Embarrassing Moments On Stage

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 9 Nov 2002 3:25 am

I have this nightmare:
Having the once-in-a-lifetime chance to play one song in the Opry, and your 0.11 and 0.18 give up during your turnaround...brrrrrrr!!

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Click on the pic!

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 9 Nov 2002 7:42 am

..it wasn't embarrassment, it was sheer terror and it happened last year during a theater show. Just as the curtain opened on the first set I felt an unsteady "wobble" in my pack-seat not unlike a weak earthquake....and I realized that I had failed to tighten down the legs on the Pac-seat. I don't think I breathed that entire set expecting the seat to collapse under me at any time...I made it through until intermission by not daring to use a pedal and everyone glaring at me sideways wondering what was wrong! Just when you think you have experienced everything...you learn you haven't!
www.genejones.com

compuserve · Post by **compuserve** » 9 Nov 2002 8:09 am

HI GENE.That happened to me once, but my seat did, collapse and on the way down my chin hit the back of my steel and left me with two teeth missing and a bleeding tounge.That made the lead singer burst out laughing so much he staggard backwards and ended up falling into the drum kit BOY!!! that was some gig broken teeth broken drums and the best laugh the dancers had had in years.JIM.

Jim Vogan · Post by **Jim Vogan** » 9 Nov 2002 8:32 am

Compuserve, you seem to have a lot of trouble! Your first post made tears run down my face from laughing. Be careful!

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Jim Vogan Emmons Sd10
G.D. Walker Stereo Steel Combo
Bakelite Ric
Hilton volume pedal

compuserve · Post by **compuserve** » 9 Nov 2002 10:41 am

JIM,you would not beleive some of the stories i could tell of my 25 years on the road and stage.Some of them would not be fit for the forum.BUT!!!!!if you dooooo.ha!ha.

JIM.

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 9 Nov 2002 10:55 am

OK , compuserve, get it of your chest

Curious!
JJ

compuserve · Post by **compuserve** » 9 Nov 2002 11:03 am

I wouldnt dare ONLY IF MR bOb says its ok .

JIM.[This message was edited by compuserve on 11 November 2002 at 03:08 PM.]

compuserve · Post by **compuserve** » 9 Nov 2002 1:14 pm

I was playing in Germany back in the eighties backing the late Box car Willie when my old twin reverb decided to give up on me luckily it was right at the end of the last set.So the next day i was told by the agent that they would get another amp for me to use to finnish the rest of the tour and true to their word they did.The agent turned up with a 25 watt combo ,that would not have been a problem had we miked up the back line but we didnt so there was i with this little 25 watt amp trying to compete with the rest of the band in a massive USA air base .It wouldnt have been so bad but i felt about two foot tall when Box Car looked over at me and said could you please turn your amp up because i cant hear you.Little did he know that i had that poor little amp flat out and it was making the most dreadfull din more suited to a heavy metal band than a country band,But thank the lord a guy in the crowd noticed my embarrissment and went and got his PV SESSION 400 for me to borrow .PHEW!!what a great guy he was because he let me use that amp for the rest of the tour,and when i got back home i went and bought a PV amp and i still have it to this day.

GOD BLESS JIM.

Terry Downs · Post by **Terry Downs** » 12 Nov 2002 8:59 pm

During a particular episode of "Walker Texas Ranger" playing steel in the band at "CCs" (actually the White Elephant in Ft. Worth) was one of my most embarrasing moments. Those darn Hollywood folks think everbody is skinny. The band was given the typical stereotypical cowboy outfits, specifically white silky pearl snap western shirts. I wear a XL (beer gut) and the biggest they had was like a medium. I told them I couldn't wear it, but they told me the band had to dress alike. It's funny to see the movie maker's perception of a C&W band...you must all dress the same ...like Porter Waggoner!! I had a slide part going from the way up high on the neck to the 1st or 2nd fret. It was dominant in the sound track so I needed to play it that way. Every time I made the slide, the stress in my medium cowboy shirt caused 2-to-4 pearl snaps to pop open. One of the guys in the audience (actor playing as audience) was someone I knew. I'm still not sure where I knew him from or why. He started laughing at me when he noticed my snaps popping open. He informed some of his friends to watch as it took about a dozen takes to get this part right (the gunman kept forgetting his words). Every time my shirt would pop open. If you ever watched the show, it was the one where the pretty girl sang in the bar and her derranged jealous husband tried to shoot her x wife on stage and he subsequently ran his car into a piece of machinery and was killed. We also got tear gassed out of the club on one show.

