Lately, I've been enjoying a rather large amount of "heckler" videos...some jerk off in the audience giving a musician or a comedian shit, and the comedian/musician either ripping them a new one or being torn to shreds themselves. It is either hilarious or heartbreaking to watch.

Anyone who has ever performed live, or in front of anybody period, knows the fear associated with doing such and the amount of balls it takes. Not everybody will enjoy an act, some folks will just be stupid drunk, trying to start shit...and I'm wondering, is there any recording or footage of John in such a situation?

He's had to of dealt with it rather well, seeing how successful he is, but I'd like to see how he handles himself. He's probably been ripe for hecklers...his "off the grid" voice, his appearance, his unique approach to songwriting, hell, even the name of the band just puts some people off. (All the reasons we love him, but many reasons for the haters to hate.) He's known for his witty stage banter, his calm and collected demeaner, and has HAD to have taken a lot of shit over the years.

I'm just curious to see if, or how he's taken such. I've never really heard him talk much about it...and am very curious. Not to see the man in an uncomfortable situation, no, but to see how he handles such people and possibly learn from it. We all know JD is the man...but how does the man react when somewhat shouts "SHIT!" towards his direction, or when someone interrupts a song trying to belittle him or who's just being an attention whore?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2012 11:54PM by Redlandsman87.

Yeah, dude. I love when JD responds to the crowd. Especially on the tour lately; the audience has been atrocious. This vid is solid:

[www.youtube.com]

EDIT: >_>

EDIT EDIT: >____>

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[www.last.fm]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2012 12:08PM by myopic mirror.

From my experience he more commonly has the opposite problem.

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We are the ones who don't slow down at all...

He wasn't always famous, remember. He's been in the game for twenty odd years now. When did you guys find out about him? Surely not '91, was it? I mean, you've all been to every concert, right? Seen every performance? Or probably just latched on when The Sunset Tree came out, right?

Yeah, Mountain Goats fans are going to populate his concerts and forum. That's the idea, duur. But don't make the assumption his success was overnight, or that he didn't have some tough crowds and gigs. Christ, get off your fucking high horses dudes. JD wasn't always an "Indie God", he may be in your eyes, sure, but he's lost band members, he's played a long time and didn't always have a cult status. He wasn't always the greatest songwriter, nor guitarist, that he has become today. He's always been brilliantly creative, and unique, original. But let's not kid ourselves. Taboo VI has Move (Chicago 196X) and Solomon Revisted on them...I'm sure those were the songs that got you into the band and man, right? His career didn't really take off until Youtube, The Sunset Tree, and consistent touring, writing, and practicing over a period of twenty years happened.

His fansite wasn't established until four years after his debut release. Four years is a long time to be recognized. It took him eleven records, recorded by himself, at home, with little money or equiptment, for him to land a "major" record deal. Most would have given up by then. I'm sure he's played in bars where there was a drunk guy or two giving him shit. Don't tell me he hasn't.

Just because he's successful now and mostly avoids such altercations because he is surrounded by such loving fans, don't think everybody always "got it", and don't let me offend your little egos by not bowing down to "THE MASTER" and not thinking he's a human, who had to grow and learn and hone his skills just like everybody else.

What's the most attractive thing about John, and his music? His lyrics? His guitar work? His vocals?

For some, maybe. But I'd say personally, it was looking criticism, fear, and self-doubt straight in the eyes and saying "Fuck you, I'm not giving up. I'm making this happen, no matter what."

Which is why I'm curious about such. And why I asked you all, the fans. Not because I hate John, or his music, or his fans. Because I wholeheartedly love everything about TMG. the fans, the music, the grand idea of it all.

John has some major balls, and we all know it. But his balls had to drop at some point, didn't they? I'm sure every musician has, at one point or another, heard the phrase "Don't quit your day job!"



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2012 01:32AM by Redlandsman87.

