[Harp-L] RE: Ben and Frank

[JPavlik@xxxxxxxxx]

Just my two cents:

You can be influenced by someone and not be playing "like" them. I think 
everyone knows that. As a matter of fact "playing like ourselves" really 
means to be playing like all of our influences more or less at once. 
Because none of us shares 100% of our past experiences, readings, 
listenings, events, whatever. When we communicate musically all those 
things that makes us who we are should be coming out. The problem arises 
when the only influence you have is, say, LW. Not only are you going to 
make a shoddy harmonica player, you'll make a lousy LW impersonator too 
(after all LW's only influence wasn't LW).

And, the other thing I wanted to comment on that came up during the 
Popper/LW thing. Someone had said that before I diss John Popper I should 
sit down and try to do what he does. Well, I don't want to do what he does 
and is therefore irrelevant to me whether or not I can do it. I don't 
_like_ it. And I'm otherwise a huge Blues Traveller fan. I've seen them 
four times. I bought everyone of their albums when it was new. I find his 
music interesting and fun. His lyrics insightful and well phrased. But as 
far as the noises he makes on a harmonica...well...I could do without 
them. And further, just because I can't _do_ something, on say a harmonica 
or guitar or whatever doesn't mean I should be prevented from commenting 
on it. The validity of the comment is the same, although source is 
different. If Popper wants to know how his  mindless zipping through 
scales sounds to an audience member, ask me. If he wants to hear how it 
sounds from a master of the instrument ask Joe Filisko. What a sorry, 
opinion-free world it would be if you had to be a master of something 
before commenting on it. So much for free speech, active listening, 
creative commentary. Except for a few exceptions I would imagine, this 
list, every news show, half of all newspapers, and every do-it-yourself 
anything would cease to exist.