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IAC Prime Member
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Village Jammers
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3/12/2009 1:22:35 AM
---- Updated 3/12/2009 1:26:43 AM
Buskers wanted for new station
....same request as in "new station added", but hopefully with a more enticing title.
Inspired by Beth Fridinger's recent post regarding her busking experience, the Village Jammers offer a safe haven for anyone who has tried their hand at busking....we call it Streetcorner Serenade.
I know Beth and Andy Broad both busk. Beth, Andy, give us your favorite!
There must be some other brave souls out there....
Guess I'll give this until it hits the bottom of the topics list before I quietly relent and turn it into a "live" station.
Thanks!
Mike
(and special thanks to the Code and Silverwoods for being patient in the other post)....
and to make it easier to find the shoutbox....
Streetcorner Serenade
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Andy Broad
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3/12/2009 3:36:19 AM
Choose any song you like, they are all my favourites and I've busked most of them at some point. It's a common way for me to finalize my solo arrangements of songs.
Nice idea for a stataion
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Village Jammers
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3/12/2009 5:45:18 AM
Thanks, Andy....gotcha covered!
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Steve Ison
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3/12/2009 1:37:35 PM
Nice idea Mike..I do busking most saturdays ('cos i need the money) but rarely do my own songs...
I got a note in my case a couple of years ago saying 'Lennon and Marley are already dead so why do you keep murdering them?' lol
I sometimes do This one tho 'cos i can really punch it out on just acoustic...
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Hop On Pop
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3/12/2009 1:53:37 PM
I play to an indifferent crowd at my local bagel show every now and then. Does that count?
Cool idea for a station, by the way.
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Village Jammers
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3/12/2009 5:35:50 PM
Steve, I had no idea you busk. Thanks for your contribution.
"I got a note in my case a couple of years ago saying 'Lennon and Marley are already dead so why do you keep murdering them?' lol"
Priceless! Sounds like Don Rickles. Then again, Mr. Rickles wouldn't leave a note....he'd tell you upfront, lightly cuff you and say "No, really, I love what you're doing; keep working on it", HA! I'd put that note in a frame and hang it on the wall.
Todd, you are completely fearless. I've listened to some of those bagelhouse recordings. I've played to indifferent audiences before (still), but that's one gig I'd have bagged a long time ago. My hat is off to you, man.
Bagelhouses are usually on streetcorners and are a pass-the-hat kind of gig. Got a recommendation?
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Hop On Pop
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3/12/2009 6:17:56 PM
Believe it or not, they actually pay me a flat rate to play: $100 for 2 hours!
I play 1 hr. at one store, then drive 5 miles to another store, where I play a second 1-hr. set.
Not bad.
But it is only here in the Chicago 'burbs, I fear.
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Village Jammers
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3/12/2009 9:21:32 PM
Hey, man, a gig is a gig. No better way to air out a song. We call them "paid rehearsals" now, but the local pay scale hasn't changed much around here since 1975. Our harmonica player Rene used to be fond of putting it this way (and quite often)...."Art for art's sake, money, for GOD'S sake!!" LOL
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SILVERWOODSTUDIO
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3/12/2009 10:22:04 PM
---hey Mike
this guy gave me the idea--of playing kick drum and hi hat while singing and playing---
Sea sick Steve!!
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Kevin White
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3/13/2009 2:26:44 AM
I played live for 15 years, sometimes w/ my band, sometimes by myself; but always at paid gigs in business establishments ...
I haven't done it for years. I'd be hard pressed for a reason to go out again.
I've no desire for "live". I just don't derive any personal gratification from it after doing it for that long time ... although I totally did back when I was in that game. Gradually I soured on it ... it became ashen to me.
There are many artists (including the Beatles) who came to similar conclusion.
Folks that enjoy playing live should fully enjoy it. There is an appeal to it that I totally understand.
I wouldn't have minded busking back then ... it would have been another gig ... and back then I would have loved it.
K-
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Village Jammers
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3/13/2009 3:42:26 PM
Hey, Rob that guy is wound right up tight. WOW! You got me thinking about John Hartford, who'd tap dance on a piece of miked-up plywood while he played.....
Kevin, I agree wholeheartedly....when it stops being fun..............'nuf said.
Curious now, we seem to be about the same vintage and in the CT/RI area; over the years we have probably brushed the same dust off our boots. Had a southern rock cover band for 10 years which played the Hartford circle quite a bit. What was the name of your band?
