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Post by john on Nov 25, 2007 10:16:48 GMT
Here is a true story from Plain Awful.
Some years ago we had a two days gig at the Toender Folk Music Festival. Unfortunately our fiddle player could not make it so we were looking for a hired hand. We found one. A great musician and very easy going. Come Friday night. The first 3 numbers went well but in the middle 0f Red Rocking Chair the fiddler dropped his bow. Well, that can happen to anyone, but he did it again during the next number. And suddenly I found out that he was drunk as a skunk. Face to face with the facts, he confessed. He was trying to find out how many beers he could drink before loosing contact with the bow. We told him that it was fine with us but not before going on stage. And that he was pissing on his band mates as well. He was very sorry. We said Ok, lets kick some ass. We did until we heard a loud bang through the P.A. system. The violin was beginning to break! And so was he. He went back stage to fix it and we did not see him again until we were ready to go back home. We had to MACH SCHAU for the next 2 days. And we did. We could not get a new fiddler. They all had gigs. Old Time without a fiddler! ?????? Back in our home town we had a home coming party. Without the fiddler. We later found a new for the band. But thats is another story. I guess this is a way not to perform in a jam or in a band. Have a nice day, John ;)
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Post by Ptarmigan on Nov 25, 2007 12:07:22 GMT
Steady John, it could have been worse! ;D
But seriously, that's a sad story all right. But you don't have to be drunk to loose your Bow. I remember my bow came flying out of my hand one night, in a pub session .... it was more than just a little embarrassing!
You are right of course, musicians who can't be trusted or relied upon, are just the pits!
As a professional musician it is something which annoys me more than most things. You soon get to know the ones you can trust, but unfortunately, usually not before they've dropped you right in the "Banjo" ( ) a couple of times. I'm afraid I have absolutely no patience for that sort of thing - in my book it's a case of two strikes & you are OUT! Must be my Protestant upbringing! Anyway, if a musician actually forgets about a gig twice, & just doesn't turn up, I never contact them again. Who needs the hassle?
Also, always being late is another thing that pisses me off something rotten. Most musicians, both pro & hobby ones are usually very good time keepers, because they enjoy playing so much. However, I find it's usually a hobby musician who just wanders in whenever he or she feels like it. They are usually people who are, unjustifiably, full of their own importance & so don't think you or I matter so much. So I'm afraid that arriving an hour late for a gig just doesn't wash with me & I fail to see the funny side of that! You usually find that the late guys arrive late to everything & are ALWAYS running in, just as the gig is about to start. What's all that about? Is their clock just a half hour slower than everyone else's? Once again, it's clearly because they feel they are sooooooo much more important than everyone else. I'll tell you straight, those guys don't last long around me!
Well, that's great John, I feel so much better, now that I have that little lot off my chest! ;D
Enjoy your Sunday.
Cheers Dick
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Post by oldgus on Nov 25, 2007 22:29:51 GMT
Here in the States, we call being chronically late a sign of A.D.D. or Attention Defficit Disorder. I say that the acronym stands for "Another Dumb Dude" and also have no patience for this.
I've played in rock bands with lots of alcoholic types. The best of them were generally brilliant till the third or fourth set when their playing styles degenerated into a loud, out of time thrash. I haven't met any of these yet in old time, but I'm still a relative newbie. Once I was playing clarinet with a street band at a festival in the Old North End in Boston. This was a marching gig that went around about a ten block neighborhood for eight or more hours with occasional band breaks for pasta, pizza, calmari and wine. Sometime after dark it was noticed that a trombone player was missing. I was sent back to look for him and found him a few blocks back. He was standing on the edge of the sidewalk, a crowd gathered around him. When I reached him, he raised his Bach Trombone, (not inexpensive) over his head and smashed it against the curbing. "Wayne, what are you doing?" I asked in horror. He gave me a wild smile and smashed it again, and again. "That feels soooo good!" he said. He then jumped on it and smashed it some more till it was just a crushed tange of brass tubing. "The Who' get to smash their guitars, why not us!" he shouted again and again. The police arrived and I was able to convince them to let me handle him. He was as drunk as a could be and we sat and talked for quite a while. Finally, the band came back around and he was sober enough to get back in formation and march, holding the remains of his horn for the rest of the night. When we parted, he told me that he had decided to quit drinking and go to AA. He gave me the flattened horn as a keepsake. I still have it and last I heard about five years later, he still was sober.
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Post by Ptarmigan on Nov 26, 2007 0:06:17 GMT
Wow Gus, that was some story. I hate hearing about instruments being smashed up. Still, perhaps it was in a good cause all right. Anyway, here's one that doesn't have such a sad ending. This happened just last Thursday night in our Springhill Bar Session in Portrush. I was playing my Hammered Dulcimer when this Italian guy came up & after watching me with interest for a while, finally asked what it was I was playing. We got chatting & it turned out that he was from a small village in Italy. Anyway, after more chat & tunes Brian, our Bodhran player asked him if he played any music himself & he said he did, but that it was a rare Sicilian instrument called a Scacciapensieri ( don't ask me to pronounce it! which we wouldn't know. ) Of course we didn't have a clue what he was talking about, so we asked him how he played it, & he put his hands up to his mouth & made like he was playing a Jews Harp. So, luckily I had my Jews Harp with me, so as he chatted to Brian I snuck it out & started playing it. Of course he turned round really quickly, with his mouth open & eyes as big as saucers. He just couldn't believe it, he really thought these instruments only existed in his village & were only played by himself & Mafia types. Anyway, he did play us a tune, but the whole night long, he kept saying how surprised he was that I actually played one too. I don't think he really believed that they do exist all over the World. This guy & his family actually make that delicious Italian Ice Cream for a living, for 7 months of the year & then holiday for 5 months. Not a bad way to live eh? I asked him what he thought of our local Morrelli's Ice Cream & he gave a one word answer in Italian - Sheeeeet! ;D OK While we're on the subject, does the Jews Harp get much of an airing at Old Time Sessions? Cheers Dick
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Post by oldgus on Nov 26, 2007 1:04:44 GMT
Good story, Dick. I live in an old Italian neighborhood. They are not usually very shy about expressing opinions. I've not heard a Jews harp yet, but I have an antique one in my collection of old stuff and have just retrieved it. Any advice on how to make music with this thing?
Cheers, Gus
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Post by Ptarmigan on Nov 26, 2007 9:10:46 GMT
Yes Gus ...... the answer is carefully, otherwise you could lose a few teeth! ;D But seriously, here are a few pointers. Good Luck Dick How to Play the Jew's Harp
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Post by john on Nov 27, 2007 21:04:58 GMT
Hi, Gus, there is a small book called How To Play The Bluegrass Jew harp! and of course there is a lot of sites for the jew harp. I think the book is from the late 70ths. Have to find it. It is a funny little book. john
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