How To Request A Song From The Band

[bassist_25]

Being in a 3 piece and playing most tunes in standard e tuning i love getting shouted at to play Slayer, Metallica, Disturbed and Pantera.

We go down as far as C#, so that's not too much of a big deal. The problem is when we get requests for those heavier songs while in E, and the person doesn't understand that we will honor their request, it's just that we're currently in 440 with a guitarist using a Floyd Rose, and we're not switching to the lower tuning just to play one song.

Of course, this is all the more reason for guitar players to get 7-strings.

p.s. Look out on area stages for Slayed by Polish Flannel, our new Siberian Death-Polka KiltxCore band! We're finishing up the mastering on a 5 song EP, which will be avilable at shows.

[DirtySanchez]

I like all of these things, they make my night entertaining.
I'll let you in on a secret, usually, not always, but usually that guy in the back yelling for something that's not even close to anything you play, is just playin around and having a good time. If some of you guys get so annoyed, maybe you should play churches instead of bars full of drunk people. I get requests quite a bit too. I tell'em no we don't play other peoples music. Nothing against you cover band guys, but when your up there like a human jukebox, I'd expect some requests, especially from the people who may not be too familiar with your band. And I know none of you ever got drunk and did any of these things yourselves, right

[BDR]

I invite requests because I've always thought the more involved in the show the crowd "thinks" they are, the better. However, people who ask me pointed questions just as I'm starting into verse two of an Eminem song, then get pissed because I won't answer them, do get on my nerves just a wee bit.

But drunk people do need to stay away from mics because they don't know how, nor are they trained, to use them.

r:>)

[Banned]

Know what'd be funny? Have a request box on stage and put little pieces of paper on the tables for people to write requests. Then every once in a while, pull a request out of the box . . . and play the next song on your setlist.

I'm pretty sure there are some bands around here that already do this.

It'd be fun just to see what was written on the slips. Most of them would probably say "your band sucks" or "have the singer call me, 555-1212".

[songsmith]

Getting requests for original material is rewarding and humbling for me, but unless you have product out there that's pretty current, it's rare. One of my pet peeves is when people scream "one more!" at 2am, after having stood stock-still and death-quiet for the last 3 hours. Hmmm, what could possibly have them warmed-up now?
And it's not that they simply make requests, we all want them to get involved, it's that they do so in ways that belittle you ("You... guitar-boy... you WILL play what I say when I say it. If not, you suck."), frustrate you ("Mama Corn should play some Floyd. You know you know how."), or don't even have anything to do with you ("That chick over there sings just like Janis Joplin. Let her do 'Mercedes Benz' so I can get laid.").

We all need to vent sometimes, because there are so many folks that don't care that you rehearse, don't care that you spent your income tax refund on your guitar, don't care that you were at the bar at 7pm and will still be tearing down at 2:30am, or that you smoked their cigarettes second-hand for the last 4 hours, or that you work a crappy job because the hours let you play, or any of those myriad little sacrifices that you make to play in a band. They only know that you're here, now, and they expect you to give them a good time. You don't get to do YOUR thing, because somehow, you work for THEM.
Well, I say do your thing. I constantly teeter on the line between nice guy and smart-ass f*ck. I don't want to be a prick, but I have to be occasionally to achieve my own goals and not constantly toe someone else's line. The people who truly appreciate what you do (and I am fortunate to have friends like that) actually want you to do your thing as entertainment. As for the people who don't, tell them to go see the kind of band they like, there's lots of great bands around here, or go sing karaoke. Better yet, have them form their own band, and get a feel for real life.

Yeah, Monday morning and strong coffee! I'm on a tear already!----->JMS

[ZappasXWife]

If some of you guys get so annoyed, maybe you should play churches instead of bars full of drunk people.

I may not ALWAYS agree with your opinions (usually though), but DirtySanchez, I LOVE your attitude. You rock....

[moxham123]

Here are some additional comments we hear often.

Can I sing or play even though I have never been in a band before but always wanted to be? In some cases, they have never touched a musical instrument but fancy themselves a drummer. Maybe I can show up where they work and sit in at their job. Gee, I have never done brain surgery before but I wonder if I went to the hospital and asked if I can sit in on an operation if they would let me.

I used to play in a band 25 or 30 years ago and have not played since then. Can I sit in? Nothing like keeping your chops up and then thinking you play like you did a quarter century ago.

I sing karaoke every week, let me sing with you. Just because they sing karaoke does not mean they are good.

