Bad gigs
Nancy Apple is a trouper. I've never had a cap knocked out, 'cause I don't have caps. But I have some chips in my front teeth that exactly match the grill pattern of a Shure SM-58. That's the best reason for using those foam rubber "pop filters" -- it doesn't hurt when a drunken dancer slams into your mike stand. I don't have any gigs from hell to report, all my worst ones have been merely boring. But I will 'fess up on my all-time dumbass move. One time I was distracted by too many things, and called out "Okay, guys, Tennessee Waltz. Key of A. One, two, three, four..." -- Mike Woods
RE: Bad gigs
One time I was distracted by too many things, and called out "Okay, guys, Tennessee Waltz. Key of A. One, two, three, four..." Heh, we had a dobro player count off "Maiden's Prayer" in waltz time last week. Jon Weisberger Kenton County, KY [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://home.fuse.net/jonweisberger/
RE: Bad gigs
Don't know if anyone has mentioned it, but the Cornell Hurd "Fruit Shack" album has band members recollecting their "worse gig ever" in between the musical tracks. Some of them are pretty funny, although overall the schtick gets a bit old as you relisten to the album. And yeah, counting off songs is the source of innumerable screwups! It's like airplanes; the takeoff and landing are the most risky parts of the trip g. --junior
Bad gigs on tape / War stories
Years ago there was this guy that would bring a big ass jam box AND video camera to our gigs. I would get a copy sooner or later, and delivering me the tapes was this goobers way of spending time with me. Eventually he told everyone I must be gay because I did not want to go out with him, and eventually I had to threaten to beat the crap out of him if he made anymore copies to pass amongst his pals. The straw that broke the cowgirls back was when he taped a show back in the days when I was the drummer. So I was singing Truck Drivers Womans and having a big ass time when BOOM WACK BLOOD I smacked myself with a stick and on the mic all at the same time like an idiot when I was showing off on a drum roll (and I wasn't even drinkin!) The cap on my front tooth fell off, I split my lip open, the cap was bouncing around on my snare drum. Well, I stopped for a sec, freaked out over the blood (meanwhile the guitar player turns and yells at me what the hell was up, keep playing) I pick up my tooth and set it on the floor tom, then come back in as close to time I could, and act like I meant to do that to spotlight the guitar solo. Then came time for me to sing the rest of the song, with blood and not being able to pronouce words because I was missing my front tooth. I can't tell you how highly attractive it was. We finished the tune, and I announce I won't be singing anymore, was there a dentist in the house. The guitar player goes on into a song, then damn if a dentist did not make his way to the stage (I am still drumming), stroll behind amps to get to me to give me some gum to chew and stick it back on temporarily a drunken dentist no less!!! He stepped on the lead guitar players amp chord and unplugged it, and knocked his drink all over the bass player's amp. It was a wonderful monemt in the spotlight of bar-stardom. The entire episode was bootlegged, tape and video, and the jerk that I did not want to go out with passed it around to several people for shits and giggles I can look back on this now and laugh, but damn it hurt and everytime someone mentions they have a copy I sink inside. By the way, a fellow from the Headhunters told me he knocks into his mic all the time and also has lost caps. Oh, and I have a friend that a bee stung him in the eye during an outdoor festival while he was singing. Wouldn't that be great to have a bootleg of. I also have fond memories like the time I was attacked by giant skeeters and swalled a june bug while singing a Lucinda Williams song, long long before 2 Cool To Be Forgotten. I hope someone caught THAT magic moment. Nancy Apple aka the Toothless Cowgirl
Bad gigs and the ones that make up for it (was: Bad gigs on tape / War stories)
Bad gig: As I was finishing up a song at an outdoor show, I grabbed my can of soda toget a drink, and a bee had stationed himself in there. SO as I proceeded to pour the liquid down my throat, the bee proceeded to sting my lower lip. It swelled 5x its size, my lower lip was the size of a golf ball for a day (luckily, it was the last song). Good gig: Not actually a gig, but a jam session for the posterity books. An old girlfriend called me late one Sunday night and asked if I could drive out to see her. I was not keen on the idea (50 miles away, lived with her parents, who were BTW cooler than her), but she begged and pleaded and convinced me. Well, I get there, and as I go into the basement, there is a whole band set up, and who is playing lead guitar but blues great Albert Collins (friend of her parents). She said that she wanted to suprise me, so I sat in on bass until the wee hours of the morning. Mitch Matthews Gravel Train/Sunken Road (SR is looking for a new female singer, spread the word)
Re: Bad gigs and the ones that make up for it (was: Bad gigs on tape / War stories)
Mitch is hallucinatingg: Well, I get there, and as I go into the basement, there is a whole band set up, and who is playing lead guitar but blues great Albert Collins (friend of her parents). I'm jealous. And I thought I had some good ones. the best of which before opening for him, hanging backstage with a horny old Bill Monroe whose picking a mean mando on one hand while taking shots at pinching my female lead singer and thoroughly enjoying singing those high lonesome's. Magical moment if there ever was one. Mike Hays http://www.TwangCast.com TM RealCountry 24 X 7 Please Visit Then let us know what you think! Mike Hays www.MikeHays.RealCountry.net For the best country artist web hosting, www.RealCountry.net
Re: Bad gigs and the ones that make up for it (was: Bad gigs on tape / War stories)
At 08:13 PM 3/27/99 EST, you wrote: the posterity books. An old girlfriend called me late one Sunday night and asked if I could drive out to see her. I was not keen on the idea (50 miles away, lived with her parents, who were BTW cooler than her), but she begged and pleaded and convinced me. Well, I get there, and as I go into the basement, there is a whole band set up, and who is playing lead guitar but blues great Albert Collins (friend of her parents). She said that she wanted to suprise me, so I sat in on bass until the wee hours of the morning. Man, I wish I had an ex-girlfriend who was that cool. Or had parents that were that cool. If any of my ex's were to call me up to ask to meet, I would be running like hell in the other direction. Jeff Wall http://www.twangzine.com The Webs least sucky music magazine 3421 Daisy Crescent - Va Beach, Va - 23456