Road Musicians, just paying their dues!

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Jeri
Date: 09 Nov 02 - 09:22 AM

Here's the What was Lee Hays really like...? thread that Art started and refreshed.

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 01:39 AM

Hey Glen, Why don't you PM Sandy about this thread?

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 10 Nov 02 - 06:42 PM

"Seasoned Performers"? Not one your life! After nearly thirty years as a professional entertainer I have darned well earned the title of "Old Bastard" and noone is going to take it away from me!!!*G*

As for strange gigs? Well, that would have to be the year that I spent playing every other Saturday in a little dive in the heart of Chicago's Uptown neighborhood called "The BOOZOOREY" (the middle syllable being the opperative one here). My old friend Mark Lee Dorroh booked it. He would do one Saturday as a solo. I would similarly do the next one. We would both perform on the third one. Then we would start the rotation over again.

At that venue (if I may use so dignified a word for such a wretched place)the question was not "Will a fight break out?". The question was "When?". If it started before midnight we could probably sing through it. If it started between midnight and two a.m. things could get a bit dicey. It was a four o'clock bar, so if the fight started after two a.m. (after all of the patrons from the two o'clock bars had come in) diving for cover was the only viable option.

Strangely enough there is no experience i've had before or since which has taught me more about focussing on the music and listening to the audience. It's amazing what you can learn when you need certain skills for raw survival more than for the performance.

Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: GUEST,Steve Latimer
Date: 11 Nov 02 - 09:51 AM

I remeber telling my brother, who had played Northern Ontario gigs for a few years about being in a local place to hear a band. I said it was good until a fight broke out at the pool table. He said "fights always break out at the pool table".

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 11 Nov 02 - 03:40 PM

Isn't that what pool tables are for?

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Blues=Life
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 09:46 AM

Pool table. That starts with P which rhymes with T which stands for Trouble.
Or words to that effect.

When I worked in a college/townie bar while in college, that's where all the fights started. Of course.

*g*
Blues

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Glen Reid
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 10:47 AM

I equate pool tables with projectiles ie: pool cues, pool balls, beer bottles all being used as weapons and often directed at the band, either by accident, or otherwise.
In my initial post I mentioned having a beer bottle used as a weapon, missing the intended victim and exploding in my face, upon impact with the microphone.
Here is an example of a projectile being hurled, from the stage, at the audience.
But, with a different twist!

Once again its the early 70,s and I'm part of a country band ,in a working mans tavern
(definatly not a 4 star establishment).
Freddie ,the leader of the band, was a large man, 350lbs. and totally blind from birth.
He played his guitar flat on his lap, much like a dobro, in a seated position.
Like so many others, of that time, excessive drinking was a way of life.
This man was quite a legend and a big influence on me.(He taught me an appreciation for, warm beer for breakfast, among other things).

His preparation for the gig would be a six-pack of beer on an empty stomach (he could only eat late at night, after the show was over).
Often he had difficulty keeping those first few beers down,
and well......

Its Friday night and the place was packed. Directly in front of the stage was a big round table fully seated with happy revellers.
These folks were completly caught off gaurd and never knew what hit them, when between verses of "I,m MOvin' On" ,he let go with a glut of warm beer (remember, he didnt eat).

The owner of the bar, angrily demanded, we pack up and get the hell out of his establisment, because this was not the first time something like this had happened, and he was sick of it and most certainly his customers were as well.

With an indignant aire of self righteousness, Freddie's reply was,

"I dont know what the hell everyone,s so upset about, there was no groceries in it".

I guess you just had to, have been there.

Cheers, Glen

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 12:19 PM

JEESUS GLEN!!! YOU CAN'T TELL "THAT" STORY HERE!!

The first time I saw Big Blind Freddie, was at a place called "Steel's Tavern". He was playin' a Telecaster. Some wag sitting at my table said "guess his J-45 was full"!!

Art...so you escaped Winnipeg with yer life did ya? Poor ol' Duck...he died so young.

In Edmonton I stayed at a boarding house that was run by a gorgeous woman (in her late twenties) who was one of the classiest dressers I'd ever seen. She had these beautifully tailored business suits, and wore black shiny high heel shoes (not the standard 'folky' uniform).
She never came out to any of my gigs, although I was in town for over two months....'cause she always appeared to be busy at night. Several times when I'd get home from the coffee house, she'd invite me into her flat (beautifully decorated) for coffee, chat, and she'd ask me to play a few tunes. Sometimes her little three year old son would wake up, and she'd bounce him around a bit to the music.

