Are the days of indie tours over?

[wades_keys]

screw that. local markets treat anyone who is actually good as some kind of pariah, and are way too focused on social bull{censored}. people who do well "locally" usually have a really twisted worldview as well, and touring knocks sense into them.

THat's my take too, but I think that's cuz you and I live in {censored} towns with small minded folks and a non-existent musical scene.

 

No offense - but you're in Galesburg area right?

 

Not exactly a mecca - same with Louisville - though once Louisville had a pretty vibrant local music scene that has all gone to {censored} in the last 10-15 years.

 

A little perspective came my way years ago - one thing about Louisville is there are some mighty fine pickers per capita in this town.

 

I discovered this first hand when I moved to {censored}water Norwood Ohio - my fair to middling guitar skills in Louisville made me one of the best guitarists in that town overnight, at least according to some of the starry eyed drunks that were easily impressed.

[wades_keys]

 

This is safe, boring, bland political correctness applied to music. When I play I take chances and go out on a limb, {censored} it if I hit a clam or play too many notes.

 

Right on - but we're all free to do that.

 

It's only peer pressure of "the scene" that would make anyone feel otherwise.

 

Great post though - and you know what, my ears hear more musicality in the FEEL than in the CORRECTNESS.

 

Some takes I've done that have had a flaw are better takes than the stiff, "perfect" ones, because that sense of freedom and even wonder can come through when you're out on that limb.

 

Man that's a great post - hits very close to home to me.

 

We all expect this American Idol type of perfection, even musicians seem to rate this higher than feel these days.

[wades_keys]

 

My jazz fusion band covers a few SD tunes, and from our experience, they have been crowd pleasers. We do a more upbeat version of "Josie", with a keyboard solo leading up a frenzied 16th note double-kick going back towards the intro, ending the song. In the end, as ANY song, it's all in whatever feeling you bring to it.

 

Right on man.

 

I dig the Dan, but I've already forgotten the 3 or 4 songs of theirs I've worked up.

 

And it doesn't bother me either - that's a good feeling, they're just tunes, even though some of those altered chords aren't the most familiar...

[wades_keys]

We're not slamming Steely Dan (I love SD)- just cultural correctness - listening to and advocating the "right" music and performance values, taking the approved cultural stance. This is safe, boring, bland political correctness applied to music. When I play I take chances and go out on a limb, {censored} it if I hit a clam or play too many notes. The people can hear it and appreciate it while the Steely Dan Brigade stands in the back filling out their scorecards.

There was a "blues brigade" in this town, probably still is....Back in '90, when the hot trend was still SRV and that style gunslinging was copied left, right and center, I brazenly strolled into their midst with a Gibson Explorer, ProCo Rat, and a handful of nasty Gary Moore licks off of the just-released "Still Got The Blues".

 

My tune was "sweet home chicago", and on the lead I kicked in that proco and just did things my way. No more clean water fender tone - it was EMG (style) buckers and a little RAT grind.

 

The coolest memory I have though is looking out and seeing women up and dancing their asses off - the women that had been sitting through all the strat and hat wanks were up on their feet.

 

I got yanked off the stage anyways, but one of other house cats struck up a conversation and even drove me home. It felt good to walk into their click, the stranger, and do something different but still cool an confident, and to get the response I got was gold.

 

Funnier still, is these same purists who frowned on the fuzzbox and approach were all over the Gary Moore blues tit within a year.

 

Fight the power - sometimes they'll still dance - it ain't gotta be eclectic....it just has to be real. ;

 

Oh yeah, on the way home the guy said he liked what I did, but I should lose a little distortion.

 

That felt good too, because I knew the tone wasn't brewtal - women won't dance to the brewtal.

[pink floyd cramer]

If I could play "Josie" and do it justice I'd brag, too.

I can't brag either because I tried to pull that one off on a fill-in gig and it really, really sucked.

I don't think anyone should apologize (I don't) for knowing more than 3 chords or having some formal training. I just mentioned Steely Dan because of SD worship by those who are higher up than I in the local clique... sour grapes? (maybe a little) but apparently some here can identify. But do not worry- we shall all have our revenge over those ignoramoses who would deny our greatness!

I think it is human nature to downgrade the abilities of someone you actually know - "a prophet has no honor in his own country" etc. And I also think that it is human nature to categorize a musician or band by what they sounded like some time ago, and improvement has to be dramatic before you get re-categorized.