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Kevin White
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3/13/2009 4:39:52 PM
The original incarnation was an all original band named, "Zax" for short ... started in roughly 1977 or so.
... but the long name was "The Melvin Zax Jazz Orchestra" ... as sort of a joke. "Lynrd Skynrd" was popular at the time (as you know), and we grabbed "Melvin Zax" because one of members thought it was a memorable name.
Melvin was a noted psychiatrist who had written the high school text for two of our members' psych class.
We played as that unit for about 5 years before converting it over into an all cover band (starving musicians wanted more pay) named "Class Action".
I played with that unit for another few years before deciding that I didn't want to do the band thing anymore. All my spare time was being spent learning cover material; and I wanted to invest what time I had more towards originals.
I left the band in the mid-80's and played solo under my own name in local small bars for another half dozen years or so. Finally, I got tired of doing it at all ... and like I mentioned above, stopped entirely.
I devoted study as to how to record, and started putting together the originals again just about the time the internet dawned. When broadband hit, it opened up global collaborations.
I release my first album, "Long Days Passing Fast" under my own name w/ my global collaborators referred to as "The Melvin Zax Jazz Orchestra" ... assuming the moniker of my first band for sentimental reasons.
Melvin Zax himself found me on the net, and contacted me as to how I chose such an unusual name for my band. I confirmed it was him. He was nearing 80 years old at the time, and I sent him a CD, in thanks for the us of his name all those years.
I've no idea whether he liked it or not.
Kev-
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Village Jammers
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3/13/2009 5:28:00 PM
Your decision to shift gears has certainly held you in good stead (with outstanding results BTW). Kudos.
The way I remember it, back then the local and regional thing was "who is the best cover act".... not much of a market for originality, so I can understand your discouragement. At the time, I was in Franklin Lymestone. We did have some nights in the concert halls (Agora Ballroom, Stage West) which fueled the fire for me.
Fortunately, for the past few years, the New London area has increasingly supported the creative arts so we soldier on through the occasional "indifference". Still, to stay busy, I'm currently involved with five acts (Jammers, Rivergods, Hoolios, Jim Carpenter and Friends, and a duo with the "Sandman" Sandy Allen), all performing our own material. I live for the nights when we "get it right". That be the Holy Grail.
Great story about Melvin Zax. I hope to be as sharp when I grow up LOL!
Mike
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Hugh Hamilton
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3/13/2009 8:59:11 PM
"Lennon and Marley..." - LOL!
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Bob Elliott
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3/14/2009 4:12:35 AM
Busking is hitting the streets, right? I have often played in public grassy areas, not that often the streets, but that's mostly because I live in the country...
Heart of the country where the lonely people go
heart of the country smell the grass in the meadow
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Village Jammers
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3/14/2009 7:46:33 AM
---- Updated 3/14/2009 9:01:53 AM
The grass is always greener, and maybe not as sweet
But a dollar is a dollar, gravel road or city street
Drop one in the hat, Bob..........how about "Let Me Owe You Something"? Nice.
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Conversation Suicide
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3/14/2009 9:22:29 AM
We've busked. You should try one of our nifty tunes. -pHLeGm
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Village Jammers
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3/14/2009 4:54:04 PM
Happy to, pHLeGm......got a pHavorite?
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Bryon Tosoff
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3/14/2009 5:02:55 PM
I once Busked my ass off for the bluevoodoo, does that count : )
bryon
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Bob Elliott
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3/14/2009 6:15:27 PM
Well, yeah man, that would be cool to get on the station. Have at it.
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3/14/2009 6:17:25 PM
Once upon a time a very long time ago I dressed up as a punk, took my violin and went into a shopping centre where I sat down next to another violinist dressed as a punk in a symphony orchestra who were all dressed as punks. I think we started to play the 1812 overture, or it might have been William Tell or even Beethoven 5. I can't remember, it was too long ago. What I do remember is that we didn't finish as we were chased away by rampaging football supporters whose team had just lost. We had to run fast.
I have occasionally busked since. But not recently.
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Village Jammers
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3/14/2009 6:26:02 PM
LOL! Maybe not, Bryon, but I'll bet there's a tip jar on that baby grand you've been playing in the piano bar........and " Strollin' " is very cool, man.
