Whippersnapper's Lament

John Steele (deceased) · Post by **John Steele (deceased)** » 21 Nov 2003 2:25 pm

Following a couple of threads here on the forum, I feel
there are some thoughts that have to be brought up.

I am one of the guilty parties (people under 40) who are
allegedly responsible for gutting modern music. Recently
I’ve come to realize that the music I play (traditional country,
blues, and jazz) might rightfully be called “period music”. It’s
not Pop music.

Last week before a gig I happened to run into an older acquaintance downtown who used to play trumpet in the jazz band (back before the sky fell). He mentioned wanting to copy some of the vinyl he had so it wouldn’t be lost. He seemed really surprised that a lot of that same music was available on CD. “I don’t go into the record stores much anymore” he explained. He went on to recount some of the pleasures he’d experienced while working as a musician, and lamented the fact that those days are all gone. “You just don’t get the chance to hear that kind of music anymore”, he said.
I started to explain that my piano trio would be playing that night, and he might like to come. No, he explained, he just couldn’t handle the smoke in the bars anymore. Ahh, but the non-smoking bylaw has taken care of that, I explained. After a slight hesitation, he mentioned the distance of the drive to the establishment, how much he hated driving at night now, etc. etc. He wasn’t coming. He was having a better time complaining
about the “fact” that you can’t hear that music anymore. Sigh.

So, that night the trio played to a small crowd, as we always do. Sometimes at the end of the night I’m tempted to say to myself “Nobody cares about this music anymore, might as well hang it up.” In fact, it’s not that nobody cares about it, it’s that the people who claim to care don’t support it. They’re probably busy at home watching some T.V. show they hate, so they’ll have something more to complain about tomorrow.

Here on the forum, we hear this sort of this often. One lamenting gentleman I corresponded with was disappointed about the disappearance of western swing, and Bigsby steelers. I asked him if he liked “Big Sandy and the Fly Rite Boys”. He’d never heard of them. I mentioned Bigsby steeler and forumite Lee Jeffriess. Never heard of him either. Hmm… Ok. I guess he left a few stones unturned in his relentless search.

Recently there was some discussion here about someone’s newest “discovery”, Gary Carpenter. When I read that, I just about fell on the floor. I don’t know much, but I’ve known about Gary Carpenter for years. Despite his tremendous command of the Steel Guitar, I suspect there are times when Gary’s gigs thin out too, or times he plays to less-than-packed houses. After all these years, I guess it’s lucky some of the forumites “discovered” him…. And just in time too ! Before he ends up going on the pension, or throws in the towel from lack of public interest in his art.

I’ll tell you, there’s nothing more infuriating than going to play your beloved “period music” to an empty house, then come home to read laments of it’s demise on the net.

So I implore you, before you hit that “send” button to post a rant about the worthlessness of younger players and the lack of quality music out there…. Stop and ask yourself how many shows you’ve supported lately, how many CD’s you’ve bought.

At least some older players actually had the beautiful experience of being there when this music was popular. Us “younger folk”, we didn’t have that. We struggle to find venues and audiences to keep it alive, but it’s tough. If someone has to be blamed for it, don’t look at us. If you want to look at the guilty party, there’s a mirror in the hall.

-John
[This message was edited by John Steele on 21 November 2003 at 06:56 PM.]

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 21 Nov 2003 3:35 pm

Yes John...ditto's! Like I've told you before, the one thing I do enjoy when I read some of the curmudgeonly ranting that goes on around here in cyberspace is the fact that it makes me at age 52 feel young by comparison.

Andy Greatrix · Post by **Andy Greatrix** » 21 Nov 2003 3:39 pm

I think you're on to something, John.
Just like when you play quietly, and all the people come up and tell you how much they like it.
Then they leave about ten o'clock.
Your place closes down early because there's no one there.
Then you go to the loud bar and find your previous customers there complaining about the volume, but they stay until closing time.
Go figure!

Don Walters · Post by **Don Walters** » 22 Nov 2003 6:13 am

You nailed it, John! (As usual)

Not bad for a youngster

JB Arnold · Post by **JB Arnold** » 22 Nov 2003 8:17 am

I get annoyed by folks my own age who complain that no one is playing great Country Rock like we were weaned on in the 70's-when Cage has been on 2 GREAT cd's with the Brooklyn Cowboys and they can't get anyone to come see them or buy the CD's. Same deal-too busy frying their brains watching "Survivor 102-Halesite clambake".

JB

------------------
Fulawka D-10 9&5
Fessenden D-10 8&8
"All in all, looking back, I'd have to say the best advice anyone ever gave me was 'Hands Up, Don't Move!"
www.johnbarnold.com/pedalsteel
www.buddycage.net

http://www.nrpsmusic.com/index.html

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 22 Nov 2003 10:31 am

Don't blame me--I've not missed any of the John Steele Trio's Fort Worth gigs.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 22 Nov 2003 11:00 am

As one of the old curmudgeons mentioned in this thread, don't I get any credit for all of the "arrows" I got back in the 60's for playing Jerry Lee and all of the other rockabilly material? The current "whippersnappers" are the same ones that I endured back then!
www.genejones.com

John De Maille · Post by **John De Maille** » 22 Nov 2003 12:08 pm

Well John, I think you said it correctly. I, for one, am a lover of of 70's and 80's country. Lots of steel and hard driving in your face country. But, I have learned that in order to play, you must be able to do some of the more contemporary tunes. Times do change and so does our music world. I'm not happy about a lot of things that come about, but, if you can roll with the flow you can still stick in a lot of the tunes that make you happy to play. There have been nights, when I thought I'd just give it all up. But, I can't give up one of my main loves in life-playing steel. So, I think we all must learn to bend a little and expand our musical horizons. To not grow is to whither and die on the vine

Rick Schmidt · Post by **Rick Schmidt** » 22 Nov 2003 7:30 pm

" cur·mudg·eon (k…r-m¾j“…n) n. An ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions. --cur·mudg“eon·ly adj. --cur·mudg“eon·ry n."

Gene...maybe I'm not paying attention, but I havnt really associated your posts in the past with this definition. Maybe I'll do a search when I'm feeling that way someday.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 23 Nov 2003 4:53 am