chocolate starfish in the pub.....

[lowdowner]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1355761414' post='1902337']
Reminds me of this story:
A little boy sits on the river bank and is "fishing" with just a twig with a piece of rope, a bent nail and some bread crumbs.
Along comes this insufferable twat who'se never been fishing before. Out of his car he takes the most expensive fishing gear that money can buy. He uses a lot of time connecting al the bits and pieces, and then proceeds and catches all the fish.

best,
bert
[/quote]

funny how these stories don't get passed on isn't it - i think life's unfair, and i need to live with it!

[xilddx]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1355758643' post='1902269']
To be honest you come across in your post as just as deluded and arrogant as this other guy. You've played in the same one band for 12 years, with the same guys from school. You're playing big gigs for big money and that makes you bigger and better than him?

Good luck, but there's more to music.

TBH, with those big gigs on I'm surprised you have time for your kickboxing.

I think you should probably chill out and have a good look at what's going on around you.
[/quote]

Blimey! Get you!

I think YOU should chill out.

[yorks5stringer]

[quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1355759522' post='1902283']
I wish you'd stop saying this! I'd like not to take it personally, but i *do* have all the gear, and I really *do* have no idea!

It's depressing to be reminded of this....
[/quote]

I bet I have "no idea" more than you and do you know I used to play in a band with a singer,drummer and guitar too...?

[BassTractor]

[quote name='bassintheface' timestamp='1355761498' post='1902338']
.....and I'm certainly not deluded.
[/quote]

BitF, there's no need to take TimR's post seriously.
This is probably not his best day, and he's obviously misinterpreted your original post - and roughly read it like the devil reads the bible.
No need to explain or justify or correct.


best,
bert

[lurksalot]

[quote name='bassintheface' timestamp='1355755901' post='1902213']
No worries, gents. Will do.

We're now in the midst of Christmas party hell at the Grosvenor Pulford hotel, then onto NYE at Chester Racecourse, [/quote]

I used to live in Pulford and spent far to much time in the Grosvenor , but have gigged down the road in the Nags Head a few times , like the others have said, throw up some dates ,I would love to come along for a Jam

Edited December 17, 2012 by lurksalot

[bassintheface]

will do.........ha, anytime!

Nothing 'public' for a while but will let you know.......

[seashell]

Bassintheface - you're perfectly entitled to have a bit of a rant. AFIAC this is one of the useful functions of BC. Get it off yer chest, mate.!:-)
And you don't come across as deluded to me.

[TimR]

[quote name='bassintheface' timestamp='1355760640' post='1902314']


Tim - you're not correct

...

Regarding how or what I spend my time doing and how I manage to fit in bass, wife, child, kickboxing, stamp collecting or even knitting is no concern of yours.
[/quote]

Fair enough. But you did leave out some pretty big details while bigging yourself up by name dropping huge venues. The only info I have to go on is you were apparently in the same band of musicians for 12 years. I'm sure you can see how that looked to me.

You bought the kick boxing up.

I thought telling you to chil out considering you were having a rant might have been quite good advice.

It's music, we're all here to enjoy it, he's having a good time, just humour him and keep your distance.

I've played with all sorts of deluded characters, typically the bigger the band and more money they make, the more deluded they get. Sorry if I mis interpreted your posts.

[xilddx]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1355768044' post='1902515']
Fair enough. But you did leave out some pretty big details while bigging yourself up by name dropping huge venues. [b]The only info I have to go on is you were apparently in the same band of musicians for 12 years. I'm sure you can see how that looked to me.[/b]

You bought the kick boxing up.

I thought telling you to chil out considering you were having a rant might have been quite good advice.

It's music, we're all here to enjoy it, he's having a good time, just humour him and keep your distance.

I've played with all sorts of deluded characters, typically the bigger the band and more money they make, the more deluded they get. Sorry if I mis interpreted your posts.
[/quote]

Did it look like Rush?

[JTUK]

GOLD..!!

[ahpook]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1355757402' post='1902244']
I`ve had similar incidents - a guy telling me he could "take me in a bass-off".
[/quote]



that just makes me think of this...

