the 'piano man'

I am surprised nobody has posted about this here yet. Most people seem to think it is a fraud of some sort, perhaps to become famous then sell records but mabey the man has some sort of mental problem.

from here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/05/17/npiano17.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/05/17/ixhome.html

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All labels had been removed from clothing worn by the mute “Piano Man” when he was found wandering on a beach, it was disclosed yesterday.

The apparently deliberate attempt to conceal his identity emerged as calls poured in to a missing persons helpline following publicity yesterday about the man, who has not spoken since he was found on the Isle of Sheppey, in Kent, more than five weeks ago.

Karen Dorey-Rees, the adult mental health services manager for West Kent NHS Trust, which is caring for the 6ft tall man, said: “There were no labels in his clothing. They had been removed. We do not know by whom or why.”

The man, believed to be about 30, was found wandering on the seafront at Minster. He was originally taken to Medway Maritime Hospital in Gillingham, where staff gave him a paper and pencil to encourage him to write his name. Instead, he drew pictures of pianos, some of the internal workings.

When he was placed in front of a piano in the hospital chapel, he “came alive” and played classical music for several hours. He has still not spoken, however, but appears to understand English by making little nods.

The man - dubbed the “Piano Man” by hospital staff - is now at Little Brook Hospital in Dartford. Mrs Dorey-Rees said: “He plays music beautifully but we know nothing more. We are keen to identify him as this will help us care for him better.”

Michael Camp, who has been appointed as the man’s social worker, said: "I have never dealt with someone so traumatised in 20 years.

“When two people are in the room, his eyes flick between both people. He is extremely scared and doesn’t want to take his eye off anyone. It’s only when he is at the piano that he is relaxed. He has smiled and cried. He does give slight nods and blinks but this is not consistent. When anyone enters the room, he cowers in the corner.”

The man also drew a picture of the Swedish flag and there have been attempts to identify him through orchestras and music organisations in Britain and Europe.

Some believed him to be the Swedish pianist Martin Sturfalt, 26, who has homes in London and Stockholm. But Sturfalt said from Sweden last night: “It is not me.”

The case has been compared with that of the pianist David Helfgott, whose battle against mental illness formed the basis of the film Shine.

Marjorie Wallace, the chief executive of the mental health charity Sane, said: “There have been cases of musicians who have retained their gifts for music through serious mental breakdown.”

Anyone with information about the man should call the National Missing Persons Helpline on 0500 700700.

I guess “Sing us a song, you’re the Piano Man” wouldn’t be very appropriate in this case, huh?

I have heard of rare situations where a person’s brain has received very specific injuries that leaves them unable to speak or write but completely able to play an instrument or even sing, so perhaps it wouldn’t be inappropriate at all.

His eyes are kind of haunting:

Yes, they are rather ghostly…

Sorry I messed up the image. Here is his picture and one of the pianos (pianoes?) he has drawn:

I think he may be Zubvika.

I kind of feel sorry for him—everybody trying to pressure him to talk, when apparently the only thing that he has a passion for is to play the piano.

The missing labels are all I need to certify that Mr X is either very very sick or very very stupid.

There’s the possibility of autism.

What about those people who cut the labels off of their pillows and furniture?

The poor soul… so scared of people… I have to wonder why … bless them for giving him access to the pianos.

I find it strange that apparently nobody in all of Europe knows this man. Wouldn’t it be bizarre if we never found out who he is? Would he just live in the mental hospital for the rest of his life?

Who’s going to play the part in the upcoming “made-for-TV” movie?

You would be surprised at how isolated some people are.
Some years back there was a fire at a London Underground station - Kings Cross, I believe - and one victim was never identified.They did a facial reconstruction and ran a huge publicity campaign to let people know the details of this poor soul even the fact that he had a large steel plate in his head.He was thought to be Oriental and it was assumed that he had been travelling alone.
Somewhere on this planet there must be someone who wonders where this guy got to…

Slan,
D.

Has he been identified?

http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=4569592

:smiley: I was about to post the same thing.

Oh for craps sakes_…“He is now being held in a secure mental health unit in north Kent, which has no piano, until a full assessment has been carried out.”_

That seems immensely cruel to me. The one thing he can relate to and through, and they take it away from him.

And the misassembled symbiote that is bureaucracy lumbers on.

Do you think he can play Piano Man by Billy Joel?

It seems to me that the labels aren’t such an odd thing, especially if he is a street musician -
it seems to me that factory rejects often have the labels removed (so the reject is not
associated with the brand) and then sold to discount outlets or given to charity or such.

But maybe they do things differently over there.

–Chris

Great word usage though I’m not sure symbiote would be my first choice. Doesn’t that imply everyone benefits.