Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Cream Moon Taxi vs. Lava Lamp vs. 12th & Porter
Posted by Adam Gold on Wed, Dec 2, 2009 at 3:38 PM
Much to the chagrin of Scene managing editor Jack Silverman, we here on the Cream admittedly don't spend a whole lot of time covering jam bands. That probably explains why we missed this news item from last year. If you're a fan of the local jam band Moon Taxi, don't count on noodle dancing to their sweet melodies and groovy grooves at 12th & Porter anytime soon. Apparently there is some bad blood (literally) between the club and the band, spawned by an incident in which guitarist Spencer Thomson slipped, fell and badly cut up his hand on the remnants of a lava lamp the band used to illuminate their merch table, which had broken on the floor. (Yes, a lava lamp. Keep in mind, we're talking about a local band who posts their setlists on their MySpace page after shows.) The result was a war of words and an out-of-court settlement between Thompson and the club.
At the moment, fellow-creamer D. Patrick Rodgers and I are fielding responses for the Scene's upcoming year-end Rock 'n' Roll Poll. When asked what band he's sick of seeing/hearing about, 12 & Porter proprietor Justin Roddick responded:
Moon Taxi for sure. Who hurts themselves on their own merchandise and then blames the venue for negligence? This band does.
Since I had no idea what he was talking about, I asked Roddick to elaborate, to which he responded:
Moon Taxi brought in a lava lamp for their merch table and it got broken after we closed when they were packing up. The venue staff started cleaning up broken lamp glass and a moon taxi band member slipped and cut his hand. The family hired an attorney in an attempt to get a big settlement from the club. The band refused to talk to us during the "investigation."...I probably should let it go but it got to me. I care a lot about these bands and thought we were all working together...I'm not sure how it all ends... I guess they are going at it with our insurance company. We were not found to be negligent so no case to get more than medical which our insurance company paid without question.
When asked to comment, Thomson responded with a different account of the incident, claiming:
I sliced my hand open on a pile of broken glass the club left lying unattended in poor visibility in the middle of a walking path. I almost lost the use of my left hand and suffered severe nerve damage. It was only after half a year of intense rehab and physical therapy that I regained partial sensation in my hand. My hand will never be able to operate like it could before the incident which is painfully frustrating as I make my living playing guitar. This could have all been avoided had 12th and Porter been more responsible in dealing with a dangerous pile of broken glass. I consulted a family-friendattorney. We worked with 12th and Porter's insurance company to help pay some of my medical bills, cover lost work, and the huge rise in my health insurance. A settlement was agreed on and no suit was ever filed.
The moral of the story: A lava lamp is not a toy. Regardless of which camp you might side with in this little dispute, I think we can all agree that lava lamps are evil and lame. Seriously, I had one when I was a kid and it was more boring than having a goldfish. You turn the damn thing on and then you have to watch the lava just sit there looking like a psychedelic putty cock while you wait for it to get hot enough to move around, then you drop the damn thing and it ruins your life. Just ask Moon Taxi. I'm calling for a petition banning lava lamps in rock clubs. Who's with me?
Comments (33)
Showing 1-33 of 33
When I was about 10, I asked my mom for a lava lamp for Christmas. Come Yuletide roughly a decade later, I open a peculiarly shaped present from my parents that turned out to be a lava lamp. "I know you've been asking for one of these!" says my well-intentioned mother. So I packed it up and took it with me to college. I think I plugged it in once post-doob-session, but even then it bored me senseless.
No need to talk shit about goldfish, however.
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I had both a lava lamp and one of those fiber-optic light thingies. While I was never injured by the lava lamp, those clear little fiber optic bits broke off ALL the damn time and I always ended up stepping on them. And they hurt so much! They're like splinters you can't even see. Devil splinters.
That makes me want Sushi for dinner. The deep fried, cream cheese filled kind that's all the rage in these parts.
Having never heard of these clowns, I checked out their MySpace page. Spinal Tap thumbs down.
"I make my living playing guitar."
Sure you do, buddy!
moon taxi should have known better than to think 12th & Porter had any money to begin with. i think that club is always about 2 shows away from having the doors chained shut... again. regardless, moon taxi is extremely good at their craft. i can't stand jammy shit but i will say that they are very talented and i'm sure they make some sort of "living" performing around the country. i was definitely impressed with their live show. also, i remember hearing about this forever ago so get on top of your reporting, gold.
@spoonmaxi
you were told:
"That probably explains why we missed this news item from last year"
Fuck 12th and putter.
I was there in may to see a friends band play. they cut them off after two songs so a dj could take the stage.
never going back again.
That sucks for the guitarist, hand injuries + musicians = major suck, but suing the club is kind of a dick move.