Edited December 17, 2012 by ahpook

[karlfer]

Don't you lot go hacking Bert off, he knows about Uranium

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='bassintheface' timestamp='1355743447' post='1901977']
Ok, so this might turn into a bit of a long one but......

I play bass in a really good (and always busy corporate function band) - people can work out for themselves whether we're any good or not - but we are and I'm privileged to play with a group of awesome musicians who are also really close friends.

We started over 12 years ago as 6th formers playing 'classics' in pubs for fun - you know, Hendrix, Free, Cream, Zeppelin etc
Things progressed to the point where we've been playing stadiums for large sports events and large corporate stuff - in the last 3 years we've done Wembley Stadium, Millennium Stadium, Old Trafford, Elland Road, The Trafford Centre, Murrayfield - all sorts really. Been abroad loads, big events for people like Unilever, O2, Yell.com - you name it....we're off to the Middle East in the NY and have also been backing band for James Corden and Diana Vickers for gigs.

We must be doing something right!

Anyway, a guy I knew from school plays guitar and recently has been in touch and has been to see us at a few events. He plays guitar in your typical 'pub rock' band - they're ok, nothing special - just like 100 pub bands in each town. He's ok but nowhere near as good as the guys in my band.

Anyway - the first time he came to see us he asked if he could join us. We pointed out that (A) No, we didn't need / want him (we have 2 great guitarists who between them can play everything and anything should the need arise) and ( see point A.

We did a short notice gig on the weekend at a local pub as a short notice favor and he found out and txt to ask if he could jam with us for a few songs.
To be honest, the thought of it filled me with dread as I've heard him a few times and it's bad. I mean, he can play ok, but it's so unmusical, no style, no taste. Just notes, bad sound and style - no consideration for the song or music.
I txt back to say we weren't really playing anything suitable to 'jam' to in the sense of what he was suggesting - we did lots of soul, Motown etc and it would have just ruined great songs!

Anyway, he was there at the gig - with a face on him like he was there to 'run the rule' - I was laughing inside as we were awesome and played some cool stuff like "What's going on", a great version of "Going Down" "I'm a Mover" and all sorts.

He came over after and said how great it was and complimented me and the drummer etc and said "You need a lead guitarist". I pointed out that we had 2 awesome musicians on guitar and he was all "they're 'just' rhythm players".
They're not - One is like a cross between Paul Kossoff (who incidentally this lad didn't know even though his bad pub band play some free) and Robbie Robertson and the other is some sort of musical genius who sings like Sam Cooke, plays guitar like Hendrix and plays keys like Dr John! Both though play with style, taste and are musical!

This 'lad' was telling me how he could have put a 'buring solo" in "Superstition" - I replied "why", it doesn't have a wa***ng guitar in it. If Stevie Wonder wanted one he'd have written one.
He said he could put solo's in our set to make it better. I told him people didn't like that and he'd spoil the songs.

He was going on about Stevie Ray Vaughan and Joe Bonawhatever - each to their own, but don't really do too much for me, though I appreciate that they were / are awesome players. Plus, this lad is nowhere near those 2 mentioned - they have their own styles = he doesn't.

I ended up walking away as I was about to lose my rag - he's one of those - he just "doesn't know". Never been in a band that's done anything but play pub rock (which is fine and has it's place). He tells you about his 9 guitars, what strings he uses the lot. I just yawn! His band wear matching shirts with the band name printed on them, he uses a wireless system - in pubs, with a full Marshall stack, and I've seen him playing guitar behind his head - not for fun but to try and get people to go "wow". What a tool.

Anyway, had to get it off my chest as I've been getting really wound up with how rude he was, how deaf he must be, how ignorant he is and how I wish someone steals all his gear.
[/quote]

I'm guessing you pointed out to him that acting like a dick and insulting your mates wasn't going to get him in the band?

[MiltyG565]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1355749697' post='1902094']
I had this situation in my first band and first gig about 28 years ago in Wales. I few of us at Dyfed College of Art had put a band together for an ents night at the college, but one guy really wanted to be the singer (we already had one) and for some reason it was left to me to keep telling him he couldn't be the singer, despite his angry protestations that he was better than our singer and should be in the band.

