Sunesis

Igotout - well, Hope knew a good thing when she saw it!! Me and Dave Bailey were great buddies. So he's in the hills of Tennessee??? Give him my love when you talk to him.

Mrs. Buck, how are you? I thought you were a great down to earth person in the corps. Say hi to Buck for me - he's a sweetie! John, saw a picture of you on the 9th thread with D. Bailey - what a studmuffin you were. In fact all of us were cute young things.

I'm Back! :)-->

SocketCreep, I have a cat and love him dearly. He is a longhair black kittie, part angora. He is the sweetest guy. If you treat your cat with love, they will reflect that. And boy, cats each have their own distinct personalities, just like dogs.

He lets me know when he wants to play, have time for himself, etc. You will eventually be able to read his moods. Watch the tail. Congrats!

Socketcreep, these are great posts, but, I don't know, if you and your family fell in love with the Chocolate Lab, get it. Maybe its the pet God means you to have. So the house isn't huge, that's o.k., they're friendly and mellow in the house, but you do have a large fenced in backyard - that sounds great.

Even dogs from pet stores need love too. Just because its from a pet store doesn't mean it is flawed.

Go with the one you fell in love with.

Oh yeah, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee. I loved them as a young teen. I also played blues harp for quite a while.

Buck, don't feel band. My last year in residence I was put in charge of the corps dance band. My first year in residence, the dance band we had, had some excellent musicians and our corps (7th) and our elder corps (5th) just gelled and we had a great band.

Anyway, we have our first rehearsal, I listened to the musicians and fired almost all of them. Yes - I really did. Told them they were out. Figured I'd discuss it with H.S. (the Emporia staff way prod. person) in the morning and get some better musicians in the band. Well, HS sought me out long before the next morning, came gunnin' for me, and let me know in no uncertain terms that I would do what she said, and to whip them into shape. So I found everyone the next day, apologized, and we went on to have a kick *** little dance band.

La Prochaine, I understand, its your childhood.

O.k., I'll try not to knock Sugar Sugar. There was a music show back then, not Hullabaloo, but one of them and they'd do a skit to whatever song was No. 1. Well Sugar Sugar had been No. 1 for weeks. The funniest skit they did (remember, this was during the Black Panthers in the '60s), is they had a choir of Black Panthers, the black berets, military jackets, the whole outfit, standing in what looked like a church choir, sing Sugar Sugar with a soulful gospel beat. It was a riot. These tough guys swaying to Sugar Sugar.

The other all time bubblegum pop song has to be "Yummy, Yummy, Yummy I've Got Love in my Tummy" by the 1910 Fruitgum Company. Recently, in an interview the guy who wrote and sang it, said, yes, the meaning is literal.

That song, Sugar Sugar, was #1 for weeks. Us teens were totally sick of it, it still is one of the worst pop songs of all time, that and You're Having My Baby by Paul Anka and Honey by Bobby Goldsboro.

Wait a minute there Buck, of course we remember Shannon, what a sweetie, I hope you do too as you are married to her!!

You know Igotout, I still have our "yearbook." I think we were the only corps ever to have one. Do you still have yours?

Wow - Mike looks, well, alot older than I do. I never would have recognized him. I remember that ex-military, ramrod straight posture who was being groomed for leadership. Was he ordained? Boy, its amazing what we've become over the years.

O.k. - no, I am definitely not Waygb, sheesh - Igotout and Buck can vouch for me. ExCath, you are hysterical. I am so serious, I love people who can make me laugh.

Buck, this is where the action is, know why? Because as was explained in an earlier post, every corps has their own devil spirit and the 9th corps made friends with theirs! It seems whatever they power they made friends with is still working mightily to this day.

Buck, I can't believe you thought that was God telling you to wake her up!!! What did you think was going to happen? Too funny. Tell them about the time you spilled paint.

Mark, sure I remember Toni. I went to her ballroom dance school in junior high. In fact, I was kicked out because I was chewing gum! Your name has always sounded familiar. I used to go to Steve and Sandy's house on weekends or after school. What electrifying times those were.

