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Post by lewiscohen on Jun 18, 2010 23:31:05 GMT
No that's me - I still can't work out whether it's just a dodgy picture or Marshcat's been indulging his photoshop capabilities. Either way it's a flat cap and in that pic it looks like I'm about to sentence someone to two years in Brixton!
I'm not anti hats. I idolise Tom Waits so that would hardly work. My jibe is more at people who place looking "blooze" higher up the priority list than, for example, singing in tune.
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Post by slidenpickit on Jun 18, 2010 23:39:15 GMT
Amen to that Lewis!
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Post by Michael Messer on Jun 19, 2010 8:13:50 GMT
It is interesting that regarding my comments about badly played music, everyone seems to think I am pointing the finger one particular person, which I am not.
Shine On, Michael
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Post by starboards on Jun 19, 2010 10:12:16 GMT
You are being very cryptic Michael, surely you can't mean Wayne Rooney! He's doing a fine job of bringing the blues to a lot of fans.
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Post by Gerry C on Jun 19, 2010 10:15:05 GMT
I take on board all the above comments and I agree with many of them. On the 'image' thing, I don't have a problem with people dressing up: when you're on stage, whatever kind of music you're playing, you are performing, you're in a role, so why not dress up? I always wear a shirt (not a T-shirt), often a tie, usually smart trousers, often a jacket. I never wear a hat: some of us still have enough hair not to need one I only wear shades if I'm playing outdoors and the sun's shining - and they're prescription shades anyway. As Muddy once said, if you're working for the public, you turn up on time, sober and well-dressed. I'm perfectly happy with knowing that what creativity I have is insufficient to 'drive the blues forward' (whatever that may mean), so I'm content to channel my creativity into interpretation and to try to make people aware of the roots. (I was once berated by a youthful punter for announcing Hey Hey as a song of Big Bill Broonzy: it was, according to said punter, an Eric Clapton number, as any fule kno...) I always give the name of the song's original artist, even if (especially if) I know for a fact 99% of the audience have never heard of them. As for incompetent performers: don't start me to talkin'! (And if you think the blues scene is bad, try visiting your local folk club on a singers' night....) I think much of it is due to the instant gratification culture we live in, where being reasonably OK at karaoke after a couple of pints entitles you to an audition for working at the Cowell-face; where being young and having energy equates with being talented; where people - particularly but by no means only young people - seem unable to grasp the notion that playing the guitar (or anything else) and singing to even a semi-professional standard takes time, practice and hard work as well as a modicum of talent. The 'music business' does not help. I recently saw a poster for a folk festival which billed a young duo (who are very good at what they do, and they've been doing it for, ooh, two years now) two levels higher than one of the greatest songwriters/guitarists/singers this country has ever produced. But they're young and pretty and he ain't... Actually I worry less about the future of the blues than the future of most other kinds of music. Whatever else has happened in popular music, the blues has carried on, growing by evolution and gradual accretion rather than sudden revolutions: there hasn't really been a revolution in the blues since "Muddy Waters invented electricity" and then a few white boys thought, hey, this stuff is cool.... That's my rant! Off to sort out PA gear for tonight's gig (Fox & Hounds, Newmillerdam WF2 6QQ, 9 pm!) Cheerily, Gerry C
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Post by slidenpickit on Jun 19, 2010 11:43:59 GMT
Very well put Gerry. ;D
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Post by fitchmeister on Jun 21, 2010 7:55:51 GMT
Hi
We don't own 'the Blues' , we don't get to say whether it will rise, wax or wane. If we're lucky we get to catch a wave, or just be part of it.
I would never have been listening to Hawaiian guitar last night if i hadn't seen Marshcat playing at a 'party in the park' type affair a few years ago and asked for some slide lessons. And i'd never of been to Bluesweek and so on.
The people at work would never know what a tricone was if their Boss (me) didn't play it in the car park on sunny days. Some of the most interested are 19 year old apprentices.
It's taken me about 8 years and the 'audience with Louisiana Red' to get areal appreciation of the original recordings of the blues. You/i/we cannot foist that upon some one. Don't get me wrong i think this is a fine forum and probably one of the most 'open' but i am sure if we had a chat amonget regular society they would find us more than a little odd.
Just because we cant see a future doesn't mean there isn't one.
And i am now late for work - eeek
Cheers
Roj
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Post by Michael Messer on Jun 21, 2010 9:16:00 GMT
Roj, 'a chat among regular society'... ....not something I would recommend at all. On a more serious note and changing the thread slightly towards Roj's comments. Without your so-called 'odd' people (which is title I dispute), the folks of 'regular society' would have nobody to entertain them or create art for them. Almost everyone I know is what you would call 'odd'. They don't seem odd to me. In fact, the more odd (as you call it) the better their art is. It is the others that I find a little odd. Shine On Michael
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Post by Gerry C on Jun 21, 2010 10:34:17 GMT
When I was teaching in schools, pupils had a pretty universal reaction when they discovered the fact that I liked old blues, disliked most 'pop' music, wore acrylic nails on my right hand and not infrequently played my guitar at lunchtimes: "Sir, you're just so weird!!" It was the nicest thing they ever said...
Cheerily,
Gerry C
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Post by ianz on Jun 21, 2010 11:26:56 GMT
so you didn't get called "sir" too much then
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Post by fitchmeister on Jun 21, 2010 13:55:56 GMT
I tried chatting to regular society by they kept running away ;D
Everybody is somebody's weirdo
Roj
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Post by stevie on Jun 21, 2010 14:55:19 GMT
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Post by slidenpickit on Jun 21, 2010 16:39:49 GMT
This is a great thread, 'Odd' as in 'not ordinary' or even fits the bill perfectly. There is a bit too much ordinariness these days. As outgoing arty musician types who like showing off I think we tend to forget how conservative most people are. It takes a bit of courage for most to even speak to a musician at a gig. That's why I think putting on a show rather than just playing a series of songs is so important. If people like what you do it makes them feel good (alpha waves) and helps them forget the stresses and strains of modern life.
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Post by garrysmith on Jun 21, 2010 16:59:41 GMT
"Normal" people get home from work, watch a soap, have a kip, drink lager and obsess about the abilities of overpaid ball-kicking nonces.
I LIKE being odd.
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Post by honeyboy on Jun 21, 2010 17:23:23 GMT
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