General Music Chat

My wifes Kung Fu is pretty good, hell she may just beat ME !

The girl that lived down the street from me to karate, after watching a Bruce Lee film. She took karate well into her thirties. She was also built like Godzilla. I wanted to pay her to kick my ex's so many times. But she would have killed him. I couldn't see going to prison for him

Believe it or not, I wanted to share my insights as a woman...a black woman. Those are selling points. I have to use that to market myself. Usually when I tell people I am a musician or I am with the band I am usually asked if I sing. When they see that I play the flute, classical music,jazz,rock,celtic it is as if I became a unicorn. I think that my being a black woman with my skills, although far from perfected, I am an oddity. Oh no waitup...I am not only a classical celtic jazz rock black, woman flutist, I am also 52 years old. I can hang with the youngins and the elderly I am so moldable, you'd think that I'd make much more money

Gee, Mary....according to OUR statistics, you don't exist...

I suppose we'll have to create a whole new pidgeon-hole for ya, if we don't just stick you into the miscellanious file...

& here all this time I was thinking you were white, REALLY into Clay Aiken, & an Orange County housewife...so much for statistics...



I guess that's not so far from a 52 yr old black Klingon Trekker who plays classical/rock/jazz/celtic, & is friends with Godzilla...

In truth, I care about your opinions as a musician & a person. All that other stuff is fluff to me, cuz, like Steven Colbert, I can't see colors. I also don't see sex (unless it's happening right in front of me), or religion (unless you're stopping the music to do your 5th prayer to Allah), or much of anything else...

I tell you Mrs. Mary. I have also enjoyed your being a part (contributory) of the Fourm.
Unlike Phil. I do see color, and sex, socioeconomic backgrounds, and all the other defining characteristics.
These are what make us, and our music unique.
Would I even be playing guitar or writing songs had I not been asked to?
Or if the man whom asked me was not doing Christian music?
Probably not.

I do not hesitate to share my insights as a man, Christian, Martial Artist, Nurse, right wing gun nut, husband, father, ex drunkard - drug dealer.
Recovering womaniser. etc etc.

Despite all my attempts to do differently, my history defines who I am.
So be it.

I tell you Mrs. Mary. I have also enjoyed your being a part (contributory) of the Fourm.
Unlike Phil. I do see color, and sex, socioeconomic backgrounds, and all the other defining characteristics.
These are what make us, and our music unique.
Would I even be playing guitar or writing songs had I not been asked to?
Or if the man whom asked me was not doing Christian music?
Probably not.

I do not hesitate to share my insights as a man, Christian, Martial Artist, Nurse, right wing gun nut, husband, father, ex drunkard - drug dealer.
Recovering womaniser. etc etc.

Despite all my attempts to do differently, my history defines who I am.
So be it.

I do know what Phil is sayin'. and Phil, I like what you are sayin'. But I also feel that we should see these things. Not to cause a seperation but to bring us closer together ( well, not to close ) It is what makes us human and there are variables in humanity. I have always dabled in celtic music. But I was invited to a celtic jam after someone heard me play in the rock band. I was flattered that this gentleman had all the confidence in the world that I could read music and could "blend" in but that is paritally what makes it fun.

I want you to see that I am black but that doesn't prevent me from crossing oceans, cultures, backgrounds, age groups etc, especially where music is concerned.

So between Phil and Sanshouheil see me but see me blindly Now figure that one out.

Yeah, what she said. And when you listen to my music, hear me, but hear me deafly! That's the only way I sound good.

My being male may well define me to some ppl, but it isn't anything to be particularly "proud" of, cuz I did nothing to become male, or white, or American, for that matter. Yeah, it does have something to do with the direction I'm coming from, but I have no control over that.

Those things that I DO have control over, I try to keep on the up & up.

I DO see when a person is black, but I try my hardest to keep any expectations from taking over. I DO see a woman or a guy or those stuck inbetween, but I try to keep the stereotypes from entering my mind, when I do. I believe it's the only way to be fair with ppl.

When I come across the ones who do fit into the stereotypical norms, I run like the wind away from them, more often than not. (Drunks & junkies are my biggest personal pet peeve, & I'm sorry to say that all of them I ever worked with fit the stereotype, & are ppl best avoided.)

For me, playing with diverse ppl is one of the coolest parts of being a musician. I'll play with just about anyone, anywhere, as long as they're good, & I can contribute to their art, & we can get along well enough to play together.

Whether you're male or female, your religion, whatever ethnicity you are - these things don't define you as a musician to me. Your musical abilities, your capacity to work with others, your drive, your willingness to do the work involved in a band - these are what define you.

The moment you say "Wow! Look what she did! Can you believe that's a woman doing that?" then you have promoted the idea that most women cannot do that. Hardly fair to the rest of the world's women.

When Hootie & the Blow Fish came out, I was more amazed at the well-meaning racists who said things like how strange it seemed having a black guy singing white music...wtf? He sings what he feels, just like I do. (The only thing that really made the band "revolutionary" to me was how well they did in the charts with such bad lyrical content!)

So no, I'm not interested in "a woman's perspective," but, whatever & whoever you are, I might be interested in yours.

Agreed Phil, and well stated.

I see people.

How they dress is an unfortunate, yet completely valid form of determining things about them. Stereotypical? Yes. Inaccurate? Not really.

A black guy wearing dirty, torn up clothes, and is unkempt, would appear to be a criminal to me.

So would a white guy...

Same goes with a black guy who is well dressed, clean - I wouldn't see him as a threat no more than anyone who was dressed the same, regardless of race.