Anyway, the scene that took 12 takes was when the guy drew a gun on his girlfriend which was the star singer on stage. All the band were supposed to frantically run backstage to avoid the gunfire. The first few takes I was really into running from the gunman. After the 12th take I was more concerned with my snaps popping open. In the final version on TV, you see me slowly walking away from the bandstand, kindly allowing my bandmates to go first while trying to hold my shirt together. Documented and shown as a re-run, I often get a call from some wize a$$ when the show is replayed to let me know he saw my not so frantic run from the gunman.

Regards,
Terry

You would think playing steel on TVs shows would be easy!!!

Chuck Campbell · Post by **Chuck Campbell** » 12 Nov 2002 9:10 pm

Back in the days when I was drummin’, I had this problem with the drums sliding forward so I thought I had come up with the perfect solution. I tied all the drums to the leg of my seat with pieces of small rope. The stage was elevated about 6 feet and there was about a 2 feet space between the rear edge of the stage and a big red curtain. On this night there was a very large crowd for a stage show. During one of the quite serious moments in the show, with the big spot on the band, the leg of my stool slipped off the rear of the stage and as I fell the ropes pulled the entire drum set one at a time on top of me. Picture me and all my drums leaving the stage, and imagine the sound they made as me and them hit the floor, especially the cymbals. I wasn’t hurt but we had a long intermissiom while I set up again. The crowd continued to laugh the rest of the night. It was the longest gig I ever played. After that night, I gave up drums and started playin steel and lived happily ever after. [This message was edited by Chuck Campbell on 12 November 2002 at 09:15 PM.]

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 12 Nov 2002 10:24 pm

In the mid 70's in Davis (outside of Sacramento) my band was opening for "The Moonlighters" - (with Bill Kirtchen of Commander Cody days) and I thought that Bobby Black was gonna be there. I had only been playing steel for about a year and I was so nervous that I could not stop my right foot from shaking- no matter what I did. That wouldn't normally be too much of a problem except that my volume pedal lived under the right foot and the band kept looking at me wondering just how I was getting this unusual tremelo effect! Finally I had to just take my foot off of the volume pedal for the rest of the gig and let the old foot shake to its heart's content!
Also- there was the time that I had just finished playing a solo that I thought was really cool at a wedding and the crowd started clapping. Of course, me with my head down looking at the guitar just smiled and nodded - finally looking up to see that the bride and groom had just stepped on the dance floor~ fortunately not many folks except me realized that I thought the clapping was for my fine performance and not for the bride and groom~ life goes on

)) .

Tom Hodgin · Post by **Tom Hodgin** » 13 Nov 2002 4:59 am

I think that "kicking the right song off in the WRONG key is as bad as it gets...tom

VERNON PRIDDY · Post by **VERNON PRIDDY** » 13 Nov 2002 8:24 am

I Was Playing A T.V. Show Once And I Was Singing An Old Hank Williams Song And All At Once I Forgot The Words. I Just Went On Playing Until It Came Back To Me. Made Me Feel Real Bad. I Have Had A Few More Too.. SONNY.

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SONNYPRIDDY

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 13 Nov 2002 10:20 am

Some thirteen years ago I played lead guitar and sang in a three-piece rock band. We were playing at a Christmas party at the company where I was working at that time. The drummer was actually a novice at drums, he normally played guitar, but the regular drummer had just left so he offered to fill in. We kept telling him not to drink before the show but he did it anyway because he was so nervous and ended up pretty loaded. The first few songs went well, but then during a particular up-tempo number (I think it was "Queen Of Hearts") I noticed the drummer getting slower and slower as if he were going to fall asleep. Since I was singing, I had to wait until the guitar solo, then turned around to face him and yelled:"FASTER!!!" Unfortunately the drum mics amplified it so everybody else could hear it too...
By the way, that was our first and last gig.

