With all the social networking and levels of communication
available to us via our mobile devices,
I did a gig Friday night with some fellas that I have not
seen for several months.
I noticed a that on a ‘break’, instead of talking with each other,
shootin the breeze, complaining about the gig or the lead singer etc etc etc;
each player got on their cell phones and did not stop talking
till each break was over.
We only ‘talked’ during ‘set-up’ and ‘tear down’.
Don’t get me wrong. I believe it is very kool that we can stay in touch with our
loved ones whenever and as often as possible, but I sure
miss those ‘break’ conversations, stories and bad jokes.
I think it has to do with age brackets as well. At 59, I have a phone with me…I answer it mostly when my wife or my kids call. I rarely use it to call out unless it becomes a necessity. Having it on me gave me more recording opportunities when we play to capture some audio or video , than calling someone. We don’t use Facebook and all that stuff. Our music styles run several genres. As a result, more appealing to age groups of the same. Great to see some 60 and 70year olds grooving to some old acoustic Dead tunes or jazz and they all have a phone clipped on a belt or purse but is typically stays there
Then there’s the opposite. I may be sitting somewhere with a 20 to 30 year younger crowd watching a few musicians and nearly half are texting, surfing or chatting with someone at sometime
It is a sign of people living outside the present moment. It’s a shame really. I had company at the studio friday night, people that wanted to hear the new group I am playing with. One woman spent almost the entire night on her phone and didn’t socialize much at all. Everyone else did.
To people on their phone in my company: first I ask them what are they checking, then depending on the urgency of what it is, I usually throw a big wrench into their thoughts to get them to enjoy the moment we are sharing, or tell them to take a hike or just wind up our time and take-off myself. I am nice about it any way it goes. Most people don’t even realize they are so disconnected from the moments they are sharing in the company of others because of their devices.
You are so right and that is a very nice way to approach it. It is so hard to be nice about it for me. I live in New Jersey where the new motto seems to be " F U , me first" almost every where you turn.
People are obessessed with these damn things. Life in text… what’s the point? I see kids walking down the street texting each other side by side… reminds me of a joke, why does a dog lick its balls… because he can.
I am a tech guy, have a smart phone for work, but I’ll be damned if I’ll become one of these morons with it. Its gone too far, hopefully there will be a renaisance and folks will start talking to each other again, and looking around the room… FFS!
Perhaps we should get everyone to check their phones at the door. See how many still want to come in!
My studio is 100% radio dead, not a single radio station can be picked up even on good radios with antennae. Mobile telephones simply can’t be used, if a guest wants to telephone they have to leave. Even wireless won’t work so all communications (Ethernet, Telephone) are by necessity wired. Those using the studio, actually like this, they can work totally undisturbed, and during a break can catch up. For any emergencies or waiting for important calls, there is a land line - just have to check the incoming call light every so often as the ring is usually disabled.
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