I’m Not Your Pal

I first met Rod Gibson when he was working for Jason and the Scorchers in 1993, the same time I met the band. I saw them in Providence, RI, and Groton, CT. I always showed up early and stayed late, helping move gear. After the Providence show, Rod gave me and my girlfriend each  a Scorchers t-shirt.

I still have the t-shirt.

Over the years I would see Rod occasionally when I was in Nashville. He ended up getting pretty high up in the roadie food chain.  He worked for Lynyrd Skynyrdand Velvet Revolver among others.

Rod’s stories kick my stories’ asses.

Well, thanks to the beauty of Facebook (?), I managed to find him again.

Recently, he put up this photo. While its provenance is unknown, it is self-evident that it is written by a roadie and intended to be read by bothersome fans.

******

The only line missing, and that I have heard used (but was never lucky enough to use it myself) is “Hey, I’m working here. I don’t bother you when you’re f@#$ing with those trash cans, do I?”

After the show, while the band is drinking orange juice backstage and audience members are trying to get one more drink (or some horizontal refreshment), the road crew is WORKING. They’re not hurrying to get to the backstage party, because there isn’t one. They’re hurrying to get out of this sh*thole club and back to the hotel to get a few hours sleep. Because they get up at 9, not noon.

The only good thing about it is that it’s that much sooner they can get out of East Cornhole and on to the next sh*thole rock club in the next city.