A Busker's Tale

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: alanabit
Date: 02 Jul 02 - 04:31 AM

That's a real busker's story DBW! I used to leave Cologne in my old Opel Rekord without the petrol money (let alone ferry ticket) to get to the coast. I would do a couple of evening pitches in Aachen on the way. It was a lovely place to busk back then. Then I would sleep in the car and busk in Rotterdam for a day or two. Street shows rarely took off there, so it was mainly terraces in the afternoon and then the pubs of the Oude Binnenweg in the evenings. You would meet all the Feyenoord fans and they would swap football stories. Then at around midnight, you could get a cheap night ferry back to the UK from Hook of Holland. Sometimes you could even pick up a hitch hiker on then way, and there was enough loot in your pocket to treat them to a bun and a cup of coffee. Kings of the world in those days...

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Genie
Date: 02 Jul 02 - 12:31 AM

Wonderful stories, folks!

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: death by whisky
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 08:59 PM

We set of from Cardiff in our ex-German Police van.Running late because the engine twisted a couple of days earlier.We managed to replace the 1600 ,with a 1300 beetle engine.The hilly parts of the M5,went from 25mph uphill,to about 60 downhill,hoping the momentum would carry us over.We had reduced ferry tickets.The boat we missed was the last one that they applied to.And so ,we stopped at Taunton services,busked for an hour,sold some bracelets.Arrived in France with a tenner........

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 07:29 PM

InOBU -- The city is Madison, Wi.

everyone else -- I'm keen to hear more of these stories, too. Keep 'em comin'!!!

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 01:56 PM

This weekend, my son and I were in the subway, waiting for a train. There was chinese musician with an interesting instrument which looked like a 2 string version of a fiddle. One of the unique things about the instrument was that it was bowed with the strings inside the bow. The sound box looked like a small drum. Although he was clearly practicing rather than performing, it was a pleasure to hear him until our train came along. [Of course we put something in the pushka.]

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: alanabit
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 01:53 PM

I want some more of these stories. Sure it's a hard, unforgiving way of paying the rent - and I have years of that behind me too - but you do get moments of pure magic. Come on Larry, let's have one of yours!

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 05:09 AM

Not busking related, but Noble Savage's story of the little girl reminds me of seeing Alasdair Fraser play a Scottish Festival in Plantation, South Florida.

He was in the middle of playing a driving set of reels when this little black kid about seven years old came out ofthe crowd, up to the front of the stage, and started dancing to the music. He was doing his own Michael Jackson-esque movements, but he did it all SO right. The audience were entranced, and Alasdair kept playing until the boy got tired.

It was a moment of pure magic, a genuine instance of music sans frontieres.

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: InOBU
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 03:11 AM

blsmith!!!
Who needs the bread anyway??? Let's not get carried away! We buskers are workers also, and it is hard to pay the rint with a smile and a song. Storries like this are in fact how we get through the day in a hard and unforgiving industry, but lets not forget, we deserve the bread as well, bread yes and roses.
By the way, what city is busking friendly!? that is an increaingly rare old thing!?
Cheers Larry

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 01 Jul 02 - 02:15 AM

That's wonderful! I love it!

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: NobleSavage
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 07:09 PM

Ah, busking. . . one of the many "oldest" professions. Speaking as a cured and seasoned busker myself, all draw near and listen.

I and three friends once busked in Berkeley, around '82 or so--the street scene there can be really *challenging* to deal with (wry understatement). So, there we are, brave combination of fiddle, piano-accordion and guitar, and we are doin' our best to lay down that old-time old-world groove to keep from getting lost in the madness. Let me tell you, friends, it was a real test of a musician's art--after the hare krishnas(twice), the moving clot 'o' drunks(smelly) and the poor lost soul who, after bidding an abrupt and noisy farewell to his breakfast(trash can, urk) proceeds to follow it with bible verses shouted incoherently in its wake.

