Sessions are amicable occasions. A social redezvous of the highest order. However.. are you a bit phuckin nuts? Judging by the magnificant multitude of vehmently vicious exchanges on this site and by the state of the World in general (sighs) I wonder how many of you are prone to an aul post session rumble? Or perhaps like me people start on you for no reason..I dont want to hear about fights in general. This is not a whose got the biggest ballz thread..there must be a physical interaction of a violent nature for your post to qualify, events must have been on a voluntary consensual basis encompassing equal participation, but also it must definately be the the result of or relevant to, an Irish Musical occasion or aftermath of such an event..I want to hear times where you have experienced, precipatated, participated and indeed enjoyed a musically orientated rumble. Do such things exist in a world outside my own? Do you have pangs of guilt for the things you did? did u get owned? Did you get free food or other such reimbursement? N.B Bodhran orientated violence does not qualify..Nor do pure lies..If all those Plastic Paddy's among ye pretain to have real Irish Blood in yer vains then this thread should take flight.. Just like yer ancestors did
Believe it or not I am totally sober (although tempted to feign otherwise)..and infact cramming for an exam on Friday/learning a tune/ posting a discussion for the crak..I fear my textbooks are overstimulating..someone phone Sammy Wilson
Wow - Trucks, did you post this because of my silly Headbutt comment on the other thread? I was only joking man. I've never "rumbled" at a session, although my stomach has from time to time - must remember to sneak in a few bites between the pints...
Mr Truck's, IME of sessions they generally fall into 4 or 5 categories,
1. Informal & unplanned: you've got the instrument in the car and you meet some fairies, next thing you know it's 2 years later and your still in the same clothes when you come too....
In these situations the craic is always good and never any trouble, durks, swords, pistols and bad attitudes are left in the hall. Whenever you bump into people at the shop or where ever; they smile and wink telling you how great the craic was (usually 90) and how well everyone was playing, slowly you begin to piece the bits together and slowly start to fill in the blanks.
Fantastic, these are the days I live to play for and in my view this is what a session is all about, be it urban or rural.
2. The arranged session, the phone goes and off you go with your pals. In this situation the assembled tend to welcome the odd stray (see No: 1) and musical satisfaction is usually achieved. Again there is normally a feel good factor that keeps disagreement under wraps and thing can get really out of hand, for the right reasons.
3. The open regular session.
This is where things can start to get ugly if the publican or session leaders aren't of a socially sympathetic disposition. The craic can be good but generally these situation run the risk of becoming social clubs for the select where the true spirit of why we play music can be lost if it's not kept in check.
Under good stewardship, a well run, open regular session usually works out well, if a bit hit and miss. Most of the trouble is of the typical community type and any bitching is kept to the fringes with any animosity vented in private or discussed on line under a pseudo name.
4. The open (really closed) regular session
This type of tune usually evolves from No: 3 and in my opinion this is where most of the trouble is to be found. Being the domain of the alpha egotist and socially exclusive bad feeling is never far from the radar. This session has turned into the X or Y show and shouldn't be supported no matter how good the musicians. Boxing is a sometimes possibility but normally it's just bad feeling from misunderstanding stemming from a lack of ESP from those not in the know. I've felt like boxing a few alpha egotists but it's the epsilon egotist that usually gets it (alphas are generally to smart to put themselves in the firing line and have someone else do their dirty work with the promise of implied acceptance (in crowd hopefuls ie sycophantic epsilons minors) as reward).
5. Closed regular sessions
At least their honest and the music is generally good so at least it wasn’t a wasted journey. These were my favorite for gate crashing (well asking nicely).
In this situation; it’s everybody else that bitches (on line or in huddled groups).
I think the bitching on here stems from most people attending No: 3 type sessions, so I’d say that that was quite a healthy sign.
If I’m honest I don’t attend that many sessions these days as most fall into the No: 3.5 (half way to becoming a No: 4) category and I canny be ar$ed with the politics most of the time. In order of preference; 1, 2, 5 & 3, people who cause trouble regularly shouldn’t be invited.
I don’t do 4’s, as I hate bad feeling even if it’s aimed at someone else (pulls me out the zone), maybe it’s my sense of hospitality.
