. Because:
1) This is not a cop bashing thread.
and 2) That is not a good idea anyway.
Corin,
So you've proven that you listen to Howie Carr on the radio. Big deal, so do I. Why not try and come up with your own argument and examples, rather than spout his almost verbatim?
But I do appreciate the "full respect as a fellow bassist" you've shown me and not making this personal.
I don't know what your problem with police officers is, and to be honest, I really don't care. What I do care about is you characterizing ME as a cowardly do-nothing, donut-eating hack. You don't know me, have never met me, and have no idea what kind of police officer, or person, I am.
But you seem to have it all figured out about how my job is so easy and not much more than hiding from crime, eating donuts, standing near a manhole and collecting a paycheck - I guess I've been doing it all wrong for years. Anytime you feel like signing up, I'd be glad to have you show me how easy the job really is...Heck, judging from the pictures on your website, you've got the lazy donut eating part down pat - nothing personal, of course, I mean that with "full respect as a fellow bassist."
Just out of curiosity, how often do you go to work and have to be conscious of the fact that people want to KILL you just because of what you do for work? I'm willing to bet that it's not too often. I'm certainly not looking for sympathy, since this is the career I chose for myself, but I can't think of too many jobs where putting on a bullet-proof vest when you get dressed is as basic as putting on your shoes.
Again, I have no idea what your beef with me is, and I have no interest in getting into a pissing match about it here.
I think Mark Twain summed it up pretty well:
"It is better to be silent and thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."
Again, I apologize to the other TB'ers for being involved with this thread going off track. I had said my peace days ago and tried to steer it back to the topic, but I couldn't just let this slide...
Who said "cowardly"? Not me. Haven't listened to Howie Carr in years, but occasionally read his column. Only a small mind would interpret what I wrote as blanket cop- bashing. I was speaking specifically of the huge, huge, enormous, giant amount of overtime and detail work Boston cops get, that we pay for. I was speaking about the fact that any construction site is legally bound to employee police officers to stand there and keep an eye on things. Again, go write a ticket to the triple parked cars in Southie- oh, right, no cop would ever do that because of all the behind the scenes deals in the BPD. I also love it when you guys put your ticket books on your dashboard so you can park in handicap spots or anywhere else you feel like it.
I have no problem with cops ('cuz I don't break the law, see), and i actually do respect the dangers inherent in your job (honetsly, I don't know how you guys live with that over your head, not kidding at all) I'm responding to your post. It was awfully mature and nice of you to take it down to a 4th grade level, though, and certainly indicative of where your head is at. Not an ex-bully turned authority figure, are we? Boy, you've got your mediation skills finely tuned, don't you? I'm glad we've got such fair-minded guys walking around with badges here.
That's it, I'm done, I have nothing further to say on the subject that YOU interjected into a bass- related thread.
I have no problem with cops ('cuz I don't break the law, see), and i actually do respect the dangers inherent in your job (honetsly, I don't know how you guys live with that over your head, not kidding at all) I'm responding to your post. It was awfully mature and nice of you to take it down to a 4th grade level, though, and certainly indicative of where your head is at. Not an ex-bully turned authority figure, are we? Boy, you've got your mediation skills finely tuned, don't you? I'm glad we've got such fair-minded guys walking around with badges here.
That's it, I'm done, I have nothing further to say on the subject that YOU interjected into a bass- related thread.
I don't think I was reading into things too much, but I interpreted the lines about "avoiding crime" while standing by a manhole, and the "double dog dare" to write a parking ticket that way. Your original post didn't say anything about avoiding the tickets because of politics, and came across (to me anyway)as accusing us of being afraid of the people there, not the politics. Maybe it wasn't your intention, but that's how it came off. Whether you agree with it or not, police officers work road details. Not all of us spend 8 hours looking down a hole and not paying attention to what's going on around us. Some guys actually get involved and do good police work as well. With those road details, you've got quite a few extra police officers on the street. As far as the money goes, your numbers are off, but again whether or not you agree with officers working road details, the fact remains that it's the law that requires workers to be paid time and a half after working 40 hours. Maybe you don't agree with the availability of the overtime, but that's the way it is. If the police were paid a more reasonable salary for what they did, nobody would be out there working details for 80 hours a week to make enough to pay the mortgage, and would be home spending time with his family like a normal person.
I don't think so.
