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how do you compliment a band without saying you liked their music?


greg apocalypse

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Because these kids were asking me, and I don't want to be an asshole and say "you guys we're really generic, and just overall not appealing," although that's kind of how I feel. But, since I'm the no conflict type of person I want to say "you guys did good" without saying that they did good, right?

 

 

And I can't use "tight" cause they weren't even that. I guess I could just go with the standard "solid."

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"You're really good at what you do" or "you really nail that style" or something along those lines.

 

"you really nailed that style" is perfect!!!!!!!!!!! thanks :thu:

 

 

 

 

This one band was a total LoG ripoff band. I mean, nothing they played sounded REMOTELY original. Just borrowed LoG riffs, one after the other. Like, they'd take a LoG riff, and change two or three notes, but keep the ascending or descending scale pattern, and the rhythm...

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try to pick a couple things they did that you DID like. Certainly there must have been something they did that you thought was pretty good.

 

Honesty is the best policy. Being a dick is merely the perception of the other party's inability to accept constructive criticism.

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btw, here's what I used:

 

"I couldn't believe it was your first show, sounds like you guys must practice a lot. The crowd was way into you."

 

 

yeah, didn't use the "style" comment, because I couldn't remember their style, but the style comment is going to be used on the LoG ripoff band in just a moment.

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"You're really good at what you do" or "you really nail that style" or something along those lines.

 

 

This. I'm like you, Greg, I hate confrontation, especially with the bands we are on a bill with. I don't think there is a more uncomfortable situation than having a band come up and ask you your opinion about them. It comes off as egotistical, and even if you like them, it makes me feel like they are fishing for comments. If I think you rocked the house, I'll let you know. Don't ask.

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try to pick a couple things they did that you DID like. Certainly there must have been something they did that you thought was pretty good.


Honesty is the best policy. Being a dick is merely the perception of the other party's inability to accept constructive criticism.

 

 

see, the only thing was that I really didn't spend to long listening to them, just a few minutes, and they saw me in the crowd. I don't know why, but there are a few n00b bands around here that look up to my band like we're {censored}ing metallica. I don't know why, we don't even get many people to our shows, it's just that a few of them think we're real hot {censored}. So, they immediately come up to us after they play and like a son hoping for their fathers approval, they ask us how it was.

 

 

But I do like your approach, and usually that is what I go with. I do the "i liked the ______, but I think you guys could work on _____. Once you hit that, you'd be in."

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Wow...you guys are WAY nicer than I am...


I usually ask "Do you want my
honest
opinion?"

 

 

Yup, that's my stance on it, and to most of my friends they know me for it. If they want a truely honest opinion I'll give you one. I'm not trying to be an asshole, you wanted a truthfull opinion, far to many people sugar coat it.

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the only thing about the truth though, I have one of those no-conflict personalities. It's not in me to be demeaning in any way. Even though the truth is probably best, I can't do it. But I will kind of dance around it in ways like "just keep practicing, give it a year or so together and you guys will be great together."

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"You're really good at what you do" or "you really nail that style" or something along those lines.

 

 

yeah, this is my standard line. i usually add, "i'm not a fan of what you do, but you do it well".

 

also, you can use zentman's "unbelievable" comment. you're not qualifying in what way it was unbelievable, so it COULD be unbelievably bad:lol:

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yeah, this is my standard line. i usually add, "i'm not a fan of what you do, but you do it well".


also, you can use zentman's "unbelievable" comment. you're not qualifying in what way it was unbelievable, so it COULD be unbelievably bad:lol:

 

 

The only thing about "unbelievable" is too many kids around here will take this as "you are {censored}ing gods amongst mere mortals." Then ego's shoot through the roof. They need to know who runs this joint, and it aint them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

haven't said "aint" since about the 7th grade.

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...far to many people sugar coat it.

 

 

Exactly.

 

If I didn't want honest feedback, I wouldn't ask.

It drives me crazy when people say "Wow...you guys were awesome!" and then proceed to talk to the next person about how much the band sucked.

 

If I'm asking a question, I want honest feedback, not an ego boost.

If you KNOW that something sounds like {censored}, I want to fix it.

 

When i first started singing, I kept asking people for feedback.

All I ever heard was "It sounds great, man!"

 

Umm...no, it {censored}ing didn't. I KNEW that it didn't, and was looking for ways to improve, but all I heard was how great a singer I was.

 

Bull{censored}.

 

...

 

 

Of course, a lot of musicians aren't like me.

A lot of guys ask for feedback just to hear you tell them how great they sounded, and get pissed off when you let them know that they really didn't sound tight, or that the songs were too long/repetitious, or that their guitar tone sucked and got buried in the mix.

 

But really, {censored} those guys. I'm not in the business of padding the egos of drama queens.

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The only thing about "unbelievable" is too many kids around here will take this as "you are {censored}ing gods amongst mere mortals." Then ego's shoot through the roof. They need to know who runs this joint, and it aint them.







haven't said "aint" since about the 7th grade.

 

 

who gives a {censored} what their ego does? bottom line is that if they suck, their out of whack egos will just make them look like assholes.

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see, the only thing was that I really didn't spend to long listening to them, just a few minutes, and they saw me in the crowd. I don't know why, but there are a few n00b bands around here that look up to my band like we're {censored}ing metallica. I don't know why, we don't even get many people to our shows, it's just that a few of them think we're real hot {censored}. So, they immediately come up to us after they play and like a son hoping for their fathers approval, they ask us how it was.



But I do like your approach, and usually that is what I go with. I do the "i liked the ______, but I think you guys could work on _____. Once you hit that, you'd be in."

 

 

 

Yea tough spot. I tend to Aire on the honesty side only cause I wouldn't want someone to blow smoke up my ass...I would want them to be assbags either....ahh {censored} its a loose loose situation.

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" I've never heard anything like it . . "

 

" Man, you guys were really something . ."

 

" Nobody around here, will hear anything like that again, anytime soon . . "

 

" I've heard a lot of bands, and you guys are one of 'em . . "

 

" What a band . . WHAT A BAND . . "

 

The truth will find it's way eventually. MS1

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