Trucks,I'm sure there is a reason people "start on you." And it probably has something to do with you using the same tone and content in conversation that you do here. Add alcohol to the mix, and there you have it.
BTW, I'm not judging, just making an observation. You're just one part of what makes this website what it is, and, like a train wreck, I can't look away.
Trucks is the guy who confessed in a recent bodhran discussion to always happening to have a bottle of Oil of Ulay at hand. There was me thinking he was a chap who gargled with tin tacks and shaved with a cutlass, but the Ulay revelation hints at a softer, gentler nature.
Well Harry, the PC police might say probably, but I do the same, so who am I to judge? I believe that sort of appreciation is just a part of the Y chromosome.
...biggus Dave..A drop of the hard stuff - MIND ME HAT WILL YA!!!
and the German guy!! This thread was worth it just for that link..
Trucks,I'm sure there is a reason people "start on you." And it probably has something to do with you using the same tone and content in conversation that you do here..
..
There mite be some truth in that
Did I hurt your feelings at some point in the past..If so I apologise, come here to me big fella and il rub it better with my Oil of Ulay..
Seeing as no one has given me ne funny rumble stories and Im nower near stimulated enuf to tell u mine. I stand dissappointed:( ..
As for swfl Fiddlers link :( i'm genuinely hurt. I though we wre kindred spirits..
HA! Trucks, you're cool man, I was just messing with ya. Just a little slagging.
No fight stories with this dude, sorry. I'm in Florida, aka 'God's Waiting Room'. I'm 37 and most of the other musicians are 15-20 years older than I am. Nobody's looking for a brawl. Mostly they're looking for a diner with an Early Bird Special.
In any case, Im a lover not a fighter .. as my girlfreind would second, if she was talking to me ...
Im your best Pal when drunk especially where choons are concerned..problem only ever occur during the commute mainly in fast food places..Ive said too much already.. I will not prostitute my stories before im sure of what the return will be.. wher are all the crazy people, I know for a fact they exist
The closest thing to something vaguely resembling a fight recently in our part of south London resulted in a guy getting his shirt ripped for (allegedly) chatting during a solo. Sorry to be so boring but you did ask.
Well we were sessioning at a horse fair, in a pub full of drunk travellers, all of a sudden the banjo player clouted some fellah with his banjo! Jeez I didn't know if we were going to get out alive, we dragged him off the guy and made a sharp exit. No idea why he hit him, must have been something he said I guess!, he was a bit highly strung the banjo player!
Another time We were sessioning down in killcrohan, packed pub, one guy was giving another fella a hard time, pointing and yelling, surprise surprise the other guy hit him, me and the doorman dragged them apart and chucked them outside to finish it there. Which they did!
I remember one time, I was doing the door for some friends playing, one guy just pushed his way through, I couldnt leave the post so that was it, he was in, but then he came back out 5 minutes later and demanded his money back !" cheek of the guy, well he was getting nuttin, words escalated and he dashed the till box to the ground and went for me, I was able to fend him off with one hand till back up arrived , which was very fast, and I didnt spill my pint !
Thats about it in 25 yrs of sessioning, If I think of anything else Ill be sure to tell ya.
I know what you mean sashiko. Sunday night I was out at the big room, listening to some music.
Two fellows sitting next to me were rather chatty. So I moved closer to he music. Fortunately I found a better seat.
SWFL Fiddler - In 20 years time if not well before you'll have the Snowbirds all over you. I'm sure they'll give you the time of your life. I imagine they're not fussy and in 20, 30, 40 years' time you might not be either!
Nate, I spent my 1st few decades in Texas.
For a brief period I assisted in Parkland's Emergency Room triage desk. We received our fair share of GSWs. I was fortunate, none of my patients died from their assault. I was a transport orderly.
After my shift sometimes I'd visit a few of the people I had helped admit into the hospital. I especially enjoyed meeting a fellow who had been shot & would have certainly died.
A grand fellow ~ full of life.
Not sure why I am putting this on an Irish music site, but it's all true; every word.
