Depressing things your bandmates say.

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='CS2' timestamp='1333022851' post='1596272']
I must confess that not only have I done it, I chose it. However this is the version we did...

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DG0gl4p2F-g[/media]

"And if I haiver whatever the f*ck that means", is my favourite alteration.
[/quote]
yeah that rocks, bit slower than we do it though

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1333024470' post='1596304']
GET OUT!!
[/quote]
marvellous, there's always room for a bit of abuse in punk rock, (it is the Toy Dolls version we do) and not taking yourself too seriously

[Roland Rock]

Me: "This one's in E Flat Minor"
Guitarist: "You sure? I thought it was D Sharp"

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1333116694' post='1597707']
Me: "This one's in E Flat Minor"
Guitarist: "You sure? I thought it was D Sharp"
[/quote]
That's not as bad as "shall we change this to E#" it really happened, although to be fair he did realise what he'd said straight away

[BottomE]

Heres one that a member of the band says during a rehearsal that grates a bit...We finish a run through of a new song.

Me: I think the part going into the bridge needs to be tighter.
Him: Yes, 1-2-3-4
Me: Hang on, what are we gonna do to make it better
Him: (stares at me - no ideas forthcoming)

[bremen]

[quote name='12stringbassist' timestamp='1332972401' post='1595819']
Just a few gems from my former lead singer in a pseudo blues band.

"I'm the clever one in this van."
(when extremely p*ssed).

"You all aren't playing the songs how I want them played."
(when extremely p*ssed).

"The bass player is trying to take over the band"
(because he did a website that generated work and took bookings, when the singer was extremely p*ssed).

"I could play with an out of tune Salvation Army Band and they'd still clap, because it's me".
(when extremely p*ssed).
[/quote]

You were in The Fall?

[WalMan]

I'm not bothered about that one ... it's a bit of a bash

Routinely used to damn new songs in the set early in their shelf life and generally consign them to the dumprster

[discreet]

[quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1333026677' post='1596364']
marvellous, there's always room for a bit of abuse in punk rock, (it is the Toy Dolls version we do) and not taking yourself too seriously
[/quote]

Apologies, I agree - that should have been, 'GET OUT!! '

[PaulWarning]

the purists might get a bit sniffy, but it is punk rock
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKOcdCbWMQk

[seashell]

Him: I sing in a different key when I'm warming up my voice to when I'm performing so you'll just have to learn everything in 2 different keys.
Self: OK, which 2 keys for this song then?
Him: (Fitting capo) If you're a proper musician you don't need to bother about all the boring theory, figure it out for yourself.

Oh well, I guess it's one way to train my ear.

[discreet]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1333536033' post='1602979']
Oh well, I guess it's one way to train my ear.
[/quote]

I'd be tempted to train his ear, like this: 'GET OUT!!'

[seashell]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1333536206' post='1602984']
I'd be tempted to train his ear, like this: 'GET OUT!!'
[/quote]

Yes this episode did lead to a little altercation. My first rock n roll argument!
But now I am actually wondering if he will ask me to play with him again, which would be a shame as no other bugger would want me.

[discreet]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1333536416' post='1602992']
...which would be a shame as no other bugger would want me...
[/quote]

Now you know that's not true.

[Benplaysbass]

Guitarist said to me just now in an email......... Mr Blue Sky, yeah great song but it would take about six months to learn the timings.
I haven't replied yet as I am still biting my tongue, but just thankful I am playing with the other band this afternoon.
Not all that keen on Mr Blue Sky, but come on if you can't play that what hope is there.

[ras52]

[quote name='Benplaysbass' timestamp='1333537795' post='1603037']
Mr Blue Sky, yeah great song but it would take about six months to learn the timings.
[/quote]
Yeah, the timings are tricky: I just looked on YouTube and they vary from 3:34 to 5:08

[cheddatom]

One of the bassist I play with counts in one of our songs. It starts on the 3rd note of the bassline, so he counts us in, but he doesn't get that "the one" is on his third note, so he counts 1, 2, 3, 4 and then plays 1, 2, and we all come in on the following 3 which is actually a 1. It's pretty embarassing on stage as people can hear him count it in

[KK Jale]

At a recent gig, the singer called Inner City Blues. We'd never done it before but it had been on the setlist when I joined, so whoopee. It went like a train (our drummer is fabulous).

Next gig:

Singer: You know Inner City Blues... I'm not sure the bass goes like that. It's five notes... then five more... and it ends on the C. [We play it in A].

Me: Erm, I know what you mean. It actually varies a lot, it's an unbelieveable bassline, but mostly it ends on the root. Nearly always, in fact. There's a couple of places it does end on the third, though. I think I did a few last time.

Singer. Well... it just feels better ending on the C, to me. Oh, and there's one thing you do and it kind of sticks out and it sort of puts me off.

Me: Oh, which bit?

Singer: it goes dur-dur-dur-dur-dur... and then you do that funny bit.

