The Steel Guitar Forum

And you ask me why I drink.

After 26 years overseas for Uncle Sam, I returned to the States, formed a group, and began playing Legion, VFW, AmVets, Moose, and Elk Clubs... Every member is in charge.

The situation you describe OFTEN rears its ugly head. I have a unique way of handling it. When the disrespectful individual so rudely approached the bandstand and begins to interupt, our band just stops playing, I take my microphone out of the mic stand and ask them loudly, YES, HOW MAY I HELP YOU? and the place the mic in front of their lips in order to facilitate their request. They most often turn and leave and usually there will be no further interuption.

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Stump Reeves

Yes, what Bobby Snell said!!
What if the lead player walks over to the bass player (of course he's wireless) and starts talking during your solos. This is right after he played the last eigth note of the measure so you have no room for pickup notes to your solo.
Is that disrepectful?

David R. I find that works too, not every time, but worth the try. Great suggestion.

On stage band discusion I don't get stressed at, I prefer us communicating, to off in la la land.

But getting walked on by the other soloist
rankles a bit. In the last version of the band, the other guys said... just do your solo and walk over him if he's being obtuse.
He'll catch on sometime, and the audience just thinks it's planned, like Dixieland music. I often would just listen to him and bounce licks back and forth.
He was a great player, but on and on and on, and gone!<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 25 March 2003 at 06:40 AM.]</p></FONT>

(smile, smile) <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobbeSeymour on 26 March 2003 at 02:01 PM.]</p></FONT>

Mike,
The reason this happened is quite simple,to
the audience all we are is sidemen nothing more and that's just the way it is.

Yeah, kind of like drummers being guys who hang around with musicians.
No one cares why, but they look flashy!

Stump, that is a good remedy !

Sadly,

"Disrespect" is not limited to steel players performing. It invades every facet of human life. It begins young. Very young.

Children, especially nowadays, are allowed to show disrespect at a very early age and it follows them throughout life. The following are examples of this life trend when NOT corrected as a child:

1. The McLaughlin Report on Public Television on Friday nights.

2. Barbara Walters, when interviewing ANY one.

3. Jim Lehrer on PBS every nite he is on the show when he interviews ANY one.

4. Teenagers when asking a question of any authority; and then arguing with the answers. Instead of politely saying, "I disagree".

5. Law breakers who run from the law when being arrested.

6. ANY one who interrupts another who is speaking, instead of politely listening and being patient, until THEIR turn comes up.

Yes, these and a myriad of other "disrespectful" things permeate every part of society today. So my dear friend Mike, what happened to you is JUST the tip of the iceberg.

May God help us for what we have allowed to happen in this once great nation,

carl

<SMALL>right in the middle of the song some guy from the audience walked up to the stage, stood directly in front of me, and started talking to the bass player.</SMALL>

sorry Mike, I was just trying to find out where the men's room was..........BTW, nice vibrato.. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by HowardR on 25 March 2003 at 09:24 PM.]</p></FONT>

"One Man's Ceiling is Another Man's Floor, Skip a Rope..."

-Henson Cargill(?)<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Eric West on 25 March 2003 at 10:40 PM.]</p></FONT>

Mike, at least there was someone there !

IT's what it is..the guy probably has no clue that he even was being disrespectful. The guy probably figured that the band wasn't playing and you may have been practicing on your own...

In my experience with these types of venues, people walk up to the band and talk to them as they believe it elevates their social status in the room.

" Homer..was that you up there talkin with them there boys in the band, you rascal ? "

'Yes Maam..Edna honey..me and the band , we go way back..but I suppose you never knew that did ya' . I was just givin' the boys a little advise how to set up the microphone speakers"....

Sound about right ?

Lets continue to give thanks for all the Amercian Legions, Moose Halls etc.. that give us a venue to play at....and even pay us ! Last time I checked my answering machine, the Opry still hasn't called me, but Joe Smith and Darryl Barbee have, and we have upcoming gigs at , yes..Moose Halls and American Legions !

