Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Things that annoy you...


rushscored4

Recommended Posts

2 hours ago, bassbiscuits said:

I've always felt that an audience appreciates a good gig with real momentum and excitement, more than they give a monkey's about tiny differences in tone.

Maybe it's because i play bass and acoustic guitar, both of which involve just one sound thru the whole gig (fingers/pick and tone control etc doing the rest of the variation).

 

True, I've played entire gigs with a Stingray, a P bass or a Jazz bass and while they sound different, I've never thought 'this song sounds terrible with this bass I simply must change' I love the sounds out of all these instruments and it can make gigs interesting when you have to 'make do' with what you have in your hands. A bad carpenter blames his tools.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Playing lots of private parties (we don't get paid enough to refer to them as functions) we often get treated as if we are the jukebox for just one awkward person in the room:

"can you play some Republica?"

"No, we don't do any of that, sorry, but we do have some 90's songs coming up".

"Great, play some Verve!" "

"No, we don't know any of theirs..."

"Suede! Surely you can do it it goes like duh deeee, duh duh deeee" 

"no, sorry can we get on with the gig?"

"Play some 90's indie like supergrass"

"No, sorry. Look well do some 90's in a bit... On with the show, sorry to keep you waiting"

"Stereophonics, yeah!" 

"Ok here's one by Bryan Adams, hope you love it as much as we do..."

Irritating. And it's usually not the person who's actually paying!! And they're usually uncomfortably close to the singer, or grabbing their leg so they can't just ignore them to play the next song. And then they stare at you like you're on the sex offenders register for the rest of the gig.

Or they claim they can play guitar/ sing/ play drums and so-and-so would love it if you let them join in as if we're a playstation and it's guitar friggin hero.

 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

Blimey...are you sure you didn't gig with us?  LOL  His wife said he was borderline autistic as well.

If anyone had to use his gear all he would do was complain they'd changed all his settings (even though the settings were done ad hoc every time) and it was murder if he had to use someone else's amp.

I could never understand why he didn't put any stickers/marks around the knobs on his gear to put him in his desired ballpark or at the very least remember his settings; I mean, it's not like he wasn't familiar with his amp.  But no, twiddle twiddle moan twiddle.

I knew it was going to be a slog when I explained (it was my amp) that there was a slight lag in switching between clean and dirty channels, so if there were any songs where he needed to change channels mid-song he would need to select the clean channel and use a fuzz box (which he had) for his dirty sound.  He launched into a (I kid you not) five minute rant about how that was unacceptable fault with the amp and that I should take it back because he knows about building amps and there's no reason why there should be a lag, just going round and round in circles about how this was appalling and what a terrible company the manufacturer must be to have made such an awful amp, etc.  Just completely focused on making this one point over and over again, that he shouldn't be expected to change what he was expecting to do in order to make up for some deficiency in the amp.

His drummer had to shut him down and explain (like you would to a five year old who refuses to get on the bus because it's blue and he only likes red ones) that this is the only amp that he will be able to play with for that gig so it doesn't matter how good or bad it is, he's going to have to use it.  And no, he wasn't going to drive 45 minutes home to get his own amp and 45 minutes back again when they were already late for the soundcheck and due to be on stage in an hour.

  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a drummer spend the whole two hours set up time (missed the soundcheck) bickering with the keyboard player (who was on desk duties and has had some live sound engineering training) about how to set the gain on the kick drum mic. Now an ex drummer of ours.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 21/06/2018 at 13:09, Monkey Steve said:

................explain (like you would to a five year old who refuses to get on the bus because it's blue and he only likes red ones)...........................

This is just the most perfect way to describe the personality traits of some pig headed or ego driven musos - I shall save this description for active duty at some future date, I suspect.

Thanks Monkey Steve!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get annoyed by people who don't know the difference between "Yes I am aware of a song" and "Yes the whole band knows how to play that song." 

Which leads to conversations like: "hey mate do you know Delilah?"

"Ah sorry man, we don't know that one."

"What do you mean? You must know Delilah (starts trying to sing it to me at this point....). 

