CA: concerts: Nobody from the forum came

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Both concerts were reasonably well attended, but not by you guys. Not one steel guitarist or member of this forum attended either concert.

This thread had 355 views, and presumably some of those were from people who live close enough to have been able to attend.

I have really tried to both be a good citizen of the forum, and to elevate legitimacy the steel guitar,(Which is still though of as a toy in many circles.) Toward that end, I have given away my reading music article for free, and am playing with classical musicians, playing some of the most sophisticated and literate music ever played on a steel guitar. And I have received no support at all from you guys.

I'm trying to think of a reason not to leave the forum. Right now I can't think of one.
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Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

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Brad Bechtel · From: San Francisco, CA

Sorry that's the case, Mike. I would have tried to have been there if I was anywhere in the area.
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Andy Eder · From: North Florida, USA

Mike, I understand completely. You are a major contributor to the forum and I would hate to see you go.

I would have been there if I was closer to you.

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Hey, Mike, sorry you didn't see any Fobros at your show. Although I'm too far to have made it, I have to admit I never saw your announcement, in fact looking right now I still don't see where you posted it, maybe others didn't as well.

Over time I seem to have seen a whole lot of support here for your projects, frequent mention of your involvement and support of steel in classical music, your theory book and steel appendix, etc. Sorry also if your show experience has eclipsed those for you.

A thin skin in the music business is guaranteed sorrow! I've been in a fantastic band for 6 years, have a killer album in release, at every show the audience and fans are literally blown awayâ€¦ yet trying to generate any industry buzz or move up the food chain has been frustratingly difficult. All we can do is play what we love and put it out there. The rest is in the wind.

Best wishes.
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Larry Jamieson · From: Walton, NY USA

Mike,

I always read your posts and respect you greatly for working "out of the box" in terms of what music can be performed on the pedal steel guitar. Had I been close to your area and not working a gig I would have made an effort to attend.

I consider you a sage and frequent contributor to the Forum and hope you will choose to remain active. I wish the Forum had been around years ago when I started playing. I have learned so much from reading it daily and looking at the video lessons posted by various members.

I have in the past posted "gig" information and only once did a Forum member attend and say he saw it on the Forum. In any case, I hope you will stay with us
and continue to play and promote our instrument.

Cordially,
Larry J.

James Jacoby · From: Ohio, USA

I can guarantee I would have been there,but unfortunately, I live in Northern Ohio. Please don't think we are all indifferent! Us forumites live all over the world, but travel, being expensive, and time consuming, most of us would find coming to your show, difficult or impossible. I've never even been able to go to Scotty's show, yet, and that's one I would really love to attend! Please don't leave the forum! If you ever come to Kent Ohio, or close, please post it. I've never heard a classical steel guitarist,before, and would love to attend one of your shows. -Jake-

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

Mike, we love you and the wind blows both way in support. I've been at the Whiskey Barrel Saloon for 14 Sunday from 2pm til 6pm and ain't seen you here yet.But,I'm not mad about it or running you down or any body on this forum. You know them words the folks say.I had others things to do. It's to Far. If you was closer or I can't afford the gas. so don't be mad about it, it ain't gonna do you any good. Just Thanks God the Father that you had some body show up,or did you?

Uncle Leo J Eiffert Jr & the "Garden Tour (PIGEONS) Band.

Kevin Milner · From: Los Angeles, California, USA

Hi Mike,

I'm sorry that you are frustrated, but what is your expectation here? That just because you have invited someone, they are obligated to come? This section of the forum exists for promoting shows and you should continue to do just that, but posting on here does not mean that anyone will be able or should feel obligated to come. These expectations and guilt trips only add resistance to attending one of your shows from my point of view. The steel guitar community is very supportive and I'm very thankful for that, but you must understand that people are busy and LA is a difficult place. It's hard to drive across town for a 6pm show. Between a full time job and typically 2+ gigs a week as of late the last thing I want is to be guilt tripped into fighting LA traffic on a precious night off. I hope that you continue to post your gigs on here, but don't demand attendance. I can't believe that we are being put in a position to need to justify non-attendance. I wish you all the best in building an audience and all your future endeavors. If you build something special and put on a great show then I'm sure your audience will grow!
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Gil Berry · From: Westminster, CA, USA

Mike, sorry to hear your event was unattended by fellow forumites. I live in Orange County and could have been there but poor health makes any travel for me next to impossible. I DO support you in the best way, though..I have purchased every one of your cd's. Wish I could do more, but simply can't. Matter of fact, a nearby neighbor of mine has begged me to join his little band, playing an occasional gig nearby. The only way I could do that would be if I was playing a harmonica. Once again, Mike, we do appreciate you here. Gil

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

Mike, I hear your frustration. I'll just remind you here that, for years, you have consistently said that you have no interest in introducing steel players to classical music and that your ONLY intended audience is classical musicians and trying to get them to accept steel guitar as a legitimate musical instrument. So if you had an audience of classical music lovers and no steel players, then you have reaped what you have sown (and there's nothing wrong with that). While I'm sure it would have been nice to have been surprised by a few steelers in the house, try to think of that as a bonus, not an expectation.
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Steven Finley · From: California, USA

From what I read on here, most of the members of the Forum are still trying to master the 3-chord country
that has imprisoned the steel guitar for the last forty years; you're not exactly talking to the cultural elite here.
Most think that the "circle of 5ths" are a bunch of whiskey bottles, and when dissecting a symphony into movements
they head for the bathroom and close the door.

For the steel guitar to step out for a concerto or sonata requires an audience with basic understanding of said music.
Your dilemma is the epitome of trying to make an impression on a cement wall.

