Jack Therrell
From:
Conroe, Texas, USA
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Posted 16 Aug 2003 6:20 am |
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| A little history to explain my question. I started playing steel in the 50,s and stopped in the early 60,s. I stopped not because I lost interest but because I was studying for the ministry. Not enough hours in the day. Incidentally, I played a double neck blonde fender strimgmaster. I quit as pedals were just gettimg started good. Anyway I continued to listen to steel music on country radio. The steel was so prominent in all the good bands. Then I noticed it began to be phased out. Alabama and other groups either did not use one at all or only barely. Why do you think the steel lost it,s popularity? Did players go too far in the creation of something more like a machine than an instrument. Or did the standard guitar take it,s place as lead instrument and fill in because it is easier to sing and play at the same time. Oh well, just curious. I have never lost my interest in playing, so now I am back where I started with a non-pedal double neck. I t is still fun. Can anyone share any ideas. Jack |
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Ray Montee
From:
Portland, Oregon (deceased)
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Posted 16 Aug 2003 8:46 am
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This is only my opinion......but some of these folks that are routinely "reinventing the wheel" every day likely discovered, that a standard guitar can be played in the customary manner as in days of olde, or, it can be hung barely above the knee caps with wild circular rotation of one's right arm while "plucking" or "strumming" some ingenious two/three note chords, or long sustained and fuzzed-out single string that will stretch like a rubber band while jumping up and down, tossing their wild hair, without regard for the tempo or beat of the tune.
LOUD SCREAMING NOISES are possible with anything from metal to glass or whatever is handy.......being applied to the strings. Not to overlook all of the electronic gimmicks that can be plugged into it to make the "sounds" even more noticeable. And tuning, that's just not in, any more. The expense of the guitar doesn't matter either, whether or not it has a true and accurate neck or not. After all they can have "sparkly glitter" all over it, or it can be cut creatively in a Swastika, an arrow or any other shape the player's mind might enjoy.
For the personality that prefers not to wash or have haircuts, it's a great excuse since so many of them (by no means not ALL!) have this crusty look and it's called "being a musician". And of course, when Asleep at the Wheel sings his "I'm HIGH" tune, the moran wanna-be standard guitar player sees how he too can apply this tremendous musical/visual asset to his vast collection of stage anntics. He can run wildly and jump back and forth across the stage any number of times, jumping atop amps, pianos, sliding across the floor, doing the splits, the moon walk and any other fancy footwork that comes to their mind. So little time has to be devoted to learning how to truly play the guitar, like Grady Martin, Hank Garland, Chet Atkins, or any number of other fabulous guitar players in other fields, jazz, blues, etc., etc. Like many exhibit, they can play louder than anyone on the bandstand, they can play every measure of every tune, walk all over the other musicians and EVEN the vocalist!
Comparing most of us SERIOUS steel guitar pickers with today's lot of standard guitar pickers.........we really are a drab bunch of musicians. No sparkle! No clash! No political statements! No SEX appeal! Many of us sound so much like somebody else, there is little personal identity associated with any us, and of course, many of us, "look down" all the time and seldom SMILE.
I'm afraid that what so many of us worked a lifetime to achive today, no longer has any meaning....or appreciation....particularly if our experience goes back beyond those cherrished days of the 1980-1990's. We just can't cut it in this modern, no talent world. Oh yes, we are capable of causing ears to bleed, noses to run and eyes to pop out with our 1,000 watts of unthrottled electrical output, but WE..........HAVE CLASS. I wouldn't change it for nothing. Perhaps if a few of you serious steelers would be willing to jump up and toss your $3,000 to $6,000 multi-pedal steel out into the audience or bash it over some banjo or tamberine players head, or possibly slosh your bare feet in a bucket of water while picking your steel just to have an electrical experience.....we could start a wave of new entertainment "highs". Maybe just jumping up and kicking your pack-seat backwards into the shins of whomever might have the misfortune of standing behind you at the moment could get this new move a rolling.
We could reinvent professional musicianship. Talent and years of practice just aren't required if your one of todays'
up and coming standard guitar pickers. They have become so obnoxious, that I'm beginning to think I could learn to like an amplified ROCK drummer that either rushes or drags, a baton twirler with both ends on fire or tri-angle player.
Thanks guys! I feel better now. (My most sincere apologies! Any resemblance to persons living, dead or about to be, is purely a figment of my imagination)
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