Crash and Burn stories

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 8 Jun 2006 8:21 am

One of Bobbe’s recent Tips subjects was talking about what I call “Crash and Burn,” you know, situations where you play and everything falls apart for you? I KNOW some of you warhorses have some great stories.

My recent personal example is when I “played” at a recent Steel Guitar Jam out here in Oregon…the one in Canby put on by Larry Behm and others. Everyone got set up...there I was surrounded by all these pros. Larry was on my right and Mark Simpson on my left...two great players to be sure. And of course one of my local heroes, Harley James, was about three players to my left. Having never been to a jam before, I didn’t know what to expect. I’m a newbie, and I usually practice by playing along with CD’s, doing some padding in the background, then taking fairly short solos...licks here and there on songs I know. Low and behold, the house band kicks off a song, then the first guy takes a whole verse, second guy takes a whole chorus, third one does a whole verse, etc. Yikes...

Panic set in...I didn’t know half of those songs well enough to carry a melody...some I’d never heard before at all. As Larry started taking his turn, I leaned to my left and told Mark, “You take this one…I don’t know it.” I did that about three or four times, and then I heard one I thought would possibly work for me. Better jump in sometime, right? Just as Larry was wrapping up his usual stellar picking, my combination nervous breakdown, panic attack and meltdown manifested itself in all its glory. I forgot the key, I lost the count, my fingers were uncontrollable and felt like rubber. My right foot was pumping like crazy...was it a volume pedal or a wah wah pedal? I created a cacophony of epic proportions!!! Long story short, I finished up whatever it was that I did, sheepishly passed over a few more songs, then slowly got up and silently excused myself. I went to the restroom, then the bar for a drink and then went and sat down to watch all the fine pickers for the rest of the day.

Looking back, it was one of the funniest things that ever happened to me. After each player’s turn, there is the obligatory robust applause...in my case the applause was awkward and looks on the faces on those in the audience was priceless. It was a day I’ll never forget. BTW – the players there were gracious and kind...I guess most of them had been there and done that.

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Mike
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Blue Moon Highway
(Country Music...and then some.)
www.bluemoonhighway.com

[This message was edited by Mike Winter on 08 June 2006 at 09:29 AM.]

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 8 Jun 2006 8:34 am

My heart goes out to you. That has got to be every pickers worst fear. One newbie to another, hang in there pal and better luck next time for sure!

Rick

Ray Minich · Post by **Ray Minich** » 8 Jun 2006 9:04 am

Steeler's growing pains... Been there, endured that, still happens...

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 08 June 2006 at 10:04 AM.]

Mike Perlowin RIP · Post by **Mike Perlowin RIP** » 8 Jun 2006 9:07 am

We don't have the L.A. jam in front of an audience. A few people come and watch, but it's mostly for us pickers. Ditto the San Jose jam (which I think is not being held this year.)

Mike, I encourage you to continue to participate in these jams. The more you do it, the more you'll learn.

Here in L.A. we get newbies and top pros and everybody in between.

One thing we often do, but didn't do this year, was play each others guitars and make fools out of ourselves trying to navigate unfamiliar copendants. (I succeeded in making a fool of myself on my own copedent.)

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My web site

Jim Eaton · Post by **Jim Eaton** » 8 Jun 2006 9:11 am

Well, you got that out of the way and you didn't die from it! Welcome to the club!
We have all had that happen and I'm sure it will happen again to most all of us. Just chalk it up to a pay down on your due's!
JE:-)>

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Emmons D10PP 8/4 -75'
Emmons SD-12PP 3/5
Zum SD-12 5/5 - 91'
76'Session 400
86'Nashville 400
06'Nashville 112

Matthew Prouty · Post by **Matthew Prouty** » 8 Jun 2006 9:45 am

Man oh man! I have been there and done that same thing. I went to a bluegrass jam. My first one just after moving out west. It was small and I did not know any songs. I was so nervous and did not know what to do when it came to my turn. I am sure my playing was worse that day. Those poor old WWII vets at the American Legion that day... The only one smiling was the deaf guy at the bar that had to be 90! From then on I learned some tricks when I do not know the melody or the song. One thing is never to quit. I guess perhaps the greatest help to practice like you play. Forget the CDs and all, get anyone who can play with you and practice together...