7 or 8 years ago at the then good regular local session; this guy who would often attend, not really an alpha egotist (but he dose fancy himself as an alpha male, always boxing). Now this said guy is a piano player in the boogie woogie mould and he'd do a couple of turns most Sundays allowing people the chance of the toilet and the chance of a break. In his style the piano man is really quite good and although not my thing, the tourists love it.
My long time fiddling pal is perhaps not the most tactful of people, especially with a sawllie (D'eoch) in. Piano man, this night, managed to get hold of a bodhran and was making an ar$e of bashing it over my pal's playing. OK, maybe my pal was being a little precious over the incident, but I'd think in a similar situation most here would be of the same opinion.
You know how it go's; deep in the tune zone playing a heart felt rendition of a "big tune" my pal is disturbed by the sound of this goat getting a bad kicking, so he opens his eyes and says, "will you stop that please", in what to the uninitiated must have seemed an off hand kind of way. We all know how hard it is to communicate well whilst playing, but not the goat murdering piano man.
Anyway sometime later my pal comes back from the bog ashen faced (well there was one cheek that had a bit of a rosie hue to it), in the chaos of the session, I hadn't really seen what had happened but when he sat back down and started putting the fiddle away I lent over to him and asked what was up? "I just been assaulted", remarks my pal.
Moral of the story? Beware insulting the precious feelings of the alpha male trainee bodhranist! Who'd have thought piano man was really that sensitive or maybe he'd just never had anyone play badly over his piano before.
Not exactly a fight, but back in 1971 we had a regular session in the back room of the Dog and Partidge, Trippet Lane, Sheffield. One night I went outside to make room for more of the black stuff and got grabbed by ex pat Pat who was as "in his cups" as a fart. He called me a "fecking pig ignorant student" and went to "nut" me between the eyes. I reacted by ducking and he caught himself a wallop when the top of my head contacted his nose, more or less laying him out. Blood everywhere. I never had any more trouble with him after that. I never did find out what had rattled his cage.
Played in a sort of organized session for many years. The problem was that the fiddler and guitarist just didn't get on. If they had been having a bit of a set to about who was out of time the fiddler would often suggest a tune, but just as the guitarist opened up the intro, the fiddler would start a different tune. In no time at all they would be outside fighting whilst we carried on as though nothing had happened. This went on for 7 years as i remember. The landlord loved it because the pub would be packed with people who came to watch. They don't make sessions like that anymore.
OK, Trucks is going to be happy, now we're getting the good stuff here.
Solidmahog, isn't that some sort of major crime, a fiddler getting beat up by a goat skin whacker, especially when the whacker sucks? Didn't the UN make some rules about that?
Nate, Maybe banjo players are a bit less precious about their instruments than fiddle/viola players. I imagine a banjo would make a nifty weapon. Hit someone with a fiddle and you'd end up with matchwood..
Mr SWFL, don't know about the UN but, the session had to create a no boxing rule regarding the incident
I've had to save this particular fiddler on a couple of occasions it must be said, although I think he's just misunderstood Although we've never come to blows, we've had one or two spats, being at gigs though it's the stuff for a new thread.
There do seem to be one or two fiddlers who coud use a slap (present company and my pal excluded, of course) symptomatic of the condition perhaps, or it maybe just the no frets thing?
What a dull life I lead. I've never been in a fight and the last one I witnessed was when I was teaching high school 40+ years ago. Funny, though, I dont feel deprived.
that's too bad, Bob. You really haven't lived until you've seen a rodeo clown shoot a banjo player, or a violist wrap their instrument around somebody's head like it was a wooden turbin
'why is it always banjo players in stories like that? we never hear stories like that about viola players'
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Nate Ryan
Well the answer is obvious:viola players are gentlemen and are not generally in thrall to the brash and flashy egoism of some of their other string playing cousins.
We're also wise to the fact that if you end up mixing it you're already into minus points.
As your man said:
'Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles
is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists
in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.'
Mind you,I have occasionally met with 'precious' viola players but these types usually started off on the violin...Gollum notwithstanding.
Hey, where is our man Trucks anyway? He started all this fun and then disappeared. Hope he didn't get into a scuffle and had to spend some time in the hospital.
