Steelguitar-roadie

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 19 Feb 2002 2:45 pm

Who of you is in that luxuary position to have one?
Well, I don't! I have a guy that sets my pedal-steel and rack up and puts it back in the case safe, but I don't trust him doing more than that, without me final checking before I play.
But if you have or had one, what would you trust him to do? besides carrying the axe

setting up?
Putting in the case?
all wiring with pedal, effects, amps, PA ?
Line-checking?
Sound Checking?
Tuning?
Changing Strings?
Maybe some of the pro's can fill us in

Thanks, JJ
[This message was edited by Johan Jansen on 19 February 2002 at 02:46 PM.][This message was edited by Johan Jansen on 19 February 2002 at 02:55 PM.]

Ray Montee (RIP) · Post by **Ray Montee (RIP)** » 19 Feb 2002 2:47 pm

No body touches my guitar, my woman, or, my Jerry Byrd records! Okay?

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 19 Feb 2002 2:49 pm

For me, this is getting... um... rather hypothetical...

Johan Jansen · Post by **Johan Jansen** » 19 Feb 2002 2:57 pm

Jim, this is gonna be fun! LOL, JJ

Earl Foote · Post by **Earl Foote** » 19 Feb 2002 5:17 pm

You guys don't have roadies? I just assumed everyone had roadies!

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 19 Feb 2002 5:54 pm

I used to be Kenny Dail's Roadie, but I got fired, I could set up and Tear down His Push Pull, but When I wanted to connect the wires , The Ole F@rt Fired me and moved away.

Jim
He never would let me touch the Blue Mullen either.

Some Days (most Days) a roadie gets no respect.

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John
[This message was edited by John Floyd on 19 February 2002 at 05:58 PM.]

Doug Jones · Post by **Doug Jones** » 19 Feb 2002 7:19 pm

When we opened for Clint Black, ole Jeff Peterson had it pretty cush. Part of Clint's crew, included a hard-ass road/tech manager, a wardrobe lady, sound and light techs and roadies. Jeff's Emmons was already set and cabled up. All he had to do was fine tune the steel, check with the wardrobe lady and get his shirt, do the show, return the shirt and off to the band's bus for Miller time. When we do shows that have a stage crew, decent catering and nice rooms, I'm a happy boy!

Steve Byam · Post by **Steve Byam** » 19 Feb 2002 7:59 pm

Any time you hear the the phrase " we have someone to set your gear", usually translates into, somewhere down the road they are gonna break something, loss something, or put your rods on backwards, after a hard night of kissin grandma(drinkin straight from the bottle, usually whiskey or some other disrilled mess)do yourseleves a favor,set your own gear up,we all probably need the excersise...Steve

Allan Thompson · Post by **Allan Thompson** » 20 Feb 2002 2:54 am

We have a roadie and the only thing he gets to do with my guitar is carry it. That`s in the case, I wouldn`t let him touch it set up.

CrowBear Schmitt · Post by **CrowBear Schmitt** » 20 Feb 2002 5:43 am

i got a Roadie ! (my own badself!)
i was a Roadie before i became a Musician.
i was better off learnin how to care of the gear before gettin' to play on it !
the guys i worked for treated me as part of the band considering the gear was'nt dammaged and ready to be used, on time !
i learned a lot from those days.
As for a Steel Roadie, how many are there to be found ? very very few, i'm sure.
Guitbox Roadie is the closest thing...
i'm sure a Steeler is going to check his rig before blowin' away...
just ask a good Buddy to come and help you lug and set up the gear for a Burger,Shake and free show !
otherwise it's going to have to be your main squeeze.
Steel luggin' mine ...

[This message was edited by CrowBear Schmitt on 21 February 2002 at 05:24 AM.]

Jay Jessup · Post by **Jay Jessup** » 20 Feb 2002 6:42 am

The band I was in back in the early 80's had a roadie and a soundman that moved all the equipment and did all the setup. I played three instruments and had several amps. All I did was run the cables and tune up. Through two different roadies and three soundmen I never had one problem with setup, the cases looked a little rough after I quit but the instruments were fine.

John Macy · Post by **John Macy** » 20 Feb 2002 8:11 am

There is a (fairly bent) website about roadies--maybe more information than needed

.
www.roadie.net

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 20 Feb 2002 8:46 am

Back in the '60s, I did some "special services" touring (U.S.O circuit) and it sure was nice to have the grunts unload the equipment from our bus/trucks and hump it onto the stage for us, and then back again at the end of the show. Usually, there was a sargent around to make sure they didn't waste any time doing it, either! The N.C.O. clubs were our favorite venue (sometimes, the E.M. clubs would get a little rowdy).

Frank Estes · Post by **Frank Estes** » 20 Feb 2002 9:04 am

Hmmm...I thought a "roadie" was another name for a "groupie."

John Sluszny · Post by **John Sluszny** » 20 Feb 2002 9:28 am

Hey JJ.
Roadies for steelers.Caddies for golfers!

Jim Smith · Post by **Jim Smith** » 20 Feb 2002 9:35 am

Isn't a roadie kinda like a drummer, a guy that hangs around with musicians?

