rockinrob Posted July 24, 2005 Posted July 24, 2005 they turn up for these gigs making there presence known to everyone and making demands like carved swans of ice statues eitherside of the stage - giving the enginer a hard time for no reason but there own missdoings like not being able to sing and or sing through a mic properly, while everyone else in the band gets on with it, no problem at all. I cant be done with these and it really brings down the whole good feeling of working the event for me when someone is like that - from a proffesional point of view - ie they are the ones who are paying you - is it better to just tell the guy how it is and l work to your system or bow down and try to meet his demands, + bite your lip and keep smiling?
Guest lightnix Posted July 24, 2005 Posted July 24, 2005 is it better to just tell the guy how it is and l work to your system or bow down and try to meet his demands, + bite your lip and keep smiling? It depends on how well in you are with whoever's booked you and how much you want another job. While you're thinking about that, just bite your lip for now and console yourself with the thought that you are more than likely to be working in the business a long time after people say, "Who? - Oh yes, I think I remember them. Didn't they have a minor hit about ten years ago?", about the alleged "artiste" who's giving you all the grief today :( PS - There's an old saying in Rock 'n' Roll: "Money talks and the bullsh*t walks" and boy, you'd better believe it
TallPaul Posted July 25, 2005 Posted July 25, 2005 I agree, sometimes you just have to grin and bare it. Everyone else around you including the rest of the band probably realise how much of a tw^t he is anyway, just try to handle the situation as professionally as possible. Falling out with people in the heat of the moment is always counter-productive, and will make you look just as bad as he is. Paul
mac.calder Posted July 25, 2005 Posted July 25, 2005 It's no different to any other service based industry, you get the people you love working with, the people who think they know better than you, and the difficult people. I don't understand why so many people in the industry think they are alone in their problems - hell I worked on a checkout in a supermarket for 2 years (both as the lowly cashier and as front end manager) and the same people existed. You just bite your lip, smile and then stick pins in the eyes of a rag doll that looks strangely like the client. I have just started in an IT call centre to earn some money in the evenings, the same thing happens "But if I uninstall this lovely piece of spyware that is causing the conflicts then I will not be able to download my illegal porn videos... You should change your software so that it does not require <insert name of screwed up standard operating system dll that spyware corrupted>."
paulears Posted July 25, 2005 Posted July 25, 2005 The industry we are in encourages these type of people - and, from experience, antagonising them ALWAYS makes it worse, lip biting (as has been said) and being very humble normally works. Knowing when to shut up (not something I'm normally keen on doing) is an essential technical skill. Hate 'em afterwards by all means, but doffing ones forlock, while very annoying, is pretty much the way it has to be. After all, how many artiste managers have ever backed you up against the talent - not a lot!
ant Posted July 25, 2005 Posted July 25, 2005 LSD - Lead singer disorder Alot of them have it, but its best just to try and be as professional as possible, try and give them what they want, and explain to their management if they are asking for something that really isn't possible.
paul the paranoid lampy Posted July 25, 2005 Posted July 25, 2005 I light a battle of the bands final in my old home town. a few years ago a spotty oik of a lead singer( whos band turned up late, missed the sound check, had none of they're own backline, blew up another bands amp, and was not happy at going on 1st) told myself and the guy in charge we weren't very pro. I've done this game since I left school (about 7 years) and the other guy holds the licence to a 18'000 capacity festival.hahahaguess who got no follow spots and static lightingoh and they came last as well (audience vote) justice!!!! if al else fails, ask then one question "sorry, and you are.........?"
paulears Posted July 25, 2005 Posted July 25, 2005 one of the young new cast said that to David Essex in Boogie Nights 2!
deranged-angel Posted July 26, 2005 Posted July 26, 2005 I had to laugh out loud as I read the first line of your thread " There's always one guy in a band who's a ####' and thought to myself 'yeah, the lead singer' then read the rest of your title!! heehee. To be honest, you can play God here. I'm not saying be unprofessional but if it is gig that isnt too important or whatever, try switching their monitor off so they can't hear properly or turning down the mic so the audience cant hear them properly. Yes it's childish. immature, unprofessional but if you dont want any more work off them then fine!!! If you do, however, and if there might be important people in the audience that may give you work in future, bite your tongue, smile and give them nothing to complain about. If you do your job well, they will have nothing bad to say to you and that will be even more satisfying. You just bite your lip, smile and then stick pins in the eyes of a rag doll that looks strangely like the client Mental note...never, ever, ever get on the wrong side of mac.calder.... Emxxx
rockinrob Posted July 30, 2005 Author Posted July 30, 2005 thanks for all the tips - it turned out just as you said above - the last one was an arrogant git and so said everyone else - will carry on lip biting, although to be honest I much prefer installed fixed jobs instead of live sound - cos im lazy
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