Keep on keeping on.

M.

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Matt Prouty
2006 Simmons SD10, 8 String Prouty Lap Steel E13, 1972 Dobro, Fender 5D8 Prouty Copy
My Home Page
matthewprouty@gmail.com

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 8 Jun 2006 10:04 am

My theory is the more of a pro you are, the more times that's happened to you. It's just that the real greats went through all of that long ago, and nobody now remembers....but them.

Ken Thompson · Post by **Ken Thompson** » 8 Jun 2006 11:10 am

Wow Mike, I understand what you are saying. I have not had that situation since there are few steel players in my neighborhood and we have not had a jam. I would have no problem jamming with them but I don't know if I would be able to play well in front of a big audience in that setting. Read my thread on "dance crowds or concert crowds" for more details.

At any rate, you survived and in a few years you will be leading the jam and lending your support to the guy who is in that position at that time. That is how God works so consider it a lesson well learned and prepare to be a mentor to those that come after you.

Larry Strawn · Post by **Larry Strawn** » 8 Jun 2006 1:30 pm

Crash and burn??? Uh Oh!!

I can really relate to that, my most "recent" was week-end before last, playing an instrumental version of Look at Us. Don't know what happened, but it went south in a hand bag, lost the tune and everything, my mind just done a D.O. [dumb out] as I was scrambling around trying to get it together Ginger pulled me out of the fire, she doesn't like to sing that song but she can, bless her heart after she got through one verse of it I had my self composed again,, some what! But for a while there I wanted to crawl under my pac-a-seat
and hide!! LOL...

Steel Guitar,, Crash and Burn??
Don't we just Luv it???

Larry

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"Fessy" S/D 12, 8/6 Hilton Pedal, Sessions 400 Ltd. Home Grown E/F Rack
"ROCKIN COUNTRY"

[This message was edited by Larry Strawn on 08 June 2006 at 02:31 PM.]

Marlin Smoot · Post by **Marlin Smoot** » 8 Jun 2006 2:12 pm

I think a lot of this has to do with a person's internal confidence...not so much playing confidence, but how they handle it as a personality. We all know...no matter how good or fast you play, there's always someone better and faster.

However, I've been told that no matter what you're doing a master can always learn something from the student too...

Funny quick story...I was playing a jam on regular guitar (Tele) and we started a blues song, the other guitar player ripped off a million notes in the song during his part...when it was my turn to play, there was no way I was going to top his excellent playing so I hung onto just one note and just keep picking that one note for my part through the song...the other guys in the band knew what I was doing and were laughing pretty hard at me...but I survived.

It's amazing how much tone and emotion you can put into just one note over 16 bars...

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 8 Jun 2006 3:11 pm

I guess that's one reason I love "live" music so much...it's like theater...it's in the moment, and the situation can go from sheer exhilaration to absolute panic in a heartbeat

Please keep the stories coming fellas...they do make me laugh.

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Mike
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Blue Moon Highway
(Country Music...and then some.)
www.bluemoonhighway.com

Bowie Martin · Post by **Bowie Martin** » 8 Jun 2006 3:46 pm

You can practice to Cd's, play with a band, play dances, etc. - but when you start playing with your fellow steel players staring at you....-the volume pedal starts working like a yo-yo, you forget the chord, the fret, the melody...but when you do it time and time again, it makes you a better player and does get easier and lets you get to where you are more comfortable...and to where you can play up to your potential...Thank goodness I started playing at jams...it has helped me a world. I am still a very middle of the road player, but would not be where I am without playing at jams.

