How Do You Handle a "KNOW IT ALL"?

Bill Bassett · Post by **Bill Bassett** » 17 Jan 2008 12:05 pm

You know the guy I mean, he's done everything, knows everyone and makes no secret of it.

I was invited to play steel on some tracks by one of these types. According to him he has co-written most of the major hit songs by Merle and Waylon and the list goes on and on. I wondered why I had never heard of him before. I could not resist the temptation to google his name and found exactly 1 entry and that was for a self produced CD he has on CD Baby. I even listened to a few short clips of his songs are...well, they mostly...are mediocre at best.

I don't know why this kind of personality gets under my skin. I've met a lot of them over the years and always loose any respect I might have had for their talents as soon as they open their mouths and start blabbing about how great they are.

Not a lot of Steel Guitar content here but after all, I will be playing steel on his next opus.

BDBassett
Rimrock AZ

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 17 Jan 2008 12:13 pm

Ignore him. You knew from the get-go he was probably a phony. Follow your impulse . . . and tell him you charge $250 per song in the studio. That'll probably shut him up fast.

People who ARE somebody let OTHERS tell you about it.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 17 Jan 2008 12:40 pm

I've dealt with that attitude a few times up here in Alaska.One time I was hired to play steel guitar on a session for a local country singer,The guitar player was in town working with a below average road band supposedly from Nashville ,the other players bass and drums were both great players who happened to live up here both had serious credits.Somehow this guy started taking over the session arrangements telling everyone what they should play,and barking like a big dog.I asked him if he was the session leader his answer was no but when I see a bunch of guys standing around with their fingers up their butts I feel the need to take over,It was then I felt the need to peel our bass player Marc Evans "who played with Barbara Mandrel when he was 15 years old"off of this creep,t...Funny stuff.When it came time to over dub the acoustic guitar I offered to let him use mine,He said I don't play that crap,I said I do and I did,Haven't seen him in years...He also dropped a lot of names that never panned out.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 17 Jan 2008 12:53 pm

Tell them how great they are and move on.

Jack Ritter · Post by **Jack Ritter** » 17 Jan 2008 1:25 pm

Usually this "blo-hard" type of person does this to cover up their own inadequacies.they really don't impress me.

John McGlothlin · Post by **John McGlothlin** » 17 Jan 2008 1:32 pm

I've ran into a lot of people like that and I agree with Jack Ritter....those people are afraid that they'll be asked to prove what they say so as long as they do all the talking no one can get a chance to ask them.

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 17 Jan 2008 1:40 pm

I'd just go into the old Saturday Night Live 'Compulsive Liar' routine, for example:

"Yeah, suuure you wrote that. Sure you did. And, I'm... I'm... I'm the KING OF FRANCE! Yeah, that's right, the KING OF FRANCE! Yeah, that's the Ticket!"

Sonny Priddy · Post by **Sonny Priddy** » 17 Jan 2008 2:01 pm

I Know Some Like That.They Have Played Every where And Know Everyone To Hear Them Tell It. But Realy don't know a Lot. SONNY.

Billy Murdoch · Post by **Billy Murdoch** » 17 Jan 2008 2:04 pm

The guy sonds like He is a legend in His own lunchtime.
Perhaps You could find out who were the writers of some of the songs and say "Hey You know my buddy
(writers name)I'll be talking to him tomorrow I will mention You.
We had a guy who came to our pub and told everyone He was an original member of the Animals,he played the lead on "House of the rising sun"We eventually coaxed Him up for a song and He had great difficulty in holding the guitar the right way around,His mastery of chords was abysmal.
You meet people like that in all walks,they need to impress everyome because they have nothing to offer.
Whe I was at 'Vegas and James Burton saw me in the audience and asked me to play with Elvis..............
Best of luck
Billy

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 17 Jan 2008 2:08 pm

For a great read, check out "The Psycopath Next Door". Right up this alley...

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 17 Jan 2008 2:19 pm

Elvis! Yeah, sure I knew Elvis! Why, I MADE Elvis what he is today. Yeah, that's the ticket...

