Hi Guys,
What is the strangest gig you have ever experienced.I did a wedding gig a few years back that involved the groom and his father.The father of the groom made some interesting comments about his son( The groom) during a speech. Later on our break,i went to the men's bathroom and saw the groom and his father in a fist fight that was being broken up by the best man.They had been drinking quite a bit and we had to announce to the people attending the wedding that the bar was now closed.It was only 8:00pm.and we had to start playing to avert attention from the fight that just broke out.We started the set with "Tequilla"

This is a true story and hope you all have some interesting stories from past gigs.

John

Several, actually:

* Played a nudist club in Apple Valley several times in the early 60's and participated in the voluntary dress code.

* Played a big surfing music show in Anaheim in 63. When one of the players broke a string, a riot followed...lots of injuries. I fought off three knife-carrying people rushing the bandstand with my solid maple Stratocaster, swinging it like a baseball bat. I was terrified. Several band members and a few thugs were injured. Shows at this venue were discontinued for several years. I was in the band of the top surfer guitarist of the time.

* Sat in with Tijuana with a house band. The bass player pulled the paistes off a dancer, who proceeded to rush the bandstand...everyone went running for cover.

* Played an after hours restaurant/club (1:00 AM to 4:00 AM)in the 70's. The ladies from a "full service" massage establishment would send one of the staff up to sit on the B-3 bench to "distract" me. One night, I didn't feel OK with the new girl...the others were way too interested in the proceedings. Took a break. Found out later the "girl" wasn't a girl at all. WHEW!

* Played a jazz club in college. There was a gay club in the front part of the building. During a National gay rights ball, a nationally known actress came
through our part of the establishment naked, masked riding two mostly naked blindfolded guys, whipping them with a riding crop. Later, the actress showed up on an academy award winning movie.

* At the after hours club, a regular couple had just split up. Both were with other people. The male of the couple went into the bathroom right beside the bandstand. I was three feet away. He came out and left a few minutes later. About 10 minutes after, the 2nd guy staggers out of the bathroom with his throat slit.

* While still in college, I had a 6 night a week house job at a large, well-known hotel in Lexington. Played breaks. On my birthday,
each hour, 5 "working girls" were in the jacuzzi, ready to serve me a glass of Hennessee. I'd stagger back to the lounge, soaking wet, and almost slipped off the B-3 bench. Suffered for three or four days on that one. Got some really interesting photos I really don't think should be posted....ANYWHERE!

* In Lexington, was in the house band backing Jerry Lee Lewis. He set the piano on fire, and slipped off the bench, onto the floor. Got back up as if nothing happened.

Been at this over 50 years...there's lots more, but I'd like to hear someone else prove she/he is at least as silly as I was...

From what I can remember from my early years, I THINK I had a great time...!


Russ ("I can see Clearly, Now")Lay

Russ, there was an old 50's R&B song (Louis Jordan, I think) entitled, "Sure had a wonderful time last night, leastwise they tell me I did".



chas

I ain't postin' NOTHIN' after Russ's Post - lmao

Can't top THAT one!

P.S. Russ, what was Jerry Lee like???????

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God I hate signatures.

BUT...

www.chi-chi.com.au

Jerry Lee was pretty incoherent on this job. The venue would host touring groups o Wednesday nights. It was a stop-over from Saturday night at Chicago to Friday at Atlanta. The guy fed the band, had 6 little rooms for them to stay in and didn't require much in return. Most of the time, it as a combination of some of the house band, one or two of the touring band and the headliner. Rarely was anyone coherent.

this was a time when I had never had a drink, was still in High School and was shocked at the antics of "pro musicians.

Jerry Lee came out right when he was "on" and disappeared as soon as the set was over.
Didn't really get to talk to him.

Russ

WOW! Russ, it sounds as if you were lucky to survive those years, let alone play. I guess I've led a fairly sheltered life in comparison to the wilds of Lexington, KY.

The wildest one I had was about 10 years ago when I was booked for an outdoor wedding in Western Maryland's mountains. When I got there I discovered it was a nudist camp wedding and I was the only person wearing a tux. Fortunately, the bridge and groom had some sort of argument just prior to my arrival, the wedding was cancelled, and I still got paid. They wanted to reschedule the wedding, called me about a week later, and I told them I was booked for that date, even though I wasn't.

