Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.

Subject: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 30 Mar 99 - 10:12 PM

There have been few things that have left me positively speechless (in a good way) but encountering a gaggle of Mudcatters before my concert in Washington ranks right up there. Nick-names and sobriquets became real and wonderful folks, and I'll remember that night for quite a while.

Didn't run into any other "catters" on the rest of the tour, but saw some old friends, made a few new ones, and spent a few days at Folk-Legacy with two of the "great ones". Sandy is now so computer literate (folk-singer-wise) that I'm filled with guilt and promise to learn my HTMLs, UFOs, and how to cut and paste lyrics.

I didn't realise how addictive this whole thing could be, until Heather and I got home at 3am yesterday morning after a long drive, and for a brief moment I couldn't decide whether to use the john or see what threads were currently running on the "cat". Fortunately I slapped myself in the face, said "get a grip!" and headed for the bathroom. Glad to be back perusing again though.

A quick P.S. to the folks who song circled after the concert in Washington. How much I would have liked to join in for longer, but while Ferarra was MacArthur harping upstairs, I was downstairs in the john (Geez, this didn't mean to be scatalogical) throwing up big time. I think I got a dose of the 24 hour flu about two songs from the end! Anyway, thanks so much for coming. It meant a lot to me...and maybe I'll get to see what ol' Cletus looks like as well some day.

Rick

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 30 Mar 99 - 10:32 PM

Geez, Rick. I hope it was the flu and not out singing! You were missed, but us older ones at least understand that there are limits to the human body. If you haven't read it yet, you should read the JOE OFFER Come Back to Us; All is Forgiven thread. Just to let you know how others experienced your concert and the song circle afterwards.

It took some real struggle to decide to come to your concert, but I am very glad I did.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Sandy Paton
Date: 30 Mar 99 - 10:58 PM

And before they left Folk-Legacy, they made the bed and washed up all the dishes in the sink (a major chore). Let me tell you, Rick and Heather are my kind of guests! Glad you made it home safely, kids, but you missed a helluva basketball game!

Sandy

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: catspaw49
Date: 30 Mar 99 - 11:16 PM

Hi Rick and Welcome Back!!!

Sorry about the flu, but if you read the thread that Roger gave you, you can see that the group who was there plainly enjoyed you and I know you had a fine time meeting them. You can also see that Karen and I were planning on coming, thought it would be really fun to surprise you and the other 'Catters as I described. It's so damn hard to be spontaneous anymore, but we just said "Let's do it," and then things went straght to hell around here. And after finding out you borrowed guitars from Sandy...man I coulda' brought a true POS along as a "gift." Hope you and Heather both had a fine time.

Check in on the guitar threads, specifically on the Alvarez, Seagull, Washburn and the Stella/Kay. I'm about to refresh one more time on those anyway...and come to think of it, I have a Kay story I need to throw in.

AND...Your gawddamn brothers (Reg,Reg,& Reg) have tied up with Paw and are, for the second time heading for Montana. As you're probably aware, their first attempt landed them in Washington DC at the same time as Cletus and his CIA backed crazed tiple band. Neither group knew this...about the same time you were there too! To get all the details, read it on the Washburn/Alvarez/Seagull thread. In any case they're on the loose again and Banj wrote today to say he might have spotted them in Florida. But I also got a call from a doctor in Boston saying that four dimbulbs had come into his office with the clap, but thought instead that they had the Melissa virus. Do your brothers know anyone in Boston or points north?

I'm going to spread a little litter around the other threads. Tonight the 'Cat is really therapeutic as one of my foster kids, age 13, stole my van theother night and I spent today attending the hearing and other nonsense. Sheesh, BUT...Glad you're back, wish we'd met...there'll be other times.

catspaw

Don't forget to wish katlaughing a Happy Birthday too!

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 12:06 AM

Haven't read the "Joe..come back", yet, but a happy birthday to the "literate lady of leonine laughing" should take precedence, so hoist one for Canada, Kat.

Sandy, if we'd stayed one more day we'd have vacuumed all 20 rooms, and put every piece of paper in the house on a floppy disc. Just remind me in the future not to book a concert in Connecticut on the night of a semi-final. You folks take your team SERIOUSLY!

Roger, thanks for the effort, and where can I get lyrics to your great (and somewhat tasteless) song about relationships?

Catspaw, get the kid on the mudcat..or at least playing guitar. I worked for a year at a children's aid home in Toronto and got about 20 of the kids playing music. Don't know if it will make their lives any easier in the future (considering the horrors that most endured as young children) but it won't hurt.

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Big Mick
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 12:17 AM

Man, Rick, can I relate to the basketball thing. Last year on the thursday after St. Pat's I had a gig in East Lansing on the night that Michigan State was playing in the NCAA tournament, I believe it was the Sweet 16 round. And to make matters worse, they had a TV that was directly over our head and couldn't (read that wouldn't) turn it off. The longest 3 hours of my singing life.

Congrats on a great tour, every report I have recieved is that it was a great show. And if you ever get to West Michigan, stop by Gun Lake and spend a few days. We have plenty of dishes to keep you occupied but you will have to stop long enough to sit on the deck and play a few tunes with me and the lads.

All the best,

Mick

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: bseed(charleskratz)
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 12:33 AM

And Rick--congratulations. Your team played one hell of a game last night, probably the best defensive effort I've ever seen, and some spectacular offense, as well. Do you ever get out this (California) way? --seed

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Ferrara
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 05:50 AM

Rick, What's Wrong With This Picture?

