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Street Musicians, Buskers?

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Dan Duryea 25 Feb 99 - 06:31 PM
jo77 25 Feb 99 - 07:54 PM
Gearoid 26 Feb 99 - 08:45 AM
GaryD 28 Feb 99 - 07:04 PM
Misha from Chicago 01 Mar 99 - 03:41 PM
Felipa 01 Mar 99 - 05:44 PM
Teresa 01 Mar 99 - 07:43 PM
GaryD 01 Mar 99 - 11:53 PM
Bert 02 Mar 99 - 09:33 AM
AlistairUK 19 Mar 99 - 09:54 AM
Steve Parkes 19 Mar 99 - 10:29 AM
Roger in Baltimore 19 Mar 99 - 03:34 PM
Susan A-R 19 Mar 99 - 10:32 PM
Hank 22 Mar 99 - 09:13 AM
GUEST,Philippa 13 Apr 02 - 04:34 PM
NELLIE 14 Apr 02 - 10:07 AM
Celtic Soul 14 Apr 02 - 10:56 AM
Stephen L. Rich 14 Apr 02 - 05:18 PM
Pied Piper 15 Apr 02 - 06:34 AM
Chip2447 16 Apr 02 - 02:31 AM
Stephen L. Rich 16 Apr 02 - 07:28 AM
Alice 16 Apr 02 - 12:32 PM
GUEST 27 Jun 04 - 11:48 PM
GUEST,Laura Fenimore 11 Mar 05 - 05:25 PM
PoppaGator 11 Mar 05 - 06:26 PM
GlennOrange 14 Mar 07 - 08:18 PM
GUEST,Thomas McGee 06 Nov 08 - 12:37 PM
meself 06 Nov 08 - 07:49 PM
GUEST,Tom Freebusker 22 Dec 08 - 03:22 AM
alanabit 22 Dec 08 - 07:22 AM
GUEST,pablo the wizzard 18 Mar 10 - 12:15 PM
LostHills 19 Mar 10 - 01:41 AM
GUEST,pablo the wizzard(captain of the ship of foo 19 Mar 10 - 01:31 PM
Jack Campin 19 Mar 10 - 02:46 PM
meself 19 Mar 10 - 03:35 PM
katlaughing 19 Mar 10 - 09:39 PM
GUEST,pablo the wizzard (capt. of the ship of fool 20 Mar 10 - 12:41 PM
meself 06 May 10 - 03:43 PM
reggie miles 06 May 10 - 09:00 PM
GUEST,Street Mama Blues 16 Dec 10 - 10:57 AM
GUEST,Street Mama Blues 16 Dec 10 - 11:03 AM
ollaimh 16 Dec 10 - 07:37 PM
meself 17 Dec 10 - 12:53 PM
DHonemanband 21 Dec 10 - 06:28 PM
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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Dan Duryea
Date: 25 Feb 99 - 06:31 PM

I started singing and playing my guitar in the Boston subways in June of 1998 and I1ve been doing it 3 days a week pretty regularly since then. I do mostly fairly standard Trad folk chestnuts plus a few J. Cash, a few Hank Williams, a few Woody Guthrie and a couple of contempory folk gems thrown in, all pretty well known stuff and all songs I picked only because I happen to like them. To my surprise, people like it. Not everyone, of course, but enough to keep me happy. I sing acoustic so I can1t perform anywhere near the length of time some others do. My voice lasts about two hours. In addition, at age 57 I have to watch out for tendonitus in my left shoulder and this limits my guitar playing time. I do get money but no where near some of the figures mentioned in posts above. I got $11 today, a little better than my average but last Tuesday only about $3.50. I1m not doing this for the money but for the practice. Down there you are singing in front of people, even if they1re not looking at you (and mostly they don1t except if they are young children). But they ARE listening. I know because whenever I goof up and play a chord that is badly wrong, 6 or 8 heads will turn around and look at me.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that winter playing was not a problem. The station that I frequent (Davis Square) is a full two stories underground and averages about 40 degrees winter and summer. The guitar gets cold and starts to sound a little tinny after a while on a real cold day.

