Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story

Subject: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: Peter T.
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 04:07 PM

PART 2 OF 2 - Reports continue to pour in concerning Pete Seeger's banjo, which made a second escape from the clutches of the world-famous folk singer on October 24. It now appears that the earlier incident, purporting that the singer had forgotten his banjo and left it beside the road, was in fact a cover up for an unsuccessful attempt by the banjo to "head for Manhattan". This time, it appears that the banjo has been at least temporarily successful. Reached at his home, the famous folk singer said: "I don't know. One morning it just started playing something called "Copacabana" or is it "At the Copa"? Since then, it has been restless, throwing in diminished 7ths and all kinds of cocktail piano chords. I don't know -- maybe it has been at the forefront of struggle for so long, it just decided, hey, time to party!" Seeger says that the banjo should come back, that all is forgiven.

Long time neighbour of the Seegers, Daphne McNutt gave as her opinion: "You know it is real quiet in this part of New York State. I had an accordion once that had a mad crush on Lawrence Welk, and headed to the bubbles and the bright lights. It came back, you know, sorrier. But sometimes an instrument just has to, oh, you know, loosen a few strings, open the gas bag."

There have been unconfirmed sightings of the wayward banjo. A banjo answering to the description of the Seeger treasure was heard in the New York Port Authority busking for quarters to renditions of "Send in the Clowns" and "We'll Take Manhattan". Yesterday, a banjo was seen comforting fragments of a broken bat outside of Yankee Stadium. Celena Drigoods, a lady of no fixed address or morals, reported to police that the bat said: "First one of them breaks me, and then the other one throws me away." According to Ms. Drigoods, the banjo was playing "Living La Vida Loca" to cheer up the broken bat, and the two of them were last seen staggering towards midtown.

"We will do what we can to track down the whereabouts of this symbol of the folk era and the struggle for truth," said Chief Hooley of the New York City Police Department. "But it is a big city. Things happen. Take care of your instruments."

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: SINSULL
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 04:12 PM

It's 10PM. Do you know where your instruments are?

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: mousethief
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 04:13 PM

No, but I know where my tool is.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: catspaw49
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 04:49 PM

Yeah, but does it still work?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: mousethief
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 04:53 PM

Overtime.

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: GUEST,Pete's banjo
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 04:58 PM

Reports continue to pour in concerning Peter T.'s brain, which made an escape from the clutches of the Mudcatter, who no one in real life has ever heard of, on October 24.

Long time co-Mudcatter, Catspaw49 gave his opinion: "There's been a marked decrease in stupid postings since Peter T.'s brain escaped." Matt_R, the idiot formerly known as Mbo, chimed in: "I'll have double up on my stupid postings to pick up the slack."

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: Peter T.
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 05:06 PM

Tough crowd for a Friday.... yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: mousethief
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 05:07 PM

Wait until the night shift comes on!

Alex
O..O
=o=

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: catspaw49
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 05:13 PM

Yeah PT.....I gather we're in for another go round of dumbfuck Guests. This one's a complete jagov. Same dork that's been roaming around all over the place knocking mousethief too. Ah well, like any average shit, this too will pass.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: Frankham
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 07:49 PM

Peter T,

Pete has been playing ninth and thirteenth chords for years and an occasional diminished seventh. Some chords that Pete plays will never be found in traditional five-string banjo music. "Cocktail" is a style, I believe, and not a chord progression." Pete has a little knowlege of jazz harmony and is musically sophisticated. (He is an ex-tenor banjo player). I wouldn't be surprised if Pete could crank out a Ricky Martin or Barry Manilow tune with little difficulty. (Not that he would want to.)

Pete's banjo can play any music he wants it to and will not play by itself. I know because I've tried to play his banjo and I can't make it sound like Pete. He has the best Seeger-style basic strum of any banjo player in the world and that's because he adapted it from traditional sources and made it his own.

At the age of eighty-one, I give him credit for remembering the amount that still is in his head. If he forgets his banjo once in a while, it's forgiveable.

Frank

Subject: RE: Pete Seeger's Banjo: The Real Story
From: Willie-O
Date: 27 Oct 00 - 08:39 PM

I can't make my banjo sound like Pete, or like me, either. Best I can do is like a garbage can lid with rubber bands attached.

So )_that's_ what became of Meebo. (I been gone.) Maybe he got tired of his nickname? I'd be.

Yeah, take care of your instruments, cause the cops are never gonna be there when you need them to...

W-O