Believe it or not I am totally sober (although tempted to feign otherwise)..and infact cramming for an exam on Friday/learning a tune/ posting a discussion for the crak..I fear my textbooks are overstimulating..someone phone Sammy Wilson
Back to topic, there were more bar fights where sessions were held in San Francisco of the1970's. They're rare now. Once, a fellow came through my then brand-spanking-new pipe set as if it was a turn style; broke the bass drone off at the bottom tenon. Then as now, it's not the musicians in these parts who go in for rough house. There is an element of non-players who are some how attracted to, then incited by this music. More likely the combination of the music and a lot of alcohol makes them go gaga.
I did have an exam.Politics. and given some here seem interested in my performance, heres the txt I send to my teacher
"Arrogance maybe but I would compare performance in that exam to undisputed World heavyweight Joe Calzage's recent defeat of Roy Jones Jr.. Adaptive, cold, calm, unfazed, stumbling initially only to turn on the class and pick and land every punch with textbook angles and even room for showboating (in this case Pluralism and the counter affects of consociational design on democratic function of the Assembly) .Sadly unlike Joe I cant retire on the proceeds just yet. Fingers crossed."
..Fingers crossed indeed. as for fighting in sessions blahblahblah No fighting please, just drinkin choons and happiness..
If anything the need to provide quotation and construct counter arguments in the flash of a synapse is one way in which interactions on this website helped me in my exam. So I thank you all for rising to the collective bait at times.
Not really a Session fight, but Christchurch Festival (Dorset) circa 1980 - 2 fully bedecked Morris Men fighting with a bicycle between them (the bicycle was part of the fight). I can still hear the jingling of assorted bells mixed with their grunts, and it still makes me laugh when I think about it!
Fighting and Sessions
Fighting and Sessions
Sessions are amicable occasions. A social redezvous of the highest order. However.. are you a bit phuckin nuts? Judging by the magnificant multitude of vehmently vicious exchanges on this site and by the state of the World in general (sighs) I wonder how many of you are prone to an aul post session rumble? Or perhaps like me people start on you for no reason..I dont want to hear about fights in general. This is not a whose got the biggest ballz thread..there must be a physical interaction of a violent nature for your post to qualify, events must have been on a voluntary consensual basis encompassing equal participation, but also it must definately be the the result of or relevant to, an Irish Musical occasion or aftermath of such an event..I want to hear times where you have experienced, precipatated, participated and indeed enjoyed a musically orientated rumble. Do such things exist in a world outside my own? Do you have pangs of guilt for the things you did? did u get owned? Did you get free food or other such reimbursement? N.B Bodhran orientated violence does not qualify..Nor do pure lies..If all those Plastic Paddy's among ye pretain to have real Irish Blood in yer vains then this thread should take flight.. Just like yer ancestors did
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Put down the bottle and go to sleep...now.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by celtic marine
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Believe it or not I am totally sober (although tempted to feign otherwise)..and infact cramming for an exam on Friday/learning a tune/ posting a discussion for the crak..I fear my textbooks are overstimulating..someone phone Sammy Wilson
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
(Chair of N.I Assembly Education Committee) ..Im even making subject orientated jokes now and expecting others to follow..what a nerd
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
http://www.thesession.org/discussions/display.php/17086/comments
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Wow - Trucks, did you post this because of my silly Headbutt comment on the other thread? I was only joking man. I've never "rumbled" at a session, although my stomach has from time to time - must remember to sneak in a few bites between the pints...
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Jusa Nutter Eejit
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Mr Truck's, IME of sessions they generally fall into 4 or 5 categories,
1. Informal & unplanned: you've got the instrument in the car and you meet some fairies, next thing you know it's 2 years later and your still in the same clothes when you come too....
In these situations the craic is always good and never any trouble, durks, swords, pistols and bad attitudes are left in the hall. Whenever you bump into people at the shop or where ever; they smile and wink telling you how great the craic was (usually 90) and how well everyone was playing, slowly you begin to piece the bits together and slowly start to fill in the blanks.
Fantastic, these are the days I live to play for and in my view this is what a session is all about, be it urban or rural.
2. The arranged session, the phone goes and off you go with your pals. In this situation the assembled tend to welcome the odd stray (see No: 1) and musical satisfaction is usually achieved. Again there is normally a feel good factor that keeps disagreement under wraps and thing can get really out of hand, for the right reasons.