There are a fair number of people making music in the subways, a few very regular people and a larger number that you see every once in a while. But as far as I can tell this activity is completly unregulated except at the Harvard Square station where the is a 7AM coin toss to see who gets the spot. Everywhere else it1s whoever gets there first. Nobody has ever given me any grief or even questioned me in any way. The worst time I have had was one Friday night when some sad old drunk wanted to sing along, but I ignored him and he went away after a couple of songs. On the positive side, many have come up and thanked me, said they liked my music. A minor annoyance is people who come up to me and want to talk when I am trying to concentate on my music. I1m slowly learning to deal with such distractions but it usually throw me off for a while.

Dan from Boston


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: jo77
Date: 25 Feb 99 - 07:54 PM

Hi all - I like this thread. First thing comes to mind is the fact that most 'public' music is manicured by 'corporate' type agencies and cleaned up - I fear a little too much - I love original and topical folk. So busking is a great source. I recall Seattle and I seen London at it's best. I believe folk may be under/overating what they hear there are xcellent buskers in most Cities if you'll poke around.

Wonder what things make people stop and think in these times - certainly not protest songs. Seems like injustice is now accepted no one even stops to notice. Recently I heard a church person comment on the total no of abortions in thelast 20 years. I leave the reader to calculate the total. Unpleasant? Also notice the general approval of the death penalty in the USA when it is likely that 1 in 7 being murdered by states is innocent. Just poking around here. I teach Guitar (play harmonica a little) Love to Jam favs are 50's 60's the GOOD stuff - can't stand the crap. Love Leadbelly also love Jazz and capable Celtic eg Cooley/ Coleman/ Ennis. My most enjoyable recording I own is by Doc & Merle Watson :)


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Gearoid
Date: 26 Feb 99 - 08:45 AM

There are buskers on Dublin's Grafton street all year round.

Just for your info

(Short and sweet)

Gearoid


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GaryD
Date: 28 Feb 99 - 07:04 PM

Still enjoying my thread.. Like to pose a couple of questions.. 1. Have any of you had experiences where you got the local governmental types to, if not set up busking sites, at least allowed you to perform? and (not that we want to concentrate to much on the negative) but, 2. Have any of you been robbed, assaulted, or otherwise had a scary experiences in busking? What protection/precautions do you suggest?

One final comment for now, I agree with some of you who talk about the preponderance of guitars and some loss of interest.. I don't play on street corners, but at Bluegrass Jams in Central MN I play a guitar, but find that the dulcimers, mandolins, etc do get a lot more interest. I find that it's the songs I sing that get the most satisfaction with my audience.. I am sort of known as Gary of the odd song: ethnic dialect songs (by types like Slim Jim), Yodeling, Foreign Language songs, topical songs like Amelia Earhart.. this is the kind of thing I do to help make up for my lack of instrumental talent.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Misha from Chicago
Date: 01 Mar 99 - 03:41 PM

Hello, I am a busker from Chicago. I am primarily a songwriter, but down in the Subway I play guitar and sing some classic pop, blues and jazz. We have a lot of police harassment as well here in Chicago, on the streets and in the subway. Women seem to get it worse because it's more men than women. But the money can sometimes be great when you don't have any other income. Coming to Chicago? Check out our Busker scene.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Felipa
Date: 01 Mar 99 - 05:44 PM

the Scottish 'busk' can mean 'to dress', a specific way of getting ready, see for example, Fair Janet in the database.The subject came up early in this thread - seems unrelated to 'busking' as in performing on the street. A song that IS about busking, Real Good for Free by Joni Mitchell, isn't in the database yet. That's about hearing a busker - any songs about being a busker (Does Sayer's I'm a One Man Band fit?)


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Teresa
Date: 01 Mar 99 - 07:43 PM

Hi. One time while I was busking in a subway station, someone tapped my shoulder and kindly told me she was keeping an eye on my guitar case, because some scruffy-looking guys were looking at it hard, too. Being totally blind, I didn't notice that in addition to the coins that clanked into my tin, there was a good deal of that quiet money going in, too. I certainly learned to keep checking for it, putting the quiet stuff in a more secure hiding place.--A cautionary tale. ...