Me: Okay. The way I see it, if you strip it down, it's basically those two five-note runs, but there are those little links in between. The first link is pushed, the second link is late but straight. [demonstrates]

Singer; Oh. Well do you think you could sort of not do it?

Me: Thinks... **Listen mate, you're the one who changes the chords on f***ing Dylan songs, and you can't play a f***ing barre B minor, and you have obviously never listened to this song in 20 years, and it's one of the greatest-ever basslines, and you want me to SORT OF NOT DO IT???**

**thinks some more: the singer is always right, the singer is always right, the singer is always right, the singer is always right...*

Me. Oh, okay.

Weak, I am. Weak.

[seashell]

[quote name='KK Jale' timestamp='1333543715' post='1603235']
**thinks some more: the singer is always right, the singer is always right, the singer is always right, the singer is always right...*

Me. Oh, okay.

Weak, I am. Weak.
[/quote]

I feel your pain. I am new to this bass playing lark, and I am beginning to realise I have a LOT of things to learn. The above being one of them.

[charic]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1333544836' post='1603265']
I feel your pain. I am new to this bass playing lark, and I am beginning to realise I have a LOT of things to learn. The above being one of them.
[/quote]

Don't worry, the singer ISN'T always right. Especially when you dare him to piss on an electric fence and he tells you it wont hurt him anyway.

That was a funny night!

[charic]

In our defense, guitarists wedding... drunken dare

[KK Jale]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1333544836' post='1603265']
I feel your pain. I am new to this bass playing lark, and I am beginning to realise I have a LOT of things to learn. The above being one of them.
[/quote]

I may be guilty of over-simplification when it comes to singers always being right...

To be semi-serious (only for a second, honest) I see the job as linking the singer with the drummer. That's it.

In terms of tempo I'm always fighting on the drummer's side, but the singer can do anything: sing two verses, add a chorus, be late into a verse, go round again... and if I miss it, that's my fault. Gotta be on that sh*t in a nanosecond.

(Soloists usually get the same luxury treatment, but we have a sax player who's the butt of all jokes, and when he jumps in early we all have a special look which means "Stick to it.... f*** 'im." )

But as for the singer, if there's a good song that he wants done a certain way or else he probably won't do it, then I guess I have to go along with it.

I can still bitch about it on here though.

God bless this forum *sheds a tiny tear*

Edited April 4, 2012 by KK Jale

[seashell]

[quote name='KK Jale' timestamp='1333549668' post='1603385']
In terms of tempo I'm always fighting on the drummer's side, but the singer can do anything: sing two verses, add a chorus, be late into a verse, go round again... and if I miss it, that's my fault. Gotta be on that sh*t in a nanosecond.

But as for the singer, if there's a good song that he wants done a certain way or else he probably won't do it, then I guess I have to go along with it.

I[/quote]

I haven't even played with a drummer yet! Just with a singer/songwriter who does all of the above to his own songs. Especially going round again and again. Cos they're comedy songs he does it to build up to the 'punch line' but it all depends on the audience reaction how many times he goes round! It's not easy for a beginner to follow all this I can tell you.

Plus he's now accusing me of making the bass lines too twiddly which apparently puts him off. I can barely play 2 notes anyway, and now I've just about increased my repetoire to 4 notes he thinks that's too complex!!

[ColinB]

From eons ago in a blues band I was a guitarist in for a few years...


9am Sunday morning after a Saturday night gig witnessed by the usual half-dozen punters...the phone goes...I get out of bed to answer it....it was Dennis the singer...

Singer: "Great gig last night."

Me (yawning): "It was OK - not many people there, thought."

Singer: "I thought you played really well."

Me: "Thank you, Dennis."

silence.........

Singer: "I thought I sang really well, too."

Me: "Yes Dennis. Can I go back to bed now?"

[ras52]

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1333550270' post='1603400']
Plus he's now accusing me of making the bass lines too twiddly which apparently puts him off. I can barely play 2 notes anyway, and now I've just about increased my repetoire to 4 notes he thinks that's too complex!!
[/quote]

[i]Two[/i] notes is too complex:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgVOR28iG_o[/media]

[TimR]

[quote name='KK Jale' timestamp='1333543715' post='1603235']
...

Me. Oh, okay.

Weak, I am. Weak.
[/quote]

You should be careful here.

I used to play Gold by Spandau Ballet. There was a section that I could never get right when I played with the band but was fine when I played with the original.

I recorded our band playing it and found that in the original the whole band held a note while the singer sings triplets. In our band EVERYONE was trying to fill in the space with some random fill. The singer was struggling to garble the words.

At the next practice I told everyone what I had found.

Me: no one should play anything, everyone just hold the note then the singer can fit the words in.
Singer: I've never had a problem there!
Drummer: I'm going to still play a fill or it will feel empty.
Me: let's just try it first.

We play it. It sounds great. Band agree it sounds great.

Singer: I wondered why I always struggle in that part.
Doh!

Moral: always record yourselves and compare to the original before laying blame.

Edited April 5, 2012 by TimR