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Subject: RE: Piano man From: Herga Kitty Date: 29 Aug 05 - 11:58 AM It has become a tradition, over the last 3 years, for me to compose a topical shanty for Jim Mageean's Wednesday shanty session at Whitby folk week, because it's the only way of being sure of singing a shanty that hasn't already been sung. I was keenly scanning the newspaper on Tuesday 23 August for a suitable subject, and I'm very grateful to Piano Man for providing the only story about the sea, a lake, and music.... PIANO MAN STRANDED Kitty Vernon, 24/08/05 1. Do you know the young man found stranded by the ocean Stranded, stranded all in the month of May We'd like to know his name, but we've not the faintest notion He's stranded, dumbfounded, with not a word to say 2. The Kent police have found him, down on the beach at Sheppey Stranded, dumbfounded, with not a word to say They don't know who he is, think he's Norwegian, mebbe He's stranded, dumbfounded, with not a word to say 3. He's living in the hospital, the nurses all adore him He's stranded, dumbfounded, his mind seems far away Till he sits at the piano, and carries all before him Piano Man can play Swan Lake for four hours a day 4. For four months or more his secret was concealed He's stranded, dumbfounded, with not a word to say Until at last in August the truth has been revealed The stranded Piano Man was unmasked yesterday Segue And now the truth is known at last The secret is no more For we can confidently say That the man washed up on shore Had come from quite a different song He was only a decoy Piano Man was all a fraud He is a farmer's boy A Bavarian farmer's boy Tunes: Verses 1-5, Wild Goose shanty, segue Farmer's Boy |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: Sorcha Date: 25 Aug 05 - 05:32 PM I'm still reserving judgment. |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: GUEST,Sarah Date: 25 Aug 05 - 07:19 AM I've read he is actually a pianist and accordion player - now right me if I am wrong, but isn't one of the exercises practiced by accordion players repeating a key but changing fingers whilst doing it? If so, then maybe he was practising! Just a thought. Don't think he was faking! Poor bugger was ill. Cheers Sarah |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Jon Date: 24 Aug 05 - 03:38 PM open mike, see the link in the first post of this thread. It does now seem as if either the hospital staff or reporters got a bit carried away over his piano playing. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: open mike Date: 24 Aug 05 - 02:13 PM where did the story com from about him playing piano? I remember hearing that he amazed people for hours with incredible playing? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Shambles Date: 24 Aug 05 - 01:59 PM Piano man |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Hanson Date: 24 Aug 05 - 09:19 AM Jon check out Wilfried Schaums latest post on the other thread about this con man. [ above the line ] eric |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: Wilfried Schaum Date: 24 Aug 05 - 07:13 AM Source: German television; he's from Upper Bavaria. Big chance for his neighbours - a lot of them were interviewed and on the telly. Unaimously they reported that he was highly intelligent, and of the best at school. |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: Dave Hanson Date: 24 Aug 05 - 04:51 AM He was a con man, he should be sent a bill from the NHS. eric |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Jon Date: 24 Aug 05 - 04:21 AM LOL BTC a report here |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Jeremy Dixon from Bath Date: 24 Aug 05 - 12:44 AM Good luck (and improved health) to him. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Bill the Collie Date: 23 Aug 05 - 10:09 PM I thought he was a mentally-ill 20-year-old from Prosdorf in Germany, called Andreas Grassel. |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: CarolC Date: 23 Aug 05 - 02:17 PM He was picked up by the police while in the process of trying to commit suicide. I'd say that merits at least some level of sympathy. He was sensationalized by the news media before anyone knew who he was, and he is being sensationalized by the news media now. If we learn to not get sucked into media sensationalism, we won't feel suckered. It was the media who suckered everyone with that "virtuoso pianist" BS. The man himself never said a word. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: freda underhill Date: 23 Aug 05 - 09:56 AM Thanks Wolfgang! this is the significant comment for me (from Jon's link) .. "But this is not a story about one man fooling the health system, as some papers have called it. A silent suicidal man who spends four months in a psychiatric ward suggests some form of mental illness. That can be difficult to define and he could have mimicked being autistic, says clinical psychologist Linda Blair. "I completely forgive the staff but I don't for a moment think he's not distressed and I hope that in Germany he gets any help he needs." " |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,"M" Date: 23 Aug 05 - 09:49 AM For an alternative assessment, have another look at my post of 19th May 03.25 PM Just a possibility. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Jon Date: 23 Aug 05 - 07:28 AM I'm still not entirely convinced he was a fraud. His behaviour was pretty odd for a "normal" person and I don't see what he was hoping to gain. As for some of the reports in papers that make it sound like he was conning them over his piano playing ability, that can in no way have been a con job from him. It's hard to credit that the staff could not tell the difference between one finger playing and a virtuoso pefromance which have been the extremes we have seen reported. A better view (IMO) is at here |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: Kaleea Date: 23 Aug 05 - 03:00 AM I heard it on the news, he drew a piano, then he went to a piano & poked at the same key, over & over, & over, ad nauseum. Now, on the original thread, who was it that predicted the feller was fakin' it whilst the rest of us were suckered into feeling sorry for him? |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: Liz the Squeak Date: 23 Aug 05 - 02:26 AM I'm curious... if he couldn't play the piano, how come he got called 'Piano Man'? Aparently he used to work in an institution and copied the symptoms he'd seen in his patients. LTS |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: open mike Date: 23 Aug 05 - 01:42 AM http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,16354130-38200,00.html http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1826552005 http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1687284,00.html |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: open mike Date: 23 Aug 05 - 01:11 AM link/proof/source??? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Wolfgang Date: 22 Aug 05 - 10:06 AM The piano man breaks his silence (Guardian) Wolfgang (adding here what he should have added in the above post) |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: freda underhill Date: 22 Aug 05 - 09:27 AM okay, okay, BBC online.... Monday, 22 August 2005, 12:05 GMT 13:05 UK; 'Piano Man' discharged from care The so-called Piano Man found wandering in April has been released from hospital after his condition improved. A national newspaper reported on Monday the man finally broke his silence, stated he was German, and flew home. West Kent NHS and Social Care Trust would not comment because of patient confidentiality but the German government confirmed he was Bavarian. The man, who was said to be an excellent pianist, was found on Sheppey in April and taken into care. On Monday, the German foreign ministry said the 20-year-old man flew home on Saturday. He has not been named by officials. The health trust said the patient had been discharged following a marked improvement in his condition but the rules regarding patient confidentiality meant there would be no further statement. The trust also declined to comment on the circumstances in which the patient left its care. The man was first taken to Medway Maritime Hospital where he drew a picture of a grand piano and was then taken to the hospital chapel. It was reported that health and social workers said they were "stunned" when he proceeded to give them a virtuoso performance. However, newspaper reports now suggest he was only able to play one note continuously. Theories put forward and later discounted included that the man was a French street musician and a Czech concert pianist. The mystery man produced a pencil drawing of a piano. A Norwegian speaker was brought in to try to communicate with the man, in his 20s or early 30s, after he pointed to Oslo on a map. A ship from Norway was thought to have been in the area when he was found and there were suggestions that his suit was soaked because he had been in the sea. His social worker Michael Camp claimed that his client "came to life" at the piano. All the labels had been removed from his clothes when he was found on The Broadway in Minster, Sheerness. Appeals led to a worldwide response which at its height generated more than 800 leads. |
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Subject: RE: Piano man From: Dave Hanson Date: 22 Aug 05 - 09:11 AM Apparently he couldn't even play the piano either. eric |
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Subject: Piano man From: Dave Hanson Date: 22 Aug 05 - 09:10 AM The so called ' Piano Man ' has now been revealed as a fraud, because of patient confidentiality the hospital where he was treated won't reveal his name, he was in fact a German national who pretended to be mentaly ill to fool the doctors. He has now been sent back to Germany. eric
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: freda underhill Date: 22 Aug 05 - 08:38 AM Wolfgang - what's the story - you cant leave us all with just that! juicy bits, please.. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Wolfgang Date: 22 Aug 05 - 08:35 AM He is German (Bavarian), now back home, has only simulated the amnesia, and has never played the piano very well. Wolfgang |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 27 Jul 05 - 03:55 PM PIANO MAN VOICE TEST (July 25 Daily Record) "DOCTORS caring for the 'Piano Man' want to test for a physical cause of his inability to speak, rather than a psychological reason"... You'd rather have thought that would be pretty well the first thing they'd have thought of all those months ago. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Dave'swife Date: 26 Jul 05 - 10:40 PM boy, it's around the world in 80 days with this guy, huh? Maybe Norway will pan out! Thanks for the update. it fell off the news cycle in the US shortly before my last post. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: freda underhill Date: 26 Jul 05 - 08:31 PM Mute 'Piano Man' May Be From Norway; By Ben Mattison; 05 Jul 2005 The silent man found wandering in Kent, England, earlier this year may be from Norway, the BBC reports. The man recently pointed to Oslo on a map, leading investigators to bring in a Norwegian speaker to attempt to communicate with him. He has still not spoken, but observers said that he appeared to be more responsive when spoken to in Norwegian. The man was found in April, wandering soaking wet and dressed in a suit in the town of Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey. He is currently being held in a mental hospital. Shortly after being found, he drew a picture of a piano and played music from Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, prompting speculation that he was a professional musician. More than 200 people have come forward to propose possible identifies for the man, but none of the leads have held up to this point. -------- |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Dave'sWife Date: 26 Jul 05 - 08:36 AM So - what's the verdict - or do people have bigger problems now than a mute piano player? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Kaleea Date: 31 May 05 - 11:22 PM Will somebody please figure this out, or else I may have to go a couple of miles away to visit Madamme Lollapalooza--Sees all, Blabs all! She'll consult her crystal ball for us, however, we might have to pass the collection plate. A large collection collection plate. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST, heric Date: 31 May 05 - 07:06 PM I didn't get to see those photos, but one of Strnad's best friends was absolutely certain based on photos, too. Some say the worst form of evidence is eyewitness testimony. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 31 May 05 - 07:00 PM heric I stand corrected, just checked the link below. I'd be a liability on a jury. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: open mike Date: 31 May 05 - 06:45 PM darn missed being post 100 by a minute.. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/4598055.stm |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: heric Date: 31 May 05 - 06:43 PM Nope. Strnad says that's not him, per the BBC. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 31 May 05 - 06:37 PM Nothing new since the story freda mentioned, but by the photos in the paper on Sunday he is definitely him. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: open mike Date: 31 May 05 - 06:34 PM ok so what's the latest? is this guy for sure that Thomas dude? czech it out... |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: freda underhill Date: 29 May 05 - 10:31 AM Sunday, May 29, 2005. 12:36pm (AEST) The mysterious piano man may have been identified. This photo, released by Medway Maritime Hospital in England, shows a man who has not uttered a word since being found on a beach over a month ago but who has turned out to be a piano virtuoso. The mysteriously mute piano virtuoso found wandering on an English beach last month was a Czech classical musician who once played in a rock band, the band's drummer was quoted as saying. Klaudius Kryspin said he immediately recognised the man as Thomas Strnad, even though it has been many years since they played together in a tribute band called Ropotamo. "When I saw the picture in the newspapers, I knew it was Thomas," Kryspin told the Mail on Sunday newspaper in Prague. Officials caring for the so-called "piano man" at Little Brook Hospital at Dartford in south-eastern England said they had informed the police missing persons bureau about the claim. The tall blonde man, thought to be in his 20s or early 30s, was found on April 7 on the beach at Minster, on the south coast of England, soaking wet but fully dressed in a black suit, with no clue as to his origin. He has not spoken since and has not responded to written appeals while being kept under observation. However, he has fascinated social workers, the British media and the general public with his one means of communication: playing classical piano music. When given pencil and paper by hospital staff, the mystery man drew a grand piano. Then, when shown a piano at the hospital chapel, he impressed his carers with a remarkable virtuoso performance. Kryspin, who has not seen Strnad in nine years, said his old band mate had trained as a classical musician, and that his "first love was always Chopin, Mozart and Liszt". He added that Strnad did not appear to get along with his family and that three years ago he was going around asking for money to buy bread. Kryspin said he immediately recognised Strnad from a photo he saw on the Internet and that "he still looks like the same guy I knew back then". "The only things that are different are his hair colour and his sad face. He looks like a broken man," he said. -AFP |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 27 May 05 - 02:39 PM Another thing about labels, sure they can cause skin irritation, but how often does one wear a sports jacket or suit next to bare skin. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Stilly River Sage Date: 27 May 05 - 01:46 PM Dave is right (and I am sure he and I aren't the only ones who have had the question). So why has he not been evaluated by someone with a solid musical background? It seems a convenient oversight to have not done so by now. Who benefits from the publicity, while still keeping the subject of this inquiry at arm's length from anyone who can make a sound analysis? SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Bryant Date: 27 May 05 - 10:36 AM The only people who seem to have judged his playing so far all profess an ignorance of classical music and piano playing skill. How good is he ? Has he been accessed by any knowledgable musician yet. As has already been said anyone who has reached grade 8 would probably sound great to most uneducated ears. Also provided that the piano is in tune, and the pianist hits the right keys, there is no chance of inacurate intonation as there could be on instrument like a violin. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Wesley S Date: 26 May 05 - 08:52 PM As far as the labels go - It's not uncommon for people with autism to become very agitated by little things that you and I wouldn't even notice. Clothing labels are one of them. Certain fabrics can have that effect too. I would image that by now the piano man has been tested for autistic traits. Lets hope so. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 26 May 05 - 11:15 AM Agreed Guest 26 May 05 04:50 AM. Mr. Staufen did look like someone else and as I mentioned before, the only thing I changed was the nose and the hairline. The eyes mouth and chin remained exactly the same. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 26 May 05 - 11:07 AM Mudcat Help Forum |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Shambles Date: 26 May 05 - 10:40 AM This thread was moved without too much fuss.......... Its not BS
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Shambles Date: 26 May 05 - 10:37 AM Censorship on Mudcat The following (full) explanation (in editorial brown) can be found on the thread linked to above. People are free to request that the category of a thread be changed. The appropriate place to ask is by personal message to Joe or Jeff, or in the Help Forum. As of this date, I have received no such request - from the thread originator, or from anyone else. Change requests posted in the thread itself are likely to be missed. I looked at the thread when it started and decided it was a human-interest thing that could be considered either music or non-music - so I left it where it was. I just checked the thread now, and there still is very little music information in it. So, no, it won't be moved, even if somebody asks me to move it. -Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 26 May 05 - 04:50 AM It seems to me that if you take a photograph of someone and manipulate it using photoshop it is inevitably going to end up looking like someone else. There is nothing amazing about it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 25 May 05 - 08:35 PM This one was moved up?