Leigh Howell · Post by **Leigh Howell** » 20 Feb 2002 11:44 am

Jim.
Whoooops!!!

Paul Graupp · Post by **Paul Graupp** » 20 Feb 2002 11:48 am

Donny: There was a story in Europe about one of the enlisted clubs that had a bad reputation. They said one night the lights went out during a lightning storm and it sounded like someone shuffling a deck of cards when the knifes came out.

Regards, Paul

B Bailey Brown · Post by **B Bailey Brown** » 20 Feb 2002 2:53 pm

Hmmm..I have never had a “road” gig, so I have always been my own “roadie”. Like most of the other posters in this thread, I am not sure that even if I found one, I would trust them to mess with my guitar.

Well wait a minute! I did have one once. Our band was working a wedding reception in Acuna, Mexico several years ago. Yea, it was our first and ONLY international gig.

I took my equipment out and put it in the band trailer (not where it ever traveled before), because everything had to go across the boarder together. Some kind of Mexican customs thing about bringing electronic equipment in to their country. I joined the band in Del Rio later in the day and went across the boarder with them. They had taken the equipment in several hours before and set it up. When I got there the drummer had been kind enough to set up my Amp and Pac-A-Seat, but was smart enough NOT to mess with the steel. I set up the guitar, sat down and started tuning it up. After about 4 minutes there was a big crash, and I was lying flat on my back! The drummer had this funny look on his face, and said, “What the heck happened?!” I got up, dusted myself off and turned the Pac-A Seat over and said “Dudley (that is the drummer), see these legs?.” He said “Yea”, “and see these two little bars that kind of fold over?” He said “Yea”. I said, “Then you see this little crossbar device?” He said “Yea”. I said, “Dudley, the little cross bar thing is what locks the legs in place. If you don’t do that and tighten down the wing nut…then I FALL ON MY ASS!!!” His comment was…”Ooppss…sorry B.”

I rest my case about “roadies”.

B. Bailey Brown
[This message was edited by B Bailey Brown on 20 February 2002 at 02:59 PM.]

John Floyd · Post by **John Floyd** » 20 Feb 2002 3:04 pm

Never, Never, Never let a Drummer mess with your Rig, Their Iq isn't high enough to handle one moving part.

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John

Bill Terry · Post by **Bill Terry** » 20 Feb 2002 3:23 pm

I worked the Honky Tonk stage at Billy Bob's one night in FW a few years back and Mark Chesnutt was the headliner. "Slim" (Yamaguchi..??? sorry... don't remember the last name, heck of a player though) was his steel player.

When they were done the roadies where moving cases and crap around everywhere, but Slim's steel was untouched. After about 20 or so minutes, Slim came out in cutoffs and tennis shoes amd broke down and cased his own rig.

Closest I ever come to a roadie is when you do one of those shows with several bands and a contracted sound system. They sometimes have a couple of guys from the production company to grunt your stuff up the ramp and on to the stage.

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Home Page

Mike Jones · Post by **Mike Jones** » 20 Feb 2002 3:26 pm

When I worked the road with Mandrell, we had several guitar techs that would set the guitar and rack and seat up. All I had to do was run the cords to the rack and fire it up. Tune the guitar, check the ear monitor level and play. After the show I would come out and tear the guitar down and put it in the case. The crew would then load the gear onto the trucks for transport to the next city.
When I was with Connie Smith I was my own roadie, but I didn't care. I loved to hear her sing.

B Bailey Brown · Post by **B Bailey Brown** » 20 Feb 2002 4:19 pm

When I was with Connie Smith I was my own roadie, but I didn't care. I loved to hear her sing.

Good Grief Mike!! To hear that woman sing, I would have carried my rig, her guitar, and anything else that somebody asked me to carry! Heck, if I could have figured out the gears I probably would have driven the bus! What a wonderful job that must have been!

B. Bailey Brown

Jeff Peterson · Post by **Jeff Peterson** » 20 Feb 2002 5:19 pm

Well all right! Steve Byam on the forum...I for one, am excited! There are no roadies working anymore.....they are all 'techs'. Most do multiple jobs...keys and guitar, drums and guitar, guitar and fiddle, etc. The guys on our crew are multi-faceted and are ball-busters...they all work hard and fast, and are always there for you no matter what the problem or concern. I take the time to train at least two guys to do a complete set-up...this is mainly so they can line-check if the band has not arrived yet. Yes, our wardrobe girl is fantastic! Her name is Eileen Licitri, very Italian...very sweet, and pretty much treats the band like a whole bunch of baby brothers. She has designed/coordinated wardrobe for everyone from The Pretenders to Stars on Ice.
And, it's always Miller-time![This message was edited by Jeff Peterson on 20 February 2002 at 05:20 PM.]

Jason Stillwell · Post by **Jason Stillwell** » 20 Feb 2002 8:11 pm

I remember going to see Vince in '92, and I remember being rather surprised to see John Hughey rolling up his own guitar cables after the show. That was before I messed with steel; now I understand.