South London Steelies - 18 May 2014

[Nick Bidmade]

There's a flurry of posts for forthcoming meetings, so I thought I'd add a little more 'traffic' and remind 'The Bartenders' that the next meeting of the group will be on Sunday, 18 May, 12 noon - 6.00pm, at the Bread and Roses pub, Clapham Manor Street, SW4.
No specific 'homework' but there's more work needed on the melody line for 'Together Again' so we can play fills and turnarounds as though accompanying a vocalist (I note this is a theme at DH's jamboree, preceding Sunday). Furthermore, there's some outstanding 'Beatles' solos to be worked on!
Apologies received from Matt (in Bangkok) and David A (in USA on honeymoon!) Any others unable to attend, please drop me an e-mail or PM or post a message.
New members always welcome. Get in touch!

[jonshack]

Looking forward to it as always Nick! I expect there will be lots we can go over from David's meeting too - are you sure there's no way you can make it?

I've started on my Beatles tune which I naively thought might lay out quite nicely on E9 - so far I haven't got it to work but I'm not giving up.

[Nick Bidmade]

Hi Jon - no, can't make DH's bash, though I'd very much like to. The programme sounds fantastic but the journey and time away from home just a bit too much. Also may be without guitar for David's do - I'm taking it to a Sho-Bud expert recommended by Ken Byng. It needs a little tlc, a set-up and I'm hoping he can fit a 2nd string half-stop and also put back a VKL I took off coz I could never get it to stay in tune... seems as though the set screw that stops the lever at the end of it's 'throw' was too soft and was slowly bending, hence the constant tuning problem! I'm taking it next week, but don't know how long he'll need it. As long as I'm up and running for our session on 18th!
All the best

[jonshack]

You're more than welcome to play my MSA if you don't get the Sho-Bud back in time, or whenever you like of course.

[Nick Bidmade]

Thanks John!

[Shaun]

Looking forward to it Nick, got a Full Steelie month this month.
Davids meet Next Week, Bartenders the Following week and Bristol the week after.
Heaven..,. I don't want to wake up

[jonshack]

Another excellent meeting everyone, here are some pics:

[jonshack]

[Nick Bidmade]

Excellent pictures Jon. Well, I hope everyone had a good 'do' - I certainly did.
It was great to get my steel singing again after a service and set-up from Ron Mawn - it sounded good to me! Isn't it interesting that playing with others somehow 'inhibits' - I can certainly play these tunes much better at home! Ho hum.
We had 6 steels in attendance, so plenty of turns in the round robins. We covered 'Together Again', 'Green, Green grass of Home', 'Crazy Arms' and Your Cheatin' Heart' as memory serves - I might have missed something out. We also had a look at some Ben Keith licks that Jon had tabbed out. We are hoping that we can develop the sharing of licks as part of our learning. I think there's a definite improvement in people's playing, and some, to my ears at least, have made marked progress since we first met last October. Well done everyone.
John from Orpington also attended - he's a lap steel player, but he came sans guitar. Hoping he'll make it plus guitar at our next meeting, Sunday, 20 JULY.
No meeting in June.
What I didn't mention was Jon's previewing of a song (one of a number) he has recorded and is gigging in Leicester next month. Best of luck Jon.
Happy steelin'!

[Barry]

Well done as normal Jon for taking the pics and thanks all for another enjoyable Sunday.
Barry.