[Dixielandjazz] Sound guys

[Butch Thompson]

Quite often I find myself, like Bob Ringwald, unable to hear the other
people on stage, especially front line players.  When what you do hear is
delayed, it's very disconcerting.  I simply can't play under those
conditions.  I have to know how my part fits into the whole; that's how I do
it, and nothing else will work for me.  So one night at a European festival,
I tried to explain this to the sound guys.  I said I needed more of the band
in the monitor.  They said they couldn't hear the piano.  I said that's
because I'm not playing much -- I need to hear the band so I can play more.
They said they needed to hear the piano.  I said you will if you give me
more band in the monitor.  They said they could not give it to me unless I
played louder.  I said I will when I can hear the band.  They said they
couldn't help me unless I played louder.  I said no, you don't understand, I
will be playing much louder when I can hear everyone else.  It just went on
like that.  Of course there was a language problem, but it was also very
obvious that the head technician thought I was crazy.

Butch Thompson