So that didn't end well

TK-421

Senior Member
Back around May or June, I answered a Craigslist ad for a jazz/fusion guitarist looking for a drummer. The two of us got together in my studio to feel each other out, and it seemed like a reasonably good fit. But neither one of us knew a good bassist who was available (even in LA, good ones are hard to find), so nothing happened until September, when the guitarist said he found someone.

Ok great, so we agree to begin rehearsals at my studio. But the bassist has a request, he wants to bring a cameraman to film everything. On our first rehearsal. Where we don't even know any material. I didn't think it was a good idea, but for some reason the guitarist seemed into it, so I eventually agreed. Apparently he wanted to put everything up onto Instagram. Whatever. I don't even have an Instagram account.

Anyway, despite the cameraman filming while we're all just making shit up on the fly, it was fairly uneventful. The bassist seemed a little strange, like one of those guys who gets so absorbed into his own thoughts, he's completely oblivious to what's going on around him. Example: during one of our more recent rehearsals, he played an entire song in the wrong key. Like an obviously wrong key that sounded way off. I nearly stopped the song several times, but decided to wait and see if he ever figured it out, which he didn't. And frankly, I didn't really like his tone—he uses way too much reverb and effects—or his playing. He's one of those 6-string bassists who overplays everything and wants to take a solo every 16 bars. So even though I think he's a bit odd and not that good of a player, I've been letting it go, mostly because I really wasn't all that into this project.

But then this past Sunday changed everything.

It was the last song before they were going to pack up, and the bassist, lost in thought as usual, somehow ended up with his foot on one of my cymbal stands, and he was rocking the stand wildly (it's not a huge studio, so his spot was always just in front of my kit). I kept playing, but grabbed the cymbal stand and tried to yank it way from his foot so he wouldn't knock it over. Then somehow he managed to get his foot stuck on my big tom/cymbal stand that holds two toms and a crash, and proceeded to kick it so violently that the toms were slamming into my snare. Even though I didn't think it was intentional, I'd had enough, so I stopped playing and yelled at him "What the F*** are you doing?" or something to that extent. He then proceeds to yell at me about how I had all these cords on the floor and that he was slipping on them (it's a STUDIO and my kit is mic'ed up, so yeah there are going to be some cords laying around, but they're all confined to the area directly beneath my kit).

Then instead of saying sorry, he said "Just don't piss me off, or I'll f*** you up." WHAT?!!?? Did this guy just threaten me? So I said "What did you say?" Then he repeated "Don't piss me off, or I'll f*** you up."

That was the final straw. I told him to pack his shit and get the hell out of my studio, and that I was NEVER going to play with him again. Then he starts going on about how he's going to kick my ass out in the parking lot, and on and on. I just want him out of the studio ASAP, because there's at least $12,000 worth of gear in there, and I don't want any of it messed up. All the while, the guitarist seemed confused about what was going on... he's Brazilian, so English isn't his first language and I don't think he heard the bassist threaten me.

Long story short, they both eventually leave, and fortunately no further incidents occurred. But then last night I went to my studio for the first time since then, and there's a big scratch on the door frame right next to the deadbolt, like someone was using a tool to try to break into my studio. I took pictures and sent them to the studio manager, and he's going to review the security footage today to see what exactly took place. If this guy did try to break into the studio, I'm definitely reporting him to the police.

What a psycho. From now on, I'm never letting anyone near my studio unless I know him or her beforehand.
 
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I'd put a camera in there today.
 
I'd put a camera in there today.

The studio complex has cameras everywhere, including one right outside my door. So if he tried anything, there should be footage.

That said, the studio manager just texted me to say he reviewed the last three days and didn't see anything. I asked him if he had footage going back through Sunday night since that's when the incident occurred, but I haven't heard back yet.
 
The studio complex has cameras everywhere, including one right outside my door. So if he tried anything, there should be footage.

That said, the studio manager just texted me to say he reviewed the last three days and didn't see anything. I asked him if he had footage going back through Sunday night, but I haven't heard back yet.

Usually people aren't THAT stupid. He would probably have given the address and info to someone else you didn't know to come break in. Don't hold your breath.
 
I still can't get over this guy's insistence on bringing a third party cameraman to film what was basically an audition. Ego much?
 
I still can't get over this guy's insistence on bringing a third party cameraman to film what was basically an audition. Ego much?

Exactly. After the first rehearsal, he bought a GoPro camera and brought it to every rehearsal so he could film it himself. He set it up on a speaker opposite of him, and recorded everything. I'm sure it's on Instagram somewhere, I never bothered to look for it.

