Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 These are always my favourite sort of threads so allow me to contribute my own. About 3 months ago I was chased into a pub by a local singer/songwriter and convinced into playing some bass for him. I say convinced because I'm naturally sceptical about people who like perform and be the centre of attention. He asked me and I said, "no thanks I'm not looking for a band". He said there wasn't a band, just a few tunes written on acoustic guitar that needed some bass input. I reminded him he was already in a 5 piece pub covers type band who's members were all perfectly competent and in fact a couple of them, bassist included, I thought were excellent musicians... but it couldn't be any of them because whenever he tried to introduce an original song to them, they'd automatically poo-poo it in favour of some generic indie pub cover. I told him he'd never heard me play an that I was probably rubbish, but he was inperturbed and I was the bassist he was looking for. So I made him fully aware of my reservations, with bands in general and himself seeming like a crazy drunken bum on occasion, but reluctantly that I would call round with my bass next week and fumble a few notes for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Met him in The Swinging Arm by any chance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 My initial scepticism was put to one side when I heard some nice original material with a country vibe and a strong pop sensibility. Not about to win any awards for innovative composition, just a few chords and some strong melancholic lyrics. Perhaps, I thought, this is his payoff for being a bit of an alcoholic... in fact that's exactly what it is, the lad has definately got some talent to counter his demons. He was also either on his best behaviour, or I hoped his life had calmed from the first time I'd met him, a few years previous, when he'd freaked me out with a feral, "music is my life", rant at me who was at the time a complete stranger. A couple of months ago I was made redundant so with free time to spare, we met once or twice a week and worked on about a dozen songs, a time which I thoroughly enjoyed. He told me of his plan to get a drummer on board and record the songs as a three piece to which I enthusiastically agreed. Half the fun of playing bass is locking in with the drummer right? Also that recording would for me be preferable to hawking it round the back street boozers of merseyside, not that I was averse to playing live but that as I'd already made very clear, it wasn't the be all and end all for me. Just playing is it's own reward. So far so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='steve-soar' post='1300822' date='Jul 12 2011, 11:46 AM']Met him in The Swinging Arm by any chance?[/quote] Heh, very possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) We met a couple of times socially and talked of a general direction, he wanted to keep it nice and simple with a three piece, with the possibility of a lead guitar for certain aspects of certain songs, and I agreed. I recall, after a few Jamersons in the pub on st patricks day, he'd managed to recruit a didgeridoo player at one point, which I amusingly and swiftly talked him out of. It was also around this time I started to realise he'd been barred from quite a few pubs round the local area. People started to get the word that I was playing bass for him and some rather unpleasant stories began to filter back. Stories of drunken hi-jinx, stories of aggression, stories of drunken aggression, one particularly disturbing story about holding a barmaid up against a wall by the throat. Not good I thought but, and I must make this very clear, only hearsay, and he had been on his best behaviour so far. Having not seen any unpleasant behaviour personally and enjoying our musical endeavours so far, I put this to the back of my mind. Edited July 12, 2011 by Shambo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 This sounds a bit like one where you need to keep your eyes open, I`m afraid. Re the stories doing the rounds, it makes me think of that old saying: If one man calls you a donkey, ignore him. If ten men call you a donkey, buy yourself a saddle. So if you`re hearing these things from various different sources, they`re more than likely true. Plus, the being barred from quite a few pubs - coincidence? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) A drummer was recruited, not by me, I was informed the day before a rehearsal. A nice lad, bit younger than either of us, quite quiet and nervous. He set up, we played, and he joined in and it was all good. I was just enjoying playing with a drummer and he was keen to impress which he did. A little too keen to take direction from our songwriter until I reminded them both that the main reason we were there was to enjoy making music, that individuality was at a premium and to do what ever feels right at the time, which endeared a good band spirit and we forged ahead. Over the last few weeks we have rehearsed and reached a level of competence and understanding. To the point where it needs to be played out to an audience. Demos were made by myself on a little two track recorder, mainly so we could each go away and listen on our own, but which a few people heard and liked and encouraged us to get gigging asap. Last week the singer/songwriter had an acoustic gig in a local pub, (he's a bit of a seasoned busker), and he asked us to get up and back him on the original material halfway though his set. It was a good idea, not so much pressure as a debut gig, and a chance to see if people liked it, or throw rocks, without having to hype it up beforehand. Edited July 12, 2011 by Shambo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Not unusual for very talented people to be useless and closed off to the outside world to various degrees. It is a question of how you manage it..and if it is worth it. Expect this to be a roller-coaster ride, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 On occassion, i'd say once a fortnight i work with a similar type of character. Always on the booze or other stuff though he is not violent (thankfully). He is a gifted song writer and a fabulous bloke - he has just had more than his fair share of demons. I have managed to teach him how to use Cubase and i think it has forced him to focus and become a little more reliable. He's quite intelligent and articulate - just seems to have a bit of a downer on himself. I like his tracks and enjoy putting bass on them. Fortunately we are all different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) We met in agreed backstreet boozer and set up. Despite me telling him I had postponed a previous engagement and that I couldn't sit in the pub all night, the time for performance was vague, so I cancelled on my friends and sat it out with a couple of pints. I nipped to the beer garden with the drummer for a smoke and a chat whilst the singer fiddled with the mic's. When we came back in, the singer was acting agitated. Upon closer inspection it was apparent that he'd just been in a fight. A dunken friend and fan of his previous band had come in to watch his acoustic set and taken umbrage at the fact he was playing with new musicians, (although one member of the old band had helped us set up and, as far as I'm aware, there's no ill will from the old band which had called it a day a couple of months ago). The singer had asked this guy to step outside for a word where a quick punch up had ensued. Me and the drummer quietly stood beside the singer as threats continued to be issued back and forth until this weirdo 'fan' decided to drink