Inkwell: Authors and Artists

    
Another tip of the hat to Donna The Buffalo.  And Tara's solo disc is pretty
terrific, too.

But mostly I'm thinking about Mr. Gans and what a nifty disc he's produced.
I'm listening now with reviewer's ears, and there's a lot of real nice stuff
there.  "American Family" is a terrific song, Martin Mull's "Normal" is a
treat which receives a perfect treatment, the Black Peter>Dear Mr.
Fantasy>Trying is well conceived and executed.  "Who Killed Uncle John" was
on as my wife walked through the office.  "Is that Dylan?" she said, and
then answered herself immediately, "No, this guy can sing."

You know, David, that I'm a Jim Page fan.  "Down To Eugene" has never
sounded better than with your Mississippi John Hurt-is treatment.

Thanks for the disc - the review will be online next week...
  

    

>"Is that Dylan?" she said, and then answered herself immediately, "No, this
>guy can sing."

Aw, that's not nice!  :^)

You know, of course, that "Who Killed Uncle John?" is a blatant ripoff of
Bob's "Who Killed Davey Moore?"


>"Down To Eugene" has never sounded better than with your Mississippi John
>Hurt-is treatment.

I am delighted to report that Jim likes it, too.  And by the way, we're play-
ing together in Seattla on June 16 (and maybe the 17th, too).

Thank you for your kind words about "Solo Acoustic,": Shaun.  I am discover-
ing that I was quite nervous about the disc, and the good reports (my booking
agent just sent me a pretty positive report, too) are a great relief!
  

    
David, you could release any random show that i've heard and not be
embarrassed about a thing. Don't worry. I'm anxiously waiting for my copy to
arrive.
  

    
About this guitar you're using on the road--it sounds acoustic. It
looks electric. It also looks hollow-bodied. Can you go into a little
bit about how it's built and why it's done that way?
  

    
I'd be interesting in seeing that too.  The guitar usually
sounds acoustic, but the other night in Tallahassee, David
threw a switch or two, & it became an electric.

Plus, he's using a very cool looping device, which I hope he'll
describe here.
  

    
(And, yes, Donna The Buffalo is one of the greatest bands on
the planet.)
  

    

The guitar, designed and built by Rick Turner (Renaissance Guitars, Santa
Cruz CA) was especially designed for the challenging task of sounding like an
acoustic guitar in the kind of loud environment that makes it impossible for
real acoustic guitars to work.

Turner is the designer of many of the most popular acoustic guitar pickup
systems in use today, and he is also a brilliant luthier.  So he designed the
instrument and the pickup together.  There is no sound hole (most acoustic
guitars have their sould hole capped when they're used on stage, because the
sound from the monitor speakers would cause serious feedback).  When you play
this guitar unamplified, it isn't loud enough to be heard across the room.
But when you plug it into a sound system, it sounds more natural than any
other amplified acoustic I have ever heard.

It is also beautiful to look at.

I hope this URL still works: <http://members.aol.com/rturnergtr/>
  

    
Yes, it IS very pretty. 

So where are you today?
  

    
David, as the Seattle gig comes closer, holler. We can gather a Well
Gathering for ya!
  

    
I will, Nancy.  Thanks!

I am in Atlanta, checing in from the kitchen of Ray Riescher <riescher>, who
has been kind enough to put me up for a couple of days.

Last night I saw Bob Weir and Ratdog at the Tabernacle, and then played in
the Cotton Club right downstairs -- part of which wzas broadcast live on Z93
between their live broadcast of the Ratdog show and the air time of the
Grateful Dead Hour.  It was a great break for me.  I played "River and
Drown," "The Minstrel," and "Who Killed Uncle John?"

Tonight it's the Red Light Cafe, and then tomorrow I head for North Carolina.
  

    
So, David, how is life on the road for you?  I know some musicians
hate it, others love it, and others fall somewhere in between.  I read
an interview with Bob Wier recently where he said that he didn't know
any other way to live, because he's been on the road most of the last
few decades.  What about you?  When you're on the road, and you have
down time, how do you spend it?  Do you soak in the sites, get out and
meet the people, or do you use off-days to catch up on needed rest, or
whatever?
  

    
There isn't much time for sightseeing, but occasionally I find myself
with two days to get to my next destination, in which caseI'll get the
hell off the Interstate and take some little Blue Highway.  Charles
Kuralt, in his autobiography, said that the Interstate Highway is a
great way to get around if you don't want to see anything.  I totally
agree.

I haven't been doing this long enough to either get sick of it or
forget how to be at home.  I love being on tour, and I love being at
home.  I don't usually stay out for more than 15-18 days, although the
current tour is about three and a half weeks.  Too long.

I'm checking in from the Red Light Cafe in Atlanta, where my set
begins in about half an hour.  I may have more to say to this question
later.  I hit the road for Spindale NC tomorrow.
  

    
Yeah, about 20 days was always a psychic touring limit for me.  three and a
half weeks is too damned long.
  

    
Yes, it is.

Fortunately, I am on a SERIOUS roll here.

My last four performances have been absolute peaks.  I have never sung or
played better, and I have been comfortable and inspired -- and well cared for
by the sound people, and that's VERY important -- in every setting.

I'm taking off for North Carolina (from Atlanta) in a pounding thunderstorm,
but I'll have some time when I get there so I will post some more road
reports.

My set lists are at <http://www.trufun.com/ganslists.html>, and that file
tells some of the story.  In brief, I had a great jam with two fine musical
friends here in Atlanta last night.

More to come.
  

    
Be careful out there!
  

    
So tell us a little about what it's like at your current stop
on the tour!
  

    
Oakland is having trouble making up its mind whether to have
a lovely sunny spring day or rain--leaning to sunny and cold
at the moment. Wisteria and fruit trees blooming all over town.
  

    

The tour took a hiatus for three days while I went into radio-guy mode.  I
came to Spindale NC to help with the semi-annual fund-raiser of WNCW, which
broadcasts the Grateful Dead Hour as part of a really fine all-music format.
I was on the air at various times for ten hours yesterday, during which time
I got to sing a few songs live on the air (accompanied by fellow
musician/broadcaster Marshall Ballew) and plug my shows.  Mostly, though,
what I did was thank contributors on the air and encourage listeners to call
in with their pledges.

I was feeling kinda weak as the day wore on, and by mid-evening my left ear
was hurting and my throat was sore.  I woke up feeling worse, went in to help
in the closing hours of the WNCW fund-raiser, and now Im back in my hotel
room taking it easy until checkout time tomorrow morning, when I'll move over
to Asheville for a quiet afternoon.  I play at the Grey Eagle tomorrow night.

It took me a little while to shift into radio-guy mode, but I was into the
swng off it reasonably swiftly.  I am assuming I won't have lost too much off
my curveball by the time I next hit the stage.  I have three gigs and several
long drives to do in the next three days, and then a day off en route to
Charleston SC.

I am enjoying a good deal of positive feedback on the new CD, most of which
is taking place on the Grateful Dead Hour mailing list and in a WELL
conference that is not readable from the web.  I am awaiting permission to
repost some of the comments from the GDH list here.
  

    
Cool. Take it easy and feel better in the meantime...
  

    
david's shows just keep getting better.
get out to see him.
  

    

From the GDH mailing list, posted here with permission:


From: "David Burgbacher" <dburgbacher@hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: GDH: Who Killed Uncle John
Date: Wed, 04 Apr 2001 16:45:03 -0400
To: gdh@lists1.ba.best.com


From: Joe Casadonte <jcasadonte@northbound-train.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Apr 2001 12:58:52 -0400 (EDT)


> Here are the words:
>
> WHO KILLED UNCLE JOHN?
>
>   Who killed Uncle John
>   And kept the show from going on?

Wow, excellent song, David!  I'm not sure I like the ending
(though I do love SCI), but hey, it's not my song :)


I feel compelled to chime in about this.  I really enjoyed reading the lyrics
to this song, as it is a very thoughful commentary regarding many aspects of
our scene.  But to me, the ending was the best part for two reasons.

