the tone of this forum can get nasty. I have observed more than been involved with these exchanges. But I was involved with one that happened today. I was put down with curse words, and basic obnoxious/degrading comments. This is not why I come to a blues harmonica forum. I am going to keep my posts to sharing my music and exchanges with people I know to be of level heads. I hate to think this way because I enjoy sharing things about music. Unfortunately I don't know many here well enough to blindly (which is my nature) venture into the potentially murky waters that often emerge here. People have told me before to just respond in a very selective manner and I dismissed it because I enjoy expanding my aquaintance base and sharing things I have experienced over the past 35 years performing. I have spent a lifetime in search of being able to communicate in a civil manner. It has been a struggle because most of my early days were spent in violence.
This is all a good thing for me because it is going to push me to a higher level of civil conduct via disconnecting from engagement with ones whose posts contain rude tones. I feel sorry for the ones that spew negative juice. Life is hard I well know and to change negative behaviors is a lot of darn hard work. 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. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I don't post much at all but read the forum almost daily, and am moved to state the obvious--your posts have demonstrated nothing but integrity, civility and a wealth of valuable information. Anyone who reads this forum regularly understands this and will judge accordingly.
I think that's all you can do Walter, is just not engage the negativity.
Sadly, it can be thankless contributing sometimes, when people can only hear it as somehow diminishing themselves. It takes a strength of character to receive criticism as a contribution.
I think that is something that is priceless in the classic master/student relationship that can't really be emulated over the internet.
The master has to wear down the ego of the student until they can finally hear the message over their own internal chatter!
I know you as a true artist and a treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge that can only be attained by one who has played music a very long time simply because they couldn't help it!
I used to think he was civil up until the point he started accusing me of being nasty at him.
@walter, I think we could have settled this dispute in a more mature manner but we didn't. And I can tell you for a fact you are very wrong to assume I was making a personal attack at you in the first place.
As the older and more "experienced" person you should have known better than to jump to conclusions. But you did and that is exactly why I am not taking your nonsense from you. I know I can be childish, but I wonder if you realize that you are being that way right now.
You had all the integrity in the world to me up until the moment you lost your temper and decided to twist my words and desperately attempt to portray me as some evil villain who's hurt your feelings.
For the last time, to the rest of you and your pathetic pity party, I did not reject Waltertore's advice on my thread.
I did reject someone elses which told me I shouldn't ask other peoples opinions about tone, that I should only listen and use my own judgement... and I disagreed and said that people need to use BOTH perspectives like what the individual self thinks and find out what other people think.
I was bitching about someone else and waltertore somehow thought it was him. Go ahead and re-read the posts. I invite you to.
I really am wondering if some of you even know how to read now.
It seems that the moment I made an honest opinion about what I deemed as misleading advice, I get shot down simply because I had to disagree(telling someone that they should ONLY use their own personal bias/judgement and not ever be open to external evaluation is absurd).
Those of you who say I cannot take criticism are the biggest hypocrites ever.
thanks shanester and Hollistonharper! I will continue to share what I have been around because when my generation is dead, the last living link to many of the blues greats is done. Walter
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. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
I'm sorry to hear that, Walter. I read very few threads on this forum nowadays. I can be inflammatory, so although I hardly bother much, it surprises me when something flares up even without any input from me.
Lol, you can see that I haven't even read this thread!
(and it took me three attempts to read the spam filter stuff correctly that time, maybe I'm becoming dyslexic!) ---------- Andrew, gentleman of leisure, noodler extraordinaire.
Last Edited by on Aug 22, 2010 9:56 AM
I think you are making it worse, take some deep breaths!
You have a musical gift, that is evident and no one disputes that!
You could take it on that it is an honor to have Walter comment on your video, he doesn't do that very often.
It is not bragging but simple fact that Walter is a connection to the greats...he jammed with, performed with, lived with many...tradition matters in the blues, the future builds on the past...
Maybe you've got some stuff going on in your life, channel that "fire in the belly" into your music. A little grace will go a long way in your career... ---------- Shane
I agree with Hollstonharper on Walter. Wonderful human being and mentor.
Zhin - you are a wonderful player. Your drive and motiviation is inspirational. I hope to meet you if I can make it to Malaysia (or you here - you have a place to stay)
We all tend to take the written word, make assumptions on the intent/emotion behind the words, and depending on what we were expecting/wanting to hear/say, risk going down a path that obscures the real meaning. It goes both way's, giving and receiving.