Ron, Merle Travis is incredible. He is one of the fathers of fingerpicking. Any acoustic guitarist must learn Travis picking. I remember an older guitar whiz showing me the pattern when I was 11 or 12. Once I nailed it, you can now do all sorts of picking with all right hand fingers working independently. Most people don't realize Travis picking is just a certain right hand pattern. Difficult at first, but you can really fly once you get it. Also, Doc Watson is another incredible finger picker.

I also listened to a lot of jug band music in my formative years - anyone remember Jim Kweskin and the Jug Band?

Wow, that must have been great meeting all of those folks. Do any of them have CDs that are representative of that style of music?

Prochaine, she sounds interesting. Ravi Shankar is a master at the sitar.

Yanigawashaw(sic), I agree with what you say, although I believe any musician needs to know how to read, what makes up a scale and the chords that go with them, modes, etc. - the basics. But if you start playing young, I'd say habits are set within a year.

You're right, I have always had a definite sound in my head I wanted to hear and a definite way I wanted to play. I use quirky phrasing, string skipping, etc. Instead of many guitarists who copy licks, I never sit down and try and get that exact lick. I can noodle for hours trying to come up with original lines. Rock and blues may be simple to most, but to me the challenge is taking that framework and coming up with something different - that's not so easy.

I didn't know you were a sax player, hmm, I can think of a couple of sax players I knew in TWI.

Bluzeman, the Dolphin is still alive and well. I went to the Monday night jams for about two years when I moved back here from NYC. The jams were moved back to the Dolphin along time ago. Rick Boals hosts. The Thirsty Ear in Grandview is also a great blues club. I jam there sometimes on their Sunday afternoon jams. My blues band has hosted these jams a couple of times. The owner Jerry is a great guy. Check it out.

Igotout, Al DiMeola is an amazing guitar player. He does both acoustic and electric. Pickup up one of his "greatest hits" CDs - He has incredible counterpoint harmonies going through his stuff.

For Jazzy Blues, who else but Robben Ford? Amazing Tone. Talk to your daugher is an early one, great bluesy stuff, and anything with his Blue Line group.

Also, Eric Johnson - listen to his tone, and you have heard God (not really, but close). Pickup up his live Alien Love Child CD. Or, the one before that Venus Isle, I think its called. He's just amazing.

Also, Scott Henderson and his band Tribal Tech. Mike Stern, Pat Metheny and last but not least, John Mclaughlin - amazing guitarist. That should keep you busy for awhile.

But I think for tone, Eric Johnson is the best, a fabulous almost violinlike tone. Its just beautiful.

Rock guitar, Jimi, Randy Rhodes and Van Halen. I've seen Eddie several times, if you see him live, especially his solo slot where its just him and his guitar, he's basically a boy genius on guitar. The Bach of guitar I would think - his songs with his 30 second solos just don't do him justice. He is a true phenomenon. I really do not think anyone will top him.

Socks, when I started playing guitar I didn't know you supposed to pick up and down. No one ever told me. So I always picked down. Over the years, I just had the hammerons and pulloffs so smooth, every one assumed I was picking them individually. At my gigs with my horn/jazz band, I would often have musicians come up to me and say, what are you doing? Your right hand isn't moving hardly. I have also been told my many folks I am one of the smoothest players they have ever heard - these are by some heavy jazz guys. I was told one day, before I came into the blues jam I went to frequently, the guys at the blues jam were discussing and wondering how I played and sounded the way I do. When I told them I basically play downstrokes and use my little finger, they couldn't believe I didn't up and down pick.

For years, and even in music college, my instructors kept insisting I up and down pick. I tried for about a year then finally said, screw it. It was too late. On my interim year in the corps, I took lessons with a jazz guy named Ronnie Lee (yes, the music book guy). He tried to get me to pick up and down. Finally, I walked in one day, and he had this incredible jazz guitarist playing (I forget his name now). I said who's that? He said, I probably shouldn't be doing this, but, he doesn't up and down pick either. I wanted you to hear him. I realize, you're not going to change, so we may as well work with it.

Years later, in the '80s I was reading an article on sweep picking and a light bulb went off, hey, that's the way I normally play! Funny how you develop style and technique when left to your own devices. Although, I really don't work with arpeggios much, I need to start getting into them.

Now, though, I'd say in the last 2 years, upstroking has started coming naturally to me. I didn't try to do it, but it just started happening. I use it quite a bit now, but in an odd way. Usually during fast passages going across the fretboard towards the low E, I upstroke every note, no downstrokes. Its weird, but it works for me.

