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View Full Version : Big hello (and Happy new Year!)



charliejames
January 10th, 2007, 11:38 PM
Glad I found this wonderful forum! I've been a recreational player since 1965 (born 1953). Got serious many times, then life dragged me away to other things. Never lost my ear for music, from classical to glitch, but a guitar player I remain. Saw a recent magazine today that had 100 overlooked or underappreciated guitar players. Had to sit down at Barnes & Noble and look it over. All I kept thinking was that none of the guitar players were underappreciated by me! Tommy Bolin was on the cover, and I LOVE Tommy Bolin. Another player that I flipped through to find was Ollie Halsall, from Patto. If you never heard him (or them) hop right in. You will be in love. No Fred Frith though, or Derek Bailey. Oh well. when I lie in bed, guitar leads and songs of mine run through my head. Sometimes it leads to getting up and writing something down, but many times I lay awake for hours, not able to shut it all down. Such is life. I use valerian, a very safe and effective sleep aid that is herbal and non habit forming, but it stinks like stinky feet and gives you vivid dreams. OK, too personal. My band is The Behaviorists. A three piece—guitar bass drums. I write and sing lead. My fine bass player sings too, and I'm pushing her into the writing thing. I'm 53, the drummer is 61, and our little girl is 28. She wears a huge Fender P bass. We're a sight to behold! Parents bought my first guitar, a Sears Silvertone acoustic, at 12 years old. Bought my first electric guitar in the East Village in 1986, a 1966 Mustang, which I still play as my main guitar. I don't care what you say, it has big sound and bite. I have learned over many years how to use the whammy bar and get it back to where it is in tune and continue past the solo most of the time. I'm a simpleton, and omly use a wah wah , rat, and volume pedal to make my sounds with. I remember seeing Mountain in the early 1970s in upstate NY (where I'm from), and leslie was using his little finger on the volume knob to do these insane violin type swells. He was spitting on the stage for effect at peak moments. The man was huge, and his sound was, well, mountainous! Killer. He sat by the stage and talked to me and my LSD ridden friends and smoked for a half an hour after they quit playing. No big deal. A NICE GUY! Now I'm down south in Arkansas, looking at the world in a crazy way, through the divine prism of music and middle age. I have around 3000 records, and always collect (on the cheap, I a broke artist), but playing music has cooled the fire of mere listening, and now I play more and enjoy more. Too bad about the light touches of arthritis. Wish I'd gotten focused earlier. Love to explore. I always thought it was more important to be recognized as a player than to be able to rattle off stock riffs at lightning speed and be anonymous. Like Jeff Beck, or Ollie Halsall. They would never be mistaken for another player. Like the one string riff in Slim Harpo's King Bee, when he says "sting it." So sexy and ting ting ting. It's all good, and lightning players can also be out of sight, like Allan Holdsworth, or John McLaughlin. Sorry for talking too much. Had Mexi food and a few margueritas tonight. So much thanks to thevoodooman for his great reply to my simple minded thread, thanks for having me, and goodnight:)

Janarm
January 11th, 2007, 04:30 AM
Good,very nice introduction.
Welcome to the very friendly forum ;)

warren0728
January 11th, 2007, 05:58 AM
welcome charliejames....this is a great forum....i think you will like it here....

ww

note: this welcome copyrighted 2007...no unauthorized use of this welcome will be tolerated

duhvoodooman
January 11th, 2007, 06:25 AM
Hey, thanks for coming over to this forum & telling us about yourself. Where in upstate NY are you from? I'm a nearly lifelong resident of the Albany area.

stingx
January 11th, 2007, 06:40 AM
http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/9499/welcome38gk.gif

tot_Ou_tard
January 11th, 2007, 07:59 AM
Now *that's* an hello charliejames. Glad that you're here & keep up the margaritas, mexican food, and valerian.

Robert
January 11th, 2007, 08:29 AM
Welcome, CharlieJames, enjoy the forum, glad you joined us.

sunvalleylaw
January 11th, 2007, 02:06 PM
Nice intro! Thank you and Welcome!

ted s
January 17th, 2007, 09:11 PM
Welcome Charliejames, nice reading your intro.

M29
January 17th, 2007, 10:25 PM
Welcome Charliejames,
You picked a great place to hang out, plenty of help, humor, fellowship and jammin!

I have been listening to Mountain and Leslie West lately. There are some good youtube vids on them. I remember seeing them at the Eastown in Detroit back in the early seventies. Never got to talk with them though.

Welcome aboard!
M29

Spudman
January 17th, 2007, 10:27 PM
That will be $60 please, and the secretary will schedule another appointment for you for next Wednesday.:D

I wish I could express myself as eloquently as you do. Welcome to thefret.

Tone2TheBone
January 17th, 2007, 10:54 PM
Yes I agree, nice introduction. Welcome. :)

SuperSwede
January 18th, 2007, 04:28 AM
Willkommen, Welcome, Välkommen.

oldguy
January 18th, 2007, 04:39 AM
Welcome, CharlieJames, fine intro there! Nice to have another player aboard who has "vintage" status. :D I arrived on this planet in '54.:eek:
Glenn

warren0728
January 18th, 2007, 05:42 AM
I arrived on this planet in '54
cool...you are the same age as my truck!!

ww

charliejames
January 22nd, 2007, 05:59 PM
Thanks for the nice welcome! I do run on a bit, especially when I've been drinking. I've only been on board a short time and already my guitar is sounding 100% better. More importantly, I know why it is sounding so much improved. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Hogfullofblues
January 22nd, 2007, 06:58 PM
Sorry...I was late to this party.
Good to meet ya, Charlie. Great intro.

bluesbreaker
January 25th, 2007, 07:36 PM
Welcome aboard, Charlie. Good to have you. Did you bring some extra margaritas? :)