  • Like 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

57 minutes ago, bassbiscuits said:

I get annoyed by people who don't know the difference between "Yes I am aware of a song" and "Yes the whole band knows how to play that song." 

Which leads to conversations like: "hey mate do you know Delilah?"

"Ah sorry man, we don't know that one."

"What do you mean? You must know Delilah (starts trying to sing it to me at this point....). 

It’s in the next set mate, then at the end, oh yeah we ran out of time/ will play it next time. Life’s too short to have conversations with people like that.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

A list...

Three words currently being woefully misused...

a) Iconic

b) Literally

c) Decimated

I also abhor High Rising Terminal, obviously.

One more thing that really grinds my gears is the current trend of beginning an answer to a question with a drawn out “So...” or, particularly prevalent at the moment amongst politicians (I think I remember Tony Blair starting this) starting the answer to a question with “Look...”, a confrontational beginning to an answer that invariably avoids the initial question.

 

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A drummer in a band I left about 4 years ago (largely because of said drummer) had an annoying habit of only setting up his own gear at gigs. So as soon as his kit was ready; instead of lending a hand with the PA or lights; he would sit at his kit bashing away loudly and randomly like an overgrown Duracell bunny with a stupid grin on his face.

Meanwhile, the rest of us would still be busy trying to set up the rest of the gear, but unable to communicate with each other because of the racket from the drums.

Another problem with this was that due to the noise; a large proportion of our intended audience in the room at the time would drift away - never to return.😕

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, Krysbass said:

A drummer in a band I left about 4 years ago (largely because of said drummer) had an annoying habit of only setting up his own gear at gigs. So as soon as his kit was ready; instead of lending a hand with the PA or lights; he would sit at his kit bashing away loudly and randomly like an overgrown Duracell bunny with a stupid grin on his face.

Meanwhile, the rest of us would still be busy trying to set up the rest of the gear, but unable to communicate with each other because of the racket from the drums.

Another problem with this was that due to the noise; a large proportion of our intended audience in the room at the time would drift away - never to return.😕

I've never understood this. Guitarists are even worse for it. 

The best bit of advice I ever had - set up, plug in, tune up, play a couple of notes to make sure it works, PUT IT DOWN!!

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, thepurpleblob said:

I've never understood this. Guitarists are even worse for it.

Keyboardists too.  

So they stand there giving the audience a preview of many of the songs the band will be playing in the gig.

Letting the cat out of the bag like that is a big no no IMHO.

If they really need to have some last minute practice on any gig songs; they should use headphones.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, Frank Blank said:

One more thing that really grinds my gears is the current trend of beginning an answer to a question with a drawn out “So...” or, particularly prevalent at the moment amongst politicians (I think I remember Tony Blair starting this) starting the answer to a question with “Look...”, a confrontational beginning to an answer that invariably avoids the initial question.

 

That reminds me of Rory Bremner's impression of Blair, which always began with the nervous blink-and-grin, followed by "Look..."! It seems to have been replaced with the increasingly popular "Let me be clear...", which, as we all know, means, "Let me be evasive and obfuscatory..."

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, a couple of things have annoyed me this week.

1. The post man triec to deliver my parcel but as I was not home, leaves a not at home card and can I collect from the post office. I then spend an hour after work driving to the post office the card says it's at, getting stuck in Farnborough Air show traffic and then rush hour traffic. Finally making it to the post office 5 minutes before they shut only to be told your parcel is not here, the post man who tried to deliver it must of used a wrong depot card and it's at another depot and needs collecting from there which just happens to be 5 minutes from my house. To make matters worse, they said its happened a lot recently gggrrrrrr

2. I booked a collection with TNT today to collect a parcel from my work between 2pm and 5.30pm. I run the Stores and Goods In department and we get around 30 to 70 deliveries a day. Two TNT deliveries today but both drivers said they had no collections so must be another driver which is not unusual. Gets to 5.15pm and I call TNT and the girl checks and says yep, the drivers logged it and will be with you in 15 minutes. 45 minutes later and nothing so I call TNT again and tell a different person what I was told and where is this driver. I was told oh no, the driver was with you in the afternoon and got back to the depot at 4.30pm which is when they finish. I ask why he didn't collect the parcel then to be told I don't know but I'll just have to re-schedule another collection. W*$k*%S

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Online music retailers who do not deliver on their commitments.  If you say next day delivery, deliver it on the next day!

