toxic_tone
142 posts
Jun 02, 2011
6:26 AM
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the place only had like 120ppl total there. i sat in the back by the bus from the start i got to meet and hang out with the band members. but they said john wouldnt come out till it was time to go on. so i hung out with the band the played before popper and with the guitar player from poppers band. security told everyone he was doing a meet and greet and come the end of the show he just ran off and no one got to even wave at him. i however got to at least say hi as he was walking in the building. he turned and said hi. then when i later asked the drummer of poppers band why he wouldn't come out an say high he got frusterated and said that its none of his buisness. and all he can say is thank you for comming out. at that point i felt like fuck em. idk there were only like 10 ppl that wanted to meet him .....actually not even 10 it was like 6 ppl. why couldnt he say hi or something there where hardly anyone there...
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 6:28 AM
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toxic_tone
143 posts
Jun 02, 2011
6:27 AM
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o and his promotor guy is an asshole. but the whole night wasnt all bad. the band that opend for popper. the lead singer and guitatist had broke his C harmonica and needed one to use so i lend him mine. he ended up buying me drinks and asked for my number for when he is in town i can come to his gigs .
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 6:32 AM
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hvyj
1412 posts
Jun 02, 2011
6:32 AM
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Keep in mind that being on tour is physically and emotionally demanding. It's not always easy for a featured performer to be generous with his time and attention. I mean, it's certainly nice when they are, but the real question is, how was the quality of the show he put on?
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toxic_tone
144 posts
Jun 02, 2011
6:36 AM
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the show was good. cant say anything bad about that i guess. i guess i dont understand what he goes thru really but i cant imagine its all that hard i mean everyone loaded his stuff for him. all he did is pull up sing play then leave. that quick
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 6:38 AM
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toxic_tone
145 posts
Jun 02, 2011
6:43 AM
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true. very true
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HarpNinja
1452 posts
Jun 02, 2011
6:58 AM
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Bummer!
I follow BT on Twitter and John does 90% of the posting. He has been really good about tweeting back to fans. He was always really approachable at the shows I went to.
I have no idea his motivations last night, but as a bit of a side bar, I know he has had to have vocal chord surgery in the last year. Sounds like he will have to have another one soon.
Between this project and some BT stuff coming up, he has a lot going on musically! I hope he makes it to MN soon. I love his new album and the YouTubes and archive.org stuff from this tour has been great (although there has been a couple concerts where vocals were shared due to said issue).
Any comments on his rig? I've seen him using the same mic and Mesa Boogie 2x12. He uses a rotary effect, but I am not sure if it is a pedal or an actual rotatry speaker...haven't seen one in any tour pics.
I know he was using rack processors and midi controller for effects, but with this group it seems like he might just be using some delays and a phaser.
His rotary sound is the holy grail of rhythm tones IMO, and I would love to replicate it. Next time I meet him, I will wrestle him to the ground over his secret.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
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toxic_tone
146 posts
Jun 02, 2011
7:01 AM
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i have pictures i will post shortly. i was really close maybe u can see what it is he uses
yea thru out the show bolth the guitarist were singing as well not just john
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shadoe42
28 posts
Jun 02, 2011
7:12 AM
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Limelight is one of my favorite tunes. and very aptly describes what goes on for those on stage.
As has been said being out on tour can be very draining... now.. my band is NOT EVEN close to JPs level but let me relate a story that might give a hint as to what goes on.
No matter where you go and play people want to meet you and talk to you, and in many cases abuse you. Some people feel that paying thier money to get into a place gives them the right to abuse the performers. that happened to me this weekend(more than once which is actually rare). Several times this weekend folks from the audience after our sets felt the need to come up and make snide comments.. comments/jokes that we make on stage..cause in the context of the show they are funny(I happen to be the shortest member of the band so all short jokes get turned my way hahaha). But off stage not so much. At first you are polite and either ignore or you chuckle. But after awhile it starts to wear you down. especially when they don't shut up or get out of the way for the others who are waiting. It doesn't take to much of this before you just want to run back stage into an off limits area and just hide. But you really can't as that disappoints other waiting. And then you feel bad.
