Re: [Harp-L] Why I play the blues

["hazcon" <hazcon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

That is very witty and like all good jokes there is an element of truth 
there........ah the bikie gigs..I remember them well .....full throttle,full 
distortion and wail on the 9 hole bend for evaaah
                Then tryin' to back the van out between the 30000$ 
Harleys.........with a huge mother.....r with a face full of tattoos and an 
attitude 'cos he has had to be the hen for the night.
                  Still the worst is getting booked to play a "corporate' 
and realising that all they want tis the Beatles and rock and roll(in 1999!) 
Christ they were all under 30!
                    This seagues into another subject: why doesn't anybody 
under say 40ish play modern music at their rite of passage ceremonies.I mean 
I was at a 21st the other night and I kid you not, the cover band played 
early Beatles ,Stones and the odd other song from the (gasp)eighties.No 
Britney no Oasis or whatever.In fact they had a packed dance floor until 
they tried something 'modern'.And 90% of the crowd were under 25.
                In fact most of the Rite of Pasage Ceremonies I go to these 
days I feel that I am in a time warp or a kind of groundhog day........has 
there been no good 'party' music put out since the sixties/seventies.
                 Thats why I play the Blues...............
Rick in NZ
> > Why I play the blues:
> >
> > I play the blues because I enjoy low paying gigs as opposed to
> > being in a tribute/wedding/coproate band and making real money like  my 
> > horn players.
> > I play the blues because I enjoy playing to disinterested BBQ & NOLA 
> > foodies chomping
> > away as we are spewing great musical moments.
> > I play the blues because I enjoy being locked into a I IV V  framework 
> > that is
> > a challenge to find anything fresh to say.
> > I play the blues because I enjoy some ex-jailbird w/ a harmonica  gussing 
> > me all set long & then
> > his son saying he'll "shiv me in my ribs" if I don't let his 'Dad'  play.
> > I play the blues because I enjoy educating some municipal soccer mom 
> > booker that the blues is not necessarily depressing and an  antiquated 
> > genre.
> > I play the blues because I enjoy living next to a 1.5 million  populated 
> > major metro area that is only
> > interested in Karoke & DJ's spinning.
> > I play the blues because I love to audition guitar players who play 
> > Hendrix & SRV blues.
> > I play the blues because I love to audition stand up bass players  who 
> > play be-bop & don't know how to 'maul' an acosutic bass.
> > I play the blues because I enjoy drummers who are aging rockers who  hit 
> > on the 1&3.
> > I play the blues because I enjoy being told by first tier festival 
> > promoters that they already have a harmonica act and there are  already 
> > to many "white faces on the bill"
> > I play the blues because I enjoy requests for Sweet Home Chicago,The 
> > Blues is Alright and my favorite:
> > Mustang Sally.
> > I play the blues because even National players are rolling quaters  just 
> > to make the next 9 hour drive to a poorly routed gig.
> > I play the blues because I love opening for do-rag clad,harley T- shirt 
> > ,flip flop wearing ,minstrel sounding blues rockers who  shuffle at the 
> > same meter all night long and the audience LOVES it  because they are one 
> > of them.
> >
> > "The blues is a rough & tumble game & is just like scrimping &  pimping 
> > in a competition for crumbs"
> > -james day
> >
> >
> > --
> > James Day & the Fish Fry
> > "Jump Blues & Greasy Grooves"
> > www.jameswday.com
> > _______________________________________________
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> > http://harp-l.org/mailman/listinfo/harp-l
>
> Richard Hammersley
> Grantshouse, Scottish Borders
> http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
> http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
> http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown
>
>
>
>
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Richard Marsh
Test Certifier No: 00050