Bloodbuckets/Bar Fights..

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Probably 95% of us steel guys have played MANY times/MANY years in bars..
I wonder if you have seen the frightening fights I have witnessed years ago.. Just like on TV.. chairs broken over peoples backs... huge swarming unstoppable masses locked in death grips... REAL scary. I will say this,that sort of thing really doesn't seem to happen much these days.
Its been many years for me, but I have seen a few pretty bad scenes years back.. how about you guys? .. bob

Jerry Tillman · From: Florida

I,ve seen quite a few bad marriages over the years myself. lakeshrk

Ken Lang · From: Simi Valley, Ca

......Just like on TV.. chairs broken over peoples backs... huge swarming unstoppable masses locked in death grips... REAL scary......

Yes. And that was only the band.

Bob Knight · From: Bowling Green KY

[This message was edited by Bob Knight on 09 June 2005 at 07:31 AM.]

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Bob k.. Geez I'm really sorry this post angers you. That wasn't my intent at all. The night life and bar scene has been a major part of many of our lives..
Many of us never really got involved with drinking, but we've seen some pretty intense things inside these establishments.

I just wanted to share some war stories about the rougher side of the night life most of us lent a soundtrack to. I do feel it is part of a steel players experience and is a valid topic...

b0b certainly has the right to lock this thread if it is inappropriate..

You are correct in your assumption that at this point in my existence I need to get real and get a life, but as many of my friends here know, I have had serious back problems and have been out of work for over 6 months,leaving me without much to do except sit here at the computer and post on my favorite forum and try make a few friends,, and thank the Lord I've made many..[and a few enemies it would seem]..

I do seem to post things that annoy some folks.. Its the LAST thing I desire,but it does seem to happen at times..
I don't know why really, I don't intent to be negative, but I will discuss unpleasant topics to get guys thinking, ,.

All I can do is offer my sincere apologies for any discomfort I have caused you Bob, but I do think it is the system operators call as to whether or not this thread is appropriate.

I will do my utmost to be less abrasive in the future, and I hope you and I can continue with a civil discourse here in the future .. bob

[This message was edited by Bob Carlucci on 03 June 2005 at 08:45 PM.]

Jeff Hyman · From: West Virginia, USA

Bob,

I notice you're from NYC. Many years ago I
managed a band named "The Bud Moffett Band". I booked them somewhere in Virginia Beach. After the gig we all went to a local restaurant... and the guitar player and some dude at another table didn't seem to hit it off. A huge fight broke out. I caught a black eye and these guys broke out shot guns as the school bus was pulling out.
I guess these were the good old days :-)

Jeff Hyman

Willie Crisel · From: Charlotte, Tennessee, USA

i used to play a vfw in memphis in the early eighties,,before i played steel,,man i saw a few real good fights knives and cue sticks,,ect,,some little girl almost always started it,,i went on to play for another 12 years or so,,in the mean time i owned a karate school,,one drummer i played with trained some world champion kickboxers,,and was a 3rd degree black belt,,and believe it or not we never got in a fight,,i was always sober,,i think that if you're not looking for trouble you hardly ever find it,,,but it's not far off if you want it,,,,makes me glad i play in family places now,,,,

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1977 Emmons SD10 push pull 3 and 4, 1990 ,Emmons Legrand II 8 and 4 Peavey LTD Peavey Session 400 Ibanez analog delay

[This message was edited by Willie Crisel on 03 June 2005 at 09:37 PM.]

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Jeff.. I'm not from the city,I'm originally from Jersey, and I DO remember the Bud Moffet Band.. they played many of the same places I did back in the 80's... bob

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Willie.. KNIVES and CUE STICKS???.. What kind of VFW WAS that???.. Usually they are pretty tame.. its the big rock bars and run down roadside joints that seem to have the most trouble.. Like I stated, happily,it doesn't happen much these days...thats a VERY good thing... bob

Jon Jaffe · From: Austin, Texas

Bob, the fact that your posts cause answers is fantastic. Who cares whether they are positive or negative, its the dialogue that counts. Keep it up. I have played from Buffalo to Miami, through Georgia and Tennessee, Texas, Chicago and Wisconsin. Most of the fights seemed to go outside. All the indoor activity seemed to be cat fights (sorry ladies) with flying glassware. The issues at hand were always about sex, or lack there of, fueled by booze. However, there is recent FBI data to suggest the up to 33% of most recent bar fights center around JI or ET straight up or not. : P

Jon

John Davis · From: Cambridge, U.K.

Bob,I don`t think there is anything wrong with your topic, its a fact most of us have played in some rough dives over the years and I have felt a bit irresponsible (can`t spell it) taking a lovely old (restored) P/pull Emmons into some of the London pubs especially where there is no stage or fence between you and the mob! sorry audiance.
If people don`t like the topic they don`t have to respond to it, and I am sure Bob would have pulled the plug if it was out of order!
Hope you get well soon my friend.
JD

Greg McMullen · From: Brooklyn, New York

well now, i just recently finished up a european tour and my band got into a bit of a tiff with an opening band somewhere in belgium. needless to say we were six against three, and there wasn't much to say after that.... those pedal steel legs come in mighty handy.
another story.....
the name of the club excapes me right now, but a band i play with always plays in sonora california, and it never fails that after the first four count the whole place breaks out into a brawl. it always makes for a great gig..
-greg

Mark Metdker · From: North Central Texas, USA

Yes Bob, I have seen many fights. Both men and women. Usually they are pretty funny to watch and don't last too long. I have seen a couple of bad ones too. I saw a guy get his nose broken and stayed unconcious for several minutes. That one made me kind of nervous, we thought the guy was dead. Since I'm a fireman, the other guys in the band look at me and say,

"So, are you gonna do CPR on him"

My reply "My mouth only touches my immediate family members, not bloody drunks on the floor of a bar. Call 911, I'm off duty!"

