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Top five things other bands do that irritate you.

#241
phaneo said:
I saw the clip and saw Clapton in a pair of jeans a faded t shirt and a three day beard. To me that's no big deal, he looks comfortable and he's Clapton!
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This reminds me of an old baseball story: A hot-shot rookie pitcher is on the mound, facing the great Rogers Hornsby at the plate. After 3 straight ball calls, the young pitcher starts to cop attitude with the umpire. The umpire says, "Young man, when you throw a strike, Mr. Hornsby will let you know!"

Eric Clapton, & others of his stature, can "get away with" certain things just because of their stature. They've earned that from their careers. Often, somebody will say that <famous artist> could never "make it" today. That may or may not be true, but nobody will ever know for sure. However, Eric Clapton did not just suddenly "appear" in his current form. He worked hard for decades, starting when he was a very young man. It's a common myth in all forms of entertainment that all somebody needs to do is "be discovered" & everything will just fall into place.

Reality is considerably different. A young, unknown "Eric Clapton" today would still have to work hard at his craft & pay attention to all aspects of his performance, just like the real Eric Clapton did when he was young. There's a lot more to it than just being "talented". How you look & act are important parts of the total package. Taking care of everything that you possibly can improves your chances, but there's still a strong element of luck. I've known hundreds of enormously talented players who never have, & probably never will, "make it". The very "best" player ever may very well never be heard outside of a basement or garage somewhere.

Eric Clapton has earned his right to show up in jeans, a faded T-shirt and a 3-day beard. I'm no Eric Clapton, & I seriously doubt that anybody else on this forum is, either. When (if) I get to that point, I'll show up in pajamas if that's comfortable. Until then, it's a big mistake for me to think that I can do whatever <big star> does, just because they can do it.

JM
 
#242
jmattbassplaya said:
I find that if you charge them a 'rental fee' most people quickly say, "forget it". This way you don`t seem like a total @$$, rather, it just looks like you want to make money off of your own personal investment which is more that reasonable. I figure anyone who takes offense to this is a freeloader and not worth any of your band members time.
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Yeah -- we were given the "option" of requesting a rental fee. Doesn't seem worth it if it gets returned with a blown speaker and and beer stains on it. :p
 
#244
Also ... turning up for load-in by the requested time, all the time (even though it means leaving work early and walking a mile across the city) only to sit around for almost an hour waiting for the sound guy to wander up from the bar downstairs, or for the headline act to turn up (since no-one can start setting up anything until they're finished).
 
#245
I read thru all 13 pages of this and I'm amazed no one has mentioned this one -
I haaaaaaaaaaaaaate it when bands have to ask people in the audience to stand up and/or move closer to the stage. There is nothing more uncomfortable than this... If people like you and want to get close and dance, believe me, they will. :scowl:

All it usually takes is not sucking and playing good songs. :p
 
#246
roysloco said:
I'm a 'permanent guest' with 3 busy bands, so I gig about twice a week.
99% of gigs I play :

1. Start with 4 flights of stairs (with no lift) ...
2. then 10 minute walk to the train station (usually in the rain) ...
3. followed by a very cramped train ride to work at rush hour ...
4. followed by a 10 minute walk (in the rain) to the office where I have to stash my gear under my desk.
5. Then I finish work and walk at least another 10-15 minutes (in the rain) to the gig.
​


Bringing a bass amp to a gig would be ridiculously difficult for me so I always borrow at the gig or just go through the PA.

That said, I never assume it's okay (even if the sound guys says so - I always make a point of introducing myself to the owner and paying attention to his instructions regarding his gear), always say thanks afterwards and assume I owe him at least a pint in return for the favour. If someone didn't want to let me play through their amp I wouldn't be remotely offended and I'd just use the PA+stage monitors - I totally get that it's worth more than the money you paid for it (my guitarist doesn't lend out his acoustic for that very reason).

