It troubles me to know end how squeamish and sensitive our culture can be in regards to discussions of these matters. The "It's all good" and "If you don't have any thing nice to say" attitudes will continue ruining discussion and argument until the end of time. By all means, put anyone you like on a stage and let them do their dance, but DONT say they have no right to be criticized. Mostly because we not only have a right to express these opinions, but to hear those of others. How would we, as people and musicians for that matter, ever get anywhere without criticism? Yes, it does sometimes come across as junkie energy but if a person has the ability to canonize that into something witty, ironic, or humorous (as Mike does) then it wouldn't always seem so crass and we may be able to get down to business. Our conversation and vocabularies are so poverty stricken that all one has in the barrel is, "That sucks, dude" followed by an even more pathetic rebuke and then ultimately devolving into fragile, hurt feelings of people that don't even have an arsenal of words or intellect to move discussion forward and understand the idea that a difference of opinion IS NOT INTENTIONALLY INSULTING.
Nelson, I hope you realize what a disservice you have done to your playing by removing yourself from Mike's calender. We need people like you. I myself have been on the same receiving end of Mike's tongue several times but had I bailed at the first sign of thunder I dare say my life wouldn't be any different. Good luck. Onto the Scaggs point: I have never net the man, nor do I care to. His music never thrilled me and his manners on stage and television I find appalling. His comment in the Virginia newspaper a few months ago was one of the most galling and fatuous assumptions that I ever heard a performer make. He makes it clearly known that he is a man of faith and preaches at his shows. To me, it's obvious why he and other performers do this. If I, on stage, were to start expressing my opinions about how repulsive I think religion is, I would surely hear from the pulpit. I'd love to quiz Ricky on his biblical literacy some time. When we as performers start thundering about faith, morality, politics, or professional football we immediately make ourselves a hostage to criticism and rebuke. Quite honestly, if I ever met Scaggs, I may find him quite nice and personal and who knows, potential friendship. But like all my closest, dearest and most intelligent friends, we ENJOY the contrast and the clash because we are sufficiently grown up enough to know that we can take it and what may seem tense or awkward at first usually turns into something learned down the line. Criticism is necessary and should be welcome. Those who are willing to let it rest softly in there hearts will be a better man and those who cast it aside and let something trivial get in the way will stagnate, suffer, and find themselves in a frenzy of immobilization. Reporting live, Miles Long On Sun, Sep 27, 2009 at 10:31 AM, mistertaterbug <[email protected]>wrote: > > I have received email from Nelson offlist and he is of the impression > that my post was meant to "put him in his place". If that was my > point, I'd say yea, be pissed off, because I have no right to tell > Nelson or anyone else what to listen to, play, say, blah, blah, blah. > Nelson cited the phrase that suggested he was "easily impressed..." > and referenced the sentence that encouraged him to send Skaggs a Xmas > card, to go sit on his doorstep. Okay. Two things about that...1) > Living in this town where you can't swing a dead cat without hitting > somebody that plays half a dozen instruments well or at the least, > above average, makes it really hard to be impressed by yet another > person that can do the same. Unfortunately, sometimes learning more > about something(or in the case of Jimmy Martin, Monroe, etc) runs the > risk of losing respect or love or interest for it. Educating oneself > is admirable, but it does sometimes put a dimmer light on some things, > or has for me. 2) I thought I made it adequately clear that I was all > for Nelson's appreciation for Skaggs' music. Finding something that > touches the soul and inspires, provides an escape from the turmoil of > the day is about as good as it gets. I remember what I felt like when > I bought Monroe's records. I used to get the dry heaves before I could > get the needle on the platter. The words I lent to Nelson regarding > getting acquainted with his heroes were words given to me. I have > known of at least a couple instances where artists living here have > sought out their heroes to the point of calling them on the phone and > showing up at their front door. I was told to do the same thing and > did. I didn't get much time to hang out with Monroe, and seriously, > found out there was a lot about his personality that I didn't like, > which was sad. It is truly best, IMO, to keep one's heroes at arm's > length. But the point I was trying to make was "hell, yea, go for it". > Is that so hard to understand? I think not. > > Now I am tired of this bit and I'm going to go cook some eggs... > mistertaterbug > > On Sep 27, 9:41 am, Robert Feivor <[email protected]> wrote: > > Wow, what a thread! :) I love this group for the honest discussion that > can > > be had. > > > > I can't and won't pretend to be able to speak to anyone's concerns but > only > > share my observations with a bit of a tangent.... > > > > Sometimes our musical stars are not quite like we imagine them to be in > our > > own head or how they present themselves to the public. I get this and > > accept as we are all human (even those w/a modicum of fame) > > > > On the one hand I really don't give a rip what the person is like it's > there > > music I enjoy; but this isn't always honest either b/c on some level the > > person behind the music does influence, no? Though there are plenty of > > musicians I love the music of and have never met; I do understand that > > sometimes they weren't always the nicest people. > > > > I remember attending one of the early Mando Symposiums and upon arriving > I > > was a complete awe struck Dawg admirer but by week's end I was leaving a > > total convert of Tater. Why? Dawg certainly wasn't rude or rock star > like > > but he also wasn't necessarily what I'd imagined in my head. Tater "was" > > someone I was familiar with but left with a HUGE appreciation for b/c I > saw > > the measure of the man you could say. He was genuine and true to his > words > > and lives it. > > > > What does any of this mean; hell if I know. But Nelson, I for one > > appreciate MC's insights and knowledge that far exceed my own. At the > same > > time I know he's honest and sincere when he says to follow your heart. > By > > darn it if Skaggs is your guy then don't be bashful, I'm sure Tater > wouldn't > > want that. Surely your conviction can withstand some ribbin? I hope so. > > The beauty of this list is you can fire your own rib shot back and smile. > > > > Now someboyd queue up WAR's "Why Can't We Be Friends" and lets get back > to > > pickin! > > > > RF in MN > > > > On Sun, Sep 27, 2009 at 9:10 AM, malagrass <[email protected]> > wrote: > > > > > Tater-agitator-taterbug............. > > > > > "I love you man......" > > > > > I have a few of Ricky's CD's and have enjoyed his talent through the > > > years but i've heard some stuff that Ricky said at Bills funeral about > > > "carrying the torch" and i'm still completely turned off. But since > > > then I have bought his cd's and even went to see him once in Bristol. > > > Man his timing was waaaayyyyyy bad but thats another subject. So I > > > guess i'm on the fence.........as usual. > > > > > The entire political thing in BG seems like its pretty brutal but mr. > > > tater, keep in mind you are the man and I personally like, look up to > > > and try to emulate what you do. Which is more than I can say for > > > Ricky's style. > > > > > BigMalagrass. > > > > > On Sep 27, 2:41 am, [email protected] wrote: > > > > Hot damn! This is almost as good as the Jerry Springer show. (not > that I > > > ever watched) I was looking for the fat girl to take a swing at Tater > any > > > minute. I like Ricky just like I liked Jimmy Martin, but neither of > them > > > share my values so I wouldn't want to take them home, but I'll sure as > hell > > > buy their music. > > > > > > Clyde Clevenger > > > > Just My Opinion, But It's Right > > > > Salem, Oregon > > > > Old Circle > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Taterbugmando" group. 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