Bob Hickish · Post by **Bob Hickish** » 8 Jun 2006 4:30 pm

Mike
Keep up the good humor on that jam it happens
to all of at one time or another ! here is something that
happened to me , just a few weeks ago !
we were to play a church social , were they normally
have chamber music and we are a western swing / old
county . our main singer / rhythm guitar was sick
so we invited another fellow to take his place , we had played
together before but here is the story , I had a brain failure on
my ride and the fiddle was just stroken cords , he had already
done his part , as I was spinning out I thought sure he would
save me here . he was just about to grab it when the new
guy just quit ! now ! its dead silent , I look up and there
just looking at me - not to mention about a 100 other folks
- what I did then to get even ! -- with
red face and ears - I jammed them back into the tune with
the intro and did it all the way through - I figured they could
help if they wanted to . It was a grand finish and the crowd
forgave me . keep in mind we are all antiques and the brain
failures are part of life but we still have a lot of fun and play
some good tunes now and then .

Hick[This message was edited by Bob Hickish on 08 June 2006 at 05:33 PM.]

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 8 Jun 2006 4:45 pm

Mike,
Great story, and... Don't worry about it!
I didn't know most of those songs either.
I got a chuckle myself when I looked up for a sec during one of my "turns" to catch a guy and his wife (sitting behind where you were set up) with their hands covering their ears! Hey, sorry if it is/was too loud where everyone else in the room is standing/sitting, but it sounds "just right" where I'm sitting!
Take no prisoners!

Jim Phelps · Post by **Jim Phelps** » 8 Jun 2006 4:56 pm

I wish we could always ace them, but unfortunately in real-life it happens this way sometimes. I congratulate you on maintaining a good attitude and humor about it, and would encourage you to keep going for it. Think of it this way, after that experience, what do you have to worry about? ha. Don't let it make you lose your self-confidense. Nobody got hurt, did they?

The worst crash & burn I ever did was at an audition.

I had an audition with a band that was touring, had some CDs out too and were getting airplay. They gave me two CDs and told me to learn a couple songs off them. I learned them and had them down pat, including the guitar solo note-for-note, no problem. I was sure I'd ace the audition, and I should have but for a freak accident.

I have serious allergies and was taking Actifed for them, it was the only thing at the time that helped. I also was working as an engineer in a TV station at the time and had just done graveyard shift, getting off work at 8 a.m. and my audition was for 2 that afternoon.

I got a few hours of sleep and got up, and instead of taking the usual recommended one actifed tablet, I took two, which I sometimes did, so that I wouldn't be bothered by allergies during the audition.

While getting all my stuff together, I wasn't sure if I'd taken the two pills or not... I was still half asleep..... I decided I probably only thought I took them, so I took two.... (two more, I found out later). This was a big mistake. For the record, I don't like drugs and only take what I have to.

I went to the audition and before I even had my guitar and amp out of my jeep, I started feeling very light-headed, and my vision was getting weird, kinda like a sort of tunnel-vision, hard to describe it.

When I was setting up my stuff, I couldn't remember how to plug my effects in, then couldn't find the power switch on my amp, which was right on the front panel but I kept feeling behind it like on a Twin.

Finally we ran through the songs and I was just brain-dead, followed the chords OK (I think) but couldn't play the solo to save my life. It was horrible. The worst part was I knew something was terribly wrong with me but didn't know what. I was aware of everything going on, but couldn't think at all. They asked me who some of my favorite guitarists where, I couldn't even think of a name. I finally sputtered "Chet Atkins".

They were fairly gracious about it, told me to take more time to learn the songs better and we'd try again. I mumbled thanks and went home with my tail between my legs.

When I got home I took out my guitar, set it on my bed and sat there looking at it, wondering what the he<< happened. I turned on the radio, and would you believe, on comes a song by this same singer. What a way to add insult to injury!

I called them back the next day and told them thanks but there will be no more auditions for me until I find out what happened to me over there. I thought maybe it was a panic attack, although I've never had them.

Then sitting at work at the TV station I was airing Donahue, the subject was over-the-counter drugs and their side-effects. They mentioned Actifed and said it is well-known for causing dimentia etc. I thought back and realized I'd taken four of the things before the audition, and boy was I brain-dead. At least now I knew for sure what did it. I was beginning to think I was losing my mind.

