How can anybody be so disrespectful?

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 29 Mar 2003 1:40 am

Somehow the classic kick deflect won't work with a PSG. Tends to be hard on the rods.
In the case of the incoming heifer, whether front legs or back,
I found the steel players usually deflected with the steel at an angle...
directly at the Bass player.

That being in their opinion the the least neccesary thing in the general area.
Of course I have OFTEN been the bass player

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 29 March 2003 at 01:53 AM.]

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 29 Mar 2003 5:14 am

Believe it or not, I am somewhat serious about all this. It is a survival skill I learned the hard way. THE BACK LEGS ARE THE WEAK SPOT, the Achilles heel, if you will. The first instance caught me totally off guard and my MSA was never the same -- yes even an MSA could be damaged in the heat of battle. Both back legs were bent just enough to prevent them from screwing in properly. The front legs are stabilized by the pedalbar and the angle helps avoid them falling OVER the guitar, which is to be avoided at all costs. Try to hit them above their center of gravity if possible -- tall heiffers are a particular challenge.

I've since gone to a cattle prod -- much more effective -- IF you see 'em comin'!

Should be part of any steel player's training: Bar Band Survival 101.

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Tom Stolaski · Post by **Tom Stolaski** » 29 Mar 2003 6:12 am

One of my most interesting distractions: While playing my steel guitar a woman walked over to me, sat on my left side and started rubbing the inside of my left thigh. I kept playing with a lot more vibrato and a big smile on my face. And that was before I had an up-lever! She ended up in the parking lot with the drummer.

Lee Jeffriess · Post by **Lee Jeffriess** » 29 Mar 2003 5:59 pm

I was in Amsterdam about three years ago, and playing in the cruise inn, a realy great roots music venue.
We were playing the last song of are first set,and pretty much through the set there was this guy standing next to me, and he kept shouting Buddy emmons steel guitar etc.
It was pretty taxing,to cut a long story short, he starts asking me do i know mr emmons.
I cant beleive this cat, so as soon as i had dug my way out of the solo, i say kurtly no i dont know buddy emmons.
Wrong thing to say.
The guy went balistic, he starts screaming at the top of his lungs, you suck you suck.
Everyone in the club is staring at me and this crazy man.
A couple of guys grab him and drag him off.
About ten minutes later im standing at the
bar adjusting my settings, and the guy and his wife sheepishly come up to me,and try to
apoligise i told them both to truck off,i was so mad.
Funny, once i cooled off i wanted to apoligise.
At least the guy had made the effort to say sorry.

Lee

Steel tryin · Post by **Steel tryin** » 30 Mar 2003 6:44 am

Mike, I would say it all depends at what point in the evening you played DANNY BOY.
If it was well into the evening I would wonder why you thought a SENTIMENTAL Ballad
was acceptable to the listening audience. Or
did you play Danny Boy for Mike.

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 30 Mar 2003 10:07 am

See thread titled "Beer Joint."

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 30 Mar 2003 11:04 am

Lee
That guy might as well have been under the influence of some substances, don´t you know there´s a lot of those in circulation in Amsterdam...

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 30 Mar 2003 11:39 am

A pre-emptive strike is not advised, but a small razorwire enclosure works wonders.

Use silverpainted plastic razorwire... it reduces lawsuits from the totally clueless, but keeps the the rought trade at bay.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 30 Mar 2003 11:40 am

duplicate cut[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 08 April 2003 at 02:33 AM.]

Mike Delaney · Post by **Mike Delaney** » 30 Mar 2003 10:21 pm

I remember going to hear a gig in LA one time, which had Milt Jackson on Vibes, Ron Eschete on Guitar, Joe Brancato on Drums, and the only Ray Brown on Bass. Needless to say, these guys were tearing it up. Ray is taking a solo, and the whole place is quiet, except for this table in the back, who are laughing and carrying on. Suddenly, Ray stops playing and loudly hollers "Whoa back there!" The place instantly goes dead silent, and Ray smiled at 'em and nodded as if to say thanks, and right back to his solo he went. Aside from being a marvelous bassist, he was so cool. Rest easy, Ray!

