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Frustrated Soundman
Many residents of the Naked City could relate to this guy’s story,
am I right? Read it, and instead of weeping, let’s slap some sense
into this character -
Wondering if you have had this question
before.
PROBABLY, BUT GO AHEAD.
I work for a local company with dreams of going regional/national.
YOU HAVE SOMETHING IN COMMON WITH MANY FELLOW AMERICANS!
AND FOREIGNERS, TOO!
Although my employer never seems to get
the gigs.
SEE, YOU HAVE EVEN MORE IN COMMON WITH MANY DIFFERENT
AUDIO SERVANTS! AND PEOPLE ALL OVER, WHO WORK FOR CATERERS, TOP-40
BANDS, LASER COMPANIES, GARDENING SERVICES AND OF COURSE THE HIGHLY
SKILLED “ZAMBONI” TECHNICIANS, WHO PERFORM THEIR WORK IN FULL VIEW
OF THE PAYING AUDIENCE, AT YOUR LOCAL ICE HOCKEY ARENA!
Meanwhile I am stuck running his system
in a club, which I am also employed by (we won't get into how not
much I get paid).
DO YOU WANT SOME CHEESE TO GO WITH THAT WHINE? BUCK
UP, BUCKEROO! THINGS COULD BE WORSE! YOU COULD BE WORKING IN A FACTORY
OUTSIDE JUAREZ, LIVING IN A SHACK MADE OF CARDBOARD, WHILE A STREAM
OF TOXIC INDUSTRIAL RUNOFF AND HUMAN #2 RAN OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR! OR,
YOU COULD BE RAMMSTEIN’S MONITOR MIXER! LOOK AT THE WHOLE WORLD
ECONOMY, NOT JUST THE SWINGING MIXERS YOU READ ABOUT IN THE SOUND
MAGAZINES! IF YOU DO NOT LOVE YOUR WORK, WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER BE
DOING? WE ASSUME THAT CHAMPIONSHIP TENNIS IS NOT A POSSIBILITY.
But to the meat of the matter.
YOU AREN’T A CANNIBAL, ARE YOU? I WOULD REALLY HAVE
A PROBLEM WITH THAT.
I receive many accolades from several of
the bands that come through the Venue I work for (no, not getting
a big head here)
YES, YOU ARE, FRUSTRATED! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT
YOU ARE DOING! BUT IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU A BAD PERSON. MY HEAD IS
AS BIG AS ALL OUTDOORS. THEY SHOULD PUT ME ON MOUNT RUSHMORE! I
WROTE THE BOOK ON FIDDLING WHILE ROME BURNS!
… as to how much attention I give to the
monitors, and how good it sounds out in FOH ( I do both). The dilemma
I run into is my boss (sound company) will come in and complain
about how crappy it sounds. While at the same time I have the customers
telling me how good it sounds.
DOES YOUR BOSS ENJOY CONSUMING DRUGS AND ALCOHOL,
BY ANY CHANCE? HOW ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS?
At least my sound company employer rarely
ever grabs faders and changes the mix. But I am wondering who to
believe here.
STICK WITH ME, FRUSTRATED. I KNOW YOU ARE TEMPTED
TO GO WITH TOMMY LEE, BECAUSE OF HIS TITTY CAM, BUT STICK WITH THE
OSM.
There are several local bands that would
refuse to perform unless I am doing their sound, and two of them
have wanted to get their own PA and take me on the road with them.
AND YET THEY HAVE NOT. IS THIS BECAUSE THEY ARE
UNABLE TO? WANTING TO IS SUCH A DIFFERENT VERB THAN ACTUALLY DOING
SOMETHING, ARE YOU SEEING THAT, FRUSTRATED? THAT MUST BE WHY YOU
ARE FRUSTRATED!
As well as the fact that said sound company
employer rarely even on the big shows ever runs his own equipment
instead, hiring other people to do FOH, etc..
YOU RESENT HIS WEALTH, DON’T YOU, FRUSTRATED? I
UNDERSTAND. IT’S GOING TO BE OKAY.
Personally, I would rather be working for
one of the bigger companies, but for now am paying my dues in the
small time. But I am wondering how I should deal with my employer.
WANT TO KEEP YOUR JOB? OBEY HIM, AND AGREE WITH
HIM AT ALL TIMES. DO NOT ASK FOR A RAISE.
I don't want to burn any bridges…
WHY NOT? BRIDGE BURNING IS REALLY SEXY. LISTEN TO
MORE RAMMSTEIN, FRUSTRATED.
… but the annoyance factor is approaching
15 on a 1-10 scale. I have even had to argue with him over feedbacks
(guitar on stage or vocal in the monitors).
YOU WEREN’T SAYING “FEEDBACKS” ARE GOOD, WERE YOU?
GET WITH THE PROGRAM, PAL!
Just wondering how you would handle this?
Thank you in advance
Frustrated
I AM NOT YOUR PARENT! YOU ARE AN ADULT AMERICAN
SOUNDMAN! (I THINK.) DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE COMPLEX,
FRUSTRATED? YOU ARE CONLFICTED. PART OF YOU WANTS TO GET FIRED.
BUT ANOTHER (RATIONAL) PART OF YOU DOESN’T KNOW WHERE ELSE YOU WOULD
GO OR WHAT YOU COULD DO. HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ALASKA? THE FOOD CHAIN
IS BASED ON REPTILIAN AND PRIMATE PRINCIPLES OF SURVIVAL AND KILLING,
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU MUST SURVIVE, FRUSTRATED, WHILE SOCIETY INSISTS
THAT YOU MAY NOT KILL. DOESN’T SEEM FAIR, DOES IT? THAT’S BECAUSE
IT’S NOT!
LUV
- THE OLD SOUNDMAN
