The Doom Room: ILF Edition

[D.o.S.]

It boils down to replaceability. I got my first gigging rig (KVLT) as a free hand me down -- why wouldn't I share it with someone who needed an amp?

[new05002]

I would not share my own amps (If I had them) because they would have been built by me. The other person using them is more than likely not going to fork over the money to fix them when they break them. The cost to repair a blown OT is just too much for me to loan out an amp for the night.

[AxAxSxS]

I think us Flux guys share a bit of the responsibility for the beer spillage. The place was going fucking nuts during our set. I dont know the details of the beer spillage in question, but it is very possible a relatively responsible beer carrying adult was near the amp and unprepared for what happened during our set. I've never seen the ENTIRE room moving like that during one of our sets. It's normally a few people up front, or a line of folks banging their heads in unison. Front to back, side to side, the whole place was going nuts. Very cool and I certainly didn't expect that. Beer dude may not have been at fault.
It happened and I was glad to help the show continue. Not so glad when the 400 died, but I learned from it and will take more control if the situation comes up again.

I totally agree with not loaning gear to a band that shows up without gear. If it's arranged ahead of time sure, but showing up expecting to play on gear you don't have would be pathetic. I have not run into that out here and I think the bands around here have their shit together enough so that sort of thing doesn't really happen.

[D.o.S.]

If it's arranged ahead of time sure, but showing up expecting to play on gear you don't have would be pathetic.

I can't speak for anyone else, but every single time I've run into it its been off the cuff, either someone forgot something and didn't notice during load in (my old drummer once loaned out a set of cymbals and got 'em back thrashed) or there's something else going on, shit breaks, impromptu collaborations, or whatever...

I can't imagine people showing up to a show, and just assuming there will be gear waiting for you, though. Mind boggling.

[Ancient Astronaught]

Damn sounds like it was a good show!!!!! And that does sound like a recipe for an accidental beer spillage out of everyones control. I personally still wouldn't have left my amps in a spot where that was a possibility though, and at clubs where there isn't enough space to stash them away I usually hang out by them all night until I can load em back into the van.

I've run into numerous bands around here who show up to sound check asking to borrow bass rigs and drums saying the promoter / booking agent told them it was all ready setup. When nobody ever asked or told us anything, my usual response is nah bro we don't lend out gear but theres two other bands playing tonight go ask them.

The greatest excuse I've heard was, well your amps are so big we'll look like amateurs if we play our combo's after you guys play so can we play through your amps tonight? I seriously laughed in their face then sober faced and told them no. It's not my job to make your band "look good on stage" its yours, if your jealous too bad. Do what I did and bust your ass to get the gear! They didn't like that response.

[Harry_Manback]

Amp inferiority is a ridiculous excuse. Just lame. Rock what you got with wild abandon.

Case in point: I saw Helms Alee open the Red Fang show last week...of course Verellen stacks abounded. American Sharks followed with combo amps and they fucking rocked the place with attitude.

It ain't how big it is, it's how you use it. Least that's what my wife always says.

[LOCOPELAND]

[t-rey]

I have decided that I'm going to build a cabronita Jazzmaster. Only problem is I'm not sure if Warmoth will do the pickguard for me. Pretty sure I could talk them into it or find someone who could make it. It's essentially going to be this but flat black with a w/b/w pickguard, no tone knob, and an all maple neck:



Oh and no god damn relic bullshit. I'll beat it up myself.

Jeebus, that is one sexy guitar.

Congrats dude.
You are my hero, still.
Definitely hook me up with deets on obtaining a copy.

Don't worry - it's going to be full on spamalot once this shit is out.

Freakin congrats bro!!!!!

I'd definitely take a copy, the subject matter is extremely intriguing.

Thanks!

I wanna purchase a copy too. I'll pay extra if you sign and / or teabag it.

Signing is free - just let me know who you want to sign it and I will try and track them down.

There is a nominal fee for teabaggery though.

[van_muddlestein]

Jeebus, that is one sexy guitar.

I actually found someone else's mockup of almost exactly what I am planning on building.

[ShaolinLambKiller]

Loaning gear is always a tough subject.

It's incredible how often people don't understand proper impedance and they're using regular instrument cables for speaker cables and doing all sorts of shenanigans.

It's not tough for me. I'm a straight up dick about it, I do not loan gear out to anybody except to close friends I know personally and under extreme extreme cases where I am in complete control of what ever of mine is getting used. There's no excuses for showing up to a job unprepared, you do that anywhere else and you get fired. As far as an amp going out at the gig because someone spilled beer on it? I'm sorry but you put a beer on my backlined amp and I'll walk straight up on stage during your song and hand it back to you, and nobody gets near my gear when its off stage. You gotta watch after your shit, or it will go missing and or get damaged.

