Courtesy of Brother Steve’s website, I’ve discovered what’s wrong with me!
Are you a True Believer?
When you start playing Irish music late in life (say over the age of twelve!), you’re taking on a tough assignment. You can start slowly and gently, but sooner or later, if you want to break through to a higher level, you’re going to have to become a little obsessed. There’ll be a period of at least two years, and maybe much longer, when you start acting a little strangely. You’ll be found listening to Irish music all the time (when you’re washing dishes, walking the dog, driving your car). You may lock yourself in your room and practise the whistle the rest of the time, with an intensity that your friends and family just cannot fathom.
You will probably take to attending sessions with devout regularity, and sooner or later, festivals. You’ll start coming home with obscure recordings of people with names like Willie, Miko and Tommy. Pretty soon you’ll be making pilgrimages to Doolin and Miltown Malbay and other holy sites in the west of Ireland. You have become a True Believer.
There are two types of people who take up Irish music. Those who become True Believers, and those who imagine that they will crack this music without going through a period of obsession. In my experience, it is very hard for the latter to reach the promised land. Camels going through needle’s eyes have an easier time of it.
I plead guilty your honour! This was brought home to me last week, on a training course i attended ,in connection with work.When doing a session on ‘your own world view’,we were asked to list our interests/concerns in ever expanding circles,with ourselves as the ‘centre’.I must admit that music ALMOST came before family in my list of priorities(!!!).Then i remembered this self same quote of Steve’s.Certainly makes you think…i mean it’s ‘ONLY’ music isn’t it?!
(I mean, who needs marital bliss when you still haven’t nailed the B-part of Green Groves of Erin? And what do you mean, it’s enough now? I’ve only listened to that same Seamus Ennis track twenty-seven times in a row… No, I’m not done yet. Don’t you like good music???)
If I was to post a picture of the other Weekender’s face when my last package of Burkes came or my last return from the “good” record store, it would affirm the affliction. She doesn’t yet know about the low A and G order…
That’s why I like BSteve so much. He is in touch with our reality. In fact, as noted, he DEFINED it. Know thyself and all that…
How’s this?: I play the Breathnach examples on cassette from his book in the car. Do I pass muster, Oh Brother In Canada???
Oh yeah and just to keep her (other Weekender) on edge, I occassionally put on a NON-IRTRAD cd. Worth the annoyance just for the reaction.
And as she says, she “used to like Irish music.” But don’t worry conventioneers, she’s a good enough sport to play guitar or bodhran when we meet up.
[ This Message was edited by: The Weekenders on 2002-08-06 16:49 ]
Frankly, I am insulted with the notion of anything being wrong with me or other people who like to play tin whistles. Just because the heat broke and I can take a nice deep breath, and thus play with a fury again . . . have banished my conure to the garage so I can play music at my computer with the slow down softare and loop into endless circles the two measures of a hornpipe I’m trying to learn . . .
I don’t think there’s a problem.
I consider myself very lucky that I first heard Irish Music being played in Ireland, at the wedding of a close friend, who I still visit annually now he lives near Cork City.
I was also introduced to Irish songs and singing through a guitar class taught by an Irishman, though I had gone to learn folk guitar, not Irish songs.
Everytime I go over to Ireland, I am looking for some good sessions. What surprises me is that not everyone in Ireland is interested at all in the music, often you have to look (and listen) really hard to find the good venues, and they barely seem to advertise. Maybe that’s exactly why they are good!
