clpete Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I played this weekend with a new country band with some good players. The band sounded great and every one in the band was happy about how it was sounding considering we had not played together before. There had been some hype about this new band and we pulled in a great crowd. Friday night was better than they had had in a long time and on Saturday the place was wall to wall with over 650 people. Half way through the second set the lead player gets on the mic and announces that there is issue at the door letting his step mom in and needs to be resolved. The singer tells him to sing a song and he will go take care of it. He comes back and a few minutes later the step mom is at the edge of the stage. She and his step dad are furious about something. Next thing the singer picks up the lead players guitar and hands it to him, the lead player walks off stage and out of the club. Turns out they had 4 friends at the door that wanted to get in free and the lead player said he wouldn't play if they had to pay. We finished out the night with the singer playing lead on acoustic guitar. We play for free. We get paid to set up and tear down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDP Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Wow! Lots of issues here....contracts, loyalties to band mates, overstepping authority, where to begin? Personally, I would give him a chance to explain, then I would explain why what he did was unnacceptable, then I would fire him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Jx Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Turns out they had 4 friends at the door that wanted to get in free and the lead player said he wouldn't play if they had to pay. We finished out the night with the singer playing lead on acoustic guitar. Was comping admission for the 4 guests in your contract? Even if it was, that's still inexcusable. I don't care how good you are as a player. If you pull crap like that, you're not worth having around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTeechur Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Stupid amateur wanna-be-a-prima donna B.S. Fire his ass. Lead players are a dime-a-dozen. Muzikteechur is Lonnie, in Kittery, Maine. HS music teacher: Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Music Theory, AP Music Theory, History of Rock, Musical Theatre, Piano, Guitar, Drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MonksDream Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 The guitar player's 4 friends probably won't compensate him for the gigs he's not going to play with you guys after pulling such a stupid move on their behalf. That is NOT someone you want in your band. Muzikteechur is right: fire his ass. There must be other pickers out there whose friends can afford the cover. Instrumentation is meaningless - a song either stands on its own merit, or it requires bells and whistles to cover its lack of adequacy, much less quality. - kanker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zephonic Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Lead guitarist walks out? Congrats! local: Korg Nautilus 61 AT | Yamaha MODX8 away: GigPerformer | 16" MBP M1 Max home: Kawai RX-2 | Korg D1 | Roland Fantom X7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Alfredson Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Guitarists are a dime a dozen. No need for that kind of shit attitude in a band. Fire him. Keep it greazy! B3tles - Soul Jazz THEO - Prog Rock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Guitarists are a dime a dozen. No need for that kind of shit attitude in a band. Fire him. Yep. This is exactly the attitude Jim's taken in organissimo and Root Doctor through his tenures with those groups. A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meisenhower Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Color him gone. He should be off like a prom dress. No excuse for that behavior. His "guests" should have handled it themselves and then give him a chance to "fix" the problem on the break. All in all, sounded like amateur night to me. Hope the door hit him in the ass on the way out! Yamaha C7 Grand, My Hammonds: '57 B3, '54 C2, '42 BC, '40 D, '05 XK3 Pro System, Kawai MP9000, Fender Rhodes Mk I 73, Yamaha CP33, Motif ES6, Nord Electro 2, Minimoog Voyager & Model D, Korg MS10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrell Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Guitarists are a dime a dozen. No need for that kind of shit attitude in a band. Fire him. To be fair, the better a musician, the less dime a dozen they are. I'm sure we've all seen this balance played out in various ways, especially with a big fish in a small pond getting away with stuff they couldn't in the big blue sea. But I agree, I would never want to work with someone this selfish who could easily ruin things for others. In my mind, there is no need to talk through anything or find anything out with someone like this - they have proven to be so unprofessional that there would be no 2nd chance in any band I was part of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sven Golly Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Frankly, 'handing' his guitar to him is not how I would have chosen to hasten his departure from the venue... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Link Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Breathtakingly unprofessional. Unless it was stated in a contract that everyone had six (!) comps, he was way out of line. Reminds me of a bass player who got in a big argument with the club manager who didn't want him loading in through the front door. There was a side door much closer to the stage and, even if it wasn't convenient, you don't pick a fight with the guy who's booking you and writing the check. At least you found out sooner rather than later. Good riddance. aka âmisterdregsâ Nord Electro 5D 73 Yamaha P105 Kurzweil PC3LE7 Motion Sound KP200S Schimmel 6-10LE QSC CP-12 Westone AM Pro 30 IEMs Rolls PM55P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jarrell Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 At least you found out sooner rather than later. Good riddance. Good point... The worst is, and I've seen this happen, where you work with someone for a long time, they become rather indispensable as a result, and then they pull something like this. I guess it is part of human nature, that you might think you know them, and this seems out of character, and only later do you see how perhaps it was not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kanker. Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 At least you found out sooner rather than later. Good riddance. Exactly A ROMpler is just a polyphonic turntable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenElevenShadows Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Guitarists are a dime a dozen. Lead players are a dime-a-dozen. The guitarist sounds extraordinarily unprofessional to me, but so is this attitude. Ken Lee Photography - photos and books Eleven Shadows ambient music The Mercury Seven-cool spacey music Linktree to various sites Instagram Nightaxians Video Podcast Eleven Shadows website Ken Lee Photography Pinterest Page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clpete Posted January 17, 2010 Author Share Posted January 17, 2010 At least you found out sooner rather than later. Good riddance. Exactly +1000 Oh, there was no doubt that he was fired the moment he walked off stage. Not only did he give up future gig money for his friends, but the singer is not planning on paying him a dime for Saturday night. He paid the rest of the band his cut. We did not have a written contract with the club but their long standing rule is that you are allowed a guest pass for your spouse. He got his step father in with him, at 2 minutes before show time, and then his step mother also. The issue with getting his step mother in was that she didn't want to wait in line. The club was at capacity and letting in only when someone left. There was no way they were going to let his friends in front of the line or for free. Guitar players may be a dime a dozen, but around here good ones are hard to find. That's why the leader took a chance with this guy. He is a player, but is known to be a PITA. The singer didn't figure to keep him in the band due to his reputation, but wasn't expecting him to leave that quickly. There was hope that he had turned over a new leaf. Yeah right! We play for free. We get paid to set up and tear down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MuzikTeechur Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Guitarists are a dime a dozen. Lead players are a dime-a-dozen. The guitarist sounds extraordinarily unprofessional to me, but so is this attitude. No, actually, they are 10¢ for twelve. In fact here's an ad from our local Craigslist: Lead Guitar Players Muzikteechur is Lonnie, in Kittery, Maine. HS music teacher: Concert Band, Marching Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Music Theory, AP Music Theory, History of Rock, Musical Theatre, Piano, Guitar, Drama. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GDP Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I think its pretty cool that, whatever point the guitarist was trying to make, and as destructive as his behavior was, you guys were able to make the adjustment and pull off the gig....nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timwat Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 I've recently run into analogous (but nowhere as extreme) unprofessionalism from guys I wouldn't expect it from. It's forced some of us to be able to think on our feet and make the gig work no matter what. What's with this trend? Is there something in the water? .. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgoo Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 If you don't fire him, consider the consequences- you'll be telling him what he did was ok, the other band members will see you as weak, & the club will never have you back & likely tell other club owners about your band's lack of professionalism. Custom Music, Audio Post Production, Location Audio www.gmma.biz https://www.facebook.com/gmmamusic/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EscapeRocks Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Reminds me of a bass player who got in a big argument with the club manager who didn't want him loading in through the front door. There was a side door much closer to the stage and, even if it wasn't convenient, you don't pick a fight with the guy who's booking you and writing the check. We were once on a double bill with another tribute band. We were there and loaded in, on schedule, and kicking back and eating some dinner at this nice venue. The second act starts to load in, and the manager asks them to keep their stuff in a certain area. The keyboard player, of all people, turned into a major douchebag, and started arguing with the manager, insisting on stacking his gear in a location that was in the way of everything. (the location the manager wanted was secure, and away from prying eyes and hands). The keyboard player kept it up, so the manager canceled them on the spot! The KB dude got his band fired by acting the jerk. As time has gone on, it has become apparent this guy has a rep for having a real diva attitude. Anyway, yeah, don't pick a fight with the check writer. David Gig Rig:Roland Fantom 08 | Roland Jupiter 80 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Paley Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Childish and Immature for sure - Besides Being a Flake and not showing up at all for a gig, this is the 2nd Worst thing to do for sure. Marc "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic" - Arthur C. Clarke. - My original music projects: http://www.myspace.com/marcpaley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ITGITC Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Childish and Immature for sure - Besides Being a Flake and not showing up at all for a gig, this is the 2nd Worst thing to do for sure. I ...am afraid to ask what is the 1st Worst thing one could do. Unless you are saying that Being a Flake and not showing up at all for a gig are it. I was thinking something more along the lines of the lead guitarist dating the lead vocalist's daughter from a prior marriage... to a goupie whose name he could not remember... behind his back. "Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent." - Victor Hugo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus64 Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Turns out they had 4 friends at the door that wanted to get in free and the lead player said he wouldn't play if they had to pay. BWAAAHAAAHAAA!!! That's beyond hilarious (although I'm sure it wasn't for you at the time). I'm sure his step parents must have been proud of their boy. Was this fella's name George Costanza, by chance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted January 17, 2010 Share Posted January 17, 2010 Jeesh! how much was the door? -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Real MC Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 His services and his diva attitude are no longer required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clpete Posted January 18, 2010 Author Share Posted January 18, 2010 Jeesh! how much was the door? 5 bucks. We play for free. We get paid to set up and tear down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MAJUSCULE Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 His friends were as poor as his attitude. Pull a Mr. Lodge on his ass! Eric Website Gear page Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mogut Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 When putting a new band together, its important to size up musicians before you decide to even audition them. If there's no references this muso has, I do this with multiple emails and a good phone conversation to evaluate whether the person is a normal dude or just a plain ole whack job. Usually there's an indication somewhere in their comments. Definitely by the end of an audition you can tell if your going to have problems with someone. I've been embarrassed a couple times onstage because of musicians with mental issues. I vowed never to have happen again. I've quit a perfectly good band because they hired a guy I knew was a problem. I was out voted, they hired him, I quit, and they had nothing but problems with him. Not sure what it is, but there's a plethora of hobo's disguised as musicians ...and there's a lot of bad judgment too (something this new band might very well have) -Greg Motif XS8, MOXF8, Hammond XK1c, Vent Rhodes Mark II 88 suitcase, Yamaha P255 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeronyne Posted January 18, 2010 Share Posted January 18, 2010 Jeesh! how much was the door? 5 bucks. How little do his friends think of him and his music that they aren't willing to shell out 5 bucks? And if 5 bucks per person should be no big deal to the club, then the guitarist should have paid for them to get in. I could understand if it was $50.00, but aren't beers like 5.00? "For instance" is not proof. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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