Phil W Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Had a classic on Friday. One of the female mebers of the audience tried an unusual chat-up line - haven't been chatted up for a while! "As soon as I saw you with a bass in your hands I knew you were a bass player!" . . "My first boyfriemnd was a bassplayer . . . etc. etc." I steered it into a discussion on discovering your 'natural instrument' The most direct line I ever had - back when I was young was "The way you play the bass makes me want to . . . " I politely declined onthat occasion. Then my son came out witha nice qupte this weekend. "Daddy, basses are like giraffes: they have long necks!" - he's obviously never seen one of those Ashbory things ! http://www.ashelec.demon.co.uk/ashbory/trans1.gif http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 All mine seem to be overheard questions. "I normally don't do this sort of thing, but do you want to go out to my car for a while?" - anonymous female with hair like an old Barbie doll; Mosheim, TN, 1989 I also declined. For some odd reason, I got the feeling that she DID do this sort of thing, and quite often. "Why do bass players always look the same?" - anonymous female with leathery skin who looked like she would not take the Marlboro Light out of her mouth long enough to tell the highway patrolman to kiss her a**; Hickory, NC, 2004 "Are you sure that you're a lesbian?" - desperate looking male to an obviously out of his league female; Morganton, NC, 2006 My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davo-London Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Phil, do you often get chatted-up? Makes a change from "nice playing dude/mate/cobber" or whatever. Davo "We will make you bob your head whether you want to or not". - David Sisk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 3, 2006 Author Share Posted October 3, 2006 No, Davo - not often . . . I just thought that was an unusual line! http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenstrum Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Originally posted by Bottomgottem: All mine seem to be overheard questions. "I normally don't do this sort of thing, but do you want to go out to my car for a while?" - anonymous female with hair like an old Barbie doll; Mosheim, TN, 1989 I also declined. For some odd reason, I got the feeling that she DID do this sort of thing, and quite often. Hey!! Don't talk about my sister like that! Tenstrum "Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face." Harry Dresden, Storm Front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenstrum Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 I usually hear: "You guys suck!", shouted out quite often. Ahhhh....how the fans love me... Tenstrum "Paranoid? Probably. But just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face." Harry Dresden, Storm Front Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveC Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Since I'm just the bass player, I don't get "chatted up" too often. I get the occasional "nice work" or "good job" but that's about it. Most people are there for our singer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 How about "Yeah I wanna dance. You know someone who can?" and the classic reply "Oh, you don't wanna dance with me. So I guess you giving me a "Lewinski" is out too, huh?" Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trucks Posted October 3, 2006 Share Posted October 3, 2006 Hey now the only audience I get is Karen, and even she doesnt bother chatting me up... In fact I dont think shes bothered for about 6 yrs Soundclick Myspace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bottomgottem Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Originally posted by Tenstrum: Originally posted by Bottomgottem: All mine seem to be overheard questions. "I normally don't do this sort of thing, but do you want to go out to my car for a while?" - anonymous female with hair like an old Barbie doll; Mosheim, TN, 1989 I also declined. For some odd reason, I got the feeling that she DID do this sort of thing, and quite often. Hey!! Don't talk about my sister like that! Oops! Seriously, Mosheim was a great little spot on the map. I've got more memories from the weekend or two that I spent there than any other town I've played in. Those people go WILD. My whole trick is to keep the tune well out in front. If I play Tchaikovsky, I play his melodies and skip his spiritual struggle. ~Liberace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Knowitall Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Originally posted by SteveC: Since I'm just the bass player, I don't get "chatted up" too often. I get the occasional "nice work" or "good job" but that's about it. Most people are there for our singer. Same here. Usually the only good conversation after a show is with another bass player or musician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cthulhu Fhtagn Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 1978 - Mt. Pleasant, East San Jose - "You guys suck!" 1979 - Golden Gate Park, San Francisco - "You guys suck!" 1980 - E. Springfield, MA - "You guys suck!" 1985 - Norfolk, VA - "You guys suck!" 1988 - Elizabeth City, NC - "Y'all suck!" 1999 - Circleville, OH - "You guys suck!" 2006 - Kennewick, WA - "You guys suck!" Man, I wish that guy would stop following me around! Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanD Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I was in a band with a female singer for a while, we ended up dating. One night this guy kept saying "shut up B*!