Hey Mike, next time play the Star Spangled Banner..I guarantee ya they will all stand up and listen !

tp

Jim P,
The 'Portly Lady Falling into the Steel Guitar' syndrome is not uncommon when playing on no stage or one that's low to the ground. Funny, but, in my experience it's usually women. I learned a technique early on I heard Jimmy Day describe and had the opportunity to practice all too often. It's called the 'GRAB 'N' PUSH'. When you see her coming -- BEFORE she hits your guitar, you grab the back legs and just as she contacts the guitar you push as hard as you can, preferably at an angle rather than straight on. If they're too beefy, there's no hope, but i've fended off several heiffers that way.

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<small>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

Mike, I had a similiar problem. I had a sit down gig in Dallas about 12 years ago and the piano player would always yell "how are you all doin?" and continue with let's everybody yell "hell yeh" etc while I was doing my ride. He did this everytime. I found out that he did to the other steel players that worked in this band. The leader caught on and started talking thru his ride - he got the message. Also, I've had some band leaders decide that they had to talk during the guitar player's and my ride. So, I started just playing major chords at a low volume when he was talking. When asked why I wasn't pickin, I told him that I thought it was impolite to play over someone's talking. After listening to a taped show, he saw his error.

In m limited experience these folks are not there to have any kind of serious musical experience. They want to line dance. They do not care how much time went in to the presentation of an accomplished musical piece. I understand the work involved, and a steel show crowd would probably love it, but the Moose lodge ain't it. All they know is-you're making a noise that has no danceable beat and it's not a song they know-so to their mind it's time to talk to the band leader about playing something everyone really wants to hear. It's a lowest common denominator jukebox mentality, but that's how it is. These crowds do not want to be challenged or impressed-just give 'em their Elvis and Merle. You can't play Mozart at a tractor pull. Yeah, it's rude, but consider the crowd-they don't see it that way.

JB

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Fulawka D-10 9&5
Fessenden D-10 8&8
Mullen Royal Precision D-10 8 & 5
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel
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http://www.nrpsmusic.com/index.html

J.B. What you say is true. But I was playing Danny Boy and I'm sure everybody in the audience did know it.

There are places where people go to sit and actually listen the music. It is my intention to eventually put together a little ensemble to specifically play this circuit.

Quite a few years ago,(David frizell & Shelly West had just released a new song,entitled"You're the reason God made Oklahoma",which I had not yet heard.) I was playing in a small club and seated on the end of the bandstand. A gentleman,who was obviously soused,came up to me and said,"Do you know you're the reason God left Oklahoma?" I quickly replied,"No,I didn't think He took it that seriously!".
~~W.C.~~<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Wayne Cox on 27 March 2003 at 07:19 PM.]</p></FONT>

MIKE, can I be your Roadie when you play that circuit? This I gotta see!!
~~W.C.~~

Bill Terry ,,how can you say such a thing??

Dont come any higher than the V F W guys??

Wayne,


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<small>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

R.L., Indeed... I actualy LIKED playing VFW's, American Legions, etc... a lot better than a typical Top-40 Country meat market gig.

It's generally an older crowd, with a taste for more traditional music. In my experience, I'd say the meat-market crowds (younger clientele) are more likely to be rude than the VFW, Moose, and AL folks. Face it, they ain't there for the music.. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Bill Terry on 28 March 2003 at 08:15 AM.]</p></FONT>

Larry Bell -

You said "Before she hits your guitar, you grab the back legs".

Would that be HER back legs, or the guitar's back legs?



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Lee, from South Texas
Down On The Rio Grande

Lee,
Whatever works, hoss

Most of the ones that have almost fallen over my guitar have been best kept at 'guitars length'



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<small>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

Dang you Larry,

You just caused me to spill my coke in my keyboard

carl<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by C Dixon on 29 March 2003 at 06:49 AM.]</p></FONT>

Somehow I just know Bobbe Seymour has a good story he wants to tell....
C'mon Sizemore, spill it already!



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Rick Summers