In September of the year 2001, I was to become the final member of a group.  It was to be both a blessing and a curse.  On the occasion of my first performance with this band, I was stopped for speeding in Iroquois County, Illinois.  I didn't have auto insurance at the time and subsequently had my license suspended until I was able to pay off the ridiculously high fine.  However, after my first wife left me in November of 2001, it was my only source of income for a couple of months.  Anyway..........................................

I performed with this band through the good times and the bad over the course of about two 1/2 to 3 years.  Performing everyplace from Starved Rock State Park and the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival to Annie's in Ashkum.  Recriminations grew.  Why?  Because no one was booking the band.  One of the guitar players broke up with his girlfriend and turned to beer for comfort.  The gigs that did get booked were attended by one of the guitar players child molester friends.  The other guitar player.  Yes, THAT one.  Turned into a little whiner because he never got his way.  The gigs weren't good enough.  They didn't pay enough.  They weren't in the right places.  They weren't getting us anywhere.  BUT, he wouldn't practice or do anything that took the effort TO get us anywhere.  Pot, kettle, black.  Band members grew complacent and the band went nowhere except extinct.

Fast forward to 2004.  A new band was formed from the nucleus of the old band.  We'll call it Band X.  This was going to be IT!  The next BIG THING!  We were going to take the NW Indiana music scene by storm!  There would be no stopping us!  Along with a female singer, (Who is innocent in this whole scenario and there should be no aspersions cast upon her in any way.) Band X was off to an auspicious start.  Talented, motivated and energetic, Band X took off, almost.

Here's where it gets confusing and even a bit, well, infuriating.

I was having car trouble at the time.  So, I would ride to the guitar player's house and from there, either ride with the guitar player or the drummer.  One night, we were scheduled to perform in East Chicago, Indiana at a place called Murphy's On The Water.  For some reason, I had to drive myself.  So, I followed the guitar player.  Could the guitar player take the obvious, easy route?  Noooooooooooooooooooo!  He had to take the long and winding road with all of it's stops and starts.  When we arrived at the gig, I complained that there was a problem with my car.  The guitar player, fancying himself and expert on all things, test drove the car and said nothing was wrong.  (Yeah right!)  I made it home, barely.  The transmission had given out.  Did the guitar player find that troubling?  No.  He found it funny.  Something to laugh about.  Just one more misfortune for Curt West.

After obtaining another vehicle, we performed at some lousy sports bar in Indiana.  On the way home, the car acted like it's transmission had given out as well!  WTF!!!!!!  What had happened was that the car had a problem leaking oil.  It had literally run out of oil!  Well, I again had to ride to and from gigs with the drummer or guitar player.  The guitar player was less than understanding about this arrangement.  Often complaining about how unfair it was to him!  Well shit!  If the positions had been reversed, I would have done the same for him.  (Without complaining.)  He was driving a freaking van!  He had plenty of room.  I helped with gas money.  I wasn't freeloading for cryin' out loud!

A situation came up where there was the opportunity to buy a car at a very low price from one of the guitar player's relatives.  I discussed buying either the relative's car or the guitar player's car if he took the relative's car with the guitar player.  However, when that deal came through, neither vehicle was offered nor was it mentioned until after the fact.  Help thy band mate?  I think not.  For this guy it's all for one and that one is him.

In the meantime, an opportunity arose at a local club.  In October or November of 2004, the house band, of which I was a part, had a couple of it's members leave under less than happy circumstances.  The owners wanted entertainment to fill the void left by the house band's break up, but, didn't want a house band.  I jumped at the opportunity and offered two separate bands to perform on Friday nights.  The offer was accepted and I felt quite happy, as I was going to be able to perform every Friday.  If not at this club, then with my new band, Band X!  The ideal circumstance, right?  Wrong.

One of the bands I hired in was JD King, myself and whatever drummer JD decided on.  JD would perform on the weeks when Band X's drummer didn't have his kids for the weekend so that I would be available to perform with Band X and JD could hire different bass players that he knew.

The other band was to be a sort of local "super group".  Jay Jackson on guitar, Tom Kyrouac on drums, Band X's guitar player on guitar and vocals and myself on bass.  I would always be able to perform with this group because my real band couldn't work those weekends because our drummer had his kids.  Perfect!  (Not quite.)

