Music, Magic, Moron

aydee

Platinum Member
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Can you share musical synergies with people you hate - as people?

Not talking being an in-and -out cold blooded session pro here. This is about making goosefleshy magical musical moments with an A$$#@^*

Can you do it? Have you done it? Is the music seperate from the person?


...
 
The singer for my band's brother is an amazing guitar player, but a Grade-A doucher by all means. When I comp'ed him during a solo, he played okay... I don't know if he was uncomfortable with us or what but when he soloed -- while his chops were great -- he just came across as insensitive (just like he always does.... what a surprise). I'd say that there are exceptions, but largely your personality is MORE immediate when you share a musical experience, at least that's how I see it.

To answer your question... I don't think the music is entirely separate from the person; a jerk with enough musical experience can usually put on an okay act.
 
great question! when i was young, maybe. when i was young, all that mattered was the music, regardless of emotional cost or consideration. "good music at any cost". now that i'm old, i'd much rather make music with nice people, and it is much easier with nice people. yes, i played with some flaming assholes, and made some great music, but it sure wasn't fun.
 
Yes.

Unfortunately I've found that the personality needed for a band's "front man" comes with a high chance for doucheyness. Often it is their overbearing in your face charisma and confidence that makes them look/perform great on stage and also gives the opposite feelings to those who know them well or have to work with them the rest of the time.

Not to say that only the front man will act like this. I'm sure there are plenty of drummers who act like tools just as much, but it seems a lot more rare to me...
 
My general rule is that I will not play with people who I would not want to know where I live.

At my stage in life and music, it's all about the fun so if their are aye holes afoot then it's time to go elsewhere.

Barry
 
It depends on the circumstances I think, say you're invited to a jam party with a few musos ... and the A$$#@^* is there too, it could happen, and despite your/my appreciation of the guy in question, something magical could happen, musically speaking of course. It also depends if the guy think of you/me the same way, or if he actually like you/me, if he likes you/me, it could also happen. Other than that, I don't think so.

I remember reading an interview of Simon Phillips back in the 80's, he was saying that people (which he didn't like) kept calling him back for session work, and he added that it didn't matter how obvious his behavior was when he recorded with them, they still called him back, of course he declined the offer, stating he had other projects, but he was amazed they called again, he thought he made a clear statement, personality wise, and that he would never had to anything with them anymore.

Which brings into the discussion, the world of session recordings, I don't think that these top-session drummers, like Phillips, Gadd, Colaiuta, Keltner and the likes are finding all the people they have to work for really nice persons, and I'm sure that sometimes they do think "what an A$$#@^* " :) ... I guess it's part of the job and they've been hired by the producers and not the artists themselves.
 
The music seems to be separate from the person in terms of my ability to enjoy music. It's pretty well-documented that there are a lot of a-holes who have played brilliant music.

But I can't say I've ever been in a band with a total jerk. I've played with people I don't especially like, and I think we've made good music together anyway. But if I personally hated someone, I just can't imagine even trying to make it work. As a semi-pro with a day job, I don't really have to; I have the luxury of walking away from a gig I don't like.
 
I'm sure Sting and Copeland could have some words for this thread.
 
I routinely hear and enjoy Madonna, Michal Jackson and even George Michaels songs... does that count? Wow that was somewhat embarassing.
 
The reasons I tend to not like someone tend to reflect in multiple aspects of their life...including their art.
 
The singer for my band's brother is an amazing guitar player

"My band's brother" ... :)


The music seems to be separate from the person in terms of my ability to enjoy music. It's pretty well-documented that there are a lot of a-holes who have played brilliant music.

+1. We know that skills and talent are available to nice people and self centred jerks alike. Do you think that selfishness is detectable in their playing? Do you notice clues? (more subtle than just amateur stepping on others' parts)

Understandable that singers would tend to be self centred since many songs (and by logical inference in their minds, the universe) are centred around them.


I routinely hear and enjoy Madonna, Michal Jackson and even George Michaels songs... does that count? Wow that was somewhat embarrassing.

Three highly talented pop artists ... Material Girl, Billie Jean, I Want Your Sex ... just a few of their fabulous tracks.
 
Three highly talented pop artists ... Material Girl, Billie Jean, I Want Your Sex ... just a few of their fabulous tracks.[/QUOTE]

Incredible talent but not sure I would want to be seen in public with any of them!
 
I've playing with many people that I've disliked and not cared to be around in everyday life. The musical chemistry can definitely be there in that case. I definitely think its possible. But as far as hate... I've never played with someone I hated. If I have, I don't remember and that should speak about how musically satisfying it was.
 
I've played with people in a number of situations where the only common link was the music. That those situations broke down quite quickly was no real surprise, because if the music wasn't enough, there was no other glue to hold things together. In my current band, which has been on the go for 10 years at this point, me and the two guitarists have been there since day one. We've had 7 bass players to date, all of whom have variously been older/younger/into different music/non-family men/unemployed/overworked/with other bands also. Again, the short lived nature of these engagements was, with hindsight, no great surprise. Bass played no 7 is however totally compatable (I had played with him 15 years ago in a previous band) and the band and the social apsect of the band feels better because of it. If there is any tension, it's usually because of outside pressures, which the band really came together tyo deal with in the first place.

Similarly, we have a wide range of musical listening tastes between us and we've all brought different songs into the band (we play covers). There is a veto which says if you really can't stand playing the suggestion, we won't do it, but it's seldom used as we know that when playing a song togther it takes on a different persona than when listened to.

That said, over the years, there have been a number of people that I have played with that I would have happily choked to death, but generally my musical relationships have been largely positive.
 
Life is too short to drink lousy beer, be married to a jerk, or to be in a band with an arse.

You're welcome for my two cents.
 
Life is too short to drink lousy beer, be married to a jerk, or to be in a band with an arse.

You're welcome for my two cents.

Of course, this kind of knowledge and forethought only comes by making the aforementioned mistakes during what is presumed to be a relatively long lifeline so far.

Except for Steel Reserve. Life is definitely too short to drink that vile liquid.
 
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It seemed interesting to ask since I had the opportunity to do a one off gig with a singer who was crushed under the size of her own ego, not to mention her sheer lack of sensitivity towards her fellow musicians..mind blowing actually to see how much smoke people can blow up their own tushies..

As far as bands go, this hate thing seems to have a way of rearing is head sooner or later in the life cycle of bands..
Some have been mentioned but I can think of many, Axl & Slash, and Cream of course was a 3 piece band that made music but didnt speak to each other and would throw up at the sight of each other off stage,


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The flip side is playing with people you get along too well with. My current band is principally the guitar player/singer and I (we've rotated through several bass players over the years). For whatever reason, we write better as a two-piece ... unless we're spending the entire rehearsal shootin' the breeze or sharing sob stories about this and that.

If only he were a bigger jerk, we might actually get some work done!
 
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