When I was about 25 I was playing in a band with two high school classmates. All three of us were/are professional musicians. We brought in a guy who was about 5 years younger to complete the lineup. It took years for me to realize what a degenerate he was, and what a negative influence he had on the band. Over the years he used our rehearsal space as a party spot, he and his friends vandalized the building and alledgdely stole stuff. He was an immature, raging alcoholic and druggie. Beyond that, he was moody and difficult to work with. From here on we’ll just call him the jerk.
With me being the de facto leader, and way more particular than the other two, it wasn’t long before I was the jerk’s enemy #1 and the BAND narrative was that “he and I didn’t get along” or worse, that MY controlling nature was actually the problem. This was incredibly frustrating. The guy caused me SO much grief and stress I can’t do it justice here. There were rumors later that he said he’d spit in my drink at gigs/rehearsal and other childish behavior.
So, one day the jerk showed up to rehearsal with a STUNNINGLY beautiful friend. I had an instant crush. The problem was that I had a g/f at the time. By the time I was single again the hot girl was, inexplicably, dating the jerk. Oh well, musicians get girls. I watched her from afar.
We then spent months in the studio making a record. By the time tracking was almost done things with the jerk had come to a head. The other two guys saw that I’d made efforts to get along better with him and, much to my surprise given their passive natures, they both agreed that it wasn’t sustainable and that we needed to kick him out. The look on his face when he realized that we all agreed HE was the problem and needed to go, was sweet enough.
We finished the record. I handled everything totally professionally and by the book in terms of crediting him for any writing he did, etc. And was even incredibly gracious by listing him in a way that would save face for him and make it sound like he may have opted to just not gig with us anymore, but was a major contributer to the record (I listed him as an “also” member of the band) He still told people that I “stole his songs”
A while after we booted him, I heard though the grapevine that the hot girl dumped him. I called her and asked her out. Somewhat ironically, she later told me that when she was with him, his obsession with how much he hated me only intrigued her and made her think about me. She also told me that when he heard i’d asked her out he called her and was completely distraught over it as he’d always thought they’d get back together.
Anyway, her and I got serious. At one point we were having a holiday dinner at her parent’s house and a relative asked how we met. Her dad chuckled and said “Well, Dave was playing in a band with her ex boyfriend and he kicked him out and stole her” lol - Not exactly accurate but close enough :)
On another occasion the jerk walked into a bar and her and I were there together. To be honest, I kind of felt bad for him. I’d clearly won but I’m not a bad guy. I don’t revel in another’s misfortune.
Ultimately, the hot girl and I didn’t marry or anything. In fact, she broke my heart too. But it was an AMAZING ride. One you never forget. And I certainly got my revenge on the jerk.
15 years later and I have a thriving music business, a high end recording studio in my home, and I’m married to an even more gorgeous gal who’s a doctor. I heard that the jerk narrowly avoided prison time and ultimately landed in Colorado blowing glass, but is doing alright.
Sometimes good guys finish first :)