After the band has just played a 3 to 4 hour show, you always have somebody who says:

You can't quit yet, I just got here. Where were they during the 3 to 4 hours we just played? Heck, we will keep on playing just for that one guy.

or

One person at the end of the night will ask, aw, come one, how about playing another 1/2 an hour? You guys are great and you like playing. If I showed up where he or she works at the end of their day and said, aw, come one, how about working another 1/2 hour, do you think they would?

or

After the band has already torn down and packed up 1/2 the equipment, somebody comes up and says, how about playing a few more tunes or can you set back up and play some more? Sure, we will set it all back up just to play that a guy a couple songs.

[bassist_25]

Getting requests for original material is rewarding and humbling for me, but unless you have product out there that's pretty current, it's rare. One of my pet peeves is when people scream "one more!" at 2am, after having stood stock-still and death-quiet for the last 3 hours. Hmmm, what could possibly have them warmed-up now?
And it's not that they simply make requests, we all want them to get involved, it's that they do so in ways that belittle you ("You... guitar-boy... you WILL play what I say when I say it. If not, you suck."), frustrate you ("Mama Corn should play some Floyd. You know you know how."), or don't even have anything to do with you ("That chick over there sings just like Janis Joplin. Let her do 'Mercedes Benz' so I can get laid.").

We all need to vent sometimes, because there are so many folks that don't care that you rehearse, don't care that you spent your income tax refund on your guitar, don't care that you were at the bar at 7pm and will still be tearing down at 2:30am, or that you smoked their cigarettes second-hand for the last 4 hours, or that you work a crappy job because the hours let you play, or any of those myriad little sacrifices that you make to play in a band. They only know that you're here, now, and they expect you to give them a good time. You don't get to do YOUR thing, because somehow, you work for THEM.
Well, I say do your thing. I constantly teeter on the line between nice guy and smart-ass f*ck. I don't want to be a prick, but I have to be occasionally to achieve my own goals and not constantly toe someone else's line. The people who truly appreciate what you do (and I am fortunate to have friends like that) actually want you to do your thing as entertainment. As for the people who don't, tell them to go see the kind of band they like, there's lots of great bands around here, or go sing karaoke. Better yet, have them form their own band, and get a feel for real life.

Yeah, Monday morning and strong coffee! I'm on a tear already!----->JMS

I think that you'll have some of that type of stuff in any gig that you do. When I'm not playing music or have my nose pressed in a text book, I'm working for my university's IT department. Now, this gig is a million times better than when I worked IT in the private sector; the amount of asshats in the private sector who whine and bitch to you about problems they have with their computer/network that are actually their own fault is inmeasurable. My boss has a cool way of dealing with people who are PITAs, though.

In my experience, some people don't really respect what you do, while some, on the other hand, almost see you as a rockstar. Back in June, some dude almost ate 7 pounds of pure California bass engineering because he was too stupid to the fact that the bar runs its clock 15 minutes fast and he was demanding that we start playing because he "paid five bucks to see a band." (Unfortunately, I'm way more afraid of prison than some big biker dude) On the other hand, I was told by a fan this past Saturday that he and his friend are getting "Bad Daze" tattoos soon. I'm the fucking bass player and I don't even have a Bad Daze tattoo! It's actually kind of an odd feeling to know that somebody is going to do that. So, it goes both ways in my experience. The thing I think that we must always keep in perspective is that we must please ourselves before we please others. Being in the entertainment biz, we are in the biz of pleasing others, but if we can't respect what we're doing, why should anyone else?

[Atomic Jim]

I love it when some non-musician requests a song, you tell them that the band doesn't know it and they come back with "that's okay, man. it's real easy. come on, just try it." *sigh*

[DirtySanchez]

I love it when some non-musician requests a song, you tell them that the band doesn't know it and they come back with "that's okay, man. it's real easy. come on, just try it." *sigh*

Hey, I think I know that guy.

[bassist_25]

I hate it when the crowd starts chanting that they want us to play Under a Glass Moon by Dream Theater. I swear that it happens like every other gig.

[VENTGtr]

Coupl'a potential additions:

For those drunk patrons who DON'T want to be heard, it should say to
remember to grab and cover the front of the mic as completely as possible
when you're yelling whatever most important dialog it is you're yelling.
The feedback is always treasured.

The drunk goof yelling that everyone there wants to hear Sevendust
and it's the owner's (A 60+ year old woman) favourite band said she
wants to hear it next.

