Monday, April 03, 2006
What did you do Sunday evening?
Me, I paid to see an 80-year old man play music and talk about his friends, family, likes and dislikes. The fact that the man in question was B.B. King made it a pretty special evening! It's astonishing to me that his voice seems as powerful now as it always has, even if his knees are giving way. And that guitar playing… I've never seen anyone make a guitar talk like BB can. For me, it was a special evening. Thank you, BB.
I can't remember when I got interested in blues music but it was at least 25 years ago. I still haven't worked out what it is about blues (music based on tribal songs of African slaves forcibly taken from their homes and sold into slavery) that appeals to a working class white boy from South Wales but appeal it does! I suspect it's the honesty. This is music that comes directly from the heart and sounds like it does. I suspect you could say the same about any music but very often the sentiment is wrapped up in fancy words and allusions. I struggle with most poetry for the same reason. Blues is direct and that really appeals to me. I try to use a direct approach in everything I do, sometimes to my detriment as many people like you to stroke their egos, not give it to them straight. But hey, take me as I am or don't take me at all. I've got this far without caring too much what other people think of me. I suspect I can make it the rest of the way in the same vein.
I can't remember when I got interested in blues music but it was at least 25 years ago. I still haven't worked out what it is about blues (music based on tribal songs of African slaves forcibly taken from their homes and sold into slavery) that appeals to a working class white boy from South Wales but appeal it does! I suspect it's the honesty. This is music that comes directly from the heart and sounds like it does. I suspect you could say the same about any music but very often the sentiment is wrapped up in fancy words and allusions. I struggle with most poetry for the same reason. Blues is direct and that really appeals to me. I try to use a direct approach in everything I do, sometimes to my detriment as many people like you to stroke their egos, not give it to them straight. But hey, take me as I am or don't take me at all. I've got this far without caring too much what other people think of me. I suspect I can make it the rest of the way in the same vein.
