TimR

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1389351214' post='2333084'] I know that musicians were less business savvy back in the late 70s when the Police formed, but Andy Summers having been a professional musician since the mid 60s was hardly a wet behind the ears newbie at the time. TBH he's got no-one to blame but himself (or maybe his manager/legal adviser) if he didn't get a share of the songwriting credits and royalties from all the Police songs. ... [/quote] They've also produced every album. So they'll all still be getting royalties in some form.

[quote name='SteveK' timestamp='1389308627' post='2332813'] You may be right, maybe these lines from the article are an attempt by the journalist to jeuje it up a bit: "Andy Summers is still understandably bitter about what happened with "Every Breath You Take" " and " "Every Breath You Take" was discussed and it was clear that emotions were still unresolved:" [/quote] Obviously they're going to be touchy about it but as the journalist says at some point they'll have gotten over losing sleep about it. A few sarcastic comments maybe. I think one of the comments in the article alludes to the fact they've all made a lot of money out of each other.

I think they're just messing around aren't they. They're all multi-millionaires. It's like Brian May arguing with Freddie Mercury over one particular song. I heard a story where someone saw some royalty cheques sitting on a desk at a record company. They were waiting to be 'picked up'. One was for 'sting' for several thousand pounds. According to the date, it had been on the desk for a few months.

Cool.

In rock the guitar is a phallic symbol. It's height is important. Too high and it looks like you're stroking your beard, too low and it looks like you're scratching your nuts.

For me it's a compromise. If I have it at the same height standing as sitting, my right wrist is too bent and the horn presses into my chest. If, when standing, I have it at a height my right wrist is comfortable, then it's too low to play above the 12th fret. That didn't used to be a problem but now I'm playing in a three piece rock band I'm covering more fretboard than when I was in a 10piece soul band. So the neck pickup is now at belt buckle height instead of b.....k height.

You can get some very good wigs these days.

[quote name='spacey' timestamp='1389137609' post='2330657'] Combine this with guitarists with pedal tuners who faff around getting the guitar bang on ever song and you soon have a band that looks nervous on stage and this can make the gig hard work. [/quote] Definitely. The bass player should just lean back slightly, rest his hands on his bass, smile confidently and wait for normal service to resume. Don't get drawn in and never lose your cool.

As I say, you need one person running the show. Let them decide whether the band is gong to take a 15sec break to sip water while the dancers in the audience catch their breath. People don't sit down unless you stop for quite a while or continually stop between numbers. I agree with the poster who says the band should set the mood, people want to be entertained and providing you deliver it confidently they'll dance to pretty much anything. Having an actual set list is down to whoever is running the show. I once depped with a band where the leader read the audience and called the next tune as the previous one was finishing. They had a huge repertoire of tunes. I rang him the week before the gig to get some idea of what tunes we were going to play. He said "Just our usual stuff, use your ears, you'll be ok."

[quote name='lojo' timestamp='1389102037' post='2329884'] I agree , but suggested it as clearly in the band we are discussing, democracy isn't working during the gig [/quote] Not really a band then is it? Just two blokes with guitars.

[quote name='mep' timestamp='1389014359' post='2328732'] You can work without a set list, and I have done this in a previous band, with 2 guitarists and both could sing. It was left to the main singer to call the songs and [u]only[/u] him. We had a few songs that we started / finished sets and the rest flowed as necesary. You have 2 options. Leave the set to 1 person or make a set list before the gig. The music needs to flow for both the audience and the band. Good luck. [/quote] Yes. You should always have a 'stage manager' running the show. It used to be the drummer in our old band. Doesn't have to be the band leader or the lead vocals. The key thing is that it's one person and what they say goes, no arguments, argue in the van afterwards.

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1388675244' post='2324659'] It's not necessarily that, it's that they are used to playing with a set group of musicians who know each other repertoire and are used to just getting up there and playing. It's a mindset that they have got used to I suppose as opposed to out and out selfishness? I feel for Pete - it can be a bit of a baptism of fire and I've been caught in the exact same situation... (probably with the same keys player!). Thing is, when I was playing, I was at a bigger disadvantage to the rest of the guys on stage because I didn't even know the original of the song that they were playing, let alone their cover version. All I can say is, I've worked on improving my ear and trying to read other players! [/quote] This, in spades. Learn the notes on the piano and watch his left hand like a hawk. It'll happen again with another player.