3. The open regular session.
This is where things can start to get ugly if the publican or session leaders aren't of a socially sympathetic disposition. The craic can be good but generally these situation run the risk of becoming social clubs for the select where the true spirit of why we play music can be lost if it's not kept in check.
Under good stewardship, a well run, open regular session usually works out well, if a bit hit and miss. Most of the trouble is of the typical community type and any bitching is kept to the fringes with any animosity vented in private or discussed on line under a pseudo name.
4. The open (really closed) regular session
This type of tune usually evolves from No: 3 and in my opinion this is where most of the trouble is to be found. Being the domain of the alpha egotist and socially exclusive bad feeling is never far from the radar. This session has turned into the X or Y show and shouldn't be supported no matter how good the musicians. Boxing is a sometimes possibility but normally it's just bad feeling from misunderstanding stemming from a lack of ESP from those not in the know. I've felt like boxing a few alpha egotists but it's the epsilon egotist that usually gets it (alphas are generally to smart to put themselves in the firing line and have someone else do their dirty work with the promise of implied acceptance (in crowd hopefuls ie sycophantic epsilons minors) as reward).
5. Closed regular sessions
At least their honest and the music is generally good so at least it wasn’t a wasted journey. These were my favorite for gate crashing (well asking nicely).
In this situation; it’s everybody else that bitches (on line or in huddled groups).
I think the bitching on here stems from most people attending No: 3 type sessions, so I’d say that that was quite a healthy sign.
If I’m honest I don’t attend that many sessions these days as most fall into the No: 3.5 (half way to becoming a No: 4) category and I canny be ar$ed with the politics most of the time. In order of preference; 1, 2, 5 & 3, people who cause trouble regularly shouldn’t be invited.
I don’t do 4’s, as I hate bad feeling even if it’s aimed at someone else (pulls me out the zone), maybe it’s my sense of hospitality.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Solidmahog
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Pride should be something that is earned; not by some inherited genetic flaw.
Real Irish Blood? Hmmmmm
You might try stuffing this into your common sense loosely.
http://www.americanhs.org/Irish%20in%20the%20blood.htm
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Lint - upon - Tweed
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Trucks,I'm sure there is a reason people "start on you." And it probably has something to do with you using the same tone and content in conversation that you do here. Add alcohol to the mix, and there you have it.
BTW, I'm not judging, just making an observation. You're just one part of what makes this website what it is, and, like a train wreck, I can't look away.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by awildman2384
Re:Handbags at dawn and Sessions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di6yX3yVAtM
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by biggus dave
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Listen, I didn't WANT to hit him, but he just wouldn't stop noodling on that damned guitar!
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Trucks is the guy who confessed in a recent bodhran discussion to always happening to have a bottle of Oil of Ulay at hand. There was me thinking he was a chap who gargled with tin tacks and shaved with a cutlass, but the Ulay revelation hints at a softer, gentler nature.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by RichardB
Re: Fighting and Sessions
yea, I have to admit Truck's hands did seem softer and more younger looking while he was strangling that bodhranist
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Internet Tough Guy:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=internet%20tough%20guy
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Sounds familiar Mr Fiddler. Am I being a badass sexist ass kicker if I confess I admire the girl in t-shirt?
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by greg sheils
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Well Harry, the PC police might say probably, but I do the same, so who am I to judge? I believe that sort of appreciation is just a part of the Y chromosome.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
...biggus Dave..A drop of the hard stuff - MIND ME HAT WILL YA!!!
and the German guy!! This thread was worth it just for that link..
Trucks,I'm sure there is a reason people "start on you." And it probably has something to do with you using the same tone and content in conversation that you do here..
..
There mite be some truth in that
Did I hurt your feelings at some point in the past..If so I apologise, come here to me big fella and il rub it better with my Oil of Ulay..
Seeing as no one has given me ne funny rumble stories and Im nower near stimulated enuf to tell u mine. I stand dissappointed:( ..
As for swfl Fiddlers link :( i'm genuinely hurt. I though we wre kindred spirits..
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
can i just add somthing that comes to mind.. Terry Moylan in a recent post stated..(in reference to a particular style of Piping)
This is as much a style of Playing as Disabled is a style of walking..
