I played the banjo in sessions for years, but I have given up. Music in pubs now seems secondary to TV. Decisions on what time sessions must start and stop have been abrogated to Sky TV, depending on what soccer/gaelic or rugby is on. Whilst waiting for the sacred match to finish, I would listen to the chat the punters would have amongst themselves about the game. If a player misses an easy shot, somebody would comment "he couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo".
Some years ago, I decided to stop playing, but I kept my instrument and retrained. I can now hit a cow's arse with great accuracy with my banjo. By depressing my free arm on the beast's hindquarters, I can change the pitch of the sound I make when the banjo crashes onto the buttocks. It makes a pleasant alternative to the bodhran, but my cow and I are sometimes denied access to a venue by the fussier landlords.
HSC, every 1 of yer posts is negative. Lighten up. Of course the bowsies are gonna wanna watch fitba on telly.That's why their IQ's are all below 100. Ours are on average up around 130. Feel proud that you are raising the average IQ level of your local by several points every time ye cross the threshold.
(I bet you don't feel any better for me having posted that:~})
what kind of sound did you get out of the cow? I've heard they're a real pain in the arse to tune, with them odd machine heads, what do they call them, oh yeah, udders. Messy job tuning one of them bad boys.
Yes you have to be very careful with a live beast; the sound depends not just on the temperature and humidity, but the mood the cow is in. There are times when my cow gets very depressed, and will not give a note in tune, no matter how much I batter her with me banjax
I 've given up on"most"of the human race . . for gods sake its took me ages and hours to learn all these tunes, and I've gone in pubs to try to play live and entertain . . but footballs, or horseracing on, and bloody Sky television, its all that some people want to watch . . give me strength . . .
Best 'Old Time' website I know, with a lively forum & wonderful, 'non stop', Old Time music played!
It is all I listen to when 'working' on my Apple Mac!
By the way Stewart, just for the record - 'Sugar in the Gourd' is also a tune:
"SUGAR IN THE GOURD [2].
The tune is closely related to the Irish hornpipe tune "The Poor Old Woman" (An tSeanbhean Bhocht).
Bruce and Emmett (The Drummer's and Fifer's Guide), 1880; pg. 57."
I have persuaded the manager at my sesh to turn the sound off the tv while playing mic'd up I love the look on the peoples faces when they come in mob handed clutching pints for dear life only to realise they can watch the game only
There are many music lovers in this pub to accomadate so im glad there is some give and take.
The finals I have to wait until they are over before i get going
If you have been molesting a cow's arse, they need to get a veterinary surgeon in within 24 hours to examine the animal ! Does your case come up next week ?
Seriously, is there anything more distracting when you're playing than one of these flickering Fmultiple asteisk screens on out of the corner of your eye ? Did play in one bar with one of these, but it wasn't a proper session, more of a showcase, and that died the death. Our newest session is in a long bar, and the second night we got there to find the footie on, but they turned off the back screen over our heads, and only had the one on at the front of the bar, behind us and out of sight. We took the odd burst of applause as a compliment.......
There are two sorts of people in the wqrld, those that like live music and those that like footie.
There are 10 sorts of people in the world, those that understand binary, and those that don't.
Actually, hitting the cow's hindquarters with a banjo takes a great deal of skill, especially when using a banjo with a resonator. Unless properly struck, the heavy weight of the resonator can cause the banjo neck to snap, not to manager causing damage to the cow, which could cause it to kick, causing damage to the banjo wielder.
I wish folks would stop looking down their nose at things that actually require a great deal of skill to accomplish.......
My bandmates and I have been playing at the Irish Club in Brisbane going on for ten years now and I don't think we'd know HOW to play our music without the flickering of a TV in the corner of your eye. We're often the soundtrack to a football match on Friday nights. The best part is that every now and then they all cheer and applaud. Deep down we know someone's scored something or other on the teev, but hey, we'll take it anyway we can get it (applause, that is).
"There are two sorts of people in the world, those that like live music and those that like footie."
That is a sad comment on musicians and sport fans both, if it's true.
