Wednesday, April 08, 2009
HRH auditions new road crew
Well like most things in the business world it`s the behind the scene people that tend to do all the work and get very little credit. The same is true for roadies. The roadie holds in esteem the very tradition of getting things done like driving the truck all night through a snow storm to set up in the morning for the next gig, or making sure the beer is cold. You know, important things like that. With out the roadies most band musicians wouldn`t know which end of a 1/4" jack gets plugged into the speaker and which end into the mixer.
I think he is getting ready to eat that bird. It's probably the acid he took for breakfast making him hungry. I doubt he'll cook it..... in fact he is on his way to assemble the Zipper, so he might as well just eat there...
The modern carnies likes to blend into the typical fair crowd as not to arouse suspicion that he may be on any drugs or alcohol. Heck, that Zipper just about sets itself up these days. But just like his dad back in 1975, it's all about getting the local girls into "the Big Tent" cause the bearded lady and strong man are throwing a little party...
Rock Bands have always used roadies. Over the years the technical demands grew higher as the equipment got more sophisticated. The modern day roadie needs to know his way around digital audio, hold a class 1-A, have a degree in baby sitting to pacify whiney musicians, agents and promoters as well as a musical back ground to set up and tune and play every instrument ever made.
Do you recall the story about Lynard Skynard band so drunk that the roadies actually stood behind the wall of amplifier's and played the guitars while the band faked it?
Here is a picture of the 1975 roadie:
Notice that while the band is playing this man is back stage helping himself to the rider.
(or at least the booze the drummer snuck in)
And alas, the evolved roadie
This man stands proudly among the tools of his trade (which cost about as much as a condo on the west side) fully aware of every piece of gear and how it interacts with every other piece of gear. Notice no empties, no day old lunch wrappers, no fooling around.
This guy means business.
BUT you don't start out here, like every job you got to pay your dues... A lot of late night's, long days and a lot of lifting.... Then you get to unpack boxes, stack up gear, unwrap cables......
Anyway you are starting to get the idea. It is a thankless job. And because it is a thankless job we don't want to have to do it our selves!
So we decided to have audition to recruit a new bread of roadie! Also we didn't just want one, so we hired a whole team of roadies. Roadies that knew if they couldn't get the job done they could sucker some one else into doing the heavy work.
Now your asking your self, "What team of roadies could possibly make ME load gear at 2:30 in the morning?"
Here they are kids, not only can they sucker most guys into hanging around and moving gear, but they all qualify as skilled bar tenders! Note the dedication to all get the same HRH tatoo's.
Looking forward to the next road trip!
(*all photo's stolen from the net are now my property and ask before you use them or my roadies will kick your ass)
So don't get roadies confused with Carnies. Carnies are totally different animals, and for the most part crazy. Some carnies have the worst jobs in the world. In the life of a roadie the worst job would be the monitor mixer guy, and that's because no one is ever happy with there monitors. Typically it isn't due to the roadie, but usually due to a high maintenance musician who can't sing worth crap anyway.
I once had a sound man tell me that a chick singer in a old 90's band told him the "bounce back from the mains was coming into her monitor AT A DIFFERENT KEY!)
This is why carnies are crazy...... Just how many peanuts did that elephant eat??
Roadies, unlike Carnies have evolved over the years. Here is a typical Carnival worker from 1975
I think he is getting ready to eat that bird. It's probably the acid he took for breakfast making him hungry. I doubt he'll cook it..... in fact he is on his way to assemble the Zipper, so he might as well just eat there...
Now here is a Carnival worker today;
The modern carnies likes to blend into the typical fair crowd as not to arouse suspicion that he may be on any drugs or alcohol. Heck, that Zipper just about sets itself up these days. But just like his dad back in 1975, it's all about getting the local girls into "the Big Tent" cause the bearded lady and strong man are throwing a little party...
Rock Bands have always used roadies. Over the years the technical demands grew higher as the equipment got more sophisticated. The modern day roadie needs to know his way around digital audio, hold a class 1-A, have a degree in baby sitting to pacify whiney musicians, agents and promoters as well as a musical back ground to set up and tune and play every instrument ever made.
Do you recall the story about Lynard Skynard band so drunk that the roadies actually stood behind the wall of amplifier's and played the guitars while the band faked it?
Here is a picture of the 1975 roadie:
Notice that while the band is playing this man is back stage helping himself to the rider.
(or at least the booze the drummer snuck in)
And alas, the evolved roadie
This man stands proudly among the tools of his trade (which cost about as much as a condo on the west side) fully aware of every piece of gear and how it interacts with every other piece of gear. Notice no empties, no day old lunch wrappers, no fooling around.
This guy means business.
BUT you don't start out here, like every job you got to pay your dues... A lot of late night's, long days and a lot of lifting.... Then you get to unpack boxes, stack up gear, unwrap cables......
Anyway you are starting to get the idea. It is a thankless job. And because it is a thankless job we don't want to have to do it our selves!
So we decided to have audition to recruit a new bread of roadie! Also we didn't just want one, so we hired a whole team of roadies. Roadies that knew if they couldn't get the job done they could sucker some one else into doing the heavy work.
Now your asking your self, "What team of roadies could possibly make ME load gear at 2:30 in the morning?"
Here they are kids, not only can they sucker most guys into hanging around and moving gear, but they all qualify as skilled bar tenders! Note the dedication to all get the same HRH tatoo's.
Looking forward to the next road trip!
(*all photo's stolen from the net are now my property and ask before you use them or my roadies will kick your ass)
Labels: carnies, gear, junk, Roadies, soup
