S.W.A.G.F.F.

Subject: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Cluin
Date: 27 Sep 04 - 11:13 PM

Translation: Stuff We All Get For Free

You know the stuff we perfoming musicians can acquire: product and even T-shirts, hats, etc... keychains & bottle openers from brewery and distillery reps... fridge magnets, flashing light look-at-me buttons for the bar crowd... shot glasses or beer mugs... cheap plastic bead necklaces from bar-hopping bridal parties... free drink tokens from competing pubs... guitar picks... demo and commercial release CDs from fellow musicians... gobirons and tin whistles... contacts and business cards... gallons and gallons of free shots and beers...

Half my present collection of T-shirts came from reps and promo groups. When the rest of the guys in the bar are drooling over the Bacardi girls or the Malibu girls, we saunter up and demand merchandise "for the house band" so we can wear it on stage. Last year's Bacardi cap gets tossed in the garbage for this year's Mount Gay cap (because it's worth more to wanna-be yacht racers in the nautical bar down the road; wave it high and collect from the highest bidder).

So what kind of stuff have you acquired? What should the rest of us be looking out for? Any stuff you've gotten that you wish you hadn't?
What's your ugliest promo t-shirt or hat? (Mine was from a little badly-organized Celtic festival I played at last summer).

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 05:00 AM

There doesnt seem to be the same degree of Freebee stuff in UK - The
odd drinks promotion in pubs might get you a glass , and (very rarely) a T shirt . We did a 'Paddy's Day' session at Stanstead Airport for Jamesons and all got nice white short sleeved shirts with the Jameson logo . Thats the best I've ever got myself !

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 05:12 AM

I got a Guinneess key ring once, it fell to bits when i put my key on it though.

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 01:26 PM

Do racy items of underwear thrown by screaming fans count? ;)

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Cluin
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:18 PM

To be sure. Do you keep them?

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:34 PM

I keep 'em... (unless they're rank!) they go in the "souvaneer" box with noteable posters, pics of fans and titties seen at shows and reviews and such...

Free stuff? Gah... If I had a DIME for every piece of bar/pub/festival swag I've collected, I wouldn't need to play places that HAVE to give stuff away for free to get people to come in...

A few metric TONS of various T-shirts... beer companies... pubs... festivals... key chains... gaaaaah! I've got a BOX of various and sundry key-chains... some are even mini-flashlights.... Temp tatoos! By the box full! Stickers in nearly every shape and form! Rolls of stickers... That makes great 'wallets' (like the duct tape wallets found online) Bar Towels... 9 or 10 at least... waitress aprons... 3 or 4... I have SO much plastic Guinness 'banner' that I used it to cover a WALL in my basement when I built my speak-easy... and I gave one roll of it away... and I STILL have WAY too much of it left...   I got a Glenfiddich promo calculator... it looks like a little 'box' that you'd get a bottle in, but a paper thin, solar calculator rolls out of one side of it... hats... if it's a 'ball cap' I leave it behind at the gig, no matter who gave it to me... if it's a 'cap' then sure... I'll keep it... (I actually need to get a new Guinness cap... mines been worn so much that NO ammout of Febreeze is gonna take the head-sweat stank outa it! Use my Tartan Special 'fanny pack' as a camera and mini-disc player bag... gym bags... Kieths... and ummm... some cruddy whiskey... the Kieths one was garbage, but the whiskey one we still use...

I'm sure there's plenty more...

Oh ya... a Guinness bar 'light'... that's one I kinda relish having

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: open mike
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:41 PM

WHOA--CANADA MUST BE ROLLING IN THESE SOUVENIERS..
no plethora of these items seen in USA either...
perhaps you should offer some up for the mudcat auction?
(instead of tossing in teh rubbish heap)
except for the second hand fruit of the looms...
well, maybe they would bring an even higher price!!

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:43 PM

You want some of this crap?

PM me yer addy... I'll mail it to ya in a shipping crate!

LOL

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: open mike
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:44 PM

i guess this stuff comes from playing in bars..
most of it seems to advertise alcohol comsumption
maybe that is why i have not seen so much of it
i seem to play in coffee houses, camp grounds,
horse arenas, cafe's and other venues...

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:48 PM

Ya... most of this junk is bar/pub related...   They make the $$ so they can well afford to give stuff away

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Mr Red
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 03:57 PM

I get given red sweat and T shirts ocassionally but considering that apart from MC'ing at places I don't go on stage much. Thanks for all the grab foks. Keep it coming.

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Naemanson
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 07:17 PM

We once got free coffee once from Carpe Diem Coffee when we included them in a version of Roll The Old Chariot at an arts festival. It was pouring rain and we were singing to the sound booth and the puddles in the empty chairs. The Carpe Diem booth was next to our stage.

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: RangerSteve
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 08:21 PM

All I have left of freebies that I've collected over the years is a bandanna from the cranberry festival in Chatsworth, New Jersey. The silk screened design was printed with cheap ink, so most of it came off the first time I washed it.

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Leadfingers
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 08:34 PM

Clinton , Maybe I should try for a Canadian tour to try to get some Freebee swag -- Or Maybe Not from what you say - it seems a load of old $"*&^+= - or is it THAT good ?

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Cluin
Date: 28 Sep 04 - 08:51 PM

The T-shirts are usually pretty good quality... if you don't mind wearing some company's advert.

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 12:02 AM

Some of the Ts are good... some are pretty thin... depends on the beer company or pub that's giving them away... Guinness or Keiths Ts might last you forever... Ts from some cruddy little micro-brewery, might not last ya till ya get home...

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 12:04 AM

Oh ya... pint glass... Like there's NO tomorrow!

I actually have a BOX of the 16 oz. Guinness glasses that will come in handy at the wedding in a couple of weeks... But after that, I'm donating them to somewhere....

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 05:38 AM

RangerSteve

You did iron the sirt to set the thermosetting ink didn't you?

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Mark Ross
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 04:59 PM

I have received old song collections, antique pins(a repro of Eugene Debs 1920 campaign button is the best), and just today someone who had seen me performing with Utah Phillips back in 86 sent me a 1st edition of THE HOBO'S HORNBOOK. He had two, and he sent it on the condition that if I got broke(a fairly steady condition, and occurring all too frequently)I would sell it back to him. Needless to say this one stays. Once someone even offered me a tattoo(in exchange for guitar lessons), which I wear quite proudly.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 05:06 PM

Stand outside Grand Centrasl Station in NYC and get some sort of Giveaway every day. I have a plastic overnight case with bottled water, a travel pillow and some other goodies from Target, candy samples, posters, etc. You have to fight the tourists for them but that's half the fun. I also have quite a few free shirts from my Cisco days, key fobs, pens, letter openers, jar openers, staple removers - endless crap from the local Chamber of Commerce meetings. My favorite? Tiny bottles of real hot sauce picked up at a food convention. Neat!

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 07:21 PM

"My favorite? Tiny bottles of real hot sauce picked up at a food convention. Neat!"

Cool! Got any good doubles ya wanna share??

LOL

Subject: RE: S.W.A.G.F.F.
From: Blissfully Ignorant
Date: 29 Sep 04 - 07:25 PM

Of course i keep them, i have two underwear drawers, on for mine and one for other peoples.... nah, only joking! If i want sweaty boxer shorts and bi-curious thongs thrown at me, i'll become a stripper. For just now, i'll take the drugs and groupies, thanks....*sniggers evilly* ;)