2nd Annual Eric West Harass-athon

Doug Jones · From: Oregon & Florida

5 of the local Portland area steelers pulled a surprise visit on fellow forumite Eric West this past Thursday night. How would you feel if you're playing the big room of your town and a bunch of your peers/cronies showed up and all stood right in front of you while you are playing? Well after his first solo, we all shook our heads and walked out. 5 minutes later we came back and proceeded to show flashcards rating his solos anywhere from 4 on up to 10. This is the second time we've done this in this last 18 months. Good ole Eric wasn't sweating too much. It's great to have this comradery and us PDX boys all hope this exists elsewhere. Any stories?

Billy Wilson · From: El Cerrito, California, USA

Who were the sadistic five steel players?

Frank Parish · From: Nashville,Tn. USA

I like the flashcards. Around here they just unhook your pedals rods or unplug something.

Mike Winter · From: Portland, OR

Billy -- It actually was four of Portland's finest players -- Doug Jones, Larry Behm, Harley James and Wes Bakken. I was the token newbie.

It was a lot of fun...the look on Eric's face was priceless. I wish we had taken pictures.

We all got a bird's eye view of Eric's newly reworked Sho-Bud. Absolutely beautiful.

Marty Pollard · Posted 9 Apr 2005 8:00 am

Bird's eye?
Or worm's eye?

Dave Grafe · From: Hudson River Valley NY

Sorry I couldn't join you and the boys, Doug, but I was busy rehearsin' a new set with Keeter Stuart. Anyway, I showed up to torment Eric last week and he just turned it up and played more notes for me. That IS a purty new guitar, wonder how long it'll take him to get it all figured out....

Somebody needs to tell his band-mates to put on some decent clothes when they play the town's only big room on a Saturday night, they looked like a bunch of high school kids on an afternoon trip to the mall. You'all hear me? THE BAND GETS SKIRTS!

------------------

Dave Grafe - email: dg@pdxaudio.com
Production
Pickin', etc.

1978 ShoBud Pro I E9, Randall Steel Man 500, 1963 Precision Bass, 1954 Gibson LGO, 1897 Washburn Hawaiian Steel Conversion

[This message was edited by Dave Grafe on 09 April 2005 at 10:03 AM.]

David Mason · From: Cambridge, MD, USA

Heck, I live all the way over in Maryland and I could tell from here that Eric's 3rds were off - you need to give him some JI tuning advice, pronto.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well, as the late great JC Day, told me, "Fun isn't really 'fun' unless you have it at someone elses' expense.." after grabbing his chest as he was passing a security guard at a gig in the Smithsonian who was microwaving his lunch and gasping that his pacemaker™ was going nuts.

Actually the gig was that of another soon to be more famous "JC", JC Troy. I've played with him often in the last couple years, and in fact, he got his "debut" at a New Years Eve gig in Canby at the Spinning Wheel, when Buster Newberry had bugged out, and Larry Jeffers, the bandleader was too drunk to stand up leaving myself, and a drummer. JC got up like a trooper, leaving his beautiful girlfriend in the thoroughfare, for the last night of 1999 and filled in the band members so we could get paid, playing guitar. Little was I to know how far he would go. Here's an interview, and a clip from one of the songs we did that night.

Then there are the originals..

And a place to Listen.

And the Nashville Tour

And More...

Nashville I kiss you!

Yeah, the night was filled with magic, as only Jubitz can deliver. Larry Behm will be playing there this weekend, and the next two as well with the Premier Jubitz Review, Cross Country. Well worth catching for sure. Doug will be at another SRO local venue, Duff's Garage, with some seriously good acts, Trudie Falls, Lisa and her Kin, and Jennifer Lynn, as well as having a major label young lady that will hopefully put a tour together before she starts showing a five o'clock shadow.. Harley's doing a GREAT Buck Owens Retro gig with the Buckles, a band that's not getting the publicity they deserve, probably from a lack of more relatives at The Oregonian.. Mike Winter is playing last I heard with Blue Moon Highway, and he's a good player and friend as well. I've known Wes Bakken for twenty five years and he's probably the most solid, tasty, and versatile player among us next to Dale Granstrom, who somehow missed my tar and feathering... All good guys.

