Should people tip $1 per drink no matter what, no questions asked?
I also posed the question to a number of online social hot beds and the consensus was that bartenders agreed 100% of the time, "Minimum $1 per drink NO MATTER WHAT" and pretty much everyone else agrees, "...well it all depends, but as long as it's 20% it's fine". I was ready to drag this out for the whole days post, but in lieu of that I just want to leave it at this; I already give you 20% no matter how shitty your service was because that is the "social norm" for service... don't throw this "the bartender gets stiffed when you tip anything less" or "if you can't afford the norm then you can't afford to go out" or "he/she will be a dick to you if you don't do it" crap at people (I'm not looking for a friend anyway... I'm looking for a drink). You want to talk about "getting stiffed" working at a bar... try working the kitchen. I got $6.25 an hour doing that. No tips. I also left an hour or two after the bartenders and servers had to do dishes and mop floors while they all yucked it up behind the bar having drinks. (For the record and to be fair, that was an exceptionally shitty bar.) If we come off as "cheap", then the bartenders come off as "greedy". I don't mean for this to be mean to my bartender friends out there... I know it's a shitty job and there's nothing wrong with wanting more money. We all want more money for what we do. I'm just saying, it's my personal opinion that it's one "social norm" that I, and apparently most people, disagree with. No one is saying "don't tip" we're just saying we think 20% is more than fair.
Okay, that dragged on a little longer than planned. What I really meant to get to was this...
I don't really talk about my music that often on here and I just finished my first blog update in like six months over on MySpace and then thought, "Does anyone still use MySpace?" So I figured I'd get a bit more exposure over here on the ol' BlogSpot and Facebook from the two or three of you who might read this and more importantly the one or two who might still be with me after I just went ball's out on bartenders.
If you don't already know, to bring you up to speed, I have a solo "project" called the Best Revenge. I was pretty active for about two years there and then kind of fell of the face of the Earth and have played a grand total of like 10 shows in the past year to year and a half. But I've still been writing and wanting to get back in to playing out regularly. So anyway, here's what I had to say over on the MySpace about a new album I've been working on:
Just finished our second practice for the new album recording... which I'm now starting over on from scratch and wow dudes! I think we'll actually have something that sounds pretty dope when all is said and done.
For those not in the know, which is pretty much everyone, my old college chum Zac Schmidt has graciously offered to step in on drums so that we can finally get this thing off the ground. Let me tell you, finally putting the right beats to these songs that have been sitting around for nearly two years is bringing a lot of life back into them. It's also awesome to be playing with someone who is a fellow recording nerd so that I sound less crazy when I talk about "here's what I envision for the part..." instead of "here's how it goes...". It's been pretty fun so far. He and I will be spending the next few weeks hashing it out and nailing down parts so we can begin the recording process all over again and do things right. Good stuff man. Good stuff.
Also, Jack Wright, of Pinstripes and NYC reggae act the Forthrights (in)fam(y)e has graciously offered to do keys and organs whenever he's in town. I think I've got Joe Powell, formerly of Brian's Moving Out, to drunkenly agree to play bass once or twice... I really need to nail him to that, but it shouldn't be hard seeing as he's also in my other new project (The [1985] Bears... keep an eye out!). Let's see... who else? Chap Sowash, also of the Pinstripes and Duppy'a Jamba has offered up his awesome talents in the brass section, so I'm trying to find all kinds of places where I can just let him rip because he's stupid good. And I think Robby Sager from Atomic Potato, or whatever they're calling themselves these days... and also formerly of the Best Revenge now that I think about it, might lay down a few things. Oh... I also talked to Jon (sorry I forget your last name right now) from Andy! (what a confusing phrase) several months ago about maybe playing banjo? That would be sweet. Holla' back at me dude.
All others, feel free to apply. I really want this thing to just be a massive smorgasboard of people who are more talented than I making my mediocre songs sound AWESOME! What I think would be really awesome would be a real good female voice to counter all my manly growlings. Anyone?
I also hear Butch Vig is on board to produce.
Really? No.
You're more than welcome to check out what The Best Revenge already has to offer on MySpace I guess... www.myspace.com/bestrevengemusic.
Remember when MySpace was all the rage and only really nerdy college kids used Facebook? The times man, the times!
