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Last year we raised over $2,000 for Multiple Sclerosis care. I’m extending that this year to support ALS care also.
You raise a good point – since I’m based in the UK, I am unable to accept checks. Everything has been done (securely) through PayPal. It would be useful if anyone were able to open a US account that people can pay money into, if they would rather not use PayPal. (Personally I have no problem with it, and we’ve managed over $3,000 since the first Daily Dose Day).
If anyone would be willing or able to help with that, could you let me know either on this forum, by private message or e-mail?
Thank you.
– Si.
Not to draw a music comparison here, but the way Ricky Skaggs plays right AT Bruce, as if he’s daring him to play, reminds me of Garcia.
He facing and looking right at him, as if to say, “This is what I’m doing, can you keep up?!”
Here’s a clue:
Dave B. wrote:….In the mean time, I appreciate the sentiments, and I’ll keep posting my thoughts and views on “Bruce related subjects”…as long as Si keep paying me…
*LOL* (nudge at Si….)
You’ll get your kudos every time you post, same as everybody else… 😆
And I’ll echo your thanks also.
I’m aware of at least one more David on this board, by the way…
Good to have the legend that is Rich Diakun on this site…
I think the problem – at least here in the UK – is the culture of “get famous quick”.
It is no longer anyone’s ambition, or intention, to make a long term impression on the music industry. The aim now is to take what you can, as quickly as you can, and then run before you are twigged.
Every one of the icons that you mention – Goodman, Sinatra, Jackson, Elvis, even the Bee Gees – are all covered these days. Because that’s the easy way to do it. When one can make a success of it, why not everybody else?
I put the blame on several outlets:
i. American Idol (or, here in the UK, Pop Idol). Watch any edition and you’ll hear at least one of the above artists covered every week. The winner will be a pretty looking thing, as voted for by the public, who by extension have just created a media monster with mass appeal. Ironically, those I know who would be well placed to go far in such a *talent* content (on talent alone) refuse to enter as a point of principle. Funny you should mention reality TV – Big Brother is the perfect example of the “get famous quick” culture. The freakier, the better, and they have a “career” waiting for them in no time.
ii. The internet. Yup – everybody’s 15 megabytes of fame can be broadcast to the world. In the days of You Tube and MySpace, any socially rejected overweight kid with a light sabre, or guy in a Tron suit, can become a worldwide icon. It’s so easy to do, and drains the ambition out of anyone with half a brain (and no more) who realises this.
iii. Apathy. When I was growing up, I wanted to be like the person that I admired, whether that was a family member, a footballer or a musician. I respected their talent, and aspired to be like them. Ask a kid now what they want to be, and don’t be surprised at how many answer with one word – “famous”. Not a particular career, or anything requiring a modicum of talent or effort. When kids today grow up seeing Paris Hilton breezing through life without any of the above, you have to wonder what is meant to motivate them.
iv. Current trends. Those who can rise above that, with the required work ethic, are not assured of a future. The music industry is tumbling, headlong, into decline. An exquisitely produced CD is now replaced by a polyphonic ringtone on the latest Nokia. Why? – it’s easy to produce, and too easy to download. What used to be the “Top 40” in the UK now caters for this when assessing the week’s most popular sales.
Nowhere are you likely to find an artist of the day, unless they produce something so different, and so inspiring, that it snaps today’s popular music out of its apathy. As long as it’s so easy to continue putting out what constitutes a huge money-making success, that’s not likely to happen.
There are large bodies of fans who still exhibit a passion for their music of choice, and they will continue to do so… and so rely on acts of yesteryear… the Beatles, Elvis, the Grateful Dead, Nirvana, Motown…
Three spring to mind, probably in this order:
1. Jazz Café, London, June ’93
Just out of sheer anticipation, for the first time seeing them live… compounded by Bruce’s plane being delayed and starting about 10.30. They walked off the plane and onto the stage, and still managed nearly three hours. All of this in a bar. Much of it was broadcast on BBC Radio One a few weeks later.
2. Lowell, MA, August ’06.
Just all the right circumstances. Great songs, a small venue, and stageside seats with great people.
3. Portsmouth, NH, November ’06.
Another one with some great company, we’d had access to Bruce for a lot of the day, and he was asking me and my friend what we’d like to hear. Whether by accident or design, most of that night’s set was a selection of our favourites.
My first memories of this album were of watching Mike Tyson hammer the daylights out of Trevor Berbick. Seriously.
Here in the UK, the BBC used to play the “Way It Is” solos as backing music over their sports headlines. We can lay claim to giving Bruce his break, before he got big in the US!
Highlights for me – aside from the album’s title track, Down the Road Tonight and The River Runs Low still mean a great deal. There are a lot of songs about journeys in Bruce’s older work – ever noticed that? Whether it’s a physical route, or a path through life, a lot of that resonates with me.
This site’s page on The Way It Is gives an idea of people’s thoughts – let’s hear some more! The highlights from this forum will be added to the page:
Just as an addendum, the new song is Circus on the Moon.
The whole show is up for download at:
David Day wrote:I’m living the good life
I’ve got my beautiful things so high as a kite
I’m living the good life
I buy and buy so high in the sky…..David Day
Lake Lanier, GAIs this a reference to your blowing your kudos in the stock market, David? 😉
Well I hear it’s better on the other side
They say you’ll never do it so don’t even try
Well you may be beaten down with your closed mind
But don’t try and make it mine…No – your account shows how many are held in your vault account; the other figure is the amount outside of that.
… you’re right, Will – maybe on both counts!
Kudos to you for the right answer – and if Hammer were here, I’d take kudos off him for strtng txt spk.
Brave or foolish, I’m not sure.
I’m working on a Sony Vaio, and both Sony and Microsoft are notorious for wanting to put their own stamp on things. Which makes finding the right solution (or in this case, drivers) very difficult!
Vic and David – what neither of you are realising is that you’ve both been out to dinner with Carey before! 😳
Albeit briefly, and in passing, Carey stopped by our table to say hi when we all got together in TN last summer.
We’ll be depending on you to give us the opener, Marc – the site bookmaker is trying to make a killing on that…!
Smaze wrote:A lot of people, including me, are excited for the new Bruce and Ricky album…as a major fan of Railroad Earth, Leftover Salmon and Yonder, the bluegrass will be sweet.….but I’m suprised not more people are talking about the jazz album…I’m soooooo pumped for this one.
Will the jazz album be solo Bruce or with the band? Anyone? Anyone?
GO COLTS! (From a bitter Seattle Seahawk fan living in Chicago)
Smaze
The jazz record is with Jack DeJohnette and Christian McBride.
As I understand it, it’s a trio record, so no Noisemakers involved.
Bryan –
Is this the first time you’ve let on to the people that you’re actually the guy who maintains Bruce’s official website?!
And a fine job you do, too!
David Day wrote:A.J. wrote:The guestbook needs some cleanup also, looks like it’s turned into a spam/ad garbage canDidn’t mean to offend you! Sorry! Vic and I poke fun at each other all the time. I did think I had lost some of my kudos, but realized later that I had purchased some stock.
I little humor is good every once in a while!
David Day
Lake Lanier, GAPS Vic, it’s all your fault!
:lol:[/quote:fbaa9]David – AJ was actually referring to the guestbook, not this forum.
The guestbook had become a target for the porn merchants, and I’ve just taken it down.
You carry on playing with your kudos in any way you see fit. 😉
:lol:[/quote:fbaa9]