Though come to think about it, perhaps the reason why he was getting too close to my kit in the first place (and hence nearly knocking over two of my stands) was because he was trying to be in center frame of the GoPro. He was obsessed with Instagram, and apparently is just as narcissistic as all the other Instagrammers out there. And it's not like he's 18 or anything close to that. I'm guessing he's somewhere in his mid 50s.

God I hate social media.
 
There's so many red flags in your OP that I thought it was a May Day parade for a moment there. Unfortunately, in order to find a prince of a bass player (or guitarist, or anyone for that matter) you've got to work through a lot of frogs... glad he didn't make it back into your studio.
 
This is kind of in line with something I’ve always tried to follow. I’ve been in situations in the past where the guitarist, bassist or what have you may have been talented and knew the music we’d make would be good . But I learned early on that the situation is never sustainable if the person was a nut, had a substance problem , was an ego maniac, or just didn’t like the person, hence there was no reason to move forward. I realized , I wasn’t seeing the forest through the trees . Better to waste time quick and early than a lot of time trying to wait out someone’s BS , hoping it will subside or go away. I learned to put full trust in my instincts. IMO it never lasts without compatability no matter how good the initial product is . Time is better wasted on a good person you get along with who’s skills need a little work but is willing to put in the time , than a great player off the bat who’s a complete DICK ! This can be applied to almost any relationship in life I guess . I’d run my own camera inside the studio as well. It’s a GOOD thing that ended .
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This is kind of in line with something I’ve always tried to follow. I’ve been in situations in the past where the guitarist, bassist or what have you may have been talented and knew the music we’d make would be good . But I learned early on that the situation is never sustainable if the person was a nut, had a substance problem , was an ego maniac, or just didn’t like the person, hence there was no reason to move forward. I realized , I wasn’t seeing the forest through the trees . Better to waste time quick and early than a lot of time trying to wait out someone’s BS , hoping it will subside or go away. I learned to put full trust in my instincts. IMO it never lasts without compatability no matter how good the initial product is . Time is better wasted on a good person you get along with who’s skills need a little work but is willing to put in the time , than a great player off the bat who’s a complete DICK ! This can be applied to almost any relationship in life I guess . I’d run my own camera inside the studio as well. It’s a GOOD thing that ended .
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Totally. I don't miss it one bit. I care so little about that situation, I wasn't even going to bother to write a post about it until I saw the huge scratch on the door frame.

Speaking of, the studio manager said it may take up to a week before he can review the security footage dating back to Sunday. I think older data may get automatically uploaded to a server, hence the delay. He said he didn't see anything unusual from Tuesday through Thursday, so I guess I'll have to just wait and see.
 
I can understand the videos as a way of documenting the development of the band.

He sounds kinda nutty though.
 
Wow! That's crazy.






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I'm never letting anyone near my studio unless I know him or her beforehand.

I have a friend who used to own a recording studio. Before taking new clients to his studio he would
meet them in a neutral location to size them up before letting them set foot in his facility. He turned
down a number of people and projects based on his initial gut reaction at these meetings.
 
TK-421:

No you are wrong.

Based on the title of your thread here; if you never see him again, it DID end well.


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You did the right thing-keep your cool. He is crazy-I'm sure mostly just threat rather than action. But you never know though-I had a drunk fella pull a pistol on me and stick it in my face (he was polluted and that scared me). He was wrong, I called the land owner who came out and straightened him out. Didn't have any more problems-some people are unhinged and you worry the idiot may accidentally kill you in their moment of lunacy (a lot seem to be from the South from my experience-need anger management LOL). My best friend had a distant relative show up , just recently, he hadn't seen in over 20 years telling him God told him to come and live with him-and he was married to Lucifer. He tried to reason with him for about one minute then he called the police. Initially the con artist had the police thinking my friend was the intruder. He couldn't believe it-and he was scared when he got off all delusional and wondered if he was a threat.
 
I have a friend who used to own a recording studio. Before taking new clients to his studio he would
meet them in a neutral location to size them up before letting them set foot in his facility. He turned
down a number of people and projects based on his initial gut reaction at these meetings.

Wow. Are things really that bad?
 
Wow. Are things really that bad?

Not as bad as it might sound. It was more about theft deterrent by not giving away the location of his studio. Most of his clients were legit, a small percentage were not.
 
Not as bad as it might sound. It was more about theft deterrent by not giving away the location of his studio. Most of his clients were legit, a small percentage were not.

And it’s the thieves in the musical community that are most likely to know exactly what’s worth stealing in a studio. Yeah. Wow.
 
Musicians, by and large, IMO are easy marks. I think the majority of us are very trusting people and can't comprehend why someone would purposely screw another. I always like to think that people are good still, but now I have more at stake equipment-wise....to be foolish with a person I never met before.

I would have done the same thing, meet neutrally. Even then it's risky. Gut feelings rule here.
 
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