Fan Compliments.... chime in fella's

[buzzsaww]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

jg, your nickname from now on is ampmeister [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[neilli]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

Enjoy the gig and don't think about it too much - there's far more folks who haven't 'made it' than those who have. Right place, right time is everything, especially in something unquantifiable like music.

For what it's worth, I'm not that comfortable being complimented on anything either, but you have to look at it as a positive - I know I'd look at someone being critical of me as a negative!

[Wayniac]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

Hey John - It's all perspective bro. I am my own biggest critic when it comes to playing (hell, anything else for that matter). I know my limits and/or my role in the band.
BY no means am I Petrucci or anyone like that... but I take compliments just like stated above - say thanks, and if you don't believe them - that's OK. We've had people when we opened for national acts that asked if this was our first tour, what label we were on, etc. It was all good, though I felt like a schmuck when I had to tell them we were local... but it was a cool compliment none-the-less.
I've had some opportunities that didn't pan out - make me a failure? No. I have a family that cares about me, 2 great nephews, some awesome friends, etc.
Am I personaly not happy with where I am as far as music career or job for that matter? Yes.. but hell man - I just play because it's in my blood... haven't had a viable line-up to play live since 2001 !
But - I still play beacause it's in my blood and I HAVE to... just enjoy the fact that you can play out bro. You also have a decent studio gig from what I've heard, and excellent chops - so just enjoy it.
Hell yeah - we'd all like to be making great money playing music and living the rockstar life.... I am just happy I can play and can tech once in a while.

[SEEGERMANY]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

[ QUOTE ]
I own more guitars than chords I can play, but I smile through everyone of those chords because I am alive and able to have fun doing something.

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly! I can hack through a song and suddenly, by the grace of God, I'll hit the right note and EUREKA! I guess what I'm trying to say is that I play for my enjoyment and if someone else likes my stuff, that's a bonus. But take compliments in stride. Just think, some people never even get the chance to attempt a "right note."

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

do you know what i would give to have not stopped playing twice in my life, once for 2 years, once for almost 3. i'm on a mission right now to get back every last bit of control that i may have had on the god damn thing. i'd kill to have a gig tonite. turn to crime, sit in jail maybe for a while, but if i had a gig tonite, a large smile would be on. attack motherfucker!!!!! you are lucky.

[atomic charvel guy]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

come on , you can walk onstage and throw up in a bucket and be surrounded by box after it. or have things changed that much in all this time?

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

If it has changed, I'm hoping it is coming back around!

Actually, the music I used to do (and loved) wasn't too good for the babes, but I sure had fun doing it at least, I guess.

Looking at maybe being single again, so I'm looking at band stuff again to take up some time... We'll see...

[axeman81]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

I always play for my own enjoyment, I play the music I like and nothing else. and I absolutely love to play live...it's like I really come alive and my playing is usually better when I feel that pressure on a stage!
When I get compliments on music that I wrote, or someone saying that the performance was really good...that is to me the greatest feeling I can have! (especially when it's from musical peers...but also from the average joe of course!) it is almost as good a feeling as when I'm able to impress myself! (which is really hard [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img])

regarding the bitterness of feeling like you're a failure, I can relate to that as I am now starting to get serious about music and playing the guitar, I don't have any hopes up about making it big but I would love to make a living and will give it a shot. It might not work out, but hey I have accepted that fact.

a good saying is: "I can accept failure, but I can't accept not trying!"

if you hadn't honed that talent you had as a child, now THAT would be in my eyes a total wasted gift, or even a failure.

I am also very interested in what "made" big bands/acts in rock and metal, and know a bit about some biographies...and it is almost ALWAYS talent, mixed with dedication, and the biggest issue: being at the right place at the right time.
there are so many coincidences in the history of big-time bands, it's not even funny.

so I think you should enjoy your accomplishments, and remember why you love music and like the other guys have said, try to put it in perspective and think how miserable you would be if you couldn't play the music you love.

keep the faith,

- Rune.

[lerxstcat]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

John, you're an excellent player and you've been your own man the whole way through. Id guess you didn't take the Juliard thing because you wanted musical freedom instead of being groomed into a classical player piano. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but you weren't meant to fit a mold. I know MANY players who are as great or greater than the top known players, who didn't make it for whatever reason. As Al DiMeola said, sometimes the skills work against you. Being 18 and knowing 3 chords can mean more than a beautiful command over your instrument. Fair?
No, but it is what it is.

Bottom line, if your playing makes people happy and they compliment you, don't let it salt the wounds of "didn't make it". Take it as a gift, you made the people happy and let that make you happy. Hell, you can't take it with you anyway, and you have a family and a career thnat supports them, AND you get to play out and get some adulation. Your glass is more than half full, my friend. You're a very accomplished guitarist with a very respectable musical resume, you've enjoyed the wild side of the player's life and still landed on your feet, unlike some of us. You're also a helluva nice guy.

