Is this a typical sound guy?

Started by ack1961, April 14, 2011, 12:00:10 PM

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ack1961

My kids (17 & 12) have started playing together in a band, and have now done 3 gigs together around the Raleigh area.
The oldest boy has been gigging with his band for several years already - usually teen band nights @ small clubs or community centers.
My wife and I are pretty involved with it all.  The bands practice here and most of our equipment ends up at the shows (OK, it doesn't end up there - I drive it there).
Usually, everyone at these shows are great to work with - I help load-in/out, setup the drums, etc. and try not to get in anyone's way.  Then I step to the rear of the venue and videotape.

Like I mentioned, my 12 year old just started filling in for their drummer a few shows back.  Tuesday night they had a gig (1 of 6 bands that night) at a local Raleigh club.
I know that these shows can be a logistical nightmare, but every band (our kids were the only teen band) that showed up was pretty well prepared, respectful and attentive to the direction they were getting from the sound guy/stage mgr.  I went upstairs and watched the shows from the loft where I could see the kids and videotape.

As our kids took the stage (3rd in order), the sound guy started barking at them while they're hurrying to setup (pedal boards were ready and most guitars were pre-tuned) and he starts to go through a sound check by telling the drummer to "kick the bass drum", so he does a few times.  Sound guy starts yelling over the PA "when I tell you to do something, do it until I tell you to stop!" Nick is a fairly new to all this and is fairly sensitive to adults barking at him. I can see that it shook him up a little bit. He's barking at these kids like he's got some bug up his ass, but I was there with these kids from the time we unloaded, and they were no trouble at all, and very respectful and appreciative of the acts before they went on stage.  At that point, I'm about ready to go downstairs and see how tough he talks with me in his face, but I didn't.  I really dislike mean people.  BTW, Nick kicked ass.

After the show, everyone in the band said that the guy was pretty much a total douche-nozzle.  I don't understand.  Getting a good sound from a 4 piece band is not so difficult that it requires this type of behavior. The sound-check took about 45 seconds. I watched him interacting with other folks at the club and he was fine.  I mean, it was a local-talent show and my son's band was ASKED to play it.

This was only venue we've ever been to where the sound guy refused to give an output for our Zoom H4 recorder. I know that it's not his responsibility, but he was only asked for an output channel - we had the recorder and the cable.  Hell, I've been to a show where the sound guy asked me if I wanted him to burn a CD of the kids performance.

Is this what these kids are to going to encounter as they migrate away from teen-night venues and into the world of small clubs? I'll have to stop going, because I really wanted to pop him.

On a pretty cool note, the bassist for the band had been using my homemade "Ackbass" (in my avatar) at practice and used it for their entire set.  I was quite proud to see it on stage. 
Have Fun.  Be Nice.  Mean People Suck.

Denis

All sounds awesome except for the sound guy. At which venue does this sound guy work?
Why did Salvador Dali cross the road?
Clocks.

ack1961

Quote from: Denis on April 14, 2011, 12:40:19 PM
All sounds awesome except for the sound guy. At which venue does this sound guy work?

The Pour House - hope he's not a friend.
Like I said, he was nice to everyone but the kids, so if your Surf band gets a gig there you probably won't have an issue.
Have Fun.  Be Nice.  Mean People Suck.

leftybass

Soundmen who aren't assholes are VERY rare, in my experience the nice ones have only been the ones who are employed by the band(because if they weren't nice to us they wouldn't be working for us), if they work for the venue, or are hired for the event, they WILL be assholes. It's a really lame power-trip. Any performing musician will learn early-on that soundmen are assholes. Fact of life.
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Dave W

Too bad, Steve. Some guys get off on making kids feel bad.

My overall experience with venue soundmen has been pretty good.

nofi

sounds like he failed at something that was pretty important to him at one time. like being a musician. maybe that is the 'soundman curse'. btw, how you support  your kids musical interests is great.
"life is a blur of republicans and meat"- zippy the pinhead

jumbodbassman

Quote from: leftybass on April 14, 2011, 12:56:08 PM
Soundmen who aren't assholes are VERY rare, in my experience the nice ones have only been the ones who are employed by the band(because if they weren't nice to us they wouldn't be working for us), if they work for the venue, or are hired for the event, they WILL be assholes. It's a really lame power-trip. Any performing musician will learn early-on that soundmen are assholes. Fact of life.