First, it is heartening to me that the musical tradition of the Grateful Dead
is very much alive today.  This is by far the most important legacy left us
by the band.  The ending conveys this perfectly-- despite the laundry list of
negative influences listed in the verses, the twirling girl is still
following the spirit of the music.  It's this thought that helps me sleep at
night! :)

Second, it is my opinion that String Cheese Incident is the modern day
standard bearer of the GD tradition.  Sure, there are lots of talented jam
bands out there these days that are all indebted to the GD.  But SCI is the
only band I've found has come remotely close to capturing the spirit of love
& family that I always felt was an important part of the Dead tradition.
Their ambition is not only to play amazing improvisational music (which they
do night in and night out!) but to also build community and have a positive
impact wherever they play.  If any of you have yet to see them, I strongly
urge you to get out now to see an Incident while they're still playing
medium-sized theatres.  This band has definitely got "it."

Just my $0.02,

Dave
  

    

More from the GDH list, posted with permission:



On Wed, 4 Apr 2001, David Burgbacher wrote:

> I feel compelled to chime in about this.  I really enjoyed reading the
> lyrics to this song, as it is a very thoughful commentary regarding many
> aspects of our scene.  But to me, the ending was the best part for two
> reasons.

Excellent reasons both, and I agree with the thoughts.  Which is what I
dislike (which is way, way too strong a word) about the ending.  It's
because the twirler says "Not I" just like everyone else, instead of
something like "Don't know" or "Is he?" or whatever, just something else.
In my mind that puts her in the same boat as everyone else, but this
wreaks havoc with the sentiment that is supposed to be conveyed (or so I
think) with these final stanzas.

<PreFlameAbatementManuveurs>
    It is semantical, most definitely, and is splitting hairs.  But
    please understand, these are philosophical, classroom-like thoughts,
    meant to engender thoughtful, respectful conversation.  They are my
    own and should not be taken as criticism to David, to Dave, or to make
    fun of, denigrate or disenfranchize anyone else's interpretation of the
    lyrics.  I personally can't wait to hear the song, both on CD and in
    person (in Philly).
</PreFlameAbatementManuveurs>

> Second, it is my opinion that String Cheese Incident is the modern day
> standard bearer of the GD tradition.  Sure, there are lots of talented jam

I would whole-heartedly agree, though I've not heard all of the modern-day
jam bands.  The SCI guys are wacky, fun, and talented to boot!  I have in
mind one particular on-air Incident, acoustic, details of which can be
found at <http://www.northbound-train.com/cdr/0209.html>, which would be a
great one to spread around to as many people as I feel I can handle.....

Regards,


joe
jcasadonte@northbound-train.com
  

    

This one is dedicated to the memory of Jerry Garcia:




The Minstrel

He came there in the morning
And stood by at the riverside
Where a truth flowed from the hand of Brother John
He closed his eyes and held his breath
And listened for the word
And a new man made the song to carry on

I was born to be the minstrel
To sing in the streets alone
To plant the seeds of the change and then move on
And never see them grown

Son of a fisherman
He sailed the city streets
Catching a life his father never dreamed
Singing like a blindman
And listening with his eyes
His fingers wove the tale of what heUd seen

I was born to be the minstrel
To sing in the streets alone
To plant the seeds of the change and then move on
And never see them grown

He sang for pennies, not for princes
In the alleys of the mad
And what he said wasnUt wrong (wasnUt wrong)
And what he thought wasnUt bad (wasnUt bad)

I looked for him last Saturday
I was downtown with a friend of mine
We checked his favorite spots but he was gone
I closed my eyes and followed him
Back to that river scene
And sang what I remembered of his song

I was born to be the minstrel
To sing in the streets alone
To plant the seeds of the change and then move on
And never see them grown
Never see them grown



by Stephen Donnelly and David Gans
copyright 1997 Whispering Hallelujah (BMI)
All rights reserved
  

    

Nice lyrics, David.
  

    
note just for fun that the acoustic SCI show that Joe refers to above is
what turned me on to the band. i was actually dissapointed the first time i
heard them live when they were so electric.