I ordered a env. filter from Mickelburgh musical instruments, not used them before - won't again!  Website clearly stated purchases over £100 and ordered before 2pm will be delivered next day.  Obviously nothing arrives, I call the shop Wednesday was told they had been too busy to send it out but parcel was collected by MyHermes that morning.  Call the courier, told they don't do next day delivery and it will be up to 5 days to get it to me.  All in all could take over a week to reach me.   No apologies, no call backs as promised - highly irratating!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've  contacted the biggest music store retailer in UK. Their website says 'if you see a better price we match it' 

Well, they said 'Nay' when I found the cheaper dealer. 

 

So I contacted GAK and they beat the price. Good on you GAK and shame on you Aye, Aye sir....

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, SH73 said:

I've  contacted the biggest music store retailer in UK. Their website says 'if you see a better price we match it' 

Well, they said 'Nay' when I found the cheaper dealer. 

 

So I contacted GAK and they beat the price. Good on you GAK and shame on you Aye, Aye sir....

I've never trusted anybody who boasts about beating any price - there always seems to be an asterisk explaining that they don't literally mean "beat" or "any price" and they don't promise it for all of the stuff they stock

I once (1980's) went to a music shop round Denmark St with a mate who was looking for a drum machine.  He found what he was after in the now defunct Soho Soundhouse on Soho Square, which had a sign up advertising it as "Best price in Denmark St - we'll beat any quote!"  Excellent

He asks the salesman "so what is the best price in Denmark St then?" and the salesman calmly explains that they do not actually have a price for it, he'll need to go and ask one of the other shops for a price, come back, and the Soundhouse will sell it to him for less than that.  He flat refused to actually give a price.  So my mate went to another shop  who were selling it for what he was expecting to pay and bought it there.

More recently (early 2000's) I went to Denmark St with a guitarist friend who wanted a new guitar, and having always loved SGs found one that he really liked, a Pete Townshend signature model, in a shop that also boasted about beating any price.  Rather than buying it we went for lunch in a pub and he bought a copy of Guitarist, and checked the Peter Cook advert which had it shown for a lot less (as they always did).  Back he goes armed with the advert and the salesman very reluctantly rings up Peter Cook's and asks "So it's in stock?  And it's new?  It's not damaged?  It's not ex-display? And it's got a case?  And that's not damaged? And it's definitely in stock?  OK, thanks". He then crafts a lot of excuses for why he can't actually beat Peter Cook's price because those are completely unrealistic, but he did get within about £50 and chucked in more of the free extras (strings, leads, etc) that they write off as overheads, and my mate took the "a bird in the hand beats two that you've got to go and collect from Hanwell" approach to the offer.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 19/07/2018 at 09:25, Krysbass said:

A drummer in a band I left about 4 years ago (largely because of said drummer) had an annoying habit of only setting up his own gear at gigs. So as soon as his kit was ready; instead of lending a hand with the PA or lights; he would sit at his kit bashing away loudly and randomly like an overgrown Duracell bunny with a stupid grin on his face.

Meanwhile, the rest of us would still be busy trying to set up the rest of the gear, but unable to communicate with each other because of the racket from the drums.

Another problem with this was that due to the noise; a large proportion of our intended audience in the room at the time would drift away - never to return.😕

We have three calls on gig nights - PA and lights, then backline and drums, then soundcheck

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 19/07/2018 at 09:50, Krysbass said:

Keyboardists too.  

So they stand there giving the audience a preview of many of the songs the band will be playing in the gig.

Letting the cat out of the bag like that is a big no no IMHO.

If they really need to have some last minute practice on any gig songs; they should use headphones.

Ohhh yess

We have a guy who sits there and rehearses virtually every number as we set up... and of course cues them up with a bit of the part.

I have played in bands where we knock through them without yacking and fiddling and noodling - so much more professional.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...