The "F" word...

[BuffaloBob4343]

LOL. That has nothing to do with it. I promise you I am known as anything but. There are stories that I would not want shared on this or ANY forum. But I know when and where to cut loose. A business setting is not the place to launch F bombs or be a drunken idiot. If y'all think that is a successful career path go for it. No skin off my butt. It only makes it easier for the bands who act in a somewhat professional manner.

I did preface my comment by saying that of course one has to use common sense when deciding when to play those kinds of songs and when not to, and F bombs are not necessarily attached to being a drunken idiot. I wouldn't play Crazy Bitch at a Catholic lawn fete, I'm not stupid. But when we're at a bar, and the bitches be all crazy, well..............

And no, I don't think that makes me classless or lacking in self-respect. We're there to entertain!

 

[AaronVonRock]

A business setting is not the place to launch F bombs or be a drunken idiot.

Here's where the divide is. There are those who think of their band as a business setting like going to an office metting. I'm guessing this mainly applies to cover bands playing at non-music venues like weddings, corporate events, restaurants, and sports bars where the music is secondary to whatever else is going on. And there are those who play clubs, bars, dumps, dives, and warehouses where people are there to rock out and get wild which is for the adult nightlife crowd.

Two totally different worlds, two totally different types of bands, two totally different types of gigs.

 

[Sixgunn]

We are playing music, right? Do you find certain rock songs and bands classless and lacking self-respect? I guess I take the position that music as a form of self-expression should be free to be in your face sometimes. But, hey, I'm sure class and self-respect are always the first thoughts most musicians and song-writers have when expressing themselves.

I agree about art being self expressing and I'm a big fan of over the top art in multiple mediums but that's not "everyday life". Cursing in general conversation whether it's at work or in front of a microphone for me personally serves no purpose and can be off putting and inappropriate. I do agree that in fictional works and/or topical commentary (probably other platforms too), whatever the medium, over the top speech, images, etc., etc., etc., is often absolutely necessary.

To sum it up, standing in front of a microphone, yelling: Are you MFs having a good effin' time?!?!?!? Is just lame, to me.

 

[GwenOnBass]

I observe the vitrol that often crops up in TB threads far exceeds the vulgarity of most words or phrases I may choose to use. Another forum haunt of mine enforces the KNIT standard for posts:

• Is it Kind?

• Is it Necessary?

• Is it Informative?

• Is it True?

 

[Kragnorak]

Two totally different worlds.

I imagine that geography does matter more than a little. Even in the U.S. there is probably a difference if you're playing a bar on the East Coast vs the Bible Belt.

 

[AaronVonRock]

I imagine that geography does matter more than a little. Even in the U.S. there is probably a difference if you're playing a bar on the East Coast vs the Bible Belt.

Perhaps. But I think a rock club in NYC or Boston will attract a similar crowd as a rock club in Dallas or Atlanta. I think the big difference is the venue and type of band. Rock, metal, punk, alternative, indie, rap, EDM, experimental, or underground bands playing at music or performing arts venues is different than a cover band playing radio hits at a sports bar or restaurant. Two different audiences with two different sets of expectations.

My mind is still boggled by the guy who ran a nightclub and had an actual "No swearing on stage" rule in effect. Maybe it is a Bible Belt thing.

 

[MAJOR METAL]

James Hetfield used to drop some awesome F bombs. Not so much anymore.

 

[ERIC31]

Metal, punk/hardcore, rap for sure....lots of f-bombs constantly with those bands and crowds. A pop country or jazz gig..probably not a good idea.

But if it's every other word when you are talking, i think you have some issues.

 

[bdplaid]

This is totally subjective and changes with the band image, audience and client expectations, etc. My band discussed this thoroughly, and here's our approach:

We play a combination of bars, clubs, private parties, and upscale events like weddings and corporate holiday parties. Basically, if the money's right and we don't have to play out in the elements, we'll be there. We play to a mainstream audience, a wide demographic of cultures and attitudes.

We decided that the odds of someone in our audience objecting to profanity and vulgarity are pretty good almost anywhere we go. We also recognized that the individual(s) who objects to profanity and vulgarity through a loud P.A. system before a mixed audience may be in a position to open, or slam shut, a door for us.

In other words, "You never know who may be listening to you." (--Paul McCartney)

So we did a cost-benefit analysis that went as follows:

If we abstain from vulgarity and profanity, no one will complain. No one will care. We will be under no negative criticism or scrutiny whatsoever.

