Sitting in with the band

MrSpall · Post by **MrSpall** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:10 pm

So I had a new twist on this experience the other night.

Oftentimes during our shows I'll invite members of the crowd to shout out requests, we then usually work as many of them as possible into a big medley. It's fun and is a fast way to make lots of people feel like they got to participate. A guy shouted out an obscure Nirvana song. I don't even remember the title now. I'd heard it before, but didn't know it well enough to try it. The guy asked my guitarist if he knew the song either. When the guitarist didn't know it, the guy came up to the stage and began messing with the guitar!

I was stunned. I've never seen this hapen before. I didn't even react at first, didn't have any idea how to. In the end I just started singing a song we'd already put into our set list, and scrapped the medley altogether. Once I started singing, the guy left the stage and the guitarist caught up. It was just surreal.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:40 pm

MrSpall wrote:So I had a new twist on this experience the other night.

Oftentimes during our shows I'll invite members of the crowd to shout out requests, we then usually work as many of them as possible into a big medley. It's fun and is a fast way to make lots of people feel like they got to participate. A guy shouted out an obscure Nirvana song. I don't even remember the title now. I'd heard it before, but didn't know it well enough to try it. The guy asked my guitarist if he knew the song either. When the guitarist didn't know it, the guy came up to the stage and began messing with the guitar!

I was stunned. I've never seen this hapen before. I didn't even react at first, didn't have any idea how to. In the end I just started singing a song we'd already put into our set list, and scrapped the medley altogether. Once I started singing, the guy left the stage and the guitarist caught up. It was just surreal.

NOBODY comes onstage and touches my basses unless I invite them. I'm pretty laid back, but do not even think about doing something like that. If I played $300 MexiFenders that'd be one thing, but you can drool at my G&L from a distance thank you very much. Now, if Teeple, Cale or Casey or somebody like that was out and asked to sit in on a tune or jam on my bass between sets, I'd let them - provided it was cool w/ the rest of the band, but that's because I trust them not to mess up my baby.

girlzrock · Post by **girlzrock** » Fri Feb 23, 2007 5:51 pm

Most musicians wouldn't think of asking to sit in with your band though. I would think that most would rather listen to and watch what you are doing. They came to see you play, not play themselves.

Maybe that's the difference in professionalism. I have no problem if I know someone is really good, having them come up on stage. I guess I find it in bad taste to go to someone elses show and ask the band if you can go up and sing a song or play. To me, if you are that good, you should have your own project and you should consider it an honor if the band your watching asks you to sit in with them not the other way around. Just my 2 cents.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:13 pm

Exactly. And 90% of the time, if I'm asked I wouldn't do it. For singers it's probably different, but changing one band member, especially a bassist or drummer can screw everything up, no matter how solid that person is.

girlzrock · Post by **girlzrock** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 2:10 pm

Agreed. Ocassionally when I go out to see certain people play (like Matt Taylor and Brian Lemert), I will go up and sing with them when asked but most other times while I appreciate the offer, I went specifically to see the band or performer who's playing and not sing myself. Having a break from performing and watching other people do it is really nice sometimes. If I want to sing without my band, I can go to karaoke night somewhere and not be an interupption to the band who is performing.

I've actually had other singers (not just the drunk off their ass guys) come up and ask me if they can sing a song with the band. I am usually willing to do that but it just seems so unprofessional to me and very immature. My opinion has always been, if you want to sing in a band, put together a band, practice 3 nights a week to get your set list ready, pay your dues with the area clubs and play for no money, build a fan base, and play every weekend. If you are already in a band and feel the need to ask to sit in with the band you're watching, book yourself more and go play with your own band.

I guess that's a little off subject from the original post but equally frustrating to me. End result is the same, at not point should you approach a band (whether your drunk or just think you're that good) and ask to sing with them or play with them. If they ask you to, that's one thing and fully acceptable. What I have found is that 99% of the time the person sucks so they shouldn't be on stage any way. (by no means do I think I am a great singer, but I work my ass off to play with the talented group of guys I have the pleasure of playing with).

My two cents. Anderson, you'll always be welcome to sit in with us on Humpty Dance cause secretly inside I think you're pretty cool.