Len Ryder · Post by **Len Ryder** » 13 Nov 2002 11:32 am

Good Post as I think we've all at one time or another had one that stands out.
On one of the tours throughout B.C. & Alberta in the 50's we were doing a "slap-stick" comedy routine. The accordian player and myself were billed as "Flip and Flop" (laughingly called acrobats.)I was dressed in bright red, long underwear. This was in July and it was hot so I didn't wear shorts under the long johns. Part of the routine was I climb onto a chair with my back to the crowd and jump. Well first of all, I climb onto the chair and the damn thing broke sending me flat to the floor. Another chair is brought, I climb up with my back to the crowd, bend over to jump and the button on the long johns pops off and my bare a$$ is hanging out to a full house of around 5 or 600 people. My face wasn't the only thing that was red.
Len Ryder

Emmett Roch · Post by **Emmett Roch** » 14 Nov 2002 10:29 am

Terry--

What is it about the White Elephant that hates steel players? Is it Luke Short's ghost?

Two days before my first night on the job with my current gig, I had replaced my strings so my third wouldn't break and embarrass me...so guess what happened 3 notes into my lead ride on the first song...
I had to take out one of my contacts (because I had left my reading glasses in the band-wagon) so I could see to replace the broken string...replaced it, it broke...replaced THAT one, noticed it was hard to function with one contact so I took the other one out...by now we're getting ready to start the third song and Gary P is wondering where the steel has gone...
I played "blind" the rest of the set, hunched over my steel like like a monkey on a football, trying to see what fret I was on...meanwhile, my soft-lense contacts had dried out and looked like two small, transparent potato chips.
I was SO glad when we took a break so I could go get my regular glasses. I haven't worn contacts to a gig since.

Before all this happened, my amp blew an internal fuse at sound check and our road manager had to do a quick-fix with a gum wrapper...

AT least the rest of the night went well.

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GFI S-12 extended E9

Warren Davis · Post by **Warren Davis** » 15 Nov 2002 9:13 pm

Roy,

Hey, are you the same guy I used to jam with when you were in Galesburg, Illinois? I think you were playing steel with Boyd Bennet at that time.

Post by **Joey Ace** » 16 Nov 2002 8:35 am

"I think that "kicking the right song off in the WRONG key is as bad as it gets"...tom

or a drummer who counts in a waltz as 4/4 !

Been there..
Vince Gill's "If I Did'nt Have You In My World".

To cover the error the band played the entire song thru in 4/4. We then glared at the drummer who said, "Something sounded off..".

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 16 Nov 2002 9:44 am

....I wish I was receiving royalties for everytime the band played 4/4 behind me when I played "The Waltz You Saved For Me" .... actually, it didn't sound all that bad!....

www.genejones.com [This message was edited by Gene Jones on 16 November 2002 at 09:45 AM.]

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 16 Nov 2002 10:22 am

I just got momentary access to the internet here in Virginia -- time for a quick post. Some really great stories on this thread; most of your "embarrassing moments" beat mine all to pieces. We will be heading back to Florida tomorrow after a ten-day visit with our new grand daughter. I'll be back on line at home on Monday.

WARREN: Yes, that was me. I remember Gailesburg well. We played two weeks at a private club there. It was a great gig; the owners treated us like kings. I worked about 2-1/2 years with Boyd. Played steel, guitar and trombone. Great to hear from you. Keep in touch.

Regards to all.

Roy

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 16 Nov 2002 12:18 pm

Done the "Four Beat Waltz". Some songs actually sound "better" that way. One example might be "Big Mamoo". ( One of my all time favorite cajun tunes.) Recently did "Together Again" in part of an Opening Act for Martina Mcbride, at the Oregon Festivel, as a waltz. I think open sunlight is about as bright as a carbon arc huh.... We did it "Con Moto" though, and I think they liked it..

Two instances that come to mind. I suppose "On the Bandstand" being a qualifier, they might be "off topic". Oh well.

I played a regular gig up out of town in Sandy OR years ago. It was a reasonably good gig, tho it usually took a long time to get the money after the closing time count out.

This evening was about normal. The "Band Wives were there, doing their thing. Fat Patty. the bass player's wife was hitting the poker machines, as normal. I saw her pass a couple checks at the bar on break.