Sorry if that is a mis quote..no relavance to this thread but I crease up laughing when I think about this..
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
HA! Trucks, you're cool man, I was just messing with ya. Just a little slagging.
No fight stories with this dude, sorry. I'm in Florida, aka 'God's Waiting Room'. I'm 37 and most of the other musicians are 15-20 years older than I am. Nobody's looking for a brawl. Mostly they're looking for a diner with an Early Bird Special.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
im fairly dissappointed.. i thought yanks love to fite..In my mind you all look and behave like Mark Whalberg
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Aw go on Trucks. Tell us your rumble stories
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Mr Truck's, IME of sessions they generally fall into 4 or 5 categories,..
He called me Mr Trucks..
Thats rather heart warming..
And as for go on tell us your rumble stories, I am not a Zoo animal..You jump I follow..as is life
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
In any case, Im a lover not a fighter .. as my girlfreind would second, if she was talking to me
...
Im your best Pal when drunk especially where choons are concerned..problem only ever occur during the commute mainly in fast food places..Ive said too much already.. I will not prostitute my stories before im sure of what the return will be.. wher are all the crazy people, I know for a fact they exist
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
The closest thing to something vaguely resembling a fight recently in our part of south London resulted in a guy getting his shirt ripped for (allegedly) chatting during a solo. Sorry to be so boring but you did ask.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
only had his shirt ripped for chatting during a solo? I once saw a man shot for that down in Texas
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Well we were sessioning at a horse fair, in a pub full of drunk travellers, all of a sudden the banjo player clouted some fellah with his banjo! Jeez I didn't know if we were going to get out alive, we dragged him off the guy and made a sharp exit. No idea why he hit him, must have been something he said I guess!, he was a bit highly strung the banjo player!
Another time We were sessioning down in killcrohan, packed pub, one guy was giving another fella a hard time, pointing and yelling, surprise surprise the other guy hit him, me and the doorman dragged them apart and chucked them outside to finish it there. Which they did!
I remember one time, I was doing the door for some friends playing, one guy just pushed his way through, I couldnt leave the post so that was it, he was in, but then he came back out 5 minutes later and demanded his money back !" cheek of the guy, well he was getting nuttin, words escalated and he dashed the till box to the ground and went for me, I was able to fend him off with one hand till back up arrived , which was very fast, and I didnt spill my pint !
Thats about it in 25 yrs of sessioning, If I think of anything else Ill be sure to tell ya.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by piobagusfidil
Re: Fighting and Sessions
I know what you mean sashiko. Sunday night I was out at the big room, listening to some music.
Two fellows sitting next to me were rather chatty. So I moved closer to he music. Fortunately I found a better seat.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Nate - good job we don't have guns in South London.
Oh yes, I just remembered, we do.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Wish I looked like Mark Wahlberg, I'd have the lasses all over me.
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
SWFL Fiddler - In 20 years time if not well before you'll have the Snowbirds all over you. I'm sure they'll give you the time of your life. I imagine they're not fussy and in 20, 30, 40 years' time you might not be either!
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by nicholas
Re: Fighting and Sessions
'Lasses' I said nicholas, not grannies.
Someday, sure, but darn it, I'm not that old yet!
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
The only fights I've seen have involved fiddlers.
I think they go a bit nutty with all that bowing and stuff
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Bren
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Nate, I spent my 1st few decades in Texas.
For a brief period I assisted in Parkland's Emergency Room triage desk. We received our fair share of GSWs. I was fortunate, none of my patients died from their assault. I was a transport orderly.
After my shift sometimes I'd visit a few of the people I had helped admit into the hospital. I especially enjoyed meeting a fellow who had been shot & would have certainly died.
A grand fellow ~ full of life.
Not sure why I am putting this on an Irish music site, but it's all true; every word.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Ben Steen
*
He lived! In case I was unclear about the fact.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Ben Steen
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Ok Mr Truck's;
7 or 8 years ago at the then good regular local session; this guy who would often attend, not really an alpha egotist (but he dose fancy himself as an alpha male, always boxing). Now this said guy is a piano player in the boogie woogie mould and he'd do a couple of turns most Sundays allowing people the chance of the toilet and the chance of a break. In his style the piano man is really quite good and although not my thing, the tourists love it.