By about the second week I was there, she'd guessed that I didn't make value judgements (about stuff like that) and told me that she was the city's top (her words) call girl. By the third week I did some baby sitting on my nights off, while she drove off in her red Triumph to conduct business. Yep, I WAS fascinated.....BUT she also had a good typewriter, big TV, and a huge collection of interesting records.

She told me some of the strangest tales I could imagine about her work. Prior to meeting her I'd never even imagined that people (especially big shot execs, and City Council types) would PAY to be whipped!! Gawd, I was naive!

Cheers

Rick

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 12:33 PM

Hey Rick, have you ever met any dull people? (ducking from the obvious answer).

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 01:42 PM

Glen -- That's a great story. Meeting and learning from old characters like that is all part of the dues paying process.
For more than a few of us it's also a great source of material.

Stephen Lee

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Glen Reid
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 02:18 PM

Hey Rick, You never responded to my question about deterants for unwanted stage guests?(10 or 12 posts back)

I just cant imagine you baby sitting, there must have been a pretty good incentive besides big TV,s and good records?

Hi Stephen Lee, I guess the best education I ever got ,was the times I spent, in the trenches ,so to speak, with all the wonderfull and crazy characters that I met and worked with in those days.
I didnt know it back then, but I guess I never realized what appropriate behavior was, until I sobered up and joined the real world.
All the best,
Glen

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: harvey andrews
Date: 12 Nov 02 - 03:57 PM

Great story Rick, reminds me of back when my wife and I put up a visiting American singer songwriter in our flat in 1965. A female journalist, all done up as a Spanish bolero dancer who we'd first met trying to seduce Art garfunkel at a party for him and Paul on their first tour of England managed to get herself invited back. Now to get to the bathroom in this flat you had to go through our bedroom. We left them to it at about two in the morning. At ten o'clock there was a knock on our bedroom door then she staggerd in hair all over the place, bags under the eyes. etc. We lay in bed and stared at her. She stared back and then headed for the bathroom door muttering "He never stopped...all night...he never stopped."
We got up to prepare breakfast and there he was hale, hearty, bright as a button and ready for the new day. I think today you'd say; "Respect!"
We never saw her again. He's still giging and, I understand has quite a reputation as a lady's man. Deserved I'd say. I can't name him because of the libel laws, but I bet he had no regrets about that night.

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Jimmy C
Date: 13 Nov 02 - 10:29 AM

Been through many similar experiences as those posted, Ontario is one interesting place to play. Like one time in Hamilton, Ontario ( with Glen's old group), the P.A. system behind the bar somehow got hooked up with ours, in the middle of a beautiful ballad the barmaid cut in with " Taxi at the Bar - Taxi at the bar for Mr.Smith).

Playing a one week gig in the Parkdale in Toronto, a "native" requested we play Red Deer, I explained that we did not know the song, his response was to "play it anyway", we eventually ignored him and the result was a 10 inch long souvenir tomahawk being hurled at the stage and lodged in the bass players thigh.

In the Carlton club one "St.Patrick's Night" the crowd (all well dressed and very snobbish) were upset because we did not know any real Irish songs like "Who put the pyjamas in mrs. Murphy's chowder and other gems. After suffering some cat calls we took a break. Unfortunately we did not know that the dressing room had an intercom system, so we discuussed everything from the big fat bitch with the pearls, the cigar smoking turd in the front seat to the fairy bartender, unaware that every word was being heard up in the enteretainment room. Needless to say we got a very cold receprtion for the second, third and fourth set. We did get paid but never invited back.

Rick, I played the Dick Turpin room ( 2x four week gigs) alternating with George De Souza. There were so many ladies checking out the new entertainers that it was hard to tell the politicians wife from the doctors wife or the dentists's wife. It was a nice gig though, the only drunk was the president of a very larger bank who came in every night around 8.30 and was carried out to his limo by the chauffeur around 1.00am. Every single night.

Another night in the Camelot Tavern in Toronto, our bass player had to run down to the nearest drug store for some cold medicine, on the way back he was sprayed by a skunk. He did not notice because he had a cold but the rest of us on stage and the people in the first 6 rows noticed , big time. That was one long night.

Being almost fully retired now I (as Glen remarked) also really miss those days.

After close to 30 years playing around Ontario I am sure there are a lot more stories to tell, the truth is I can only remember about 10 of those years. ?.

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Marion
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 09:18 AM

Re: The performer who collected women's brassieres from every town he played!!

At one of my gigs last week there was a woman holding a bra and pair of panties on her lap, and after the music she asked me if I wanted them. Is this the polite Canadian way of throwing underwear at singers? I declined, and I now realize that I missed the opportunity to start a collection.