[quote name='Pete Academy' timestamp='1388520164' post='2323103'] My thread is about asking if other players have had this experience. Have you had s similar gig with such an egotistical musician? [/quote] No. However, I enjoy a challenge, next time he calls give him my number.

[quote name='Annoying Twit' timestamp='1388515982' post='2323006'] Link? [/quote] Don't be an annoying twit

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1388509395' post='2322873'] ... He has so much creative energy and effortless musical ability that he has never ploughed one furrow long enough to achive his full commercial potential, but that has been his own choice and entirely of his own making. I'm sure he would be the first to acknowledge that, too. [/quote] That's a quite a good point. Pretty common thing to happen to geniuses and true musicians. Get frustrated and bored.

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1388443067' post='2322149'] Definition of an expert: X = unknown quantity Spurt = Drip under pressure [/quote] or Ex - used to be.

[quote name='Buzzardist' timestamp='1388433161' post='2321970'] As simple as that. [/quote] I don't think so. There are some people with strange personality disorders, if I'm allowed to call them that. One guy latched onto me during a break and asked how I was going to fill the room with just my 'little' Trace Elliot 15" cab. Then he spent most of the break asking me how to get Cubase working on his PC. How random is that? I couldn't get rid of him. Luckily by the end of the gig he had disappeared. Probably when found out my Trace rig was big enough after all.

No, I didn't but his whole style of relaxed and informal presentation together with his house concerts fits with his faded black t-shirt Dress to fit with your audience's expectation. That has served me well over the years. Especially playing in pub, function and wedding bands.

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1388429379' post='2321914'] He's worn all sorts of outfits, I like the pastel suit and long blonde hair he was wearing in his Robert Plant days. [/quote] That's what he alludes to in your other post about changing ego over time. [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1388429379' post='2321914'] I bet there are plenty of arguments about him on the current 'It Bites' forum but I haven't bothered looking. I'm not keen on the current line up, they're ok though, but they are not It Bites. [/quote] That's pretty much how they go. [quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1388429379' post='2321914'] Dunnery is considered a bit of a weirdo by his ex bandmates, but he was the real personality of the band and his voice is gorgeous IMO, rock n roll and very emotional. I've met him a few times, he is an odd chap, been through a lot of sh*t with his past addictions, and I like him, although he has some very strong and contentious views on stuff, and I think he finally got his PhD in psychology too. He's a bit of an unsung national treasure in my opinion. [/quote] Yes. I saw him at Bush Hall a couple of years ago. Fantastic venue and fantastic gig. With a girl who could really sing too and he had some amazing players with him.

[quote name='Alfie' timestamp='1388427044' post='2321878'] I have no idea. Wikipedia also left me none the wiser. [/quote] http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Dunnery He formed It Bites in the 80s. The band had/has a close niche following. But you don't get famous wearing a black faded t-shirt playing 80s prog rock. There's a fair few arguments that go on in the It Bites forum concerning him.

tbh the song has been covered by many bands. Next time tell him you were playing the Iron Maiden version from the bootleg recording of a Siberian gig in '85.

You get them occasionally. Usually they'll say something like "The bass line in X doesn't go like that." To which you reply. "Well it did tonight." There are some oddballs around. The problem is you don't know who he is or who his friends are. They might all be musos who frequent that pub and have the landlords ear and if you're friendly you'll get asked back. Smile politely and say thanks then make your excuses and polish your fretboard or something equally distracting...

You guys DO know who Francis Dunnery was, don't you? He's certainly not famous for dressing down. Lol.

Thanks Nigel, always good to hear from Francis. He's right of course. Some of us continually evolve, Maddona, Bowie, Kylie, and Francis, Some get stuck performing the same ego like Keith and Robbie. It works for them. Me, I feel I evolve slowly and looking back I've been something different every 8-10 years. Dr Who said something on the Christmas Day special along the lines of "We all change and go through different stages in our lives, it's important to remember who we were and what we did, because we're not the same person now, but they are part of who we are now." Dr Who can be quite profound sometimes. Me? I'm a runner this morning, in a 10mile race.

We played at a party John 'Nobby' Dalton from The Kinks was at. The guys asked hm to stand in for You Really Got Me. He said he didn't know it and they played a Beatles tune instead. Then we played You Really Got Me, lucky he didn't know it really. We didn't seem to either. Lol.