Happy standing at the back
 

Say, if you were in a band that was totally awesome and successful, would you be happy to go along with it when it was totally obvious to the world that you are the least interesting member of such band, still good and all that?

I've been that guy before. It's still fun and you still get to rock out.

If I was passionate about the music we were creating then hells yeah. I prefer it from behind.

to be as john paul jones is to led zeppelin?


no. not ok.

To be as Andrew Fletcher to Depeche Mode?

His microphone wasn't on at shows. Nor was his keyboard. That would be a little too trifling of a job to me.

But I'd rather be Lol Tolhurst to the Cure circa 1991 compared to Lol Tolhurst in that dreadful band The Presence that he started after his unceremonious disinvitation to the Cure.

Be the Noel Redding to Jimi Hendrix, the guy who may even write some good songs but gets pranks pulled on him a lot and his songs brushed aside, like that?

Only if I were in The Fall. Otherwise, fuck it.

You haven't been? Half of this forum has been in The Fall already. It ain't all that big of a deal.

of course. I'd get lots of perks with none of the media hell.

As long as I get in on some of the groupie action, as well.

like the other three guys that are not called rivers in weezer?

as long as i can do the rentals whenever the frontman's new shipment of lollicon arrives and cancels rehearsal.

nah, i'm designed to be a leader.

Depends what's more important to you - the music or the pose.

Ive been in bands where I spent the whole time at the back of the stage with my back to the audience, kneeling infront of my amp and pedals, while the othere band members gave it the big 'rock star' act. Did I mind, not a bit.
The sounds I produced are what made my band different from all the others. That was enough for me.

In fact on a couple of occasions I was so anonymous that the audience didn't even know I was in the band and spoke to me like I was a fan after the gig was over.

It was great.

I'd have no problem with that, methinks

So long I can make good music I'm fine with standing in the back.

I'd rather be the Lol circa producing Baroque Bordello.

If you stand at the back in the right way, you can still wind up being the most interesting, fascinating and captivating member of the group.

That Andrew Fletcher story sure brought the Lols

since I generally don't like to draw attention to myself, I'd like to be in a postition like that.

I can't even imagine this, I'm always right in the front, controlling every little thing. Whenever I give up any kind of creative control in my bands, that's when the other members start fucking off and doing stupid shit. I need to always be the brains of a group, or it just doesn't work -- because, well, I'm smarter than anyone I've ever played with. Of course, secretly, I do wish to work with people way smarter than me... in which case, I'd be happy to be in the back. For example, if I was "in the back" with something like Mark E. Smith or Don Van Vliet leading me, that'd be perfectly fine. Unfortunately, I've never met anyone like that in my experience...