Yes, I am female, no I'm not Sally Rood. Yes, I would have loved to have all of you in my twig. Actually, my twigites liked me quite a bit. I was very easygoing with them and never "reproved" them 'cause I figured they were adults.

And, I was every bit as horrified by Commando training as you were, another ensample of taking something good and twisting and perverting it.

Now, you want to know why you were able to sleep in your last year in residence?

O.k. I got sent to LEAD my last year in-residence. Well, when it got dark out, since there was no electricity, we all went to bed around 8 p.m. Well, for the first time in my life I was awake and ready to go at 5 or 6 a.m.

I got back to Emporia. I run into DM. She asked me how it was. I told her that when I graduated I would never get up at 5:30 a.m. anymore, it was crazy. She said, what do you mean? I said, in the bible, it says they get up early and pray, and we are supposed to do the same. Well, I realized on LEAD, since there was no electricity, we all went to bed at 8 or 9. No wonder none of us had problems getting up - we all had 8 or 9 hours sleep! I told her, no wonder the guys in the Bible all got up so early. I also told her, for us to stay up until 11, 12 or 1, especially at afterglow meetings and then be expected to get through the day with only 4 or 5 hours of sleep, was wrong.

She said, you really feel that way? I said yes, I do. She said she'd talk other people about this. Guess what, the next incoming corps (I think 8th and 10th were able to sleep and just be at breakfast. When I asked her about this change, she said alot had to do with what I had said.

O.k. Am I forgiven now?

Socks, ah yes, Paganini - the guitar shredders hero. He was just a shredder years ahead of his time!

Its interesting if you listen to Stravinsky's -what's it called, some thing with fire in it. There's one section that sounds exactly like Metallica. I was amazed. An industrial metal sound from the 19th century.

I think some of those ideas have been floating around for centuries and Metallica captured it. (Not we're getting into Plato here and his theory of ideas and the mind of God).

So, Socks, can you play Paganini? If so, I'll come take some lessons from you.

Oh God - Commando training - I apologize in advance, but it was my fault every had to do commando training.

We had had a twig fun night and for fun I took us out to the back 40 and we playfully ran through the equipment and obstacle course. We took our time, horsed around, saw who could do what - just having fun messing around.

Later, after having let the twig to to do their own thing and have fun, I ran into GH. He asked me what I had done with my twig. I told him we went out to the back 40 and messed around with the obstacle course. He thought that was a friggin' great idea, I thought, oh no....

Sure enough, next night, where do you think we all ended up...? except it had a new name - Commando Training.

Sorry....

Ok, I'll make it up to you. I was the cause of a very positive thing - of not having to get up at 5:30 a.m. anymore, and just be at breakfast at 7:00. That's another story.

I have no idea if that's me or not. The top looks like a halter top, which I would not have been wearing. I probably would have been in the vicinity of Tony Zinzer, Hope Hilby, Barbie Buckingham, Jackie Clark or some other quasi-rebel. I don't think that's me. The woman with the dark hair next to me (if it is me), I remember and would never have hung out with her, even for a picture.

Considering Ted's question re: our culture in TWI or vice versa, I have had some thoughts (o.k., yeah, sometimes I think - no jokes please).

I remember the first ROA I went to - 1972 - it was the second ROA. We had a great time. I remember on campus in Columbus at OSU someone had put posters advertising it as a Christian rock festival, quite a few people showed up because of that.

But, we were young and there was Pressed Down, the Katzenjammers, Dean Ellenwood and Ken McCaw from Knox County Band - playing songs like Celebrate, Jesus is Just Alright, etc. A lot of secular songs from our culture, changing the words and playing it. We loved it. Musically, there was never another rock like it.

In some ways, I think it was calculated. I think VP had absolutely no intention of letting our culture permeate H.Q. He let this music happen that year because it was a hook to turn the kids on and keep them - what a hip ministry! It worked.

But, you'll notice, if you hung around for awhile, we started changing our look, wearing suits, dresses for the ladies, conforming to the unspoken rules of TWI culture and society.