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Zum U-12 w/True Tone pickup thru a Nashville 112

Strats thru a VHT Pitbull

Band Pics
http://community.webshots.com/album/176544894AuXSmi

Klaus Caprani · From: Copenhagen, Denmark

George Plemons · From: Corsicana, Texas, USA

I have played a lot of clubs in Texas and a few other states, no place even comes close to one town when it comes to bar brawls,
Mexia, Texas wins hands down, pick a bar there (any bar)and you get to see deliverance with out Burt Reynolds.

Dave Boothroyd · From: Staffordshire Moorlands

A few years ago, I needed to borrow a Bass guitar for a gig. A neighbour heard about it and said that he used to be in a band in ther sixties and he still had his old Gibson in the attic.
He came down with the most beaten-up EB0 bass you have ever seen! It looked as if it had been thrown off a train.
"How did it get like that?" I asked him.
"We played some rough gigs." he said."That's a fighting Bass!"

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Cheers!
Dave

Rick Garrett · From: Tyler, Texas

Bob does have a hobby Mr. Knight. Posting here on the forum is as much a hobby for him as it may be a living (ie selling gear) for you. Hey Carluci, keep it up man. I always enjoy the post you make that get people to think and discuss a way of life we rookies haven't seen. Lighten up Bob K., life is short. Plus if you don't like Bob C.'s post don't read them. After all on the main page it does say who wrote each post.

I saw a guy knock over another buys beer once. The guy said he was sorry and offered to buy this drunk redneck yet another beer but the guy refused it and then turned around and knocked this dude out. The guys wife grabbed a pool cue and worked that redneck over till it was a shame. he went under a pool table and when he came out from under the other side, there she was waiting on him and working him over some more. On it went till he worked his way rolling under several tables and we finally caught the old gal before she killed him. I remember how funny we thought it was back then but that redneck guy had to go get several places sewed up in his head by the time she was done.

Rick

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

I've seen a few of those gang fights in clubs where I was working that seemed to eventually involve everyone except those lucky enough to escape to the outside, but the most serious gang fight that I ever witnessed was at a large club just outside Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri......and what made this particular fight memorable was that it involved ONLY girls. It was between two groups of girls from two different towns who had decided to "honor us" by rendezvousing at our club to settle some kind of a long-running dispute, sort of a Hatfield & McCoy thing. I was appalled, as it was not just a hair-pulling, it was a knock-down, drag-out fight, with fists and chairs, and blood, and I had never before seen girls involved in anything more violent than basketball. It took a substantial number of law enforcement personnel to get everything under control, and I have never again dismissed the potential for violence in anyone just because of their gender.

www.genejones.com

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

I saw a 400 lb biker roll a pool table on top of a guy and the sit on it asnd finish his beer.

Same bar I had to heel kick a dude flying at the stage, to deflect him from us. It worked

But I decided a new gig was needed for this band...BUT before we moved on...

My girlfriend as attacked , but the #2 bike gang leaders old lady,
over a evesdropped and ALSO completelty misunderstood comment.

And Diane ended up totally trashing the biker chick,
as in embarrasing. Not cause she wanted to, but because she had no choice.

Teach me to date a mad redhead for 3 years!

She had been learning evasive manouvers , like Akido, because I would always be deflect her rib poking fingers in the car ,
and she has learned to counter it..
she used the same on the biker broad. Totally on instinct.

Biker chick's best friend knew it was a total mistake
and was cherring on here friend getting a beating..
She had asked for it against ALL advice
go figure.
Diane was just wanting to be left alone, and had to take action.

So 2 weeks later BIG biker and this moll come into our country gig bar.
She sees Diane and panics..
He tells her to shut it, and next thing I know
6.9" Victor is the band protector,
I never bought a round again in his presence,
He thought my lady was totally cool, and a good sport.

She and her mates always got treated,
and his old lady often had to bring the rounds over too.
She knew she was TOTALLY wrong starting the fight, and the losing.

He always requested Elvis Costello's Alison, and would tip $20-30 when we played it.

Life is INDEED strange.

Life is strange.
and we never had a WHIT of trouble in that bar again.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 04 June 2005 at 04:19 AM.]

Charlie McDonald · From: out of the blue

Great story, Donald.
Bikers have a strange way about respect; you have to get their attention first.

I love these stories because they never happened to me!

Klaus Caprani · From: Copenhagen, Denmark

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Rick,Gene,Donald.. GREAT STORIES!!.. Funny to read now, but I'll bet they weren't at the time..

Rick.. that story painted a GREAT picture in my mind.. A guy getting floored and then his girl beating the CRAP out of his assailant with a pool cue!.. TOO good!...

David,, I have been in bands with "biker friends".. they ARE great friends too!.. DO NOT get on the wrong side of them!.. If they LIKE you, they are really loyal band followers and can become as close as family.

Gene.. I would have put my hands over my eyes during that massive cat fight!

.. So tell me,, were these attractive "ladylike" girls or earth moving equipment disguised as human females??bob

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

I saw a sign once: "We don't have TV but we have a fight every night"!

Bob Carlucci · From: Candor, New York, USA

Erv..

JW Day · From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA

Bob,keep up the good work,as it seems that most of us enjoyed your post.I have played in most of the dives that you have made reference too.(you seen one, you've seen them all).This is just one of the things that goes along with playing in the honky tonks. I've never met any of the bikers that give the band any trouble.I'm not a hardcore,but I did ride for many years, so we had something in common to talk about.

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