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Bryon Tosoff
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3/14/2009 6:31:32 PM
hahaha. I was seriously kidding around.did not intend to be having a chance at going on the busking station, cause who sees a piano on the street, unless it gets thrown out the window of some apartment. but thanks for the add. it was a surprisingly cool thing you did. busking away looking for tips. and those tip jars work
I have thrown in ten dollar bills to bait it up and it works wonders!!
bryon
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Kevin White
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3/14/2009 7:26:21 PM
---- Updated 3/14/2009 7:31:41 PM
Most of my original band, Mike, were Norwich/New London boys. I don't know if you ran across any of them in your musical endeavors.
Bill Quinn was the bass player, and his brother Jim (Shamus), who passed in a motorcycle accident, ran our sound for a period. At the time, the two lived in Waterford along the Niantic River.
Mark Crumb, also now deceased, was our original guitarist. Klyph Johnson played Sax, Flute and Bassoon (yes, we used the bassoon in our act).
Eventually, as band members changed over the years, other SE CT musicians joined the ranks. Bob Evert, who you might know from Caruso Music in NL, was one of our bass players. He's still trying to get me to write a rock opera for the theater arts folks down in New London.
Phil Lavallee, who now runs the shows at Foxwood's (or is the Sun, I can never remember), was first w/ Zax, and then made the transition to Class Action as our guitarist ...
... but they were all from the Willimantic/Norwich/New London corridor.
We used to do Shaboo on a regular basis, and Lefty Foster, who owned the place is still a friend. Lefty books Mohegan Sun, and is the lead singer for the Mohegan Sun All Stars, their "house band".
We played the Agora/Stage West too ... backing up national acts. We headlined at the Club Casino along the boardwalk in Hampton Beach NH ... we played everywhere ... at clubs in Norwich, New London, and out at Ocean Beach ... back in the day.
It was great fun.
I'm so glad it's over.
Remember clone bands? They were all the rage.
These days, there are no bands.
Kev-
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Bryon Tosoff
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3/14/2009 7:32:40 PM
Kevin. you played your azz off dude. that is some pretty heady stuff that you had going on....and you still rock it out here at IAC with seriously cool songs
bryon
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Kevin White
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3/14/2009 7:57:29 PM
---- Updated 3/14/2009 8:03:13 PM
I'll tell you Bryon ... it is seriously cool to play one's original music in front of thousands and thousands of people on a big stage.
If every gig were like that, I might have enjoyed it more.
Most gigs, though, consist of slogging it out in a thousand no name clubs to a small, unappreciative crowd; and not getting home until 5 a.m. from a wearying long drive away from home.
One of the guys I used to jam with was Charles Calamise, who played bass on "Fly Like an Eagle" and "Book of Dreams" w/ Steve MIller. Charles started w/ the James Cotton blues band (Matt Guitar Murphy of the Blues brothers was the guitarist at the time), and eventually settled in the Willimantic area to play with a group called Avalanche, Mike Foster's band.
Anyways, Charles died driving his vehicle off Suicide 6 (one of the nation's deadliest roads) up our way ... exhausted, and falling asleep at the wheel of his car around 5 a.m. one morning.
It's a hard life being a musician ... and occasionally a lethal profession.
To me, the downside of playing out, the hours ... the lifestyle, having to do covers etc ... outweighed the upside of making music on my own terms. When it becomes work, it's work ... and I wanted keep my total enjoyment of it alive. Thanks for the kind words too.
Best,
Kev-
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never never band
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3/15/2009 5:36:48 AM
I used to busk on the Boulder Mall back during the Reagan administration...
I tried that for about a year
I lived in a van,
I was really livin' the dream!
Back then $20 was a very good day busking, but they were nasty about giving out public performance permits , and we were lazy about getting them..so we often got chased off by cops...
if things were shitty we used to give blood on wednesdays down on Colfax in Denver!
they paid ya $15
I was making a solid $100 to $120 a week baby!!
Of course you could get an ounce of Hash for only $90, , , ,That was the only bright side of the Reagan days, drugs were cheap and plentiful.
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Conversation Suicide
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3/15/2009 7:49:06 AM
---- Updated 3/15/2009 7:50:04 AM
Oh ya just GOTTA add Woodstock, after that KILLER story of busking getting broken up by a futbol riot in IRELAND !! C'mon.
As for me, just pick the one that works with you.
KICK your ASS and WHIPS and CHAINS though, are the ones I've busked out with the most....
-PLEASE add the AMAZING WOODSTOCK TAYLOR
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Village Jammers
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3/15/2009 8:28:21 AM
Bob, thanks for the song.
Bryon, "Strollin'" swings. Couldn't resist.