-Joe Offer- |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Shambles Date: 25 May 05 - 07:58 PM Normal procedure if the originator of a thread has designated it as BS is to allow it to remain as BS - joeclone If only other things were allowed to remain as the originator wished. This is simply making our forum look even more stupid. This thread is cleary in the wrong place and the originator has accepted that choosing the B/S prefix was a mistake. Many people who would be interested in this subject and may be able to help - will not even see this thread as many do not venture 'below the line'. Can a more sensible approach be taken please? One which respects the originators wishes and follows common sense? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 25 May 05 - 03:40 PM hmmmm....."tenure"...LOL |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 25 May 05 - 03:32 PM It would seem from the tenure of some of the posts on this thread that some skepticism is not considered entirely warranted. Philip Staufen/Sywald Skeid was greeted initially with considerable sympathy and goodwill in Canada. The British press dubbed him Mr.Nobody, not the Canadian. Sympathy waned here when the young man seemed to be more concerned with obtaining a Canadian passport or citizenship, than with making any effort to avail himself of the medical help offered to assist him with his amnesia. It came as a bit of a surprise when I did the nose and hair change in photoshop on one particular picture of Staufen and comparing it to the face of the fellow in Britain holding the sheet music. It really wasn't what I was expecting, I was just fooling around. Sorry I can't post it somehow. The rest of the similarities with Britain's Piano Man, I too, was initially quite willing to dismiss as coincedence proir to that photo. If my posts seem a bit harsh regarding our missing amnesia victim, I don't think my skepicism regarding Staufen is entirely off base. Generally I'm pretty sympathetic regarding any health issue, mind or body, its all the same to me. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 25 May 05 - 03:02 AM Is it not possible for someone to move this thread up to the music-related section?
Normal procedure if the originator of a thread has designated it as BS is to allow it to remain as BS - joeclone |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Kaleea Date: 25 May 05 - 12:48 AM Geez, I cut all the tags out of my clothes cause they give me a rash on the back of my neck! Looks as if all the speculating has not yet been conclusive. He very well may be someone who needs help-one way or the other. I, for one, will stay "tuned." Meanwhile, there's a great idea for a movie of the week. Or maybe I'll die my gray hair much darker, pick out some artsy looking clothes from my closet, & plop myself down in some wonderful country where wars & economic disasters haven't taken over & OH YEAH--I can get the medical coverage I so desperately need! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: open mike Date: 24 May 05 - 02:09 AM i guess that "worth 1000" site got flooded by folks looking for the piano man poem or lyrics the page i get says this: 5/24/2005 - IMPORTANT UPDATE FROM THE WORTH1000 TEAM We are currently experiencing extremely high traffic levels and have disabled guest access to certain pages. We apologize for the inconvenience. Please try back later today or register.... not caring to register, was anyone able to get those lyrics or words? and can you post them here? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Donuel Date: 23 May 05 - 04:13 PM http://www.worth1000.com/emailthis.asp?entry=198017 |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 23 May 05 - 02:23 PM Since arriving in Canada, on paper, Skeid has grown at least 3 inches. I know the food's good here and growth hormones have been reputedly used in the meat industry, but I don't think ingesting GHs here could be responsible for Skeid's amazing growth spurt. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 23 May 05 - 01:59 PM McGrath, when you swear an affadavit which may be used in a court of law in this country, the information is supposed to be accurate. If you don't know your own accurate height, you had better find out or not include it in a sworn statement. This is the kind of information that gets put on passports, you can't just say, "Don't know exactly." |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 23 May 05 - 12:55 PM What's an affidavit got to do with determining someone's height? If you asked me my own height, I'd just have to guess. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 23 May 05 - 12:35 PM Robbie, Mr. Nobody or Sywald Skeid, the name he has been last known to assume, has never been thought to be Portuguese by those dealing with him in Canada. He did marry, in Vancouver BC, a Portuguese woman, Nathalie Herve-Azevedo, who has duel citizenship here. She is the daughter of Manuel Azevedo, the lawyer who worked pro bono on his case for him. The father-in-law has subsequently distanced himself from Skeid and now has doubts regarding the young man. Perhaps you can give us a link to your knowledge of his nationality. McGrath, Skeid has sworn at least two affadavits with his given height varying as much as two inches. Missing Persons had him listed at yet another height. I wonder which one British newspapers chose? The reputedly gifted Philip Staufen, Keith Ryan, Sywald Skeid, or whatever name he has chosen recently, is now under orders to receive medical treatment regarding his "amnesia", report once a month to his nearest Office of Canadian Immigration and also report any change of address within two working days of moving. Perhaps he just forgot about that too. At last report, his whereabouts in Canada was unknown. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 22 May 05 - 08:39 PM Viva 'The Silent Majority'!!! Unfortunately Musos are seldom silent... |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 22 May 05 - 07:53 PM I think there are a lot more people around the Mudcat who would share Robbie's attitude than there are of the begrudgers. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Sorcha Date: 22 May 05 - 05:02 PM Thank you Robbie! