I started playing the box 40(!)years ago. It the time, I knew sweet FA about keys, etc, so I purchased a single row Hohner in C(not a Cajun box, I should hasten to add!)Like many beginners at the time,I found inspiration from Morris On and its various offshoots and eventually taught myself all the tunes.
Around the same time,English sessions didn't exist and my first exposure to spontaneous live music was at various Irish sessions in Manchester.I had by now bought my first DG from Harry Boardman,who was to eventually become a good friend. Harry's first love was naturally songs from his native Lancashire area, but he was also a huge fan of Irish music, which was by now taking over from English music as my chief source of inspiration.
In short, I wanted to try and play Irish stuff on the box, which I didn't know at the time, was almost exclusively played on the BC box.I found it challenging to say the least, but I did eventually learn a few tunes, largely jigs an polkas, although I did manage to play a few hornpipes and reels.At this particular time, a lot of Irish pubs kept a box behind the bar in case anyone fancied joining in a session. One such pub was The Exile Of Erin, just off Oldham Road. Because "The Exile" was near old Smithfield Market, and kept hours through the night to satisfy the thirsty market workers.
Emboldened by the consumption of God knows how much beer, I decided to ask if i could borrow the big Paolo Soprani behind the bar. I played what I considered to be a passable version of "The Scartaglen Polka". Immediately, an English banjo player asked : "What was that,the Scartaglen Morris?" That hurt! I resolved there and then to try and learn to play to play Irish music as it should be played.It wasn't easy, I don't mind telling you and it has taken me up until now to master triplets, grace notes and rolls, etc.The first master of the box i heard was the late Joe Cooley, but I subseqequently listened to Jackie Daly, Mairtin O'Connor, Tony Mc Mahon, Billy Mc Comiskey and other great Irish box players.
Anyone who plays the box will know that Irish players hardly use the bass at all and when they do,use in a way which "imitates" the regulators on the uillean pipes.
I have noticed that in recent years,a number of English players have started using huge Castagnaris, etc, with the bass miked up so it sounds like a cross between a beat box and a bass guitar, meanwhile throwing these monsters around as they they're Pete Townshend-
To finally get back to the point I was trying to make at the beginning. Has the melodeon (or as Sharon Shannon has said in the past "Melodeon or accordian, call it what you want !) been transformed from the ideal morris or country dance instrument into a weapon of push button warfare, capable of ruining a session in the hands of a player who shouldn't be allowed near the thing, yet has enough disposable income to buy a box costing 3 or 4 grand.
Light the blue touch and retire, I think !