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 31 Mar 2003 1:15 am

Hey, Mike, you've certainly touched some nerves with many players here- I've endured some really rude encounters in my time as well. I've learned to balance those against the many incredible friendships, compliments, and great experiences I've had-I guess it's a "take the good with the bad" kind of thing. Years ago, somewhere in VFW/Mooseland, a typically inebriated patron kept coming up and just staring at my playing, and with nods and grins communicated some real enthusiasm- around her fifth trip up to steelside, something in her eye told me to get out of the way, and I got up in time to avoid the major hurling she applied to my trusty Sho-Bud. I've always wondered whether to categorize that one in the "fans" or "rude" file... at another gig at an Amvets club in South Carolina a couple of drunks gave me a real hard time about playing some song they wanted, actually pulling the hat off my head and stomping on it, which got the bouncer throwing them out. I felt kind of picked on until I found out they waited outside the club and cut up a waitress on her way out- she barely survived and I felt like my altercation was pretty trivial- and it's not like the bigger venues are excitement-free, after a large Stadium show, a couple of us in the band got held up at gunpoint for what we had in our wallets, and the backstage passes off our necks! Honestly, though, if I balance those (and plenty of other rude encounters) against the encouragement, smiles, and generally good vibes, I'm still way out in the plus category. Hope you end up there!

David Mullis · Post by **David Mullis** » 31 Mar 2003 5:58 am

Hey MVA, I had a similar experience this past weekend, except I didn't get puked on

This guy and his wife set bar stools within 2 feet of me and just sat there the whole last set. They were really into it, the guy kept pointing at my hands and telling his wife "lookit that!". They were about lit, but, at least if they had anything to say to me or the rest of the band, they waited until the song was over. I've only seen on woman fall on a PSG. Thanks goodness it wasn't mine. I went to see a fellow steeler playing at a local club and the last song of the last set, all the drunk chicks use to rush the stage and get real friendly with the band. Well, this one gal was blasted, she ran up onstage and somehow got a guitar cord wrapped around her leg and fell right in the middle of my friends guitar. Boy he was hacked! He told her to get her fat rear off his guitar before he unscrewed a leg off it and beat her to death with it!

Hmmmm, maybe there should be some kind of defense mechanism for PSG. I was watching something on the discovery channel the other day about armored cars and some of them had either a shock mechanism hooked up to the door handles and one even had a flame thrower that bar b qued anyone trying to break into the car!

John Cox · Post by **John Cox** » 31 Mar 2003 7:41 am

Dave,Try using your bar as a guided missle,works for me.

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 31 Mar 2003 9:35 am

if I balance those (and plenty of other rude encounters) against the encouragement, smiles, and generally good vibes, I'm still way out in the plus category.

Mark, you really put it all in perspective. The good times really do outweigh the bad ones.

John McConnell · Post by **John McConnell** » 6 Apr 2003 3:35 pm

mike, I know where you are comming from but we all must keep everything in perspective. I have been playing a steady once a month job at our local Moose for almost 5 years now. I try to remember who the audiance is and why they are there. They are mostly hard working or retired peop[le who may only get out once a month. They are in a friendly environment and many feel that this is there club (which it is). We are fortunate enough that they not only want some live music, but they want us. Most of them are respectful, but a few are not. I usually just make not so subtle remarks back at them while I keep smiling. It must work OK because we are still selling it out every month after all these years. Probably the worst thing I remember happening is when a lady dropped her ring on the dance floor. She rushed up and yelled stop playing and actually pulled the clarinet right out of our reed mans mouth in the middle of his solo. I was blown away. I remarked rather loudly that we would buy her some cracker jacks and she could try for a new ring. All that aside, if it wern't for these folks we would be home playing for the dog. My two cents worth anyway.

Joihn McCOnnell, Sho-Bud Proffesional D-10
PS> I play standup bass in the band.

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Damir Besic · Post by **Damir Besic** » 6 Apr 2003 3:43 pm

I loved playing for my dog.She would lie down in front of me and listen.She was an Old English Sheep dog,and you couldn`t see her eyes from her hair,so I didn`t have to deal with a rolling eyes when I played.That helped built my self esteem.Until I got to Nashville.Thinking about geting another dog now.