In the meantime, and inbetween JC Troy's regional spotlights I'll be playing with whatever band isn't smart enough to fire me. Lately it's a fine band from Newberg, the John Henry Band, that does some originals of their own, and a current cover list. They''re getting smarter every week though...

One would think that a gig where all the pressure was in the air, that five soon to be screamin in misery steel players, ( Mike, don't beat yourself up, your as fine as any in attendance, myself included..) standing in front of a steel player struggling to keep up with a national act, not knowing all the intracies of the complex intros and lead sections might be a little daunting, and disracting, but no, the crowd barely noticed.

I was only worried that when I did my "crowd dive", that they might get mussed somehow, and I might get unhanded prematurely.. Not to worry though, the break for their deliberation allowed for it.

This is but one of the many local Portland Acts that has been to the Big N, and returned to fill the demand of their local followings.

I was lucky enough to be in his band on the last run of off nights at Jubitz last year, and it was an especially poignant five night run. Im sure that when the club accedes to the public clamor, that we will be able to have more of the local bands that have so nobly advanced the tradition of "no tip jars" in our fine city.

The players represented similar bands, albeit some that deign the full time status available here, due to other obligations and contracts, but they are all pros, nonetheless. Some of are even in bands that have Websites.

In short, from "When You're Over Forty", to "I don't want to Fall in Love", and "Fire and Rain", it was a night to remember.

And believe me, guys.. I Will..

I went to JC's Online Store. They don't have the "Eric West Speedloaders", or the "Uncle Eric Quicklime™" but I understand the marketing staff is working on it.

Til then, JC will be performing, as on his schedule from here, to Nashville, worldwide stops inbetween, and be looking for steel players. Gary Morse, Al Miller, Danny M, Jeff Surratt, and Bob Hoffnar can't cover 'em all..

( Let's see who reads this..)

I noticed the business cards being exchanged, so I imagine I won't be the only one having to cop This Songlist.

We all tend to help eachother out here in The Big Poodle, and I've certainly gotten some prize gigs, and help with my personal life from all five in attendance. It all comes back too, sometimes manifold.

Paybacks are as they say....

I think there was a quote of Frank Sinatra's to a group of his admirers in 1985, but it escapes me right now...

You will have to excuse me right now, as I'm frantically looking up the words in Columbian for "I changed my mind about the contracts.." and fumbling with my "last calls list" on my nextel, now that I'm in a much better mood...

Seriously though I felt sufficiently "roasted", and looking back, they're my friends in the times that are less than perfect to be sure. I needed a little cheering up, not to mention the worldwide publication...

What more could a guy ask for..

Bobbe Seymour, eat your heart out.

Bless their Hearts.

And their livers.

Now where did I put that white chianti..

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 09 April 2005 at 11:33 AM.]

[This message was edited by Eric West on 09 April 2005 at 11:53 AM.]

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

* Nevermind, I found the Ibuprofen.. (poor man's demerol..)

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 09 April 2005 at 12:52 PM.]

Doug Jones · From: Oregon & Florida

We've pulled most the gags on each other, unhooking pedal rods, the ashtray underneath the pedals, etc. It was all in good fun and certainly not meant to be at EW's expense even thought it was good to see him sweat. I've got an old Emmons fretboard that might find it's way slightly off kilter under Behm's push-pull strings some night; Weldon would be proud.

Eric West · From: Portland, Oregon, USA, R.I.P.

Well Doug, it made me dig up a little "humanity" as my exacted payment. I'd forgotten where I'd hidden it..

I remember those times when I got thrown overboard by friends on scouting expeditions.

Once I got out of the sack and got the ropes untied, I though much better of it...

I think it also put into perspective a sideman's lot...

The band asked if ALL my friends were that crazy.

I told them that that was just that tip of the iceberg as it were...

Just another magic night without a tip jar.

Actually the only tip besides "get out of the business while you still can" was left for me to tip Heidi, the gracious waitress, and I gave her the two bucks. I think she's trying to raise kids at home..

Thanks again guys.

Portland's kind of like Nashville I guess..

Easier to get into than outof..

EJL Meduim Rare.

Forum Index > Steel Players		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: