u/Shmokable

It feels like I’m part of a scene that’s wearing a costume and won’t acknowledge what it’s dressed up as…

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I’m a professional studio/touring musician and this started off as doing a favor for an up and coming artist who’s a nice guy from my home state by sitting in with him at a few small shows. I continued to get the call back and continued to say yes because my washed up ass has always been available when he calls.

It’s gotten to a point at which he is considering me to be part of his band. While his music is cringe as hell, he’s a cool person and the band isn’t bad, and we bring a strong dub element to his live show that makes it fun.

He in particular hasn’t done anything too far in terms of cultural appropriation yet but his scene is just not it. The venues he plays rarely if ever host or support any black artists or artists from Jamaica or the UK. His crowd is the typical sublime/reggae rock/cali reggae crowd; mid-30s to early 50s Florida white people that own and small boats and drink too much, and the other bands that are on bills with him aren’t Rasta and never pay homage to Rastafari yet feature the Rasta colors in their logos, shows, or other branding then go on to live blatantly non-Rastafarian lives. I have no problem with flying the colors without practicing if you at least show recognition for the culture and its inspiration.

I’m not Rasta, nor am I black, but I grew up largely on black music and have been in the world with enough amazing people from different cultures that I can’t not appreciate their contribution to the world of music and world influence. And that’s just not happening here. Rasta is being used for brand image, not legitimate inspiration.

It gets a bit uncomfy at times but idk if it’s just my head or if there’s something actually wrong here culturally. I haven’t run into a black artist or fan in this scene yet and I feel like that might be telling. It’s also a pretty racially mixed part of the state/country.

What should I do now? I have been trying to vouch for black artists when I can at these events but I only have so much influence coming from the roots and hip hop world to what feels like a white mans game, even though I’m white. Part of me feels like I’m contributing to a seen that seems passively suppressive to its roots.

I am needing some of your opinions/feedback on working with other CTI installers. I have been in the tile trade for 7 years now, mostly in commercial but recently made the transition to residential. I worked with a few guys my first 2 years, but I am basically self-taught. I’d consider myself a B+/ A- installer. I know I am not the best and I’ve got a long ways to go. However, I learned relatively quickly about proper installation methods and following manufacturers instructions. I take a lot of pride knowing my installs will last longer than most of the hacks out here running around with a trowel. Although I have always wondered if I “care too much”. I am a bit of a stickler to the rules but over the years I second guess myself. I’ve demoed floors that sat for decades just held together by grout and it makes me wonder if all this time following NTCA guidelines is necessary, especially in commercial

I recently left a job with the largest commercial outfit on my side of the state. They are very well known in the tile world, intimately involved with the NTCA, Coverings and CTI testing. I considered it my “dream job“ on paper, working with guys and gals who love tile and are actively involved in the tile community. They offer an apprenticeship program and I thought because I am essentially self-taught, it would be a great way to legitimize my experience and they could pay for my CTI test. Every journeyman at this company has passed the CTI.

Unfortunately they royally fucked me on pay: $20/hr with 5 years experience installing tile including leading crews, for 5 months. I was supposed to get a review after 2 months but held on because I was in the process of buying a home. I thought for sure once I had my review, it’d be something I could live off of. But that never happened. I worked at the shop for a few months installing pre-fab showers. Once I finally started working in the field, I couldn't believe it.

Now, maybe it’s just the difference between residential and commercial installers but absolutely nobody followed NTCA guidelines. No straight trowel lines, no backbuttering LFT porcelain tiles, no burning in thinset. Got halfway through a 6 month project and the foreman had us grouting all changes of plane (in a $168 million brand new build). Guys would get down to 1/4 of their bucket and just add more powder on top. Some of them would let it slake. The best installer I worked with (who was in the first group of ACT testers) looked at me one time and said “you actually use the trowel and error method”. This guy didn’t backbutter a single 2 ft x 2 ft tile.

Don‘t get me wrong, some of the installers were good when it came to setting. They just didn’t do everything according to NTCA. The whole experience left me disappointed and confused. Now I am wondering if CTI is overrated, or is this company getting special treatment because the owner is CTI #001? Is this just the difference between commercial/residential installers? Do I simply care too much by “following the rules“ of tile? I’d love to hear the communities thoughts. This subreddit is my single greatest resource in learning about tile over the years.

PS I have never heard so many hard Rs in my life before working there