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Topic: Gettin' guest up |
Doyle Weigold
From:
CColumbia City, IN, USA
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Posted 12 Oct 2002 2:44 pm |
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| How does every6body else handle gettin' guest up. Lord knows there are a lot of stars out there with all the karoke takin' a lot of our jobs. I try to keep it to a bare minium myself, but if there's a musician or singer out there rhat I know can do a good job, I don't mind. But I don't know how you get one up and not the others. Where do you draw the line? I've been this buisness for more years than I care to talk about but I still have a problem with this. |
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John Knight
From:
Alaska
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Posted 12 Oct 2002 3:39 pm
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Doyle I know your situation. Happens all the time. I don't let anyone up unless someone in the band can verify their talent. I love the challange of backing up a guest. It sure opens the ears. But your right, we as a hired band are not a karoke machine. We are there to provide the entertainment.
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D 10 Thomas with 8&6, '61'D-10 Sho-Bud 8&4
S12 Knight 4&4
Nashville 400 and Profex II
81' Fender Twin JBL's
Asleep at the Steel
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Eric West
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.
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Posted 12 Oct 2002 3:57 pm
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Well, you might tell them, (and make up a reason if you have to) that "It's not a good time". If somebody gets miffed cause "they can't do it too", make up a reason. Kinda like a "riff".
I think a person has to equate it with other forms of emplyment in their mind, and remember just who is in charge.
Once, while playing at the Local Truck Stop here in PDX in '92 or so, Butch Cornwall stopped in. I remembered him from some get-togethers we'd had here, and recognized the derby right off..
I told him that it probably wouldn't work all that well when he offered to sit in for a set.
He was noticeably miffed. I really don't know why.
I was a bit put off at the lapse of grace perhaps, but I didn't bother to tell him that Our regular guitar played had just gotten fired, the keyboard player had the VP of the Corporation in giving us the hairy eyeball because we gave him one more night to quit wearing his propellor hat and stomping all over all the leads, fills and vocals, The bandleader and myself had just on the break previous, taken the drummer backstage and told him that if he didn't quit badmouthing the band to the bar help, that we were going to break his arms. Oh, and the band leader's only grip on life was being able to avoid a headshot by being in a public place, ( me being among potential shooters.)
*Yeah, Butch, it really isn't a "perfect" time, but Thanks anyway  .*
Myself, I never ask to "sit in". There are just too many things a person doean't know about.
I have *Never* taken "offence" at not being asked. It's all I can do to find people that are dumb enough to pay me for playing all those ripped off cliches anyhow.
As far as singers go, it's got to be a time that doesn't add to any existing "disasters", If female, they usually tip the equation with dominant physical attributes, and it's got to be a song like "The Fireman" that *we* all know, and they've got to be sober enought to stand up.
I've many times as a sideman, just referred them to the bandleader, and then told them "I would, or wouldn't, and they usually trust my judgement.
Since I am a truck driver more than a musician I tell some of the obvious "brother truckers" that I'd rather they "sit in" for me delivering a 25 ton track hoe downtown in the morning... Or maybe that they can come over to "Bobs" and flip burgers for me..
As I said, with other Steelers, I ususlly don't have the presence of mind to ask, tho if asked, I certainly don't mind. I'd be kind of embarrassed at the shape of my Rig if Charleton showed up anyhow....
I had Wayne Eddington ( sic) sit out there and watch me for three or nights,a few years ago. and it finally took some third party to recognise him and tell me. Never thought of asking, and we just talked about other stuff anyhow... Nice fellow.
I think it's mostly a "play it by ear" thing.
We usually know when we're getting "pushed around".
It's mostly like any other job in a lot of ways.
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EJL63FLH
'78 Pro III Sho-Bud
'63FLH 90"Stroker
'80 Gold Wing
"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- |
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Larry Beck
From:
Pierre, SD
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Posted 12 Oct 2002 4:56 pm
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Here's something that works with most semi-sober folks, the rest, nothing works that I've discovered that won't get you 8 to 20 as a guest of the state.
"See me on our next break and we'll find out what songs we both know. Be sure to let us know what key you do it in."
Most never stop by on the break. If they do, it's easy to eliminate any song they know based on you not knowing the song or them not knowing the key.
