• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

The "F" word...

#161
Lotsa great feedback guys, thanks for taking the time to give your 2cents....seems like plenty on both sides of the fence...
We have our weekly jam Wednesday nite and I'm sure the gig breakdown will include the loose talk...we get along great as band and even better as friends so it's really not a mountain outta a mole hill kinda issue...just something I think we should be aware of as a group and keep in mind going forward...
We live in rural east coast of Canada, so colourful language is very common place...albeit sometimes not in English...
I'm not concerned with how it affects me..my concern is with the crowd...I want them to get best experience possible for their buck...I think that can be done without dropping a f&$k...
Thanks again for replying
 
#162
Benny the Finger said:
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...
Click to expand...

My cover band tends to play to crowds that still give a great reaction to "Killing in the Name Of" - it seems people get a big release from chanting the refrain at the end. So.... I don't worry too much about profanity. There are plenty of gigs I play where it would be quite wrong and odd to use a lot of profanity, but the places this group plays don't have that concern.
 
#163
Benny the Finger said:
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...
Click to expand...

It's unprofessional. And yes, it is vulgar. I wouldn't be OK with it.

MM
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sixgunn
#164
Liam Wald said:
1) It is just a word... get over it.
2) If there are people who really bother you and you can't stand to be around, don't be around them.
3) Only participate in conversations that you are included in.
4) Go ahead and live your life the way you want to but please do not tell other people how to live theirs.
You asked.
Click to expand...

Some sage advice out of context...
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sixgunn
#168
It depends on the audience and the person. I played with a singer who would do things that I thought were way over the top, but audiences loved her. She also had an impeccable sense of when to be raunchy and when to keep it tucked in. Me? I wouldn't cuss on stage. I try not to ever, but it leaks out sometimes. Other people do what they do, and as long as it's in the appropriate setting and time, it's OK.

Other words are far more offensive than the f-bomb.
 
#170
TH63 said:
Whether you liked them or not; a few little known bands such as, The Beatles, Led Zeppelin and Elvis didn't use any profanity. Yet some people consider them great. Do YOU really need to?
Click to expand...

The example of Led Zeppelin is quite interesting, because Black Sabbath came out around the same time. I find that people are generally more hyped to hear a Sabbath tune than and Zeppelin cover these days, probably because Zep is overplayed on the radio. So while I won't argue that Ozzy's potty mouth is the reason for this enduring love for Sabbath, I don't think it hurt either. Ozzy is still often considered to be a great frontman even though Dio was a far better singer with far less profanity.

It is important to note that these bands are like 45 years old at this point. It's not like using profanity on stage is a new phenomenom or anything.
 
#171
As stated earlier in the thread, language gains it power to offend only by those who give credence to it.

If you chose not to be offended it disempowers those who are trying to offend.
If a word is used expressively without any meaning to cause offence, no one has the right to add project the feeling of being offended onto the person speaking if it isn't meant to offend. Offence is often something that is in the realm of the listener and not always is the use of language meant to offend.
 
#172
DWBass said:
I swear.........you rockers!!! I am of the opinion that there should be no cussing during gigs. Must be a rock/metal thing. Enlighten me as to why there is a need to cuss during shows? Just doesn't happen in my world (R&B, Funk, Soul, Jazz).
Click to expand...

Ummmmm, your avatar is The Artist Occasionally Known as Prince, right? One of the funkiest tunes on the love symbol album is "Sexy MF"!

Also, you used the word 'cussing' which stems from 'cursing', reminding me that semantically speaking, cursing generally involves damning someone's soul and stuff like that. Profane language usually includes phrases like 'God' used in vain or whatever. The other four-letter words are actually considered vulgarities (bathroom or bedroom language), not profanities. To a religious audience, profanities are much more offensive than vulgarities.

All this is to say that Prince's song "Damn U" is more profane and potentially offensive than "Sexy MF". ;)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Marikk
#173
I always say to err on the side of caution...yes, it probably won't offend anyone and this is rock and roll and all but it's better to be a professional and avoid the possibility of it offending. I say the same thing about talking politics from the mic...just because you believe strongly in something doesn't mean someone else will and I could care less what someones political views are, if they paid to get in then I'm there to entertain them not insult their political, religious or whatever beliefs.
 
#174
Matt Fender said:
As stated earlier in the thread, language gains it power to offend only by those who give credence to it.

If you chose not to be offended it disempowers those who are trying to offend.
If a word is used expressively without any meaning to cause offence, no one has the right to add project the feeling of being offended onto the person speaking if it isn't meant to offend. Offence is often something that is in the realm of the listener and not always is the use of language meant to offend.
Click to expand...
The last paragraph is gonna be my disclaimer for future shows...
 
#175
Kragnorak said:
Ummmmm, your avatar is The Artist Occasionally Known as Prince, right? One of the funkiest tunes on the love symbol album is "Sexy MF"!

Also, you used the word 'cussing' which stems from 'cursing', reminding me that semantically speaking, cursing generally involves damning someone's soul and stuff like that. Profane language usually includes phrases like 'God' used in vain or whatever. The other four-letter words are actually considered vulgarities (bathroom or bedroom language), not profanities. To a religious audience, profanities are much more offensive than vulgarities.

All this is to say that Prince's song "Damn U" is more profane and potentially offensive than "Sexy MF". ;)
Click to expand...
My avatar is more a testament to Funk and not an ode to Prince's prior life (He doesn't use profanity anymore in his music). But whatever! I just don't believe in cussing on stage. I've never performed any of those songs you mentioned either. And wouldn't.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sixgunn
#179
Mike in Chicago said:
I was at Chicago Stadium for the queen II tour, they were backed up by thin Lizzy. Phil was still alive of course. At one point they egged the stage when queen was on. Brian may slipped and fell directly on his face got up and continued playing

After the song was over Freddy yelled into the mic, "we don't need your F'n omelettes man"
Click to expand...

I wish I had seen that tour.

Freddie would use course language from time to time. But they are Queen. They sell out the largest stadiums in the world.
 
#180
DWBass said:
I swear.........you rockers!!! I am of the opinion that there should be no cussing during gigs. Must be a rock/metal thing. Enlighten me as to why there is a need to cuss during shows? Just doesn't happen in my world (R&B, Funk, Soul, Jazz).
Click to expand...

Metal is hard core man.

R&B, Soul, Jazz...they are for old people ;)
(jokin, I love them all [I am getting old though :( ] but seriously they are more mellow types of music, with more mellow types of fans.)

And Funk well, we all know what that's slang for :D it's an entire genre and if you listen to a parliment CD you'll hear funk said about 1,000 times.

I don't think it's necessary and in most cases probably doesn't add anything, but I don't know what to say if someone is so easily offended. There are much more important things to be offended by in the world on a daily basis that nobody even shakes a stick at. 1/4 the world is embroiled in genocides daily, how does that make you feel?
 
  • Like
Reactions: Fat Steve, The Regulator, Benny the Finger and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back