Would you do the same thing?

The Crusher

The non chosen one!
Let me set the scenario. Group of 10-12 people that used to get together at our local moose lodge and enjoy playing open jam rule flatop's and singing. 4 guys (older than me) I am near 50 decided that they needed to chase of the 4 women that were there in their learning stages, because they were a pain and holding them back. That never would have happened if I were there as I believe that people have helped each of us along the way at one time or another as musicians and you should always pay that back ten fold. Are you with me so far?

None of them are lead players (they set and strum cowboy chords only) and they loved how I could just play anything pick melodies to any song, even if I never played it before, if you play leads, you know this is not difficult if you know what key you are in. So, a new guy shows up and is a drummer that wants to play guitar along with one of the old guys who is a bass player (it is always the bass players fault) The new guitar drummer guy cannot play very long because he has problems with his hands from diabetes, so he open tunes his guitar and another guitar and starts using a slide and then tells the illustrious 4 that I suck and shouldn't be playing anything below the first 5 frets.....WTF???? right?


I find out after making a few calls after him telling everyone that he was in bands with this guy and that guy for years and talk to those guys as I know everyone in the local music scene that he played with them for a very short time and then began to cause problems and was given the boot. He is jealous as hell that I can rip off leads to Iron Maiden, or Hank Williams, to BB King. He has the 4 thinking that he is the greatest thing since sliced bread and I told them any idiot can take an open tuned guitar and play it, he just strums the open tuned "E" most of the time. They told me that they hate how I play because they can't follow me, I told them to play their cowboy chords as they are the rhythm section and I am the lead player and they aren't supposed to follow me.

Anyway back to the best part, last Tuesday the Bass player starts bumping his gums about you are off key, I said I don't think so, but if you think that you may want to turn up your hearing aid. After that I began playing the vocal melody to every song that he sang. He bitched again and said I was so off key that it was terrible, I told him that he was very funny, because he was singing exactly what I was playing so he must be off key as well. He is irritated then and says, you know, you can play great lead to rock music and blues, but you suck at country music. I said really! Lets not forget that your beloved country music came from the blues....he was really pissed then and another guy started in to try to help him. I told the bass player that I would challenge him to any song of his choosing, he plays the lead to it first and then I would play it and it would be 10 times better, so he started playing some Willie Nelson song and says there you go, all smiles wanting me to play the lead....I said well the deal was you play the lead first, but since I know the song changes keys and there is no lead to it I will give it a shot, because I know you can't play any lead at all. I did and made a mistake and he started running his mouth right away, I told him I wasn't perfect and never played it before, but if he would shut his hole I would have it figured out by the end. He continued to run his mouth and the bar tender told us to take it outside, I told her I couldn't wait because two of them were gonna take a good ass whippin....the bass player got all butt hurt because I threatened him, I told him that maybe he should just shut the hell up and play then...lol! They don't like me anymore, but I will still go, because they can't push me around like they did the women, lmao!

Sorry so long!
 
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Jams are supposed to be fun. With that in mind I would tell them to fuck off and find another jam night somewhere.
 
I agree whole heartedly, it is supposed to be fun for everyone and anyone is welcome. Any kind of music can be played if you don't like it or can't play it, set it out. It just grinds my ass that these guys think that they run everything and pushed the women out, because they had to help them and then tried to push me out because one guy was jealous because he can't play like I can. Hell I would take the opportunity to use the 2 ears that god gave me and listen after asking questions and learning something. I am always willing to help anyone if they ask. However, he burned that bridge. I am off to go be a pain in their asses! LMAO!
 
My pearl of OGG wisdom for the day:

When the music stops being fun, it's time to move on. Letting go is hard, but once you do, something bigger and better is sure to follow.
 
Jams are supposed to be fun. With that in mind I would tell them to fuck off and find another jam night somewhere.
yeah. an open jam isn't something to fight about. you know when it's an open jam up front you're going to have some characters who probably don't play well with others or too damned drunk to play with others. you might go back one time to prove your point but after that i wouldn't go if it's just a big pissing contest. but, what do i know? i'm a bass player
 
^^ Yeah, I'm with these guys. Life is too short to be trapped in a jam situation like that. The slide guy sounds like an insecure prick. Let him and the 4 old guys enjoy their group. Get together with some new guys, or hit up the ladies who got the boot.
 
I am basically with these guys, except unless there is some realistic chance of it returning to a fun situation if you talk to some of the guys about it, I would not even waste the energy giving a reason or discussing it. I would just excuse myself and move on. I do not see the benefit in giving the drummer knucklehead (EDIT: Excuse me, I meant the bass knucklehead) any satisfaction, and if the other guys are being swayed by him, they are not worth it.
 
That's hilarious! Of course they are doing it on a wood pile with a high possibility of falling off or getting a foot or leg caught and breaking it or twisting their knee etc. (says the guy whose friend nearly lost his college swimming scholarship due to twisting his knee wrassling in the hay loft at a college kegger on someone's farm).
 
Well, it was a fun night as none of them showed up and the girls that they chased off showed up as did a few new people that I have played with before and we gave some instruction and then played some easy songs and everyone was included and had fun. That is how it is supposed to go :)
 
Well, it was a fun night as none of them showed up and the girls that they chased off showed up as did a few new people that I have played with before and we gave some instruction and then played some easy songs and everyone was included and had fun. That is how it is supposed to go :)

Yep. :thu:
 
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