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: RobbieWilson Date: 22 May 05 - 03:57 PM The other thing about the Canadian bloke is that he is Portugese and would have no need for any subterfuge to live and work in the UK. I can't get along with the fact there are so many people putting anti stranger crap on this site, about someone of whom they know nothing. Did they do something to earn the right to be in this country, or were they simply, like me born here? People who come from abroad generally are either fleeing terrible conditions, and who could grudge them that, or trying to make a better living for themselves, which is only possible by contributing to the society we live in. Get a life. This young man is obviously in some kind of trouble, has never done me any harm and so my first instinct is to try and help. If that is not your first instinct then you are in no position to look down and sneer at anyone. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,McGrath of Harlow Date: 22 May 05 - 02:06 PM There's a similarity, but according to The Observer today "the Piano Man" is several inches taller than "Mr Nobody" - and that's not something that minor cosmetic surgery can fix. Also, aside from not palying the piano so far as anyone knows, the Canadian bloke was quite talkative, as opposed to being mute. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: fat B****rd Date: 22 May 05 - 01:35 PM Tell him he's not as good as Les Dawson, that'll make him talk !! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 22 May 05 - 12:23 PM Trained professionals in Canada originally thought that Mr. Nobody suffered from amnesia. Trained professionals ended up concluding, including the Toronto police detectives, his father-in-law who was at one time his lawyer and immigration officials, that something very fishy was going on. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 22 May 05 - 07:16 AM "a smell label"!!!! I don't need them, I just don't wash the clothes! I had a friend who went to Thailand who brought me back a collared T-shirt with the little alligator on it - the label said 'Made in France' - and it came straight out of the Thai factory that made it for the French Company (production line overrun!) .... only cost AUD$6 instead of about $30.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Jeanie Date: 22 May 05 - 06:33 AM Looking at the photos of "Mr. Nobody" and "The Piano Man", they certainly appear to have the same posture (photo of Mr. Nobody standing, wearing baseball cap) and EARS. People forget about ears when trying to alter their appearance, but they are a real giveaway. Whatever the truth turns out to be, it is a sad and sorry case. - jeanie |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,freda Date: 22 May 05 - 06:29 AM It amazes me how people who have not had direct contact with this person can know so much more, and come to such different conclusions than the traoined professionals looking after him. Distrust of strangers is a powerful instinct being manipulated so well by politicians right now. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Metchosin Date: 22 May 05 - 05:11 AM Did some more modifications in Photoshop, removing Mr. Nobody's hair from his forehead and lowering the bridge of his nose and shortening it a bit and Mr. Piano Man sure looks as if he has a twin brother to me....perhaps the twin brother who vanished from Vancouver Island a short while ago? The one that refused medical treatment for his amnesia. This may not say much for either Canadian or British border security....hmmmm....Then again maybe Canadian immigration and CSIS just wiped his slate for him and dumped him off the coast of Britain because it was emarrassing not being able to figure out where else to deport him to. LOL |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Metchosin Date: 22 May 05 - 03:21 AM Why couldn't he have had thousands of hours of practice? Lots of people who play an instrument have had thousands of hours of practice. Some of them just sound a little better than others and I'll bet the hospital staff wouldn't be as impressed if he had turned out to be a wizz on the bagpipes or piano accordian. LOL.....sorry CarolC....couldn't resist. I know a number of fine pianists who by the age of thirty had a large classical repetoire as well as the ability to play stuff by John Lennon. In fact, most could do that by the age of 15. Although some might wish to believe that this is somehow a twist on David Helfgott's life, I still think this fellow will prove to be a con artist. This is not to say that he doesn't indeed have some mental health issues, but I don't think a break with reality such as Helfgott suffered is going to prove to be one of them. I'm still going to stick by my post of 12:16 AM. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST, Topsy Date: 22 May 05 - 03:13 AM Clothes labels are very unreliable. I saw a garment in a charity shop that had 'Proudly made in Australia' on the main label, but on a smell label on an inside seam it said 'Made in China'. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Fooles Troupe Date: 22 May 05 - 01:17 AM "having some talent regarding piano" Only thousands of hours of practice.... |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 22 May 05 - 12:16 AM My bet is that Mr. Nobody and the Piano Man are going to prove to be one and the same. Just out of curiosity, I juxtaposed two pictures of them, both with blonde hair, to compare and while the noses are quite different, the eyes and mouth appear to be a match. Mr Nobody is fluent in both French and English, as well as having some German and Latin, so having some talent regarding piano wouldn't be out of the question. |
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Subject: Mr Somebody From: GUEST,Partita Date: 21 May 05 - 08:28 PM The possibilities seem endless: Could this be the workings of a clever performance artist, in the pay of some bright sparks in Hollywood? Does this event usher in a new era in the way movies are to be hyped? Or perhaps a fashion house? Or is this an anti-modernity statement by a dissafected, classically educated individual? Or is adult human cloning all too real and coming to a clinic near you, soon? Irrespective, the most remarkable and rather enigmatic fact is that in this age of global information exchange, an entire week has slipped by and none of his relatives or acquaintances have yet spoken up to identify him. Or perhaps they have but the authorities are still sifting through the mass of leads? His parents? Siblings? Aunts, uncles, cousins? The person who taught him how to play the piano? They're out there somewhere. The Canadian lead seems the most promissing so far, but even if he is the same individual, he remains unidentified. Fascinating... |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Barrie Roberts Date: 21 May 05 - 08:12 PM What a wonderful thread! Raises all sorts of reflections. Wasn't there a film called 'Johnny Nobody' about a man who shoots someone in Ireland and claims that he doesn't know who he is but God told him to strike down the unbeliever. Don't worry --- he gets a marvellous comeuppance at the end. Then there was 'Dangerous Moonlight' with Anton Walbrook and Sally Gray, in which a former concert pianist loses his mind and sits in a mental home bashing discordantly on a piano for ages before he recovers and remembers that he wrote the 'Warsaw Concerto'. Then there's a question about how useful clothing labels are in identifying people. The shirt I'm wearing came from somewhere in the Far East; my sweater has 'San Francisco' embroidered on the front and 'Made in the USA' inside the collar; my slacks come from Belgium, and the jacket I was wearing earlier comes from Norway. But I'm British and acquired them all in the UK. Finally, this thread reminds me what a privilege it is to belong to the worldwide community of musicians and music-lovers, who are so humane and caring it nearly makes me weep. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Metchosin Date: 21 May 05 - 12:24 PM For pictures of the fellow prior to the nose job who turned up in Canada, check here. Mr.Nobody |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 21 May 05 - 07:05 AM Since there is nothing in the stuff about that bloke in Toronto playing the piano the connection seems a bit arbitrary. They both had no labels on their garments and had bleached hair, but otherwise there seems not much in common between the two cases. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Hanson Date: 21 May 05 - 06:18 AM The man who did this in Canada married a local and got residency. He disappeared a few weeks ago. Makes you think. eric |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Shambles Date: 21 May 05 - 04:17 AM Maybe the appeal needs to made where musicians will have the best chance to see it? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 20 May 05 - 07:50 PM It was in the London Standard yesterday So of course it must be true... In fact the paper in question, the Evening Standard reported Mystery Piano Man may be Toronto's Mr Nobody "May be" is not the same as "is", mindblaster. This later story in the Times indicates the mystery is still very much a mystery. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 20 May 05 - 07:47 PM London Evening Standard Story. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: mindblaster Date: 20 May 05 - 07:31 PM It was in the London Standard yesterday |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST, Topsy Date: 20 May 05 - 07:25 PM He looks a bit like Saint-Exupery's Little Prince. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave'sWife Date: 20 May 05 - 07:03 PM Maybe he's is not a space alien abductee but a space alien. It would probably make people happy to discover he's an alient of some sort. Pehaps he's an illegal alien from another planet who wants assylum on Earth. Could be. That would explain cutting out the labels on his clothes AND the wet suit. He splashed down of course. We just haven't found his capsule. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: open mike Date: 20 May 05 - 12:44 PM mind blaster...can you substantiate the canada rumour?? (He pulled the same stroke 6 years ago in Canada - cut off labels 'n all. It was a scam to get residency.) and what was his name found to be THEN? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 20 May 05 - 09:19 AM he's a 19th Century abductee, finally returned by space aliens |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave'sWife Date: 20 May 05 - 04:48 AM From ABC News yesterday: "Social workers said a tip from a Polish mime living in Italy, who said the man is a French street musician, proved false. Dariusz Dydymski had said he was "99 percent certain" the pianist was named Steven Villa Massone, but Massone was found living in Nice, France. "I found out this morning when I saw in the Italian papers that he had said that man was me," The Independent newspaper quoted Massone as saying. "I didn't understand what had happened and suddenly I had lots of calls asking if I was the pianist." etc etc. The mystery continues |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: mindblaster Date: 20 May 05 - 04:43 AM He pulled the same stroke 6 years ago in Canada - cut off labels 'n all. It was a scam to get residency. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Masterson Date: 20 May 05 - 03:47 AM He was found wandering on the Isle of Sheppey - that's enough to traumatise anyone! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Sorcha Date: 19 May 05 - 06:26 PM Well, I'm with holding judgment for now......but I'm awfully curious! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 May 05 - 04:56 PM Sounds like the goofy plot of that Ludlum novel The Bourne Identity. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,jOhn Date: 19 May 05 - 03:58 PM it's Billy Joel, i suprised nobody realised yet! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,"M" Date: 19 May 05 - 03:25 PM Here is a possibility that no-one here has considered yet: If someone was working on a covert operation, they might have fake identity or maybe nothing to identify them, in case they were intercepted and the operation went wrong. Or the operator (or someone else) may arrange things to look as though they were an "illegal immigrant", with all identifying labels removed. This man is described as young and physically fit. Maybe he was working on something that went wrong. Maybe he was left for dead in the sea or left to appear like a suicide or attempted suicide. His training may have been to reveal nothing, however traumatized. Under these circumstances, anyone who recognizes him is not likely to come forward to identify him - at least not publicly. The public may never be told the full story. Maybe it is already known who he is and there is a waiting game going on for someone to reveal themselves by claiming him. Just a possibility, you understand. Whatever the truth, I say "poor young man." |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Stilly River Sage Date: 19 May 05 - 10:03 AM Oh, good, let's torture the guy. Keep him away from the music that is clearly a gift in order to force him to communicate in some other less intellectual way. Is anyone Listening to the music? Are they getting any clues from his choices of composers, pieces, periods? Geez. You have some information and you truncate it. Now that's thinking [not]! I must say, I'm impressed by the level of this "con job" that some of you are visualizing. Imagine, becoming so proficient on a musical instrument that people consider you concert-calibre, just