Anyone with any musical talent was turned into a Way Prod. clone with smiles, stage gestures - even though I loved many of the musicians in Way Prod., it just always seemed so slick - it was not being marketed to youth but middle age and older people. I had so wanted to be a part of it when I first got in the Word, but realized over the years I wanted nothing to do with it.

So, I believe our culture never really affected TWI, though it was put up with for a while to win the kids, and some aspects of it (sex) were appropriated by leadership. But it was VP's vision and culture all the way.

I wish I could participate more in this thread, but its been busy.

Socks, your musical journey is very similar to mine, from Kingston Trio onward. Odd, I knew from childhood I wanted to be a guitar player, but it was hearing BB King's Live at the Regal when I was 12 or 13 that electrified me - I was like, that's it! I ended up going back to delta fingerstyle blues, Rev. Gary Davis, Bukka White, to contemporary Doc Watson, etc.

Linda Z, I can't believe you mentioned Eric Anderson. I loved him, I had this one album me and my brother wore out.

Igotout out, I have never really been wild about SRV like others are. I think because I have been a huge Albert King fan. SRV basically stole every lick Albert King used - he was a clone. He even tried to get his strat to sound like Albert's humbucker Flying V. SRV was also more of a blues/rock guy. His contribution was that blues was in a slump and he single handidly brought it back into the limelight. But there is something about him that appeals to middle aged white men, a primitive archtype - he touches a chord that in some ways, I find phenominal. I have never seen so many middle aged men, dress up, try to play like him, sound like him, some in my town even wear the hat, etc. It is amazing, I don't get it.

I think there are a lot better, contemporary players than SRV, such as Poppa Chubby, Chris Duarte, etc.

Ted, Patsy Cline is a genius. I still listen to her stuff today. It was you guys at H.Q. who turned me on to Bob Wills and Western Swing. Most country did not appeal to me, with the exceptions of Patsy, but I can appreciate it. I also adore Roy Orbison - another genius - what a georgeous voice.

You also need to mention the impact the Beatles had. They overthrew Elvis, popular music was never the same after them. Just as the Gershwins were perhaps the greatest composers of the first half of the twentieth century, the Beatles are arguably the greatest composers of popular music of the second half of the twentieth century. Their music is timeless. I remember wanting that Gretsch Country Gentlemen guitar that George Harrison played so badly. It was the Beatles that inspired so many kids to pick up a guitar and play.

Also, the other greatest influence I think in that era was the Motown sound - the Supremes, Four tops, etc. Brilliant song writing.

For our generation, music was the soundtrack to our lives.

Music today is too scatterred and fragmented, each band appealing to a little section of kids, whereas as us babyboomers were much more cohesive. Music just isn't that important to kids today and there are much more distractions such as computers, internet and whatever. We didn't have those so we focused on music.

Also, looking at Hope, those parents who raise their kids and care about them, the kids pretty much know what's junk and what's not. Sometimes we don't give them enough credit.

Ted, I can't believe you met Patsy!

Igotout, I actually had permission to go to Woodstock. Me and my two best friends were going with one of my friend's older sister who was 18. She was five years older than us. Her boyfriend Robert had gone up a couple of weeks earlier to get the sound set up and was one of the soundmen during the concert. We were packed and ready to go Friday evening, were going to drive up Saturday morning, get there by noon. Friday evening Robert called and told her not to come up, it was a mess, we'd never get in and he'd never find us.

We were bummed!! But, my other friends who went were all sick for about two weeks afterward and it wasn't an enjoyable experience for them. Too young to really enjoy it (at 13 and 14). I was glad I didn't go. I was happy just watching the movie. Plus, we used to go on weekends to the East Village and hang with the hippies in Tompkins Square Park. All of NY was hit hard by the hippie scene.

But getting back to music, there were terrific bands of that psychedelic era, Cream, Janis, Jimi, the Airplane, many of them I still listen to to this day. I am also one of the rare people in my age group who has kept "current." I still think Metallica, who I've seen several times, is one of the best bands in the world. You must see them live to really understand their appeal.

When I lived in NYC in the '80s and '90s I went to alot of the huge concerts either by taking the bus to the Meadowlands or the subway a few blocks to Madison Square Garden. I caught up for lost time. Saw Monsters of Rock tour - all the top metal bands toured together, Van Halen, Alice in Chains, Prince, Annie Stewart - and others.