This one starts out with a bit of a heckle [www.youtube.com]

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240warheads
This one starts out with a bit of a heckle [www.youtube.com]

I miss the swoop.

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do I have to hit you over the head with it?
nigelewan.com · last.fm

See? That's what I mean. That's what I love, and what all performers should learn to handle and control. John shut up a guy being too loud, talking too much, and disturbing the show for the rest of the audience.

Look at his face. John is PISSED. But he keeps his cool. The guy insulted him for using the "all the same chords". Which is entirely untrue...John is indeed a very diverse rhythm player, as we guitarists well know, not just A, D, G...but you know what? John is getting paid the same, regardless. He knows this. He could sit on stage, for three hours, and sing the phonebook to C and G all day. Doesn't matter...the check will cash the same either way. He couldn't do it for long, of course, but once a contract is signed...

And because of such, he does two things. Picks a song he knows usually never fails, what some would say is his signature/staple song "Going to Georgia" and puts all of that anger and energy into his performance of the song. You can see his anger in this one, man, it shines through. He almost looks like he's tired, sick of singing it, but knows he's has to get his gig and performance back on track, so he does what he knows won't fail. He's getting paid, it's his job. So he has to maintain control at whatever cost...he can't lose his cool. Like a rowdy classroom...if a student is acting out, the teacher has to put him back in line so the rest of the students can learn. Or in this case, enjoy a concert. That guy was being "that guy".

It's what stand up comedians do, and it's brilliant. It never fails, and it helps bring audience and artists closer together.

It makes it one of his best performances, because of that fact alone. Guy comes to a club or bar, wanting to talk over the performer...and John shoots him the fuck down. This is my turf bitch, says John, so tread lightly. And don't fuck with the dude with the microphone.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2012 09:00AM by Redlandsman87.

In this video, JD humorously responds to some disrespectful members of the audience. Not really hecklers, but people talking during the songs, which is at least as rude and probably a bit worse than heckling in my opinion. I was in the front row at this show. "Alpha Sun Hat" - Tallahassee, 01/23/12

Also, here's a great heckler takedown, courtesy of Louis C.K. This was actually part of an episode of Louie. It's censored, but still almost certainly NSFW. It's worth watching the entire segment. Louie- "Heckler"

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Mercy for the Diaz Brothers!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2012 10:28AM by Alpha Puppington.

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Redlandsman87
Yeah, Mountain Goats fans are going to populate his concerts and forum. That's the idea, duur. But don't make the assumption his success was overnight, or that he didn't have some tough crowds and gigs. Christ, get off your fucking high horses dudes. JD wasn't always an "Indie God", he may be in your eyes, sure, but he's lost band members, he's played a long time and didn't always have a cult status. He wasn't always the greatest songwriter, nor guitarist, that he has become today. He's always been brilliantly creative, and unique, original. But let's not kid ourselves. Taboo VI has Move (Chicago 196X) and Solomon Revisted on them...I'm sure those were the songs that got you into the band and man, right? His career didn't really take off until Youtube, The Sunset Tree, and consistent touring, writing, and practicing over a period of twenty years happened.

Wow, I don't recall a single person saying anything contradicting this to bring on this long-winded rant of a response. When I say "in my experience" I mean the shows I've been to, which no were not in '91 so...thanks for making my point?

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We are the ones who don't slow down at all...

I can't take that second post any way other than offensively or sarcastically, when it's followed by a Rick Roll for chrissakes, and when I asked an honest, open, and harmless question as well. It was douche from the second post who felt the need to be a smartass who thought he was funny, which triggered me, and I didn't mean to drag you down in the process as well my man. It's hard to feel welcome when posts such as the second one are made.

Sure, sure, internet. Serious business. Still though, who the fuck really still Rick Rolls?

I have no sense of humor, sadly, and sarcasm is difficult to detect in written word, without proper context. So I reply to such with spite. It's a knee-jerk thing.