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Frank Parish
From:
Nashville,Tn. USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2002 12:20 am
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| If the guy's sober and you don't know him just talk to him a little and you'll know pretty quick if he can cut it or not. If he's not sober just say the management won't allow it period. I never call anyone up on the first set so they won't run the crowd off. That's just a standing rule so we can set the pace without interuptions. When you do call them up be sure someone or yourself has a mike and keep control of the bandstand. Don't let the guest lead the band off into something that would put your gig on the line or run off the crowd. If they can sing then let them do two tunes but no more. At the end of the tune just say "Let's have a nice hand for so and so" and they'll walk off happy. Just in case they don't get the hint have a tune lined up to play and start counting it off. Keeping the action moving on the bandstand and keeping everybodys attention will help move it along so the sit-in won't take control. Remember, they're the guest not the boss up there. |
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Larry Bell
From:
Englewood, Florida
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Posted 13 Oct 2002 7:18 am
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Maybe my band has a slightly different fix on it, but it seems to me that there are few things a band can do to create more good will that getting the audience involved, in whatever way is appropriate. We pride ourselves on being pretty good sidemen and there are few tunes that one of us doesn't know (and if we don't we'll write it ), so we more or less welcome all SOBER additions to the stage. Falling over drunk is obviously a show-stopper, so we judiciously avoid that, but we certainly don't expect Ray Price or Alan Jackson.
My personal feeling is that good, loyal fans are a band's greatest asset and having one of them join the band on stage is a valuable gesture of good will that pays back dividends. Of course, the venue is important. Most of our shows are very informal bar gigs, so this approach seems to work out well for us. The rest of the audience is usually very forgiving of any mistakes and many seem to enjoy the variety.
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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
2000 Fessenden S-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S-12 6x6, 1971 Dobro |
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Tony Farr
From:
Madison, Tennessee, USA (deceased)
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Posted 13 Oct 2002 8:04 am
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| If some guy comes up to the stage and wants to set in, I always tell them to wait til the break and let me see what he can do off in a corner or somewhere. If he knows his keys and can sing in tune and seem to know what he's doing I will let them get up on the last set. That way there's usually not to many people left in the place for them to run off. If he can't stick around that long, I'll just say maybe next time, but we don't let anyone up before the last set. That usually settles it. Now if we know the person and they are a good singer and the owner of the club recomends they sing then we'll handle it different. |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 13 Oct 2002 8:19 am
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The FIRST and ONLY rule for sit-ins, IMHO:
The band asks YOU to sit in, you DON'T ask the BAND to let you sit in.
If you can cut it, and the band knows it, they'll ask you if they WANT to. If not, let it ride, dude. Your ego, frankly, is not that important to anyone except yourself.
It's the band's gig, they are the ones with all the risk and everything... like the audience, the goodwill of the club owner, and the gig... to lose.
To get one's panties in a wad because of being turned down in a request to sit in is, IMHO, the height of presumptuousness and hubris... "chutzpah," in other words. I've been to many gigs where I would have liked to sit in but wasn't asked. Hey, no problem. I've also been to many gigs where I've been ASKED to sit in and I refused as well, since I didn't think my playing on an unfamiliar guitar would do the band any justice, and I didn't want to be heard playing in an inferior way on a strange horn. I've also been asked to sit in with bands I've played full gigs with before, but refused for the same reason... my horn was not there at the time. If I'm asked and I feel like it, hey, I'll sit in for a song or few.
But the initial decision for sitting in rests FIRST AND FOREMOST with the band. It's their gig and its their money that's at risk, and the "hey, look at ME" ego needs of the picker simply don't get it, IMHO.
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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 13 Oct 2002 8:44 am
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| Herb, I sympathize with your position on this. However, the initial question was, I believe, directed more at the situation where the band wouldn't know the person in the room, so couldn't possibly ask them to sit in even if they wanted to. You know the scene: "Hey! Judy here is a great singer. Can she come up and sing a tune with y'all?, as they're pushing Judy forward to the stage. Now what, Miss Manners? [This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 13 October 2002 at 09:44 AM.] |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Posted 13 Oct 2002 9:07 am
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In that situation, Jimbeaux, I'd place the decision on the club owner or producer of the venue by saying "we as a rule don't encourage sit-ins since it can frequently embarrass the person who comes up to sing. But I see she's drunk past the point of embarrassment. However, we work for the club owner. Talk to him and if he tells us he'd like to have your friend come up and sing, he's the boss and your friend will be welcome for a song or two at her own risk, of course."
