Seed still higher'n a kite

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 12 Dec 99 - 12:18 AM

G'day again Seed,

I have heard the song, but at a large festival where I could not pursue it. I know the historical background from other sources. The song must be modern and I would really like to find it. I will keep a closer watch!

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Banjer
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 10:46 PM

Way to go Seed!! Sounds great, I hope one day to be able to post similar results for my experiences...But...That's a long way down the line yet!

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 10:03 PM

Bob, good to see you up and posting. It's been a while since I've seen your cookie. I think the name of the song was "Hobart Town"; it tells of the hardships of the trek from the settlement to Hobart Town; each verse ends with one member of the group being consumed. Do you know the song? I wish I had caught the last name of the singer, Charlie, but he might be there again next week. Really a terrific singer doing a great song.

--seed

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 09:42 PM

G'day BSeed,

I just stumbled into this thread to see what had you higher'n a kite. Sounds like a wonderful session.

BTW: Your Aussie singer would have been singing about "Pierce the Cannibal" a compulsive escapee from the convict prison at Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of Tasmania. Although it is wonderful country to us today, it was a bleak gale-wracked hell-hole to convicts sent there on second or third offence ... resentenced for not knuckling down under the regime.

They worked in remote camps, felling the precious Huon Pine, perhaps the best boat builing timber ever - fine, strong and resistant to almost all marine pests - and building boats for the British Navy or Mercahant Marine. There was no real "Prison" because escapees were faced with impenetrable forests where they could scarcely make 2 or 3 miles a day ... then where could they go - to Hobart a 100 miles east south east - and still a prison camp at the end of the world?

Many prisoners escaped to be free from the lash for some short time - and, if they were lucky, to be hanged and free for ever more. Before the prison reform of the Quakers and others in the mid-1850s, convicts were viewed as a threat to the wealthy - best removed as far away from decent English society as humanly possible and worked to death for some small profit for the establishment, just as they had been been in America until the revolution.

Regards,

Bob Bolton

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 06:23 PM

Lloyd, yes, I spent the past six or seven years with the Born Once Poodle Players (there's a name I can live with: BOPP) learning to play ensemble, learning how to play backup on both banjo and harmonica--in fact, learning how to play cross-harp style. I'd learned enough of the basics working with Joh Gindick and David Harp tapes, but it's not until ya do it over and over and over that get to the point where you can do it confidently in public. The BOPP have had a few public but non-paying gigs (we turned down $600 to play at one party--they are friends, and it was enough to party with them).

I had sat in the audience before at the Lighthouse and occasionally played along--lots of people sing along--but it wasn't until a week ago Thursday that I got the courage to actually go up and jam with them--and I was floored by being asked to join them "in uniform" after jamming (I had no idea I was auditioning). Anyway, I guess they feel I add something to their sound, and that is a real ego-booster.

--seed

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: lloyd61
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 05:00 PM

Seed, a night like that does not just happen, I'm sure you worked hard preparing for such a night. It sounds like "A Job Well Done.' Congratulations.

Lloyd61

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Dave Swan
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 02:56 PM

I was there, he sounded great. E.S.

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: thosp
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 01:36 AM

sounds great Seed !!!

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Lonesome EJ
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 01:07 AM

Forget the peanut gallery comments, Charles. Sounds like you went over, and that's a great thing.

LEJ

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: _gargoyle
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 12:32 AM

tomorrow, when you are sober,
............................ or before medication...

PLEASE review this thread.

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 12:30 AM

Maybe I should rephrase that.
Uncle Charles, I would like to hear you play your music sometime.
I don't want to get a reputation around here as a 'posting tease'

BB

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Little Neophyte
Date: 11 Dec 99 - 12:12 AM

Congratulations Uncle Charles
I would love to see you perform sometime. Maybe you can post some of the pictures on the BBC Mudcat Resources that El Swanno took.
If the black stuff is so vile, why do you drink it?
Great to hear you sound so happy.

Luv Little Neo

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Peter T.
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 10:43 AM

This is great, seed. I would love to hear more of your (or anyone's) reports from "the front" -- the BBC contest winners were a real thrill, and Margarita's shanty coming out, and all the rest, and now hearing about your night on the kite. For those of us here on Mudcat who are not performers, it is always a real thrill to hear about how these performances are going -- knowing that part of our group is getting applause and some beers! Just cheers up the day completely.
yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 09:24 AM

Generally, I rely on my boys to keep me inspired, enthusiastic, and young. Every now and then something else will do it. Like now!

Everybody here knew you could do it my good friend...and now you do too. I really appreciate the boost to my day. When Karen came home, this was the first thing I told her. So congrats from us both.

Spaw - lovin' the ride on the kite tail

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: sophocleese
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 09:21 AM

Sounds wonderful Seed! Glad you enjoyed yourself like that.

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Big Mick
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 09:15 AM

Attaboy, Sir Charles. Welcome to the fraternity!!! There is nothing like it. Proud of ya, and happy fer ya. With any luck I will be able to play music with ya one day.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: jeffp
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 08:20 AM

Congragulations Seed!!

Sounds like a perfect night. Wish I could have been there to hear it.

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Neil Lowe
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 07:27 AM

...yeah, I second Aine's wish...about hearing a little blues harp.

Bend them notes, Neil

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Áine
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:18 AM

Well, like any of us are surprised??? A grand triumph to be celebrated indeed! You needed a night like this, didn't ya 'Seed? Glad to hear that it went so well. Wish we could hear you 'jamming' like the Mad 'Monica Player that you are.

Play on O'Seedster, play on, Áine

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 06:07 AM

C'mon Seed! You're gonna give away every performer's secret. It is a real high when everything goes right! Congratulations.

Big RiB

Subject: RE: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: Roger the skiffler
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 05:34 AM

Sounds like it was a blast,Charles, looking forward to the pics.
RtS

Subject: Seed still higher'n a kite
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 10 Dec 99 - 03:13 AM

I'm just back from Quinn's Lighthouse where I spent a couple of hours in the middle of the Starboard Watch--or rather in the middle of the back row: Skip Henderson was in front of me, WintersWages to my left, etc. It was a total blast. El Swanno was sitting at a table right in front of us taking pictures of us--using my camera: he shot four rolls. I had my bandolier of monicas stuffed with six: C, G, D, A diatonics, G and A Melody Makers, an E melody maker in one pocket and an F diatonic and an A minor/Eminor in the other pocket, and I used almost all of them. I played backup and ornamentation, several group breaks, and a couple of individual breaks: one on a bluesy song about the Titanic sung by the banjo player, Jimmy, and another on "Jack Was Every Inch a Sailor." I also played some dueling melody stuff with Ruup, the piper. There's an Ozzie singer name of Charlie who's been there the last two weeks--in the audience, but joining the band to sing a song. He did a creepy one about escapees from a prison colony who because of starvation kill and eat whoever is weakest among them, a tale told by the only survivor. It was in E minor--and I managed to improvise an accompaniment that was a gas for me and not too objectionable to Charlie.

All in all, I doubt if I have ever felt so much alive for such an extended period, and all without chemical assistance--except for some of the Black Vile Stuff and a bit of Light Ale. (two of the latter tonight, similarly moderate quantities at Dave's and at the Starry Plough).

--seed

Either the band members are exceptionally tolerant and circumspect or I acquitted myself reasonably well. I got a few unsolicited compliments from members of the audience. I'm going to take the three rolls of film that Dave shot to Costco for one hour processing tomorrow and put together a package of images to ship off to bbc, along with pix from Dave and Pam's song circle.