This literally reminds me of a touring band we played a show with... they didn't bring anything at all. Well merch... but not even guitars. They just would show up to the show and ask whichever band has the gear they liked the most, or had the promoter ask for them. So we show up and it was actually us and our friends in another band we were the opening and closing bands on a 3 band gig. Our friends were asked after they played and the just made up some excuse that they had to get the shit back cause of some reason. No matter, basically they sent one dude off with the gear for the poor bastard to load it all back in to their shed alone... Anyway we were the closer and they come ask us if they could.... ehhhh maybe if we 'switch spots' and they close. so we set up play and announce the show is over cause the touring band didn't bring any gear at all and fuck them for expecting people to bend over backwards to accommodate them. Esp for it being a 'surprise we need some gear to play' type shit. No one in the crowd cared and that was it. We were called dicks and all that and some threats of violence till we stepped off stage and pinned them in the corner and asked them politely to repeat what they were going to do to us and our mothers. Where even the smallest of us in the band outweighed their biggest guy by 50lbs. So they bitched out and left quickly in the compact kia they showed up in.

[Iommic Pope]

Dude, that whole story=what the fuck?

Also, name and shame those motherfuckers.

[ShaolinLambKiller]

It's about 6 years ago. they were some no name punk band. basically just set up a couple of month long tour during their school break or some shit. apparently idiots loaned them shit throughout their tour. But I'll ask my friends if they remember who the fuck they were. I think it was something retarded made up or smash up of words.

[Road Bull]

Loaning gear is always a tough subject.

It's incredible how often people don't understand proper impedance and they're using regular instrument cables for speaker cables and doing all sorts of shenanigans.

It's not tough for me. I'm a straight up dick about it, I do not loan gear out to anybody except to close friends I know personally and under extreme extreme cases where I am in complete control of what ever of mine is getting used. There's no excuses for showing up to a job unprepared, you do that anywhere else and you get fired. As far as an amp going out at the gig because someone spilled beer on it? I'm sorry but you put a beer on my backlined amp and I'll walk straight up on stage during your song and hand it back to you, and nobody gets near my gear when its off stage. You gotta watch after your shit, or it will go missing and or get damaged.

This literally reminds me of a touring band we played a show with... they didn't bring anything at all. Well merch... but not even guitars. They just would show up to the show and ask whichever band has the gear they liked the most, or had the promoter ask for them. So we show up and it was actually us and our friends in another band we were the opening and closing bands on a 3 band gig. Our friends were asked after they played and the just made up some excuse that they had to get the shit back cause of some reason. No matter, basically they sent one dude off with the gear for the poor bastard to load it all back in to their shed alone... Anyway we were the closer and they come ask us if they could.... ehhhh maybe if we 'switch spots' and they close. so we set up play and announce the show is over cause the touring band didn't bring any gear at all and fuck them for expecting people to bend over backwards to accommodate them. Esp for it being a 'surprise we need some gear to play' type shit. No one in the crowd cared and that was it. We were called dicks and all that and some threats of violence till we stepped off stage and pinned them in the corner and asked them politely to repeat what they were going to do to us and our mothers. Where even the smallest of us in the band outweighed their biggest guy by 50lbs. So they bitched out and left quickly in the compact kia they showed up in.

I have to say that I don't have a lot of tolerance for people who can't handle their business. Guess what? If you book a show, as a band, and show up as just a bunch of dudes without gear, well, you better do a pretty cool a Cappella set because I ain't loaning you shit. And they can eat crow if they don't like it. I don't mind telling people bad news, and I don't care when they sing the blues. I do that shit at work all day, and my heart pumps piss for them. General show etiquette is one of those things that should not have to be said, but sure as shit, some need it spelled out. I don't like playing shows where bands play, load up during someone else's set, and then leave, or leave before the last band plays. I understand emergencies. Shit happens. Somebody has to be up at work in like, four hours, something else. But that shit should be very few and far between. I may not like the band I am watching, but I respectful and pay them the attention that was paid forward by them watching my dumb ass swing sticks.

There is a lot of work that goes into being in a band, and if you are not going to put in the work, maybe being in a band is not for you. I think some people like the image of being in a band, but want to see how little they can contribute to make it happen and still think of themselves as "rock and roll". Those guys that showed up without gear are the poster children of lazy slackers that need to get their ass up off their shoulders. The only excuse I can see for this behavior is if something ate, stole, or destroyed all their worldly music gear in some super-human tragedy. Barring that, I would say, "Hey bud, fix it." I play music for fun. I don't mind the hard work. I just don't want to do someone else's hard work in order for THEM to have their fun.

In other news, I had a pretty sweet time at our show this last Saturday. I was drenched in sweat by the end of the second song.

[Nostradoomus]

I was pretty taken aback when Early Man needed to borrow my gear. They were touring in a Toyota Corolla

Shit happens, though. I'm always happy to help.

[archlilim]

I can't comprehend showing up to a gig with no gear and expecting to play, let alone touring with that MO. Like what even...? Even beyond the entitlement and fuckery of it you're just gonna hope the other bands have what you like? What does that say about your investment in music? Zero tolerance. Not even a discussion. I'd laugh in their faces (out of surprise mostly but still).