Case in point we had a small child at one of our sets. And this happened to be the set where I had reached my limit(as for some reason I was having a hard weekend with fan abuse heh) so i quickly exited to the backstage area. Only to have my band mates come back and say "where did you go?" seems this 3 year old(we are at a ren faire this weekend) had waited for 20 minutes while everyone else got thier pictures for me to come back out so he could give me a hug. ugh... please stomp on my heart a bit thanks :)... luckily I found him and all was well...
Point being you never know what has gone on before you get your chance to meet and greet. He may have just been ultra tired or had a bad fan experience recently. I am sorry though that you did not get to talk with JP as that would have been radical :)
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The Musical Blades
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hvyj
1413 posts
Jun 02, 2011
7:32 AM
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@HarpNinja: My understanding is that Popper uses a real Leslie speaker that's off stage and mic'd for rotary effect and he uses some sort of line switcher to route his signal to the Leslie when he wants that sound.
At one point he was also using an Eventide harmonizer which has all sorts of effects in all sorts of configurations.
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toxic_tone
147 posts
Jun 02, 2011
7:46 AM
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i see yea i cant say i hate jp for what he did. i was just disappointed. i couldnt help it i just wanted to sit and talk with him but who am i to him for him to do that. so i understand i guess. there is always next time. but i dont want to come accross like a fan. i want to learn from him
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HarpNinja
1454 posts
Jun 02, 2011
9:25 AM
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@hvyj
Correct on the Eventide. It is a 9000 or something...I have it written down somewhere. He used to use a Motion Sound amp...the signal is controlled by his volume knob and he has buttons on his mic to turn it off an on.
A few years back he downsized his rig from a huge midi controlled rack and pedal boards to the top of the line Eventide. I am not sure if he ditched the Motion Sound or not. They also moved away from the amps in isolation to the stage...so you'd think you'd eventually see it on stage somewhere (the Motion Sound isn't much larger than a regular amp).
It also appears, but I don't know, that he doesn't split his signal like he used to either (more potential evidence of handling the rotary sounds differently?). Nowadays, I only really see the Mesa and small amp on stage. He used to have at least two Mesa heads, a 4x12 cab and the small amp all visible.
If I had to guess, though, he probably has the following signal paths:
Amp (which has two channels...a clean and dirty)
Leslie
Effects
Small amp
For as much as I know about his old BT rig and his new BT rig, you'd think I'd know about the leslie/rotary stuff. His Duskaray rig seems to be even simpler. From what I gather, it is more like:
Amp
Small Amp
Leslie
Me wonders if the "effects" are just stompboxes...I've only heard a phaser used live and have no clue about the delay. For all I know it is entered by tap through the FOH mixer.
I'd pay the price of a amp to get that rotary sound in a small package - either a small amp or pedal.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
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HarpNinja
1455 posts
Jun 02, 2011
9:28 AM
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I couldn't get the link to work. Please either "friend" me on FB (http://www.facebook.com/mike.fugazzi) or if we are friends, let me know your name. ;)
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
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hvyj
1414 posts
Jun 02, 2011
10:07 AM
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@HarpNinja: You know, he may be getting the rotary sound out of the Eventide.
Btw, with my Super Reverb I use a RetroSonic Chorus pedal on its vibrato setting for rotary sound. Really works well into a tube amp.(I use a RotoSim with my SWR bass amp, which is solid state with a tube pre, however, the RS doesn't sound good with the Super.) Anyway,last weekend some people were leaving the club where my band was playing as I engaged the RetroSonic and they stopped dead in their tracks and turned around to look. I thought that was a pretty good indication that the rotary effect from the RetroSonic is convincing.