A few weeks later, on the day of the gig, a few people started telling me this twat wanted to beat the sh*t out of me after the show. I didn't take this TOO seriously but then even the guys in the band were telling me this and said he really means it, he's a nutter with mental health problems. Thanks guys. I am not a fighter and this made me really f***ing nervous, nauseous, like I was at school with the bully rumours of a beating later. We did the show and this prick was near the stage watching me. So my first gig was NOT a pleasure.

I went to the dressing room after the show, funny no-one else in the band joined me isn't it. Then this prick comes in, clamps his hand on my throat and starts telling me I'm a worthless f*** and I should have let him sing. After about half an hour of this I'd managed to calm him down and he said I wasn't f***ing worth it, and loads of other sh*t. He left, cursing. Then the rest of the band came in! What a bunch of f***ing c**ts! I dishonoured myself by playing with them for a while after that too! I should have given them merry f***ing hell and cast them from my life.
[/quote]

That's pretty extreme. Although, i find that if somebody truly wants to beat you up, or worse, they will. This guy was just a fear monger.

A mate of mine, a pretty good mate, started a band with me and a few other mates. He didn't get on with the drummer (The singer was a little over-protective and paranoid about his girlfriend, and thought the drummer had a thing for her... he didn't) but he was willing to look past that, fair enough. He didn't know the guitarist before. The trouble was, he was coming to practice without even having bothered to listen to songs to learn the words! he hadn't printed any lyrics, and he was constantly looking for others to give him cues when to sing. And aside from that, he was more interested in messing about, and going to the shop than anything else in our rented space (3 hours was £25). He wouldn't get up early to go to the practice space, because he was normally massively hungover or still slightly drunk from the night before. He was a fair singer, but he had to learn when he was hitting the right key and timing, and TBH, none of us had the know how to teach him. He left after 2 weeks. (yes, that all happened in 2 weeks, nobody was pleased with it).

The band since split up. But he now keeps dropping hints to me that he wants to form a band. He said this a few months after he left the band too. I don't know how many ways i can tell him no. He's a decent lad, but a bit mental. He definitely would be something to behold on stage, he is a bit of a showman... more of an attention seeker, but he did always kind do things for show. But i don't know how he would take it if i really told him why i couldn't form a band with him. I seriously think it wouldn't be a happy story. I told him the best thing for him to do was pick up a guitar, and in a year or 2, he could earn a living singing in pubs.

[daz]

[quote name='lurksalot' timestamp='1355765437' post='1902447']
I used to live in Pulford and spent far to much time in the Grosvenor , but have gigged down the road in the Nags Head a few times , like the others have said, throw up some dates ,I would love to come along for a Jam
[/quote]
Yeah I know the Grosvenor Arms well too. My brother had his wedding do there, along with a few other pals over the years. Nice place on a summers evening when you can sit outside near the river. A decent 9 hole golf course across the road too.

Edited December 17, 2012 by daz

[Doddy]

I'm playing at the Grosvenor on Saturday.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='karlfer' timestamp='1355776099' post='1902678']
Don't you lot go hacking Bert off, he knows about Uranium
[/quote]

You should know by now I only use the stuff on lowballers.
That, and I know zilch [b]about[/b] it. I only know [b]of[/b] it. It's an interest, just like my interest in playing the bass at some point.

best,
bert

[dmccombe7]

Agree with most comments. Your band have obviously done / are doing well the way they are. The gigs speak for themselves. You don't need an egomaniac to ruin it.
Tell him the band are already settled, committed and more than competant and don't need an additional guitarist which would bring additional workload trying to fit 3 guitarists into the set list.

I don't honestly think you would like to see someone steal all his gear. You can't stoop to that level - its not really you is it. Move on and forget him - not worth the worry. Enjoy the band and the excitement that goes with it.

Good luck and all the very best

Dave

[risingson]

[quote]people can work out for themselves whether we're any good or not - but we are[/quote]

Had to laugh a bit at this part!

