As we get older, we find ourselves working with a lot of the same people gig after gig. You become friends, then buddies, then chums, then you get to the point where you start playing gags on each other. In the entertainment biz, this is what we call "the wind up". You see what silly prank you can do to another person to drive them crazy.
Of course this should all be in good fun and not hazardous. Right….,
Years ago I worked with Jim Digby (prod mgr for Linkin Park these days) on a Phil Collins tour. Digby and I would go to lengths to do stupid things to each other. For instance, He ran this gigantic scroller that was used as a billboard/set piece. Different drops were painted on a cloth that scrolled. (Yes Wybron actually built this giant scroller). Every once in a while the scroller would just take off by itself and start scrolling thru all the frames. This was bad because when it got to the end, it would rip right off the roller. Then Digby and a small army of stagehands would have to reattach it prior to the show. Therefore Digby had a "kill switch" that would kill power to the scroller when this happened. And when the scroller ran off, he had about 30 seconds to get to that switch or face the consequences.
So as it is, we are in some tight ampitheater one day and Digby has no place to set up his laptop to run the bill board. So he sets up under this 4' ledge that he literally has to climb under to sit. So right before house lights are called, I yell at Digby, "Dude your scrollers going off by itself". He immediately stands up to see, and knocks himself out by smashing his head into the ledge. I honestly didn't plan on inflicting damage to his skull. But I did laugh for hours.
Of course the next day when I needed something out of my workbox, there were about 40 wood screws holding the lid to the case permanently down. Hhhmmmm, OK, game on I say.
A few days later, it's my last day on this tour as I am going to work for another client. I notice Digby is a little late that day. So I rig an extra 1 ton motor to the stage roof. I then fly his work box to the ceiling. He walks in hungover and walks around the whole stadium looking for his case. Finally he comes to me. "Alright Fucker, where's my box?"
"Gee Jim, I don't know", I say looking up in the air. He asks again, but I am still looking up at the roof while I give him the same answer. Finally, he looks up and sees his case 50' in the air. He just walks away shaking his head and looking for a motor controller.
So later that afternoon it starts pouring rain by the buckets. I am almost set to go to the airport when I notice my golf clubs are missing. I don't even bother to look around, I go straight for Digby. Right then a huge lightning storm hits the stadium and everyone stops working and heads for safety. I find Digby lurking by the corner of the stage watching the lightning. "Alright ass-wipe, where's the clubs?" I say.
He smiles, looks at me and says, "If you really want them, I'm afraid you will have to get a little wet." I notice he is staring out at the front of house spotlite position. As I look out I see my clubs hanging 60' in the air off a side arm sticking out over where the audience would sit. Great, looks like I will be climbing wet steel in a lightning storm.
I did get my clubs down, but lost the battle of wind up's to Digby that day. But I can hold a grudge and I will work with him again one day. And for sure, the game will be back on.
