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Thread: Flakey musicians

  1. #51

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    Quote Originally Posted by bongobro View Post
    We all have been, are, or will be affected by flaky musicians--if you haven't been one yourself (and that can happen, too)!

    (He even convinced me to join the AFM, saying I'd get more gigs, but I got precisely none in four years of union membership)

    I have talked with a guy who wanted me to get more involved with getting into bands--and he was in a band himself--but when push came to shove, he didn't want me in his band. (Coincidentally, he was also in the AFM with the country band front man, and from what I saw of the local's meeting, I could have spent my union dues on upgrading my kit or hand drums, maybe even both.)

    others!
    Hey BB.....sounds like in the US your musician union 'locals' are gradually going down the gurgler...but hey, at least it's an extensive network. Ours has always been a toothless tiger, it's a joke really. For example, a cover band I played with years back had an engagement at the Bondi B&S (Bachelors and Spinster's) Ball on New Year's Eve...short story is that we got ripped off well over $2,500+ by our "wonderful" (rolls eyes) agent for our services (we were one of a number of bands playing at various stages over there)....the Musician's Union said they refused to take action because two members of the band were not union members (well, that still leaves three very ticked-off people, am I right?)...I asked them how come they couldn't see to it that those three, myself, the keyboardist and rhythm guitarist could be at least compensated? No answer.

    Next meeting when they were all patting each other on the back, told them very nicely to go shove their membership. They go "oh, well you'll never work in this town with that attitude". I replied that agencies give you the work, and besides, amongst the back slappers (not naming names) that there are ones that take jobs paying less than the standard rate, so why the hell should I take on board their advice? I then stormed out of that meeting.

    Since then, and probably the best age-old method of securing work has been "word of mouth", built up gig by gig, band by band, or engineers who see you in the studios or live, recommending you for other artists and so on. For a price of course. So much for those idiots in the Union telling me I won't work.....and if I were to come across any of the guys nowadays I'd still tell them to go to hell......I've a very good long-term memory, which can be scary for some I guess, especially if you're on the wrong side of me. Knowing a lot of people, a lot of decent people in the business takes years to acquire.....it's just that there are a lotta flakes ruining it too. Just cross them off your mental list, do a real good job on your next gig, greet genuine people with a real smile and handshake and don't forget to get their contacts,touch base and schmooze with people, treat your drumming like a business, and practice, practice, practice your butt off...don't daydream "being discovered" if you haven't got the skills to back it up.

    Please excuse my French...but f*** the flakes!
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

    668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.

    "A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8

  2. #52

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    Ok, are you ready for this? We continued with the process, taking some time off through the holidays. Last week, we found a guy who was very eager to get together with us. We met him and worked on some songs. He played pretty solid and even was willing to try some songs he hadn't worked on. We felt he was a good fit and he really seemed to like us. On top of that, he was recovering from a motorcycle accident last July and they had to rebuild his elbow. The scar is impressive. This was the first he had played bass since the accident.

    We looked him up on line and found a rather impressive resume including tours as a guitarist with Cornel Gunther and The Coasters, The Drifters, Mary Wells, Chubby Checker and The Platters. He became Musical Director for The Platters and toured Asia, South America and US/Canada. All of this was in the late 70's and early 80's.

    Sooo, we schedule our first rehearsal for yesterday (Monday). Everyone is so eager (including him) that we decide to get a jump start on Sunday, but he ends up being sick and has to cancel. Then last night, we get a call from his wife that he is en route to the hospital with chest pains. Spoke to her again today and he is in intensive care, possibly with pneumonia. So the whole band thing is in the holding pattern until David can get well. We have assured him that we are more than willing to wait and let him get back to 100%.

    Oh and as I mentioned his name is David...our guitarist is David...our singer's husband?...yep, David.

    You can't make this stuff up...

    Fortunately, the husband goes by Dave, guitarist is David, and the bassist goes by his tribal name - Two Dogs.

    We need to make a movie: SilverMine: The Story of SilverMine

    I wonder if Marty DiBergi is available...

    For those of you so inclined, we would appreciate your prayers for recovery.

  3. #53

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    Man XSabers I feel your pain. I'm going through a slight issue too with one of my guitarist , but nothing to what you have gone through.
    Prayers are out there for you!
    Proud Yamaha Player

    The line between the real world and the machine world is becoming more and more blurred every day.But its not that humans are turning into automations or becoming slaves to the machines.No, we're simply growing toward each other!

  4. #54

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    Quote Originally Posted by xsabers View Post
    So the whole band thing is in the holding pattern until David can get well. We have assured him that we are more than willing to wait and let him get back to 100%.

    Oh and as I mentioned his name is David...our guitarist is David...our singer's husband?...yep, David.

    You can't make this stuff up...

    Fortunately, the husband goes by Dave, guitarist is David, and the bassist goes by his tribal name - Two Dogs.

    We need to make a movie: SilverMine: The Story of SilverMine

    I wonder if Marty DiBergi is available...

    For those of you so inclined, we would appreciate your prayers for recovery.
    Hey xsabers.....I was in a band with two Davids......fortunately the Dave that was on bass was already nicknamed "Moose" in high school by the other guys, so when I joined I was already calling him that. In fact, years and years later when he had his 40th, having not seen him for 15 years,first thing I called him was that!
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

    668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.

    "A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8

  5. #55

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    Quote Originally Posted by xsabers View Post
    For those of you so inclined, we would appreciate your prayers for recovery.
    Consider it done xsabers, and I've never prayed for Two Dogs before!
    Quoting gonefishin: Just have some bacon with ya when you go pick her up..........youre an instant chick magnet.





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  6. #56

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    Cool Re: Flakey musicians

    Hey, xsabers...that's not flaky, bro', that's sad. I had a major case of pneumonia in my late 20s and it left me in the hospital for six weeks. Nothing to be taken lightly, I can assure you.

    I'm adding my prayers for "Two Dogs," also...
    keep the beat goin' ... Don't keep it to yourself!

    Charlie

    "If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." --Henry David Thoreau, "Walden," 1854

    "There's a lot to be said for Time Honored tradition and value." --In memory of Frank "fiacovaz" Iacovazzi

    "Maybe your drums can be beat, but you can't."--Jack Keck

  7. #57

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    Thanks guys. He is still in ICU and now in a medically induced coma. It was in fact pneumonia and another secondary infection. I still don't know what the prognosis is...

  8. #58

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    Jeez, hope he'll recover soonish.
    "...it's the Paradigm Of The Cosmos!" Stewart Copeland on Youtube

    668: The Number Of The Guy Next Door To The Beast.

    "A random act of kindness; it keeps my heart in shape!" - Late8

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