Once upon a time i read an interview where John Popper and Sugar Blue were together talking about playing harp, BOTH said they preferred Messa Boogie amps and BOTH said that they did NOT like Fender amps. Interesting...
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 10:12 AM
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waltertore
1384 posts
Jun 02, 2011
10:13 AM
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sorry to hear that. Who knows what his reasons were. Not to say this could be it, but I have seen lots of guys that achieved some success in the rock world and when they fall onto 1-200 paying customers they tend to keep things real off limits like when they were playing to 10,000. They usually carry guitar techs, road manager/security, yet are not playing to enough people to pay for that. They rely on their royalties, arena/festival gigs to carry such an supporting cast. Also the bus rentals are off the chart nowadays. Who gets stuck? Usually the band- they get to play for the experience and usually stay in cheap hotels, 2 to a room. Poppers father was my fathers boss for many years. Funny they both turned out harp players. The old blues guys rarely had dressing rooms or used them. They sat at a table up front or at the bar. There was no security. They were very accessible. Dylan digs my music and I had 2 meetings set up at his arena gigs. Both times I could not get through his wall of security. Rock and roll baby- you can have it! Walter
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walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,800+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 10:17 AM
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HarpNinja
1456 posts
Jun 02, 2011
10:14 AM
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Lol.
I thought about the Eventide too. I think my guitar player has the Leslie on his mod factor. I will try it soon. I looked through the pics, and pics on Flickr, and all I could see for real gear was the Mesa, occasionally a Mesa head, the small amp, and what looks like a midi pedal board.
There was no evidence of a motion sound, however, the stage cases are always stacked behind JP's stuff, so something could be hiding for sure. That being said, the use of a pedal would make mores sense with the vibe they got going. I just don't think it is all that lavish. Everyone else's rigs are much simpler on stage and easy to see.
FWIW, I've hard the Eventide sim is really solid. Much better than the L6. I've grown tired of trying to make the M13 work for a Leslie. It works, but always sounds digital.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
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kudzurunner
2507 posts
Jun 02, 2011
10:14 AM
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@toxic: I'll second what hvyj has said. In an ideal world, performers would have unlimited time to spend with their fans. In a pretty good world, they'd have at least a little time to give. But the world of top-level touring performers--and John Popper is a part of that world--isn't that world. It's a world of one-night gigs, lots of travel, lots of stress. Roadies are great to have, but they only address one element of the touring life.
The key thing is: IT'S NOT YOU. It's probably not even him. His inability to pause and chat you up may have a hundred sources. Sometimes it's the last date on a tour and the bus, or plane, is leaving that evening. Sometimes it's a DJ or some other industry person who is waiting backstage: an appointment that must be kept.
Don't take it personally. (Your thread title clearly suggests that you have.) And don't assume anything at all about Popper's character or motivations from the fact that he didn't have time to pause and make you feel good. Some performers work so hard onstage that they get ill afterwards. I did this from time to time; I had a terrible acid stomach and needed to flee to my hotel room sometimes after the music was over. The touring life, regardless of the perks, is, or can be, extremely stressful. Even the best-intentioned performers have a hard time not only delivering great shows, night after night, without becoming exhausted, ill, or addicted, but also making their lingering fans feel good after the show. God bless those who can, but most performers can't. Sounds like Popper couldn't make the meet-and-greet. That's show business. Assume nothing about his motivations. Maybe he had to get high real quick. Maybe he's in a love affair gone bad and had to get on the phone with her. Maybe he's developed anxiety disorder or panic disorder. Maybe he was ill, played a good show anyway, but needed to flee to the motel room and crash. You just don't know. It could be one or more of those things, or none of those things. His band--a new band, not Blues Traveler, and therefore possibly still getting used to his ways--may not even know. That may be the point.
If you truly care about Popper as a man and a musician, you'll take whatever pleasure and inspiration you can from his show and let go of everything else.