Teresa


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GaryD
Date: 01 Mar 99 - 11:53 PM

I would have no problem here in Central MN entertaining like you all suggest, but I'd be pretty nervous in places like Chicago.. not that crime doesn't exist here, but it's a bit rarer...


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Bert
Date: 02 Mar 99 - 09:33 AM

Misha,

It doesn't surprise me that women get more 'police harassment' than men. I'ts the bully thing.

Whoever is the easiest target gets it. A woman first, next a lone honky folk singer, and NEVER those four big black guys driving along with the windows down belting out several hundred watts of rap.

Bert.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: AlistairUK
Date: 19 Mar 99 - 09:54 AM

Normally I give money to buskers that I think are good...or even look to be trying hard...i've done it so I know how it goes.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Steve Parkes
Date: 19 Mar 99 - 10:29 AM

I usually give something (if times get hard I might be on the other end) - depends what's in my pocket; if I stood and listened for a while I'd expect to give accordingly, but I don't always get the chance to hang around.

I saw a guy once in Sutton Coldfield (England) playing a trumpet to backing tapes. He was very good - souded just like General Lafayette (or if you're too old, Eddie Cantor). I stood and watched him a while - from a distance - and began to get suspicious. I don't expect all trumpeters' cheeks to inflate like Dizzy Gillespie's, but I do expect them to look as if they're breathing - this guy's cheeks never even fluttered! I didn't have the nerve to walk up close and make sure if he was miming.

Steve


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 19 Mar 99 - 03:34 PM

Not many buskers in Baltimore. Saw one in Ocean City a few months ago. He played the "blues" real well. If I like the music enough to stop and listen, I toss in some money. How much, depends on how long I stay and and how much I like the music. I've "tipped" a dollar a song sometimes.

Roger in Baltimore


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Susan A-R
Date: 19 Mar 99 - 10:32 PM

My husband and I were visiting friends in Toronto. On our way from the train station to their house, we heard a guy playing classical music on an electric guitar, and he was pretty good. We related the story to our friends, and as we were finishing up the tale, in came the busker. Our buddy Becca's brother. A fair portion of the income in that household comes from Busking. Michael does guitar work, and Becca and Alan do parlour songs (and whatever Alan can get his vocal chords around) w keyboard.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Hank
Date: 22 Mar 99 - 09:13 AM

Steve, cheeks should not move. Those old self taught players with the bugling cheeks ruin their neck muscles. Nothing deadly, but not really a good thing either. You shouldn't be able to tell anything from the cheeks. Maybe from the way the stomach moves. (but even them movement is slow). Get close though and you should be able to tell if he is playing or not by when he breaths in. Wow, I only had trumpet for one year in 5th grade, I'm surprized I remember that much.


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Subject: music on the metro
From: GUEST,Philippa
Date: 13 Apr 02 - 04:34 PM

allowing musicians to play on the metro: see article in Washington Post 12 April 2002


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: NELLIE
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 10:07 AM

Our daughter busks regularly, she plays the celtic harp (clarsach) and recorders. Mind you, this is in quiet, little Devon (England). She gets a lot of additional work from busking, ie. playing at parties etc. Some places you have to have a licence in England and others you are just allowed to play. Good buskers bring life and music to a town, even bad ones are trying!

Jenny


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Celtic Soul
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 10:56 AM

There are good and bad buskers in the Washington DC/Baltimore area. I believe that, at least in some of this area, you have to obtain some form of permission. But, in parts of DC proper, this either may not be true, or they don't enforce it too heavily.

In the areas where it is necessary to get permission (Old Towne Alexandria, VA - Georgetown, DC - Inner Harbour, Baltimore), I have found that the talent is fairly uniform. They're all good, and it's definately pleasant, from my POV, but nothing outrageously alternative or uniquely creative.