If you had used Blacks, Asians, Jews, Gays, etc.,instead of cops and made the same type of stereotypical generalizations, it most certainly would have come across as "blanket (insert group here) bashing."
Again, not me...If you simply used "some guys" instead of "you guys" in your posts, it wouldn't come across quite as quite so personal. Believe it or not, some of us are professioinals and take pride in what we do. To be lumped in with what a minority of people do is insulting and just as much of a cheap shot as I may have given back.
Yeah, you're right. I made it personal with a cheap shot. No doubt about it. I only did that because, whether you intended to or not, your original post did come across as a personal attack. Tit for tat. I never would have done that if your post didn't come off as a personal cheap shot towards me.
But as I said, making such stereotypical arguments, pretty much is a guarantee that the discussion is going to go right down the crapper, just as it would with any "group" that is being posted about.
Look back in the thread and see how this actually started. The discussion was about Scott Thune's personality, and someone posted this:
What profession would have being an A-hole as a requirement besides Cop...
I just stuck up for the thousands of good guys in my profession. The thread worked it's way back to the original subject, then 5 days later you come along and begin your post with "Hey, Berklee 46, as long as we're having this cop love fest, let this Bostonian ask you how much you pulled in in detail work last year? And it went from there...
Take a step back and look at it from a different point of view. If someone had posted something like "What other religion/culture has being cheap as a requirement besides Jew?" or "What other race has eating watermellon as a requirement besides Black?" or any other insulting, uneduacated, drunken bar-room stereotypical lines that someone can come up with...Pretty foolish, huh?...Exactly...
So, I'd expect that someone from that particular group would stand up and call them on it. It happened to be about police officers, I stood up, and the discussion ended.
Now take it to several days later and someone comes along and posts something just like yours, but with a different group being stereotyped as the subject "By the way, for the rest of you, you can pull a U Turn in Boston in a flaming car with no license plate and drive right through Commisioner Evans' office and there's zero chance that anyone is going to pull you over for it. Matter of fact, if you ever need to find a cop car, just look for the double parkers outside the Dunkin Donuts...
You honestly don't think it would go right downhill from there??? You wouldn't make a post about Blacks, Jews - whatever - with such generalities. What's the difference? It's just as insulting to use police officers there as it would be to a member of the other groups...
You've been around here long enough to remember how nasty things had gotten when essentially that same thing did happen...
This thread began and has gone on for several pages because of Scott Thunes making an inflamitory blanket statement about a particular group, why keep that same crap going?
I know not everyone likes cops, and that's fine with me. As far as our little "beef" goes, I've never met you and would have no problem with you if maybe you had worded your post differently. Heck, maybe we could have actually sat down and had a cup of coffee together (if we could find a parking space
)Or maybe I'm just totally out to lunch with my whole view of this...
Hey, Corinpills--
I triple dog dare you to go and say what you just said here to a cop's face, and not anonymously over the internet.
Yeah....I thought so.......
As with any profession (be it bass player, cop, priest, McDonald's fry cook), there are good and there are bad.
I'm amazed that this thread has gone on for as many pages as it has. If Thunes isn't beating his girlfriend (a la Axl Rose), I really don't care if he's a nice guy. I just like the way he played bass for Frank. Frank liked it, too. Who else matters?
I triple dog dare you to go and say what you just said here to a cop's face, and not anonymously over the internet.
Yeah....I thought so.......
As with any profession (be it bass player, cop, priest, McDonald's fry cook), there are good and there are bad.
I'm amazed that this thread has gone on for as many pages as it has. If Thunes isn't beating his girlfriend (a la Axl Rose), I really don't care if he's a nice guy. I just like the way he played bass for Frank. Frank liked it, too. Who else matters?
Bass Monkey,
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!!! I am the original poster of this thread, and I am young and probably have a lot to learn about not letting people opinions bother me...
Basically, when I read Scott's interview, I was upset about what he was saying...But, now I realize that there was nothing to be upset about...
Musicians are entitled to their opinions...I am sorry I posted this thread, but I meant no harm from it...I guess I was just basically wanting to see if anyone felt upset about it as I did...Now, looking back I wish I didn't post the thread at all...I am no longer upset and basically don't care about what Thunes says...
I basically grew up in a hurry
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!!! I am the original poster of this thread, and I am young and probably have a lot to learn about not letting people opinions bother me...