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 10:26 AM
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groyster1
1074 posts
Jun 02, 2011
11:08 AM
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there is a current post about mickey rapheal and willie nelson tho I have seen willie a couple of times I have never met him but have heard that there is nothing more important to him than his fans and will talk with them whenever he can
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Michael Rubin
141 posts
Jun 02, 2011
11:17 AM
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When I was 17 Mickey Raphael talked with me for a half an hour. Super nice.
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Buzadero
767 posts
Jun 02, 2011
11:41 AM
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Mick is a class act. He has always been very gracious to me whenever I've managed to cross paths with him when I was on the road doing some oddball project.
The last time they came through San Francisco was this past January. He and I caught up backstage at the Fillmore before they hit the stage. My B-Rad was the first one he'd seen and we spent some time talking about it and he slobbered through it for a while.
We got to talking about his recent foray into learning positions outside his usual country and pop comfort zone. He mentioned that he had been going through Winslow's "Dummies" book during the tour.
The next night, I feel pretty good that I was able to get he and Winslow connected. According to both, they hit it off nicely. Easy to understand, since they're both great dudes.
As you were......
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~Buzadero
Underwater Janitor, Patriot
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 11:50 AM
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toxic_tone
153 posts
Jun 02, 2011
12:31 PM
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now i wish i could change the title of this topic lol. i agree with what u said adam. its my first time in a concert there will be more.
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lumpy wafflesquirt
366 posts
Jun 02, 2011
2:32 PM
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what do you want to do when you finish a days work? talk to a complete stranger about your work or go chill out?
Likewise if your boss asked you to do some unpaid overtime, would you? yet we always expect musicians to do some more work at the end of their 'shift', not by asking politely, but by screaming "more" at them
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"Come on Brackett let's get changed"
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ElkRiverHarmonicas
692 posts
Jun 02, 2011
5:45 PM
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That's not the first story I've heard like that about Popper, although I've not met him personally, most have been worse. Compare that with Ricci, I remember Jason would hang around forever and talk to everybody, sign everything, after playing a four hour show. I couldn't imagine a more demanding tour than Jason was playing, traveling around in that Ford van they nursed along the highway.
I tell you another guy I've seen that's like that (Jason) is Eddie Money. Eddie Money is a master of the meet and greet, of making people feel really special. I spent 45 minutes in his tour bus with him once, I was interviewing him for the paper. He makes you feel like you're the only person there. That kind of music isn't something I would normally go out of my way really to listen to, but by God, if Eddie Money were in town, damn right I'd go see him. That's exactly why, after all these years, Eddie Money can still pack in two or three thousand people.
I always talk to people after a show. I got snagged in some really long conversations after the Wheeling Jamboree Saturday - it was late and I had a long trip ahead of me, with my wife and kids. There's definitely a finite number of conversations, people generally say the same things.. and you have the same conversations over and over. But you gotta do them and you gotta smile and you gotta be thankful somebody is interested enough in you to want to talk to you. It's flattering and you always have to remember to be flattered, every time.
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David
Elk River Harmonicas
Lonesome Midnight Cowboys
Elk River Harmonicas on Facebook
"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." - Lewis Grizzard
"Also, drinking homemade beer." - David Payne
Last Edited by on Jun 02, 2011 5:51 PM
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Todd Parrott
509 posts
Jun 03, 2011
12:05 AM
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No excuse for not being nice to people, no matter how famous, busy or stressed you are, especially when the fans are the ones who put the money in your pocket. Just my opinion...
Dave makes a good point about Jason - he's a really nice guy who always has time for fans and fellow harp players.
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Greyowlphotoart
555 posts
Jun 03, 2011
12:47 AM
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Well said David.
Grey Owl YouTube
Grey Owl Abstract Photos
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Honkin On Bobo
652 posts
Jun 03, 2011
6:10 AM
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I've never understood why music fans think that the performer owes them a personal meet and greet after the show. Maybe it was the times and types of shows that I grew up going to, but I never felt dissappointed in an artist because I didn't get to personally greet and have a conversation with them after the show.