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 6 Apr 2003 4:21 pm

Hey Mike, once while I was on tour in Europe we played a "cowboy party" in Spain, with Hayrides and cows and all. When we were setting up one of the local policeman was just fascinated with my steel. His English was 'bout as good as my Spainish but I managed to show him what the pedals did, how the undercarriage worked etc. He had on the full uniform, big Napolean looking hat, epaulettes, gold braid and all. Never moved an inch from right beside the steel watching me play, with the most beautiful smile on his face I think I've ever seen on a human being. Ever since, when somebody gives me a hard time at a gig, I just think about that guys' grin and I'm ok. You know what I mean?

Mike Perlowin · Post by **Mike Perlowin** » 6 Apr 2003 10:19 pm

Mark. I had a similar experience, only the person who was so interested was a lady, and she kept coming back to the gigs night after night (It was a 6 nighter.) Sometimes she brought her friends.

This is a family oriented forum so I won't say any more.

Heiko Aehle · Post by **Heiko Aehle** » 7 Apr 2003 11:05 am

Don Williams did a show years ago in a country club in Frankfurt/Germany and the audiences listened very quiet to his show. A few guys in the corner talked with each other and begun laughter. Don stopped the show in the middle of a song, said he wants a quiet audience or he leaves the stage. 3 guys can stop a show and hundret others listen.

Tom Hodgin · Post by **Tom Hodgin** » 7 Apr 2003 4:59 pm

I know exactly what you guys are saying...but what really gets me is when a lovely lady comes up right in front of me, while I'm playing of course, and does a striptease...I had to play a couple extra verses til she was done....oh well, steel players are "great" guys..............tom

HowardR · Post by **HowardR** » 7 Apr 2003 6:30 pm

This is a family oriented forum so I won't say any more

well, how do you think families get started Mike?[This message was edited by HowardR on 07 April 2003 at 07:59 PM.]

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 8 Apr 2003 1:45 am

My first gig ever on upright bass was in a strip club in the Boston Combat Zone. I was subbing for some sick guy with his bass at the last minute. I had hardly ever played upright before either. I was under age by a few years... but I was a bass player so they pretended I was OK.
With a drummer, a " total lush" trumpeter and a B3 player without pedals.

The usual cat calls, caterwalling howls and just bad behaivior. I wasn't worried, because we were just playing jazz blues grooves for the dancers...pre disco DJ's.

I did get a $20 stuffed in my shoe during a song, so I guess I was playing OK. The guy was quite drunk, but I'm sure he wasn't confusing little me with the twirling pasties 10 feet away.
Rude of course doesn't come close to this room. Oh yes the Navy was in town that week. HeeHaaa![This message was edited by David L. Donald on 08 April 2003 at 02:49 AM.]

Barbara Hennerman · Post by **Barbara Hennerman** » 9 Apr 2003 11:33 am

KNOW WHO'S MORE RUDE THAN MOOSES? TRY THE SERVICEMEN IN LONG BEACH.
WE'RE PLAYING COUNTRY, WE HAVE ON BOOTS, JEANS, ETC. AND THEY'RE YELLING DO SOME QUEEN'S RYKE (SPELLING), DO YOU KNOW ANY KISS, HOW ABOUT OZZIE ... I MEAN REALLY!!!
I'VE FOUND THAT MOOSES MOSTLY TELL YOU TO TURN IT DOWN. MOOSES AND ELKS.
ANYWAY, THAT'S MY OPINION ABOUT THAT!!!

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 9 Apr 2003 12:08 pm

Barbara at that gig you were playing to the Master Sargents, Colonels and up, except for a few kids from the south who line dance. The rest are just totally in the dark about country. Well they like Shania Twain's navel...

seldomfed · Post by **seldomfed** » 9 Apr 2003 12:08 pm

rude audience story number N+1...
This guy named 'Dog', (or was it 'Dawg'? you get the mental pic) was the local bar regular who (predictably) got worse as the night wore on. His fav. thing was to stand in front of the band and weave back and forth. He loved steel! He would try and talk to you while you were playing too. Here's the rude part - Dog was 'dancing' one night and tripped and fell over the monitor, into my mic stand, sent the mic (I was singing into it at the time) into my mouth! Bloody lip for me. BUT THE STEEL WAS OK. He missed falling on the steel by 1" , they kicked him out (again). Rude dude.

The next week he was implicated in a murder in the parking lot, I've not seen him for a while. But the bar changed owners and we stopped playing there a couple years ago. Normal eh?

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Chris Kennison
Ft. Collins, Colorado
"There is no spoon"
www.book-em-danno.com