I don't believe it is. Plenty of musicians I know like to watch the football too. It's not too hard in these parts to find a time to play when the footy's not on, or in a place that doesn't show it, or has the sound down. I'm not the only player who sometimes has one eye on the telly during a tense match.
While doing that you might get the impression sometimes that the TV game watchers are now the Folk and the players are the posh people in the Drawing Room
A few minutes ago I got out my fiddle and asked Dad if he wanted to play some tunes. So he got his bodhran and we were having a pretty good time until he realized the basketball game was on. He turned on the TV and attempted to watch and play at the same time, but he wasn't paying any attention to me, and his rhythm got so bad that I gave up. I'm not sure that he's noticed I've stopped playing yet, I can still hear his drum Personally, I can't stand anything about TV, and it makes me sad when the quality of music goes down the drain in favor of a sports match or other show.
Farewell to the banjo
Farewell to the banjo
I played the banjo in sessions for years, but I have given up. Music in pubs now seems secondary to TV. Decisions on what time sessions must start and stop have been abrogated to Sky TV, depending on what soccer/gaelic or rugby is on. Whilst waiting for the sacred match to finish, I would listen to the chat the punters would have amongst themselves about the game. If a player misses an easy shot, somebody would comment "he couldn't hit a cow's arse with a banjo".
Some years ago, I decided to stop playing, but I kept my instrument and retrained. I can now hit a cow's arse with great accuracy with my banjo. By depressing my free arm on the beast's hindquarters, I can change the pitch of the sound I make when the banjo crashes onto the buttocks. It makes a pleasant alternative to the bodhran, but my cow and I are sometimes denied access to a venue by the fussier landlords.
# Posted on May 21st 2006 by howsshecutting
Re: Farewell to the banjo
HSC, every 1 of yer posts is negative. Lighten up. Of course the bowsies are gonna wanna watch fitba on telly.That's why their IQ's are all below 100. Ours are on average up around 130. Feel proud that you are raising the average IQ level of your local by several points every time ye cross the threshold.
(I bet you don't feel any better for me having posted that:~})
# Posted on May 21st 2006 by Rudall the time
Re: Farewell to the banjo
what kind of sound did you get out of the cow? I've heard they're a real pain in the arse to tune, with them odd machine heads, what do they call them, oh yeah, udders. Messy job tuning one of them bad boys.
# Posted on May 21st 2006 by reido
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Yes you have to be very careful with a live beast; the sound depends not just on the temperature and humidity, but the mood the cow is in. There are times when my cow gets very depressed, and will not give a note in tune, no matter how much I batter her with me banjax
# Posted on May 21st 2006 by howsshecutting
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Lads - just be sure it's a cow and not a bull you're messing about with there...
# Posted on May 21st 2006 by On Sabbatical
Re: Farewell to the banjo
one tuning peg
# Posted on May 21st 2006 by reido
Re: Farewell to the banjo
One or the udder?
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by On Sabbatical
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Would it be moo-ed music?
Brianx
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by briantheflute
Re: Farewell to the banjo
I 've given up on"most"of the human race . . for gods sake its took me ages and hours to learn all these tunes, and I've gone in pubs to try to play live and entertain . . but footballs, or horseracing on, and bloody Sky television, its all that some people want to watch . . give me strength . . .
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Justintime
Re: Farewell to the banjo
aagghh ! !
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Justintime
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Hey, I think its rather appropriate that a debate on Cows arses ends with a contribution from our friendly, neighbourhood - 'stewpot'!
Or are you an Irish (Lamb) stewpot - stewpot?
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Farewell to the banjo
No . . just a middle aged grumpy Yorkshire man , there's a lot of us about ! !
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Justintime
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Oh, & by the way, I'm not making fun of your handle there stewpot - perish the thought!
After all, I'm sure there aren't too many of us 'Old Time' fans hiding out on this site?
Incidentally, on that subject, I enjoy 'Sugar in the Gourd', but do you know of an Old Time forum based in the UK?
I have suggested to Richard Hawkins that he start an Irish one & he's looking into it.
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Sugar in the Gourd ? sorry I.ve completely lost your drift . . is it a tune . . who's Richard Hawkins ?