In the areas where it doesn't seem as regulated, you get some real stinkers, but the good ones can be *really* interesting, and off the beaten path.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 14 Apr 02 - 05:18 PM

I'm fortunate to live in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. Our buskers cover every possibly type of music. Oh, we get the usual spate of guitarplayers, but we also have sax players, Peruvian Music, Bluegrass, Blues and almost anything else you might want at any given time.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Pied Piper
Date: 15 Apr 02 - 06:34 AM

I've been making my living from busking and bookings for the past 15 years. I play Highland pipes and do ok, the secret is not to return to a place too often. For most places once a month is about right and that means having lots of locations if you want to work regularly. Lots of locations mean travel, and I cover the Manchester, Liverpool and West Yorkshire area by public transport. About 1/3 of my bookings come from contacts made while playing on the streets and I love it. I get very little mither from the police and wearing a plaid seems to keep the idiots at a safe distance. I once calculated that about 50,000 individual contributions were given to me in a year. That's a sizeable audience and I hope most of them gave because they enjoyed the music. All the best PP


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Chip2447
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 02:31 AM

I'm actually considering giving busking a go this summer here in the midwest. My Instrument of choice happens to be one that I dont thing I've ever seen as a busker... I'm gonna give it a whirl with, believe it or not...my ocarinas...
Go ahead now, you may laff if you wish.
Chip2447(a certified ocarina geek)


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 07:28 AM

Chip2447,

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!!

Steve


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Alice
Date: 16 Apr 02 - 12:32 PM

I have been talking to my son about summer jobs, and one idea I had was for him to do busking with his mandolin on Main Street (he's a good player at age 14). I called the local City business office to see if it was legal. They replied that it wasn't legal to play on the street for money, but knowing I was looking for something my 14 year old could do, the legal department brainstormed and suggested that he play at the Saturday morning Farmer's Market! Great idea! Since he is under 18 he doesn't have to get a business license. The market is held in the summer, staring in July, and has crowds of people who gather in a park under a covered pavilion.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST
Date: 27 Jun 04 - 11:48 PM

I've been busking on and off for around 10 years. I was once walloped on the ear by a drunk who demanded I play something different, but other than that no particularly violent episodes.

One of the things I find annoying is BAD buskers. What do people think? Is the street an equitable free market where good buskers will make good money and lousy performers won't? I don't think so. I personally give money only to buskers I think are particularly good, but I wonder what motivates others?

For instance, several times I've recieved money before I've even started to play...does this mean they had spare change that they were going to give to a busker already and I was just the first one they saw? Why do YOU give money to buskers? And what do you give...does it depend on what's in your pocket or whether you feel poor that day or the weather or do you grade the busker and give them 50 cents per point or what?

Interesting thread...keep it going!


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,Laura Fenimore
Date: 11 Mar 05 - 05:25 PM

Whoa! YOu mentioned Tom Scribner, the musical saw player. He was my GRANDFATHER! We are collecting an archive of items for a museum display, and I was hoping those of you who have had personal encounters with him could send me your stories to be includeed in the historical synopsis. We would appreciate anything you send.

laura@lauracooper.com

Thanks.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: PoppaGator
Date: 11 Mar 05 - 06:26 PM

I always look in on all the "Busking" threads, since I once spent a number of years trying to make a living at it, and I still appreciate the efforts of those who keep at it today. Well, most of them, anyway.

I just saw the reappearance of this thread, noted how very long ago it had been started, assumed that I had never seen it before, and started reading.

Lo and behold, there was my own (real) name, heading up MY VERY FIRST MUDCAT POST way back on February 5, 1998! That was long before I signed up as a member, certainly before I adopted my pseudonym. (Before I learned to enhance readability by inserting paragraph breaks, too.)

I don't really have anything to add, not having done any busking during the seven-years-plus since that message. All my streetsinging "war stories" are very old news!


