Psachya writes:
OK - here we go again - a couple more peeps for ya:
- "The Impatient Janitor" - OK - you finished playing about 10 minutes ago, and he's already on your case. Sample statement - "Stop chatting with your buddy over there - I want to go home already, and you're holding me back." Never mind that I'm packing up frantically as I'm chatting. Never mind that the caterer, florist, and half the guests are still in the room. Never mind that the guy himself has a half-hour's worth of chairs & tables to put away. Never mind that you certainly don't want to be there one more second than absolutely necessary after a gig - you're the only one that's keeping him there. (BTW - that's not to say that we should make these guys' lives any more difficult than they already are. But that works two ways.)
- "The Third-Base Coach" - that's the maitre-d' who says, "Watch for my signal - that's when the bride and groom are ready to come in." He signals, we start playing the entrance music, and he runs over and tells us to stop. "Wait!" he says. "That signal only meant that they finished their pictures. I'll give you another signal when they're ready - but don't start to play until I give you another signal that they're actually at the door. Then wait for me to run up to the bandstand and yell at you in front of everybody for not playing the entrance music. THEN start playing - but only when I signal you!" (Hey - I didn't say he was a GOOD third-base coach.)
- "The Wedding Crasher/Chassidic Idol Wannabe" - these guys dress up every night in a suit, tie, and hat, and wait outside certain wedding halls. After the first dance set, they wander into the place trying to look inconspicuous. As soon as the second dance set starts, they run up to the band, try to grab a mike, and claim to be the chosson's very best friend who absolutely MUST sing the entire set. Here's some friendly advice, guys - if you're actually trying to get into the business, that's about the worst possible way to go about it. Trust me on this one.
Howie Zaretsy writes:
I stumbled onto your blog and I am delighted to see that this record is still talked about 27 years later. I wanted to mention that I was in the audience at SUNY Stony Brook in the auditorium room at the Student Union Bulding when this record was recorded. I will never forget it - it was truly incredible. I was photographer of the Jewish newspaper on campus and I probably photographed the event. I of course have a copy of the record (not in shrink wrap but in excellent condition). I love the music and listen to it all the time - still. The guitar work on that album is truly awesome.
Rabbi Shmuel Simenowitz writes:
Maybe it's me but after a week of chanuka gigs I get the feeling that there's more than a passing resemblace between the hook in Debbie Friedman's "I'm a Latke" and "hotdogs - Armour hotdogs" hmm.. . . .