It ruined my self-confidence for quite some time. I never took more than one Actifed after that, and it's never happened again.

I did run into the boss/girl singer again about a year later, in church. I was playing with the worship band and she was a featured guest artist. I started telling her what happened, and when I got to the part about taking Actifed for my allergies, she said "excuse me!" and walked away, leaving me standing there. Nice lady.

I take Zirtec for my allergies now...[This message was edited by Jim Phelps on 08 June 2006 at 05:59 PM.]

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 9 Jun 2006 7:29 am

They changed the key of a few songs on me at Eurodisney..
in front of 600+ people.
I got charts, but they was WRONG.

And NOT the easy ones either,
the ones with really positional parts,
and well known hard parts...
SWEAT MUCH!!!

Not just C to D 3 chord shuffles,
but like 7 chord tunes transposed
from C to A or G#.
Chick singer ya know!

I got through, but man I HATE that.

Last time out was completely improvised,
like Earth Wind and Fire tunes I had
NEVER though about on steel...
No idea what will be called next.

BUT I had a much better time winging it,
than worrying about losing an arranged part.

So just get out there again,
and have fun with it...
That's what the jams are for.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 09 June 2006 at 08:30 AM.]

Larry Bell · Post by **Larry Bell** » 9 Jun 2006 8:34 am

Been playing about five years -- late 70s

An acquaintance steel player was putting on a showcase / concert with Buddy Emmons and Scotty and I was asked to play. I had heard of the band being used as the house / backup band and ASSUMED they were pretty good. I also ASSUMED that Scotty and several other steel players would play.

I put together a set and made good charts AND a tape which I sent to the address I was given for the bandleader -- a couple of weeks in advance.

Got there -- Buddy's 'Derby Power' van and Scotty's van were both there in the parking lot. The band was just setting up when I arrived. Went in, introduced myself to the band, and started setting up. Went over and said hi to Buddy and Scotty and people started arriving.

CRASH & BURN #1: NO OTHER STEEL PLAYERS SHOWED UP. I asked the promoter -- "NO, it's just YOU and EMMONS".

CRASH & BURN #2: A bit shaken from C&B #1, I went up to do my set. Ready to do a set of some NON-STANDARD tunes -- a couple of originals, Paul Franklin's 'Just Pickin' and tunes like that, I turned to the band leader and said, 'Lets do Just Pickin' -- first one off the tape I sent you. He said . . .
. . . "WHAT TAPE?"

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Larry Bell - email: larry@larrybell.org - gigs - Home Page
My CD's: 'I've Got Friends in COLD Places' - 'Pedal Steel Guitar'
2003 Fessenden S/D-12 8x8, 1969 Emmons S/D-12 6x6, 1984 Sho-Bud S/D-12 7x6, 1971 Dobro, Standel and Peavey Amps

Gordon Borland · Post by **Gordon Borland** » 9 Jun 2006 11:32 am

I am a comedian.
I became one when I took up the steel guitar.
The first time it hit the fan in a band on stage everything failed me same as your story. Something took over my body because I was as surprised as everyone else when I picked the top string first fret and did a long slow police siren gliss for as long as my ride was supposed to be. Most everyone started to laugh except the singer.

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Gordon Borland
MSA D10,FENDER STEEL KING,

Larry Behm · Post by **Larry Behm** » 9 Jun 2006 3:32 pm

I had to sit next to Mike, I tell you this was really embarrassing, Mike what were you thinking, or were you thinking. To put us through this, well you should have been shot. Hee Hee Hee.

Jeff Newman tells the same story, Curly C on one side on guitar or bass,and Buddy on the other side on guitar or bass. Curly leaned over to Jeff and asked him if his tremelo was on. Jeff said he did not have an amp with tremelo. Oh!

Larry Behm

Mike Winter · Post by **Mike Winter** » 9 Jun 2006 4:47 pm

These stories are great! Please keep them coming.

Larry...that was TOO funny.

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Mike
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Blue Moon Highway
(Country Music...and then some.)
www.bluemoonhighway.com