tinman1 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 First, EC is not 70. He just hit 69 a cupla months before I do. Neither of us, as far as I can tell, are sitting in a rocking chair drooling. I just finished three weeks of roughly 80+ hours on the job per week and I don't know any of the "kids" who are willing to try to keep up - which is partly why I did. The one thing that will happen as we age as performers is that at times some of us will figure that if stuff doesn't go "as it should," there may be a tendency to not want to continue if we perceive it may make us look lesser as technicians and performers. Others in the same age group - whatever it is - may simply keep playing even if the power went off and nobody can hear. Which response is better? I dunno. I've actually done both. Felt "dumb" with both responses. m I rounded up to 70 to make my point. He's 9 months off it if you want to split hairs. I never suggested that all 69/ 70 year olds "sit and drool" all day (although some do). Congratulations on your own fitness and good health though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinman1 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Whatever the cause, the venue should return a pro-rated cost of the ticket. Whether the "talent" is at fault or the venue is at fault, the ticket holder is the venue's customer. If you got 75% of a promised show, I think the venue owes the ticket holders at least a 25% refund. If the "talent" was at fault, that is between the venue and the talent. How much is half of "Cocaine" worth?! As I pointed out earlier the Leeds show the next night had exactly the same number of songs, as far as I can tell the only difference is that he finished them all!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Tinman... Yeah, I'm pretty lucky from the genetics. I smoke, drink and use bad language too. Flirt with the young girls - at least after they're grown up enough to be interesting, like around 50 or so. Luckily my wife would never shoot me by accident. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinman1 Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Tinman... Yeah, I'm pretty lucky from the genetics. I smoke, drink and use bad language too. Flirt with the young girls - at least after they're grown up enough to be interesting, like around 50 or so. Luckily my wife would never shoot me by accident. m Lol, all good advice I'm sure! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I have to think that not only this thread, but countless discussions all over the world have given the topic more responses, and opinions than EC himself had concerning the problem. I can see it now, he probably raised hell with his road manager, and from the sh-- rolls down hill. But whether he is 68 69 70, my God how many shows does he do a year, and at that age I think he is doing pretty damn good. So if he puts on 100? 200? shows a year, and has one or two bad nights whether its equipment at fault, or Ec himself just not feeling 100%, I think he has a right to demand perfection from the people who are there to make sure that kind of crap does not happen. But as we all know, "sh-- happens". But I aggree, maybe he should have handled it a little different. I still would love to see him before he hangs it up. I may not think he a guitar God<I dont think there is and never will be> but he is surely a living legend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 BRC... George Strait is seven years younger than EC and me... and he sez he's hanging up the concert schedule. A lot depends, I think, on general health and, perhaps more than that, a type of endurance and recognition when it may be better for a thousand reasons to quit the road. I've known pros who lasted into their 30s and others into their 60s and beyond who kept up concert schedules before deciding it just didn't work for them any more. It's a tough lifestyle regardless of cash. Anybody who travels a lot for "work" knows that. As a lady friend who gave up the concert road in her 30s put it, it just wasn't fun any more - and increasingly more work. I don't know how EC does it. Leo Kottke - a month younger than I am - has around 20 more concerts this year across the U.S. Something like three a month plus travel seems enough to me. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Tinman... ..Luckily my wife would never shoot me by accident. m Soooooo you're saying she would shoot you "intentionally"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 ...I saw BB King a couple of years ago and remember initially being disappointed when the lights went up after about 80mins. Then I came to my senses and realised he was 85 (at the time)! I was lucky to see him at all before it's too late. I saw him here in Des Moines back when he was a youthful 80. He sat the entire gig and he talked more than he played & I still didn't care. He was worth every nickel. Even all those nickels it cost me to buy my very own Lucille the next day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I have to think that not only this thread, but countless discussions all over the world have given the topic more responses, and opinions than EC himself had concerning the problem. I can see it now, he probably raised hell with his road manager, and from the sh-- rolls down hill. But whether he is 68 69 70, my God how many shows does he do a year, and at that age I think he is doing pretty damn good. So if he puts on 100? 