Artists Behaving Badly

John Macy · From: Rockport TX/Denver CO

This came from a friend last night...

Artists Behaving Badly
Phyllis Stark

When it comes to determining which records become hits, does an artist’s behavior factor into the equation, or it simply about the three minutes of music sent to radio stations?

In recent months, several artists who have had just a modicum of success at country radio have shown up drunk for station-sponsored shows. One inquired from the stage at a family-oriented show where he could score some pot. Another threw lit matches into the crowd. Yet another reduced a station employee to rubble by screaming at her about a poor-quality sound system on a stage where the act was scheduled to play.

Another artist—who had yet to even score a radio hit by that point—none too nicely sent a station employee out to get the artist’s favorite brand of bottled water when the “wrong” kind was provided in the green room at a station event.

True, country artists are largely not trashing hotel rooms, employing contract riders about brown M&Ms or other excesses long associated with rock ’n’ rollers. But it seems poor manners—to put it mildly—have crept into our format over the last few years, even among the newbie acts who were once so eager to make a good impression.

When it comes to country artists, is bad behavior tolerated? And what will this mean for the close relationship country artists and radio have long enjoyed?

While most country program directors contacted for this story have not had a significantly bad experience with a country act, enough of them had to be somewhat alarming.

“My experience is that there is a new breed of artist that...knows nothing about paying dues,” says KFKF Kansas City PD Dale Carter, who illustrates his point with a story.

“We had a situation where an act was booked for a festival,” he says. “This act had one hit at the time. We booked a local band to play before them. When the local band was done, a lot of the crowd left. The ‘main’ act was so upset by this that he only played 40 of his contracted 60 minutes, and then opened the urine tank on his bus to flow downhill on the opening act’s bus. Class!”

Another PD, who asked that his name not be used for fear of angering the artist’s uber-uptight label, tells a similar story about a baby act who “refused to play because a festival only provided a 24-channel board. He wanted 48. He waited [to perform] until his record label secured the requisite equipment from two hours away. Meanwhile, most of the crowd left and the festival made a lot less money for their charity. But hey, he got his 48 channels.”

“Unfortunately, ‘star syndrome’ is creeping into country music more and more each day,” says WKIS Miami PD Bob Barnett. “In the past, country artists had to play the game and play the circuit. It was a long process from baby act to developed act to legitimate star. If the artist wished to have a long career, the artist had to do all the things necessary to make that happen, and part of that was remaining grounded, cooperative and accessible in the eyes of their fans and at radio.

“Now, it’s feeling like ‘take the money and run,’ [or] ‘get what you can-while you can’,” says Barnett. “It appears that many acts are less invested in the long-term . . . I don’t begrudge anyone making whatever they can, it’s the attitude that comes with it that troubles me.”

Barnett says at WKIS, “We've had numerous incidents that changed my perception of [those] artists. It’s becoming more the expected norm than the exception. I don’t want to say it's universal because we've had some over-the-top positive experiences with both new acts and established acts and it would be unfair to paint them all with the same brush . . . [But] those great experiences really stand out now, whereas before it used to be an expected practice.”

But does such behavior influence programmers’ airplay decisions on subsequent singles from these artists? The answer depends on the single, and the artist.

“If an artist is rude to a group of listeners it definitely can factor in our decisions,” says KWJJ (the Wolf) Portland, Ore., PD Mike Moore. “I am not a fan of supporting artists who do not appreciate the people who buy their music and concert tickets.”

“If the artist isn’t a good ambassador for the radio station or the format, I would rather support an artist that is,” agrees WPOC Baltimore PD Ken Boesen. “Find an artist that loses control at events and shows and you're likely talking about an artist with a short career. I don’t think there’s any room for any artist—or radio station for that matter— that doesn’t represent the genre well.”

Barnett also admits an artist’s behavior and attitude influences the music choices for his station. “I'd like to claim that it's all about the quality of the music, but I would be a liar,” he explains. “In all honesty, bad experiences equal the loss of ‘benefit of the doubt’ in my eyes.

“If it's a clear-cut hit, I will never punish the audience by NOT playing the song because of bad behind-the-scene incidents,” Barnett continues. “But if it’s a song that's even remotely questionable and we’re on the fence . . . it’s unlikely we’ll invest any further in the act.”

