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Conference napalm::heavy_metal

Title:HEAVY_METAL - Talent Round-Up DayDay
Notice:Rules-2.*,Directory-7.*,Roster-3.*,Garbage-99.*
Moderator:BUSY::SLABB
Created:Wed May 04 1988
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1238
Total number of notes:65616

539.0. "Bands, nightmares and horror stories" by ASAHI::COOPER (Shattered Dreamz) Mon May 01 1989 10:30

    Someone who shall remain nameless gave me an AWESOME idea for a
    new topic:
    
    Musical Nightmares !
    
    I'll start:
    
    The very first gig I ever played was with a band called "Wirebound",
    and we played at the Marlborough Fish and Game.  We opened for Woodrose
    and some other band.
    
    We went in there and set up our stuff (we had NO experience on stage
    together as a band, and I personally was scared sh*tless!).  I was
    all pumped up because I'd never heard my self thru a PA or anything.
    
    We never got to do a sound check, because we ran out of time etc...
    I had my stage volume pretty low, and was running mostly out of
    the mains.  I was really pleased with the sound though.
    
    Anyhow, we opened up with an some stupid U2 song and we was kickin'
    some butt.  I thought everyone was pretty pleased with the way we
    sounded.  Then it happened:
    
    I got ready to rip of my big (well, big as far as U2 is concerned)
    lead, and the power to the mains went out.  All that was left was
    Bass and drums, and just a little guitar...cuz we were a power-trio...
    and cuz I didn't figure I should play loud with that PA crankin'.
    
    Needless to say, I was mortified ! (read: red as a beet).  Anyway,
    we did get the power back up and we finished the gig.  It actually
    went pretty well after that.
    
    Heh-heh, I look back and just HAVE to chuckle.  We were Wirebound
    all right; somebody had tripped over the power cord going to the
    mains power amps.  Sheeesh.
    

    jc
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539.25235::FRANCINEits a madhouseMon May 01 1989 14:129
    
    
    Is this file for band horror stories??
    
    Or interesting band stories or something?
    
    Just curious on what should be in here!
    
    F.
539.3PFLOYD::ROTHBERGas the 1% rules in AmericaMon May 01 1989 15:1819
                My friend's  father  played  guitar for an (ugh!)
                C&W band.   One day, I get a call, "Rob!  THis is
                Alan!  My father's  band is playing for a company
                outing in 3 hours, and our drummer quit!  We need
                someone to drum C&W for 3  hours!"  I  proceed to
                tell him I've never even listened to  a  C&W song
                all the way through.  He says, "Rob!    He'll pay
                you $250!" What the hell.  I played C&W  music by
                people  I've  never  even heard of for 2.5 hours.
                It went  well  until Alan broke a bass string and
                had no spares.  That was about 40 minutes in.  We
                just kept on going, and overall it went okay, but
                what a joke!  A  C&W  drummer  with  a  Metallica
                shirt and a double-bass set.   That  was a sight!
                C&W ... UGH!!!!!!
                
                - Rob -
                
539.5F**KING MEOW!USADEC::BAZILLIONonly love remainsMon May 01 1989 16:3010
    
    what I'm going through right now is a nightmare. 
    
    being under contract.  otherwise known as record co. limbo!
    
    
    
    help  meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
    
    butchaka
539.7ASAHI::COOPERShattered DreamzMon May 01 1989 17:0012
    Of course there was the time 2EZ played at Worm II, and we were
    cruisin' thru a Tesla tune, and Jerry and I were bangin' heads and
    takin' names when Jerry reared back for the big lead, and I walked
    away with his cord wrapped around my ankle...
    
    I just looked over at him say "with my eyes" play the f**kin' lead
    dude....
    
    Heh-heh-heh...  Boy did he looked p*ssed at me !  I think it was
    Scary's fave lead at that time too...  heh heh heh...
    
    ;^)
539.8God this could go on foreverCOMET::HOSMERTue May 02 1989 09:2822
    Lets see,there was the time we went to Beaumont TX to play,on the
    way down the truck caught on fire and we ended up getting there
    two days late and I only made .50 cents for that week! Thank god
    for Texas hospitality.
    
    There was the time we were playing Bangles in Denver and Pat Travers
    Band was going to show up and play a few tunes everybody but their
    Bass player showed up so I was left there holding my Bass going
    now what the f*ck.Our drummer left and then Pat and his drummer
    came up and the rest of us played Snortin and Boom Boom (songs that
    we new) then later that night after they had a few Pat T. and the
    drummer wanted to play more,they were pretty wasted so it ended
    up Pat T. his drummer and myself playing some kind of Rolling Stones
    ZZ Top Blue jam thing that had me sweating at first just trying
    to figure out what the hell they were doing it sounded like hell
    at first but it came together in the end.Definetly the highlite
    of my playing career.
    
