My favorite band versus soundguy moment was in Nashville, doing a show with Palace Brothers. The soundguy walks away from the board while Palace is playing and disappears for a few minutes. While he is gone the monitor starts feeding back pretty crazy. So, during the song, Will Oldham looks up to see no one at the board, takes a step or two toward the monitor and nonchalantly kicks it right off of the 4 or 5 foot stage and it goes crashing to the ground. The bar owner was not happy. I rather enjoyed it though and it did resolve the feedback issue expeditiously.

Man, sometimes I love this board. As far as the question in hand. This is America, if you don't like something, you get your money back. That's how it works right? You don't like your food ad a restaurant, you get your money back or a different meal. You ask someone to make a piece and they fuck it up, you don't pay them.

As far as sound, that can be fairly subjective. What you think sounded like shit, might actually sound good in the room, you just don't know cause of how the stage monitors are setup. Other times people in the audience will say something sounded bad, but then again, that's also subjective.

Now occasionally the sound guy just doesn't give a shit. Years ago we played a show at what was then The High Five. Dusty, who is a really nice guy but to date one of the most inept soundmen I have ever seen in the city and this is after seeing him do numerous shows, was on the board. The band was from out of town, don't remember their name. Anyways, they setup and were playing their first song and Dusty just leaves and goes outside, he's smoking and talking to someone. The vocal mic starts feedbacking and then just goes out. The guy stops the song and is asking for the soundman. He is starting to get really pissed. Dusty is still completely oblivious. They try to yell through another mic and get his attention. Someone goes to get him. He comes back in, after a few minutes it's fixed. But the vibe is ruined. The bands pissed at the place and Dusty with good reason. the best part is after it was fixed, he went back outside again. I don't think he should have been paid for this, I really don't. But he was.

In a case like this I think the owner should do something. But in the end, it's not the bars money, it's the bands. So I agree, I would love it if every place was free and you got paid from the bar. I enjoy playing the Gypsy Hut in Cinci for that reason. Carabar's the only one who does that here, but I really think more should. People just don't want to pay to enter places anymore, it's a sad fact, but I admit, I am guilty of it too. So hopefully other venues will take note and change over. Hope that diatribe helped.

Well I could have said, some random sound guy who worked at high five and now the summit and let people puzzle it out, but that's no fun. Defend away, but that's my opinion, and it won't change. TJ, have any extra popcorn? I prefer kettle style.

Well, knowing Jason I know that he doesn't have poor taste....in music or anything he posts on this board.

Is this the same Dusty that works at Bourbon St. now?

Yeah I believe he works at both Summit and Bourbon street. He may have gotten better, I don't know, the sound at the summit and bourbon kind of blows so it might not be his fault. But I witnessed something that pertained to the topic at hand and talked about it, how is that in poor taste? Yes, it was awhile ago, but it was an example that immediately came to mind. And lastly, come on, TNV? Give me something better then that. I can't imagine a band that recorded it's debut album with one microphone requires that intricate of a live setup. Now if he did a 5+ person band, I would be impressed. Who knows, maybe he has gotten better? I will be sure to give him another shot just for you Kirk. But in this case the Peter Principle comes to mind.

*********************

As far as the Snarky vs Billy Cool best song about a soundguy, I would like to weigh in.

Billy. Your song had a decent groove, but the groove is also pretty standard and i started to lose interest quickly. "Girls have boobs, amps have tubes, you got the mother fucking PA up so loud, I think I gotta poop." I dunno, if you are going for a straight parody on the interaction between a person on stage and the sound man but I was expecting it to be a little more humorous with some more intelligent lines in it. A few things of note: If you are using a tube amp it should be able to get extremely loud, and this is also on you, not just the soundman. And the PA faces the crowd, so I think you meant the monitors were too loud. I have never really had a problem with an overly loud PA. Lastly, poop jokes aren't really that funny. I thus award your song 2 out of 5 stars. I just feel like you sold yourself short. I did not find myself wanting to listen to this song again after I finished it.

Snarky. The main riff has been done before many times, but it's still a classy riff. The lead guitar was sweet and the guitarist pulled out some great tones and other noises. Your song was a different approach to the soundman topic, not just a straight parody. Now being this was not only a live version but also done at Andymans where it is really hard to get everything level in that room I think it was executed very well. The tone for the guitar solo was a little contrasting to everything else, but it was ok. Keeping in mind it was done live, at andymans, the song construction, and the overall vibe I award this song 4 out of 5 stars. I did listen to this song multiple time.

Winner unequivocally is Snarky. But, again, that's just my opinion.

Wow everybody this has really gotten to be a bepped out thread. I had a magical soundman night so---
I'm gonna rant, and I'm not gonna spellcheck.
Im gonna give ya my breakdown.
Billy-I understand and know how ya feel. You gotta change ur attitude, especially if u wanna succeed in comedy rock. Everyone on this board knows what it feels like to be an unvalidated musician in this town. You think you're the first snarky fuck to ever pick a git fiddle and write some smart-ass songs? U come off so strong, vying for any attention, to be accepted, but then u lash out and get all sensitive when someone bust ur balls. Positive or Negative attention is attention, and u r lucky that Doofy and Elephant havent banned ur ip.
I challenged u because u needed snarked. I listened to ur song and it was even more juvenile and crappy than I thought mine was! I don't fucking know u, u don't fucking know me, let's battle! I am the soundman, and I can write a tune, let's go! That's what u wanted right? I've been defeated and snarked and had my balls busted to the max on this forum. Just do a search on me and u will see. And yes I did make it into a contest. This board is fucking sacred to me. These are good people and its a really fun board. I'd go so far as to say that this board is an important part of what helps the whatever scene in our fair town. It is a great network of peeps young and old. If u lump us all into the same category than its ur loss. I have met a small part of this forum in person and we are all very different. You have metalheads, indie rockers, hip hoppers, the old school, the new school, the players, the haters, the thinkers, the drinkers, and guess what? We are a community. We are becoming a unity. We got haircuts, big butts, baldness, and we are a mix.
To everyone else-
Thx all u doods for such props on the tune. Its a waltz recorded live at Andyman's. Me on gtr & vox, Spanky on bass & vox, Chrys on drums, and Benny B on pedal steel. It was truly a magical moment for me as a musician and a soundman. And Billy ur synopsis aint to bad, until it came to the "mine sounds better". Lol 4 lyfe at that one.
I'll see u all at the OffRamp. Come say hi I can't wait to see u all again under the summer solstice sun yay!

I've quoted Salvage Soundman song more times than I can remember over the years..

Look forward to seeing and hearing you under the summer salsas sun!

~Chips!

ha ha ha the new people on the board are so stupid

no education like me and my bands

i cant believe a bad soundman discussion has gone on without any mention of szymuzak and his henchman, old whats his face

when me and my bands roll into any of the bars we bring most of our own equipment and i also let one of the girlfriends run the sound. i give them a 5 minute lesson before the show starts and it'll always sound better than most of the guys in town. plus the girlfriend feels like hotshit she doesnt notice i keep her $ that should have went for a job well done

i make a lot of money at my shows

but you don't get laid.

well i am dealing with some herps

1NCE I WUZ PLAYING ROCK.
AND SOUNDBRO WUZ LIKE 'TURN THAT AMPS DOWN'.
AND I WUZ LIKE 'IH8U'.
BUT IT WAS COOL.
HE WAS ON DRUGS.

When bands complain about soundmen they sound like amateurs.