Average age of steel players

[Arcada]

im 52, and probably one of the youngest on here, that says it all,

Hey, I'm only 38! Unfortunately, my music skills only stretch to playing the kazoo, badly

[Dave Nutt]

im 52, and probably one of the youngest on here, that says it all,

Hey, I'm only 38! Unfortunately, my music skills only stretch to playing the kazoo, badly

Hey now Arcada! with your kazoo playing and my steel work we should start a group, we could call ourselves 'The Symbolics'
Ill be sym, you can be ******** Ha well, anything to lighten up the day

Sorry Billy, gone off topic again, cant help myself.

[Zumbilly(Murdoch)]

Dave,
As a chromatic Kazoo player Myself I understand You completely.
Actually the tone from a paper and comb was never replicated after they took Izal toilet paper off the market,It was like playing thru a Tube amp,no bum notes
Back to topic,Like the others I am very pleased to see a Young un posting.Welcome to the Forum Dazbot,I hope You will post regularly.Feel free to ask questions on anything about steel and You will get some good advice from a lot of good old pharts.
Anyway guys A man is only as old as the woman He feels
Billy

[Steve Broatch]

Hey all,

I'm 34. I always liked the sound of steel but couldn't really afford one until I took the plunge at 30. Other things took priority unfortunately like buyng a house, a car etc. I've never really been into traditional country in a big way. It was before my time I suppose and although I can appreciate it - I own a few oldies albums by the likes of Buck Owens, George Jones etc - it's not really what I'd choose to listen to. Most of the older material I do really like is the late 60s, early 70s hippy influenced stuff like New Riders Of The Purple Sage, Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Neil Young.

I like a lot of what is termed as Alt Country. Whatever that means. No-one seems to have a clear definition. Anything that's not Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus etc?

Things like The Sadies, Wilco, The Jayhawks, Hot Club Of Cowtown, The Legendary Shackshakers, Jesse Dayton, Old Crow Medicine Show, Drive By Truckers, Felice Brothers, Son Volt, Uncle Tupelo, Steve Earle, oh and Girls Aloud All sorts.

Al lot of that stuff has little steel in it but it's fun to play along to.

[dazbot]

Hey guys, thank you for the warm welcome. I lurked a little on the old site, while I was considering buying a steel and now that I have really got into it I wanted to make an appearance, this thread seemed ideal.

Dave,
Your right about not being able to try one out, I live in London and even the mighty Denmark street shys away from the pedal steel. Only one shop I visited had a secondhand steel in stock.

Don't worry about the names I mentioned I only came across them through tedious links really, no one is out of touch! Tonbruket are a new band and I'm guessing most people will only know them if they are into contemporary Jazz. The bass player was in a band that led that field. This band however is far from jazz, its a very new direction for me; a mix of instrumental rock with atmospheric, ambient music. Johan Lindström is the steel player. Ben Kweller is a young American singer songwriter type more popular in the states I think. He writes music for girls mostly , however this new album is a departure from that and is heavily country influenced. This record was very accessible as it sounds new and glossy but still holds a lot of the old country values. Kitt Kitterman is the steel player on the record.

I have an eighties MCI D10 in black, 8 pedals, 4 levers. Maybe someone could give me some more info on it, like dates etc. MCI seems quite hard to research. What info would you need? I am really pleased with it, and really enjoy playing it. I am playing in a band as a guitarist and I hope to bring the steel to that group when I progress a little. I live in a house full of musicians, so I play with those guys a lot, just for fun.

As for where I see the instrument going... I think it needs to make an appearance outside of its comfort zone; at least a noticeable one anyway, its tether to one genre of music is not healthy. I love the fact that the steel is such a new instrument; and I think for me personally it holds a lot of potential to create new and exciting sounds that go beyond that of a guitar with nobs on. I think the limits of this instrument are far beyond what I have heard so far... I want to hear it unrecognisable as a steel. Don't get me wrong its the sound on the old records that got me hooked but its the potential that interests me more, I think we need people to take some more chances with it, make some mistakes then when people start copying those mistakes slightly differently something entirely new could me made. I saw this a while ago, its a bit messy and noisy but there are parts that I think work; this is sort of what I mean. Its quite inaccessible, musically, think of it as an experiment!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plk8H9f69Rs

[Ken Byng]

Dazbot, MCI guitars are considered by many to be among the top eschelon of steel guitars for their tonal qualities.