    I've also been hit right in the mouth by a twerling guitar busted
    it open pretty good that was no fun playing the rest of the night
    with a swolen mouth.     Maybe we should have whore stories too...just
    kidding!!!!!                 MetalED
539.9Trial By Fire !RAVEN1::JERRYWHITEMarshall Midi Madness !Sat May 13 1989 10:1347
One of my *few* disaster stories .... right ... anyway.  I got with this 
band (Dawn Vendetta) about 4 years ago.  It had been about 3 years since I 
had been in a structured band, plenty of jams, but no club gigs.  They were 
already established very well in the area and needed another co-lead 
guitarist.   They had gigs starting in 5 weeks after I jammed with them the 
first time - I had about 55 songs to learn and played the lead on about 30 
of 'em.  Needeless to say I lived, ate, slept, ^&%$ these tunes !  I think 
we practiced 3 times a week too.  So we get to the club early on the first 
night, do the soundcheck, everything's loud 'n proud.  The first song was 
"Breaking The Chains" by Dokken, and I was to play lead on it.  The intro 
tape rolls, and then we break in ... the song's sounding VERY good.  See, I 
hadn't heard this monster PA cranked up before and the sound was so thick 
you could almost smell it.  The real pretty part after the chorus starts up 
and I know it's almost time for the solo debut of DV's newest axeman.  
Scary throws a foot up on the monitor, does a heavy metal hair toss, and 
busts into a wicked lead.....

		........ in the key of "A" ......

		........ the song's in "E" ......

I thought it sounded a bit odd, after all it was pretty loud, and then it 
hit me ... "Naaah, you didn't do that ...", then I looked at the neck of my 
guitar ..."yeah you did !".  I quickly regrouped and tried my best to 
salvage the last few notes of it anyway.  The crowd didn't seem to catch 
it, but the boys in the band were right on top of it .... the new kid got 
some well deserved "go_to_hell" looks.  The rest of the set was a further 
disaster.  My confidence was shot, and it showed. I couldn't wait for this 
entire night to be history.

The club was about 35 miles from my house so I had some time to think it 
all through during the drive.  I was very tempted to tell them that they 
would probably sound better with 1 guitar, especially if that guitar was 
playing correctly.  Naaaah, hair of the dog and all that ...

The next night I walked in with this real cocky rock and roll star attitude 
(and didn't have a damn thing to back it up ...).  The guys tried kidding 
me a little bit but I didn't let it bother me.  This night I could do no 
wrong, the salvation of the night before....




		.... and the attitude NEVER left ....


			Scary ..... very !
539.10VCSESU::MOSHER::COOKCaught in a mosh!Tue Mar 12 1991 11:4515
    
    I was trying to find the concert horror stories but couldn't. Guess
    I'll post it here. Last night at practice we were talking about
    horror stories from past gigs. A couple of mine:
    
    Headlining in Burlington VT with the Gorehounds. Was wicked sick, then
    on the way back I got a flat tire. Put on one of those rinky dink
    spares and drove from VT to Framingham on it. The next day I drove
    from there to Boston to do a WERS simulcast, then from there to WFNX
    for an interview, all on a little spare with all my equipment.
    
    Then there was the time I slammed my finger in the car door before our
    headliner at Geno's in Portland Maine...played the gig anyway!
    
    Anyone have any horror stories from gigs they played?
539.11The futures uncertainCADSYS::PIKETTue Mar 12 1991 13:2612
    I was playing a show in Chicago a few days before Christmas in
    '89, and before the show I was cutting down a Christmas tree and
    sliced my index finger knuckle.  Went to the Hospital for a few
    stiches, went to the show, took the gauze off, and played the
    show.  
    
    It was a fun show, minus getting the dried blood off the fretboard
    the next day.
    
    /Jim Myhowhorrible
    
    
539.12discussFRETZ::HEISERGrace changes everythingMon Nov 07 1994 12:222
    What would you think of bands that discriminate against talented
    musicians because they aren't at their ideal weight (over or under)?  
539.13yes!SUBPAC::GOLDIEEveryone's a victimMon Nov 07 1994 12:278
    
    
    lardy and talented.....can teh two go hand in hand? 8)
    
    
    
    
    						ian
539.14FRETZ::HEISERGrace changes everythingMon Nov 07 1994 13:1412
    That's another thing I've been thinking about.  Can anyone name a great
    (or even good) guitarist that was probably �10-20% from his/her ideal 
    weight?  
    