Also, for my gig yesterday I expected to play music for a seniors' group at a little community centre, and I arrived to find the room mostly filled with children who were expecting a magician. I'm firing my frigging agent first thing this morning!

Marion

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 14 Nov 02 - 11:23 AM

FRIGGIN' AGENTS!!? Ohhhh Marion, that's more than a whole thread in itself!

However.....

An agent I worked for (I've had about fifty) phoned and said "Can you handle a prison"? Hmmmmm....I thought... Sure I can. Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, and Leadbelly did. "No problem" says I, but I need Five hundred bucks. (this was in the late seventies, so that was a decent night's pay)

Holy Shit! It was Vanier WOMEN'S PRISON!!

Look, I co-wrote, and toured with Arlene Mantle, a Lesbian Feminist friend and singer. I played (with her) for large audiences of pretty pissed off women, and I'm not easily spooked, but WHAT A DISASTER!

Two hundred tough imprisoned dykes who DID NOT WANT TO HEAR FOLK MUSIC! ESPECIALLY FROM ME!

After my poorly received show, one of the guards told me "You were a last minute substitute weren't you"? "I think I may have been", I said. "Who was supposed to be booked here"?

"POLLY DARTON" the guard said, "A Dolly Parton impersonator"!! "She/He's been hear lots of times, the gals love it"!

FRIGGIN AGENTS!

What happened on the gig, Marion?

POS

Rick

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Marion
Date: 15 Nov 02 - 09:55 AM

What happened is that the organizer agreed to book me during our initial phone call, so she hadn't seen my brochure... and she was not completely fluent in English... and I identified myself as a "musician" rather than a "singer"... and they made a point of involving the kids that day because a magician was coming... and so it goes.

We all survived. I threw away my set list and faked my way through some children's songs, letting the kids come up front to lead the singing (because I barely knew the songs) and muddling around a bit to find chords. I also let kids do the strumming for a few songs, which seemed to go over well. But it was still clearly a disappointment for the audience, many of whom kept asking if I would do tricks, and many of whom left early.   

Also, pretty much everybody there was East Indian and the older people weren't really relating to my prepared songs anyway; actually the organizer explained the gist of the song in Punjabi between songs. I'm thinking that I may need to do some racial profiling of my own - if the main appeal of my act is the nostalgia/familiarity of old songs, then maybe seniors who are immigrants from other cultures are not an appropriate audience.

Oh well, it's nice to get my first disaster out of the way. I actually tried to invoke my "satisfaction guaranteed" policy myself and only accept bus fare, but the organizer insisted that it had gone well and insisted on paying me.

But yesterday's gig (different yesterday now) made up for it all. I played at a nursing home where I picked up a cold - even hostile - vibe from the audience when getting started. By the end of the hour I really felt like I had won them over. This was confirmed later by a staff member who told me that they were often disappointed with entertainers, and often got complaints, but that the people had just loved me. Got another booking for next month too!

Rick, I find it interesting that you say "An agent I worked for...". Don't they work for you?

Cheers,

Marion

PS: "POS"?

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 15 Nov 02 - 01:10 PM

You've nailed my "life-long problem" in once sentence Marion....AND I AIN'T KIDDIN'!

Rick

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 15 Nov 02 - 01:19 PM

Playing for recent (and not so recent) immigrants is difficult, if your repertoire is completely "anglo-centric". I would, over the years throw in Jewish, french, Italian etc. songs but find myself a bit stumped when it comes to playing for East Indian kids. Even at a Christmas show, the majority of tots are now Muslim or Hindu, and are brought by their folks for the pageantry. They always LOVE the magician, and are fascinated by the "Santa Claus" figure, but I suspect I'm less likely to take these holiday jobs anymore 'cause I simply don't feel I'm "right" for them.

Hmmmmmm, is this good enough for a separate thread discussion?

Rick

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Marion
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 12:55 PM

Re: You've nailed my "life-long problem" in one sentence Marion

That's funny, Rick, I don't remember saying "I'm afraid something terrible will happen if I stop talking," recently.

Marion

PS What's POS?

Subject: RE: Road Musicians, just paying their dues!
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 17 Nov 02 - 01:11 PM

Hmmm, I shouldda said: In this one sentence, you've nailed my life-long problem!

"Rick, I find it interesting that you say "An agent I worked for...". Don't they work for you?"

Too much Crumb and Kauffman I guess!!

Cheers

Oh.....I wuz readin' something about how young people 'talk' on the net, and I loved the "POS" thing. It means "Parents over shoulder"!

Rick