The more familiar, close and trusting we are of each other the uglier it can get. We lash out at the ones we care the most about. That's what I tell my kid's before I beat them...... just joking about beating the kid's.
Of course I've been taking med's for anxiety for a few months and see butterflies everywhere, there goes one now... "swat" :)
You got that right. I wouldn't even bother reading this forum if it weren't for a half dozen core people along with the earnest seekers who post here.
For me and a lot of others who look in here from time to time the solid information and advice, experience brought forward on the forum is worth much more than gold. The rest of it can be a real drag.
@Walter. Gotta give you kudos on how well you've conducted yourself during this nonsense. I'm sure you recall (after decades of your being in action) that paranoid pups are always around. Dismissal and ignore always works best on them. I saw where you stated you and Rick E. started at the same time..he's a good associate of mine, has eaten here at the house a number of times. (I'm assuming you live out there) Stay happy. Regards.
thanks again guys. Times have changed as they always have. Back when I was a youngster and learning to play the harp, I would never say anything to the elders until spoken to, let alone curse them out. I had my issues with being young and wanting it all now, but never would disrespect an elder musician in that way. That was how I met and befriended so many of them. I use to carry Johnny Otis's box of cds and records from his saturday radio show to the parking lot. His wife would pick him up there. We had some great conversations about life. I never told him I was a musician. Why? Because he has heard that so many times and it usually ends up with the guy wanting something from him. What I learned from him was life is short and getting old ain't easy and to enjoy the good times of health. Boy does time fly. I ain't a kid no more :-)
joeleebush: Yes the loose screws that one finds in the clubs can be way out there for sure! I lived in sonoma county Ca from the late 70's til 82 and then again from 96-2006. I love it out there but the cost of living and levels of stress (crime, poverty, homeless, mentally ill on streets) wore me out. A big part of my healing from a life of violence that included living through the newark riots, witnessing murders, being shot at, guns held at my head, stabbed, and beat up more than I would like to remember, has been moving out to a quiet town in Ohio. We don't lock our doors and people go out of their way to keep things friendly and safe. We can also afford to live in such a nice, educated, place. Up till we moved here 3 years ago, we were always in the ghetto. That kind of living wears you out. I gave my shotgun to the police yesterday. I am off all meds too. Environment is critical to me being at peace and feeling safe. That is why I am detaching from the negative here.
Little Charlie and the Nightcats were just starting to get popular when I got there. One night Rick and I spent a good amount of time passing a 14 hole marine band in C back and forth in my 63 caddy. He is a great player and kind and generous person. If you see him, I was the leader of the below zero blues band and often backed up sonny rhodes, cool papa, mississippi johny waters, mark naftlin blues review, and other SF/Oakland guys. We gigged around the north bay for about 4 years until I got an offer to come over to play norway and ended up living in belguim for 2.5 years. they sure treated me good over there! I remember when you posted here early on and were slammed. I was shocked. A guy that learned direct from LW....... If I ever get to meet you in the flesh I will sit and listen to whatever you want to share musically and story wise. Living history is the most powerful way to experience the past. Once the sources die, books, and now videos, are a pale comparision. The internet allows people to lash out with no consequence. It is in part responsible for too many of todays youth being swayed away from common courtesy and responsibility and acting out like gangsters.
I was raised in Newark, New Jersey, in a very Soprano like world. To lash out with ones mouth could find you dead real quick. The same thing went in the black blues clubs/street life that went with playing blues back then. You let you instrument do the talking. I am glad I was born before all this internet stuff. 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. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
When a person puts themselves out there and ask for criticism, they should expect that they won't receive 100% positive feedback. Walter, you are one of the few people that provide good solid feedback that is very constructive.
Whenever anyone performs in public (real or virtual), they've gotta expect that what they do may not appeal to everyone.
There is no point in arguing with people who don't dig what one is doing. All of the talking or writing won't change their mind and all it does is make the person appear to be a malcontent turning off others who may have dug their playing originally.
And you're right, "when my generation is dead, the last living link to many of the blues greats is done."
Keep doing what you do and don't let the knuckleheads get you down.
it's like a rash. if you want it to leave, don't scratch it. A kid that that goes on your nerves, ignore it. etc.. don't scratch. ---------- "Don't engage the negativity!"
