Forgetfulness Or Carelessness

We've all heard the expression, "absent minded Professor." Well, this doesn't only apply to these people but a lot of musicians also seem to fit this mold. The habit of leaving and in some cases losing their instruments is not all that uncommon.

George Tingey, London trumpet player / bandleader left his horn in the driveway and drove off.  Fortunately he didn't drive over it.  Although I've heard that some musicians have done this.

Years ago Frank Langton (another local trumpet player) left his trumpet at the corner of Dundas and Richmond.   He got on the bus and didn't discover this oversight for about 8 to 10 blocks. He got off the bus and ran back to this corner at break neck speed.   Frank, gasping for breath, spotted his horn case still sitting in the doorway of the closed Smoke Shop.   It's a good thing it was late at night and no one noticed it.

Al Shipley (reed player in the London Encore Band) drove away with his clarinet on top of the car. He discovered it was missing and drove back to the parking lot of the school the next day. Luckily the janitor of the school had retrieved it. However, the case was a bit mangled.  A car or truck came close to obliterating it completely.

I've also driven away from a Dixieland gig and left the Red vests on the roof of the car.   Fortunately someone waved me down before I left the driveway. It was a close call and I'm thinking I might have lost them along the way driving home.

Chris Robinson (tenor player) was packing up in the driveway of a London restaurant. He closed the trunk of the car and left his horn on the pavement. He came back the next morning and discovered that the horn was still there.    

How many musicians admit to stopping their cars when driving to a gig to look in the trunks to see if the horn is in the trunk or if they took their mouthpieces or mutes with them. Maybe some musicians really are "space cadets". (By the way. Is there a patron saint of carelessness?)

The best is the Johnny Downs band leaving the drums, bass and a lot of equipment all over the tracks between London and Port Stanley.  The London and Port Stanley Railway train took the trailer off the back of Johnny's car. Now that's what we call close. I guess this doesn't fall into the category of leaving things behind or does it.
 
I once forgot to bring the parade drum for the drummer. We were going to be playing at a Shopping Mall with a Dixieland band.  He didn't have a parade drum and I was to bring it for him. The only thing he could do was to play the black music stand we had. I guess people thought that the ticky tick tick on the flat surface was a nice departure from a washboard.

It appears that a lot of musicians have left their horns behind, driven over them or have forgotten microphones or other equipment. I guess forgetfulness is not uncommon in this industry.

Teddy Roderman, renowned studio trombone player in Toronto arrived at the recording studio, opened up his case and discovered it was empty .....except for a Teddy Bear. 

Hmm?

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