So no one else is still trying to get their head around "psychedelic putty cock" ?
if i brought a lava lamp, then dropped it, then slipped in the...lava(?)...then cut my hand on the glass from the lava lamp...i'd have a hard time going after the club about it, or telling that story, as is, to anybody. that being said, it does suck dealing with medical stuff if you're a musician, and from the completely outside, no-dog-in-the-hunt point of view, i guess the insurance company was the most prepared to cover the bills and not be ruined, but still...falling in your own lava lamp wreckage...assuming that's what happened...brutal.
I have a few issues with this article.
1: As you stated, this isn't news. This happened a year ago. So while my kinder heart wants to think that you're reporting this because you're actually interested; the more rational part of me realizes this is probably 12th and Porter's way of sabotaging what's shaping up to be a more impressive Moon Taxi show at Exit/In for New Years.
2: If Justin was a decent business man he would stay on top of things like lawsuits against his company. "I'm not sure how it all ends... I guess they are going at it with our insurance company." That's just bad business. What is Justin's interest in dragging this up? You're not mature enough to let things go or just that intent on ruining a blooming band's career? They have liability insurance for a reason, you should be prepared for this sort of thing. It shouldn't really be a shocker. If it wasn't a band member, it would be someone else.
3: A settlement is NOT a lawsuit. No one was sued.
4: Regardless of where the glass came from (lava lamp, broken bottles, busted glasses) it's a venue's responsibility to make sure these things are taken care of promptly. They have wet floor signs, cones, and brooms for these occasions.
5. Gold needs to get a real effin' job. Eureka wash up?
i mean i understand both sides. it wasn't their lava lamp, but the venue should clean it up. And i personally know moon taxi, people who promote their shows, they def. make a living off their craft.
but you just layed out all 5 points pretty well brennan.
Interesting story. It's too bad you have jackasses like Justin Roddick acting like he runs the town but really all he's doing is making enemies. CAA (One of the biggest agencies in the world) has banned their artists from playing at 12th & Porter because of this nimrod.
And to the writer who has clearly never seen Moon Taxi, this is a rock band with actual players; and they rip. Go see them at Exit/In (a real venue) for New Years Eve. Unlike most Nashville bands they don't spend a bi-weekly rotation playing around town, but rather touring the country and actually branch out to establish themselves. I guess that's being (local). 12th & Porter will never last with JR leading the pack (he'll be unemployed in a year).
This is so completely irrelevant, and not just because it happened over a year ago. You don't like to spend time covering "jam bands" (as you so hastily categorize Moon Taxi) yet this is how you treat them when you do feel like paying them any attention? It's enough that Roddick feels the need to talk shit about the band to other venues. That's fine. That's his problem. But for you guys to join in is sickening.
i would honestly rather hang out backstage with scott stapp at the rutledge than ever set foot in 12th and porter again. justin is incompetent and shady. if he spent half as much time whining and getting fucked up, he might find a way to book some good bands and not rip them off at the end of the night... for example... 200 people in the room... 20 names on guest list... $7 ticket... $250 production fee...somehow there is $560 at the end of the night. where the fuck did the other $450+ go? Any guesses, people?
Gold, I took that picture of Moon Taxi that you've modified for use in your article. Funny thing - I don't think you ever asked my permission to use it. Classic case of copyright infringement? ...On top of everything else.
Give me credit. My name is Emily J Ramey. Thanks.
And the award for Nashville's Biggest Douche Bag goes to....
Justin Roddick!
Congrats!
Bahahahahaha - From Pancho's comment down is nothing but a funny bro-down hate fest. I hope these comments keep coming, I'm making popcorn now.
And Emily - there's an easier way to get your point across than being a bitch. Duh.
I like Justin and Dan. I can't argue with their integrity in the way we have dealt with one another on the few shows we have done. They have always been fair, checked on the bands and made sure all was well. I don't know the details of the incident, but I would say that if these folks are trying to take a venue down over their own merch that they tripped on - that is a little shitty. I think if the guys saw a potential hazard to clientele, they would have dealt with it. People are a little dramatic and like money too much. Bleh to the bleh!
I think Dean should have a series of movies released like "Dean saves Christmas", "Dean Scared Stoopid", "Dean Goes to Jail", etc. Anybody with me?
I find it hilarious this article comes out a month before what should be a big show at the Exit-In. I was at the 12th and Porter show, and the venue was a diaspointment to say the least. And, i've seen Moon Taxi quite a few times, and i wouldn't call being invited to play at Warren Haynes Xmas Jam is just a "myspace band posting thier setlist." Or opening for Gov't Mule, New Mastersounds (guitarist got voted one of best in Europe to go see), and Matisyahu(personally not a fan, but big name). Horrible article. Nice try at bringing down a good band.
Gee, I'm so glad I don't let Adam Gold shape my musical taste; if I did, I'd be listening to Springsteen and U2 - yeeesh! After seeing Moon Taxi open for Umphrey's McGee, I can say with certainty, that Moon Taxi is, indeed, fucking awesome.
Either way, I've seen and been to both: I will not likely return to 12th&P, but I will definitely see Moon Taxi again.
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