I don't get what the problem is. Let the guy get up for one or two tunes and then off the stage with him, it doesn't need to be a big deal. My band have had plenty of situations like the one you describe and if you're as good as you're saying that you are then the obvious weak link during the night is going to be the guy who thinks he's fantastic at playing but actually brings an awful, 'unmusical' vibe to your lovely band.

As for the rhetoric before and after the gig about needing a solo in every tune, let him mouth off, it's easier to let him make a show of himself than to rise to it. You're making too big a deal of it and it doesn't need to be a big deal at all.

[scannerman]

I thought some one who hung around musicians was a drummer? ;-)

[Dad3353]

[quote name='scannerman' timestamp='1355784912' post='1902827']
I thought some one who hung around musicians was a drummer? ;-)
[/quote]

Careful, lad; careful..!

[mcnach]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1355758643' post='1902269']
To be honest you come across in your post as just as deluded and arrogant as this other guy. You've played in the same one band for 12 years, with the same guys from school. You're playing big gigs for big money and that makes you bigger and better than him?

Good luck, but there's more to music.

TBH, with those big gigs on I'm surprised you have time for your kickboxing.

I think you should probably chill out and have a good look at what's going on around you.
[/quote]


Ha ha

why?

because he does not want to invite someone who seems to be a bit of a bore to jam with them on stage?

then call me arrogant too, because I would do exactly like him even in my much smaller bands. The only way you come up to jam with is at our gig is if you are a personal friend and we invite you.

[Ziphoblat]

You get some egotistical plonkers at gigs sometimes. We had a guy at a a crappy pub gig a couple of months ago start taking the piss out of our guitarist for not putting an unnecessary guitar solo in everything. He had an AC/DC t-shirt and was air-guitaring and such, made no attempt to conceal the fact he was the fairly stereotypical guitar-is-the-only-instrument-that-matters sort of guy. He started chanting "Angus" between songs at one point. We considered actually just playing some AC/DC I think, but in the end our drummer just started chanting "Aberdeen" back at him in a Scottish accent which I suppose is just as good.

[bassintheface]

Well, some very valid points made all, and not so.....
I've had a chance to get it off my chest as this guy was someone I went to school with and he's basically 'slagging off' my band mates which annoyed me.

We rehearsed last night and were chatting about it as the other guys weren't aware what he was saying to me and at first were a bit like "oh, he just doesn't have many mates and clearly mustn't like his own band. He's harmless enough but an obvious tool" as he's spoken to them after gigs previously and has tried to be 'matey', but still with his 'edge'.
Once I told them that he was basically saying that the guitarists weren't good enough we all just laughed about him and said that he clearly just 'doesn't know.then called him a massive tool.

They reminded me of a conversation with him a few months ago where he asked one of our guitards who he liked - Ste replied "Paul Kossoff". Tool replied "who is that?".........and his band play Free songs apparently......oh dear.


Just a shame he feels the need to try and be a bell end and be Mr Competitive. Music isn't a competition after all.
There's usually something to appreciate in most forms of it.

We then played 'Back in Black' and both guitarists did their best (worst) impressions of him and both spent the song tapping and playing bad solos.

There's much worse stuff going on in the world - look at Newtown...........so we can draw a line under it, have a laugh about him and humour him and don't engage him in conversation again.

Simples.

It's almost a bit Spinal Tap - "My Solos are my trademark".

I think this sums him up perfectly - "Jimmy Page was 21 when he wrote 'Stairway to Heaven', I could play it when I was 18 - I think that says a lot..."

Cheers Gents!

Edited December 18, 2012 by bassintheface

[BassTractor]

[quote name='bassintheface' timestamp='1355823105' post='1903061']
"Jimmy Page was 21 when he wrote 'Stairway to Heaven', I could play it when I was 18 - I think that says a lot..."
[/quote]



Classic! That surely sums him up, and you sorry lot as well. Who in his right mind would say no to a master player like that?

Reminds me that Bach wrote some stuff when he was 64, and I played it when I was like 16 or so.
Any chance of getting this guys contact info?


Thanks for sharing!


best,
bert