Jay Jackson quit.  Ask him why.  It's not for me to put on this web site without his permission.

Tom Kyrouac joined the band Reaction and was only sporadically available.

What to do.  The "super group" had fallen apart before it really got started.  (Not that we ever practiced anyway.)

Several drummers were used over the course of a few months to get us through.  But, what to do about the empty guitar slot?  We tried it three piece, but, that caused it's own share of problems.  Namely, the guitar player had a hard time singing all night.  So, was there an answer?  Yes.  But, it wasn't my idea.

Bring the guitar player from the old band that wasn't in Band X back into the band!  My response?  Ohhhhhhhh shit.  On top of that, the guitar player wanted to call it the old band's name again!  For name recognition he said.  Hell!  That band had a BAD reputation!  I have to admit I wasn't thrilled about the idea, but, it did have it's merits.  We all knew the material we were performing.  We had all worked together before.  Both guitar players could sing.  OK.  This would work, right?  Wrong.

While all of this is going on, Band X isn't making any money on the few performances we had.  Not to mention the huge expense of replacing cars every few gigs.  Plus, the guitar player was getting intolerably pushy.  He was attempting to take control of the band.  He wanted his hand in everything except booking the band.  At the same time, he wanted everything on his own terms.  Practice at his house, at the hours of his choosing.  He wanted to arrange the songs his way, but, he was making mistakes with the arrangements.  He was singing about half of the show, but, he wouldn't learn the right lyrics to the songs.  Often making up lyrics or combining verses.  I decided to leave Band X and perform closer to home for better money.

Band X was upset that I chose to leave but soldiered on without me.  I took up with what I consider to be the more musically satisfying band, JD & The Phuzz.  Yes, THAT JD.  The one performing on the alternate Fridays from the guitar player from Band X.

I became very busy with JD and, just as I had done for Band X, I took some Fridays off from performing with the guitar player from Band X.  However, where JD hadn't had a problem with this arrangement, the guitar player from Band X did.  He had a problem to the point where he tried to get me fired.  Oh, the joys of the politics of music!

To be fair, I will describe the guitar player from Band X's problem.  I only gave him four days notice that I wouldn't be at the next performance.  HOWEVER, I did get a replacement for myself and there was no doubt that the show would go on.  Everyone was going to make their money and nothing except for my presence had changed.  I ask you, what is the problem?

Words were exchanged between Band X's guitar player and myself.  My point was that I had hired him.  Not the other way around.  I hired him.  That is not my ego talking.  That is a statement of fact.  Where did this guy get off trying to have me fired and have himself put in charge of those Fridays?  This guy was even hiring the drummers for those Fridays without asking or consulting me!

I found out that he had hired the new bass player to perform on a Friday that I was scheduled to perform!  Who in the hell does this guy think he is?  This kind of behavior is expected of kids in junior high!  Not so called professional musicians!

About this time, I had secured enough gigs with JD to be able to back out of the Fridays he was not performing at this club anyway.  However, I was not going to just allow someone I had hired to do as he pleased with a gig I had arranged.  Hell, that's my money!  So, after a number of hasty phone calls and some incredible political slight of hand, I made sure that I would be performing at the next two performances at this club with the guitar player from Band X.

Prior to those two performances, I did as I had agreed upon with the management of the this club.  I informed the guitar player and the management of this club that I would be turning over those Fridays to the guitar player because of other commitments.  I had agreed that if I could not be present at half of the performances, that I would either leave that band and allow them to hire another bassist or, if they could not find a replacement, the management would hire another band.

Looking at the above story, and after what I have been through with this guitar player, I realized that this particular guitar player is a lazy musician, a bully, a braggart, egotistical, self-centered, controlling, ignorant and those are just his good qualities!

This guitar player continues to perform at this club every other Friday with the other guitar player from the old band.  It's not Rich Kienle.  It's not Mark Armenta.  Who is it then that I really have a problem with.  If you're really smart, and you really have read the information on this web site and have followed all of the links, you'll know exactly who I'm talking about.  I refrain from using his name for legal reasons AND he doesn't deserve to have his name published on this site.