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"The sidekick in bands"

Saw a Wheatus video this morning, and it was..US college band, fair enough.
But I noticed something, and it was in the "Teenage Dirtbag" video as well.
Some gurning bloke leaping around and shaking a tambourine and playing little bongos. No instruments, he just appeared to be ther jumping around in the back of the videos.

Happy Mondays had Bez, a cadaverous bloke that danced like he was being peppered with machine-gun fire and had maracas.

The Prodigy had Leroy, a lanky chap that danced about in the background and pointed a lot at things.

Why? Why do some bands have these people that don't play any instruments but are "one of band", when they clearly just shuffle about and play un-miked things and point at the audience?

I think these side kicks are the master brain to the group.

Umm, nah they are a total waste of space, and I honestly cannot see why the band keep them, it must be a drain of money to give someone who does begger all his/her cut.

They can't possibly be considered an intergral part of the group can they?

Goatboy wrote:

> Maybe, but how
> do you explain Bez?

Assuming you know the Bez story, but for the benefit of others - there was absolutely no point to Bez. He became a member of the Happy Mondays as Shawn Ryder dared him to get on stage with them one night and prance about (copious pill swollowing aided him in his task). He did, sooner or later the band took off and Bez was a fixture.

(the major reason always said to be he was their dealer - though I can't imagine they would have had many problem sourcing alternate supliers)

My favourite Happy Mondays story. For their second album the band's label decided they needed to get away from drugs to get the thing recorded. Where were they sent? Ermmm... I can't remember 100% - but somw hot island where the drugs flow freely - ohhhhh, lets say Jamacia. Anyway, eight weeks later the label sends someone out to see how the album is going. One track has been recorded and Shawn Ryder and Bez are now selling equipment from the studio to get more gear as their advance was sent up their nose.

I noticed that to :D

I don't know why but I just seem to hate him... don't ask me why :D

He damn good too.

Goatboy wrote:
now been promoted to horn blower.

Hur hur hur...

Darkreaper wrote:
> The "sidekick" might actually help with the writing of the
> songs or with the management of the band or some other thing alone
> those lines.

Maybe, but how do you explain Bez?

RastaBillySkank wrote:
> monkey_man wrote:
> Ben was meant to be a bassist, but he had
> other ideas. We just
> generally took the mickey out of him and
> his lack of musical
> ability. Then we went to this studio and
> recorded some stuff for
> this useless bloke and we were like
> "Whoa, Ben can really
> play". Then he went. Then we
> cried. Then he came back - with
> a saxaphone. Then we
> cried.
>
> Lol!

Guh?

The "sidekick" might actually help with the writing of the songs or with the management of the band or some other thing alone those lines.
You can't really defend pop bands with those arguments. You have about one maybe two people who "sing" and then you have the others ponsing around on stage or where ever doing sod all.

Darkreaper

Sax can be really good. We use one on our new CD, the guy is a mate of the bass player. He was the back-end of the pantomime cow for the 1st CD and has now been promoted to horn blower.

Sax rules, but bass players with sax is dodgy

monkey_man wrote:
> Ben was meant to be a bassist, but he had other ideas. We just
> generally took the mickey out of him and his lack of musical
> ability. Then we went to this studio and recorded some stuff for
> this useless bloke and we were like "Whoa, Ben can really
> play". Then he went. Then we cried. Then he came back - with
> a saxaphone. Then we cried.

Lol!