OT: What was the best compliment you ever got?

[Mr. Nightime]

Last night I played a last minute gig covering for a friend. It was as part of a 4 piece blues band at a club I play quite often. I'd worked with the guitar player and bass player before.I was part of a short lived band with them. My first meeting and playing with them was recording a live album. The drummer, I'd never met before.

 

They normally have a guy that plays B3 through a 145. From what I was told, the guy is really a bass player, and he wants to take the bass player's gig.

 

Well, last night I had a complete and total ball playing. Total freedom to play exactly what I felt was right for the song, solos in every song, no pressure, just 4 guys getting together to play some good music together. It was heaven.

 

Afterward I got one of the best compliments I'd ever gotten. I overheard the drummer telling the bass player, "We gotta get this guy."

 

It's nice when your playing is appreciated in that manner. While I won't be able to gig with them steadily, I am going to try to record their upcoming live album with them.

 

So, I'd like to hear, what are some of the most meaningful compliments you've received?

[Darren Landrum]

One time, a long, long time ago, when I was younger and much thinner, I caught a couple of girls behind me on the up-escalator at the mall checking out my butt, when one turns to the other and says, "yeah, I like that."

 

 

Unfortunately, I've never received any compliments on my playing, not even as a drummer, which is my best instrument. In fact, I had one lady denigrate me once at an open mic. The next week, she brought in her own drummer, who completely screwed up the timing on several songs and threw everyone off. I was so tempted to point and laugh. One guitarist, who I ended up playing with regularly, insisted I was a lot better.

 

Umm, okay, I guess that is a compliment after all. Thanks, Jimmy!

 

Sorry, that's the best I can do.

[SilverDragonSoun]

I think it was "Dude you finally got it" after it took me an amazingly long time to learn the jump solo.

 

Funny but true, I was dating a woman with a young boy. I had to take him to the bathroom and he was peeing next to me, he peeks over at me peeing and yells "Wow you peepee is bigger than Barney" You can't buy that type of advertising as there was a line of woman waiting for the restroom outside who heard this. Of course the kid did have 20/20 vision

[linwood]

"You brought my bitch to tears."

[Bill Heins]

Years ago I stopped at a local club after a long drive and Pat Travers was just finishing his first set. After the song was finished I went to the bar to get a beer...couple of people told me I was great and they really enjoyed my playing. Of course I said thanks and moved off...let them think they actually talked to someone

 

Another time I was at a concert arena seeing someone or other and a few people came up to me and told me what an excellent singer I was and how they loved my band....being a guitarist at the time I said thank you for the beers and moved on Actually they were referring to a friend of mine who sang in a local band that was pretty hot. Funny thing is at the time I looked a lot like their guitarist and nothing like the singer!

 

So I figure if I don't achieve fame on my own, I'll still get the perks by misdirection

 

Darkon the Incandescent

[latchmo]

The best compliment is when someone compliments me on something that I've worked on, as opposed to something that I do well naturally and/or instinctively.

[Rod S]

The ones I like are where people say "Wow, that was better than the original song". I did get that on the last gig I played... more than 2 years ago Frankly that was more directed to the singer than me, but still

 

I was giving two (girl)friends a ride once, and I showing them a song I had just recorded. I was driving so I wasn't paying too much attention to their reaction during the song, but at the end of the song I turned to one of them and she had this stare on here face with tears rolling down the cheeks... she then said no song had ever moved her that much. THAT was a huge compliment....

[Krakit]

I was asked for my autograph. That someone would want something like that from me was the biggest compliment I ever got for playing.

 

Carl

[DanS]

A bass player who I used to play with saw I was playing with a band on a particular night and told the leader of the band "good choice"

 

Another time a nice blonde came up to me and said she really liked how I played. Then my wife came up and whisked me away. Could have been the start of an unholy alliance...

After our Canada Day show this year, some guy yelled "hey keyboard guy" with 2 thumbs up after we finished the show.

[ProfD]

The biggest compliments and acts of appreciation I get as a musician come from women. Man, do they make the best critics.

 

Oh yeah, my musical peers have provided positive recommendations too.

[shniggens]

"You don't suck."

[shniggens]

"You don't suck."

[Trill]

Originally posted by shniggens:

"You don't suck."

Yeah,I usually don't get the "don't"

 

 

Mr. Nightime,I'm sure most of us take most compliments from the general public with some but lesser wieght. But complments like the one you recieved ,from other musicians,are priceless

[Byrdman]

I was once told by a member of the audience that they would have rather listened to me, than to the band I was jamming with. That was nice.

[keyoctave]

Nightime,

 

I agree that the best ones are from fellow musicians.

 

The one that ment the most to me was about a year ago when I was invited to a blues jam at a large private residence. There was a woman singer (can't remember her name) who used to sing with BB King some years ago. She came up to me after it was over and told me how much she enjoyed my playing and would sing onstage with me anytime. Considering the caliber of musicians she has performed with, THAT was a compliment (even though I felt like telling her ..."don't get out much, do you?" ).

[marino]

To me, the best compliment I can receive is when someone describes the effect my music had on him/her, and nails my initial intentions closely. A few times, people have commented on my tunes, and got so close to the feelings I had when writing the piece, it was scary.

For example, someone once told me, "You wrote this music for a woman, right?" (Right.)

That's a huge compliment to me: It means I managed to describe those feelings with my music.

 

About 'stage gratifications', I was spoiled; I had my share of playing in rock groups on big stages, with fans dancing, signing albums, etc. I do miss it a bit, but not too much.

