i'm always serious, even when i'm not.

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Miami Mo

My God.

Well this really does wreak of the worst Musical snobbery and elitism I've read in some time.

Seeing as I do what you've described for a living, I'll take this personally Mo, (even though I suspect you didn't mean it that way) because I've just got to take issue with this.

Having come from an originals (i.e. non-covers) background, I find it only too easy to create and play my own songs, with my own voice and style(s).
I too used to sneer and snigger at the poor souls who sold themselves out to reproduce other people's music. I was very into what I and others were doing in an "intense, Indy, serious Songwriters" scene. We were all serious writers and musicians - we were the only ones making "the real music".

Then I grew up.

I've come to realise that people who play ANY type of music for WHATEVER reason are musicians.

I guess I found out (and I'll quote again) what Diki said earlier:

"The trick is to find that kernel of truth and passion in even the simplest of musics."

I (we) play some of the best (and worst) songs around in many genres.

I get to play "The Way You Look Tonight" (Kern/Fields) one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard AND "Achey Breaky Heart" usually at the same gig!

I play both songs with joy, passion and gusto, (but I admit "Achey" receives more than it's fair share of Irony in my reading.... ).
I've had to learn to play accurately, WITH feeling AND style many Pop, Country, Jazz, Punk, Rap, Hip Hop and Blues songs.
I've even learned to play a passable Latin style (something I never thought I could do) by playing songs such as "Let's Get Loud".


My point?


I have found it MORE difficult to reproduce "The Hits" accurately than it took to write and perform my own work - something I never expected - and seeing as we often play for Dancers (professional and non-professional) they expect the original recordings to be done with a fair degree of accuracy as they rehearse with CDs at the dance studios.

It takes (for me) more Talent, skill, and, more to the point, DISCIPLINE to stick to the original (sometimes tricky) arrangements than it did for me to write and/or improvise.

It takes musicianship.

I admit, in our shows we probably do more than "just reproduce" all the hits (We sometimes change lyrics around for comedic value, I do my own solos when the mood strikes me etc) but, ostensibly, we do exactly what has been described (with much revulsion) by Mo.

Ya know, I've seen Chris Isaak in concert a few times. He was laugh out loud funny,(with some awfully funny "patter" - God, I think he was even grinning at times...) a GREAT singer, and a fair guitar player too.
I remember in one song, he played note for note a difficult guitar solo - just like the record.

Actually, come to think of it - he played lots of hits - just like the record - admittedly they were HIS records.

I remember the crowd loving it as he pumped out hit after hit (superbly) - guess he was just a Jukebox - and here I was thinking all the while he and his bandmates were Musicians!


I still write, record and play my own stuff, and I'm currently trying to sell some of those songs to established (and not so established) artists, with varying degrees of success i.e. none.... yet.
So when I do THAT, I'm a musician, right?

When I go out and play the clubs, I'm...........what????
Help me out here.


You talk of broadening our musical boundaries Mo, looks like you've narrowed yours considerably.

Good luck with that.

so it takes a lot of skill to be a human jukebox and people love it. i accept that. but i wouldn't want to do that except for financial reasons. i don't think most musicians would. what's that got to do with snobbery? but if you're going to tell me about how much creativity you put into it, and how you give it ironic twists, etc etc..then you are making it your own and you are not being a human jukebox, are you? and i wasn't putting down musicians who are entertaining or grin or tell jokes, there's nothing wrong with that, i was saying you don't necessarily have to do that to be successful.

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Miami Mo

Mo, you may have been saying you don't have to do gags to be successful, or perform exact copies of the Hit Parade past and present to make a living, but your tone regarding both WAS negative AND derogatory (you admitted as much yourself) and THAT was what I was responding to.

We'll have to agree to disagree about the content and the intent of your posts.

But that wouldn't be the first time something like this has happened on these boards now would it?

Peace out.

methinks you are making a big issue out of something that isn't worth fighting about, and i'm happy to make peace with you. from what you told me of yourself, you don't sound like a human jukebox or a grinning patter-master. so no need to take offense, none intended. however, if you are NOTHING but a human jukebox and grinning patter-master i will respect your skills but not your musical soul...sorry, but from where i sit that is where it's at. peace out back atcha...

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Miami Mo

Gary, I'm glad you enjoy what you play. I, do too. We just don't enjoy playing the same things or for the same people. I work one job where I get hired because I DON'T play Jimmy Buffet music or similar material. The owner says that's all he can find, sometimes, and certain upscale customers complain. He pays me $50.00 more a night than the others. He has a total of 7 upscale restaurants in the area and is building more. Everyone in the area asks for work there, and I never have. He calls me. Another upscale Italian restaurant owner has fired players on the spot if they violated his "no Buffet" rule. Buffet music music is inappropropriate for
all venues I work. I can't stand it and won't play it. Others can, and do and that's fine.

Works for both of us, so there's no problem.


R.

[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 10-29-2007).]