My long time fiddling pal is perhaps not the most tactful of people, especially with a sawllie (D'eoch) in. Piano man, this night, managed to get hold of a bodhran and was making an ar$e of bashing it over my pal's playing. OK, maybe my pal was being a little precious over the incident, but I'd think in a similar situation most here would be of the same opinion.
You know how it go's; deep in the tune zone playing a heart felt rendition of a "big tune" my pal is disturbed by the sound of this goat getting a bad kicking, so he opens his eyes and says, "will you stop that please", in what to the uninitiated must have seemed an off hand kind of way. We all know how hard it is to communicate well whilst playing, but not the goat murdering piano man.
Anyway sometime later my pal comes back from the bog ashen faced (well there was one cheek that had a bit of a rosie hue to it), in the chaos of the session, I hadn't really seen what had happened but when he sat back down and started putting the fiddle away I lent over to him and asked what was up? "I just been assaulted", remarks my pal.
Moral of the story? Beware insulting the precious feelings of the alpha male trainee bodhranist! Who'd have thought piano man was really that sensitive or maybe he'd just never had anyone play badly over his piano before.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Solidmahog
Re: Fighting and Sessions
The only fights I've seen have involved fiddlers.
I think they go a bit nutty with all that bowing and stuff
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Bren
It's not the bowing, Bren. It's the rosin sniffing!
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Ah, substance abuse.. Makes sense..lol
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Solidmahog
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Not exactly a fight, but back in 1971 we had a regular session in the back room of the Dog and Partidge, Trippet Lane, Sheffield. One night I went outside to make room for more of the black stuff and got grabbed by ex pat Pat who was as "in his cups" as a fart. He called me a "fecking pig ignorant student" and went to "nut" me between the eyes. I reacted by ducking and he caught himself a wallop when the top of my head contacted his nose, more or less laying him out. Blood everywhere. I never had any more trouble with him after that. I never did find out what had rattled his cage.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by greg sheils
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Played in a sort of organized session for many years. The problem was that the fiddler and guitarist just didn't get on. If they had been having a bit of a set to about who was out of time the fiddler would often suggest a tune, but just as the guitarist opened up the intro, the fiddler would start a different tune. In no time at all they would be outside fighting whilst we carried on as though nothing had happened. This went on for 7 years as i remember. The landlord loved it because the pub would be packed with people who came to watch. They don't make sessions like that anymore.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by curiadydrwm
Re: Fighting and Sessions
hey random, Parkland hospital...thats' Dallas, right?
we might have shared some of the same stompin grounds
and I was thinking about that fella who mentioned he saw a banjo player hit somebody over the head with his banjo....
why is it always banjo players in stories like that? we never hear stories like that about viola players
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
OK, Trucks is going to be happy, now we're getting the good stuff here.
Solidmahog, isn't that some sort of major crime, a fiddler getting beat up by a goat skin whacker, especially when the whacker sucks? Didn't the UN make some rules about that?
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Nate, Maybe banjo players are a bit less precious about their instruments than fiddle/viola players. I imagine a banjo would make a nifty weapon. Hit someone with a fiddle and you'd end up with matchwood..
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
I think there is something strangely ironic about a banjo player lashing out at the world with his instrument
generally they do it with a flat pick or fingerstyle, but when provoked....
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Mr SWFL, don't know about the UN but, the session had to create a no boxing rule regarding the incident
I've had to save this particular fiddler on a couple of occasions it must be said, although I think he's just misunderstood Although we've never come to blows, we've had one or two spats, being at gigs though it's the stuff for a new thread.
There do seem to be one or two fiddlers who coud use a slap (present company and my pal excluded, of course) symptomatic of the condition perhaps, or it maybe just the no frets thing?
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Solidmahog
Re: Fighting and Sessions
I'm sure you're right Nate. A banjo player has to be assertive. It's not an instrument that can be played (or wielded) tentatively.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Yes, matchsticks if I hit someone with my fiddle or viola. Even more matchsticks if I hit them with both.
