SSGW TUESDAY 22ND OCTOBER 1ANNIVERSARY

[Donny Johnston]

WELL WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT 1 YEAR ON.
LET'S HEAR FROM YOU, WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE LAST YEAR? WHAT CAN WE DO TO MOTIVATE OURSELVES AND KEEP THE EVENING INTERESTING ? BUT MOST OF ALL KEEP ENJOYING IT.
TUNES FOR THIS ONE ARE:
DON'T YOU EVER GET TIRED OF HURTING ME, IN D
LOOK AT US, IN D
BOB IS GOING TO DO A GROUP PHOTOGRAPH, AND, UNCLE ROY HAS ASKED ME TO DO A SMALL ARTICLE FOR THE NEXT MAGAZINE, SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO THE THE ARTICLE PLEASE EMAIL TO ME AT [email protected] OR TALK TO ME ON THE NIGHT. THANKS GUYS FOR A WONDERFUL STEEL YEAR. BEST WISHES TO WILLIE GAMBLE WHO'S ABOUT TO LOSE HIS IRISH VIRGINITY.

[Willie Gamble]

AND THE CONTENTS OF HIS BOWELS

DONNY WHAT A GREAT STEEL YEAR IT HAS BEEN, SOME OF THE NEW GUYS ARE COMING ON A TREAT

IT WAS GOOD TO SEE TED THERE IN MAY, MAYBE HE WILL COME BACK TO SEE US AGAIN

HERE'S TO THE NEXT ONE

ASLEEP AT THE STEEL

[Jim G.]

Hi Donny ~ and all you other guys as well.
Sorry I couldn't make it on Tuesday past but I just got back from France last night.

My thoughts on the last year ???

Well, first ~ the things I don't want to be thinking about . . . and that's all of the bum notes I played along with all of the right ones I didn't !

I think my main positive thought is that the monthly meetings probably prevented me from cramming Fessy in it's case and stuffing it in a cupboard somewhere. It's a bit of a steel wilderness over here in this part of the country, and the lack of having any other steel player nearby definitely leads to a lack of interest in "keeping at it". (At least in my case)

You asked --- "WHAT CAN WE DO TO MOTIVATE OURSELVES AND KEEP THE EVENING INTERESTING ?" Well, what got me into this steel guitar thing originally wasn't listening to songs played as instrumentals on the steel but all those beautiful, haunting sounds made as back-up on so many Country recordings back in the 70s.
So . . . just a suggestion, but how about a 30 minute (or whatever) session when a particular song could be chosen and some of you 'proper steel players' could show the rest of us some of the 'secret moves' you use for fills, turnarounds etc. ???
We've got some pretty good singers at our Gartcosh evenings, so we could even just use some of the BIAB backing tracks with someone singing the words for this exercise ???

I know that we should all probably be able to figure them all out for ourselves, but the fact is (at least speaking for myself here) a lot of steel back-up that we (me?) hear just isn't easily "findable".

[Donny Johnston]

GREAT IDEA JIM, THAT ONE IS A DEFINITE. YOU ARE OF COURSE CORRECT, MOST STEEL PLAYERS ARE BACKING MUSICIANS, AND THAT IS A SKILL IN ITSELF. GREAT IDEA.

[Malcolm]

I don't think we are giving the newbies a long enough time at the numbers.I think two a month is too much for them, I recon we should concentrate on one number and give them a chance over a couple of meetings for them to perfect it.Two is ok for the experienced players , but get the feeling that it is off puting for the newbies .Think Jim is right, some vocals and back up steel is a first class idea, I personally prefer listening to back up steel rather than instrumentals forever well played they are, just my humble opinion.

[Donny Johnston]

ANOTHER VERY VALID POINT, THIS IS GREAT, IT COULD BE INCLUDED IN THE TEACHING SESSION. HOW'S THE BACK MALCOLM, WE NEED YOUR UGLY MUG FOR THE GROUP PHOTO NEXT MONTH.

[Malcolm]

Do we get Equity rates? Do we get extra for speaking parts "Onions" said Donny!!

[Donny Johnston]

DON'T FORGET: " HAVE YOU SEEN THE BOY?"

[Donny Johnston]

IF ANYONE HAS NOT RECEIVED THE TUNES FOR OCTOBER MEETING CAN YOU LET ME KNOW, SENT ON 30TH, DONNY.

[Donny Johnston]

I HAVE RECEIVED ANOTHER FAILURE NOTICE FOR THE TUNES, IF ANYONE DOESN'T HAVE THEM CAN YOU PLEASE LET ME KNOW.