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GlennOrange
Date: 14 Mar 07 - 08:18 PM

I'm a busker in Charleston, South Carolina, USA, and I do very well. I don't have a great voice, but I put a lot of energy into my performance and I REACH people. I've been told I suck before, but I really think I would do as well as I do if that were true.
       myspace.com/glennorange


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,Thomas McGee
Date: 06 Nov 08 - 12:37 PM

Been doing it in Galway for a while now. Mostly blues and rock i play. Average around 15euro an hour which isnt that poor and it improves you a lot. Find that lunch time or at night when drunk people are leaving the pubs the best time


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: meself
Date: 06 Nov 08 - 07:49 PM

One of my biggest thrills as a busker was reading this thread and finding myself (meself) being mentioned in someone's fond recollection: One Bob Landry (a good Maritime name) wrote on Date: 30 Jan 98 - 11:37 AM :

Every year, during the K-Days Exhibition in Edmonton, I work a shift selling Dream Home tickets for my Lions' club. In July/96, after finishing my shift at 11:pm, I walked into to subway station and encountered a Cape Breton-style fiddler accompanied by a banjo player. They had a spare guitar on the ground and I got permission to use it and join them. Cape Breton rhythms are in my blood and pretty soon we had people dancing down the hall on their way to the train. They threw fistfuls of coins into the open guitar case. We played until the last train had left and the security guards had to lock up. What a fun time! I have no idea how much money they made but I sure had fun and I'd do it again at the drop of a pick.


That fiddler was me meself. For a number of summers, I did the K-Days thing (a big urban carnival), often with my banjo-playing friend - and made a substantial amount of money, I must say. And had some good times, such as the one alluded to in Mr Landry's post from ten years ago ...


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,Tom Freebusker
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 03:22 AM

Wow! All these stories about busking! I'm a longtime Canadian busker. As happens from time to time, there are some changes going on the busking environment of the city I'm presently living in (Calgary). Calgary has no busking bylaw, and, as far as I know there hasn't been a busking problem. Now some bureaucrats are claiming to be opening up busking, while actually attempting to place new restrictions on busking (bloody spindoctors). Some buskers like the idea of rules, licensing, auditions, etc. because, I don't know, maybe they want to make more money, they don't like being confused with panhandlers, they need legitimization,...??

I noticed that buskers in Nanaimo are having a horrible time with their petty busking bureaucracy, and the tendency across the country is towards this sort of 'gentrification' of busking (city officials dream that their streets will be filled with tidy string quartets), and the replacement of busking with buskers festivals.

We're trying to organize/empower buskers with a facebook group with threads about busking in different cities, stories of victories over silly municipal busking regulation excesses, legal resources, exchanges about the wonder of free-spirited busking, etc.

It'd be just great if some of you buskers could join, share some of your experiences (especially effective protests, court victories, etc.) We have to stand up for freedom of expression in public space, not just for the sake of busking, but as it contributes to the possibility of a more real democracy and an open society!

Thanks,
Tom :)

Here's the link:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=50845400931


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: alanabit
Date: 22 Dec 08 - 07:22 AM

Another go at that link.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,pablo the wizzard
Date: 18 Mar 10 - 12:15 PM

if home is where the heart is then my home is in the street,i was given my first washtub bass in santa cruz ca.by what was destined to become the band of buzzards with robert amblade as the swaggering pyjama clad cowboy dowg, guitar patronne,and the fumblingly endearing nerotic picsean fiddle:guitar and songwriter scare crow, performed by micheal lewis and the fabulous inventive master gadjet master reggie miles (and still damp) the music that was formed at this time was of the value to mankind so great as to never be equaled anywhere any time. one song in particular given to the group was a poem penned by elan armstrong of santa cruz, was named Reprogress and hit the nail on the head with its cry in the widernes world view of the future,the buzzard experiance was wild camping in full view of half moon bay, the buzzards honned their act as if sharpening their talons and lay waste to santa cruz hitch hiking ensemble mind you full orchestration on I 5 and I 10 to hoplessly stuck, on i ten east bound when (i never pick up hikers but you guys)silverbear and his world famous bus patches stopped and we blew into quartzite arizona with the future in our stomachs and not much else,you want more? of course you do and maybe you dont but you'll have to wait cause (I got somthing to do)


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: LostHills
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 01:41 AM

According to Ramblin' Jack Elliott in the movie, Ramblin' Jack, "Busking comes from the Spanish word Buscar, which means "to seek..." I've busked in a number of places, from time to time, over the years. It's one of my favorite things to do. I've made a few bucks at it, beer money is all, but I'm just a folksinger and songwriter. Somebody always tells me that I need amplification. Seems like it would take some of the fun out of it, but the folks who are making money at it all seem to be amplified...