Woody (may I call you Woody?), your vocal in "Shivers" is, in a word...awesome. When's the video comin' out?
Never Never, "Stick Up" is the perfect title for the inspiration behind this station. Very cool and funky streetwise groove. Thanks.
pHleGHm, Code, Rob...I'll look you guys up tomorrow.
Kevin, we probably have more people in common than we know. I'll be back naming names, but before I go, I just want to confess that I DID play in a tribute band, AND at the Casino. It was called Q.T. Hush (great name, huh?). We did all AC/DC, LOL!
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Village Jammers
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3/15/2009 5:50:57 PM
Phlegm, sorry I missed your post earlier on (maybe didn't register w/me at 4am) or I'd have added one of YOUR choices. Hope you don't mind too much. "Transition" really does rock, man. Got any Romulus X mixes ready for us yet (or have I missed that, too?)?
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Village Jammers
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3/15/2009 6:17:38 PM
Kevin, the only thing nearly as good as the music at the Shaboo Inn was their cheeseburger grinder; just talking about that Thursday night....my mouth was watering, ha!
Charles was a great feel/groove bassist. It's a shame he's not still with us. Met him only once, as with Bill Quinn. I knew Bill's brother Jon better...another really good bassist.
Let's see, if you know Lefty, then you must know Gene Melendreras (sp?). He's the only player I know of that can make a cymbal sound like a wah-wah. Incredible drummer. Met him at Uncle John's Surfside 6 in Misquamicut when he was playing with Truk. Don't he and Lefty also run an equipment rental biz w/all that vintage gear nobody likes to take out anymore?
Hmmm, Wayne Manca (drums/voc, Norwich), Steve Belgrade (guit/voc ,New London), Barry Ramos (bass), Tony Brennan (guit/voc). Wayne and Steve both long-time buddies and still playing out....haven't heard from Barry since he moved to N.Y.
Bobby Everts (great guy, I could spend hours talking w/him) is right; New London needs a rock opera....the timing is right and you're the guy to do it.
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Kevin White
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3/15/2009 8:24:33 PM
Lefty still runs the rental biz as Shaboo Productions, Mike ... and the business is a client of mine.
One of his employees is the husband of my long time staff, who recently left because she and he had a baby boy. He's an excellent bass player himself, was a student of Charles, and he also played w/ Avalanche's Easton Brothers for a period himself.
Which one of the Quinn brothers is a phenomenal drummer ... is it Tom? I know John too ... I believe he ran a professional cleaning business for a period. They did the rugs in my office for a couple years many eons ago.
All the Quinns are nice folks, however wonderfully quirky they might be.
All the other names you mentioned are familiar to me, but I've only met in passing. Bob still records w/ me in my studio, but I've not posted anything he's played on yet ... which reminds me I've got to call him.
Small world this internet, Mike. I'll have to look you up when you play. Drop me a note if you're going to be up Willi way.
Kev-
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Village Jammers
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3/15/2009 10:38:05 PM
There were FOUR brothers Quinn? I only knew Jon when he was in an outfit w/ Randy Jason playin' lots of Rush on the same circuit we were. Met Bill maybe five years later in Mystic when I started doing the folk stuff.
Small world, indeed, Kevin. I'll be sure to let you know when we're in the Willi area next. It'd be cool to meet yet another IAC'er.
Mike
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SILVERWOODSTUDIO
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3/15/2009 10:53:01 PM
----very interesting cv Kev!
mike---the fiddler!! great!
here is our busking weekend----we had a ball!! check out my feet!
  
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Conversation Suicide
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3/16/2009 8:39:45 AM
---- Updated 3/16/2009 9:09:07 AM
Nice Kev.
urrrr... Village Jammers We DON'T have the Romulus X Records UK mix yet. But before we do a FRESH studio session under Kenny Colgate & Romulus X, we will be releasing "The BEST of Conversation Suicide so far..." with the UK branch of the Label.
RIGHT NOW _- It's PRODUCT RECALL's turn to shine! They're the FIRST band out of the gate....and they are fuckin' amazing.
Anyhoo, Thanks again for including TRANSITIONS, I really dig who that came out in the studio, and LOVE when stations pick it up! -pHLeGm
p.s. > not for recipricating interests, but I'll definitely be taking a closer look at your MUSIC this week, once I get done with our crazy SMOKE PHATTIES DAY show, tomorrow on St. Paddy's Day....
-ROCK on Village Jammers, again Great station idea.
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