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From: Pete Dashwood on 29 Apr 2010 18:58 SkippyPB wrote: > On 29 Apr 2010 14:01:50 GMT, billg999(a)cs.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon) > wrote: > >> In article <83te9bF21mU1(a)mid.individual.net>, >> "Pete Dashwood" <dashwood(a)removethis.enternet.co.nz> writes: >>> >>> I believe you because you say so, but I have to wonder if maybe you >>> set yourself too high a standard? See, I believe that if it TRULY >>> "wasn't in you" you'd never pick the instrument up in the first >>> place...:-) >> >> Aafraid i can't agree with this. I have "picked up" many an >> instrument (currently working on the flute). My very first was the >> piano and the very firsty piece i learned to play (on my own) was >> Chopin's "Prelude to the Polonaise". I also played guitar back when >> it was what every kid in high school did (Folk Music not Rock in my >> case!!) Only one small problem. Now, I am an excellent Programmer >> and Systems Analyst. I am a terrible Web Master. What does that >> have to do with music? Simple. It's a right-brain - left-brain >> thing. I am very strong technically but while I appreciate art I >> have no real artistic talent. I play mechanically. I can read the >> music and make the instrument put out the sounds on the paper. But, >> sadly, that isn't music. "Picking up" and instrument may only mean >> that one has a appreciation for the capabilities of the instrument. >> it does not necessarily mean they will have the ability to make >> music as opposed to noise. >> >> bill > > There must be some connection (other than left brain, right brain) > between programming and music, or rather, the ability to play. I seem > to recall that one of the old posters in this group, Donald Tees, was > also a musician. > > I began playing piano at age 7 or 8, taught by my mother. I didn't > like it. Selected a trumpet to play once I got into grade school and > loved it. Heard Chet Atkins on the AM radio one day and said I want > to play guitar. Saved my newspaper, lawn cutting, allowance money > until I could afford a cheap electric and a small amplifier. While > teaching myself guitar I continued to play trumpet, learned trombone > and even a little accordion. Finally, I hooked up with a guy who was > in a band and took guitar lessons. After a while I made my own band > at age 12 and at age 13 we were opening for more established rock > and/or blues bands of the age. We did 3 summers in California (we > were from Indiana and Michigan) doing multiple band concerts and > playing with folks like the Grateful Dead before they were named that, > Jefferson Airplane before they were named that and Big Brother and the > Holding Company who had this phenomenal female singer named Janis > Joplin before they were famous. > > We were doing well and honing our craft but the Vietnam War got in the > way. I was the youngest member of the group and the two oldest were > drafted into the Army and Marines and that ended the band. Another > member moved to Canada and another just disappeared. I continued to > play on my own but couldn't bring myself to join another band. Finally > I got drafted. > > After Nam I bought an acoustic and had a couple of different electrics > but my apartment was broken into 3 times and I lost my guitars and my > desire to play music. That was in 1974 or 5. > > Just two years ago I bought a couple of electrics and have tried to > find time to relearn. Harder than it should be. Maybe when I retire > I'll devote full time to music again. I do miss it. > > On one other note, when I program I have rock or blues blasting away > (unless my wife's sleeping - she works 3rd.). > > Regards, Wow! That is really quite amazing, Steve. Incredible to have been part of those scenes with those people. (Maybe you should consider a book? There are many people who'd be interested to get some insight and share your experience from that period. ) I hope you manage to recapture some of what has been stolen and lost. As well as a joyful form of expression, music can also be comfort and solace, and a great agent for repair. Pete. -- "I used to write COBOL...now I can do anything."
From: Howard Brazee on 30 Apr 2010 10:48 On Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:04:16 +1200, "Pete Dashwood" <dashwood(a)removethis.enternet.co.nz> wrote: >I'm pretty hopeless at golf and haven't played for years. But when I did, I >always enjoyed it. > >I'd enjoy a round with you, Howard. If I ever get to Colorado, I'll give you >a call... :-) Most anything is enjoyable when you do it with people who know how to enjoy themselves - people such as yourself. The number 1 criterion to enjoying life is to enjoy life. Different people are better at this skill than others. My brother's played golf and gone skiing in New Zealand, and currently lives in Thailand. I've never crossed an ocean. My fantasies that way are much more in your part of the world than in Europe for some reason. -- "In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found, than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace to the legislature, and not to the executive department." - James Madison
From: Howard Brazee on 30 Apr 2010 10:55 On Fri, 30 Apr 2010 08:48:43 -0600, Howard Brazee <howard(a)brazee.net> wrote: >>I'm pretty hopeless at golf and haven't played for years. But when I did, I >>always enjoyed it. >> >>I'd enjoy a round with you, Howard. If I ever get to Colorado, I'll give you >>a call... :-) > >Most anything is enjoyable when you do it with people who know how to >enjoy themselves - people such as yourself. I started playing golf when I acquired a son-in-law who played. It's not about getting a little ball into a hole, it's about enjoying some competition and taking a nice walk with people we like. Being multi-generation helps. I suppose having multi-generation jam sessions must give the same kind of joy. -- "In no part of the constitution is more wisdom to be found, than in the clause which confides the question of war or peace to the legislature, and not to the executive department." - James Madison
