RE: [Harp-L] Dressing like a musician



John,

Here are the three rules for dressing like a harp player:

1) Get a cool hat

2) Wear sunglasses if you have em - the bigger the better

3) Wear a Dragonfly shirt over black jeans or slacks

You go into a club with this ensemble and I guarantee you two thing will happen. You will be smothered by the musicians during their break and they will ask you who you are and if you would like to sit in - and when you do get up on stage you will play better.

Here are the two rules for playing great blues harp once you get up there:

1) You are who you pretend to be

2) Often wrong, never in doubt

Rick Harvey
The Texcellorators



From: "John Balding" <John.Balding@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: RE: [Harp-L] Dressing like a musician
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2006 13:23:58 -0400

My old band Big John and the Naked Truth never got many gigs. Of course,
looking back on it, if we hadn't dressed the part...

John

-----Original Message-----
From: harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx [mailto:harp-l-bounces@xxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Bob Cohen
Sent: Tuesday, August 29, 2006 12:54 PM
To: Harpl list
Subject: [Harp-L] Dressing like a musician

As part of someone's advice on how to sit it with other musicians, the
comment was made that one needed to "dress like a musician" to assist
with the overall credibility of your request.  This got me wondering?
Especially because it often happens that before people hear me play they
don't think I'm capable of authentic blues.

Just last month, I was at a jam session at Chan's in Rhode Island.  I
sing/front and blow harp.  One of guys who played on my set was a
regular from The Cadillac Horns, a well respected horn-centric roots
band who said with genuine awe and affection, "When first looked at you,
man.  I thought you were an accountant or something.  But man you got
the blues."  I laughed it off by saying how much I enjoy surprising
people, which is true, but this isn't the first time I've heard that
comment.

So first and foremost, how DOES one dress like a musician?  It seems
very disingenuous for me run out and buy a shark skin suit, snake skin
shoes and slick back what's left of my hair.  I'm even less likely to
festoon my body with tattoos.  And well, truth to tell, I've got enough
trouble being my genuine self to work up an alter-ego complete with a
cool blues nickname.

And beyond the specific question, it's very puzzling to me how the
non-technical aspects of our performances really do affect how we're
perceived and ultimately our success.

Bob Cohen
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