If we let f-bombs fly and get a little too risque for sensitive ears, as mentioned above, someone may take a dim view of that. And that could cost us an opportunity. And we decided that was an unacceptable risk.

So we play it safe with a "no profanity or vulgarity" policy.

I'm not preaching here, this is purely a business decision. In private, I curse a blue streak sometimes. But if my band ever loses a gig along the way, I'll know for sure it wasn't because we used foul language on stage.

YMMV.

This. Dropping the bomb is a purely self-inflicted wound. In a profession where there is so much competition, why walk on a line like that? I'd rather play originals and have them beef about not playing more covers, rather than the profanity of one band member. I figure I'm not being paid to talk, but to make music, anyway. stfu and play.

 

[Tom Howland]

It all depends on the vein. Most bars don't care if you drop a F-bomb once in a while.
More high end gigs weddings, corporate, church, so on. It's a no no.

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

I figure I'm not being paid to talk, but to make music, anyway. stfu and play.

I'm extremely offended! J/K

 

[bdplaid]

If you are lucky, then the bar owner will happen to be recently enrolled in Philosophy 101 and will enjoy a philosophical inquiry into semiotics.

Good one!

Add to that the fact that punk gigs are almost 100% bands doing original material, the audience of any punk gig is self-selected by the very nature of having sought out bands that they expect to perform on the margins of acceptable boundaries in polite society.

I thought the point of punk was to be as far outside the acceptable margins as possible. and using vulgarity in a punk show has become standard fare. Therefore (Logic 101), using profanity at a punk show is acceptable, making it standard jargon in and of itself, and thus vulgarity is not to be used even in a punk setting because one is supposed to upset the norm.

whew.

 

[rufus.K]

By F word, you mean Fender?

 

[BuffaloBob4343]

I agree about art being self expressing and I'm a big fan of over the top art in multiple mediums but that's not "everyday life". Cursing in general conversation whether it's at work or in front of a microphone for me personally serves no purpose and can be off putting and inappropriate. I do agree that in fictional works and/or topical commentary (probably other platforms too), whatever the medium, over the top speech, images, etc., etc., etc., is often absolutely necessary.

To sum it up, standing in front of a microphone, yelling: Are you MFs having a good effin' time?!?!?!? Is just lame, to me.

I also agree that being a total ass about is not cool. Common sense should prevail. I was just surprised to see so many really puckered responses.

 

[40Hz]

Well, you have to keep in mind that I was an American guy from New York, playing American punk and rock, so they just ate it up as part of my NY/American personality.
For them, I was the "real deal" (said in a humble way), so coming from me, it added to the show for them.

Yeah. But feeding burb babies some token "street" in a controlled environment when they're slumming outside of Westchester or Fairfield county isn't my idea of being real . No knock on you for doing it. But still...why the Disney if you're doing punk?

 

[40Hz]

By F word, you mean Fender?

No. Fodera I think.

 

[40Hz]

I also agree that being a total ass about is not cool. Common sense should prevail. I was just surprised to see so many really puckered responses.

It's not puckered. You're already dismissing what they're saying - and being catty about it. They just seem to be saying it's not necessary, besides getting just a little old. And I think they're being a lot more polite about it than you are responding back.

 

[40Hz]

I thought the point of punk was to be as far outside the acceptable margins as possible. and using vulgarity in a punk show has become standard fare. Therefore (Logic 101), using profanity at a punk show is acceptable, making it standard jargon in and of itself, and thus vulgarity is not to be used even in a punk setting because one is supposed to upset the norm.

Yep. There's nothing more commonplace than the belief "We're different." Nor are the ways most people behave trying to prove how much they are.

 

[TOOL460002]

Will Smith Fan Club.

 

[GKon]

Yeah. But feeding burb babies some token "street" in a controlled environment when they're slumming outside of Westchester or Fairfield county isn't my idea of being real . No knock on you for doing it. But still...why the Disney if you're doing punk?

I'm not sure what you're talking about. As mentioned in my first post, this was happening in Athens, Greece.

Past that, I curse all the time, especially when I'm having a good time or excited, so it wasn't done to be "street" or "cool" or "punk".
I was just having fun, and the crowd was having fun. So calling my friends and fans Mother F'ers was just like me saying hi. They knew I was like that. They liked it. I liked it.
We all had fun. If that doesn't work for someone, then they shouldn't do it. It worked for me and for our environment. There you have it.

I can't really explain it any more than that.

Mind you, if the environment did not call for it (corporate gig, worship gig, cruise ship gig, etc, so on, so forth), I would never do it.