Last Edited by on Aug 22, 2010 11:53 AM
Joe_L: Thanks for the support! Growing up sure is hard. Hopefully I am at least 1/2 way grown up because I am more than 1/2 way closer to the grave. I do feel compelled to keep active via the net with posting my music and musical experiences. Hopefully some younger players will find some inspiration from it. It is important to pass on what one learns from the masters. I always enjoy your chicago reflections. 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. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Back in the day, a little bit of humility went a long way and it was the only way to learn things.
How would the older generation have dealt with the types of people that you meet online? They would have ignored them.
Clearly, they don't need assistance. There are some people who simply don't warrant a response. They are open to learning anything. They just want to be told how great they are.
@Joe_L -- There's a lot I agree with in your post. Like it or not, if you put anything out there and ask for a critique, some may be polite, some may not tell you much, some like many of the pros I've been around with over the years are going to be VERY brutally honest, even to the point you may be in tears (trust me, from dealing with more than a few of the old school guys, that's being very ULTRA polite about it), and of course, some people have other agendas and/or hate certain things no matter what.
IF one is aspiring to improve and ask for opinions, one needs to be prepared for that and if you're aspiring to be a pro, you will HAVE to grow VERY THICK SKIN because this ALL comes with the turf and you have to learn to deal with it, like it or not, and let a lot of stuff just blow over your shoulder.
Another thing to remember is that the way some people post, some thing when said VERBALLY face to face can often come of FAR different than in print, like something polite can come off as being anything but that and vice versa.
Compared to how brutally honest may of those old guys were, what I've seen on this forum and many others PALE in comparison to soome of the stuff I've seen and heard from those guys.
I remember hanging in the dressing room with Muddy and his band in the long defunct Paul's Mall in Boston and I saw him take aside the harp player he had with him at the time who shall remain nameless and what the both of them thought was a secluded area, I was within a few feet of them and I heard Muddy get on his butt about something he clearly wasn't pleased with and heard the words, "Now listen you m****r f*****g no tone m****r f****r, ........," to which I walked away and it would be pretty scary to someone new in the business and would leave many people who are very thin skinned or kinda wound up too tight devastated.
Well, on the other hand, I've seen plenty of football coaches even nastier than that, and like the old school bandleaders, people not in their eyes not doing what they feel is what they believe someone is truly capable of doing and people who they feel have so much ability, they will often ride them harder than anyone else for that reason and one old school bandleader after I left them told me that so that I would understand what they were trying to do.
All musicians have very fragile egos, regardless if they're willing to admit it or not.
Once you start playing out and get reviewed by music writers in the media, you are automatically going to be left wide open to criticism that you may not like at all, be it overly personal, or whatever the case may be and one old pro told me this: "It's better to get bad publicity than no publicity." When I asked why, he told me that even with a bad review, that means that your name is out there and tho some critics can wield a lot of power, not everyone gives a crap and there are a lot of times when the negative review actually helps you and there are times where the reviewer is seeing things a lot clearer than you do.
I've had reviews that made me scratch my head about what's on the reviewer's mind and then some, but the big lesson to be learned is that like anything else, you have to take the good with the bad because it is part of the turf you're in and you HAVE to learn to live with it and not go off on the deep end.
If you let it bother you, you just leave yourself WIDE OPEN for a helluva lot worse and it makes you a big, fat target for being easy to get your buttons pushed.
Like it or not, one needs to have thick skin or you wind up being a nervous wreck and make yourself get older a lot faster.
Have there been things I've posted or anyone else has posted that something was read into it that was clearly not the intention?? Of course, and unfortunately, s**t happens, and even if you get whatever it is off your shoulder (rightly or wrongly), just let it blow over or the only thing you're gonna show people is that you're too easy to jump the gun and blow off steam needlessly. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Not trying to sound self centred here or anything and i know its not my place to speak but just to be clear are we talking about me here? Cause i really appreciate everyones advice and i dont wanna make any enemies or anything like that.
@bluesharper --- My posting is not aimed at anyone in particular and the best thing for you to do is just take everything with a grain of salt and avoid taking things personally and one will be OK. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
I just wish that I lived by any one of you guys. Some of us would love to sit and listen learn about all of it. Kind of a spinsters front porch setup with a performance twist. Unfortunately, we only have the web to connect to you as uncivil and unbridled as it can be.
I hope you guys know how much we appreciate your sharing.