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Justintime
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Sorry Stewart, let me elaborate:
Best 'Old Time' website I know, with a lively forum & wonderful, 'non stop', Old Time music played!
It is all I listen to when 'working' on my Apple Mac!
http://sugarinthegourd.com/
Richard Hawkins of Bluegrass Ireland:
http://www.bluegrassireland.blogspot.com/
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Farewell to the banjo
In fact, I often wonder if that might be a useful addition to this glorious site here - what do you think Jeremy?
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Farewell to the banjo
No, not Old Time music, but non stop ITM at the click of a link to enjoy, as we amuse ourselves here.
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Farewell to the banjo
By the way Stewart, just for the record - 'Sugar in the Gourd' is also a tune:
"SUGAR IN THE GOURD [2].
The tune is closely related to the Irish hornpipe tune "The Poor Old Woman" (An tSeanbhean Bhocht).
Bruce and Emmett (The Drummer's and Fifer's Guide), 1880; pg. 57."
http://www.ibiblio.org/fiddlers/SU_SV.htm
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Ptarmigan
Re: Farewell to the banjo
I have persuaded the manager at my sesh to turn the sound off the tv while playing mic'd up I love the look on the peoples faces when they come in mob handed clutching pints for dear life only to realise they can watch the game only
There are many music lovers in this pub to accomadate so im glad there is some give and take.
The finals I have to wait until they are over before i get going
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Ripthecalico
Re: Farewell to the banjo
If you have been molesting a cow's arse, they need to get a veterinary surgeon in within 24 hours to examine the animal ! Does your case come up next week ?
Seriously, is there anything more distracting when you're playing than one of these flickering Fmultiple asteisk screens on out of the corner of your eye ? Did play in one bar with one of these, but it wasn't a proper session, more of a showcase, and that died the death. Our newest session is in a long bar, and the second night we got there to find the footie on, but they turned off the back screen over our heads, and only had the one on at the front of the bar, behind us and out of sight. We took the odd burst of applause as a compliment.......
There are two sorts of people in the wqrld, those that like live music and those that like footie.
There are 10 sorts of people in the world, those that understand binary, and those that don't.
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Farewell to the banjo
Actually, hitting the cow's hindquarters with a banjo takes a great deal of skill, especially when using a banjo with a resonator. Unless properly struck, the heavy weight of the resonator can cause the banjo neck to snap, not to manager causing damage to the cow, which could cause it to kick, causing damage to the banjo wielder.
I wish folks would stop looking down their nose at things that actually require a great deal of skill to accomplish.......
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by AlBrown
Re: Farewell to the banjo
My bandmates and I have been playing at the Irish Club in Brisbane going on for ten years now and I don't think we'd know HOW to play our music without the flickering of a TV in the corner of your eye. We're often the soundtrack to a football match on Friday nights. The best part is that every now and then they all cheer and applaud. Deep down we know someone's scored something or other on the teev, but hey, we'll take it anyway we can get it (applause, that is).
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by zookman2
Re: Farewell to the banjo
If your not welcome in your pub go to another one. Easy.
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Newty
Re: Farewell to the banjo
"There are two sorts of people in the world, those that like live music and those that like footie."
That is a sad comment on musicians and sport fans both, if it's true.
I don't believe it is. Plenty of musicians I know like to watch the football too. It's not too hard in these parts to find a time to play when the footy's not on, or in a place that doesn't show it, or has the sound down. I'm not the only player who sometimes has one eye on the telly during a tense match.
While doing that you might get the impression sometimes that the TV game watchers are now the Folk and the players are the posh people in the Drawing Room
# Posted on May 22nd 2006 by Bren
Re: Farewell to the banjo
A few minutes ago I got out my fiddle and asked Dad if he wanted to play some tunes. So he got his bodhran and we were having a pretty good time until he realized the basketball game was on. He turned on the TV and attempted to watch and play at the same time, but he wasn't paying any attention to me, and his rhythm got so bad that I gave up. I'm not sure that he's noticed I've stopped playing yet, I can still hear his drum
Personally, I can't stand anything about TV, and it makes me sad when the quality of music goes down the drain in favor of a sports match or other show.
# Posted on May 23rd 2006 by Fiddlekit