So, again, I see people. Some are a-holes, some aren't. I don't like that many use their race or disposition to be an a-hole, then duck behind the race card, and I despise that I have to caution myself when calling them on being an a-hole on the ideal that I could or would be labeled a racist for it.

3 of the coolest people I've known in my life were all black guys. The top 3 people I'd probably attempt to kill on site are all white: two men and one woman. And being a woman certainly made her no less capable of being a complete scumbag who deserves a long and painful death someday.

So I don't even know what this thread was about, but just read the last few posts and thought I'd let out some gas

Carry on.

HEY! I'm often in dirty, unkempt clothes...cuz I work in the dirt sometimes! I am not a criminal!

And just look at all the white collar criminals out there, Kramer! They look so nice!

Okay...I'm being silly, now, but I just wanna be heard deafly (ty ratsass - that one cracked me up) & seen blindly, & spoken to silently, & stuff...

My being male may well define me to some ppl, but it isn't anything to be particularly "proud" of, cuz I did nothing to become male, or white, or American, for that matter. Yeah, it does have something to do with the direction I'm coming from, but I have no control over that.

Those things that I DO have control over, I try to keep on the up & up.

I DO see when a person is black, but I try my hardest to keep any expectations from taking over. I DO see a woman or a guy or those stuck inbetween, but I try to keep the stereotypes from entering my mind, when I do. I believe it's the only way to be fair with ppl.

When I come across the ones who do fit into the stereotypical norms, I run like the wind away from them, more often than not. (Drunks & junkies are my biggest personal pet peeve, & I'm sorry to say that all of them I ever worked with fit the stereotype, & are ppl best avoided.)

For me, playing with diverse ppl is one of the coolest parts of being a musician. I'll play with just about anyone, anywhere, as long as they're good, & I can contribute to their art, & we can get along well enough to play together.

Whether you're male or female, your religion, whatever ethnicity you are - these things don't define you as a musician to me. Your musical abilities, your capacity to work with others, your drive, your willingness to do the work involved in a band - these are what define you.

The moment you say "Wow! Look what she did! Can you believe that's a woman doing that?" then you have promoted the idea that most women cannot do that. Hardly fair to the rest of the world's women.

When Hootie & the Blow Fish came out, I was more amazed at the well-meaning racists who said things like how strange it seemed having a black guy singing white music...wtf? He sings what he feels, just like I do. (The only thing that really made the band "revolutionary" to me was how well they did in the charts with such bad lyrical content!)

So no, I'm not interested in "a woman's perspective," but, whatever & whoever you are, I might be interested in yours.

Everything you say here is outstanding. You gotta see the world as it is. What you said about promoting the idea that most women can't do that ( music ), is still promoting the idea - that that idea just might be wrong.

Hey, about what you say about the Brother singin' With Hootie and the Blowfish... We ( at least I do ) assume that the racists, who were amazed that this black dude, were white. I know many Black folks who said the same thing.

I see people.

How they dress is an unfortunate, yet completely valid form of determining things about them. Stereotypical? Yes. Inaccurate? Not really.

A black guy wearing dirty, torn up clothes, and is unkempt, would appear to be a criminal to me.

So would a white guy...

Same goes with a black guy who is well dressed, clean - I wouldn't see him as a threat no more than anyone who was dressed the same, regardless of race.

So, again, I see people. Some are a-holes, some aren't. I don't like that many use their race or disposition to be an a-hole, then duck behind the race card, and I despise that I have to caution myself when calling them on being an a-hole on the ideal that I could or would be labeled a racist for it.

3 of the coolest people I've known in my life were all black guys. The top 3 people I'd probably attempt to kill on site are all white: two men and one woman. And being a woman certainly made her no less capable of being a complete scumbag who deserves a long and painful death someday.

So I don't even know what this thread was about, but just read the last few posts and thought I'd let out some gas

Carry on.

You guys are too funny

I've been in bands with Jews, African-Americans, Hispanics, Rednecks, Native Americans, etc. I've never been in a band with a woman. Our current harmonica player is African-American and we're auditioning an African American guitarist this Sunday. I've been playing with ths same Jewish drummer for fifteen years. It doesn't matter to me the race or ethnicity of the musician. All I want is for somebody to sound good and show up on time, and NOT play inebriated, and NOT think they're in charge of the band. The band members are co-leaders. We all get a say in what we play. There's no "I" in band. As far as not having a woman I would be all for it IF she could play an instrument very weel and sing well. If there's ever any emotional issues (she starts dating a band member) and it disrupts the band that would be a bad thing. I think I'm open-minded enough for the RIGHT woman to be involved.

I've been in bands with Jews, African-Americans, Hispanics, Rednecks, Native Americans, etc. I've never been in a band with a woman. Our current harmonica player is African-American and we're auditioning an African American guitarist this Sunday. I've been playing with ths same Jewish drummer for fifteen years. It doesn't matter to me the race or ethnicity of the musician. All I want is for somebody to sound good and show up on time, and NOT play inebriated, and NOT think they're in charge of the band. The band members are co-leaders. We all get a say in what we play. There's no "I" in band. As far as not having a woman I would be all for it IF she could play an instrument very weel and sing well. If there's ever any emotional issues (she starts dating a band member) and it disrupts the band that would be a bad thing. I think I'm open-minded enough for the RIGHT woman to be involved.

Well, you would pay me not to sing, that's fer sher. I meet all the other qualification.

Oh no, not a JEW!! LOL Just kidding !