Trust me, I wish 1/10000000000000th of what's available now with both all the different media (print, etc.) and the internet when I started out back in the 70's, and not just for playing instruction, but something equally as important if you're gonna be a pro and that's the business side of music and trust me, a LOT of the stuff I had to unfortunately learn the hard way was as widely available as it is now. On the other hand, one still has to remember that not everything is gonna be correct just because it's either in print or on the internet and sometimes the only way to learn is the hard way. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Even though your thick skinned i dont know how to write this without seeming like a total knobb (if someones wants me to edit that last wor out i will) I was really talking about walters and the rest of there posts.
Also at bob
Thanks man ill take everything with a pinch of salt and your right you gotta be thick skinned because not everyone will like your playing or you and so so.
@ The (cough) older members of the forum lol I just want to say like kingobad i also really appreciate you expertise and advice so thank you so much!! ;)
@Bluesharper -- I can certainly tell you that at one time, I myself was FAR from being thick skinned and I had to learn it, tho it did take time, like anything else. Remember, when all of us started, we all were newbies and what I try to do is help people avoid some pitfalls I've experienced and there was plenty enough times where one could've easily (and rightfully) call me a hard headed idiot and an old saying one of those old pros told me rings very true, and that "a wise man is fool that's been burned enough times to know better." Now if that ain't a true statement, I don't know what is. ---------- Sincerely, Barbeque Bob Maglinte Boston, MA http://www.barbequebob.com CD available at http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/bbmaglinte
Last Edited by on Aug 22, 2010 1:26 PM
bluesharper: Is that really you playing? I flashed it is your father or somebody and you are just pretending to play the harp because you sound great for your age!!!! You are already better than most adults.
I am a school teacher now, having quit playing full time about 12 years ago. I put in about 20 years of full time music, and like Bob said, the old guys could be nasty as heck. They also were kind as heck most of the time, especially considering the crummy deal they often got. I would watch big name rock stars in the audience applauding and at the end of the night the blues great put in his pocket a couple hundred dollars while the rockers that often covered their songs, named their bands (the rolling stones) after these guys, made more in one breath than the blues greats made in a lifetime of breathes.
To answer your question, I really have refrained from going there, but will sum it up for you because it in no way involves anything you did.
Zhin posted a video and asked people to comment on his tone. I responded that most all videos posted here are of such low quality soundwise, that to comment on tone is really not possible. You can comment on phrasing, note selection, fluidness, riffs, and things like that that. I went out of my way to find some great sounding videos of big walter and louisiana red and some terrible sounding ones of them to show just how easy a bad recording sound can make great playing sound terrible. He seemed fine with all of it.
Then your thread came up and he posted explicitly rude words, and comments about the guys that ripped him up on his thread( Seriously, hows my tone now?)because he couldn't afford good sound recording gear and why weren't they ripping up your post. I was the one that commented on that and on your post, attempted to again state my reasons for saying what I did. I made no putdowns on either about his playing skills, just the sound quality issue. He responded with several disrespectful responses to me, that to be honest, took me totally by suprise. I did not respond to any of them and that led to this topic. It had nothing to do with you. Keep playing your harp. That will make you a great player. the beginners here that post a ton would be better served playing their harps more. Actual playing time, playing with others, playing onstage, and finding players in the flesh that inspire you are what will make you a great player. Oh, I forgot to mention, you have to blindly follow the unknown highway. that will give you your own sound. The world is full of great sounding, generic, players. that is cool if that is your goal, but to really find your own sound you have to let the music universe, not your head, guide your journey and I can guarantee you that it will force you to forgo many worldly comforts. 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. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
@bluesharper. This is off topic a little but is very funny. You wanta' hear about the first time I got fired off a show? Not at the END of the show but in the middle of it. This is hilarious, and it was a learning experience too. I was about 25 and I had landed a sideman/vocalist gig with Freddie Cannon, the rock and roll singer...it was a big deal at the old Atlanta baseball stadium and the stage was out on the pitchers mound. Jayne Mansfield, the actress, was on the show too as a singer. At rehearsal we got the play sheets with the chord changes and my spots were well marked with "harmonica solo here, 24 bars", "harmonica plays behind opening verses to "Tallahassee Lassie" and then cuts while saxes do the main break", etc etc etc. We did two shows...a matinee and then the evening show and I was booked for $125 which was KILLER pay in 1964. Anyway at the matinee, I decided that I was "Mister Cool" and was just blowing like crazy and Cannon's manager kept giving me the "cool it" signs, but I was just "soooooooo wonderful" I ignored it. Then before Mansfield came on to sing, I see Doctor Harmonica Zack coming across the ball field from the dugout carrying his case of harps and I knew then that I was dead meat. They had called him to come take my place! The promoter, Hal Pickens DJ at radio station WQXI, turns to me and says.."okay you little smartaleck S.O.B....get off this stage and get out of here and I'm not paying you either...not one dime. And you see those guys coming here, they're going to THROW you out if you don't hit the road". And I had to hang my head and pout as I slunk off that ball field with all those people in the audience laughing like crazy. It was, as I said, a learning experience and I never got fired off a gig again. THAT's how they dealt with you back in the old days. Regards
"I just wished I lived by one of you guys..." "...hope you guys know how much we appreciate your sharing". - SECOND THAT!