... while Ferarra was MacArthur harping upstairs, I was downstairs in the john (Geez, this didn't mean to be scatalogical) throwing up big time.

... ... ...

Sorry, that hiatus was due to the fact that I read what you wrote again, and I was laughing too hard to type. Is there any chance of your assuring the folks that it wasn't my MacArthus harping that made you throw up?

Love, Rita F

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Roger in Baltimore
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 08:29 AM

Tasteless!?! That's not the first time someone called one of my favorite songs tasteless! Actually, I find myself attracted to tasteless songs, if they're funny enough.

Some might use that description for much of my repertoire, but the song to which I think you are referring is "You Don't Even Care" by Tim Wallace. It is available on a compilation disk called Fertile Land, Acoustic Harvest III put out by Folknet: the Northeast Ohio Folk and Traditional Music and Dance Society. You can get more information (including how to order) from www.folknet.org. Tim has a tape which I have ordered from him, but it has not yet arrived.

Oh, yeah, the song.

You Don't Even Care
by Tim Wallace

I shot myself through the head, and you don't even care.
I held my breath 'til I was dead, and you don't even care.
I nailed a note to my forehead saying you don't even care.
And I hate it when you treat me this a way.

I gassed myself the other night, but you don't even care.
I burnt my lips on your tailpipe, but you don't even care.
You told me that I never did a single thing for you,
Not even when I choked and turned your favorite shade of blue.

I hung myself , but I suppose that you don't even care.
Right next to your favorite clothes and you don't even care.
Strung out by your pantyhose and you don't even care.
And I hate it when you treat me this a way.

I flung myself off of your roof, and you don't even care.
My dead corpse is living proof that you don't even care.
I landed flat with a big fat splat, but on the way down,
I called your name so folks would blame you all over town.

I stuffed grenades into my jeans, and you don't even care.
I blew my butt to smitherreens, and you don't even care.
And you weren't even listening 'cause you don't even care.
And I hate it when you treat me this a way.

I climbed into the lions den, and you don't even care.
I never climbed back out again, but you don't even care.
They pawed me and they clawed me the way you used to do.
And when they ripped my heart out I could only think of you.

I slashed and bashed and gashed myself, but you don't even care.
Crashed and mashed and trashed myself, but you don't even care.
I even made a flaming ash of myself, but you don't even care.
And I hate it when you treat me like I'm maladjusted,
And I hate it when you treat me like I'm codependent,
And I hate it when you treat me like I'm self-destructive,
And I hate it when you treat me this a way.

Roger in Baltimore

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 10:48 AM

Durn, it Rick...you just have to come back sometime when you haven't been near a germ!!..(ummm..there IS a movement among a few to try to make to the FSGW Getaway this Oct....perhaps.....)..We do have this unfinished autoharp duet to work up...(I even have an old 'harp that I might mess with in rank imitation of your modification...that was neat!!) I have some special felt which is much better than what Schmidt uses, and I have wonderful exotic woods I could use for bars...all I need is time..

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 04:51 PM

Roger, that's revolting! Thanks so much!
Rita, My God, your beautiful harping kept me from actually passing out in the Ethical Society's basement loo! Though actually, I was just saving time by saying I had a touch of the flu. "Fraid I suffer from infrequent but diabolical migraines from time to time, and invariably they always strike at inopportune times..like halfway through a concert. Didn't feel much better the next day but nothing short of 4 (or 6, or 8) white horses would have prevented me from taking Joe Hickerson up on his generous offer of a visit to the Library of Congress. Wow! what a blast. Joe (who can find anything) asked if there was something specific I'd like to see or hear, and when I suggested a specific archival Huddie Ledbetter recording...bingo! There it was. What a nice man. Took us to a great restaurant called Radiccio's for lunch as well.

Bill, I am an autoharp fanactic, and a totally obsessed closet inventor. If I knew how I'd put a diagram of my modifications on your e-mail. They are a work in progress but some of the ideas seem to work very well. This started when I was trying to find an instrument that someone with pretty severe disabilities could play easily. Normal autoharp style may look easy but still requires a lot of co-ordination, and playing it on the lap usually means cross-handed. Having a cartridge that can hold only 2 chords (to begin with) and can be played on the lap (or in the arms) is much less daunting to a small child or someone who's convinced that they'll never be able to play anything. By adding one chord at a time it's less mysterious to them. I got a little (6 or 7) girl to get up on stage with me and play Skip to My Lou with only about 5 minutes practice recently, and I don't know who was more excited, me or her! What kind of felt are you using? I've been experimenting and currently am using a product called FELT-TAC. It ain't bad, but could be better.

Subject: RE: Thanks, Mudcatters, from Rick.
From: Bill D
Date: 31 Mar 99 - 07:41 PM

Rick...actually, I went to a gasket company..(in Kansas!)...and asked what they had..they showed me a catalogue and asked how many yards of the 4 ft. wide stuff I wanted.*grin*..well, I pointed and said maybe a foot....and the guy went to a scrap bin and gave me a small piece...maybe enough for 2 harps...I still have over half of it. It is more resilient..(no grooves after 20 years!)..I just cut strips and glued 'em on the bars and cut notches. I assume that gasket companies still have these sample books with 101 different styles and thickness and resiliencys of felt, but I have not looked in a long time..(I also have a working model of a Zimmerman Harp (with the shifters)from 188X...talk about inventions!!)