Archive for August, 2007
Your Wish Is My Command…
He held her in his arms, looking deeply into her eyes and said lustily “Sweetheart, I will play you like a violin!”
She returned his gaze, her lips parted slightly, and with a voice husky with passion said, “Darling, I’d rather you played me like a harmonica!”
Record Collecting 101 (Part 2)
What makes a record collectible? Well, much the same criteria that makes anything collectible:
Demand – somebody has to want it, obviously. If you own a record that nobody else wants, it may have a place in your collection, but can hardly be called collectible in the general sense.
Rarity – there are fewer copies of the record available than people who want it. This is the classic supply and demand situation. As more people want fewer of the same item, it becomes more desirable and generally more expensive to obtain. The cool thing about records, and many other collectibles, is that often a collector will find a gem buried in a box of common records for 50 cents or a dollar because the seller has no idea what she has. There are any number of record collecting legends about finding a multi-thousand-dollar collectible record in an old record store for a quarter, or at a yard sale. Much of the fun of collecting records is the hunt. Tracking down a rare record, or simply stumbling across one and buying it cheap, can give a collector a story to tell for years.
Uniqueness – there may be variations of a particular record that are much harder to find than so-called normal versions. Records are especially prone to this as any given record usually has at least two versions and many have more. Collectors who want a complete collection will generally try to find an example of every variation known and most fall short because variations are discovered all the time. More on that later.
Read more in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Record Collecting 101 (Part 1)
Okay, we’re going to talk records and collecting. We’re talking vinyl, unless they’re old enough to be 78′s. We’re talking LPs, 45′s, EPs and yes, 78′s, too. If you were born after 1980, you may not have a clue what I’m talking about because everything you listen to is on CDs. Your parents might actually own some records and
Anyway, if you’re too young to remember records, you might have the makings of a collector someday. If you’re somebody who used to own a bunch of records you might be collector material, too. People collect things for any number of reasons, and records are no exception.
Read the rest of this article in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
It Ain’t The Gear!
Musicians are notorious for buying all kinds of instruments and accessories hoping to play and sound better. When pros do it, they’re usually looking for a particular sound to better express their music. Jimi Hendrix, for example, was a well-known gearhead, but the things he was able to do with the various gadgets and gizmos enhanced his music and made it unique.
When amateurs do it, it’s known as Gear Acquisition Syndrome, or GAS. The GASified musician buys a piece of gear, plays with it a while, decides it doesn’t make him/her sound like
Read the rest of this article in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Devil Music…or not…
In the early days of the 20th century when the blues was still evolving from field hollers, there were actually two lines of musical evolution. One was gospel music, which was obviously inspired by the teachings of the Christian churches. The other was blues, which was much more the music of roadhouses and juke joints. Not exactly places God-fearing people tended to hang out, at least not so they’d admit it! Not surprisingly, the blues became known as “the Devil’s music”, partly because of the venues in which it was often played, and partly because of references to selling one’s soul to the Devil and other topics not intended for tender ears.
Many blues players and singers started out with gospel music because their parents wouldn’t let them play the blues. They had to wait until they were older to go over to the “dark side.” Some sneaked out to blues clubs to play and sing without their parents’ knowledge, and had such success that they couldn’t keep the secret for long. Probably as much because it was forbidden fruit as in spite of it, the blues continued to evolve into what we know today. Gospel is still around, as well, and both have their devotees.
Read the rest of this article in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Dear Abby…
Dear Abby,
I have never written to you before, but I really need your advice. I think my wife is cheating on me. I am a musician and travel sometimes. When I come home things are not like they used to be. It’s very awkward.
The usual signs, her cell phone rings and she steps outside or says call me later. When I ask her who called she gets evasive. Sometimes she goes out with her friends but comes home late, getting dropped off around the corner and walking the rest of the way home. I never see who brings her home. I once picked up the extension phone while she was on the phone. She got angry and accused me of all kinds of things.
Anyway, I just did not have the courage to come right out and ask her if she was cheating on me.
A buddy of mine plays guitar in a band. He told me that my wife and some guy show up at their gigs. He wanted to borrow my amp, and that’s when I got the idea to find out for myself. I said, sure, you can use my amp but I want to hide behind it and see if she comes in to the club and with who. He agreed.
Saturday night came. I slipped behind my Marshall JCM800 half stack to get a good view of the club. I could feel the heat coming off the back of the amp. It was at that moment, crouching down, when I noticed one of the power tubes was not glowing like the other three.
Is this something I can fix myself or do I need to take it to a technician?
Thanks,
(Name withheld)
Just a Benefit?
Musicians as a group tend to be very generous with their time and talent. It seems like one band or another is always holding a benefit sometime somewhere for a worthy cause. It’s not unusual for other musicians to show up and add their talents to the show and it can really be a great time for both the players and fans. The best part is that money is raised for somebody who really needs it. Witness the many benefit performances held after Hurricane Katrina, for example. Millions of dollars were raised a few hundred or a few thousand at a time by musicians willing to play for free in order to pass the hat and collect needed funds.
Often several bands will get together and put on a show consisting of each band doing a set, often with special guests joining the bands on stage. Other times, one band will host the show and featuring a rotating series of guest players. The latter is obviously more work for the host band, especially the non-lead players such as drummers, bass players and rhythm guitarists…
Read more in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
We Be Jammin’!!
Posted in: General Music, Roots Music, Roots Rock 'n Blues, The Blues
One of the cooler things about the blues and roots music is that at the heart of it it’s a fairly simple structure that doesn’t require a degree in music to learn to play and enjoy. Learn the 1-4-5 chords in a few popular keys on whatever instrument you want to play and you’re ready to wail with other players at your local open jams.
For many players, jams are a way to get on stage and play the music they love without having to commit to band practices, gig schedules and the rest that goes along with getting paid to play. For others, it’s a way to get some stage experience on their way to finding a band to gig with. For still others, it’s a get-together with friends and kindred souls. There are probably as many reasons as there are players and it’s what keeps players and their friends and fans coming out…
Read more in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
Mark Hummel’s Blues Harp Blowout – March 8, 2007
West Coast harmonica player, Mark Hummel, is on a mission much to the delight of blues and especially blues harp fans everywhere. He’s touring the country bringing to as many stages as possible the greatest living blues harmonica players. The lineup changes fairly frequently depending on the touring schedules of the various players, but he always has at least two and sometimes three top rank players with him each doing a set and ending the shows with an all-star blowout with everybody on stage trading licks and mikes. I recently had the pleasure of seeing Hummel along with Steve Guyger, Kim Wilson and Charlie Musselwhite at the Sellersville Theater in Sellersville, PA…
Read more in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News…
See my full review of the show in the Reviews section of this site.
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
The Bo Diddley Beat
As those of you who are subscribers already know, Bo Diddley, the rock-n-roll legend, had a stroke this past week and as of last report was in intensive care in a hospital in the Midwest. It’s unfortunate that it takes an event like this to get us thinking about the influence of the greats, and Bo certainly qualifies as one of the greats. He, Chuck Berry and Little Richard were the Big Three of rock-n-roll back in the day and pretty much defined the genre. Each has his own distinctive style and each has been imitated countless times.
When I picked up the guitar back in the mid-60′s, one of the first songs I wanted to learn was “Who Do You Love?” The trademark Diddley beat was the attraction in that tune…
Read more in Roots, Rock ‘n Blues News…
Copyright ©2007 by John W. Sawyer and Chon Resources
All Rights Reserved Worldwide
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Master Your Axe!