WQDR Raleigh, N.C., PD Lisa McKay says bad behavior impacts her music decisions too. “We are only human,” she says, “and artists who are being considered for airplay who become part of the ’QDR ‘Friends and Family’ concept get the nod quicker.”

While WMZQ Washington, D.C., PD George King says his music choices are primarily influenced by, well, the music, he does think an artist’s public behavior can determine how big of a star they can eventually become.

Moore is among those who say they wouldn’t put up with bad behavior from a country artist on stage. “I would not tolerate someone being rude to members of my audience,” he says. “I don’t tolerate that from my staff and I certainly won’t tolerate it from an artist.”

“It’s shocking to see undeveloped performers acting like divas or a-holes,” says Barnett. “Funny though, it’s a Catch-22 for radio. These hotshots act like jerks early on, wonder why they can’t get radio to respond to their music, lose their [record] deal, then go on to blame country radio for being unreceptive.”

While the rude behavior of some country artists may be troubling, King, who works in the same building with sister stations in other formats, puts it in perspective.

“I’ve seen just how bad things can get: areas being locked down, entourages taking over like they own the place, acts being very demanding, etc.,” he says. “We are so lucky to be in a format where the acts are so accessible to the fans. It’s what makes country music so well liked and different from other formats.”

Jack Francis · From: Queen Creek, Arizona, USA

IMHO

The labels, promotors and anyone else putting out the garbage that we call todays country music, is gonna reap what their sowing with these psuedo "Rock Stars"!

Sonny Priddy · From: Elizabethtown, Kentucky, USA, R.I.P.

I'm With You Jack. SONNY.

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Darvin Willhoite · From: Roxton, Tx. USA

And then there are some class acts.

A couple of years ago, Larry Gatlin sang at our church in Austin. My son is our FOH engineer, and had no idea what to expect at sound check, never having run sound for a major star, he was really nervous. Larry plugged in his guitar, sat down on a stool, sang a verse and chorus of 1 song, said "sounds good", put his guitar down and went visiting with the Pastor.

Our band even played for him on a couple of songs, but where was I? At the Texas Steel Guitar Jamboree. I blew probably the only chance I'll have to back someone of this caliber.

BTW, Ironically, Mike Smith, Larry's long time steel player was playing at the Texas show that morning.

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Darvin Willhoite
Riva Ridge Recording

Mike Ester · From: New Braunfels, Texas, USA

Uhh, it's not just new acts that show bad behavior.

If I recall, there is a country artist who definitely paid his dues over the years. But, he has a history of performing while drunk or not even showing up. Do the initials "G.J." ring a bell?

The point is, any of us have the capability of being a "jerk" on the stage. It takes real discipline and respect for your audience not to engage in bad behavior.

Just because you can; doesn't mean you should.

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Slightly off topic, but in 1969 I worked at a store in hollywood that catered to the entertainment industry. It was very common to see celebraties shopping there.

Generally I found that the most successful people were always the nicest. Brian Wilson was on of our regular customers, and when he learned that one of the employees was interested in photography, he arranged for the guy to come and watch a Beach Boys album cover shoot. Phil Spector gave me a test pressing of the "River Deep mountain High" LP which I still have. (Specter produced half the songs, Ike turner the other half.)

It was always the up and coming people who had an attitude. "I'm an artist. Whe the $#^%^& are you?"

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Warning: I have a Telecaster and I'm not afraid to use it.
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My web site

Terry Edwards · From: Florida... livin' on spongecake...

I heard Iggy Pop was switching over to country!!

Actually I made that up.

I went to a George Jones concert a couple years ago. He actually showed up and kept a bottle of water close by on stage. He took a sip and remarked that he never knew how good water tasted!!

Miguel e Smith · From: Phoenix, AZ

John, you always post cool stuff so I thought I'd chime in...

Being in the limelight is unique and does whacky stuff to most folks. The way many deal with it is by dumbing down with alchohol or chems. Others have a personality change kinda like Dr. Jekyll and Mr.Hyde. A mix of all is probably even a more certainty of attitudes on the edge.