Hitting someone over the head with the fiddle viola case though would be a different matter.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by llig leahcim
Re: Fighting and Sessions
I think we should all thank our lucky stars that low whistle players don't have the same temperment as banjo players.
an Overton could really leave a mark on you
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Yeah, I try not to do the difficult, temperamental fiddler thing. I usually go more for the amiable and totally eccentric method myself.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
So are you saying that we fiddle players are highly strung? Really, reeeeeeeeeeely?
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Steady on, sashiko...we weren't insinuating anything of the kind...
...just put the gun down, I''m sure we can discuss this calmly
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
What a dull life I lead. I've never been in a fight and the last one I witnessed was when I was teaching high school 40+ years ago. Funny, though, I dont feel deprived.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Bob himself
Re: Fighting and Sessions
that's too bad, Bob. You really haven't lived until you've seen a rodeo clown shoot a banjo player, or a violist wrap their instrument around somebody's head like it was a wooden turbin
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Nate Ryan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Maybe I should get out more.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Bob himself
Re: Fighting and Sessions
'why is it always banjo players in stories like that? we never hear stories like that about viola players'
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by Nate Ryan
Well the answer is obvious:viola players are gentlemen and are not generally in thrall to the brash and flashy egoism of some of their other string playing cousins.
We're also wise to the fact that if you end up mixing it you're already into minus points.
As your man said:
'Hence to fight and conquer in all your battles
is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists
in breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.'
Mind you,I have occasionally met with 'precious' viola players but these types usually started off on the violin...Gollum notwithstanding.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by biggus dave
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Hey, where is our man Trucks anyway? He started all this fun and then disappeared. Hope he didn't get into a scuffle and had to spend some time in the hospital.
# Posted on May 21st 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Didn't he have a test today? Let's hope it went well!
# Posted on May 22nd 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
A test? In the metaphorical sense? Like with a large, burly feller with boxing gloves?
# Posted on May 22nd 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Believe it or not I am totally sober (although tempted to feign otherwise)..and infact cramming for an exam on Friday/learning a tune/ posting a discussion for the crak..I fear my textbooks are overstimulating..someone phone Sammy Wilson
# Posted on May 20th 2009 by Trucks_Mulligan
See top of thread !
# Posted on May 22nd 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Aw, you're ruining all my corny jokes, calico!
# Posted on May 22nd 2009 by SWFL Fiddler
Re: Fighting and Sessions
I'll get my coat
# Posted on May 22nd 2009 by sashiko calico
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Back to topic, there were more bar fights where sessions were held in San Francisco of the1970's. They're rare now. Once, a fellow came through my then brand-spanking-new pipe set as if it was a turn style; broke the bass drone off at the bottom tenon. Then as now, it's not the musicians in these parts who go in for rough house. There is an element of non-players who are some how attracted to, then incited by this music. More likely the combination of the music and a lot of alcohol makes them go gaga.
# Posted on May 22nd 2009 by Atahualpa Quigley
Re: Fighting and Sessions
I did have an exam.Politics. and given some here seem interested in my performance, heres the txt I send to my teacher
"Arrogance maybe but I would compare performance in that exam to undisputed World heavyweight Joe Calzage's recent defeat of Roy Jones Jr.. Adaptive, cold, calm, unfazed, stumbling initially only to turn on the class and pick and land every punch with textbook angles and even room for showboating (in this case Pluralism and the counter affects of consociational design on democratic function of the Assembly) .Sadly unlike Joe I cant retire on the proceeds just yet. Fingers crossed."
..Fingers crossed indeed. as for fighting in sessions blahblahblah No fighting please, just drinkin choons and happiness..
# Posted on May 23rd 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
If anything the need to provide quotation and construct counter arguments in the flash of a synapse is one way in which interactions on this website helped me in my exam. So I thank you all for rising to the collective bait at times.
# Posted on May 23rd 2009 by Miss Mulligan
Re: Fighting and Sessions
Not really a Session fight, but Christchurch Festival (Dorset) circa 1980 - 2 fully bedecked Morris Men fighting with a bicycle between them (the bicycle was part of the fight). I can still hear the jingling of assorted bells mixed with their grunts, and it still makes me laugh when I think about it!
# Posted on May 29th 2009 by The Archivist