200? shows a year, and has one or two bad nights whether its equipment at fault, or Ec himself just not feeling 100%, I think he has a right to demand perfection from the people who are there to make sure that kind of crap does not happen. But as we all know, "sh-- happens". But I aggree, maybe he should have handled it a little different. I still would love to see him before he hangs it up. I may not think he a guitar God<I dont think there is and never will be> but he is surely a living legend I agree mostly ... but he should also consider how much the people at THAT show paid. How much traffic, crowd, schedules and other bullshit it took for them to get there. To stomp and put shows what a narcissistic SOB he is. His fans made him. He owse them. Very unprofessional, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 I agree mostly ... but he should also consider how much the people at THAT show paid. How much traffic, crowd, schedules and other bullshit it took for them to get there. To stomp and put shows what a narcissistic SOB he is. His fans made him. He owse them. Very unprofessional, IMO. I totally aggree with you, and stated the same in a couple of posts above my last post. How many fans scrapped together enough money to buy those tickets. So yes, I think it could have been handled so much better. People like EC, BB King, Keith Richards <even though I am not a Huge fan of KR> but they wont be around for ever. Its very possible that many of those fans who felt like he walked out on them, may never get a chance to see him again. I guess I can see both sides, but clearly, we may not know the complete reason why it happened the way it did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saturn Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Up until this even, I have never heard of EC conducting himself as anything other than a consummate professional. I've never had the pleasure of seeing him live, but in any performance footage, interview etc. he has always come off as the epitome of class IMO. (as a musician...I'm not commenting on his worthiness as a husband, friend, father....). So, as much as I am shocked and saddened that he would put a stain on his reputation with this behavior, I still kind of give him a pass. No one is perfect and even a pro like EC might "lose it" at some point. It would be nice if he could make some type of gesture to atone to the fans he alienated that night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Eric Clapton: Unfortunately last night we experienced a steadily worsening technical problem with the PA system that the band battled with throughout the show but by the last song of the set it became unbearable on stage and Eric was unable to complete that number. During the encore break we were able to reset and the band finished as planned with the last number. The usual touring set length runs at 1hr 35 mins so in fact the full set was performed apart from the entirety of “cocaine” which had to be curtailed. Eric is nevertheless sorry for the break in the concert and the disappointment of his fans. So, in essence, the crowd missed part of one song. Quit whining and get over it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 So, in essence, the crowd missed part of one song. Quit whining and get over it. Not whining...I wasn't even there. Just posting what's been written for information purposes only. EC's always been a Pro, and a gentleman, in in concerts I've seen. Other's opinions, and experiences may vary. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted June 23, 2014 Share Posted June 23, 2014 Not whining...I wasn't even there. Just posting what's been written for information purposes only. EC's always been a Pro, and a gentleman, in in concerts I've seen. Other's opinions, and experiences may vary. CB So sorry, CB. I didn't mean to imply that you were whining. I was referring to a few others in this thread. EC takes a vacation for one song, and the next thing you know, he's an old, home wrecking, fuddy duddy incapable of controlling his bowels. Tough crowd... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 So sorry, CB. I didn't mean to imply that you were whining. I was referring to a few others in this thread. EC takes a vacation for one song, and the next thing you know, he's an old, home wrecking, fuddy duddy incapable of controlling his bowels. Tough crowd... LOL...yeah, I hear that! CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjsinla Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 What I don't get is how does anybody know how long the set was supposed to be anyway? I always just assumed that a musician played as long as he wanted to as the time is not listed on the ticket when you buy it. It's not like he pulled a Guns and Roses and stormed off after one song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brc Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 So sorry, CB. I didn't mean to imply that you were whining. I was referring to a few others in this thread. EC takes a vacation for one song, and the next thing you know, he's an old, home wrecking, fuddy duddy incapable of controlling his bowels. Tough crowd... LOL. I aggree completly about that part, washed up, old man, home wrecker, yada yada yada. Dont think so! Only thing is I think some even from the EC camp should have explained. Never understood why his private life even entered into a discussion about his live performance. Damn, that was years ago. To me he is one of the few living legends I would love to see perform live Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobF_ Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 So sorry, CB. I didn't mean to imply that you were whining. I was referring to a few others in this thread. EC takes a vacation for one song, and the next thing you know, he's an old, home wrecking, fuddy duddy incapable of controlling his bowels. Tough crowd... The bowels part was a sarcastic way of saying the problem could have been *anything*. That doesn't excuse his leaving everybody in the dark. If the problem was personal or embarassing he could have easily done what politicians do. Have somebody come out and lie to the crowd. Hell, a carefully crafted lie could have had everybody feeling sorry for him instead of being mad at him. Information vacuums always get filled. Might as well fill it with truth before it's too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 What I don't get is how does anybody know how long the set was supposed to be anyway? I always just assumed that a musician played as long as he wanted to as the time is not listed on the ticket when you buy it. It's not like he pulled a Guns and Roses and stormed off after one song. Well, I think each tour has a set list of songs, and duration. With (always) the possiblity of adding, or deleting, as the tour goes on, and they see what gets the best response, etc. If it's been a great night, and all are "up," they might do more oncore songs, than normal, or less so, or adjusted, if there is a venue time constraint (which, apparently, there was, in Glasgow). So, yeah, I'm sure there's a kind of "standard" time limit, that the song list, for each tour, dictates. They would know that, at the very least. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest EastEnder Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Deleted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10K-DB Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 I think he ordered a pizza,,and went to pick it up,,thats the only thing that could explain it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Rev... Did I suggest what you suggested I suggested? <chortle> m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RevDavidLee Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Rev... Did I suggest what you suggested I suggested? <chortle> m Yep Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Well, she's a better marksman than bass player. We're also pretty good friends, that helps mitigate matrimonial vicissitudes. m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimi Mac Posted June 24, 2014 Share Posted June 24, 2014 Information vacuums always get filled. Might as well fill it with truth before it's too late. There's alot to be said for that... Not sure what people expect, and IMHO, he doesn't owe anybody anything, but a show. And he played "a show." Beyond that if anyone feels entitled to anything more, that's not only intellectually dishonest, it's evidential of possession of an extra chromosome! Nobody owes me nothin'! If I buy a ticket to a show and I get a show, even with a technical difficulty somewhere within, I still got my show... He don't owe nobody nuthin'! To suggest otherwise is ludicrous! Could his crew have handled it better? Of course! Is it his to own? Possibly, but I would suggest he went to his dressing room and was informed his people were handling it and would get him as soon as it was ready. Furthermore I would suggest that he probably expected his people had done just what folks are talking about and the failure of his road crew and/or publicity people, that no doubt are part of his entourage, to have the slightest class to have one of the roadies walk up to the mike and say; "bear with us, we're experiencing technical difficulties, we'll get the band back out here in a jiffy" isn't something I would ever have the audacity or self-centeredness to expect Clapton to do for himself! I would expect he thought the people responsible for such information would have done their job and informed the audience, and that he probably had no idea that nobody had done so... Intercom happens... Not sure I buy the average show of an hour and 35 minutes deal, that sounds a little CYA from his publicity people, but he could probably make that case if they really wanted to... It would never have had to have been issued as an excuse if they had simply done their job (not Eric's) up front and informed the audience with a simple statement when he left the stage... To me this is much ado about nothing! Would I be disappointed? Of course! I was at a show in an intimate little club with a little upstairs mezzanine/balcony deal that was no bigger than a standard house deck. It was a show by Bluesman Lonnie Brooks (Lee Baker) back in the 80's or early 90's... He was workin' the crowd and on a floor walk with his guitar early in the show when he caught the cable from his axe to the wireless rig on his strap and it yanked the cord out of the wireless rig and all guitar sound ceased... His techies flocked to him and tried to help but the wireless rig was done. It became time for an impromptu intermission. When they were fidgeting with his wireless he looked up the stairs where he was about to go with his axe when all hell broke loose and caught my eye. I waved to him and he smiled and trod up the stairs and sat in my booth next to me and spent the entire intermission sitting with me and my buddy just chatting blues... He was immediately flocked by fans and signed dozens of autographs and I had the privilege of his company, autograph, and sharing a beer with Lonnie Brooks. The intermission went on nearly an hour while his people set up non-wireless equipment and went thru new sound checks before he played another full set to finish the show... Nobody complained... Did he go above and beyond? I don't think so, I think the "show" remained as long as he had planned to play for anyway... True enough I got one of those once-in-a-lifetime events when he came and sat at my table, but I don't think anyone in the audience was ready to lynch him for the issue... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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