The "F" word...

[Brad Johnson]

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.

There is so much I disagree with here...


If you're playing music for money or entertainment, it is business. Might be a bad business but still...

I curse often. It's not wild, it's usually the simplest way to get a sentiment across. I've never thought "Ooo, I'm on the edge". Might as well light up a cigarette and really start wilding out. Doing it on a gig with a mixed crowd isn't edgy, it is a good way to blow potential future gigs for the "right you express yourself". And as someone who's picked up high dollar work based on bar performances, unless you play alone you really don't know who's watching.

The "non-music venues" thing you mentioned was laughable IME. Because typically the higher paying ones actually do focus on the music when the music is the focus. And if you've never played at a wedding and have the misguided idea that people don't get wild at them, cool. Nobody gets high or drunk at these events. Right. Nobody is DTF. Sounds like you haven't been to some of the crazier corporate events. If you think they're sedate, cool.

My guess is your stance is largely imagined... or you didn't get to play the weddings/corporate events I have. But by all means believe what you believe.

Rock on. Livin' on the edge. Let's go get sushi and not pay.

 

[musicman666]

For f$@ks sake, seriously get a f$#king handle on that obscene potty mouth of a singer of yours ! Why I would show that singer of yours exactly where he can put that f$@king 'F' bomb. F$@kin A right I would!!

 

[40Hz]

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.

Apologies. I missed the post about being in Greece and came in on the postthat said:

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.

I just figured you were doing the area around NYC.

 

[GKon]

Apologies. I missed the post about being in Greece and came in on the postthat said:



I just figured you were doing the area around NYC.

No worries, 40Hz. I can definitely see the difference of how and, more importantly, WHY it went over well in Greece as opposed
to if we were playing in Queens or NYC.

 

[40Hz]

No worries, 40Hz. I can definitely see the difference of how and, more importantly, WHY it went over well in Greece as opposed
to if we were playing in Queens or NYC.

True. There's a saying that anything said in French - even flat out obscenities - always sounds romantic.

Novelty makes a lot of things acceptable that might not be tolerated otherwise. I guess in Greece, our cuss words sound fashionable.

Hard to believe there are places in the world where we're considered exotic.

 

[GKon]

True. There's a saying that anything said in French - even flat out obscenities - always sounds romantic.

Novelty makes a lot of things acceptable that might not be tolerated otherwise. I guess in Greece, our cuss words sound fashionable.

Hard to believe there are places in the world where we're considered exotic.

You're absolutely right!

When people found out I was from NY they Would typically get excited and start asking me all sorts of questions.

When speaking Greek I have an American accent and it was considered exotic, haha.

When I'd speak Greek and start getting excited or angry if throw an F or MF in English into the sentence and people would love it and laugh. I felt like such a star

 

[hsech]

I guess it could be worse...... The singer could be the town hooker. That still doesn't excuse bad language on stage.

 

[Joedog]

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.

Yep I get that. I also get that one type pays a heck of a lot better than the other...
But I highly disagree with your premise of "non-music venues". Around here you have to be pretty darn good to get the high dollar (usually festival type) gigs. Only the higher level bands/ musicians get them. Show your ass (cussing, etc,) and you are quickly demoted to the dive bars, dumps etc. If that is worth it to you for the "freedom of expression", have a great time.

 

[Caeros]

My singer has never felt the need to censor himself onstage. We all conduct ourselves and speak the same way we normally would, including casual vulgarity and jokes with the audience. No one has ever had a problem. One of the benefits of playing heavier music, I guess? I'd be much more concerned if someone started spouting off racist/classist/homophobic/transphobic rhetoric than the completely normal language of a band of 20-30 somethings.

 

[Shortie]

IMO
Its just a word.
It only has the power to be offensive if you allow it to.

What does that have to do with anything? The fact is, there are some people who get offended by it. You planning on controlling their minds?

35 people upvoted this? 35 people who are brain dead IMO.

 

[pcake]

Tell him the band should just play "The Rodeo Song" at every gig and be done with it.

You can usually count on some crowd participation : )

i made it to page 10 before i couldn't wait to post the rodeo song - you brought it up, but i don't think the video was linked anywhere. i've seen people in a variety of clubs with jukeboxes where almost everyone in the place starts laughing when they hear this, btw.

DISCLAIMER: this is country music that uses the F word - a LOT!

