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Gary, didn't you start/steer a few Miles Electric threads way back when? I seem to remember those being very informative and enteraining!

Mark, you have to admit, though, mods did have the one-up on the rockers in the clothing department!

We got a case of beer once. It was a relatively high-profile show, too. We opened up for the Prog Rock band Marillion on their Season's End tour. We were psyched just to be doing it, as we were long-time Marillion fans, and I think the promoters could sense this. So after our set someone from the bar brought up (4) six packs of Miller Genuine Draft, and said, "Compliments of the house for doing a great show". Yeah, thanks. MGD!! I also remember having a condom thrown on stage from the balcony, or somewhere. So, a case of beer and a Trojan. That was our compensation for the night. (Gave the condom away, too)

Wynton Yarsalis? Would this be the same Wynton Yarsalis who released that great record For Lady ?

Thanks, BW. I'll take on Strong Bad or Bubs as an avatar soon!!

Wasn't it the poster called MilesDavis who translated Aric's cryptic submissions? He did a pretty good job, if I remember. One of MY favorite threads was the one in early 2001 (I think) where someone was taking various photos of some posters and placing them in album covers via Photoshop. I seem to recall a few that made me howl!! Anyone remember that thread?

Could you explain this again? It's still unclear.

Uh, Bartender? I'll have some of what Sangrey's having.

Thanks for the chuckle, AfricaBrass. I'm still laughing aloud at your picture of Bubs!! In your honor, I think I'll go spin...Coltrane's Complete Africa Brass Sessions.

Just checked out the clips from Boogaloo Sisters, and you guys rock (well, you know what I mean)! Great playing by all, and I only heard samples of three tunes. Joe G, "Lifewish" is a beautiful melody, and Jim...shit, I could have sworn a lost organ date from 1961 surfaced in "Jimmy Smith..." You have that feel down so well. Do you guys ever let Randissimo let loose and wail a bit? Well, I'll have to buy the record and see!!!!

Homestar Runner is in the house, YESSSSSSS!!! I'm glad you picked up on this!! A few people at work hipped me to h*r not too long ago. Funny as hell! Strong Bad is no joke, eh?? I love his e-mail about guitar (jug jigga jug jigga jug jigga JAH JAHHHH!). Dancin' Bubs also scored high in my book. And Jim, Mondrian WILL be back. I get bored with the same avatar, so I'll change frequently. I LOVE yours right now, by the way! Oh, AND David Ayers' too!

I know, Jim. But you understand, there's nothing at al WRONG with an avatar of Jim Nabors. See?

Sorry Jim. I never would have guessed Kenny Burrell, and the Charlie Christian pickup is certainly obscured in the photo. So what else was I to think? Jim Nabors, naturally. And does Mondrian make me hip? Well, yes!

Jim R, There's something kinda Gomer Pyle-ish about your avatar. Who is that ? (if it's not Jim Nabors, that is).

Hi couw!! Yes, in American supermarkets each piece of fruit (and vegetables too, in some places) has a tiny sticker attached, so that the employee working the check-out can enter the correct PLU or UPC or whatever. These are annoying to no end, for all the reasons posted by various members above! Shopping carts!! I like using that little flap on the upper part of the shopping cart as a percussion instrument. In some stores, you can get a nice little snare sound with it! My wife HATES it when I break out into a solo! B)

Ah, Weiz, I forgot about that!! Thanks fo' remindin' me!

Jim, I'm SO glad that one can write "Fuck it" here without fear of the evil eye.

FYI- Bluenote has closed the BBS. Now what was it that pushed it over the edge?

