Before I was a sound guy and in between trying to be a rock star, I was a fire fighter. In fact I was a fire fighter in Charleston South Carolina. Yes THAT Charleston South Carolina.
As an owner of a sound company, a front of house mixer and still sometimes musician, it’s real easy to get wrapped up in "ME". I have often made the joke, and been misquoted by THIS magazine, about this biz beats digging a ditch. And it does all day long. I wouldn't trade what we all get to do for…. Well, maybe I would trade it for some hot Asian…Uh,wait.
I still have lots of friends who to this day are fire fighters in Charleston South Carolina, and several of them where at THAT fire that killed 9 brothers. I flew back to Charleston to be with, and support my friends & the fallen heroes that died. I cried, laughed, got REAL drunk & almost went to jail for a bar room brawl in a fireman's bar (another story all together). It REALLY put things in perspective about what is or what should be important to me.
Family & friends….REAL friends. Things we ALL take for granted every freakin day.
Point? Yeah, when your PA is acting up, or the promoter is up your ass for being behind schedule, or the artist is a shithead, it still beats digging that ditch. And someone else, maybe a fireman, or even a ditch digger who has the night off, and wanted to see a show at least for that night could forget about his/her stressful job, and have a good time because in part of what WE do. Not bad huh??
Being in the fire dept at a young age taught me discipline, respect & instilled a good work ethic. All of which I try to instill in my three teenage kids, and the very people I employ, and work beside everyday.
Still being close enough with the firefighters I used to work with, & after 17 years they put me on a fire truck to ride to the memorial services. This was priceless to an extreme. I was told "you’re one of us" and to all of the younger firefighters they finally got a face to put with the stories.
When I was younger, I resented the job and didn't want anything to do with it when I left. Now I wouldn't trade those years for even the hot Asian…………
Point? Yeah sometimes we have a crappy day, and sometimes it can be dangerous, but it still beats that ditch……I can tell you one thing, I hug my wife and tell her I love her a couple more times a day, I don’t freak out about my kids wasting their days (well not as much) and I call my friends to check up on them a lot more. And when I am having a shit day at a gig, I KNOW it could be worse.
What does this REALLY have to do with FOH??? Maybe nothing. What's your "Perspective"?