For the wider topic in general, I think that in 20 years time, steel guitar in the UK will have very few, if any, exponents. Most of us dinosaurs will either be 6 feet under or in an old folks home by then. A rather pessimistic view but I don't see any other scenario unfortunately.

[Shaun]

Great thread this, I'm coming up on 53, I only bought my first steel two years ago. I bought a lap steel first to see if I could do it. After a few weeks of struggling I convinced myself I could do it , dived in and bought a Pedal Steel (magnum SD10). I'd always loved the sound of the Steel and years ago, in my early twenties, I thought about buying one but the cost definetly put me off. Now I really wish I had got one all those years ago, maybe I'd be a decent player by now. But you cant turn back the pages, I'm just really enjoying learning now. I always like to to see the steel used in other genres (from Country), Rupert Randolf is an amazing player, admittidly I dont particularly like a lot of what he does, but can't help but admire his skill. Its that kind of player that might inspire younger players to take up this wonderfull instrument of ours.

[ZBSD-10]

I remember talking to someone(Can't remember who, must be old age !) a few years back before we came here about
the same thing, who is going to ,in Ken's words, replace us dinosaurs when we're gone ?
I don't know how the music scene is going back in the UK so I can't comment on that but perhaps it's easier for a
youngster to bash out a bloody loud noise on a six string than to actually think about using your fingers,feet and knees
to get the tremendous sound you get from a pedal steel guitar !
I'd hate to think all our steels will end up under a bed or in a loft or garage to deteriorate ito nothing when we're long gone !
Well, now having pissed myself off thinking about the future of the steel guitar, me and Lin are going out for a well deserved beer or six !
All the best from 64 year old Frank (ZBSD-10). Corfu

[STEDDIE EDDIE]

I Expected to get slated or at least disagreement to my depressing views on the future of psg, but most guys here who have commented seem to agree with me, then Frank touched on the subject of the current uk music scene, and its not straying off topic, cos all these things are relevant, ie music scene=exposure=new players etc, well i have my own thoughts, the country music scene was always a lot stronger in the south of England, than it was in the North of England, thats pretty much indesputable, consequently there are a lot more steel players darn south than oop north, all down to exposure of the instrument, my musical education was around Manchester, im not saying there were no CMC's but they were very thin on the ground, but we had a very strong irish pub and club scene, playing a playing a mix of irish ballads and country music, and that was my personal musical outlet, the best paid and most numerous gigs, but all over the Country, there were loads of gigs, but nowadays, them gigs have pretty much dissapeared, so no exposure of PSG, mostly what you get is a guitar vocalist with his backing tracks, no gig for the steelie there! so no new young steelies coming through, 5 years ago, i decided to up sticks and move to Ireland, gigging played a big part in my move, where thankfully, country music still thrives, admittedly on a smaller scale, due to recession etc, but im still gigging regulary, usually two nights a week, [semi pro by choice] much more exposure of PSG, and consequently more younger steel players, good to see dazbot posting, and trying new direction for the instrument, i wish you well,

[Dave Nutt]

Dazbot,
Denmark Street? not sure if you know but back in the mists of time late 70s, Denmark Street hosted a shop-
Sho Bud Steel Guitars, jointly owned by John Edmed and Ron Maughn, nothing in the shop but pedal steels,dobros and steel amps (plus the odd 'quality' telecaster (I still have mine, a very nice 1974 bound edge, red one)
You could also cross the road to Chandlers and at times, find half a dozen steels in the showroom. Rod Argent shop would also 'knock a few out'
Down in Maidstone we had Eric Snowball (ESE-still trading today but sadly no steels for sale) throughout the 70s/80s Eric would have a room full of pedal steels and accesories, indeed! BSS members Ken and Frank worked as agents for ZB steels, together with (the sadly now departed) Gordon Huntley. Steel guitars where being imported and sold at an amazing rate,student models would soon be swopped for pro models, resulting in lots of reasonably priced steels scattered around the country. Playing opportunities for reasonably accomplished players where everywhere, every town had its fair share of clubs/venues featuring live country bands/artists.
Your house full of musicians? that must be great , Im down in the music capital of the world- Llandovery South Wales
How I wish I could find even one musician to have a blast with (our Frank left Wales to live in Corfu )
Seriously tho, folks can say what they like about Tab? learning methods etc but there aint no better way to learn to play, than to play, as helpfull as they are, you will never get 'feel' from a book or instructional vid.

Dazbot, keep at it, If pedal steel gives you half the pleasure it has me, youll be a happy guy.
Ill be watching out for more info over the coming years.
Dave.