There's going to be a big hollow empty spot around here if either one or both of you gets disgusted and walks out. A lot of us aren't exactly living on the south side of Chicago, OR Austin, OR NY. A lot of us don't have easy face to face access to wise mentors out here in the provinces.
Pretty soon now it'll be my time to get straightened out (shit). "The truth comes in blows" - Saul Bellow
I say this every month, but I'll say it again: in the 3-5 days before the full moon, people get touchy. 95% of the big blowouts we've had here--above all, people flaming and/or insisting they're leaving the forum--happen in that window.
Today is August 22. The full moon is August 24. Zhin is a talented hothead who uses ill-chosen language when he gets pissed off. I've asked him to cool it in the past, and he's actually been quite cool for a while.
Walter is a veteran who contributes greatly to this forum. This forum has also contributed greatly to Walter, since it has given him a place where he can, and does, post multiple videos of his performances in numerous threads: twice as many in total, I suspect, as any other individual forum member.
That's OK. We all have egos; we all like to be seen and heard. I ain't calling the kettle black. Gussow has been known to post videos of himself on YouTube, and share them here. :) That's OK. We all have egos.
The truth is, Zhin has a lot of creative fire, and so does Walter. They have more in common than this thread seems willing to concede. Both are committed to following their own muse.
If we were more reasonable, all of us, we might recognize that we gain nothing either by stroking or belittling. Sharing stories is good, though, and there are certainly lessons in the stories that Walter, BBQ, and JoeLee have shared in this thread that enrich us all.
Calm the f**k down, brother Zhin. Get back to work.
Walter, I do hope you'll remain a member of this forum. Your contributions are indisputable, and we're all grateful for them.
Last Edited by on Aug 22, 2010 3:33 PM
that is a great story joeleebush and please go off topic anytime for such things! My band was backing mississippi johnny waters one night and a bunch of guys had corn liquor in the audience. Johnny loved to get loaded and he got so loaded he couldn't play. He proceeded to curse us out onstage as white boys that don't know sh=t about blues, etc. He was so high he couldn't make a chord and was trying to dump it on us. I took it for a few and then we just packed our gear and walked off all the while he continued his rant. By the time we were in the car, he came staggering out with his guitar still on and begged us to drive him home. We cut him some slack for the moonshine and did drive him home. 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. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
Adam and chickenthief: I ain't going anywhere as long as I stick to interactions with level headed people. I don't buy the "creative mind has to be a jerk to the mere mortals of the earth". I see us all as equal and thus demand equal respect. For the record, I have been around some big time rock guys and blues guys. The best ones have all been level headed, respectful people. The primodonnas were isolated and gigging solely on their past record sales. No one in their backstage space would give them the time of day. They were always on the way down the tubes with either addictions/mental problems and soon faded off the map. Nobody likes to be insulted and music industry folks have long memories, and in time you reap what you sow.
I do enjoy posting my songs and videos. I can't help it that I do a cd worth of new recordings everyday. I actually have been at an all time low in production this summer due to my studio still under construction and my old studio a mile away in the house we are trying to sell. I don't like having to go more than a few steps when inspired to record. My new studio should be done in a few weeks and it is only 10 paces from our new digs. 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. " life is a daring adventure or nothing at all" - helen keller
In another forum, a poster said: Suck (no pun intended) is what beginners who write threads with titles like "2 hole draw doesn't sound at all - is my harp boken?" does. They need to stop sucking and start drawing instead :P
I replied: I like your first paragraph. :) Next time I see a question like that, I'll start my response with, "You suck!" :D
I wasn't reacting or directing anything to Waltertore especially after he dropped some advice on a particular thread of mine.
