How many of us play with an American accent?

[Will C]

I think Andrew has nailed it with his analogy with the piano. We all know where the piano came from. But it has outrun its infancy. In its full maturity, it is played in all styles. We all know where the pedal steel has come from. I'd like to think it is on its way to the same sort of "universality" as the piano - it is certainly a hugely flexible instrument.

It seems to me that one can be reasonably competent in country music by learning some basic musical theory (it always helps) and marrying it to competence with a reasonably small number of set musical "figures". One could almost say "clichés", but that would be unkind. Anyway, I think my meaning is clear.

JD is always telling me off for wanting to play stuff that isn't country: Lennon-McCartney songs, old Sinatra ballads, songs from the shows. He's right, in that while I do so, I fail to develop that set of set phrases which are so useful in country music - or at any rate, country music as it was. We all know that country music is on a rollercoaster ride away from its roots in musical and topical terms. But my point is, it's how I learn, it interests me, it's music that I like, so why the hell not?

I think BJ's phrase "playing with an American accent" is a neat way of saying "restricting yourself to one musical genre". I agree with him. Let's stretch our hand out far and wide.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

JD is always telling me off for wanting to play stuff that isn't country:

Will this is not true..... I am all for playing other stuff and have a love of old dance band standards and Jazz, but the tunes you pick are the most complicated and difficult to play .... its like jumping in at the deep end before you have mastered the swimming part........ I guess we all learn differently maybe your way will pay off in the end

[SHAKEY]

The thing is if you live in Wales long enough you will speak with a Welsh accent, go to Texas the same applies. So if you play an American guitar with American strings and an American pickup etc., etc., etc., long enough you are bound to play with an "AMERICAN ACCENT," Wot d'ya rekun.?????

[Jif]

I've tried playing it with a Fife accent once but naebiddy kin unnerstan whit ahm playen.

I played a gig once at a ladies night at a local club, about 100 woman on the loose, the only men there were the band and the comedian. Was a night to remember

The comedian did this sketch that had the band rolling about the floor holding our sides. It was about watching his kids playing with their toys and mixing up an American accent with a Fife accent as they were playing, having watched the American hero type programmes on the TV. He did an impression of them which was just hilarious - Awesome, get oot Spiderman afore the joker nuts you, ye ken. But a lot funnier than that.

Then 3 older woman dressed as cleaners did a surprise strip act...

[mick hearn]

How do we look at this. Is it the licks you play or the genre that makes it playing with an american accent? Did Paul Franklin play with an american accent when he went on tour with Dire Straights? I think not. He used the steel to compliment the songs and did a bloody good job at that. In November I have three gigs and will be taking the steel out - but they are not country gigs. I just want to be behind that steel and play whatever music I am into at that moment. I hope that my rendition of Baker Street shows that.

Yesterday I was with Jesse Quin from Keane talking about steel and hopefully something will come from this in Jesse's own recordings (listen to Keanes music and see if you could not imagine a steel in there somewhere - and in fact some of those lend themselves to being played instrumentally on steel. (Now get November over and may even give it a try.) In the meantime I will taking my lap steel to a jazz open mike night to see what I can ad lib to, get some ideas and see what happens.

Yes I started playing steel like everyone else on country music, but as good as the old country stuff was I for one do not intend to be playing country only to the end of my days - I want to experiment - why? - cos I love playing steel.