I may have been dissappointed in the set list, or if they mailed it in during the show, but never got dissappointed over the fact that I didn't get to meet them. To me, the stipulated/implied contract has always been: I pay you money for a ticket, you give me 100% effort toward the best show possible for 1 1/2 - 2 hours (or more).
I've always thought people who hung out for hours after a show just to meet someone were basically groupies. I never wanted to be that guy, in particular, as a wanna be musician, I think it's putting yourself in a particularly demeaning position. I think people who themselves play should consider themselves as more of a peer, even if a vastly less skilled/successful peer (assuming that's the case).
I'm going to venture a guess that I'm in the minority on this, so let the criticisms fly. By the way, this by no means contradicts Todd Parrots statement. Should an artist run into a fan, they absolutely should be nice to them. I just don't think they're obligated to befriend them. For me it's kind of a dividing line between fan/appreciator of an artists talent and music...and hero worship.
Look at it this way toxic, take the cumulative amount of time you will be standing around waiting to meet these guys and put it into woodshedding. Maybe someday, you'll be the guy deciding whether or not to get off the tour bus.
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HarpNinja
1459 posts
Jun 03, 2011
6:20 AM
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Some of these guys play 200+ dates a year. How many of you have gone into work crabby a few times? Seems pretty reasonable to have some difficult days. I'd be an a-hole today as a matter of fact, lol.
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Mike
Quicksilver Custom Harmonicas
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waltertore
1385 posts
Jun 03, 2011
10:53 AM
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"Some of these guys play 200+ dates a year. How many of you have gone into work crabby a few times? Seems pretty reasonable to have some difficult days. I'd be an a-hole today as a matter of fact, lol."
I lived that life for 20 years. Most of them playing to sparse crowds, little money, no tour bus, no roadie, funky motels............. I usually was excited to talk to people. Being sick, and other stuff mentioned here happens and if you are there on that night, you get disapointed. The people that I did not like hanging around were the ones that tried to make you think they were somebody, the ones that were so drunk/high that all they did was talk about themselves. You learn to shun these types off quick. The sad thing is often while these types, who are experts at getting to the front of the line, dominate your time and energy while the real music lover stands in the backround politely waiting. I learned to get to them right away and ignore the self absorbed, stoned, types. Life is not easy on the road. Especially when you are not traveling in a million dollar bus, nice hotels, good food, support staff to set up and manage things. Popper is no where near the star power he once was but in many ways his nitch is a cool one. He still can have a good life on the road and mix easier with the audience than when playing arenas. Walter
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walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year.
" life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
2,800+ of my songs
continuous streaming - 200 most current songs
my videos
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toxic_tone
158 posts
Jun 03, 2011
11:11 AM
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well i twitted him and he responded as to why he didnt do the meet n greet his response was. " i had to pee so bad i could taste it. i hung around for a while and got drunk at the bar accross the street. sorry i missed you."
i dont know if i feel better or worse lol. i was accross the street before the show started drinking as well. i should of went back.... lol its ok tho. next time i have to go with no expectations. but man sumthing about all that made me act and feel so wierd. i know he is just a person but i couldnt help but feel like i had to meet him.... idk.
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groyster1
1084 posts
Jun 03, 2011
11:44 AM
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he got drunk-thats a good excuse as it always changes ones personality for better or worse he did say sorry I missed you
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MP
1694 posts
Jun 03, 2011
6:19 PM
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toxic, now that's funny! i almost said 'maybe he had to go to the bathroom'. i had no idea i'd be right.
i do know i've played a thousand gigs where you only have 15 or 20 minute breaks. you check your gear, go to the bathroom, get a drink, and as soon as you start talking to someone you have to be on stage again. oh well.
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MP
doctor of semiotics and reed replacement.
