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smashing an instrument

skygzr

skygzr

Feb 23, 2015
628
2,604
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Southeast US
#1
The recent Paul Simonon thread reminded me of something that happened a loooong time ago.

In the early 80s I was playing an a punk / new wave band. I wanted to smash a bass on stage because, well, I was twenty-two and it seemed like a good idea.

I went to all the local pawn shops to look for a suitable victim. It had to be cheap and good enough to play for a few songs. While it may be dumb to smash an instrument, putting down your real bass to pick up the junker/smasher is dumb and insincere. Anyway I found the the junkiest no-name Japanese copy-of-a-copy and paid maybe $20.

I adjusted the neck and got it working....and then couldn't bear to smash it. Dammit, it made music and I couldn't get past those puppy-dog eyes. I gave it away.

Never again did I entertain the notion of smashing something (except our drummer's ride cymbal, but that's another story).

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#3
I don’t think I could ever destroy a bass or any musical instrument like that. I’ve seen others do it, but I dunno. I guess I just don’t like destroying things. When I go to the shooting range, I don’t even enjoy shooting stuff just for the sake of destroying it. I like to try to get the best grouping, nice, slow, steady, controlled breathing, almost meditative and peaceful in a way. I guess my point there is...you can hand me one of the more destructive things on the planet (a gun) and I still won’t want to destroy anything!
 
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#5
skygzr said:
The recent Paul Simonon thread reminded me of something that happened a loooong time ago.

In the early 80s I was playing an a punk / new wave band. I wanted to smash a bass on stage because, well, I was twenty-two and it seemed like a good idea.

I went to all the local pawn shops to look for a suitable victim. It had to be cheap and good enough to play for a few songs. While it may be dumb to smash an instrument, putting down your real bass to pick up the junker/smasher is dumb and insincere. Anyway I found the the junkiest no-name Japanese copy-of-a-copy and paid maybe $20.

I adjusted the neck and got it working....and then couldn't bear to smash it. Dammit, it made music and I couldn't get past those puppy-dog eyes. I gave it away.

Never again did I entertain the notion of smashing something (except our drummer's ride cymbal, but that's another story).

View attachment 3544572
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Disgraceful...... This was about to be the best post ever....
 
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#11
In an interview with Guitar Player Magazine, Chet Atkins was asked if he had ever seen Jimi Hendrix perform. Chet replied that he once saw him perform on on TV and that he believed Jimi smashed his guitar. Asked what he thought about that, he replied, "Not much. Some of them need to be smashed".

Having been burned by of couple of unplayable duds back in my tween years (when low-cost instruments were of much lower quality than today), I'd agree with Chet.
 
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#13
At least Hendrix elevated instrumenticide to the level of performance art. Lighter fluid and all. Simply smashing one onstage is not only cliché, it's the musical equivalent of a bratty kid taking a tantrum. If that is the image you are striving to portray for your audience, fine. That isn't a message I wish to convey to my customers, but to each his/her/its own. There are many different kinds of fans for all types of entertainment and if destroying gear is part of your show that thrills the audience and no harm is done, great. I would hate to see a rare, irreplaceable bass ruined in this fashion. If you must, use a moribund piece of firewood for this. That will do two good things: 1.) thrill your audience, 2.) rid the world of an unplayable piece of garbage. Win-Win.
 
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#15
I think I could have done something like when I was 20 or so. But, for reasons I won't go into, I was a very angry young man back then. The problem is, I couldn't have afforded it. Now I only own two basses, and I hardly play one of 'em. If I smashed up the Fender I'd have nothing left to gig with. That said, I'm not angry any more. Even if I had 100 basses I couldn't smash one. I'd rather donate them to schools.

Still, it was a very punk thing to do. And it made for one of the most the most iconic images in the history of rock and roll.
 
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#18
skygzr said:
The recent Paul Simonon thread reminded me of something that happened a loooong time ago.

In the early 80s I was playing an a punk / new wave band. I wanted to smash a bass on stage because, well, I was twenty-two and it seemed like a good idea.

I went to all the local pawn shops to look for a suitable victim. It had to be cheap and good enough to play for a few songs. While it may be dumb to smash an instrument, putting down your real bass to pick up the junker/smasher is dumb and insincere. Anyway I found the the junkiest no-name Japanese copy-of-a-copy and paid maybe $20.

I adjusted the neck and got it working....and then couldn't bear to smash it. Dammit, it made music and I couldn't get past those puppy-dog eyes. I gave it away.

Never again did I entertain the notion of smashing something (except our drummer's ride cymbal, but that's another story).

View attachment 3544572
Click to expand...
I still don't get the point of that "smashing instruments" cheesy BS.
 
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