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"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination"-Michael McClure
Yeah, being a roadie is both fun and hard work. My hat's off to the ones who make a career of it - what a cool gig! Betty. I've never met her, but I'm sure John Curl knows her from the days when he worked with "The Dead". Every now and then, he'll tell me some story about "when...". I'll have to ask about her.
Back in September, there was a LIV golf tournament at the course adjacent to out back yard. At first, I was looking forward to seeing the golfers hitting it straight and long. Well, that went out the window when an 18-wheeler parked partly right behind us. Fortunately, it was the video crew, and there were about 20 guys unloading and setting up various equipment, much of which was fork-lifted to the production trailers. But, daily, the camera crew would set up their 10 (ten!) high end video cameras, and hang out until it was "time". We had many good talks. It turns out that there's only about 200 guys who do this particular kind of work, and they all pretty much know each other, even if they only work together a few times a year. How cool!
As for me, I roadied for a little rock band for about a year and a half, back in the mid-70s. We played around Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa. Based in Madison. The band "Cheap Trick" was our main dance/nightclub "competition". They were based in Milwaukee. Anyway, being a roadie for a while was fun (and hard work), but it wasn't my goal in life. Still, it changed my perspective on "daily life". Recently, someone asked me when is it a good time to call. I said, "It doesn't matter. As a musician and sound engineer, time of day or night isn't really an issue." LOL
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Interesting article, Musetap. Thanks for posting it. In addition to learning much about roadies it also made made me seriously consider having two knee reo0lacement surgeries.
I dream of an America where a chicken can cross the road without having it's motives questioned.
I knew a stage set guy worked for Santana for years. Talk about stories!
He'll still take the occasional local Union gig, but has slowed it down.
Knew a British guy named Scott that worked for Marshall years ago and
he'd go on the road with various Marshall amp users specifically to handle
them. He started going Global in the 1970's.
He broke his back tumbling down a (private) access ramp for Clapton
years ago here in SF and has remained permanently disabled and "stuck"
in this area due to foul Union rules between UK and U.S. laws governing
such. Said Clapton personally paid his hospital bills the first year.
He's on a fixed income, gets around in a wheelchair (somehow - he's in his
late 60's, about 6'6" and 300 lbs.) and still manages to have a great attitude
most times considering the hell of a thing he's been through.
Collects coins outside Costco for the Salvation Army during Winter, ringing that bell.
Great Spirit.
"Once this was all Black Plasma and Imagination" -Michael McClure
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-Rod
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