Blues is suppose to be a reflection of the world today as the artist sees it. Here are some from me on this subject that I recorded today. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
walter I respect your abilities and you history. But this stream of conciousness music is not for me. Why not just keep a journal and put out some thought out,edited stuff that really means something to you and might relate to others. Part of art, to me, is discipline- gotta know when to holdem and when to discard. Then you have a hot hand
I don't make my music to please others and mean no disrespect by this statement to anyone. I do it because I have to do it. It would be easy but of no interest inspiration wise to boil stuff down and make songs that sell. To me that would be a "dead hand" and as I get older I listen to less and less rehearsed/edited music. Starting out that was all that was out there and I dived into it as a listener but now that I have my musical sea legs so to speak it rarely holds my interest anymore except from a sonic angle in as to how I can learn recording skills from it. I wonder what would these musicians sound like that I worshipped starting out if they played unfiltered? Roger Slovine, then the head of BMI, courted me for several years to "discipline" myself and hone my songs to the norm. He guaranteed me fame if I would do like others. I appreciate people trying to help me make songs that sell but the process of going back to a feeling makes it no longer inspiring. Art for me is letting the inner stuff out unfiltered/edited. Discipline is a word that has many dimensions. I have put in more hours making music than most here will ever do simply because it was do it or go insane. This is why I went to a 1 man band. It is just a different path I found that inspires me. I never went into this stuff for fame, women, or money. I did it to keep from killing myself and it continues to keep me in emotional/spiritual balance. I wonder if my music upsets some because they are not really satisfied with their music? Innovators often are disregarded in their lifetime when what they do goes totally against the norm. Some people say I am an American treasure while others say my music hurts their ears :-). I got an email recently from a grammy winner that thanked me for doing what I do and as long as I keep making music they feel the world is going to be ok. Then I get regular responses from our member her Jlnx who seems to wish I would fold up and go away. To me it all is great because like I say often "I am not here to please anyone but myself and for anyone that finds the music ok we can groove together and is icing on the cake but I love cake without icing too". Luckily I got to groove a lot with others in my band over the years that most people highly respect and with lots on the dance floors around the world. I post my music and write here occasionally for food for thought and maybe it will legitimize on some level for a young person that is doing something completely different. I never had that and it was a mighty lonely journey most of the time. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
There is a school of thought (not mine, maybe I can research this) that music was made to be played and experienced live, not listened to through recordings. It sure is a thrill to me, however, to discover recordings (audio and sometimes video) made by artists I hold dear. I am glad Walter finds comfort in his art, and like 1847, I encourage everyone to try to "act naturally". Or as a friend of mine used to say, "If it feels good, do it--to me!"
I agree everyone should do what their hearts tells them. I miss playing to live audiences but sadly there aren't any out there for me nowadays. The days of interactive, come to see the band, pay a decent cover charge, dance to the music, are far and few clubs left. Background music in places that people don't come specifically to interact, don't work for my music. Instead I am able to tap into all the good audiences that I experienced through the years in my studio. Weird, but true. A time traveler of sorts experience. Walter
Here are some live recordings with an audience.
Sean Carney is on the other guitar. His band won the International Blues Challenge.
club gig in Ohio
Austin circa late 80's. Check Gary Primach putting a buck in the case :)
house party
Bean Blossom Blues Festival
---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Boy, if I were in Sean's slot, the first thing I would do (and I am not Jesus LOL) is get a visual on your left hand! BTW, here are Ben Franklin's 13 Virtues
#13 is, "Humility: Imitate Jesus and Socrates."
Last Edited by Gnarly on Jan 31, 2017 3:46 PM
Gnarly: Thanks for that link. We need this in our lives always. Sean is a great guitarist and I have had lots of good times with him. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Thanks Joe and I really appreciate it as you spent your younger days in the old school scene. I have no real interest in the scene today. It is more video learning than living in clubs with ones idols and playing/hanging in them 7 nights a week. The times have passed me by. Luckily I enjoy where I am at. Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Walter, your music is definitely fun. I enjoy it. But I clicked on the link for your pizzeria and I got to looking to the gallery of photos in there. Holy cow that pepperoni pizza looks amazing! I wanted to jump through the screen and grab it. It was six in the morning when I looked at it and I wanted to eat that pizza for breakfast.
Thanks Cliffy. Like my music, I make pizza and hire people with disabilities because it is what has to come out. People told me all the time my music concept would never make it because it was in direct conflict with how the world of listeners and musicians approach/understand it. The same thing was said about my way of doing a pizzeria. Fortunately the pizzeria has been a huge success. Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in the US for 2017 came out and we are #46 out of the 650,000 restaurants in their system. Only 2 other pizzerias in the US made the list and we continue to keep the old school way of doing it alive. I learned my pizza and music from the old masters and devoted my life to it. Then I found special needs people and dedicated my life to that and it all has come together 60 years later. I feel the luckiest man alive and if one follows their dreams blindly love and joy will follow! Walter ---------- walter tore's spontobeat - a real one man band and over 1 million spontaneously created songs and growing. I record about 300 full length cds a year in the Tunnel of Dreams Studio. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
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