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,pablo the wizzard(captain of the ship of foo
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 01:31 PM

kat dumped us out on 101 south of santa cruz this was scare crow reggie and myselves,hitchhiking with our musicical tools and ultimatly ridiculous regards,giddy with the fear of our real situation, thumbing ensemble to new orleans,that is a long haul, any way you look at it I ten is no piece of cake reality hit with sunrise finding us 299 miles n. of l.a.that was a windy hawkish day and our rythym man was begining to wither, the black throat of the road made short work of our stamina but fate found us east of lalalala land sane? and safe, the mutterings of desent tumbled around my ears from the lewis half of the lewis and the miles Music circus my job became to fortifie my cohorts and keep reggie from tears, three oclock found activly discussed plans of abbandonment by the two of the principal actors in this little field trip, one was going to make an important phonecall to the leader of the jesuits for aid, the other was off to the nearest truckstop to play his fiddle for a steaming cuppa joe, me i just hung out one of my thumbs witch was two feet long from years of hitching down the highway and as the winds of I ten have done for me in the hardest of times i flagged down a ride,on the wildest lookin hippie bus ever seen driven by the sun the wind the moon and the stars themselves in the form of a human, destination the Quartzite gem and mineral show soon to be the lewis and the miles music circus'savior and prooving ground 50,000 people just milling around with out even a balloon clown, haw , you talk about gwyn on up t'hebn?ten days later found our heros fat and sassy pockets bursting with sou, driving , you got it buddy a BRAND NEW CAR pointed east to new orleans, that was 1980 jan,


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: Jack Campin
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 02:46 PM

Good God, Pablo, just dump the instruments and busk as a poet. That's incredible writing.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: meself
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 03:35 PM

Not sure of the wisdom of busking as a poet vs musician - but otherwise agree completely. Although - and I don't mean to cramp your style - but the odd period or paragraph break or skipped line or something would get you more readers from one end of your post to the other on a forum like this - but if that's going to slow you down, don't bother; you can do the editing in your old age ....


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: katlaughing
Date: 19 Mar 10 - 09:39 PM

I agree with Jack...some awesome poetry there! Thanks for posting it. More, please?


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,pablo the wizzard (capt. of the ship of fool
Date: 20 Mar 10 - 12:41 PM

.there, i hope that punctuation satisfies your beast,yea, the one beating in your breast. to fully comprehend this phenomenone that was known as the MUSIC CIRCUS. i'm led to believe it was created in seattle washington round about the time cosmic cowboy dog and crow began playing with reggie miles there have been suggestions by kirston A.that herself along with others, using a variety of props and circusy jym-cracks formed a cute little group made of,(let me choose these word lightly,) music and bubbles and clown costumes, and adding, what i learned about it, its goal was nothing short of saving the world, not bad work if you can get it. i met cosmic cowboy dog in santa cruz where i had gone to devote my life to be comeing a wandering sage minstral, busker to you'ins, i thought it was a good idea to get some authentic california input into my rep.having my first attempt at busking (in front of a bakery in albany ny, on rte. two, direction hoosuc falls, where i got free donuts, some money, a girlfriend and some beer,) for playing, hey mister thats me up on the juke box., 14 times,on a mandolin no less,the sky clouded over, and the crowd on pacific garden mall hunkered off,then like some pyjama clad gunslinger appeared c-dog. i had heard of these type's of North West theme hippies before with their zithers and raybans, this giant of countless arrays of songs in every corner of his brain , i was irradiated,ameiliorised, flabbered and gasted too!here before me was a living legend of my own cloth he spoke, to me , i handed my guitar to him a takamine twelve string solid mohagahny arched back,(added) shaller tuning machines, he sniffed, i deficated,my stalwart washboard player burstout laughing and so it was, c dog was no camper but as time unfolded there in jan luby land and tom noddy land and that decrepid saw player land ,i began to learn songs from( this cat seems to be cool) c.dog and the tale of the mighty crow began to caw-caws my imagination to over work? c dogs rep was brilliant the buskers song is priceles,hiroshima naw-gah-socki russion roulette, the old wino song, wow, bound for ketchacan, brilliant and these crow mystical crow songs the list was expansive and c dog never seemed to tire,oh yeah tires the brand new car i spoke of was in fact a 13 year old push button belvediere station wagon navaho blue,if you don't say