Erv Niehaus · From: Litchfield, MN, USA

And that's the sure way of getting a larger audience, insulting steel players!
With an attitude like that, I wouldn't walk across the street to hear you. Rolling Eyes

Steven Finley · From: California, USA

Erv,Take a walk on the wild side,CROSS THAT STREET
you might learn something!!!!!!!

LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

The cross word puzzle here is Mike is like most on this forum in side ego to ourself,Hurt or disappointed. Most on this forum Don't truly understand what the History of the Steel Guitar live is. It name has been Trade marked to Traditional-Country Music and added to every other style over the many years. So,Mike's trade mark of his own style of playing is Mike. He really don't mean to hurt anyone's feelings,it's just the times of life is running out. it's like trying to use this Steel Guitar Forum as a booking agent.It ain't happening.So,please my brothers & sisters on this forum don't be to hard on him (Mike) like (Uncle Leo) I did. Sorry Mike!,But. Still love you Mike my friend. I have this same problem in trying to educate the basic of what we are suppose to be. Artist- Musician - Entertainer! Winking

Bill L. Wilson · From: Oklahoma, USA

Mike, don't take it to hard son, nobody from the Forum would ever want to hear me play and that doesn't bother me at all....However, I did learn from Steven's post, that there's (3) chords in country music....A whole new world has been opened up to me.....The information we get out here in the backwoods is very limited.....But welcomed.

Steven Finley · From: California, USA

ON a serious note,Mike is a visionary he has taken steel guitar to a new leval, that most of us could not have done.
Its people like Mike that will keep the steel guitar alive,my hats off to you Mike,keep up the good work.

Ray Harrison · From: Tucson, Arizona, USA (deceased)

Mike, had I been in the LA area, I would have done my best to be there. I love steel guitar and appreciate the fact that there are people as yourself who rearranged the boundaries that have enclosed this beautiful instrument.
It could possibly be the most unlimited instrument in existence, but only because of people like you.
Thanks for expanding the audience of the steel.
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Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

There are several points that have been raised that I want to address.

First, many people here live in other parts of the country, and obviously they canâ€™t attend shows that involve travelling hundreds or thousands of miles. There are also some players who could conceivably drive to L.A, but it would be impractical for them to do so.

Leo, I wish you and I lived closer to each other. But all your gigs are at least 60 miles from me, and often further.

For the record, Leo is an outstanding front man and bandleader, as well as a fine bass player and guitarist. The one gig I did with him was one of the most solid gigs I ever played. It was a real pleasure to work with him.

Jim, either I failed to make myself clear, or you misinterpreted what I have been saying. My primary goal has always been to introduce the steel to the classical music community. But I never said that this is my only goal. I still want my work to be appreciated by steel guitarists. If I did not, I wouldn't post here, and I would not be upset that nobody from the forum showed up. And on a related note, I want to express my appreciation to those steel guitarists who have embraced my work, despite itâ€™s being totally unrelated to any kind of mainstream steel guitar music.

Erv, I donâ€™t know whether your anger is directed at Steve or me. But either way itâ€™s misplaced. I did not insult anybody, and neither did he. Steve correctly pointed out that most steel players play country music, which is based on simple 3 chord progressions.

Let me digress for a moment. Country may use simple chords, but itâ€™s not simple. I and undoubtedly many other here have seen jazz and rock musicians who know thousands of chords and can play 10,000 notes per minute, but who are utterly clueless when it comes to playing in a country band, especially with a singer or a steel player.

I do not disrespect country music. I only choose to go off in a different direction.

Iâ€™ve found this amazing world of incredible, wonderful music that for the most part, is unknown to the steel guitar community. Likewise, the steel is pretty much unknown to the people who love and/or play that kind of music, and my goal is to introduce it to them and show them how beautiful and expressive it is.

It seems to me that anybody who plays the steel would want to know what Iâ€™m doing. Not just me but Susan Alcorn, B.J. Cole, Ned Selfe, and everybody else who is taking our beloved instrument in new directions.

Finally, others had told me that they too have not had any support from people here. In my opinion, we all ought to support each other. Two weeks ago I went and saw a country band who normally plays too far for me to drive to, but who had a gig about 10 miles from my house. We should post our gigs here, and we all make an effort to go to each otherâ€™s gigs whenever possible.
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Niels Andrews · From: Salinas, California, USA

Just want to say I have always enjoyed your contributions on the forum, and I really hope you stick around. Thanks again for giving me your reading music for steel.
Cheers
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LJ Eiffert · From: California, USA

Mike,Thanks for the kind words. You got it right mike, Most read things wrong about what you say Just like my words as a coon ass. I get everybody in a up roar just for telling the truth. For me,I've been busy all over this Country and in my neighborhood here in this USA. I do enjoy what you play with your Steel guitar as a Steel Guitar Artist. God Bless you my friend brother in Music. Uncle Leo J Eiffert Jr Winking

John Peay · From: Cumming, Georgia USA

Joseph Napolitano · From: New Jersey, USA

I'd prefer that other steel guitarists stay away from my gigs. I'm afraid they'd tell me to take up another hobby.

Steven Finley · From: California, USA

Re: 3 chord country--if we continue to pursue only this path, as us old farts expire, so will our instrument become extinct.
A few courageous players are trying to broaden the steel guitar horizon.
Yes, I currently play 3 chord country behind a Cowboy Poet (Tom Bovine) who has no business talking, never mind singing;
but this is my bread and butter. (The silver lining is that Tom's stories are great!)

I must say, Ernest Bovine's rendition of Ava Maria has impressed me the most for its composition and beauty.
Its a different direction that challenges the most gifted steel player. I'm still working on it. How many of you have tried it?

Jim Cohen · From: Philadelphia, PA

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