Then, if it's a trainwreck, the band can use the "I Told You So" defense. 
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Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association
[This message was edited by Herb Steiner on 13 October 2002 at 10:10 AM.] |
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Herb Steiner
From:
Briarcliff TX 78669, pop. 2,064
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Bobby Lee
From:
Cloverdale, California, USA
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Posted 13 Oct 2002 3:44 pm
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"It's against union rules." Of course, they don't know that we're not a union band, but it gets rid of them.
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 Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic |
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Paul Graupp
From:
Macon Ga USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2002 5:07 am
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Something I have never been able to put behind me is that one night, in the St Louis area, I was playing and Dewitt Scott came out to listen. He stayed the whole night and I never once had the where with all to invite him to set in on my 1000. Afterwards I realized how rude I had been and apologized profusely but I still feel that and I doubt if it will ever go away. I don't know if he reads the Forum but, Scotty, if you do; I'm still sorry for the mess up !! Jim; back me up here; I'm sure that DS was (and still is...) the best friend any steeler could ever have; bar none !!
Regards, Paul |
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Doyle Weigold
From:
CColumbia City, IN, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2002 4:52 pm
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| Thanks for all the input guys, I think Herb Steiner hit the nail on the head, as far as pro. musicians go. Pros. don't ask to set in, they are asked, but like I say a good part of the time that this happens you don't know. The union thing will work and I have used the "talk to the owner" before. I know there are ways around it, just needed some other opinions I guess.P.S. I think they should outlaw all kareoke machines IMO. They have brought a lot of this on. Takes a lot of talent to plug in a tape or what ever they do. Doyle |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 14 Oct 2002 5:44 pm
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Yup, Paul "DS" (Scotty) is indeed that, and a heckuva wonderful steeler himself.
jc |
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Alvin Blaine
From:
Picture Rocks, Arizona, USA
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Posted 14 Oct 2002 9:37 pm
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| We play in a casino and you have to sign a waver for workmen's comp and all that insurance liability stuff and if you try to get on stage, and your not part of the group, they have quite a few armed security guards that will escort you off the property. So we don't ever have a problem with guest gettin' up. |
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Matt Steindl
From:
New Orleans, LA, USA
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Posted 15 Oct 2002 7:41 am
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What if that "guest" happens to be Sir. Paul Mcartney. Just saw in the paper today that Paul was in the Ritz Carlton bar the night before his show and an aqauintance of mine was doing a Trumpet gig. During a set break, he was walking through the back of the club, and feels a tap on his shoulder, low and behold, its Paul, and he asks if he knows some old jazz tune. Sure enough, next set, paul gets up and sings while Jeremy Davenport plays trumpet. WOW!!!!!
I would let Paul jam w/ me no matter his state of mind or state of drunkenness. That one will be heard by his great great grand kids Im sure. TOO COOL!!!!!!
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Mattman in "The Big Sleazy"-:
S-10 Dekley, Suitcase Fender Rhodes, B-bender Les Paul
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 15 Oct 2002 8:45 am
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| Most likely I would have said something like,"Last night I had an Elvis imitator who wanted to get up here. Tonite it's 'Paul McCartney'. Who's tomorrow...The Queen of Sheba? Sheesh. Go sidown, man and let me do my job, okay?" [This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 15 October 2002 at 09:35 PM.] |
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Ken Lang
From:
Simi Valley, Ca
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Posted 15 Oct 2002 6:57 pm
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I've had bands of both camps.
The totally rehearsed show group whose answer is NO, period.
And the ones that do sit-ins.
To be honest, the sit in stuff was the most fun. |
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Bob Carlson
From:
Surprise AZ.
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Posted 15 Oct 2002 8:25 pm
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If it wasn't for a few bands letting me set in, I don't think I ever would have joined a band.
Bob. |
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