Spoons, when handled well...

Subject: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 01:33 PM

Awesome (if not folk) spoons playing by Deb 'Spoons' Perry, Australian percussionist.

And the video must be going viral at the moment, because her personal web site is giving an "Bandwidth Limit Exceeded - Try Again Later" message.

Seriously. You will not be disappointed (unless you have an irrational total aversion to anything rock-related -- there may be one or two of you here).

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 01:54 PM

Googling to find what might be out there -- it's definitely viral at the moment. Probably something to do with an appearance on "Australia's Got Talent"... ;-) Have to rely on others quoting her website:

On Cool Accidents:

Meet Deb, she's a sixty-something year old mother of three and grandmother of two from Bridgetown, Western Australia who also happens to be one hell of a spoons player and a handy percussionist to boot.

And if you don't believe me check out what the Gold Coast Bulletin Spoon & Harmonica 2003 World Titles reviewer had to say - "She played with such dexterity the crowd were on their feet roaring for more."

On Stereogum

"1972 — Taught to play the spoons by an elderly man, Danny, in the Stoned Crow Wine bar in North Fremantle when listening to a jug band, Red Rocket And the Thunderbolt Scramblers."

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: GUEST,Auldtimer
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 02:56 PM

I was far from impressed with Deb. Has she played for long?. She seemed a bit stilted and unfamiliar the tune. Two major falts for a spoonplayer of any worth.

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: gnu
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 03:53 PM

She sure has energy.

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: katlaughing
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 07:40 PM

I thought it was a blast...kind of funky and a little off beat a couple of times, but like gnu says, what energy. Three cheers for the guts to get out there and have some fun!

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 07:56 PM

Seen several better ones myself: not much hand technique there, which is what really makes the rolls, even if lots of jumping around.

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Bobert
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 09:12 PM

Well, as per usual, ol' hillbilly has a couple stories...

Back when I was in high school in NoVa there was this drive-in restaurant called "Tops" and I gotta job as a car-hop... Backin the kitchen there was this black dude who I knew as "Ham Bone"... This cat play anything... Spoons, knives, pans, his body... You mane it he played it....

Back in Archie Edwards Barbershop, where I spent years every Saturday playing blues, folks play - still do - bones... Bones are curved shaped pieces of wood that are played like spoons... Every one plays 'um...

B~

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Crowhugger
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 10:37 PM

That's pretty funny, thanks Becky!

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 26 Apr 12 - 11:50 PM

I'm kind of fascinated with her spoon equipment, including a wireless hand mic system of some sort. I don't know that YouTube does much justice to the sound quality. And, I'm afraid that playing rock spoons means that subtlety goes by the wayside, but she's sure got the showmanship. Here's her "Australia's Got Talent" appearance, with a live band (including full drum kit). From her intro to the other video, she plays drums as well. She plays spoons like a rock drummer, I'd say.

The best spoons act I've seen was done by Bruno Sabalat, a French folk musician I hosted in Tucson once.

Have seen some fine hambone players (is "players" the right word?)... Steve Hickman and Julie Young (Bob Walser's wife). In both cases, they were wizards of rhythm in many forms.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Leadfingers
Date: 27 Apr 12 - 05:45 AM

Pat Smith takes some beating , and I have fond memories of Len 'Mister Bones' Davies at Sidmouth
And The A40 Improvement Scheme had two good playrrs in their line up -Geoff and Ray would often head off either side of the stage and come back down the centre aisle of the audiene playing spoons round each others bodies ! Quite impressive .

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: GUEST,Howard Jones
Date: 27 Apr 12 - 09:56 AM

I disagree with Bobert when he says that bones are played like spoons. Perhaps that's the case where he is, but spoons are usually played against the body, using the opposite hand and fingers, whereas bones are swung against each other using the motion of the hand and arm alone.

Of course, bones can be played like spoons, and vice versa, but their basic techniques are very different.

Subject: RE: Spoons, when handled well...
From: Fidjit
Date: 27 Apr 12 - 10:24 AM

I'm a dab hand too.

Chas