Comments on: Shut up you stupid banjo player! http://banjosrule.com/blog/shut-up-you-stupid-banjo-player/ Banjo Blog Wed, 25 Apr 2012 02:07:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jesse Taylor II http://banjosrule.com/blog/shut-up-you-stupid-banjo-player/comment-page-1/#comment-505 Jesse Taylor II Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:54:39 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=689#comment-505 Very humorous, indeed. None the less, I was struck by what you said about banjo players being the focus of "leers and jeers...and harsh taunts". All of this may have been aimed at being "tongue in cheek", but many a truth hath been told in jest. (Oh yeah...we banjo pickers quote Shakespear. We're really quite "urbane".) Then too, I believe it's not only banjo players who go through this, but a great many musicians who chose instruments of lesser caliber. (Which, of course, is all the rest of them.) The real tragedy is when this abuse comes from those around us...namely, family members. I can still recall the conversations I used to have with my mother, back when I was 16 and 17 years old. She'd say, "Son, get up...got school today. Put that thing down and get ready for school! Aren't you going to eat any breakfast? Got all your homework done? Put that thing down and go to school!" Then, after school, our conversations would go something like, "Put that thing down and eat some supper. Put that thing down and mow the grass. Got all your homework done? Put that thing down and go to bed!" My Sisters would have their own set of exclaimations. "Do you have to do that now? Cut it out, I'm trying to watch TV. I can't study with you making that noise. Mom, make him be quiet with that!!" What's wrong with these people? Haven't they ever heard that an artist should be encouraged? It's a sad thing to consider, but I truly believe that one of the biggest phobias experienced by a musician is the worry that they're bothering somebody. I truly do believe that. There's a reason for it. By the time we finally learn to perform, we've had it "brow-beaten" into us that we really are bothering people. Small wonder musicians develop a "shyness" about their craft. Even now...over 30 years after my first paying stage performance and many years after my last Nashville appearance, I've not gotten over the fear that I may be bothering people with my musical efforts. I can't even practice in my own house if I think there's someone around who may be bothered by it. I wait till everyone's gone. You can't perform to your best ability when you're uncomfortable. I'd rather delay a much needed practice session than to endure the agony of worry. Sometimes, the same thing goes for a stage show. The show may go on, but you'll never be satisfied with it. Case in point, my Son wanted me to perform at his wedding. They already had a very fine musician hired to perform and to provide "DJ" services. I couldn't bring myself to do it. It wasn't because of any "stage fright". Rather, it was because I felt I would be performing in front of a "captive audience". Those folks hadn't come to hear me. They hadn't come to hear the other guy, either, but at least he was playing music they were all familiar with. I can carry a show, even if I do play a banjo, but the atmosphere was all wrong and I just didn't feel comfortable. That, and there's just something about "horning in" on another musician's gig that doesn't seem polite...even if it is your Son's wedding. If you're a performer, you know what I mean. So, go ahead...make your jokes. Put the banjo player in his place. Just remember that you're going to be sorry when he's standing in front of 4000 or so of his closest friends and they're all jumping up and down from the energy he's putting out. Ask my mother about that. I guess the real message here is that all budding musicians need encouragement. Be careful of saying hurtful words, even in jest. It will leave a mark and it can take a long time to get over it. Of course, this may be too much to ask of those other musicians who settle for "lesser instruments". Can't we all just get along? -Jesse Very humorous, indeed. None the less, I was struck by what you said about banjo players being the focus of “leers and jeers…and harsh taunts”. All of this may have been aimed at being “tongue in cheek”, but many a truth hath been told in jest. (Oh yeah…we banjo pickers quote Shakespear. We’re really quite “urbane”.)
Then too, I believe it’s not only banjo players who go through this, but a great many musicians who chose instruments of lesser caliber. (Which, of course, is all the rest of them.)
The real tragedy is when this abuse comes from those around us…namely, family members. I can still recall the conversations I used to have with my mother, back when I was 16 and 17 years old.
She’d say, “Son, get up…got school today. Put that thing down and get ready for school! Aren’t you going to eat any breakfast? Got all your homework done? Put that thing down and go to school!”
Then, after school, our conversations would go something like, “Put that thing down and eat some supper. Put that thing down and mow the grass. Got all your homework done? Put that thing down and go to bed!”
My Sisters would have their own set of exclaimations. “Do you have to do that now? Cut it out, I’m trying to watch TV. I can’t study with you making that noise. Mom, make him be quiet with that!!”
What’s wrong with these people? Haven’t they ever heard that an artist should be encouraged? It’s a sad thing to consider, but I truly believe that one of the biggest phobias experienced by a musician is the worry that they’re bothering somebody. I truly do believe that.
There’s a reason for it. By the time we finally learn to perform, we’ve had it “brow-beaten” into us that we really are bothering people. Small wonder musicians develop a “shyness” about their craft.
Even now…over 30 years after my first paying stage performance and many years after my last Nashville appearance, I’ve not gotten over the fear that I may be bothering people with my musical efforts. I can’t even practice in my own house if I think there’s someone around who may be bothered by it. I wait till everyone’s gone. You can’t perform to your best ability when you’re uncomfortable. I’d rather delay a much needed practice session than to endure the agony of worry. Sometimes, the same thing goes for a stage show. The show may go on, but you’ll never be satisfied with it.
Case in point, my Son wanted me to perform at his wedding. They already had a very fine musician hired to perform and to provide “DJ” services. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It wasn’t because of any “stage fright”. Rather, it was because I felt I would be performing in front of a “captive audience”. Those folks hadn’t come to hear me. They hadn’t come to hear the other guy, either, but at least he was playing music they were all familiar with. I can carry a show, even if I do play a banjo, but the atmosphere was all wrong and I just didn’t feel comfortable. That, and there’s just something about “horning in” on another musician’s gig that doesn’t seem polite…even if it is your Son’s wedding. If you’re a performer, you know what I mean.
So, go ahead…make your jokes. Put the banjo player in his place. Just remember that you’re going to be sorry when he’s standing in front of 4000 or so of his closest friends and they’re all jumping up and down from the energy he’s putting out. Ask my mother about that.
I guess the real message here is that all budding musicians need encouragement. Be careful of saying hurtful words, even in jest. It will leave a mark and it can take a long time to get over it.
Of course, this may be too much to ask of those other musicians who settle for “lesser instruments”. Can’t we all just get along?
-Jesse

]]> By: admin http://banjosrule.com/blog/shut-up-you-stupid-banjo-player/comment-page-1/#comment-462 admin Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:37:27 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=689#comment-462 Yes Steve, but do you know the difference between a banjo and an accordion? The accordion burns longer!! Yes Steve, but do you know the difference between a banjo and an accordion? The accordion burns longer!!

]]> By: Robes http://banjosrule.com/blog/shut-up-you-stupid-banjo-player/comment-page-1/#comment-457 Robes Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:41:46 +0000 http://banjosrule.com/blog/?p=689#comment-457 "The knocking speeds up and they can’t find the key" OK,... I just blew diet coke all over the monitor...through my nose...and I think,.... my ears..... Take solace fellow banjo players,... you could have been afflicted with a worse malady than the desire to play the banjo..... it could have been t he accordian.... or the bagpipes..... “The knocking speeds up and they can’t find the key” OK,… I just blew diet coke all over the monitor…through my nose…and I think,…. my ears…..

Take solace fellow banjo players,… you could have been afflicted with a worse malady than the desire to play the banjo….. it could have been t he accordian…. or the bagpipes…..

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