Thanks, really enjoyed reading that. I was "encouraged" to play the piano, and then the flute. Including being in a youth orchestra for some time.
I have not found, as promised, that these would be a gift I would be glad of in later years. Similarly, what I actually wanted to play was the guitar, which I did a little of but a little too late. Anyway, too late in a sense, but planning on buying a Les Paul this year. If nothing else, it will be a nice ornament. When I lived in London, I could understand the logic of buskers using the accordion. Trapped on an underground carriage, faced with a gurning accordion player treating you to an emphysemic rendition of the theme from The Godfather, there is the motivation to give them a financial incentive to continue on their way. However, in the street, I'm sure they find this less effective. And, Happy New Year to all. On 3 Jan 2015, at 01:19, David Kusumoto wrote: > * True story about my tortured feelings toward the "accordion" - featured in > this pic I posted the other day. (This is a PG-13 re-send - I think the > academic list server rejected it because I used too many profanities, so I > stripped out a few letters.) > > > > * Picture a Nipponese-kid, a.k.a. I don't mean to offend, but history > shouldn't be whitewashed, as I was a true "Nip" born in Japan, son of a tough > talking U.S. Navy man who forced a 7-year old kid (me) to take accordion > lessons - who, like all kids in the 1960s, preferred the guitar because in my > view, the '60s was the best decade for music - and the Beatles were (and > still are) my favorite band. Folks, we're talking about a boxy instrument > weighing almost 20 pounds, with piano keys on right side and 120 buttons on > the left, strapped onto a kid (me) who was no more than 4-6 tall - whose head > barely creeped over the top edge. The accordion I carried looked similar to > this: > > > > * When Dad's drunken buddies came over our house, my Dad would say, "hey you > sonsofb*tches, my kid plays a mean accordion." "Everyone laughed," as they > used to say in the ad copy back then - "until I began to play." My Dad would > yell out, "hey David, get your puny ass out here and play "Beer Barrel Polka" > for the guys." I said no way and he said, "do it or I'll hit you so hard > that you won't be able to stand up." > > * Now picture this - a living room filled with a bunch of servicemen, > watching a little nipper kid glumly playing "Beer Barrel Polka," "Lady of > Spain" and other tiresome accordion "standards." It was like scene out of a > bad movie, you know, a little Asian kid playing a big accordion - in front of > a bunch of soused G.I.s. Pretty much as incongruous as an Asian doing Gene > Autry or Elvis Presley. Everyone howled and applauded. The only thing > missing was cheap strippers with mustaches. > > * After a few of these episodes, my accordion instructor - (yeah, Dad paid > for him too) - told me I was good enough to compete. So in 1968, when I was > 11, one month after RFK was murdered, I trekked up to the same Ambassador > Hotel in L.A. and entered the Western U.S. According Festival. I was the > first kid out of around 30 in my age group to play. I played "Waltz of the > Sirens." Again, you have to picture a pip-squeak Nipper kid struggling with > a gigantic accordion, playing a tune that who knows, could've been performed > for the Nazis before they went into battle. I left the performance room and > hung around the hotel for about 2 hours. We then went into a huge ballroom > and visited the results table. The festival staff looked up my name and one > of them told the guy who drove me to L.A., "hey, that Oriental kid you > brought won first prize." I got a trophy. The trophy was only about a foot > tall and probably cost no more than $5, but sh*t, a trophy is still a trophy > and a big deal for an 11-year old. For a fleeting moment, I was OK being an > accordion player. > > * When I got home, I put the trophy on the kitchen counter and told my Dad - > "I'm done. I'm the best in the Western U.S. at this and I want to play the > guitar." My Dad said, "fine, but I'm not buying you a goddam guitar." I > retorted, "but the accordion was your f**king idea! I never wanted it in the > first place. It's an instrument for Italians, the French and Nazis!" My Dad > smirked and said, "watch your mouth you little son of a b*tch. OK, no > accordion, you did get a prize, but I'm not paying a f**king dime for you to > learn that rock and roll sh*t." > > * I then went out and got a right-handed acoustic guitar from a thrift store > - but because I'm left handed, I struggled. After being unable to master the > "easy" first notes of "Down on the Corner" by Creedence, I gave up and poured > all of my energies into school, resigned to being a nerd - while confirming > the stereotype that Asians are good at academics but lousy drivers. My Dad > was tough and said, "you better not f**k up school or you're outta here. I'm > not supporting no dead beat. But I'll pay you $5 for every "A" you get on > your goddam report card." And he did. Despite his rough talk, he was proud > of his little Nip. (Ironically, he was a full-blooded Nip too, but born in > Whitefish, Montana, near Glacier Park. He just never seemed Asian to me > because he had no accent, spoke perfect sailor English and told great jokes.) > > * Fast forward 40 years later. I miss my old man - the way he was before > Alzheimer's erased him. He's still among the living, but he's basically > gone. He took the belt after me a few times when I cussed like a sailor > right back at him, but he left no scars. How he treated me might be > considered by some today as child abuse. Not to me. -d. > > -----Original Message----- > > Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 16:37:06 -0800 > From: Greg Douglass <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: And what about 2015? > To: [email protected] > > David, just seeing an accordion has made me lose hope of seeing in 2015 with > anything approaching positivity. > Very disturbing. > And a vun, a two, and a three, > Happy New Year, my paper-addicted brethren! > Greg Douglass > > -- > Greg Douglass > Guitarist- > Lessons, Live Shows, Touring, > & Studio Work > (760) 212-3648 > > -----Original Message----- > > Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 21:07:38 +0000 > Subject: Re: [MOPO] And what about 2015? > From: Simon Oram <[email protected]> > To: [email protected]; [email protected] > > Are u suggesting David, that we are over prescribed? You may have a point > but then ignorance is bliss.. > > Happy New Year > > Simon > > Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone. > > Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 12:54:45 -0800 > From: [email protected] > Subject: And what about 2015? > To: [email protected] > > > > To unsubscribe from the MoPo-L list, click the following link: > https://listserv.american.edu/scripts/wa-american.exe?SUBED1=MoPo-L&A=1 > Visit the MoPo Mailing List Web Site at www.filmfan.com ___________________________________________________________________ How to UNSUBSCRIBE from the MoPo Mailing List Send a message addressed to: [email protected] In the BODY of your message type: SIGNOFF MOPO-L The author of this message is solely responsible for its content.