Darvin mentioned a good report on Larry Gatlin. Larry has come a long way and I think he's been sober for something like 18 or more years now. In the day...man, could I tell some stories but most everyone has already heard them. I'm very proud of his progress in both sobriety as well as showing folks who he really is. I can tell you first hand that he has a heart at least as big as Texas.

Another really talented cat I got to work with for several years in the mid-70's was Charlie Rich. Charlie was an alchohol purest. No drugs, just drank. He was a very quiet guy but when he was drinking...well, he changed. Maybe someday I'll tell a few of the stage stories about Charlie as they are hillarious (with a tragic tone of course).

Nothing about todays acts are unique in this regard. They are ordinary people, many very talented in an unordinary way, who have difficulty with the day-to-day issue of trying to live up to the bigger than life marketing. I make no excuses for anyone's behaviour on or off the job and it ultimately comes down to their own responsibility (I'm saying this to me too).

If I wake up tomorrow with a voice like Larry's or Charlie's, I'm sure I'll be hard to deal with. Who knows...it could happen!

Mike P.S.; that day at the Dallas show...I was so nervous that I was actually thinking of doing a shot of Cuervo to settle me down...funny huh? (I didn't)

Ray Minich · From: Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra

I will never understand why acting like a bully strokes some people's egos...

Barry Blackwood · Posted 10 Oct 2006 12:09 pm

Lately I've been feeling like society in general has succumbed to a lack of civility, so these instances dealing with artists could simply be a reflection of this. To paraphrase Don Henly, (it's such a) "graceless age ..."

[This message was edited by Barry Blackwood on 10 October 2006 at 01:12 PM.]

Webb Kline · From: Orangeville, PA

I think behavior problems is why labels started cloning artists rather than babysitting their drug addictions and ego trips. Look at all the Nirvana/Pearl Jam wannabes of the 90's and then there was all the Hootie and the Blowfish clones. Dumb the music down and then it's easy to find clones.

I remember all the stories of just about everyone of my favorite bands from the 60s and 70s trashing hotels everywhere they went. It's nothing new.

Back in the 70's I was in a band who was constantly being looked at by labels such as Atlantic, Columbia, etc. We opened for a lot of big bands, had the chops, the vocals and the looks, but we never got signed because we sounded too much like Kansas, Styx and Boston. Back then they wanted innovative music and that is why there was so much good music around. Artists had to really work at it. But how many of them made more than a good album or two before they started fighting, drinking, snorting coke and just generally being a-holes?

I guess the record companies just got tired of dealing with all problems that musicians inherently seemed unable to rise above. I do believe that few people can handle fame.

erik · Posted 10 Oct 2006 3:34 pm

In defense of artists on the road, if the contract calls for certain equipment or provisions then why can't the promoter/host live up to the agreement? It's a 2-way street.

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-johnson

Jim Phelps · From: Mexico City, Mexico

I think you can't always judge a person by a quick meeting.... sometimes you can, maybe... but you don't know if they've just had a horrible day or if they're always like that. Of course even a horrible day is no excuse for some of their behaviour such as that listed in the post above.

While on the road as a musician and later as a director at a Las Vegas TV station, I met and worked with many celebrities, more while directing our local talk shows than I did while a musician actually....and I can tell you who I thought was a wonderful person and who was a jerk, but I wonder if that would really be fair, who knows, the nicest ones may have been putting on the best act and the ones who seemed to be not as nice may have actually at least been more honest...example: Heavyweight Champion Mike Tyson came into my control room to use the phone and hung out and chatted a few minutes, he seemed like a really nice, laid-back guy.... maybe he is, until something ticks him off, then watch out... who can really say what anyone's like unless you've spent a lot of time with them.

[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 10 October 2006 at 05:52 PM.]

Keith Cordell · From: San Diego

Most of the acts you are talking about are just frustrated rockers that are catering to what passes for country nowadays; no country actually in there. There are at least 15 former heavy metal "hair band" musicians touring with cowboy hats as country artists these days, and that is the behavior they are accustomed to. The rest just have no class. That's why a lot of us don't have any interest in what passes for country nowadays. Didn't like cheesy metal music either.

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