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: meself
Date: 06 May 10 - 03:43 PM

Somehow I missed the last until now - how 'bout the next instalment?


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: reggie miles
Date: 06 May 10 - 09:00 PM

Hokey smokes Pablo! Everybody's been wonderin' what happened to you. Get in touch! I'm at -

reggiemiles at gmail dot com

I'm certain Artis and Crow would like to know you're around and still able to communicate.

meself, you may not hear back from Pablo in the next 30 years. It's been about that long since last we met and played together in The Music Circus, aka The Buzzards, aka The Street Buzzards, aka, and the final rendition, The Space Buzzards. I'm surprised that he'd surface after wandering so long away and apart.

One of Pablo's band mates, after he parted from our company and started his own trio, lives nearby and I bump into him at various events. He's not even heard this much in as many years. It'll be interesting to share this with the remnants of that flock.

We've all gone our separate ways from those long ago days of sleepin' in the bushes on the sides of the road, on top of the exhaust vents of city skyscrapers or sneaking onto overgrown hillsides to establish our own little hobo paradise. We stepped up to the plate to play together on as many streets as there were to play and even had some fun in places where only the crickets could hear us.

I posted one of my early recollections here a long time ago when I first visited this place and have penned a few more of the adventures but nothing written down or told as tales could really hold a candle to the life we led. It was right out of some smoky fantasy, like a hazy dream only dreamed of by the many who settle back and enjoy carefully planned lives. We took the big dare and stepped out on the road with our thumbs pointed skyward and everything we needed in a backpack or an instrument case. We tracked the snowbirds south to their lairs in the deep desert and made our way on to the voodoo queens to the Deep South to spare change the French Quarter and Mardi Gras. It was a helluva thrill ride.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,Street Mama Blues
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 10:57 AM

The Wizard still reigns?


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: GUEST,Street Mama Blues
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 11:03 AM

wholelottablues@sbcglobal.net


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: ollaimh
Date: 16 Dec 10 - 07:37 PM

i've busker on and off for almost forty years now. i did vancouver toronto , the west coast of the usa, britian france ireland and east europe back under the communist regime.

it can be fun, you get away from "the man" as a boss and do what you want, especially of you have an act that draws well. there are problems, boy i could write a book. there are local buskers who think they own the street, there are bullying cops and shop owners, there are bureaucrats who set up rules that suck the life out of the profession==as in the toronto subway syatem right now, and robberies. i once had a guy rob my hat and i called him a &*&^ theif and he came back with a gun--in toronto. unfortunately you just have to take it as the odds are if you call the police they will find a way to blame the busker. had a guy break a finger in a robery attempt and even had a guy punch my mandolin so the top split.

however, over all if you are free spirit with few pretensions its great fun and at times allows you to travel a lot. you meet lots of people every new town. in eastern europe in the seventies i would make nothing but met wvery musician in town and got free places to stay and lots of parties. and often they would do black market deas using you to buy stuff they couldn't and you get a bit of cash to keep body and soul together, and were those czech and polish girls beautiful.

