He just wanted to lead a group of people, who follow an asshole.

Is that so wrong?

Word of god, is that the band he was playing with at the time, consisted of a bunch of really arrogant high school, stoner types who did not think that the old timer had anything to offer them. He was also rumored to be suffering from some serious back pains at the time.

Still, Big Band leaders can be real dicks.

You'd have to be a dick to keep that many musicians in line, arrogant stoners or not.