C. Christofferson · Post by **C. Christofferson** » 17 Jan 2008 2:27 pm

This "How To' is nothing of mine, it's straight out of a book to you. During my search to solve personal problems I stumbled on it. A human emotional equation: I > A + Ob + H + S + Mar, where I = the feeling of Inferiority or loss of self-respect, > = generates, A = Anxiety, Ob = Obsession with oneself, H = mirage of Hostility, S = mirage of Superiority, Mar = Martyring (blaming other persons and situations for our failures). As briefly as possible, when a person behaves with these qualities to whatever degree it causes the recipients thereof a feeling of lowered self-respect, in turn they start manifesting the same; the vicious cycle. So, one key is to realize that these behaviors are not that person's fault but that that person is also just a victim of the vicious cycle. Knowing that helps you to have a way of stepping out of the cycle and also pulling that other person out with you (to whatever degree). Not to imply that you have the slightest responsibility to pull them out, still, it may help.

Bill Dobkins · Post by **Bill Dobkins** » 17 Jan 2008 2:34 pm

My old bass player and I have been trying to put a band together. This guy answered an ad. Said he had played with Paycheck, was a singer and a really good guitar player. Needless to say it was sad.

Stephen Silver · Post by **Stephen Silver** » 17 Jan 2008 3:12 pm

I just tell em I played with the Duke, Duke Davis of course. They look puzzled, glazed over, I give em Stu's email address to check it out, Stu gets spammed, end of story.

SS

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 17 Jan 2008 4:17 pm

Most of the REAL ones,never TOOT their own horns,They don't HAVE to.For over fifty years have been around a few of what I guess you would call stars,About ten percent were ^%$holes,the rest humble and not full of themselves.DYKBC.

Stu Schulman · Post by **Stu Schulman** » 17 Jan 2008 4:32 pm

Steve,Refresh my memory Duke Davis?Big cowboy hat? Fake accent?

Gene H. Brown · Post by **Gene H. Brown** » 17 Jan 2008 8:13 pm

Very Gently, if he's a big man!
Gene

Joe Drivdahl · Post by **Joe Drivdahl** » 17 Jan 2008 8:15 pm

I've met guys like that. As we say in Montana, they are "all hat and no cattle."

More Bars in More Place.

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 17 Jan 2008 9:05 pm

Did I ever tell you about the time that me and Webb Pierce were at The Alamo? It was just me and ole Webb with the whole of Santa Ana's Mexican army a'breathin down our necks. I said "Webb, were in a @##$% load of trouble here maybe you can sing 'em a song and that'll calm 'em down a bit. Mad as bees they were. Webb asked me "Kevin, what should I sing 'em"? I said "Anything not too fast so's not to rile 'em up". I said "Sing something Slowly". And thats exactly how the modern pedal steel guitar was born. The rest is history. You can look it up!

Eddie D.Bollinger · Post by **Eddie D.Bollinger** » 17 Jan 2008 9:57 pm

All I can tell you is that I know the type and that
just gets under my skin, too. I manage in that situation ok, I guess. I find myself praying for strength so that I don't become worse than the know-it-all by falling in to his lair.

Edward Meisse · Post by **Edward Meisse** » 17 Jan 2008 10:27 pm

Anybody ever see the cartoon show, Commander McBragg? Always starts out with him and a friend in his living room drinking tea. The Commander always says, "Did I ever tell you about the Time..." The guest always says something like, "Oh Commander, I think I hear someone at the door." And then the Commander goes on with what is usually a very humorous and preposterous story. Great show!!

Bob Ritter · Post by **Bob Ritter** » 17 Jan 2008 10:39 pm

Bill, Good to see you again..Your picture looks cute..take care there amigo.

Carroll Hale · Post by **Carroll Hale** » 18 Jan 2008 6:00 am

my momma had a saying about folks like this guy.....
"the empty can....rattles the loudest".....

remember a tin can with 1 rock...vs full of rocks..

Danny Hullihen · Post by **Danny Hullihen** » 18 Jan 2008 6:49 am

Jim Cohen, you're craking me up man!

I believe the guys name was John Lovitt? Hilarious!

Ed, I remember Commander McBragg cartoon too! Perfect example of the type.

David Tunnell · Post by **David Tunnell** » 18 Jan 2008 7:48 am

I have run across several people like that, and I think I've figured out why they do it.

Some musicians have to continually tell you how good they are, because you can't tell just by listening.

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How Do You Handle a "KNOW IT ALL"?

How Do You Handle a "KNOW IT ALL"?

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