to pull a fast one to get into a country. Now who can top this one? (Oh, and by the way, don't start looking inside many of my clothes for tags, either. They come out if they cause itching, and others were removed by the department stores before they were sold to the discount outlets or the thrift stores where I bought them.) SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Shambles Date: 19 May 05 - 09:16 AM It strange the way some people are so eager to avoid being "taken in" that they rush to judgement on the basis of a couple of headlines. Nothing strange about people on our forum now rushing to pass judgement on their fellows - as all this judgement has been encouraged to become the only game in town. It may not be strange - but perhaps it is more than a little sad? |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Hanson Date: 19 May 05 - 09:09 AM And a lot to gain also. eric |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 19 May 05 - 07:29 AM Guest at 03:36 AM I suspect that many (even most) incomers, legal or not, have something to offer given half a chance. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: McGrath of Harlow Date: 19 May 05 - 06:33 AM There's talk of making a movie around this - it's a bit reminiscent of the situation in one excellent recent film, "Ladies in Lavender". I gather they've stopped him playing the piano with the idea thatta this will force him to find other ways of communicating. That sounds pretty brutal and simplistic to me. I note that in the picture in the press he appears to be carrying a music score, suggesting that he's able to read music as well as play it. .................................. It strange the way some people are so eager to avoid being "taken in" that they rush to judgement on the basis of a couple of headlines. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Paco Rabanne Date: 19 May 05 - 06:01 AM Why would anyone cut all the labels out of their clothes, unless they were trying to hide their identity? Sounds like another scrounger to me. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Hanson Date: 19 May 05 - 05:44 AM Get real, he's a con man. eric |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: RobbieWilson Date: 19 May 05 - 05:06 AM |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: akenaton Date: 19 May 05 - 04:30 AM No! Politics is!!....Ake |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 19 May 05 - 04:25 AM Is folk the last bastion of the xenophobe? Oops thread drift. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 19 May 05 - 03:36 AM If he is a foreigner with no residency rights (yet) it will make a refreshing change to have someone come in who actually brings something (in the form of his gift) so I for one will welcome him. In fact I'll even welcome him despite the fact that he may be French. cheers, Terry |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,The Shambles Date: 18 May 05 - 10:44 AM http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/4557619.stm Health workers caring for the "Piano Man" could not confirm reports he had been identified as French street musician Steven Villa Masson. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Stilly River Sage Date: 18 May 05 - 10:19 AM Odd to see such bitter resentment from a group of people whose common denominator is music. He apparently has a great musical gift. That doesn't come from nowhere, it implies a sophisticated eduation, and great musical talent generally isn't seen as the final clue in profiling axe murderers. Relax, sit back, and let the story unfold. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Hanson Date: 18 May 05 - 10:16 AM He has just been identified by a Pole living in Italy as a French street musician called Steven Villa Masson. eric |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 18 May 05 - 09:43 AM He's Lord Lucan. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,freda Date: 18 May 05 - 09:23 AM We had a situation recently in Australia when a mentally ill woman was considered to be feigning her illness to avoid deportation. She was put in immigration detention and the guards thought she was putting it on. As it happened she was an Australian citizen, diagnosed schizophrenic, but was detained 10 months before authorities were forced by advocates to investigate her background and publicise her case. Once she was recognised, her family came forward. She had been on the missing persons list and was an Australian citizen. Cornelia Rau Resentment towards "illegals" caused authorities to put this woman in isolation, and deprive her of treatment. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Hanson Date: 18 May 05 - 08:58 AM Maybe he could have done if he was honest about it. eric |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Jos Date: 18 May 05 - 06:13 AM Previous guest, If he was allowed to come into the country openly without all this subterfuge he could earn a living and contribute to society. He could be paying taxes, and not costing us anything. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: George Papavgeris Date: 18 May 05 - 05:37 AM GUEST, you are right in all likelihood, except that his torn labels ar not "obviously" foreign - we could only say that if we had them to hand. As it is, we can be suspicious, that's all. But while I agree with your suspicions, I say "let's consider him innocent until proven guilty". Sooner or later something will come to light, I cannot imagine otherwise, unless he has exterminated everyone who has ever known him. So far, I remain mystified and suspicious. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Hanson Date: 18 May 05 - 04:57 AM A large dose of sodium pentathol would get the truth out of him. eric |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 18 May 05 - 04:50 AM I agree. He was clever enough to remove the obviously foreign labels from all his clothing before starting his mentally ill act. Another freeloader my taxes will have to pay for. We are suckers in this country. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Nellie Clatt Date: 18 May 05 - 04:44 AM He is a very clever illegal immigrant, he has removed all labels from his clothes and is refusing to speak [ pretending he doesn't understand ] When he has got the sympathy of the entire country [ as he surely heading towards ] and he feels secure in his position he will turn out to a different person. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Stilly River Sage Date: 17 May 05 - 11:56 PM I heard a story about this on All Things Considered this evening. The social worker says that he has no background in music at all. They're trying to get the guy a piano. Why don't they get him a piano and a pianist at the same time? Let the pianist play, listen, communicate with The Piano Man in the way musicians do (we all know there is a lot of unspoken humor in music, for example). Find someone who is conversant in a broad array of musical types and see what can be narrowed down. But don't keep him in the dark with non-musicians all around him. I worked as a volunteer in a recreation program for mentally retarded and emotionally disturbed kids and adults. I did this for several years while I was in college, but then, as college students do, I went away after graduation. I returned a year or two later on a Saturday to visit the group, only to find that while the participants were the same, there was a whole new set of paid staff and all new volunteers. The place was rather dead that afternoon. I asked "why don't you have Frank play the piano? That always perks up the group." They didn't know what I was talking about. Somehow they'd missed transmitting the information that Frank was a music savant. I had them open the room with the piano and let Frank in and he was thrilled to get to play and everyone gathered around. He was so non-communicative in every other area that he couldn't even speak up to tell them of this gift of his. There are many gifted pianists in the world, not all of them are know by regional orchestras. But maybe some sharp-eared volunteer somewhere will catch on that one of their flock has gone astray. Good luck to him in the meantime. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,robomatic Date: 17 May 05 - 11:33 PM It's like the mystery of Kaspar Hauser, only with a piano! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,cartoon fan Date: 17 May 05 - 12:19 PM I know how to cure him instantly. I've watched "Tom & Jerry" cartoons.. amnesia victims just need a cartoon violence sudden wallop to the head !!! maybe one of the guys here will volunteer to help out http://207.103.108.99/thread.cfm?threadid=81088&messages=58 |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Dave Bryant Date: 17 May 05 - 11:28 AM Sounds a bit like "The Volunteer Organist". |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Bainbo Date: 17 May 05 - 10:28 AM Blimey! I work in British journalism, and I didn't think you could get any more cynical than us lot. I can't decide whether or not to be pleased to have been proved wrong. :-) |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 17 May 05 - 10:23 AM Mayhap he is faking it to obtain an english pssport |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 17 May 05 - 09:55 AM Mayhap he's just recovering from a handfasting! |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 17 May 05 - 09:03 AM There is a newer photo now circulating, but apparently he is so traumatised it had to be taken from a distance 'paparazzi style', as people getting too close to him causes him distress. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,leeneia Date: 17 May 05 - 09:00 AM I wonder why the BBC couldn't manage an identifiable photograph? Re: "Watch out for his miraculous recovery when he is inevitably granted asylum status." I doubt if any person could keep up a false front for the experienced staff of a mental hospital for three months. I don't doubt that there is something seriously wrong with him. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,thread starter Date: 17 May 05 - 06:04 AM Yes, I definitely should have put it above the line. Could someone with the know how please move it. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 17 May 05 - 06:01 AM Watch out for his miraculous recovery when he is inevitably granted asylum status. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 17 May 05 - 05:07 AM It was on UK TV news last night with a better picture of him, also on BBC Radio 4 news. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,thread starter Date: 17 May 05 - 04:57 AM I wasn't too sure where to put this request, and did feel bad about the BS tag, with hindsight I wish I had put it above the line. Roger his drawing also made me think of the autistic boy's buildings drawings. I don't know if this has been aired on UK TV or not. I hope it has a happy outcome. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 17 May 05 - 03:55 AM Or a would-be immigrant who doesn't want his origins known for fear of being sent back? Surely we should be welcoming talented people into the country, not making it this difficult for them. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler Date: 17 May 05 - 03:50 AM If reports are true that he has labels cut out of his clothes and was wet, possibly an attempted suicide who doesn't want to be identified? The piano drawing the papers showed reminded me of the autistic boy who draws buildings. Strange no one has recognised him if he is UK resident. RtS |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: Kaleea Date: 16 May 05 - 11:39 PM This is quite interesting. Surely someone will recognise him. It would be quite easy for an experienced Piano teacher to recognise the literature he plays. Obviously he is accustomed to playing a grand piano, which points to being a performer. I good university prof of piano, classical radio DJ, or an affectionado of classical piano Music who keeps up with the latest recordings would probably recognize the young man's interpretative style. If a recording artist, the pic should be sent out to all the classical style radio stations possible. Even victims of amnesia, senile dementia & alzheimer's disease usually retain their Music knowledge, and this will likely bring back his memory if it is lost. I'll send out good thoughts for him. |
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Subject: RE: BS: The piano man. From: The Shambles Date: 16 May 05 - 06:44 PM This is a music related thread. Perhaps some anonymous volunteer will move it upstairs? |
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Subject: BS: The piano man. From: GUEST Date: 16 May 05 - 04:39 AM Do you know him? A man has been found wandering in Kent, UK, by the police. The above link tells the story. He has not uttered a word since being found early April, and is in a highly distressed state. But he is amazing authorities with his musicianship. He is currently being cared for in a secure mental health institution. They think he may be eastern european, and the area in Kent he was found in, could back up this theory. But they are appealing for anyone who knows him to come forward and help. The missing persons tel number is at the bottom of the link. |