Cheers,

Gary

Gary, you missed your big chance to do one of your favorite tunes.
http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f14101cb7d/i-just-dont-look-good-naked-any-more-from-lizardladyfla

Regards,

Jerry

1969 - USAF Incirlik, Turkey.
We were doing the house job at the NCO Club and were asked if we'd do a Monday night for $700 at a remote radar station base up in the mountains four hours away. ($700 in 1969 was a LOT of money.) Anyway, we turned it down after it was explained to us that we couldn't take our van and, instead, would be transported up there in a Red Cross vehicle. The reason being that any other vehicle without a red cross on the side would have been shot up by bandits.

1971 - London, England
Playing at a major ballroom with a revolving stage in Leicester Square, the other band's girl singer, who was well pickled after being in the pub round the corner for a couple of hours, got caught with one leg on the revolving part of the stage and one leg on the stationary surrounding part. As soon as the stage started to move, over she went, legs akimbo. But she was a game gal. Got straight up and belted the stage technician with the finest right hook I've ever seen.

1965 - Hitchin, England
Sharing a gig with John Mayall's Bluesbreakers and having to buy a broke Eric Clapton a rum and coke. He still owes me.

1965 - London, England
Recording session with Shel Talmy and the guitarist wasn't getting what Shel wanted so a session guitarist was brought in. Jimmy Page.

1963 - Weston-super-Mare, England
Part of the gig was to play backing for a stripper who, for whatever reason, decided to plop one boob onto our guitarist's guitar. Big mistake. Her nipple got caught between the E and B strings (snug fit) and quickly turning away, she tore the skin around her nipple. Blood everywhere, our guitarist was none too pleased.


1973 - USNAF Base, Sigonella, Sicily
House band in the Enlisted Men's Club. Playing time was 9pm - 1 am, but most nights we were done by 10 pm, as the chairs and tables were usually flying by then.

1970 - On the road.
Driving back from Turkey to England in our beat up ex-bakery Commer van we reached Austria where the route took us over a mountain pass. The engine was so bad it wouldn't go up the mountain. We tried it in first gear, even in reverse. No go. So we ended up selling the van to a Gasthof owner for a plate of sausages each - we were pretty hungry.

Like Russ, there's probably plenty more stories, but that's enough for one Sunday morning.

WOW, You guys have some great stories!

Isn't it FUN being a MUSICIAN?

I also have many funny stories from playing over 40 years.

Here is one of my favorite musical encounter's.

In 1977 I was playing at a very nice local Restaurant and Lounge 6 nights a week. One of our fans was a Booking Agent that booked some fairly big name Country Artists at our Civic Center.

On several occasions he would bring the Artists to my gig after their show was over to hear us and hang out for the rest of their evening.

For those of you that are Elvis fans, you may remember a Gospel group called JD Sumner and the Stamps. They toured with Elvis and were his back up vocalist's for several years.

For those of you that don't know, JD Sumner to this day still holds the record for being the lowest bass singer EVER.

I knew ahead of time that they were coming in, so I learned one of JD's songs called " Walk That Lonesome Road " I invited him to come up and sing with me on stage. At first he declined, but when I told him I learned his song and in his key of A flat he quickly changed his mind and joined me on stage.

During the song, JD slide's his voice down and hits a D flat, one note shy of 3 octaves BELOW middle C!

I had four Hot Spot monitors on stage and when he hit that low note he BLEW all four of the speakers out! I mean he fried them to a crisp!

He heard the speakers blow and offered to pay me for the damages. I of coarse refused his offer. I was just thrilled to have him on stage with me. What an unbelievable voice he had.

The rest of the group then came on stage and we sang and played all night until 8:00 the next morning. What a great time and experience I had.

I have a copy of his song and would love to post it here so you can hear it, I don't however know how to upload it or link it. If interested, you could try a Google search and maybe luck out and find it.

JD died several years ago. Ironically from Throat cancer. Sad!

Jim R.