[Harp-L] Re: Gussow in Princeton Alumni Weekly

[Mike Fugazzi <mikefugazzi@xxxxxxxxx>]

I am not friends with Adam.  I mean, I know Adam, we've had a few
exchanges, but we aren't "friends"...so I am not coming to bat for a
buddy here, or anything...The debate of blues vs modern blues vs what
is/isn't blues etc, has no right answers.  I am going to intentionally
avoid that.

I am going to piggy-back some of the comments here and on Adam's forum
about what was said in the article vs what was meant.  I am 100%
convinced that, even if he didn't hold said players in high regard,
that Adam is way smart enough to have not gone out of his way to sound
as harsh as he maybe did in this article.  I totally believe him when
he says there was some misquoting and interpreting of his comments.  I
am sure the journalist either read the wrong thing into what was said,
didn't remember the story correctly, or had a motivation in spinning
the article.

In fact, another poster on this thread did the same thing.  He chose
to categorize an entire forum in a way that is blatantly untrue...he
put his spin on things and now people reading those comments are going
to have a preconceived notion of what the participants are about.  As
someone who is on that forum frequently, I'd have to say those
comments are about as accurate as calling the world flat.  Now I, and
others from the L who post there too, have a bit of the defensive
feeling that we shouldn't have to bare, similar maybe to Adam.  Taking
a partially true story out of context, spinning it, making a gross
generalization about the totality of it all, and adding a dash of your
own agenda make things messy in a hurry.

Secondly, I've read and heard comments from some of the current
traditional players that were pretty harsh towards those not following
that path.  I even remember a comment from Kim Wilson about not
wanting to "basterdize" the harmonica by playing it in a rock band,
which is extremely funny as he has been doing so in the Fabulous
Thunderbirds for decades at that point.  And Kim has made it a point
for many years that the T Birds are a ROCK band, and not a blues band.

Listen, free speech, blah, blah, blah, responsiblity for actions
whatever - Please just make sure you're reacting to what was really
said, etc.  Everyone has the right to make a comment about something
good or bad, that is fine.  Just please be willing to consider the
other factors at play like context before condeming someone or taking
out frustration on them.  Had Adam really said/meant that, then
fine...all the fighting back might be ok.  Well, I don't think it is,
but it is maybe fair.  However, it sucks that he'd get crucified over
something that isn't true.

And regarding his forum, the majority of the players don't even
overblow.  That evidently means that they are good people then,
right?  Rick, I am sorry, but your post was totally in bad taste,
inaccurate, and full of political slant.  Why should Adam have to
disclaim anything related to his forum?  I am on there a lot more than
you and I only recall one person not liking LW and it had NOTHING to
do with overblows at all - and it also had nothing to do with
traditional vs anything.  I don't know if you have an agenda against
Adam or not.  I don't even know if you like his music or not.  I don't
even like all his music,  but attacking the personalities of his forum
has nothing to do with the OP.



On Oct 9, 9:30 am, Mojo Red <harpli...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Tony Eyers said of Adam Gussow (as an epilogue to the thread):
>
> > He is a very fine player, deeply schooled in the blues traditions with a long performance career. 
> > He is also Dr Adam Gussow, a professional academic. His business is communication, little wonder he does it so well. 
> > We're lucky to have him.
>
> Amen to that; especially the last bit. 
>
> Harpin' in Colorado,
> --Ken M.