OK, so last nite my regular band played for my girlfriend's employer's 35th wedding anniversary. We did it as a freebie, because these people are really great, and always treat us like family. We play their restaurant's New Year's Eve gig every year, for good money, and we don't have to dress up, we go in shorts or jeans & T-shirts, etc. It was a last-minute surprise paty...
One of the guys we have been using recently is a fairly decent keyboard player. We also used my singer's husband on drums, whom we fired late last year. His time has improved, which is a good thing...so it's a last-minute throw-together version of the regular band.
Anyway, on to the story at hand...it's an easy gig, no structure, lots of break time while they make us eat (mange, mange, you looka too skinny there...) and do a slide show of John & Ellen, whose anniversary it is. They're Italian, and a big family, with lots of friends who are also "family", like me and my girl...she's another daughter to them. I'm like another son-in-law, albeit a much-liked one...
The keyboard player is the only one getting paid, because we really needed him to play at the last minute. We usually get at least $100/man a nite, but we weren't getting paid at all, it was out of the goodness of our hearts, but the keyboard player, who we'll call Jack Asse, whines and puts up a fuss about needing gas money...so our singer agrees to pay him $50. She doesn't have the money to give, but that's another story for another time. My girlfriend, being the overly generous soul that she is, donates part of her tips for the day to cover Jack Asse's $50, and gives it to our singer. We start at about 8:00, when the guests of honor show up thinking they're going to a Texas Hold 'Em poker party. They have no clue, and are completely surprised and get very emotional...we play a set, they make us take a break to eat, we do, then we get back and do a few songs. They want to do the slide show, we take another long break and get some drinks. There's about 50-60 people there. After about 45 minutes, we get back to playing a few, the happy anniversary couple dance, then say their goodbyes, and the party starts to break up slowly. We start packing up. The keyboard player, who has been conspicuously absent from the room, has left his girlfriend in the party, where she was talking to my girlfriend and a couple other girls. We all wander out the back door, loading up, and do the usual standing around talking thing. It's me and my singer, her husband, the Italian chef, and the keyboard player's girlfriend is standing just outside the door. Suddenly, my drummer says "watch you back, watch your back" and I step a little to the left, figuring someone is moving a catering cart or something. From behind me on the right, I see a shadow as someone bolts past me. It's Jack Asse, and he grabs his girlfriend by the sweater and the hair, spins her around, blindsiding her, slams her face-first into the door jamb, she spills her red wine all over herself and the linoleum floor. He jerks her inside and we see her disappear behind the edge of the door, then she's flying, then she's down on the floor, scrambling to get to her feet, covered in blood-looking red wine, slipping in the wine puddle. He keeps going into the hall and Grampa, who is 77, tackles him and starts wailing on him...this entire exchange lasts all of about 3-4 seconds. Then as quick as he attacked, he was gone, taking his girlfriend's truck and leaving her behind, crying.
She wasn't hurt, he got thumped pretty good by a 77-yr-old man, and he has to be called on his cell several times to get him to come back and pick up his girlfriend and take her home. He came back 45 minutes later, and demanded his pay from the singer. She looked at him like he was crazy, and told him to get lost...But this has jeopardized our ongoing NYE gig, and my girlfriend's job, as well as damaged our reputation as a band. I also play in another band with the guy, different singer. I'm quitting that band today. I want nothing to do with someone like this. I also told my singer to find someone else, as I will never play or talk to this guy again. Guys that hit women are completely useless in my world. My girlfriend has asked my singer for her $50 back, she's not putting up with him either. She won't pay him, nor would I. So now, due to someone else, I will go from 2 bands to no bands. If my singer gets another keyboard player or guitarist that can play, I will consider playing with her. But the other band is his band, and I'm out.
One of the guys we have been using recently is a fairly decent keyboard player. We also used my singer's husband on drums, whom we fired late last year. His time has improved, which is a good thing...so it's a last-minute throw-together version of the regular band.
Anyway, on to the story at hand...it's an easy gig, no structure, lots of break time while they make us eat (mange, mange, you looka too skinny there...) and do a slide show of John & Ellen, whose anniversary it is. They're Italian, and a big family, with lots of friends who are also "family", like me and my girl...she's another daughter to them. I'm like another son-in-law, albeit a much-liked one...
The keyboard player is the only one getting paid, because we really needed him to play at the last minute. We usually get at least $100/man a nite, but we weren't getting paid at all, it was out of the goodness of our hearts, but the keyboard player, who we'll call Jack Asse, whines and puts up a fuss about needing gas money...so our singer agrees to pay him $50. She doesn't have the money to give, but that's another story for another time. My girlfriend, being the overly generous soul that she is, donates part of her tips for the day to cover Jack Asse's $50, and gives it to our singer. We start at about 8:00, when the guests of honor show up thinking they're going to a Texas Hold 'Em poker party. They have no clue, and are completely surprised and get very emotional...we play a set, they make us take a break to eat, we do, then we get back and do a few songs. They want to do the slide show, we take another long break and get some drinks. There's about 50-60 people there. After about 45 minutes, we get back to playing a few, the happy anniversary couple dance, then say their goodbyes, and the party starts to break up slowly. We start packing up. The keyboard player, who has been conspicuously absent from the room, has left his girlfriend in the party, where she was talking to my girlfriend and a couple other girls. We all wander out the back door, loading up, and do the usual standing around talking thing. It's me and my singer, her husband, the Italian chef, and the keyboard player's girlfriend is standing just outside the door. Suddenly, my drummer says "watch you back, watch your back" and I step a little to the left, figuring someone is moving a catering cart or something. From behind me on the right, I see a shadow as someone bolts past me. It's Jack Asse, and he grabs his girlfriend by the sweater and the hair, spins her around, blindsiding her, slams her face-first into the door jamb, she spills her red wine all over herself and the linoleum floor. He jerks her inside and we see her disappear behind the edge of the door, then she's flying, then she's down on the floor, scrambling to get to her feet, covered in blood-looking red wine, slipping in the wine puddle. He keeps going into the hall and Grampa, who is 77, tackles him and starts wailing on him...this entire exchange lasts all of about 3-4 seconds. Then as quick as he attacked, he was gone, taking his girlfriend's truck and leaving her behind, crying.
She wasn't hurt, he got thumped pretty good by a 77-yr-old man, and he has to be called on his cell several times to get him to come back and pick up his girlfriend and take her home. He came back 45 minutes later, and demanded his pay from the singer. She looked at him like he was crazy, and told him to get lost...But this has jeopardized our ongoing NYE gig, and my girlfriend's job, as well as damaged our reputation as a band. I also play in another band with the guy, different singer. I'm quitting that band today. I want nothing to do with someone like this. I also told my singer to find someone else, as I will never play or talk to this guy again. Guys that hit women are completely useless in my world. My girlfriend has asked my singer for her $50 back, she's not putting up with him either. She won't pay him, nor would I. So now, due to someone else, I will go from 2 bands to no bands. If my singer gets another keyboard player or guitarist that can play, I will consider playing with her. But the other band is his band, and I'm out.
....?
) and has obtained a restraining order against him. She owns the house, he was living with her. We now think he's smoking crack, which might have something to do with his behavior.