So, after all that(sigh), it was indeed the right time for a friendly soothing waltz--so, the fiddle player strikes up tune called "Waltz of the little girls" and we all, gratefully join in. Now, who should (seemingly) appear from out of nowhere but this angelic lass, maybe 6 years old, Cute as, well, like fairytale cute--proceeds to dance, not the usual cute-li'l-girl skipping and hopping about, but seemingly developed steps and moves. I mean, it was Choreography, either she'd had teaching or was just naturally talanted but, let me tell you, it would have been a joy to play for anytime, but after All That. . . We kept going 'till she got tired and stopped. We gave *her* a dollar. It seemed like the right thing to do. It's one of my favorite tunes.

That is my busking story. NS

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 02:43 PM

Hrothgar -- LOL. You didn't need to add the grin.

Robin2 -- No other professsion that I can think of.

IanB -- More power to that guy. Even if he was awful he was still making the neighborhood more colorful and fun to be in.

alanabit -- Well said.

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Hrothgar
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 06:26 AM

Sorry, SLR - should have added :-))

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Hrothgar
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 06:18 AM

How much did you put in his hat?

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: alanabit
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 04:31 AM

That's the real value of what we do Stephen. You get people stopping you in the street and telling you months and years later about how they unexpectedly found you on the street and a show, a song or a gag suddenly turned their evening or day around and made it into a memorable experience. You are obviously putting out something people need. Good luck to you. Alan.

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Cappuccino
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 02:49 AM

Having just written the above, I remember there's a busker I used to see regularly on a Saturday morning in a shopping street in Wiltshire. He was absolutely awful... but he went out and did it, and evidently did it with a good heart, happily and doing his best.

I admired him too.

- Ian B

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Cappuccino
Date: 30 Jun 02 - 02:48 AM

I admire anyone who has the guts to busk. Ask Alanabit in Cologne about it... I'm waiting for him to write his autobiography about it!!!

- Ian B

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Robin2
Date: 29 Jun 02 - 11:43 PM

Stephen,

Thanks for the story....a wonderful thing about being a performer....

How many other professions can so visibly touch someone, while you are trying to pay the rent?

Thanks for the reminder.

Robin

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: Bruce
Date: 29 Jun 02 - 07:08 PM

Stephen ... thanks for the story ... I'm sure that many of us also find it too easy to be "tunnel visioned" about the work/money/making a living rather than the experience of connecting with people through our music ... and when you get right down to it, who wants the "bread" anyway?

Subject: RE: BS: A Busker's Tale
From: katlaughing
Date: 29 Jun 02 - 06:57 PM

Wow! What a wonderful experience! I'll bet you really made his day and look what the two of you passed on through sharing! Thanks!

Subject: A Busker's Tale
From: Stephen L. Rich
Date: 29 Jun 02 - 06:13 PM

Something happened to me today that I had to pass along. I was out busking. I am fortunate enough to live in one of the few cities in America which is genuinely busker friendly. Being a regular street performer can amount to the income of a halfway decent part time job here.

The first half hour or so was less than wonderful. Due to one thing and another I wound up having to move twice (I hate it when buskers bring portable P.A. equipment). I finally found a stable, if unshaded, spot in front of a little hat shop called "The Sacred Feather".

Despite the heavy crowds out on this Saturday afternoon, tips were a bit thin. That happens once in a while. It's almost always impossible to tell why. Some days one does well, some days one doesn't. I was starting to get very frustrated and annoyed when an old man in a wheelchair passed by. He was almost a quarter of a block passed me when I started to sing Josh White's "One Meatball". The old man backed up, turned his chair to face me, and started singing along. His voice was thin and barely audible, but none the less joyful for all that. He knew every word (which was a good thing because I'm just learning it and am still a bit shakey. You know how that goes. You've tried every trick in the book to get something happening and nothing is working , so you use the time as sort of a mutated form of paid rehearsal). He knew the song so well that by the third verse I was following him.

When the song was over he thanked me, and wheeled away with a big grin on his face (which is easier to manage than having a big grin on you elbow). That little event made my day. I still came home today with only about twenty bucks to show for it, but I can't bring myself to get too upset about it.

It's very easy for me to get tunnel visioned on the nuts and bolts of making a living. I am, however, fortunate enough to occasionally encounter something in the universe that will rattle my cage hard enough to remind me what the music is for.

Stephen Lee Rich

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Removed BS from the title 8:56AM, Jul 2 02. It's a (wonderful) music-related thread. --JoeClone