beginner questions + borah minevich

[mharrison@xxxxxxxxxx]

After some broad hinting, I received the John Gindick book, tape, pocket
pal as a birthday present a few months ago.  I find I like playing tunes,
particularly trying to play along with the radio, but more to rock songs
than to folk/blues stations.  (the Beatles 'Love me do' is my specialty.)
I am somewhat familiar with scales, having taken piano lessons, and doing
occasional lessons on Practica Musica, but the music theory talked about on
this list is somewhat daunting.  Gindick has diagrams of holes to blow in
and out depending on cross vs. straight harp, which also don't stay in my
head.  I'm hoping that if I just keep having fun playing around with it,
the theory will make more sense at some point.

1) If this isn't so, how much do I have to memorize?  What should I
memorize?

2) Any advise on learning to bend?  I can change the way a note sounds in
interesting ways, but it doesn't move its pitch over by enough.

3) Should I wait until I've done Gindick to perfection, or should I get the
harp handbook or the Levy video to have things make sense more quickly?

4) People on the list keep talking about the many harps they've bought.  Do
they break?  Wear out?  How much use do you get out of one?

5) Are any keys prevalent for particular types of music?

----
6) My dad tried to tell me a story about Borah Minevich of the Harmonica
Rascals, expecting me to have heard of them.  Has any one on this list
heard of them?  (Hint:  My dad grew up in the Bronx in the 1930's)  Would
there be any of their recordings still out?