posted 31 May 2000 07:39 PM         

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Carter D10 8p/10k
Richard Sinkler BS, www.sinkler.com

posted 31 May 2000 07:51 PM         

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Carter D10 8p/10k
Richard Sinkler BS, www.sinkler.com

posted 01 June 2000 09:35 PM         

I`ve often wondered this myself as a good friend of mine always takes a ride out of my saying "gigs - what the *+%#@ do you mean?"
I always thought about gig as a jig from the old country.

Bob Mainwaring Z.Bs. and other weird things.

posted 03 June 2000 11:50 AM         

A Groovy Gig

Dear Evan: Where does the word "gig," meaning a musician's engagement, come from? -- John Guthrie, New York City.

One of the funny things about slang is that while many terms last but a summer's day, figuratively speaking, others just seem to go on and on. "Groovy," for instance,
has had at least three incarnations. First heard as a jazz musicians' term of approval in the 1950's, "groovy" later became perhaps the most widely known, and
parodied, exclamation of the hippie era, but fell into disuse after about 1970. Now it seems that "groovy" has surfaced again in the lingo of youth, which is good news
for those of us who forgot to stop saying it in 1970.

"Gig," on the other hand, has remained in fairly constant use since it first appeared in its slang sense among jazz musicians in the mid-1920's. Meaning, as you say, a
musician's "date" or engagement to play, "gig" is actually both a noun and a verb, though it's more common to hear a musician speak of "playing a gig" than "gigging."
Though a "steady gig" is prized in the notoriously unpredictable life of a musician, the word itself carries overtones of the short-term "one-night stand." Reflecting its
roots in jazz, "gig" is almost exclusively used by jazz, pop or rock musicians -- cellists play recitals or engagements, not "gigs."

Most dictionaries say that the origin of "gig" in this sense is unknown, but it really doesn't seem that great a mystery. Appearing in English in the 15th century, "gig"
meant something that spins, as in "whirligig." Subsequent meanings included "joke," "merriment" and (aha!) "dance." Since playing at parties and dances is every
musician's meal ticket early in their career, it's easy to see how "gig" became generalized to mean any paying job.

posted 04 June 2000 08:48 PM         

Also "gigster", one who does 'gigs'.

This post belongs in the Computer Area!

A Gig is one Thousand MegaBytes!

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j0e

posted 10 June 2000 03:44 PM         

Down here in Booger Holler, MO and that ain't the same as Butcher Holler, KY. We used to go gigin' for Bull Frogs. The reason bein' was just cause their little legs was good eatin'. Yum, Yum, Grandpa!

If'n you don't believe that just ask Speedy, Keith Infra' Hilton and other Fred Layman, cause they's from here. I do believe those frogs where bout as big as those over in Wright County, but didn't taste any better.
Now, Sam Clemmons (Alias mark Twain) writ bout'em but he sort of twisted that tale around.

Now later in life, when I started pickin' out on the road, and doin' what they call playin' gigs, I was really wondering what the heck these people was a talkin' bout. Did they really know? They kept trying to tell me that we was playin' a gig, and I kept wonderin' how you picked the little forked thing. Well, then they started to talkin' bout crawdads and how they was good to eat. Heck we grabbed them little suckers and used them for fish bait. Ain't that right Keith!

Interesting isn't it, how words come into usage. There's all kinds of languages and their usage, and believe me it's not only with the English language. Regardless, when I go to the gig, I know I'm gonna either be pickin', dancin', singin' or eatin' and they's alright by me.

Terry Wood
Former frog and gee-tar gigger!