Popper Post to USENET

haandruss@xxxxxxx (Harvey A. Andruss, III) · Tue, 17 May 94 14:58:21 -0500

I don't know if anyone cares about this or if cross posting is
"encouraged", but I thought this was too good to pass up.  A few days late
(sorry), but would like comments from the group....(should I not re-post,
this 'debate' old and tired, I already read enough about him in HIP, etc,):

In article <Cpt0CC.GFF@xxxxxxxxx>
lukem@xxxxxxxxx (Luke McCormick) writes:

> Newsgroups: alt.music.blues-traveler
> From: lukem@xxxxxxxxx (Luke McCormick)
> Subject: Letter from John Popper
> Message-ID: <Cpt0CC.GFF@xxxxxxxxx>
> Summary: Come out fighting and be nice to each other
> Keywords: reply bulldog flame harmonica conventions
> Sender: news@xxxxxxxxx (Usenet News)
> Nntp-Posting-Host: bolero
> Organization: a2i network
> Distribution: ca
> Date: Sat, 14 May 1994 17:52:59 GMT
> Lines: 103
> 
> This is a letter from John Popper, presented with no further editorial
> comment.  I typed it in, so spelling and typos are mine.  If you have
> responses to this, post them here, or send them to me, and I'll get them
> to him.  I'll be seeing them Monday and Tuesday at the Fillmore (!), so
> if you get it to my by then, I'll print 'em up and turn 'em over...
> 
> ----
> 
> To all the harmonica players, Internet "Bulldogs", & anyone else 
> interested, etc;
> 
> Everyone, it has come to my attention that there is a series of debates 
> going on "Internet".  At the heart of these debates are several issues I 
> will address each in turn.  Firstly, the facts; I have never been nor do 
> I intend on going to a "Harmonica convention" in Chicago or anywhere 
> else for that matter.  It seems to me that harp players enjoy being a 
> persecuted race, which enables them to separate themselves from other 
> musicians and go around like half-cocked gun fighters deciding who "the 
> best harper is".  This is the silliest premise I've ever had to deal 
> with and is precisely the reason why I will never go to a harmonica 
> convention.  I'm a musician, that means I enjoy playing music, not being 
> a harmonicist.  My influence more than anyone else was Jimi Hendrix who 
> played the guitar--but he did more than play the guitar.  It was as if 
> it didn't matter what instrument he was using, the voice he created with 
> the sounds he was able to produce transcended any category of sections 
> he would sit in, in a big orchestra.  He sang, and I desire to sing as 
> well.  I don't care if I play harmonica, the trombone, or the saxophone, 
> as did my other idol -- Charlie Parker.  If you're concerned about what 
> instrument you're playing then you're missing a more important point of 
> what you're saying on your instrument.  The object of the game, boys and 
> girls, is to express what you mean honestly and share it.  And for those 
> of you who don't understand that -- I'm a little embarrassed for you.
> 
> I used to twirl my harp like a "six gun" and go around dueling people.
> I was good at it - "The Best Around" (A regular Jesse James).  Until
> one day I walked into Dan Lynch's Blues Bar on 2nd Avenue.  There I
> saw an old harmonica player I knew from around the scene who was
> playing that night with his band.  He looked at me worried and
> motioned to me that he's let me up in a few minutes to play.  I could
> see the fear in his eye, little beads of sweat forming - I felt good
> and smug and proud of myself that I could instill such fear in an old
> man.  But while I was waiting around to destroy him I started to
> notice the house.  The people were smiling having a good time and
> dancing to this old man.  He was rocking the place -- they were
> enjoying his simple straight ahead blues groove.  I knew that if I got
> up and "smoked" this guy the crowd would no longer be satisfied with
> what this guy was doing.  In effect, I could have walked into that
> bar, ruined the night for everyone, and left.  It was at that precise
> moment that I realized and suddenly became very ashamed, I felt like a
> big bully with a small penis.  I vowed never again to twirl a "six
> gun", sorry kids but music is not a competitive sport no matter how
> hard you try and you could never make me see it that way.  And I feel
> sorry for you if you do.  
> 
> The only reason I have dignified this silly debate with a response is
> to correct a slander committed on 2 of my friends.  Namely, Howard
> Levy and Bruce Willis.  It is for their sake I write this letter.
> Bruce Willis has been a good friend of the band since 1989, and like
> me he has no illusions about being the best harmonica player on earth.
> He, like me, simply loves music.  Howard Levy has been a friend of
> mine since the 1st Horde when the flecktones played with us, I know
> not what illusions he has, for in my estimation he is the technically
> best harmonica player on earth.  He is a rocket scientist when in
> comes to the physics of playing the harmonica and I have seen him do
> the most amazing things.  He can literally move his mouth in two
> directions at once playing separate melodies independently of each
> other.  But as great as he is I have utterly no desire to imitate or
> play like him.  I want to play my voice, and I honestly believe that
> is the reason Howard enjoyed jamming together with me.  How boring it
> would have been had Howard and I simply compared chops, who's got the
> biggest schlong contest and nothing more.  
> 
> For those of you who like my band, my songwriting, or my playing,
> thank you -- It gives me joy to do.  For those of you who try to
> figure out how I play or even my style of songwriting - keep going and
> make sure you take the music further -- more power to you.  But for
> those of you who are disappointed that I'm not "The Best" I can only
> offer apologies that your penises will not grow any longer than they
> are.  And here do I attest for all the world to know that there is no
> best.  There's never supposed to be one best.  Even Howard Levy or
> Babe Ruth would tell you that.  Now go to your corners and come out
> fighting and be nice to each other, that's what internets are for.
> 
> All my love and faith, 
> John Popper.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Luke McCormick    *    lukem@xxxxxxxxxxxxx    *    Free Tracy Miller!!
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Harvey A. Andruss, III                  email: haandruss@xxxxxxx

       ____                                             ____ 
      /   /        There's licks,                      /___/               

     /   *             then there's jammin'           *   /
    *                    and then there's                * 
          grooveslaptwangbangwhoopbarkharmonifunkadelica!!
                    _______________________
                   /______________________/|
                  [ O O O O O O O O O O O ]/
                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 "...it's a challenge..."  Howard Levy, from his Homepsun Video
-----------------------------------------------------------------