I have yet to meet one that wasn't...
Sitting in traffic somewhere between CT and NYC
JIM

Psycho Bass Guy

Someone failed at something earlier in life and is worried that his penis is too small. Sadly, that's most "soundguys." Pro's don't act like assholes because they don't have to. Someone who KNOWS what he is doing and is confident in that skill won't have to act like a toddler to do a soundcheck. The icing on the cake was the refusal to provide you an output: little-dick guy doesn't want a record of his inability to perform.

ack1961


Thanks guys.  Sounds like I need to grow some thicker skin if I'm going to be around some of these sound guys. It sounds like the music world is full of 'em.
We've been fortunate so far, as he is the first douche they've had to deal with.

I will say that he did a god job with the house, but his attitude almost made me come unglued, which is not easy to do.
Besides, let's be honest - mixing good house sound it isn't rocket science.
The band also feel that they'd rather tolerate a douche who knows what he's doing than a real nice guy who's either mostly clueless or one who couldn't care less.
If I were in the band, I'd probably feel the same...but as the father, I hate when people yell at kids when they don't deserve it.
Have Fun.  Be Nice.  Mean People Suck.

Denis

Yeah, I know who that sound guy is but his name escapes me at the moment. Plays in a couple of bands and as a bassist in at least one. He's a pretty good sound guy and he's been there for YEARS. Shame he had to act like an ass but in some fairness to him he probably rarely has to deal with kids and all-ages shows there. Sounds like HE needs to lose some of his thick skin...
Why did Salvador Dali cross the road?
Clocks.

Freuds_Cat

Because most of the shows I've done have been 'on the books' I have been able to refer to said books to give me an idea of how many shows I've done in my life. I'm due to do my 1000 show sometime in the next month or two. Hard to pin it down exactly when I can only guess at the number of off the books shows.   ............ anyway....I digress as usual :rolleyes:......

Through all of those shows I have to say that the number of asshole sound guys as a percentage is obscenely high. Sorry that your kids have to put up with it. At least they have experienced people like yourself around to point out exactly how much they should put up with.
Digresion our specialty!

rahock

Quote from: nofi on April 14, 2011, 03:16:21 PM
sounds like he failed at something that was pretty important to him at one time. like being a musician. maybe that is the 'soundman curse'. btw, how you support  your kids musical interests is great.

I've know a lot of sound guys in my day and this is a common profile.
Rick

Basshappi

In have worked as a soundman in the local scene, it is an utterly thankless job with many frustrations. I can completely understand why so many of them become such disagreeable people.

However, what the OP describes I consider to be completely unprofessonal conduct no matter what your job is. Every job has downsides, if you didn't know that going in you should have learned it over time. If you can't deal and behave professionally, quit!

No one should tolerate abuse but newbies need to learn quickly that the music business is vile and filled with petty egoists on powertrips even at the lowest local levels. Until you build some serious cred one has to learn to tapdance in the minefield and even after you do one still has to watch one's step.
Nothing is what it seems but everthing is exactly what it is.

Chaser001

Quote from: Basshappi on April 15, 2011, 02:28:05 PM
In have worked as a soundman in the local scene, it is an utterly thankless job with many frustrations. I can completely understand why so many of them become such disagreeable people.

However, what the OP describes I consider to be completely unprofessonal conduct no matter what your job is. Every job has downsides, if you didn't know that going in you should have learned it over time. If you can't deal and behave professionally, quit!

No one should tolerate abuse but newbies need to learn quickly that the music business is vile and filled with petty egoists on powertrips even at the lowest local levels. Until you build some serious cred one has to learn to tapdance in the minefield and even after you do one still has to watch one's step.

I think you've succeeded in accurately describing the human condition itself, not just the music industry.