The late Jack Wagner (long known as "The Voice of Disney") did a great exposition on the flexibility of the F-word in his home studio many years ago:



As far as its usage in a band setting, I'm of the mind that it's safer skipping it, but you do what you think is appropriate.

that's great - thanks

 

[InnerBass]

i made it to page 10 before i couldn't wait to post the rodeo song - you brought it up, but i don't think the video was linked anywhere. i've seen people in a variety of clubs with jukeboxes where almost everyone in the place starts laughing when they hear this, btw.

DISCLAIMER: this is country music that uses the F word - a LOT!





that's great - thanks

For a working bar band, I think this song should be in your catalogue because it can serve a variety of purposes.


: )

 

[Marikk]

I always find it funny when person A talks about a person B needing to have some self respect, That self respect is always based on the way person A thinks and is often just a way of trying to control another persons behavior, through guilt and shame

 

[shawshank72]

What does that have to do with anything? The fact is, there are some people who get offended by it. You planning on controlling their minds?

35 people upvoted this? 35 people who are brain dead IMO.

Not at all. But then in this world you cant do anything that dosent offend somebody.

 

[RickyT]

our lead singer has a tendency to drop the bomb at least once a gig...mind you it's always in a bar setting with no children present but I still find myself having a problem with it...
Am I being a bit too 'get off my lawn' about it..?
I feel like if we're getting paid to play they want music...if they wanted vulgarities they would have hired a stand up comic...

If I was at death metal concert I wouldn't be surprised or offended at all. If I was at a blues or jazz show I would be a little surprised but I definitely wouldn't be offended.

It's a word, we all say it (sometimes). If you're losing gigs maybe it has something to do with the quality of the band, not the singer saying shag!

 

[The Regulator]

You're never too old

Joan Baez 75th birthday celebration at the Beacon Theater last month :

Baez cracked up the crowd with a story about a guy who asked her for an autograph for his grandmother. "[I said] tell your grandmother to go f--k herself!"

 

[Sixgunn]

I always find it funny when person A talks about a person B needing to have some self respect, That self respect is always based on the way person A thinks and is often just a way of trying to control another persons behavior, through guilt and shame

That's the key word. I'm not sure that it maybe should be "sometimes" but that's another discussion. "Person A" would be right (IMHO) in saying that "person B" is showing an absence of self respect by getting stupid drunk, inappropriately groping people and puking on the dance floor at a club.

...... or maybe it's just me....

 

[Sixgunn]

Not at all. But then in this world you cant do anything that dosent offend somebody.

I'm offended by your statement!!

 

[repoman]

I'm Italian/American, it's one of my families favorite words.

 

[whatizitman]

I don't think you're the first one in the thread with this point of view, but you've explained it well. Just for fun, I will reply with a few links. Because if you cuss like a sailor around your kids but not in front of adults, isn't that actually less honest? (I am taking these studies with a HUGE grain of salt, but it is fascinating how many of them there are)

[This invalid link has been removed]

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Hell Yes: The 7 Best Reasons for Swearing

#5 in the third link directly pertains to how a frontperson can use foul language in front of an appropriate audience: "5. Peer and social bonding. Swearing can serve to show that we belong in a certain group, or that we are able to be ourselves and so wholly comfortable with the members of that group. If done correctly, it can also signal that we are open, honest, self-deprecating, easygoing, and barrel loads of fun."

I didn't say I don't cuss in front of adults. Quite the contrary, actually. It's something I have to watch myself with, because a lot of my peers are purposeful non-cussers. They don't complain, but I sometimes feel kinda dumb after going off about something around them. Maybe it doesn't bother them. But I believe in trying to be respectful of whomever I'm conversing with, and not make assumptions.

I'm all for expressing anger with cussing. Or at least not holding back if there's no need. And I certainly don't mind song lyrics that include swear words. It can add emphasis and sense of 'realness'. It's poetry and imagery.

But I'm definitely NOT for swearing just for show in banter or speech. It Just looks effing ******** and childish, OK? Even moreso when someone it going out of their way to be 'offensive'.

I have to say that it seems like the folks that are quickest to complain about people getting 'easily offended' are also the quickest to be offended by people just trying to be tactful and not making assumptions about someone else's sensibilities. And they always tend to be the first to find pleasure in purposely offending people who are just trying to be respectful. (Trump, anyone?). The whole anti-PC thing is utterly tiresome.

No. Just saying whatever one wants without regard to who hears one's rant is not about "freedom" or "sticking to the PC man", or whatever. It's about respect and common decency. And about not making oneself look like an idiot.