Although, the '80s rock was very technical and you had the shredder guitarists, that no average kid could ever hope to play like, so that laid the groundwork for Nirvana. Total backlash. Kids could write simple, easy songs again. Then grunge died and now you have nu-metal - the caliber of musicianship is just horrendous - super simple dropped tunings where you can play a chord with just an index finger. There is some truly out there stuff I would never let a child, or early teenager listen to. It makes the heavy bands of the '80s like Judas Priest look like kids.

But now, kids are getting tired of one finger dropped tuning just heavy rythymic stuff with no melody and you are now see a resurgance of "garage bands." Like the Vines, the Hives, etc. They are going back to the sounds of the '60s and '70s - very beatle and Stones influenced songs with melody.

I recently joined a new band, its a rock dance band, we do Alanis Morrissette, some punk, some Stones, Blondie, ZZ Top, etc. I've been either playing jazz/fusion or blues during the last 10 years and forgot, on a musical level how much fun it is to just rock out - making a loud joyful noise. I had thought I was too old for that sort of stuff.

As far as being a Christian, I figure, my job as a musician is to bless those people, make them forget about their day jobs and idiot bosses and have fun. When I look up and see people jumping up and down on tables 'cause the music has taken them to another place and they've had a great time and talk about it with their friends for the next few days, I've done my job.

TWI used to be afraid performers would get inflated egos. I think that was VP projecting his own attitude. He had the inflated ego and so assumed that everyone else did too. What he did not understand is that there is a joy in being able to play - just for yourself. I'll come home from work and go play for an hour and my batteries are recharged. Or sometimes you'll have such an incredible rehearsal, you're high for the next week and can't wait to do it again. Sometimes the chemistry in a group is amazing - magic and you just can't explain it to people.

As musicians say, its a disease, once you have it, you'll never lose it. I would say to any ex-TWIer, pull that horn, or guitar or drums, or whatever and play. Go to local jams, when you're confident, after you've scoped it out, sign up and play a set. You'll meet new people and have a great time. Most jammers are our age, 40s and 50s so you'll fit right in.

Enough for now.

Ted, I think Stevie was probably the most talented, along with Pressed Down in all of Way Prod. But, as for guitar players, Socks was my hero. He was so nice to me and was my favorite guitarist. He had that black Les Paul - help me here Socks, I'm going to say it was a Custom, possibly Standard, but pretty sure a Custom.

Also, Paul Virgilio was very tapped into the youth sound. His album was great - he even had Carlos Santana on it. He was excellent.

It seemed to me, anyone really good who got too popular among the people was somehow hassled and kind of forced out. They just kind of dissappeared. You know, a few times I got yelled at for practicing too loudly up in the back rooms of Kenyon when no one was around. I found it interesting that some top leadership would tell me I should put it down, but then I'd do the dance band shows and different top leaders and their wives, especially the wives for some reason, would tell me how much they enjoyed watching me play. It was double mixed messages.

I've read this thread with interest. I was one of the few female "rock" guitarists in TWI. Or, I really thing, the only one. For some reason TWI always tried to squelch that in me. I also grew up with the 60s and 70s rock, loved Clapton and Cream, the Airplane, Iron Butterfly, etc. I still love rock, metal, grunge, etc. to this day.

I had played in cover bands in high school, got in the Word and really wanted to do something with Way Productions. But, girls shouldn't play electric guitar don't ya know. I then spent two years at Berklee College of Music in Boston.

I was finally allowed to play when I went in the corps. We had a dance band, run by our elder 5th corps. We needed dance songs, since no one had any, I wrote much of the material we did. On my interim year, I played in a band with a believer and we did local clubs - made extra money, until leadership got wind of it - I had to quit.

Back in residence, I coordinated the dance band. Then on staff, I played in the Emporia staff dance band. We had a kick-*** band. Some of us wanted to play out locally, but no, that wasn't allowed. Then, I started getting great pressure from top leadership to quit, sell your guitars, God has other things in store for you.... blah, blah, blah. Well, like an idiot I finally caved in. Some of those guitars are worth literally thousands today. The owner of the Emporia guitar shop was so alarmed I was selling them. I lied and told him I needed money for a motorcycle. He offered to loan me the money for the motorcyle! God, I wish I had listened to him. But no... I had to sacrifice for God - God had other things in store.