Hi Joe- Sure. I like playing with 9s, 11s and 13s, and all chromatic passing tones in between, like b9, #9, b13, etc...but most of what I do is sound-oriented, and if and when it comes time to write or arrange other parts, then I sit and figure out what's what. But in the beginning, I just go with what sounds nice, and try to position my fingers in places where they should not be---like play a Bbmaj7 chord in 6th position, and move 2 or 3 fingers a note below or above, and see how it sounds... One thing I like to do is anchor a song's harmony around a single note, or group of notes as pedal point. The melody played or sung over top would tweak this note too. So (off the top of my head) in the key of C for example, if the song progresses around some simple changes like Cmaj7 - Fmaj7 - Bb7 - Dm7 - G7 - Cmaj7, if you choose lay heavily on, say, the A note, 10th position, B string, what you end up with is Cmaj (add 13) - Fmaj7 with the 3rd emphasized - Bb7 (maj7) - Dm7 with the 5th emphasized - G9 - and then back to Cmaj7 (add 13). Things get a lot more interesting when the bass plays something other than the root of the chords, so that the harmonic movement is really shot to shit by that point, and it becomes very atonal (or it DOES resolve, but only in terms of the chords adjacent and not to an overall key center). This is a compositional tool I like working with, and it's all aimed at creating an atmosphere, rather than going for what the ear is used to hearing, and progressing from there. With the guitar, it's difficult to pull off without twisting your fingers madly, so I usually end up leaving a note or two out of the fundamental chord, and just focus mostly on the tensions. The bass and the keyboards can cover the other fundmaental pieces of the harmony. All I can say is it works for me!! Indeed I have seen the Guitar Craft website. Man, that stuff makes me crazy, because there's just SO MUCH I'd like to learn. AND I wanna meet Fripp, too!! It's frustrating because actually registering and attending a seminar is not possible given my current life/lifestyle. It seems to me that not only does one need to overhaul their approach, as you say, but each student needs to get on board with their philosophy in order to succeed. Some of Fripp's little anecdotes are hilarious!! It's definitely intense, and I imagine if I did attend, I'd be so wound up and nervous that I wouldn't be able to play a note, and Bob would send me home!

Thanks, AfricaBrass. I'll call on you if I get stuck in the Krautrock swamps. I've heard a lot about Can and Neu (I also belong to a Progressive Rock BBS and I read it daily. Those are two band names that come up frequently). I think I'll start there, and I'll see if that bastard moderator at the BNBB hasn't deleted the Krautrock thread yet.

I'm going to devote most of this month to Roland Kirk. I have 6 titles that will go into rotation starting tomorrow.

I was just over there a few hours ago, and I see a lot of new names. Doubtless, these are people who have changed their handle, and a re more comfortable shouting insults because of it! And this, of course, just grossly increases my admiration for Ed Swinnich, who isn't going down peacefully!! Go Ed!

Big Wheel - yes, I have seen them, and actually, they work well if those using them know what they're doing. If you're stuck behind the newbie or the uninitiated, then you're going to be waiting a long time while they figure it out. I should know. I still have the impression of a customer's glare burning the the back of my head from my first time!

Yes, AfricaBrass, alternate tunigs are a pain in the neck in a live situation. Of course if one has 6 guitars and a roadie to tune them, it's fine (that's NOT me, though!) Live, I've played some 12 string electrics and acoustics that seem to THINK they'd like to go into an alternate tuning!! Not fun when another band member has to tell jokes to waste time while I tune 12 strings. Repeatedly. I usually go the treated capo route these days. I bought a few cheap capoes, and cut slots in them with razors, so that, even though I may have the capo in the 5th position, the D string and B string are left in open position and ringing out. I've had some wild results! Each capo has a different "open string" treatment, or in some cases more than one open string, and one can switch without too much troube (sometimes re-tuning is a bitch with these too). I also like fooling with the E-bow for some nice attackless effects... Krautrock is a genre that I admire, but from afar. I know some Kraftwerk material, but beyond that, nothing. Thanks for giving me new avenue to explore! Most of my avant rock listening is rooted in electronic synth-based stuff, like Eno, but also including the more conventional like Japan, some experimental Depeche Mode, and film music. Even the sappiest pop, if done well, can be an influence if one digs deeply enough.

Man, a ska/punk band I was in 12 years ago took in $650 at the door one hot summer night, playing an 11 to 4 at a college bar. It was the most money I ever made playing (which amounted to $125.00 for my take), but I think I enjoyed watching the sweaty ladies peel and toss more than I enjoyed the cash. God, I wish I were 22 again!!