[Dixielandjazz] Musos

[Eric Holroyd]

Bob Ringwald asked 'Where did the expression 'musos' come from? ' and Dave Richoux replied 'I think it is a Britishism (and the related countries).

Then Dave quotes the Urban Dictionary as saying 'Someone who is obsessed with music performance, especially one favoring technique over expression.

Dave also says that he'd 'heard it in US High School marching band circles as a more polite term for Band Geek' which prompts me to think that perhaps some American student had heard an Australian using it and then applied his/her own meaning.

Incidentally Dave, can you enlighten us as to what are those ‘related countries’ please?

I was born in England (which is maybe one of Dave's 'related countries') and worked as a musician there until re-locating to Australia in 1967.

I had never encountered the expression 'musos' before coming to Australia, where I found it to be in common use everywhere, with none of the Urban Dictionary's meanings applicable.

It seems to me to be an Australian characteristic to abbreviate words and add an 'o', as in Garbo (garbage collector) Arvo (afternoon), Bottleo (Liquor Store), Compo (Worker’s Compensation) and Ambo (ambulance person), although curiously our Postman (Mail Delivery Person for American readers) is often referred to as a 'Postie' whilst Kindergarten becomes ‘Kindie’. And there are many more, which hopefully some enterprising TV producer will feature in a ‘Doco’.

As for the Band Geek misnomer: I've often heard Bob Barnard referred to as a 'muso' and no-one who has ever had the good fortune to hear Bob play live would think of him in any other way than as a brilliant musician. There are many other fine Australian musicians who would be proud to accept being called a 'muso'.

Mr Ringwald's original question provoked this serious response from me, but I can see in my mind's eye the Usual Suspects sharpening their jokey pencils to offer some inane reply, rather than offer an equally serious answer.

Eric Holroyd
Sydney, Australia