One day I'll get a roadie and none of this will matter :D

I hate the arrogance you sometimes get off other bands at gigs. Arrogance = you think you're better than everyone else, it doesn't = genius (and they're invariably 'average').
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Hey mate,

Your situation is at least legit and you go out of your way to be grateful and return the favor (I would take a pint!) Most of the time these clowns that do this do not even say thank you. Plus, you sound like you probably know how to use an amp! :p
 
#247
krovx said:
Hey mate,

Your situation is at least legit and you go out of your way to be grateful and return the favor (I would take a pint!) Most of the time these clowns that do this do not even say thank you. Plus, you sound like you probably know how to use an amp! :p
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Yeah, he's the exception. I think the gear borrowing issue is more directed at lazy jerks. It's never happend to me as far as borrowing my rig is concerned. The few times someone has played my rig was when it was set up prior to the gig with friends from other bands.
 
#249
That's a good one.

Also, asking or demanding that the audience sing along when the vibe from the audience to do that isn't there.



natw42 said:
I haaaaaaaaaaaaaate it when bands have to ask people in the audience to stand up and/or move closer to the stage. There is nothing more uncomfortable than this... If people like you and want to get close and dance, believe me, they will. :scowl:

All it usually takes is not sucking and playing good songs. :p
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#251
guitfiddle0409 said:
Yeah -- we were given the "option" of requesting a rental fee. Doesn't seem worth it if it gets returned with a blown speaker and and beer stains on it. :p
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I own myself a pretty decent PA, and I figure when Im not playing I may as well rent it out and make a few extra bucks. However, I would never just loan out my gear to someone I dont know. So I charge $20 an hour and also provide my own transportation, set up/breakdown, and operation. Sure, you can rent my PA, but Im coming along with it.

A friend of mine was throwing a show and had booked my band to play as well. She asked if I could provide my PA. I told her sure, if she was paying. I'd comp my band, and I gave her 50% off the total, since she's a friend. Her response... "I'll ask my Dad if I can use his". Great, now I can leave early if I feel like it.
 
#252
nortonrider said:
Why is he the exception?
The dude shows up to play gigs without the gear he needs. It sounds to me that he doesn't take his amp along because it requires too much effort on his part.

To me that is the definition of Lazy.
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I think gear borrowing can be accepted if its done correctly. Unfortunately, the music world is full of so many "rock stars". I guess you're right. Fully knowing you don't have the gear and still attempting to borrow is a bit lazy. To me, borrowing should be in loo of mechanical failure, emergency, etc.

Plus, amps have gotten smaller and more powerful.
 
#253
MatticusMania said:
I own myself a pretty decent PA, and I figure when Im not playing I may as well rent it out and make a few extra bucks. However, I would never just loan out my gear to someone I dont know. So I charge $20 an hour and also provide my own transportation, set up/breakdown, and operation. Sure, you can rent my PA, but Im coming along with it.
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Great point, especially if you're one of those musical entrepreneurial types, but I simply don't have time for stuff like that. My day job uses up so many cycles that it's almost impossible timewise for me to do anything outside of my main band.
 
#254
bassgod76 said:
I think gear borrowing can be accepted if its done correctly. Unfortunately, the music world is full of so many "rock stars". I guess you're right. Fully knowing you don't have the gear and still attempting to borrow is a bit lazy. To me, borrowing should be in loo of mechanical failure, emergency, etc.

Plus, amps have gotten smaller and more powerful.
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Yeah, I was just gonna say that, the only time I've ever borrowed someones gear was when the combo I was using failed, thats the only time I would do that so thats the only time I'd loan my own gear out.
 
#257
ncdms1833 said:
Spend more time on their 'look' than on their 'sound'; these are usually the tools try to play the 'too cool' card and won't talk to anyone before their set, and then run around trying to dig out complements for the rest of the night
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ha this reminds me of one band i played with who spent 3 hours straghtening there hair insted of soundchecking then demanded a sound check wich pused every other bands times back 20 mins
 

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