From: SkippyPB on 30 Apr 2010 13:09 On Fri, 30 Apr 2010 10:58:49 +1200, "Pete Dashwood" <dashwood(a)removethis.enternet.co.nz> wrote: >SkippyPB wrote: >> On 29 Apr 2010 14:01:50 GMT, billg999(a)cs.uofs.edu (Bill Gunshannon) >> wrote: >> >>> In article <83te9bF21mU1(a)mid.individual.net>, >>> "Pete Dashwood" <dashwood(a)removethis.enternet.co.nz> writes: >>>> >>>> I believe you because you say so, but I have to wonder if maybe you >>>> set yourself too high a standard? See, I believe that if it TRULY >>>> "wasn't in you" you'd never pick the instrument up in the first >>>> place...:-) >>> >>> Aafraid i can't agree with this. I have "picked up" many an >>> instrument (currently working on the flute). My very first was the >>> piano and the very firsty piece i learned to play (on my own) was >>> Chopin's "Prelude to the Polonaise". I also played guitar back when >>> it was what every kid in high school did (Folk Music not Rock in my >>> case!!) Only one small problem. Now, I am an excellent Programmer >>> and Systems Analyst. I am a terrible Web Master. What does that >>> have to do with music? Simple. It's a right-brain - left-brain >>> thing. I am very strong technically but while I appreciate art I >>> have no real artistic talent. I play mechanically. I can read the >>> music and make the instrument put out the sounds on the paper. But, >>> sadly, that isn't music. "Picking up" and instrument may only mean >>> that one has a appreciation for the capabilities of the instrument. >>> it does not necessarily mean they will have the ability to make >>> music as opposed to noise. >>> >>> bill >> >> There must be some connection (other than left brain, right brain) >> between programming and music, or rather, the ability to play. I seem >> to recall that one of the old posters in this group, Donald Tees, was >> also a musician. >> >> I began playing piano at age 7 or 8, taught by my mother. I didn't >> like it. Selected a trumpet to play once I got into grade school and >> loved it. Heard Chet Atkins on the AM radio one day and said I want >> to play guitar. Saved my newspaper, lawn cutting, allowance money >> until I could afford a cheap electric and a small amplifier. While >> teaching myself guitar I continued to play trumpet, learned trombone >> and even a little accordion. Finally, I hooked up with a guy who was >> in a band and took guitar lessons. After a while I made my own band >> at age 12 and at age 13 we were opening for more established rock >> and/or blues bands of the age. We did 3 summers in California (we >> were from Indiana and Michigan) doing multiple band concerts and >> playing with folks like the Grateful Dead before they were named that, >> Jefferson Airplane before they were named that and Big Brother and the >> Holding Company who had this phenomenal female singer named Janis >> Joplin before they were famous. >> >> We were doing well and honing our craft but the Vietnam War got in the >> way. I was the youngest member of the group and the two oldest were >> drafted into the Army and Marines and that ended the band. Another >> member moved to Canada and another just disappeared. I continued to >> play on my own but couldn't bring myself to join another band. Finally >> I got drafted. >> >> After Nam I bought an acoustic and had a couple of different electrics >> but my apartment was broken into 3 times and I lost my guitars and my >> desire to play music. That was in 1974 or 5. >> >> Just two years ago I bought a couple of electrics and have tried to >> find time to relearn. Harder than it should be. Maybe when I retire >> I'll devote full time to music again. I do miss it. >> >> On one other note, when I program I have rock or blues blasting away >> (unless my wife's sleeping - she works 3rd.). >> >> Regards, > >Wow! That is really quite amazing, Steve. > >Incredible to have been part of those scenes with those people. (Maybe you >should consider a book? There are many people who'd be interested to get >some insight and share your experience from that period. ) > >I hope you manage to recapture some of what has been stolen and lost. > >As well as a joyful form of expression, music can also be comfort and >solace, and a great agent for repair. > >Pete. I've forgotten a lot more than I remember about those years but I do recall how incredible it was. We all started out playing folk music and some blues and country..most of it acoustic music that we adapted to electric guitars. Three of us were the core of the band (we were called the Rogues for what its worth). When we were very young we used to meet up in the summers at our relatives lake cottages, me at my aunt and uncles, they with their parents. We used to just sit around and try and play stuff we heard on the radio (which was pretty horrible in those days). Later on we started experimenting with the electric sound more, added a wurlitzer organ and drummer. Once we got out to the west coast we were floored by how far advanced those folks were in terms of the music they were making. We adsorbed as much as we could and adapted our sound. The Beatles were just becoming popular in the US a year or two before my colleagues were drafted. But we heard them, we heard the Rolling Stones and knew that was the path we wanted to take. Unfortunately, we weren't able to do that. I think it was that disappointment that kept me from going forward after the group disbanded. It was indeed fun and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Regards, -- //// (o o) -oOO--(_)--OOo- "There are two types of people in this world, good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more." -- Woody Allen ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Remove nospam to email me. Steve
From: Anonymous on 30 Apr 2010 18:25
In article <83te9bF21mU1(a)mid.individual.net>, Pete Dashwood <dashwood(a)removethis.enternet.co.nz> wrote: >docdwarf(a)panix.com wrote: [snip] >> One of >> them asked what we were doing and we replied that we were trying to >> get together (small sum of money) so we could get their 'two sinkers >> and a cup o' mud' special... >> >> ... and this fellow said 'Tell you what... I'll give you that money, >> right now, if only you'll just... stop playing.' >> >> Being as dedicated to our Art and Purity as we were... we said 'Sure >> thing!' >> > >LOL! great story :-) Pshaw, Mr Dashwood, you'se jes' easily impressed. [snip] >> It just >> wasn't in me, either in my muscles or in the Pons Musicalis (that >> part of the brain which gets touched by the Muse, forming a bridge >> between the eidos (form) of Music and what is coaxed out of an >> instrument). > >I believe you because you say so, but I have to wonder if maybe you set >yourself too high a standard? See, I believe that if it TRULY "wasn't in >you" you'd never pick the instrument up in the first place...:-) There's a wee bit of difference, Mr Dashwood, between 'I want to play the music of Bach' and 'I want to play music which affects me as strongly as does the music of Bach.' One requires technique, the other both technique and the Muse's touch. DD |