    If you consider Jerry Garcia a good guitarist, that would be one.  I
    can't think of anyone else right now.
    
    Fats Domino is the only piano/keys person I can think of.  
    
    Ann Wilson is a more contemporary vocalist with a weight problem.  It
    seems vocalist are more commonly heavy or thin.  You also have
    Meatloaf, Mama Cass, and Karen Carpenter.
539.15POWDML::BUCKLEYI know all about the honor of God...Mon Nov 07 1994 13:4210
    >What would you think of bands that discriminate against talented
    >musicians because they aren't at their ideal weight (over or under)?  
    
    I'd think what I always thought -- stupid!
    
    It's always been, at least in the rock world, that people are hired
    for their looks, NOT their chops!  Since the industry is image-geared,
    they have a point ... you have to LOOK good on video and in photos,
    but someone can always play for you (read: milli vanilli, sid vicious).
    
539.16What about...PATE::SCHIAVONEHerc, Herc, in the sky, Dedelus, DedelusMon Nov 07 1994 13:496
	There's the guitarist for Tad and then "Screamin' Trees" has some
	sizable guitarists...anyone seen Jimmy Page lately...he fits the
	bill.

	/Cap'n Quad
539.17GOES11::HOUSEHow could I have been so blind?Mon Nov 07 1994 14:0210
>    What would you think of bands that discriminate against talented
>    musicians because they aren't at their ideal weight (over or under)?  
    
    So, have you gained a few lately, Mikey?
    
    There doesn't seem to be any stigma about underweight players, that
    "skinny-as-a-rail" look has been the basic rock guitarist image for 25
    years.
    
    Greg
539.18Speaking of...PATE::SCHIAVONEHerc, Herc, in the sky, Dedelus, DedelusMon Nov 07 1994 14:136
	Not to change the subject totally, but the NiN guitarist in the
	"March of the Pigs" video is one of the more radical lookin
	people I've ever seen....

	/Cap'n Quad
539.19FRETZ::HEISERGrace changes everythingMon Nov 07 1994 14:214
    >    So, have you gained a few lately, Mikey?
    
    No, actually I've been losing.  This doesn't really have to do with me
    anyway since it's been years since I did the band thing.  
539.20boom-ba-lattieGOES11::HOUSEHow could I have been so blind?Mon Nov 07 1994 14:265
>    No, actually I've been losing.  This doesn't really have to do with me
>    anyway since it's been years since I did the band thing.  
    
    Couldn't get into a band 'cause you were too fat, huh?
    
539.21AXEL::FOLEYRebel without a ClueMon Nov 07 1994 14:335
RE: .14

	B.B. King is not a small man, that's for sure..

							mike
539.22FRETZ::HEISERGrace changes everythingMon Nov 07 1994 14:533
    >    Couldn't get into a band 'cause you were too fat, huh?
    
    yeah and my hair was too short and not curly enough.  
539.23METALX::SWANSONRide The LightningMon Nov 07 1994 14:564
    How about Leslie West?
    
    (Not recently but back in the Mountain days)
    
539.24BUSY::FISED::SLABOUNTYThailboat!!Mon Nov 07 1994 14:585
    
    	I was going to mention Leslie West ... big boy indeed.
    
    							GTI
    
539.25Guitar player wanted; Must have great hair!GOES11::HOUSEHow could I have been so blind?Mon Nov 07 1994 15:535
    I'm sure we could all think of exceptions (like Bob Mould), but the
    fact is that it's unusual to see someone like that in a band because of
    the discrimination based on looks.
    
    Greg
539.26KDX200::ROBRDaybreak at the bottom of a lake...Mon Nov 07 1994 16:223
    
    then theres that big fat guy in kansas...  :')
    
539.27GOES11::HOUSEHow could I have been so blind?Mon Nov 07 1994 16:421
    Where in Kansas?  KC?  Wichita?  Some wheat or corn field?
539.28STKAI1::VAKTMASTERITduhTue Nov 08 1994 02:213
    check out Poison Idea, now that is fat.
    
    -H
539.29BTO!STKHLM::STENSTROMStill Crazy After All These Beers...Tue Nov 08 1994 03:284
Remember Bachman-Turner Overweight!? 

/tOM
 
539.30DREGS::BLICKSTEINdbTue Nov 08 1994 08:006
    The big guy in Kansas is Rich Williams.
    
    He's considerably larger (now) than most of the folks that have been
    mentioned.  
    
    	db
539.31KDX200::ROBRDaybreak at the bottom of a lake...Tue Nov 08 1994 11:353
    
    does that mean i win?  :')