elsewhere. The acoustic part of the evening began, and I asked the drummer not to inform the singer he was sporting a broken nose and emerging black eye until after the gig. We laughed it off as a bit rock and roll as someone reminded the singer that Bob Marley apparently got shot so, y'know it could've been worse. Halfway through the evening, we got up and did our three piece thing and it went well, entheusiastic applause was given and rocks were not thrown. Edited July 12, 2011 by Shambo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 Myself and the drummer retired to the bar and the acoustic performance continued. After a couple more songs, the singer who was quite drunk by now, started calling for myself and the drummer to get back up and busk behind him. I told him this wasn't happening, because if you recall from my original post, I had made it very clear to him from the very beginning, that I was not ever going to be playing pub rock covers round the local pubs. He wasn't listening to anything I said at this point so I retired back to the beer garden where I could still hear the performance and him periodically calling for me to return to the stage. The drummer came out to see me and asked me to get up and play an encore with him... just two more songs... but asked politely and I agreed. We returned to the stage where the singer promptly, to my annoyance, began our set again from the start. Again it went down well... more so with the people who had turned up later on in the evening and not heard it all once already. After half a dozen songs I told the singer that was enough of playing the same songs twice and again retired to the bar. He was placated and quite pissed at this point, and carried on his acoustic set, inviting a few of the locals to get up and join in with a drunken singalong a oasis/kaisermonkeys/somesuch. The end of the evening came and we packed the stuff away to return and collect the following morning. We all agreed, apart from the fighting, the performance had gone well and that more songs were needed asap instead of playing songs twice and busking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dropzone Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 This is setting itself up quite nicely as it's own soap opera. Great read so far! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 I was back at the pub the next morning waiting for the doors to open and collect my amp & cab when I noticed the agitated 'fan' sat in his car across the road from me. He followed me in and started ranting to me and the landlady that he was gonna kill this singer next time he saw him, that he'd been knocking on his door all morning looking for a punch up, and that he was disapointed not to find his guitar still in the pub because he was planning to smash it over his head or throw it through his window. I ignored him and carried on packing my stuff away slowly until he had left. I then spoke to the singer on the phone and told him this lad was still gunning for him, but he wasn't particularly bothered and dismissed it as usual. The day after I missed a call from him which was made at midnight. Today I've just checked my facebook and seen an flyer created by his promoter friend for a band playing a gig in Liverpool in a couple of weeks. A band with the same name as the one he'd suggested to me when we first started playing, that I'd told him I didn't like and that we'd agreed to think of something else. Basically he's kept the original name he liked and booked us another gig under that monkier without asking me whether or not I'd like or Im available to do. So thank you for reading this so far. Part of me wants to back away right now but part of me doesn't want to waste what we've done so far. Part of me knows for sure that if I do stick it out, more nonsense is sure to follow. Any comments and observations, constructive or otherwise are most welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Move to another country under an assumed identity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truckstop Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 If you want to get somewhere with this group (and you say he's quite talented), then get out of it. How lopng before he gets all of you into some trouble? It's never worth dealing with someone else's bullshit. However, if it's going to be a casual local once-a-month ti=ype thing, stick with it. It might even be quite funny! Truckstop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 This is beginning to sound like sticking your head in a bucket-full of wasps - it`s inevitable you [u]will[/u] be stung, just not sure when. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 You've done a great job of documenting it so far ... now take it to the next level. Keep a diary, talk to others who know him, photograph everything, record everything, then contact the BBC and offer them a fly-on-the-wall unreality TV special ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted July 12, 2011 Author Share Posted July 12, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Happy Jack' post='1301067' date='Jul 12 2011, 02:23 PM']You've done a great job of documenting it so far ... now take it to the next level. Keep a diary, talk to others who know him, photograph everything, record everything, then contact the BBC and offer them a fly-on-the-wall unreality TV special ...[/quote] Y'know I think he'd love that. He's got this tortured genius thing in his head already and loves the tales of band implosions, epic drug taking overdoses and suicides. If I told him that's exactly what I'm going to do he'd throw himself into it with gusto and probably be dead by Christmas. There's a rehearsal planned for tomorrow so we'll see whats what then. I'm not happy about being booked in for another gig before being asked and I think that might be the deciding factor for me. Edited July 12, 2011 by Shambo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Conan Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='Shambo' post='1301088' date='Jul 12 2011, 02:37 PM']I'm not happy about being booked in for another gig before being asked and I think that might be the deciding factor for me.[/quote] I agree. That is ignorant, selfish and egotistical. But that's singers for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Sounds enthralling really. Especially from here, 200 miles away. I look forward to the next episode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='BottomE' post='1301109' date='Jul 12 2011, 02:59 PM']Sounds enthralling really. Especially from here, 200 miles away. I look forward to the next episode.[/quote] + the 1. I'm enjoying this, it's nice when it happens to someone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Really good read, keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Fantastic bit of narrative and beautifully executed. I'm hooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 I've never been more hooked than when Dirty Den got shot by a bunch of Daffs! More please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmurf Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 [quote name='Wil' post='1301120' date='Jul 12 2011, 03:06 PM']Really good read, keep us posted! [/quote] [quote name='skankdelvar' post='1301133' date='Jul 12 2011, 03:18 PM']Fantastic bit of narrative and beautifully executed. I'm hooked.[/quote] [quote name='spongebob' post='1301325' date='Jul 12 2011, 05:21 PM']I've never been more hooked than when Dirty Den got shot by a bunch of Daffs! More please![/quote] What they said! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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