@#, show us you t*%&" and that got very very very very very very (you get the picture) old. Last month a girl asked me if i wanted help carrying anything! I let he help me (she wasnt drunk, or didnt smell like it) then talked to her for a while and left. Social critic: dont people always say that to you? they do to me :)I think he is a shape shifter and able to be in multiple places at once. Jonathan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 i am clearly out of everyone's league, so i don't get much attention when i play. robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seamy ALB Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I personally find it very difficult to talk to people after gigs, I can talk to a room full of people over the mic no problem but individuals make me feel kind of awkward. The me in my head is a shy odd guy and I sort of feel a little odd when people are complementing me, don't get me wrong when it happens it is great but I just don't really know what to say other than thanks. I think the "You Suck" is easier to deal with!! On the lady front my singer is normally the guy that gets all that love!! http://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Little-Bitter/185235472447 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rocky McDougall Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I would imagine the very worst comments after a gig would be "nothing". No comments at all might mean, you made no impression, good or bad. They didn't know you were there. They did not listen to the music. Did not know you were part of the band. "Democracy is two wolves and a lamb, voting on what to eat for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb, contesting the vote." Benjamin Franklin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhomer Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 I kinda like my dark corner of the stage... but every once in a while the lead singer will attract attention to me... His favorite line is telling people I'm the poster boy for "Ugly Bass Player.com", and I'm leading in a poll for the ugliest one... Welll.. a few weeks back between sets a table full of women called me aside, asking me why is he so mean to you?? You're not ugly at all.. in fact we voted and we think you're the best looking one in the band.... aww gee... they need glasses... Almost invariably, I'll have a bad night (at least in my evaluation) and folks will come up and say we were great... Just say thanks and be glad we're not playing for a room full of musicians... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JonathanD Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Originally posted by Rocky3840: I would imagine the very worst comments after a gig would be "nothing". No comments at all might mean, you made no impression, good or bad. They didn't know you were there. They did not listen to the music. Did not know you were part of the band. I agree, I have a strong hatered when people practice apathy toward me. I almost never get mad, but when someone says nothing/acts like im not there or not speaking blood boils. In a band setting its not as bad, but still having poeple hate your music is better than nothing. Look at maralin manson for example. If someone hates your music (say christians) others will love it to spite them (say there kids and or the kids that see themselves on the outside). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 Originally posted by dnkritr: ...I almost never get mad, but when someone says nothing/acts like im not there or not speaking blood boils...If you're in a bar band, you'd better get used to the fact that the owner hires you to sell beer, the audience is mostly there to do boy-meets-girl, you could easily be replaced by a DJ, and few if any bar owners or audience members are all that concerned about what you play as long as you don't suck so bad you drive people out of the bar. I'm happy if the owners pay up with a smile and the audience doesn't throw stuff at me or walk out. It's a great night if they dance. It's nirvana if they actually listen and applaud. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rumpelstiltskin. Posted October 4, 2006 Share Posted October 4, 2006 i have found that regardless of how i played or how i felt about the performance of the band, it's best to thank people for their compliments. the down side is that people always want to talk to me immediately after i've played and i'm trying to clear the stage and load out. but i am always up for a compliment and some friendly words. robb. because i like people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 I find myself in agreement with both of robb's posts. No one chats me up, but I (and the rest of the band) gets the "you guys are great" thing. I handle that reasonably well, and don't miss receiving more "personal" comments. People dancing is the best compliment. I have wandered beyond the stage to dance with a female who seems to want to but hasn't broken the "no one's dancing" thing yet. It doesn't always work, but it's much "excitement" as I can handle. Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddiePlaysBass Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Originally posted by Tom Capasso: People dancing is the best compliment. In my younger years ( ) I would have frowned at this, but for the HBC's most recent gig we opened with two Elvis tunes. As we were playing I saw a couple actually dancing rock'n'roll style to our music, and it felt awesome "I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thabottomend Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Slightly OT, but I just wanted to add one fo the funniest things I have ever seen in an audience. We were playing a bar that sat on the Tennessee/Kentucky state line. We were well into our fourth set (out of five) when one of our guitar players stopped playing and burst out laughing. He pointed out a couple on the dance floor who were obviously drunk enough to think they were Swayze and Gray, but what was even more hilarious (or sickening) than the sloppy attempt at dirty dancing was the fact that the woman had obviously wet her pants. A lot. Didn't seem to bother the dude she was grinding her urine-soaked crotch on, though. Must have been from out of town. Ahhh, the good old days.......... To be on topic - we were once accused by an audience member of lip-synching and playing canned music. He looked for our tape player. He just couldn't believe that a bunch of teenagers could play Skynyrd that well. I took it as a compliment. Do not be deceived by, nor take lightly, this particular bit of musicianship one simply describes as "bass". - Lowell George "The music moves me, it just moves me ugly." William H. Macy in "Wild Hogs" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruuve Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 I definitely agree that people dancing (booty-shakin', head-bangin', moshin', whatever!) is the best compliment. Back before I took up bass and was playing drums exclusively, we were setting up in a club one night. I would always set my kit up so that I was directly facing the audience, which would mean of course that my kick drum was a bit to the side since my leg isn't connected to the exact middle of my body. This really bothered one of the folks in another band that was playing that night as well. He must have told me 20 times (with a lisp), "Hey man, your bass dum is cwooked". We still joke about this 15 years later. Once after I had taken up bass, we had another band we knew come play with us at a gig. We had booked the gig, but it was in their home town and we expected them to have more folks there than we did. So, instead of having them open for us, we had them be the "headliners". After we had finished playing and the band we knew had taken the stage, this old guy whom had apparently climbed out from under some rock earlier that day came up and introduced himself to us. He said he was the band's manager, and that he had booked them there. With a smirk, I said "no you didn't...we booked this gig and asked them to join us". He went away for a while, but of course came back to irritate us again. "Hey...they good ain't they? Ya like 'em? Ya like 'em?" (Note that you have to say "Ya like 'em?" with your mouth twisted to one side, or it just doesn't work...kind of like the munchin's singing "We Represent the Lollypop Guild" on the "Wizard of Oz"). We tried to ignore this fellow, but he kept on..."Ya like 'em? They good ain't they? Ya like 'em? Ya like 'em?". I finally said "Yes, we like them...we booked them, so you can safely assume that we must like them or we wouldn't have booked them. Does that make sense to you?". This again, we still joke about to this day. [Mouth to one side] Ya like 'em? Ya like 'em? Dave Old bass players never die, they just buy lighter rigs. - Tom Capasso, 11/9/2006 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Red 67 Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 In the metal day I did a looping solo. Not to metion playing lots of notes and improvising the reat of the time. I got, "dude you are the best bass play in Nor-Cal. It might have been true to. I'll tell you this, I am better now. I have to admit, those were some really cool solos. I loved playing that stuff! Big Red's Ride Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 6, 2006 Author Share Posted October 6, 2006 Yeah, if I even see someone moving their baody to the music while sitting down - I take that as a compliment. The msot enjoyable gigs have always been the ones with the most dancers. My original post was just about the unusual nature of the comment. I was pleased to get the feedback and what she said was actually quite deep in a way. I always make time to chat to the audience, especially during mid-show breaks. I'm not often 'chatted up' and that time my wife was in the audence too and checking up on me. http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butcherNburn Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 Duck!! If you think my playing is bad, you should hear me sing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil W Posted October 6, 2006 Author Share Posted October 6, 2006 I did! http://philwbass.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted October 6, 2006 Share Posted October 6, 2006 "Your singer is HOT" is the most common one in two of the three bands I'm currently gigging with. At least with one of those I get to retort with, "Yes and she's my girlfriend". Compliments about the band or my playing are also common and are always nice to hear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul K Posted October 7, 2006 Share Posted October 7, 2006 "YOU GUYS SUCK! PLAY SOMETHING GOOD!"....not common, but not unheard of, unless it is coming from graduate students and assorted faculty and staff of the botany department at Cornell University. That's right. Botonists. Wow, they were liquored up real good; the first time they'd been to an open bar? Things are just the way they are, and they're only going to get worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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