"making the world a better place, one harmonica at a time"
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Mojokane
400 posts
Jun 03, 2011
8:45 PM
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right on Walter, and MP...and everybody else, too.
..the 'self absorbed, stoned types...and, lack of time to do anything during breaks.
I think he was just havin a bad day.
Undulging your fans must get horribly burdensome at times.
next time, hand em your card (with number on it), and talk to him later.
Last Edited by on Jun 03, 2011 8:47 PM
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Blind Leroy
23 posts
Jun 04, 2011
7:02 PM
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>>Keep in mind that being on tour is physically and emotionally demanding. It's not always easy for a featured performer to be generous with his time and attention<<
Sorry, but I don't buy this at all. Popper isn't "rock star" material and not exactly at the top of the heap anymore and he can't afford to not be friendly with people. I've known too many nice people in the music biz. down thru the years who are very thankful and nice to their fans and are very glad to give you a couple of minutes of their day.
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kudzurunner
2513 posts
Jun 04, 2011
7:24 PM
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@BLeroy: As Toxic explains just above, he communicated later with Popper and Popper explained that he had to take a piss. Popper also apologized. This is a non-thread. Much ado about nothing.
I called this one exactly right, it turns out. I said that Popper's apparently antisocial behavior could have been caused by any of a dozen things.
Hm. I also said that we'd never know why he behaved as he did. But I forgot to take twitter into account.
All's well that ends well. To paraphrase Gertrude Stein, there's no here here. Popper had to pee. WHAT AN ASSHOLE!!
:)
Last Edited by on Jun 04, 2011 7:29 PM
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nacoran
4169 posts
Jun 04, 2011
8:05 PM
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"Popper had to pee. What an asshole." I can't help thinking that if that's not a mixed metaphor it's at least in the same family. :)
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Nate
Facebook
Thread Organizer (A list of all sorts of useful threads)
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toxic_tone
160 posts
Jun 05, 2011
9:22 AM
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lol. i kno right? i mean who has to pee now a days?? :D
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MN
66 posts
Jun 05, 2011
12:36 PM
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Never had the pleasure to meet Popper. But I just got back from spending the afternoon with Charlie Musselwhite and his wife. They're here in Prague for a concert Tuesday night. If there are two nicer people on the planet, I want to meet 'em!
And 10+ years ago I had the good fortune to spend an evening in a hospital in Delray Beach, Fla. with some guy named Adam Gussow. He seemed okay, but was really distracted and seemed more interested in the heart attack he'd just had, than in talking harp with me. What a tool! ;-)
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atty1chgo
93 posts
Jun 29, 2011
11:22 AM
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An interesting discussion. Let us all be thankful for the musicians who give of their life's time to share moments with their fans, whether they are musicians or not. I recently went to a Tower of Power show at the House Of Blues - Chicago. Of course, they were outstanding, they are one of the finest concert bands around. It was a long concert over 1.5 hrs., and they had a Meet And Greet afterward for the fans. The entire band sat at two long tables, signed everything the fans put in front of them, took photographs and chatted with the fans, even though they were obviously exhausted. These are consummate professional musicians, and some of the best at their particular instruments in the world (David Garibaldi, Doc Kupka etc.) It was a huge thrill to meet one of favorite bands. My point is if you can't always meet and greet a band, all I can say is 'maybe next time'. It is tough on these men and women day in and day out.
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toxic_tone
218 posts
Jun 30, 2011
6:51 AM
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hope next time is alot sooner then not..... ugh.. wish i had the money to follow them... o well like you said maybe next time...lol
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Barry C.
276 posts
Jun 30, 2011
9:45 AM
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i'm always amazed at how nice & gracious & available most blues musicians (notably harp-players) are to their fans. I've got a collection of signed harps and have yet to be refused a signature and a little conversation after a show!
We should however remember they are mortals and as this thread points out they even have to take a leak once in a while...or could even be in a cranky mood - just like a regular person!!
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~Banned in Boston!
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