Backstory: I’m the lead singer in a rock band and a video of one our performances ended up on youtube.
I just watched the new video and the performance was great. However, is there anything I can do to stop you from wrapping the cord around your neck? The show will not suffer if you don’t do it. I cannot believe it’s worth the risk of tripping and falling, of it getting stuck and tightening, of a fan thinking it would be funny to grab it – you catch my drift. None of that is even related to the main reason not to do it. The kid in Worcester (who had just signed with a label was getting ready to tour) died because “The pressure caused a clot in his jugular vein that and stopped oxygen from flowing to his brain. He appeared fine immediately after the performance, but later felt dizzy and had a lack of sensation in his legs. He died the following day at Boston Medical Center.” You wouldn’t even know it was a problem until it is too late.
So I am begging you, please don’t do it anymore. Maybe to give you old mom this little bit of peace of mind you’ll consider it?
Sounds like excellent advice to me.
May 13, 2009 at 11:04 am
This woman sounds like my mother-in-law who has a horror story for any situation. All urban myths
May 13, 2009 at 2:14 pm
Except that story isn’t a myth. It was one of my former students who passed away…..so sad.
May 13, 2009 at 3:07 pm
she asked so sweetly! i think this compels you to stop doing it. and she’s right, the show won’t suffer; the noose thing has been done.
May 13, 2009 at 3:40 pm
I have to see the video now. Can you post a link to the alleged offense? I need to see if it does/does not add a little flare to the act.
May 13, 2009 at 4:47 pm
Sounds like excellent advice to me!
May 13, 2009 at 4:53 pm
It’s not an urban myth. True story. It was in all the Boston papers.
May 13, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Your mom is totally right–what kind of idiot wraps a cord around their neck? Dumb.
May 14, 2009 at 1:12 am
The kind of idiot who is an excellent showman. A lot of the best band stories involve getting badly hurt for your art. I’m not saying that it’s the best thing to do, but it’s the sort of thing that goes down in the more hardcore music scene. It’s not enough to just play the music on stage anymore. I saw The Who last year and it was very dull for just that reason. Bands get noticed for their insane and often very stupid antics.
May 14, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Yeah, being a really good musician is boring. It’s only entertaining if it includes something meaningless and stupid that any hack job could do.
May 14, 2009 at 2:24 pm
RIP Dom. Last Lights was the band he was in and this story is actually true.
May 14, 2009 at 2:48 pm
You only need to do idiotic stunts if your audience has the attention span of houseflies, OR your music is bland and contrived. In both cases, you’re probably better off hanging yourself, so go for it!
May 14, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Listen to your mom. Very simple.
May 14, 2009 at 7:57 pm
http://www.myspace.com/lastlights – RIP DOM
June 30, 2009 at 3:10 pm