i did it in the seventies in london as well. they money could be bad but i lived first in a squat house with a cast of characters from finnish dope dealers to a cuban political activist(untill it burned down) then on a river boat near battersea bridge. last year i went down there and the boats were still there but very up market!!! we paid forteen pounds a month split three ways for moorage when i was there, in a place so small you had to curl up sleeping, but we were free. i still wonder why the cops never visited us. they had to have seen the parties, but i guess as we had no complaints they had bigger fish to fry.

on the west coast i lived in a van and travelled for three or four years, in two streches. i loved it. there were people al over the place who would put you up for a few days then move on, and always happy to see you come by again, i always figured tree days was the limit, how will they miss you if you don't go away?

vancouver had some great years in the ninties(i'm the harpist who used to play there back then) and also toronto up tp about four years ago.

in vancouver i traded in my van for the last cheap apartment on commercial drive and easily made enough mobey to live modestly but comfortably in about two weeks a month, then read meditated , and hit the coffee joints for a wekk or two then back to work. the money slowed down in the laster ninties but early on it was easy street.

the ultimate thing a long term busker has to keep to is what dylan said"to live out side the law you must be honest". you can't play games or mistreat others . buskers have to social status nor protection, your good will has to be you protection. there are always people who are jealous or angry at your freedom you have to smile and move on. of you let those things stick to you they will ruin your busking.

the buskers with attitude don't last or go crazy.

so i loved it , and i have three university degrees, i hated the suits i had to work with before. the most narrow minded and bigoted people i ever met. its no wonder the world is going to hell in a hand cart, but its not buskers who are pushing the hand cart,

finally, busker festivals--ugh, ugh, ugh. they aRE A NEW SCAM TO HAVE A FESTIVAL AND NOT PAY THE MUSICIANS. THERE ARE NO BUSKERS AT BUSKER FESTIVALS, JUST PEOPLE WHO DO BUSKER FESTIVALS. THEORGANIZERS GET PAID AND ALL THE MERCHANTS AND SECURITY, BUT NOT THE MUSICIANS. DON'T SUPPORT THIS NEW BOURGEOIS SCAM TO HAVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY BUT NOT PAY THE ARTISTS, THE BOURGEOUSE COME UP WITH NEW WAYS TO NOT PAY THE ARTISTS EVERY GENERATION , THIS IS JUST THE LASTEST


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: meself
Date: 17 Dec 10 - 12:53 PM

Let's hope it is the "LASTEST"! I'm with you, man; you've got'er nailed.


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Subject: RE: Street Musicians, Buskers?
From: DHonemanband
Date: 21 Dec 10 - 06:28 PM

Lots of great and interesting thoughts/ideas/discussion in this thread! Also a very long running thread.

Might as well throw in my own bit here...
I've been a busker since 1977 in Victoria BC. I make my living almost exclusively from it. Victoria is a tourist town so there are always new people arriving; good turnover helps buskers. Over the years there have been many changes in rules and licensing but it remains a basically busker friendly environment. I've done the full group thing (up to nine piece) but mostly I like being a one man band, which is a popular busking format. I've had a hand at folk/rock (Neil/Dylan etc), Celtic (I play fiddle & mandolin too), country, bluegrass, rock, swing but mostly use blues as my basic style now. I've found that all styles attract some portion of the populace but for me blues gets me going the most, which translates into an audience and remuneration. I mix in other genres as I feel and take a few requests (having a large repertoire can be a big plus). I love what I do and I think people pick up on that.

We are about to experience Victoria's second crack at a Busker Festival this coming summer. It was tried in the 90's and failed (bad weather, overinflated budget). I have to agree somewhat about the issues of playing for free at a Festival. I play the odd Folk Festival and am always well paid. Why should a Busker Festival be so different? The organizers promote the idea that thousands will flood the city to support the buskers. This is obviously not quite the case. The local buskers here aren't being invited; we are expected to be in support but aren't included. Having said that, I wouldn't want to be a part of something for free anyway. I only hope it won't negatively impact on my livelihood (of course it is being put on during peak season). We'll see I guess...

Well, no real big illuminating thoughts there, just wanted to post in this great thread!


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