My Larry David Moment With Richard Patrick of Filter

Filter is awesome. At yesterday's KLAQ BBQ, they continued to play in the rain long after most bands would have run for shelter, citing their "contracts" and saying they didn't want to "get killed by lightning."  Not Filter. They are so effing cool.

Right before I introduced them I had what I call a "Larry David" Moment. That is defined as " offending someone unintentionally or talking your way into a corner that you are then unable to talk your way out of."

Here's what happened.

"Hey, Richard, it's great to have you back in town!"

"Thanks, Buzz, good to see you, brother."

(we embrace)

"Your new album is really solid. Great stuff man."

"Hey, thanks! What do you think the next single should be?"

"What?"

"Which track do you think we should release as our next single?"

Now, I had offered Richard the compliment in all sincerity. I had gotten to listen to some of the new Filter album a few weeks ago and I honestly did like what I heard. I wasn't so familiar that I could name any of the tracks.

It is at this point in the conversation that I should have admitted this.

"Which track?"  I'm stalling at this point and hoping that he will name a couple.

"Yeah. Which one do you like?

"Well....which one do you like."  That's an old politician's trick. If you're ever stumped, ask the question back to them.

"I'm not allowed to say yet. But I really want to hear what you think it should be."

"That's a tough one.  Hmmmm. Mando, what do you think?

Mando pretends not to hear me. He's acting like he's focused on something off in the distance but I can tell he is hearing every word. And, he is loving it.

As I hope against hope that my brain will somehow access the name of one of the tracks, it occurs to me that maybe this is something Richard does when he senses a DJ or a record rep is trying to suck up to him. That would explain why he's not throwing me any kind of lifeline.

"I really loved the whole thing. To be honest, I just can't recall any of the titles off the top of my head."

"OK," Richard says, clearly not yet tired of this little cat and mouse game, "Track 1 or Track 6?"

I hem and haw some more. What if he has just named the two tracks on the c.d. that are so obviously not going to be the single that as soon as I answer I will be revealed as the fraud I am? What if 1 is just ambient sound and 6 is a silent track??

"6, I guess."

Richard glances at a band mate. I know I am found out.

"Yeah, 6. That's what I thought, too."

Just like that, my ordeal was over. I went onstage and introduced the band. Silently, I vow to never Larry David myself like that again. Lesson learned.

Once offstage, I notice the guys from Hoobastank.  I offer some words of appreciation for them being here.

"You going to play anything off your new album?", I ask.

"Uh...we haven't had a new album since 2011, man."