Garr · Post by **Garr** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:00 pm

Hey guys, I went ahead and split this. Yeah, they're related, but I think that this will start a new thread of conversation and I don't want to kill the other thread which may still have some life left.

Here's my take: I think it's friggen awesome when members from other local bands share the stage with each other. I wish it would happen more often. I know Ando had the "Cover Me Badd" thing, but I remember WAY back when Black Tooth Grin (now Sfumato) and Abraham (now Jettingham) swapped songs and sometimes if they were at each other's shows, they'd swap members. That was awesome.

I love it when G-Money jumps in with whatever band (Gypsy Circus) Lemert has going.

I would LOVE to see more collaboration between bands. Hybrid originals that aren't played at every show, but are a special treat once in a while, or a cool cover now and then. Now, I agree that these things should not be initiated by the person not in the band that is performing. . .or at least not spontaneously at a show. Every time I go to see Plow, those guys invite me up to sing with them and I humbly decline because again it's not my show, but if I'm asked again, or they persist, I do it 'cause it's fun. This has happened to me with several bands and I've seen it with other people too. I think it's cool, and the crowd usually digs it.

I think that more interband relations would REALLY help Fort Wayne's music scene in leaps and bounds. This should not be a competition, it should be a collaboration! Viva la Fort Wayne Music Scene!!!!

Garr · Post by **Garr** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 4:01 pm

P.S. Anderson is ALWAYS welcome to bust out some Jump Around!

MrSpall · Post by **MrSpall** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:35 am

I'm absolutely cool with other musicians playing with us. Oftentimes at shows we'll even ask for volunteers on a song or two to get up and sing with us. It's always fun to do. I enjoy playing with other musicians, and whend doing shows will often pull up members of the other band to come play. There've been some really interesting Munger/Cupcake blues jam collaborations thanks to this.

The guy at the recent show who jumped onstage and tried to play Ramon's guitar wasn't in any band. I didn't know him. That is what ticked me off. If I ask you to come play with us, that's great, but when he just got up there and grabbed the guitar from Ramon, it really threw me for a loop.

Garr · Post by **Garr** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 11:52 am

::nod:: Absolutely.

ihitwithstix · Post by **ihitwithstix** » Mon Feb 26, 2007 1:46 pm

=D hell I even let them sit in at practice. It gives me another perspective on the music.I agree collaberation not competition.Save that shiite for the battles.

Cale · Post by **Cale** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 12:41 pm

What pi$$es me off is when jack-holes jump up on stage and the bar/bouncers/bartenders do nothing to get them off stage.
What the hell!!!?? Like it's the band's responsibility to remove them? We're kinda busy here...

(Thanks for the comp Brad, you can tame my girls any day too)

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:18 pm

Cale wrote:What pi$$es me off is when jack-holes jump up on stage and the bar/bouncers/bartenders do nothing to get them off stage.
What the hell!!!?? Like it's the band's responsibility to remove them? We're kinda busy here...

(Thanks for the comp Brad, you can tame my girls any day too)

C-Street between sets is the worst. Expensive equipment on stage, and drunks are jumping up there to dance to crappy music. Sooner or later somebody's going to lose a nice instrument to one of those clods.

The_Dude · Post by **The_Dude** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:26 pm

bassjones wrote:
Cale wrote:What pi$$es me off is when jack-holes jump up on stage and the bar/bouncers/bartenders do nothing to get them off stage.
What the hell!!!?? Like it's the band's responsibility to remove them? We're kinda busy here...

(Thanks for the comp Brad, you can tame my girls any day too)
C-Street between sets is the worst. Expensive equipment on stage, and drunks are jumping up there to dance to crappy music. Sooner or later somebody's going to lose a nice instrument to one of those clods.

I disagree. Legend's is, was and always has been the worst when it comes to drunken idiots hopping on stage.

WORD TO THE WISE: Hide your cigarettes from Danny.

bassjones · Post by **bassjones** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 1:29 pm

Maybe I'll case my bass between sets then...

Cale · Post by **Cale** » Wed Mar 28, 2007 5:03 pm

True dat. Especially when you're down in the green room/hole @ C-st you can't keep your eye on your gear. No respect these days...damn kids and their alcohol...

Oh, and hide more than just your cigarettes from Danny...he'll clean you out.

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Sitting in with the band

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