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Who’s complaining?
You had a terrible day which seems to be going from bad to worse. You finally get to the gig, look on stage and see a bass player happily bouncing around. And you think to yourself “oh, these guys have it so easy…”
Rrright.
These days are a breeze by comparison; we have it easy, not that we don’t sometimes have to endure all sorts of trivial irritations. As Alice Cooper says in his song, it’s the little things that really get your goat. Take the other day…
We had a couple of days off so after a quick trip back home I fly to rejoin the band. Either a virus or a bout of food poisoning has my bowels in turmoil so after an anxious flight and then a taxi ride, I arrive at the hotel late at night, pay the driver and run for my room and the toilet. Waking up exhausted the following morning I discover that I have lost my wallet, probably dropped as I paid the taxi driver. After all the usual phone calls and searches I have to kiss goodbye to what was in it – not a lot, just everything of importance…
Read the story of a day in the life of a bass player in Roger’s second installment of Road Life.
Unauthorized copying, while sometimes necessary, is never as good as the real thing
I have to tell you I absolutely love these road diary entries from Roger. This has been a joy to read and especially for this american, a chance to feel close to a band always so far away. Maybe roger should be writing a book about the band or his whole life in general. Thanks for the heads up!
July 21st, 2010 at 22:26The second letter from the road – the second complaining about that he’s tired of touring. It doesn’t seem to be a good sign…
July 22nd, 2010 at 08:06George, you have a way of reading what you want to see into everything. What I read had not so much about to do with being tired of touring but the kind of trouble you have to go through when you lose your wallet while on the road.
July 22nd, 2010 at 20:16actually, i think the point of both Roger’s messages is how going on stage makes all the road troubles worthwhile.
July 22nd, 2010 at 22:06Losing your wallet does suck! There are so many important things in there, credit cards, cash, drivers license etc. Especially if you lose it in another country.
July 22nd, 2010 at 22:27Well, it could be worse. How about “The sudden transition from banality” WITHOUT any “mind-searing, adrenaline-pumping activity”–just more banality?
I do believe the members of Purple appreciate their longevity and good fortune most of the time; however, after so many years, I think from time to time they also forget that they are rock stars and not nine-to-fivers!
July 23rd, 2010 at 02:15took my 83 year young Mom to Atlantic City N.J 5 years ago to see D.P. She was having kinda bad day bad mood then the show started she stood right in front of stage for two hours plus and after great! bass solo Mr. Glover handed the pic to Her. She called everyone to tell them about the pic. Saw Roger two years later Scranton PA before show and thanked him. After show waiting for autographs and pictures Roger came up to me tapped my arm and told me its important to keep our Mums involved in these things while we can My Mum is 84. The pic is now framed with Rogers picture and autograph. We called it Purple therapy. also thanks to Trump marina ushers for making everyone else stay away from stage until encore except one 5 foot 4 83 year young Lady
July 25th, 2010 at 13:32Had my wallet stolen from my Van while we were setting up our equipment at a Gig at one of our local Pubs. Amazing how thieves will sit in the shadows of a back alley, watching and waiting for the band members to take some equipment inside, and then suddenly take that opportunity to rummage through the front cockpit area looking for something to steel. What a pain in the ass canceling the credit cards, redoing all the ID stuff, and finding that you just played a four hour gig for FREE due to the thief taking more money from you than you got paid that night….
Oh the tales from the road…….woes me.
Cheers
July 25th, 2010 at 18:15Re: #8
Tracy, anyone who takes something from someone else is a parasite.
It is appalling–and sad–that some people have no regard for others, thinking only of themselves knowing full well that the victim–whom the perpetrator does not know–will have a tremendous hassle to deal with as a side effect to getting property stolen–not to mention the loss of the property itself.
Anyone who is capable of such a crime is a sociopath. The fact that these people wait in the shows for an opportunity makes them cowards.
July 26th, 2010 at 00:28Oh, the joys of life! It doesn’t matter who you are, a bad day is a bad day and we all have ’em. In Roger’s case, this episode ended on a high. Imagine if that had happened to Ritchie circa late ’93 – I reckon he would have walked on stage that night and killed someone (probably the nearest singer within reach).
July 29th, 2010 at 16:26