Re: [Harp-L] Dressing like a musician

[Bob Cohen <bcohen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Aug 29, 2006, at 1:33 PM, icemanle@xxxxxxx wrote:

> It was always fun to see how important first impressions and  
> clothes are in unknown situations and how human beings  
> subconsciously (or consciously) place you in a certain catagory.
>
> We are a small group of musicians who sometimes forget that the  
> larger group is 'Not Musicians'. The 'Not Musicians' don't listen  
> with the same ears we do, have different values and make judgements  
> based on different input than Musicians. The 'Not Musicians' make  
> up the bulk of the public that buy cd's, attend concerts and supply  
> the lubrication that makes the music business wheels turn ($$$$).

Though audiences predilections were very much implicit in the text of  
my original e-mail, I was wondering  more about fellow musicians.   
Why does one have to sport chin pubes, bowling shirts, black jeans,  
and berets to be taken seriously?  Isn't it about chops and  
connecting with the audience?

Dress has never been an issue with audiences in my experience.   
Indeed, I've found audiences to be generous most of the time.  They  
just want to feel good.  My special (meant ironically) blend of  
enthusiasm (%90) and talent (%10) combined with absolute sincerity  
usually wins the day.

With some very notable exceptions, it's fellow musicians who are more  
apt to make comments like, "I thought you were an accountant," and  
dawdle at attire as their running through their personal check  
lists.  Of course, as delineated in my earlier anecdote, the people  
on stage eventually warm up.  But wouldn't it be cool if we treated  
each other as we wished the audiences would treat us.

Bob Cohen