[Dixielandjazz] Requests not to play

[LARRY'S Signs and Large Format Printing]

I loved this line: Generally the audience loves your pet hate,

For years in St. Louis there were many tunes verboten on "society" gigs.
They were virtually anything Black or sounded like Black music which of
course included all the 50's and 60's rock tunes.  Remember this was the
city where DJ's publicly broke rock and roll records.  Most of those tunes
sound sort of quaint today and incredibly immature compared to some of
today's music but at the time you just didn't do it if you wanted to keep on
gigging.  There was an approved tune list that some of the bookers put out
also.  I play more music of the 50's and 60's today than I ever did in those
years.  These were the years that I was getting started and naturally I
wanted to play the music that I heard on the radio but I had to make a
living and you do what you have to do.

I suspect that many successful groups break up because of the demand to play
their hits over and over.  It's like a world class chef who is only able to
fry eggs.  I don't know if it's better to be a one hit wonder or very
successful because you know the public will identify with your hits.
Musicians can get trapped by their success.  Not all continue doing new
things that are accepted by the public like Louis Armstrong till they die.

Larry Walton
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 1:27 PM
Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Requests not to play


> jazz jerry wrote: (polite snip)
>
> > Anyway do member of the DJML feel that musicians pet hates are different
from
> > those of there audiances?
>
> Sure. Generally the audience loves your pet hate, WWW. I think a lot of
> musicians hate it also. But not the audience. Same for Saints, Bill
Bailey,
> etc. IMO, it has to do with frequency of hearing the tune and perception
in
> the musos mind that WWW, Hello Dolly, Saints, etc., are so easy to play
that
> the urge to create within the chord framework or melody is minimal. And
> sometimes, musos just like to bitch.
>
> On the other hand, It would be interesting to know if Tony Bennett hates
> "San Francisco", or if Bob Hope hated "Thanks For The Memories".  I don't
> think so, but conversely, Artie Shaw is reputed to hate "Beguine", but
then
> he hated the audience in its entirety.
>
> > Also is there any musician out there who has had a
> > reverse request where a punter or promoter has promised drinks, money
or
> > even very personal favours if the band DOES NOT play a certain melody?
>
> Sure. E.G. Strolling gigs at restaurants, table to table. I've seen trios
> and/or violinists tipped and asked not to play at a table by those sitting
> there. Like "here's five bucks pal, keep moving."
>
> Cheers,
> Steve Barbone
>
>
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