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nigel

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240warheads
This one starts out with a bit of a heckle [www.youtube.com]

I miss the swoop.

Seriously. He either needs to start rocking that again, or that goatee he had for a hot minute recently.

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[www.last.fm]

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Redlandsman87
I can't take that second post any way other than offensively or sarcastically, when it's followed by a Rick Roll for chrissakes, and when I asked an honest, open, and harmless question as well. It was douche from the second post who felt the need to be a smartass who thought he was funny, which triggered me, and I didn't mean to drag you down in the process as well my man. It's hard to feel welcome when posts such as the second one are made.

Sorry, bro. All apologies on my front. Me doing that was merely out of the complete and total silliness/stupidity of actually doing it! Didn't mean to cause such distress.

Truth be told, I've never seen any videos of him being heckled. The audiences on the recent tour have been horrible, according to the people who have been posting in the 'On the Road' section; so it's completely possible that on recent tours he's had to do heckle damage control. ...as someone already said in this thread, JD HAS to have the opposite problem far more than anything else.

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[www.last.fm]

THE RECOGNITION SCENE was one of the best group heckles ever.

"Monkey in the basement I wanna go to bed" is another good one.

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1840 - Hounds in Sonora, Mexico, invent music, write bogus "History of Music" to preserve anonymity.

Laughin Out Loud



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2012 01:20PM by Mr Glass.

I love heckling JD

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We belong dead.
[www.last.fm]
[sordidalley.blogspot.com]
[popwreckoning.com]
[blog.kexp.org]

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myopic mirror

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Redlandsman87
I can't take that second post any way other than offensively or sarcastically, when it's followed by a Rick Roll for chrissakes, and when I asked an honest, open, and harmless question as well. It was douche from the second post who felt the need to be a smartass who thought he was funny, which triggered me, and I didn't mean to drag you down in the process as well my man. It's hard to feel welcome when posts such as the second one are made.

Sorry, bro. All apologies on my front. Me doing that was merely out of the complete and total silliness/stupidity of actually doing it! Didn't mean to cause such distress.

Truth be told, I've never seen any videos of him being heckled. The audiences on the recent tour have been horrible, according to the people who have been posting in the 'On the Road' section; so it's completely possible that on recent tours he's had to do heckle damage control. ...as someone already said in this thread, JD HAS to have the opposite problem far more than anything else.

Dude, you totally caved to Redlandsman87's heckle on you.

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I've got big plans. ◊ Talking Blanket ◊ Yay, Butts! LOL!

I know. After he had caved to mine. What is this world coming to?!

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[www.last.fm]

this one is also good.

[www.youtube.com]

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The first thing that distinguishes a writer is that he is most alive when alone. - Martin Amis

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Wild Creature
this one is also good.

[www.youtube.com]

Woah. Never seen that one before. Thanks!

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[www.last.fm]

We Shall All Be Healed is a concept album about a group of recovering hecklers

i don't think we get hecklers so much at the UK shows.

we're too damned polite for it all!

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let's get dressed up in costumes and dance by the bar.

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240warheads
We Shall All Be Healed is a concept album about a group of recovering hecklers

"And I dreamt of a house / Haunted by all you hecklers with your hands out"

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Redlandsman87
I have no sense of humor, sadly, and sarcasm is difficult to detect in written word, without proper context. So I reply to such with spite. It's a knee-jerk thing.

awesome.

we need more people like you on the internet.

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dtrom4

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240warheads
We Shall All Be Healed is a concept album about a group of recovering hecklers

"And I dreamt of a house / Haunted by all you hecklers with your hands out"

"We can always use more Free Bird. Yeah, more Lynyrd Skynyrd"

Not sure if this counts as heckling or more like playful banter.

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Why's everyone in this thread a f***ing Mountain Goats fan?!

Kirkeby Kritikk • Kvitter

Someone shouted for Freebird at a show in December, which prompted a five-minute lecture from John not to do that. Don't do that.