[Dixielandjazz] Clearing The Air

[Steve barbone]

Hi Mike: 

Someone sent me a copy of your post. I feel I need to clear up a few things
between us. So I re-subscribed ( I think),to clear the air, defend myself
and defend your right to say what you please.

Cheers,
Steve

> Thank you John!
> My in box has been overflowing with posts supporting my  message, too.
> I guess it is a shame that all those people thought that  they had to
> support me off list, because of reprisals.

Hey you want to show me yours and I'll show you mine? Want to bet the farm
on the total counts?  Reprisals? You must either be kidding. To what
reprisals do you refer? Have I sent Guido around? To either you or John? Now
that would be what I call a reprisal.

> Now - to all of you who think that I am a "bad guy" for  saying what I  did, I
> will answer:

> Did I send my post to try to get Tom and Steve to leave  the list?
> NO! If they felt that put upon, after some of the things that  I have seen
> them say to others, all I can say is "If you can't take the heat,  don't
> stand by the fire."

I agree with you entirely. I defend your right to say what you did and would
ask list mates to do the same. I certainly do not think you are a bad guy.
For your information, it was not your post that made me decide to leave the
List so neither flatter yourself, nor underestimate me.

> I will not apologize for my original posting to this  list. Now -- did I enjoy
> some of the posts that Tom and Steve  sent, when they were not being critical,
> but sending information?

And by all means don't apologize to me. There is no need. I believe that
every one should be able to say whatever pleases him. My only disagreement
with your post "Is any one else tired of being put down  constantly by Tom
Wiggins and Steve Barbone????????" is that it is a bit of a fabrication. To
which exact post or posts of mine do you refer? Specifically. I challenge
you to come up with a specific post from New Years to present and find ONE
that validates your statement. In other words, what you said was absolute
hogwash. Yet I still defend your right to say it.

> Now -- did I enjoy  some of the posts that Tom and Steve  sent, when they
> were not being critical,  but sending information? OF COURSE.
> My problem has always been that they could have sent much of the
> information, which was definitely useful, and done it in a different
> manner, rather than making it sound like what they do is right and what others
> do, somehow isn't.

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda? Perhaps you are reading something into my posts
that isn't there? Is it that you don't mind what I say, but you do mind how
I say it. Come on, Mike, give me a break. What you are saying is the message
is OK, but lets shoot the messenger. Once again, please quote the recent
posts to which you refer. I asked you that in a previous post but you never
seem to have any specifics.

> Did I even agree with some of their attitudes about the
> "trad jazz festival circuit?"YES! After all, I am one who can't seem to "buy"
> a festival  appearance at many of those festivals, because I am not "trad"
> enough for many  festival directors, or my band isn't "showy" enough for what
> they are looking  for. I actually have always enjoyed playing those festivals
> a  lot over the  years! The audiences are some of the best jazz audiences
> anywhere!  I guess that if I worked harder at getting those bookings, I  could
> still play a few festivals.  My problem has always been (and here I  do agree
> with Tom and Steve)that the festivals have always booked too many  bands and
> paid all the musicians too little because of the "quantity over  quality"
> syndrome. I have to feed my family with my musical performing and  doing
> workshops in schools, as I don't have a "day job" like many of the  musicians
> who play in traditional jazz bands at the festivals. I have done pretty well
> in the music business, and I am VERY  thankful for the career that I have had.
> Yes,  I have done many of the  things that Tom and Steve talk about.  Yes, I
> am a salesman, promo person,  book keeper, secretary, band set up person, and
> anything else that it  takes.  I just don't slam that over other people's
> heads and  say that they  need to work as hard as I do.

Yes, we agree on a lot. But no, I am not aware that I slam people's heads.
And obviously I do not slam yours. I respect that fact that you are a
"working" musician. Nor do I claim to work hard, or say that others should
work hard. Or even that others should do as I do. Seems to me I present a
choice and give examples.

> Steve mentioned something about it was too bad that I  didn't do more
> of what he has done on this list, in the schools that I go  into.  How would
> he  know? He has never seen one of the music  business lectures that I have
> given in high schools and colleges all over this  country.
 
There you go again Mike. I did not say anything like that. NEVER.  What I
said EXACTLY was: "you might share your success stories with those on the
list who would like to be as busy with gigs as you are". Please do not
misquote me. And, if I remember correctly, I have lauded you in past several
times on the list for what you do in schools. Perhaps you misread my posts
like above and then get pissed?

> My other problem with Steve and Tom's postings was that  their view of
> today's music business, was NOT from the real world for many  musicians
> all over this country, playing ANY kind of music.

I beg your pardon? I work in the REAL WORD of music in my home area. I
employ REAL WORLD WORKING musicians, who make their living from music. I
make my living in music strictly from performing and I am one of the MAJOR
sources of income for those working musicians that I employ. What the hell
is REALER than that? The only strange thing about it is that I get a lot of
gigs. Strange only because others do not and so I'm not "in the real world"
because I work a lot? And then you have a problem with that?

> I am happy for  them that
> they get so much work.  I am happy that are great salesmen.   I am even happy
> for them that they probably do a lot better financially than I  do. BUT - in
> the REAL world of the music business, it gets  harder and harder for anyone to
> make a living playing a musical instrument.
> Most musicians that I know have to subsidize their incomes  with teaching,
> working in a music store, instrument repair, or any one  of a host of other
> activities, or  "gulp," even getting a regular day  job.  That is a sad thing,
> but it is true in today's "real" world of the  music business.

Yes it has ALWAYS been difficult to make a living in music. Not much has
changed since the late 40s when I started. It was just as damn tough then
too. With much the same problems, except the Union would send Guido around
for reprisals on those who worked cheap. One of the major reasons for my
posts is to let folks know that there are ways to make it a little easier.

> So - in conclusion.  Steve and Tom can do whatever  they want about
> this list.  To be honest, I think that there are people "on  both sides of
> the fence" as to whether they stay or leave. Again, their leaving was not my
> original intent at  all!!!!
 
I'm sure it wasn't and again, no need to apologize to me, you are not why I
left to begin with. And I defend your right to say what you please, when you
please, to whomever you please, however you please. That goes for everyone,
even those who misquote me and then get pissed when I answer with specific
examples. And then call my answers reprisals.

Why did I leave?

Because the keeper of the list, Bob Ringwald, perhaps bowing to pressure
from a minority of back biters, (not including you) is attempting to tell me
what I can say and what I cannot say. His post was totally off base
concerning my posts, especially since the time he and I had an off list talk
in mid January. 

Point being? Like you, Mike, I am a jazz musician. If I cannot say what I
want to say, the way I want to say it, . . . then what is there to say?

Cheers,
Steve