Just go out there, rock the house, and enjoy those compliments; you've earned them! [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/headbang.gif[/img]

[Badseed]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

I once had a guy tell me that my playing was kiler, everything i played sounded the same, but i was killer.lol.

I also had a guy in Wyoming going around saying he was me and handing out our tape saying he played on it .Some fans when we played there pointed him out to me in the crowd.I asked him if he was Dave S..... He freaked out and i laughed

[rjohnstone]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

I play because I love too and it's fun. If I get a compliment great! Most of the time I just get weird looks.
I have always said that the day it's stops being fun will be the day I will quit.
So as long as you enjoy what you do, who cares if it's in front of 50 people in a bar or 50,000 in a stadium.
Have a great show tonight and enjoy the moment!

[tgreensl1]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

Wow. I don't think anyone is a failure at playing as long as they think that they tried their best and gave it their all. Playing guitar is tough istrument and few people can play really well. I am 19 years old and one of the best guitarists in my area (especially among people my age) but I try my best and the talent I have been given is a gift. Being 19 I am woried about turning 30 or 40 and not to of had an impact of music. Because music is what i love and i don't care what other people think just because I am 19 and don't have a gig like Zakk Wylde did at 19. Just have fun with music.

[Inazone]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

There are different kinds of compliments, and I feel differently about them. If another musician comes up and tells me they loved a particular song or solo, that's great, but if they tell me "great show" I interpret it as not being very genuine. Either they didn't like it, or weren't paying attention. If a non-musician comes up and says "great show" I generally feel that they were entertained enough to come say something afterward. If they buy a CD or t-shirt, then I naturally am convinced that they liked us.

I played in go-nowhere bands from my sophomore year of high school until just a few years ago, and and recognizing all the "wasted" time and effort was almost enough to make me give up. Fortunately, I stuck with it a little longer and finally started my own band. I still consider myself a hack at guitar, but in a business where the money is hard to come by, compliments are sometimes all you can hope for.

[JACKSONFREAK]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

At least most of you guys are gigging. I've been playing
guitar for 26yrs now and I've onlt been in one band back in 83-84, I've been through the whole auditions and practices and attemps at forming a band and everything that goes with it. I know I'll never make it big at 41. I had visions of being in a signed band On Sparrow records (which almost happened then our other guitar player quit). All our hopes and dreams were shot. We tried to continue but we had lost our muster and desire at that point. When ever i play at work i get compliments from customers every once in a while and it makes me feel good. I only know a few scales and im still learning after 26 yrs. I've got limitations to my ability and I know it. I;ve excepted that and im trying to improve it. But I'm still too old to make it big. Unless I get really lucky. I've ompressd a few poeple some famous some not; maybe it's a confidance issue or just a muscial vocabulary issue. Either way Im happy with music. It makes me feel good. Gets out some agressions and really does calm the savage beast. I do it for me know. And if somebody else wants to listen cool maybe they'll learn something from me or they'll show me something. Make it about fun and what maeks yo happy NOW. Not what can music do for me and you'll be much happier. Jg. You've had oppertunities some of us can only dream of. Be glad for wht you've done don't look down on yourself for not making it. It just wasn't the right oppertunity for you. It may still come along who knows. You're out there doing it maybe for a smaller audiance but yor still bringing live music to the masses. In a sence you have made it. You're in a band playing live. Which is what you want to do right? So what if it's not for Ozzy. It's for you and that's more important than Ozzy ever will be.
Gil

[StarRider]

Re: Fan Compliments.... chime in fella\'s

Well I look at this as:
I was given a gift, Music, playing guitar, singing, and composing songs. To me this is a gift. I've always felt this way. Up until I was about 26 I was dead set on being a Rock Star on my terms. Late 80s I got fed up with all the drugs, and tired of the BS people running the music industry. So I just quit my band, I had enough.
We where at our prime too. Geting paid great and playing all over. Played with some of the biggest bands of the 80s.
I just couldn't deal with all the BS.
So I just started writing and recording till I met my ex Lynn who was an amazing Heart type singer. We tried the record deal thing, but once again the BS Record Industry go in the way. They wanted us to write Top 40 crap!!!.Needless to say that wasn't happening.

So these days I'm very happy playing in a cover band and still writing and recording, singing and playing guitar.
Still totally into my guitars amps and efxs and the whole music thing.
This is the gift of music
Not the F' up music industry

I still enjoy compliments, after all
Not everyone can play, sing, and compose