Sleep Walk - what a lash up

[Jif]

Well the only thing I know about Sleep Walk is that I do it every morning about 3am from the bedroom to the bathroom for a pee

Ain't that the truth

[Basil Henriques]

Just need to clarify one thing. Ann Farina is given a publishing credit as a third of the composer of Sleep Walk. It has been widely published (including in the relevant pages from the March 2007 issue of aloha Dream, and Wikipedia) that Ann was Santo and Johnny's sister. Not correct. In fact they have no sister, and Ann is actually Santo's wife. That fact actually rankles with Johnny. Obviously he only gets a third cut of royalties instead of a straight cut with his brother. I think that having his wife listed as a co-writer was a very shrewd move by Santo.

I never knew that, did you get that info from Jody Carter ?
As for the royalties scenario, I personally don't believe that Johnny had anything to do with writing Sleep Walk: His level of musicianship even now is just not high enough. Santo taught Johnny to play, and Santo was gigging before he formed a group with Johnny. My opinion would be (given your new info Ken) that Santo also included his brother in the credits; as a courtesy.
It's also suggested that the tune/song was developed over a period of time playing it at gigs. That would make the "night-time inspiration" story somewhat Hans Christian Anderson' ish !
BTW The credits EVEN include Don Wolf (the producer) as a co-writer on some published sheets.

[Ken Byng]

I got the info on the internet a while back Basil. Johnny Farina was being interviewed by a newspaper, and was asked about his sister Ann's involvement in the composing of Sleep Walk. Johnny got very ratty with the question, and said that he and Santo had no sister, and that in fact Ann was Santo's wife. (See http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/j ... sleep-walk ). He also said in interview (below)



that Sleep Walk had saved him from ever having to work in his life. He takes full credit for composing the number with his brother.

It's nice to know that he had time to spend all of his adult life practising the steel guitar. ( )

Most of the credits I have ever seen on record covers go Farina Farina Farina Wolf. That must be the registered composer. Don Wolf was a lucky and shrewd guy.

[Basil Henriques]

My wife just sent me a link to this:-

[Danny Mitchell]

Hi Basil
Any chance you could send it back?

[Pat Henrick]

NO..please don't send it back. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse than those horrendous bar slants on a pedal steel, along came this. I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

By the way Ken I think this beats your original posting of the worst version of Sleep Walk.

[Gretschnut]

Weird! Must be smoking something.

[Ken Byng]

Susan's playing is an acquired taste. She has pretty decent right hand technique, pick blocking to the fore. It's her choice of notes that is not to everyone's taste but she is not alone there. I know quite a few players who don't appreciate B J Cole's playing for the same reason. However, I do. Susan is trying to carve out her own direction to take the steel guitar, and sometimes she succeeds and sometimes it doesn't come off. This clip is the latter. She scores the highest points for originality in making her version virtually unrecognisable as Sleep Walk, but she doesn't hype herself to the same degree as Johnny F. I can accept her slightly eccentric style of musicality, because she is not trying to be something that she isn't. Johnny Farina is.

[Danny Mitchell]

Definitely an acquired taste, and as valid as any other. This article helped me understand the more leftfield/outsider approach.


viewtopic.php?f=25&t=7221/

Apologies for going off piste.

[Jif]

Sometimes I can listen to Susans music and enjoy it, usually about 10 mins is my limit though. It's very hit or miss, I listened to a piece she did with a sax player and I think a bass player recently, it worked for me. (for 10mins then I had to give my ears a rest )