 

But of course, the best compliment came from my *first* girlfriend. We liked each other, but I had not had the courage to say something yet... until one evening, she came to me and said, "I love you. And I love to hear you play."

We were both 15 y.o., and my friends, it was heaven; a moment of complete and total bliss.

[Dave Pierce]

Yeah, the compliments from drunks at bars are nice and all, but they don't really mean a whole lot. It's the ones from other musicians that count.

 

The other day the bandleader was talking about wanting to see lots of energy and excitement on stage. He said, "I know I'll always see Dave jumping out of his shoes over there". I liked that one.

 

--Dave

[ITGITC]

Originally posted by marino:

 

But of course, the best compliment came from my *first* girlfriend. We liked each other, but I had not had the courage to say something yet... until one evening, she came to me and said, "I love you. And I love to hear you play."

We were both 15 y.o., and my friends, it was heaven; a moment of complete and total bliss.

She just wanted to get you in bed.

[AUSSIEKEYS]

Ive had many 15minutes of fame but once they are over thats it...

 

but money talks..

 

I was in between bands and thought Id give a shot at busking.

 

I went to a local large outdoor mall,

[i had played/been payed many times there oficially in the entertainment area]

 

but to put myself where the people/money were I plonked myself acros the mall from Hungry jacks [burger King].

 

Next to Hungry Jacks was a cafe with a strange clown like creature playing a squeeze box..sought of a mime with music?..competition.

 

I made sure I had put myself legally outside the no go areas of the council's rules.

far enough away and no where near any doorways...infact i was basically in the middle of a large outdoors mall.

 

Well after singing [very loud voice] and playing away for 15 minutes the manager of Hungry Jacks comes out and says "how much to make you move".

 

How much you got...i said..

 

Whatever I've got in my wallet...about $20 he said

 

Ok...I said,not wishing to sound too excited.

 

he opens wallet and finds about $15 ...

I take it and move on.

 

That was the biggest donation I had received in my short busking career.

 

$15 to move on....wow...priceless.

[The Real MC]

From my blues band days playing Hammond, a female approaches me as we're leaving the stage for break.

 

"Can I check out your organ?"

 

"Oh, you mean the keyboard...?"

[Black Tomorrow]

The best compliment I ever got wasn't direct. It was when I realised that the audience was singing along with our originals. I didn't realise we'd gotten a good local following until then. What a shame that the band broke up.

[Dave Horne]

The best compliments are usually silent ... the sound of paper currency being placed in your hand.

 

In Holland you are more likely to be offered a drink than given a tip. I usually just order a coffee or Spa.

[wmp]

My two favorites came from black folks I played with.

 

A Grammy winner once asked me, "Are you sure you're white?"

 

I was scared to play one sub gig. Heard tell this lady chewed out my favorite guitar player a few weeks before. If figured if she didn't like him, she'd hate me. But what the hell, it was a good paying gig and she had to pay me. As soon as I plugged in and played a few bars she smiled at me and said, "Oohh, you sound like church!" Had a great gig and several more since.

 

A lame ass white boy like me lives for that sort of stuff.

[Tupelo_Rod]

I had written a song for my nephew and sang it during his baptism. I showed a guy how to play it on piano so I could sing it and concentrate on the lyrics. Some friends of my family were there and I sat down in the congregation right in front of them after singing the song. He tapped me on my shoulder and whispered, "Unbelievable." That was really a high compliment from him. Got other compliments from other people and one person said there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

 

Rod

[cd8]

Originally posted by linwood:

"You brought my bitch to tears."

LOL, that's the best compliment I've ever heard

[RABid]

As a drummer - "You have a great feel." That was always my goal as a drummer, to make people want to move.

 

As a keyboard player - "Hell, after hearing you they left. Do you give lessons?" (I've told this one before.) After joining a good working band disagreements surfaced between the singer, guitarist and myself over my playing style. They wanted two fisted piano playing even though we were doing 80's synth pop and rock. It all blew up one night at a club when I was using the pitch lever on a solo and the guitarist looked at my and shouted Play with both hands on the keys. During the break I let him know that I was the keyboardist and he and the singer let me know that I was in THEIR band. We decided it would be best if they looked for someone else. The next night the drummer and bass player, who had no love for the guitarist or the singer, let me know that our manager was in the audience with three keyboardists that would be trying out as my replacement. Since I was leaving I decided to cut loose and not worry about playing the way the lead members want me to play. And with three potential replacements in the audience my competitive nature overcame my stage fright. After the first set a young man walked up to the stage and said "I was supposed to try out for the band tomorrow."

 

Where are the other two?" I asked. That is when I got the above quote."

 

Robert

[AUSSIEKEYS]

great story Robert

 

I hope after that night you shafted the band and walked out on them.

[latchmo]

"I wanted to put a rose on your piano, but would you settle for tulips on your organ"?

 

Is this line from a movie or just an old joke?

[stepay]

1) Was playing some funky blues stuff at a music store when trying to decide which keyboard to buy next, when an older black man came up to me and said, "Brother, you're playing with some serious funk"!

 

2) Played a gig with a former band, and we did a couple of Doors tunes. Couple guys in the audience started calling me Ray Manzarek. "More Doors RAY!"

 

3) Very hot woman came up to me after a gig (midnight) and said, "I live only a couple miles from here; want to come over and tune my piano?" Of course that could have been a compliment on my playing or my stunning good looks -- who knows?

[Joe Muscara]

We just had a "mini gig" at the house on Friday, where we invited friends over to listen to us play. Only a few showed up, but one person we never met before that came with a friend was apparently talking about us "making it big someday." We've never even played outside of the house nor released a CD...