It was after he accused me of calling him names and crap. Whining and crying out to the forums like a victim.
It was directed at someone else, and that's still pretty nasty I will admit.. BUT... There is reason and motivation for the message. And it had nothing to do with waltertore!!!
I had no motivation to bash him for tone critique. Or recording setups. It was because he thought I was talking about him that he reacted.
Things only got nasty AFTER he put words in my mouth and started villainizing me. He did not discuss anything or ask for clarification. Just one big NARCISSTIC reaction thinking it's all about him.
That is the exact moment I said to myself "@$#% this".
You guys think what you want. I've already said my piece and put my case right on the table.
I know my language is wrong now and I shouldn't be so rude. And I did take a few steps back from it.
But was I actually labeling waltertore cynical? NEVERRR.
It's obvious to me, if you guys can't tell what really happened... Then I think this may not be the best place for me to share anything.
It's reaaaally obvious to me that a lot of you people barely read anything carefully enough to makes sense of things. You only know how to follow groups and point fingers.
Bravo on your excellence in life. I hope you use the same ways to settle disputes in person. I really really do.
"when my generation is dead, the last living link to many of the blues greats is done."
@Zhin: If you don't think the above quoted statement is true, then please tell us about the authentic blues players YOU'VE known personally and played music with. I'm sincerely interested in hearing about those experiences.
BY "authentic blues players" I mean older, typically African American blues musicians, typically originally from the deep south of the U.S. who learned blues musical art form as they grew up in an era when black music was not marketed to the general public. There's not many of these guys still around and having known and played with a few is a priceless experience the nature of which cannot be truly appreciated unless you've had that experience. So--wow--I assume it's an experience you've never been exposed to.
I usually ignore the considerable amount of drivel on MBH, but, frankly, if you don't understand and appreciate the validity of the above quoted remark, I venture to guess that you don't know shit about blues, which is something that sort of goes to the heart of what MBH is supposed to be about.
You guys wish blues would die when you die. It won't. The only thing that needs to be authentic about it is how it sounds and how it makes people feel.
"BY "authentic blues players" I mean older, typically African American blues musicians, typically originally from the deep south of the U.S. who learned blues musical art form as they grew up in an era when black music was not marketed to the general public. There's not many of these guys still around and having known and played with a few is a priceless experience the nature of which cannot be truly appreciated unless you've had that experience. So--wow--I assume it's an experience you've never been exposed to."
Cool story bro.
And if your definition of authenticity is centered around a timeline, then I got news for ya... lots has changed. There's a lot of blues outside of that. Even if you don't think it's "authentic".
Isn't Billy Branch and a whole bunch of REAL famous dudes that I have heard of outside of MBH still alive? THEY are the last living links.
I don't think it's important for people brag about who they played with. If blues is about this silly little boys treehouse club then don't call me a blues guy then. I'm a rock & roller song and dance man.
@Zhin: I agree that the blues is very much alive. And since it's not dead it shouldn't be embalmed. It will certainly out live me and will most likely out live you. But who do you think Billy Branch learned from???
@hvyj, It doesn't matter who Billy learned from. What matters is that he's alive now and he IS passing on his teachings. He IS one of those links in this time. That's what's relevant to all of us now who are living in the 2010's.
The future of blues is bright. We have a new prince rising from Memphis. Real black guy too! And then all over the world there are people dedicating themselves and making the sacrifices. People from Europe, South America, Japan, Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Serbia, Australia, New Zealand, France, Germany, Africa, etc etc... I think the blues is very much alive and the future is so bright. I wish you guys could see it the way I do.
I hate to say it but... The title says it all. Nooooo!!!!!! I often can't stay out of it. I literally keep a string around my finger that means. "Shut Up". It helps, a little.
"when my generation is dead, the last living link to many of the blues greats is done."
A generation of people isn't one single person. It's a whole group. "
Then perhaps the statement should be "when my generation is dead, the last living LINKS to many of the blues greats ARE done".
Oops. My bad?
And it's ok if your generation dies. Mine will eventually too. Knowledge and wisdom is passed on to the next generation regardless. The internet rules and that wonderful David Barrett blues school too. ;)
If you honestly think that you guys are the only ones who are authentic links think again.
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I deleted the posts that followed this one. Nothing personal.. Take it easy everybody and let the issue die.
---------- "Don't engage the negativity!"
Last Edited by on Aug 23, 2010 4:32 AM
