[Harp-L] You never know who Gus is is

["hazcon" <hazcon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I HATE Gus'
                Most of the time when i was playing in a band i was a high 
stress blue collar worker,stringing electrical high voltage plyons , 10years 
in oil refineries etc etc
             Working 45 - 50 hours a week,mortgage  car payments,you know 
my drift.
             Once or twice a week ,though knackered ,heading off to band 
practice.......all for the chance to blow some harp to often a disinterested 
crowd at a godforsaken bar in a godforsaken hellhole.But Music was my 
saviour.......
              Of course Gus wouldn't appear then,he(always he) would pick 
the nights when the band were swingin',the crowd were as well and i had been 
waiting ages for my big spotlight number(eg Help Me)) after an hour of just 
being the sideman.
           Sometimes it was like every second table had a Bob Dylan sitting 
there(not to disparage Bobs harp playing but you know what i mean)
            That is the trouble with harp: too portable, how often do you 
see some guy waltz into a bar carrying a guitar so he can Gus the 
band?Never..'cos he needs an Amp to plug into for a start..whereas' a 
harmonica Gus can grab a mike...or just sit at his table impressing the 
girls with a 4 (?) hole draw on every change.
               But a caveat.. during the band break a guy (always a guy 
:-) ) quietly approaches you(if he his  savvy with a pint or some such) and 
asks if he could sit in for a song..it takes about 3 seconds to judge 
whether or not he can actually not embarrass himself or the band and then 
you have to make an honest judgment...... am i here solely for my own 
gratification or am i willing to have another chance to just show  the 
audience (hopefully) another example of how blues harp should sound
                Well i remember once being gussed (politely)by Brendan 
Power...in Auckland (NZ)at the Gluepot on a Thursday night.........near 20 
years ago
              Go Brendan(and thanks for the pint)
Rick
in NZ