[Harp-L] walter tore's sponotbeat-learning the blues before MTV



Today I started installing a privacy fence at our house.  It has been 17 years since I did manual labor like this.  I did ditch digging for 25 years on and off when I was doing music full time.  That is kind of funny because I often had to work from sun up till 5 to make enough money to pay the bills.   Then after a shower, some food, and a nap, off I would go to play from 10-2.  A few hours sleep and back to the ditch I would go.  When the money got good I quit the grunt work.  Anyway today as I was digging fence posts, chopping roots, digging out rocks, pouring concrete, and getting muddy and sweaty as hell, I flashed back to those days.  

I realized how different the blues scene is today.  Back then I had to venture to the worst black ghettos to play.  Once in the clubs I was generally ok, but getting to and from often meant life and death encounters.  Being a white boy at 3 am on a saturday was dangerous.  I rode city buses most of the time to the gigs and would walk home if I couldn't get a ride.  I was shot at, chased, dogs sicked on me, rocks thrown at me, and almost run over.   Still I had to go there everynight.  Why?  Because I was driven to be around, learn, and play the blues. It lead to being in my heros bands, living with them, and living it in 3D.   Today it is just a google, youtube and you are there.  Safe seminars, festivals, werent there back then.  
 
IMO the younger players that are learning this new way lack depth.  They are technically great but are like college professors talking about ghetto life to a sociology class.  The real blues have to be learned in hard, scary times.  That is the what the blues are.   Here are a few songs of reflection from all this.  Watler 
 
gonnna rock it all night
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10810982
learning the blues before MTV
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10810983
manual labor and nite gigs
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10810982


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