So, I didn't play for a couple of years. Then at H.Q. they needed someone for a country band. I hate country (sorry Ted), but I was picked. Then we lost the bass player so now, I've never played bass, but now I'm it. Thank God I know theory well and was able to pick it up quickly. But I couldn't stand that band and twice tried to quit. Poor Ted had to talk me into staying and even VP had a talk with me.

While on staff at HQ, I had an idea for a big band. So on my own I organized me, David Bailey, some horns and we just went and had a rehearsal at the cultural center. Didn't ask permission, just did it. Had a great time. Way Prod. got wind of it and then wanted to turn it into some soft muzak thing. I was disgusted. I mean, couldn't we do something just for f**in' fun?

Finally, VP moved onto other bands and our little country band broke up - phew - I vowed after that never to do another Way prod. thing again.

The thing that also bugged me, was that because I am female, Way prod always wanted me to wear a dress, sometimes the long evening gowns, when I played. That was one thing I stuck to my guns on - no way was I going to do that. I am a rocker dammit - we don't wear dresses onstage rocking out - was that dorky or what. I wore pantsuits.

O.k., so now I leave staff and go onto the field in NYC. I basically haven't played seriously in a few years. I have no guitar, no amp. My first two years there (I was still in TWI) I went through great soul searching - would it be ok with God if I played again?

In year two, we moved to the East Village. There was a little club, the only blues club in Manhattan at that time, and they had a Sunday afternoon jam. I would go to those. Finally, I went to a pawn shop and bought a cheap electric. My playing was rusty, but I started jamming. I was stunned because "natural man" loved my playing. After a year of it, and getting to know a lot of local musicians, I figured, well, I think God doesn't mind.

I bought a better guitar and started auditioning for some local rock bands. I realized that with my years of not playing and being in the corp, then 5 years of staff, I had really missed out musically - I mean Eddie VanHalen, Randy Rhodes, George Lynch of Dokken, Yngwie Malmsteen, Satriani, Vai, etc. - all these incredible guitarists of the era - I had a lot to catch up on. So, I sat down and for about three months shredded, listened to the albums, got the tab books, figured out modes and what the heck they were doing and made it my own.

After that I played steadily in NYC. Met and partied with the guys in Anthrax and Metallica, hung out with Debbie Harry of Blondie, met Sting, etc. I played in hard core thrash and speed metal bands - I had a f**in' blast - made up in my thirties what I should have been doing in my teens and 20s while in TWI.

Now, I am older an mellower. But in my town I play in a 9 piece jazz, fusion, latin type band with horns, extra percussion, etc. (Moxie) - I am lead guitar - we do all the huge outdoor festivals here during the summer and clubs.

My other band is a blues band. I am lead guitar. We play local clubs. In both of those bands I am the only guitar.

I also just recently joined a punk, hard rock band, everything from Courtney Love and Hole, to Green Day, etc. I am having a blast.

Granted some music, like death metal, I would not allow a child to listen to. But metal (Metallica, etc.) does have an incredible feel, is not easy to play, and has its own beauty. I imagine I will love my rock n'roll till the day I meet the Lord.

We had so many good musicians in the ministry with fabulous talent who were just wasted by TWI. Its a shame. I saw a show recently on U2. They are all (except one) born again Christians. They got in a little TWI like group in Ireland when they had just formed. They were kids. The group told them to quit the band and do things for God. They finally sat down with each other and decided no, they would continue. I wish we had had that much brains to do the same when we were young. I still think people like Stevie Kay Louis and others were fabulous. They could have had successful careers.

I now have many guitars and amps. I watch VH-1 and MTV, I keep up and I do what I love to do, whether its for people live, or by myself playing in my living room.

Well, just thought I'd share, sorry if its too long winded.

Well don't look at me for an ensample excath! I will only lead you down the pathways to hell and heavy nu-metal music bands and Jack Daniels, cool cars and Harley-Davidson motorcycles!

Our house would be a party house with people coming and going as they please, everyone doing what they wanted and letting God inspire them, and no rules. Uh-uh, don't look at me for an ensample.

Boy, I remember that. I have no idea where I am in that picture and tried to find myself but can't, oh well.

Thanks for posting that.