Re: [Harp-L] But when it comes right down to it,,

[BiscuitBoy714@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 3/13/2007 2:57:18 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,  
rlaughlin@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
 
     Yall's is makin' me smile this morning. I relate  so well to this whole 
thread because I started real young too and there have  been times when I have 
overplayed, not too long ago either. Hell, being a  struggling musician, 
specially a harp/sax player in a place where good guitar  players were everywhere 
and everybody could sing well, I had to make it a point  to shine when my time 
came. 'Cause ya know, harp players, we get no respect  sometimes. Sometimes 
if I was too laid back my time would never come at all and  I'd end up 
traveling 100 miles from home and doing 4 sets for 40 bucks and  a pat on the a*&. 
That's 5 bucks an hour for doing a job that I had over 25  years or so experience 
at. That's not even taking into consideration the weekend  I spent before 
going there learning how to play string fills on "Crazy" (Patsy  Cline) or having 
to listen to some guy tell me I was singing flat on the harmony  part to, (O 
God not again), "Show Me The Way" for an hour while the singer takes  another 
shot of whiskey and gets even flatter the next time through at  practice. 
After going through that, when my lead came I absolutely ripped  every note I 
could get in 'cause I had to at least relieve some tension. I'd do  all of that 
just so I could play uncontrived lead on the harmonica. I play  because I love 
to but I got's to eat, and Rommen noodles aint that great after  about the 
10'th bag 'o' them, and don't try to drink with just noodles in your  stomach 
either. That's another thing, "dude, free booze that's worth 50 bucks on  the 
night. Yea well, I don't drink will they give me a potato chip or something?  Naa 
they won't give you any food." What's up with that? Overplay? Sho did after  
that!! Now add to that 6 guys ( all killer) who have been through similar  
experiences. At one point the leader of the country band I was in at the time  
came with me to a blues fest I was doing and when I came off of the stage he  
looked at me and said, "Jeez Randy I wanted to come up there and yell, ALL  PLAY 
LEAD NOW, after watching everybody overplay at the same time." I got a  great 
laugh out of that but it was true. Sorry for the long rant, but thanx for  the 
laugh this mornin'.           HARP PLAYERS UNITE!!!
         Randy

I think  what bothers me the most about the harp player is how much he 
reminds me of  myself, trying my best to achieve recognition. Maybe it's because 
he's  standing, when the rest of the band is sitting. Who knows. 

Again,,I  think in listening to the old blues masters, it seems that they 
just play the  music, sing, and get out of the way. It's not so much a vehicle 
for them to  get noticed as it is them providing a vehicle for the music. 
There's not so  much of this modern-day compulsion to mention who played what,  etc.

Just a personal observation.

It's about the  music.


 
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