All part of the fun.

It'd be fun just to see what was written on the slips....
or "have the singer call me, 555-1212".

Jimi....with your singer it'd be full of such request...Uh...would it work?
You know, just asking. Oh.


Lastly, the best "Want to sit in" thing I've ever heard was from John Placer,
from My Turning Point a coupl'a months ago. John's a great guy, great
drummer and it's always cool to see him, Bellocchio and any one from
My Turning Point at shows. Cool guys and a great band.

One night Placer was standing off to the side yelling "Let me play", repeatedly.
At break I mentioned it to him and he said "Ya...I do that. But here's the thing.
I get to drinking...a lot...and really want to play and I'll keep yelling to let me.
Don't. No good can come of it".

[mistikalvalkrie]

I hate it when the crowd starts chanting that they want us to play Under a Glass Moon by Dream Theater. I swear that it happens like every other gig.

Or some James, for that matter

[Imperial Aerosol Kid]

I seem to remember experiencing some of the woes shared here...however, it doesn't really get to me any more. Maybe it has something to do with my rather significant weight gain in the past few years and the all too frequent bouts of unbridled flatulence and phlegm onstage that prevent me from having more than fleeting contact with patrons...I usually try to honor all requests whenever possible, though.

[jangel]

I played in a band some years ago and our keyboard player would announce if anybody had any requests please write them on a ten dollar bill and send up to the band and we would play it. It would bring a laugh to the audience and that ended yelling out requests. But every once in a while some one with extra dough would send one up with some goofy song on it ...and we would put our heads together and come with something usually not the song he wanted. We would tell them it was a version we heard on an album etc and they would laugh and we were 10 bucks up for the night.
we never had any problems with the requests.

[Banned]

The one that infuriates me is the guy/gal that comes in during the last 30 minutes of your show and requests a song that you just played in the second set.

Mr./Ms. Latecomer: Could You Play "Wish You Were Here"?

Backlash Bass: Uh... We Just played that 20 minutes ago in the second set.

Mr./Ms. Latecomer: But I wasn't here then!

Backlash Bass: You should've been, it sounded great.

[VENTGtr]

The one that infuriates me is the guy/gal that comes in during the last 30 minutes of your show and requests a song that you just played in the second set.

YEP. 'At's a fun one.

[songsmith]

I played in a band some years ago and our keyboard player would announce if anybody had any requests please write them on a ten dollar bill and send up to the band and we would play it. It would bring a laugh to the audience and that ended yelling out requests. But every once in a while some one with extra dough would send one up with some goofy song on it ...and we would put our heads together and come with something usually not the song he wanted. We would tell them it was a version we heard on an album etc and they would laugh and we were 10 bucks up for the night.
we never had any problems with the requests.

Excellent idea. I have to remember that one... and it's not just about the money. It says, "Entertainment has a value. Here's what it costs for you to make the monkey dance." I was going to use the analogy of how you had to put $.50 in the slot to get the chicken to play piano at those highway roadside attractions back in the 60's, but I didn't think anyone would get it. Anyway, a price tag would likely piss off a few people. GOOD. As long as we get control of our show back, it's worth it.
Why is there always that one person calling songs? You do the first request, usually a second, sometimes even more if the participation's slow otherwise... you wind up playing half a set of requests from one cat, and when he barks out the next one, you play what you want to play, and he gets pissed off. Dance, monkey, dance. If I wanted to take orders from a borderline-retarded alcoholic with a Napoleon complex, I'd have kept my factory job.
Boy, it does feel good when somebody's paying attention, though, and requests something you actually play. We played an outdoor party yesterday for a bunch of folks who were celebrating their continued sobriety... no alcohol or drugs, just nice biker folks. I tell you all, I'd play for them every day if I could. They weren't all bluegrass fans when they got there, in fact, I was a bit worried to see some gangsta-types, who by definition don't get the whole hillbilly thing... I needn't have worried. At the end a Shuge Knight-looking guy came up and said, "You're good. If a black man tells you you're good, you're good." That fully made my day. Everyone was so polite, and relaxed. I loved that gig. Oh, yeah, they gave us an extra Benjamin to play overtime... no complaining, no "I just got here" crap, none of that. I hope we do it again next year.---->JMS

[Banned]

If I wanted to take orders from a borderline-retarded alcoholic with a Napoleon complex, I'd have kept my factory job.

ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah, and I'd still be in the car business!