At closing time, there was kind of a quiet spot while we were getting "counted out". Turns out the bar was WAY cash short. The bar manager relayed that there wasn't enough cash on hand, and there wasn't any way to get a check. The bandleader got REALLY pissed, as were we all, called the owner up, woke him up and got his butt down there post haste. Turns out the "cash" was,you guessed it, in the poker machines. He showed the bandleader $750 worth of checks. He proceeded to unlock the poker machines, and pay up. Turned out later the checks were bad...

Another one was where I made the mistake of "advocating" for another band member. At payout, the Drummer, Steve Miller was "shorted". The deal was that we were to get "free drinks", and Steve had been charged for some of his. I got all bent out of shape, though a 10 year non drinker at the time (80s). I told the bartender that from then on I'd be paying for all my own cokes, and that it really sucked. At that point she showed me Steve's bar "tab". It consisted of two triple shots of Maker's Mark, and a Corona PER BREAK.

I was a little embarrassed.... The tab amounted to, if they charged us, more than the band made *period*.

Any more I don't interfere with stuff that's not mine..

Another one I suppose was backstage at Maxims in Vegas. We shared a backstage area with the Playboy Revue. I was standing there warming up a rythym part to a Kenny Rogers tune. All of a sudden the Door to the PBR burst open an out comes this "amazon sized" ( they were all really large) Dancer with "No Top". Durn near ran into me. She was really startled. Gasped really loudly and "covered up". I, without missing a beat, or a rythym lick looked at her smiling widely and said, "That's alright Ma'am, I'm a Musician."

Oh, and there's a lot more I suppose....

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EJL63FLH
'78 Pro III Sho-Bud
'63FLH 90"Stroker
'80 Gold Wing
-Peavey: When it's *not* about "The Sound"-
"You can Smart Yourself Dumb.
Why Can't you Dumb yourself Smart?"-Me
"There are only so many ways to fry cat food."- Buster
"At my age, sometimes I run out of Adrenaline, but I've still got plenty of Gall.." -Me-
[This message was edited by Eric West on 16 November 2002 at 12:23 PM.]

Jimmy Gibson · Post by **Jimmy Gibson** » 16 Nov 2002 1:06 pm

While playing an outside gig some years back the lead singer got stung on the lip by a bee and ended the rest of the gig sounding like he had been smacked in the mouth and had an split lip.He sure did sound funny.

JIM.[This message was edited by Jimmy Gibson on 17 November 2002 at 12:22 AM.]

Joel Glassman · Post by **Joel Glassman** » 20 Nov 2002 12:43 pm

A bee story and some other embarassing moments:
Stung by bee on finger while playing solo. Threw bee across room, baffling audience.
Band plays sophisticated song intro, in two different keys at once, for bride & groom’s first dance. Singer cusses out demanding drunken barfly over the PA.
Angry singer sings chorus over and over to diners in mellow restaurant.
Singer taunts dangerous looking people in audience with 5 second versions of their requests. Singer sees ex-boyfriend in audience and weeps until show cancelled.
Bass player tells shockingly crude joke to family audience.
Heavy curtain knocks down 5 live mics, after band asked to play more quietly.
Forced to play difficult instrumental in front of large audience by stoned singer. No one on stage knows the tune or has the music.
Unhappy rhythm guitarist speeds up song too fast to be sung by vocalists, then sings unknown and unscheduled song for 15 minutes.
Guitarist takes social call (on cell phone) onstage during performance.
Hair completely falls off only violin bow during first tune.

Roy Ayres · Post by **Roy Ayres** » 21 Nov 2002 6:19 am

Thanks to all of you for some prime entertainment and great belly laughs. Results of this competition are as follows:

First prize for most dangerous embarrassing moment goes to Earnest Bovine for his gay-bar experience.

First prize for funniest embarrassing moment goes to compuserve for his poo-poo story.

First prize for the largest number of embarrassing moments goes to Joel Glassman for the last post above.

Roy

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 21 Nov 2002 9:20 am

At least my naked cowboy had the good taste to sing a Judy Garland tune. I think it was "The Man That Got Away".