Re: Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Popper-esque phenom

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

> > > > <EGS1217@xxxxxxx> 09/07/07 14:29 PM >>>
> For what it's worth...when someone posts a YouTube video here...and  
> then  others join in to make comments (especially negative ones)  
> about and  or directly TO the person playing IN those videos...it's  
> completely  illogical  and serves no real purpose if your intent is  
> to "teach" the  player just what he is doing 'wrong' (in your  
> professional estimation, that  is)....since he isn't
> reading your comments.
>  The player in question isn't a member of Harp-L as far as anyone  
> can  determine...he put his videos  on YouTube, not harp-l, and  
> there is a  place ON YouTube right there under each video for  
> comment.   While I  still don't understand (and no one so far has  
> satisfactorily been able to  explain to me) the seeming necessity  
> in the harmonica community of 'some'  harmonica players (out of all  
> other musicians) feeling the need to criticize  other harmonica  
> players, dissecting their videos negatively seems  especially  
> egregious (in my humble opinion).  Did this young guy ask for  your  
> criticisms here?
>  As a matter of fact, one can not only post comments on YouTube,  
> but even  post VIDEO comments ..i.e. your own videos...perhaps to  
> counteract his....show  him just how it's done ... (somewhat akin  
> to: putting your money where your  mouth is?)  ;)  How about it?   
> All those who make a negative  comment...put your OWN video up as  
> proof whereof you speak? I would most  definitely be interested in  
> seeing those!  I'm sure I'd learn an awful lot  from the  
> comparisons of "right way vs. wrong way", since I'm a  newbie  
> diatonic player and need to know these important  distinctions.   
> Posting your dissection of his playing here strikes me as a  bit  
> unfair, since it smacks somewhat of gossiping behind  someone's  
> back...while the gossipee isn't aware he/she is being talked about  
> so  negatively.  Whereas putting your comments right there on his  
> site will at  the very least allow him a counter response and serve  
> to carry the  courage of your convictions, n'est-ce-pas? Elizabeth
>  P.S.  His specifically described "jazz" version of Stairway to   
> Heaven (on
> diatonic, no less)..seemed quite different and unusual enough to  
> give  a listen..and actually triggered an interest in me to try it  
> on Chromatic....but  in no way made me feel the song should be  
> "left alone".   Why?  Who decides when and for how long a song  
> should or should  not be played?  NOW we have "Rock song police"?  
> Geez.
>  ********************************

This is in NO way contradictory to anything anyone else has said and  
merely my personal feeling on the matter. Every one is entitled to  
their opinion(s) and I have read wonderful thoughts on both sides of  
the fence. They all make sense when viewed in the context that they  
were presented in.

I am no longer a religious person, but I DO have a sort of religion  
of my own. In my religion, it is a sin to cap on another musician. I  
can see where constructive criticism could be beneficial,  and while  
I didn't really see anything DEstructive, I would pose the following  
scenario as a reason as to why I feel as I do.

Let's say I am a teenage boy and find myself at the Friday night  
dance. So, along with dancing with the girls, I also find myself  
hanging around the back of the fire hall parking lot with my friends  
and tossing down a couple quarts of Shaeffer beer. Maybe that evening  
I even get to ride a girl home and wind up with a kiss or ?

Now let's zoom in on another teenage boy who may be a little chubby.  
Maybe is bashful around girls. Maybe doesn't know how to dance. Maybe  
he can't (or doesn't know how to) get a date for the prom. He's a  
good boy and doesn't even drink.  So, THIS boy is sitting in his room  
all alone playing his friend.....a harp.

We arrive in the future and while I am working in construction, this  
other boy winds up on TV. Question: Who am 'I' to feel bad about this.

See, here's the deal. We don't know how much time, effort, and  
dedication it take a musician to reach a certain level. Some get  
there faster than others. But it STILL takes time. These are the  
precious moments, (hours, days, weeks, months, years, decades, sic)  
of that persons life. These are moments that the person has invested  
and will NEVER get back. You can't RE spend time. Ergo, time  
becomes....LIFE....living breathing life.

So, in my opinion, to disparage the person is as much as saying "Your  
life ain't worth Jack Schytt".

In conclusion, I (myself) am guilty of having sinned in this way, so  
I'm not up here on a soap box being 'Mr Pure' either. My bad also.

smokey joe