Basically, when I read Scott's interview, I was upset about what he was saying...But, now I realize that there was nothing to be upset about...
Musicians are entitled to their opinions...I am sorry I posted this thread, but I meant no harm from it...I guess I was just basically wanting to see if anyone felt upset about it as I did...Now, looking back I wish I didn't post the thread at all...I am no longer upset and basically don't care about what Thunes says...
I basically grew up in a hurry
Don't be sorry. It wasn't your fault that this thread turned into a cop bashing "discussion".
If you hang around Talkbass long enough, you'll notice that this kind of thing happens quite often!! Sometimes it's humorous and sometimes not.
Don't let this episode scare you away--there really are some cool people that post here!!
Kalo,
I'm with the rest of the guys here - no need to apologize or wish you hadn't started the thread. The Scott Thunes interview was intending to get people riled up a bit and it did. Some good discussion can come out of that if done in a reasonable way.
And like Jerry said, I'm sure that because of this thread, a lot of people who never listened to Thunes and/or Zappa has checked them out. That certainly can't be bad!
I'm with the rest of the guys here - no need to apologize or wish you hadn't started the thread. The Scott Thunes interview was intending to get people riled up a bit and it did. Some good discussion can come out of that if done in a reasonable way.
And like Jerry said, I'm sure that because of this thread, a lot of people who never listened to Thunes and/or Zappa has checked them out. That certainly can't be bad!
Originally posted by kalo
Bass Monkey,
I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!!! I am the original poster of this thread, and I am young and probably have a lot to learn about not letting people opinions bother me...
Basically, when I read Scott's interview, I was upset about what he was saying...But, now I realize that there was nothing to be upset about...
Musicians are entitled to their opinions...I am sorry I posted this thread, but I meant no harm from it...I guess I was just basically wanting to see if anyone felt upset about it as I did...Now, looking back I wish I didn't post the thread at all...I am no longer upset and basically don't care about what Thunes says...
I basically grew up in a hurry
By all means, Kalo, my last post wasn't directed to you at all. You are more than welcome to ask questions. It's good that Scott's interview made you mad. Music stirs the passions, as it should. It's how you deal with it that matters.
That's what makes us human. You had a gut reaction, and then, after more information, came to your own conclusion to not let his statements bother you. I'd say that's pretty cool.
As long as you deal with everyone as an individual, and not a stereotype, you'll be doing better than most people in the world.
Or, even in this thread.
I just want to make sure that I didn't offend any of my fellow TB'ers that may be Black, Jewish, Gay, or any other group that I may have mentoined in my above post. The comments were intended to be obviously outrageous, but to prove my point about how such blanket stereotyping is pretty offensive.
I believe my intention was quite clear in my post, but if any of you took offense to my "examples," I apologize. It was only my intent to show how just by changing the group that is being talked about can, but sticking with similar foolish stereotypes, it can show just how ignorant is really is.
Oops, there I go with my poor mediation skills again. What a bully..
I believe my intention was quite clear in my post, but if any of you took offense to my "examples," I apologize. It was only my intent to show how just by changing the group that is being talked about can, but sticking with similar foolish stereotypes, it can show just how ignorant is really is.
Oops, there I go with my poor mediation skills again. What a bully..
what we have to remember is that in the Zappa sphere, 'moronicity' in music is not necessarily a bad thing... like FZ said of musicians he hired "if they can't 'put on the lampshade' and play stooge-rock, they're probably not right for the job"...
stupid 8th note root basslines have their place, and can often be fantastic and the most appropriate accompaniment (look at AC/DC, who do the greatest 'moronic' rock on the planet)
obviously rock bass can be taken as far from these mongoloid starting blocks as is needed (and few have demonstrated virtuoso rock bass playing better than Thunes himself).. but his tactless assertion is right... the fundamental role of the bass in rock music is moronic
which is not necessarily a bad thing
stupid 8th note root basslines have their place, and can often be fantastic and the most appropriate accompaniment (look at AC/DC, who do the greatest 'moronic' rock on the planet)
obviously rock bass can be taken as far from these mongoloid starting blocks as is needed (and few have demonstrated virtuoso rock bass playing better than Thunes himself).. but his tactless assertion is right... the fundamental role of the bass in rock music is moronic
which is not necessarily a bad thing
