While reading a Western Civ book, I read a passage that contained a quote from a "Montaigne" fellow that went: " People should respect one another's delusions."

It set me thinking about my Pedal Steel Playing delusions.

I'll post my answers to the following questions if more than Jody Carver, Bobbe Seymore, or Mike Perlowin respond.

1. What made you realise that you were a delusional pedal steel player?

2. What do your main steel playing delusions consist of?

3. Are your pedal steel playing delusions getting smaller, or larger?

4.Why?

If you believe you are not, and answer accordingly, I will qualify that answer as a delusion, and it will count toward my providing my answers.

Thanks for any input, as always.

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 02 February 2004 at 06:10 PM.]

It is directly pertainant to my makeup as a Steel Player, and I strongly suspect others'. Without mine, I would find myself unable to play even the simplest of gigs.

I didn't ask if they flew airplanes, rode harleys, had pets, recorded with top name acts, or beat their sigothers, or whether their butts hurt when they played them, or their computers had viri. I didn't think many of those things had as much to do with steel playing as do our "steel players' delusions".

I consider it a fair question considering the multitude of delusions obviously common to playing this instrument.

I have edited the post accordingly.

Thanks for the question.

EJL

[This message was edited by Eric West on 02 February 2004 at 06:17 PM.]

bobbeseymour

I've found myself embarrased talking to you like you were 'one of my peers", and I think if anything, your unassuming manner or assessment of you career in small terms sometimes, is the delusion. Your CDs are the ones I find myself "playing along with".

If anything you've helped me to see through my delusions of inadequacy when I've experienced them coming home from gigs that nobody else seems to want. ( of course none of my current ones are).

I don't know if I'd buy a steel guitar from you, but I'd come as close to it as I would with anybody. We'll see after playing the old PIII for another decade....

We also need to know how the "Free Bobbe" CD is coming along.

Bobbe, you're a Prince Among Men in my book, and I don't think that's one of my delusions.

I was only trying to get responses to get it "started" while I think of my answers to my questions while hauling excavation stuff tomorrow.

There's nothing wrong with most delusions, as we all seem to have them.

I thank God for most of mine.

I dunno if I'll ever get "good" at it. Prob'ly not. But I have been having fun! And I hope to make people happy with the sounds I create. I hope none of that is a delusion!

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Bill, steelin' since '99 | Steel page | My music | Steelers' birthdays | Over 50?

When I started taking lessons from Mr Charleton, 26 years ago, I had the straight up delusion that I wanted to become "one of the best". I told him that, and for a couple years he rode me like a stubborn quarter horse. I went home to the barracks, and practiced 4-12 hours a day, or until my fingers had blood blisters. He sent me home more than once in pretty emotional bad shape for a person over 21. I learned a lot. Mostly that HE was "the best", and the mark from which I would always come a little short of.

I think it was that delusion that helped me get over a lot of the blockades that would have stopped me could I have "taken or left it".

As I've said before, to this day, I see this picture of him sitting across from me with his head cocked and his kindly worried look. Just like it was yesterday. Not a gray hair on his head.

Fortunately or not, I still have that delusion, two and a half thousand gigs and a hundred moose lodges later. I refuse to "go home". In some ways, a lot of those gigs wore away at my playing instead of making it better.

I fully realise there are people around me that are "better", but it dissuades me not a whit. I watch my old videos, listen to old tapes, and pick out my weaknesses, my unsurities, and try to fix them in the next critter club or truck stop. I don't listen to "constructive criticism" very much at all. Compliments even less. My "Delusion" tells me where I "ought to be" playing wise.

I'll have people tell me that it's useless playing the kind of music I play, with the kind of bands I play with, tasteless to play fast stuff, with too much reverb, or such a ratty old guitar. They aren't being "mean". It's just what they see, hear, and think.

Still my Delusion is stronger. In the face of Reality, if you will.

That's my partial answer to #2 I guess.

Tired now. Nice to have a break in my nights for 4 nites with this new day job. Last week was a long'n.

Reality has eaten it's way through mine very seldom.

Usually after fridays of a two niter....

EJL

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Roses are red.
Violets are blue.
I'm schizophrenic,
and so am I

I have always played for the fun of it. I'm sure I had fun; ...no delusion here.

Reality is what "it" sounded like later when played back during daylight hours when you were cold sober!

www.genejones.com

[This message was edited by Gene Jones on 03 February 2004 at 10:52 AM.]

...as long as you are enjoying the ride, I suspect it doesn't matter.

It's not a delusion if you are making yourself and/or others happy, and providing music that makes the world a better place. Cain't no harm be done there- even if you suck, what's the worst that can happen to anyone??? The worst 'bad music' can do is make you puke, and you recover quickly enough from that (as long as you stay out of earshot)...unless you are in a rough biker bar, in which case you get to practice Channeling the Adrenaline Rush by Getting the Steel, Amp and Pac-a-Seat out the door in 4.5 seconds...

Yes, I too am deluded into thinking I can play this stringed monster well at all, until I hear somebody play that plays it well, then I'm just depressed and anxious...
This is why we have beer I guess...

Eric, where do you come up with these questions? :>)

[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 03 February 2004 at 01:38 PM.]

quote:

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I think about helping others

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[This message was edited by Anne Marie O Keeffe on 03 February 2004 at 01:31 PM.]

It was that passage in the Western Civ book about people "respecting other's delusions".

Many times I'll read posts from the obviously delusional, and am sorely tempted to "set them right". About that time, I realise that I have a princely amount of them my durn self.

More later. I'm bushed.

MP. Just got the CD, and am about to pop it in and play it. Thanks a BUNCH.

EJL and the legion of...

Smaller.

4.Why?

As I see more easily through others', mine become more transparent.

Sorry for the time lag, but it took a while to come up with the last two answers.

Robt. Sometimes in my opinion, the delusion is that a person has had no effect or positive stature. In fact I'm sure of it.

Considering all the top shelf guys that have died penniless and miserable, I think that negative delusions sometimes outweigh.

I have had discussions with friends regarding "my career". I spend more time trying my best to make a difference in traffic, driving an 8 axle dump truck around bicycles, and helping topside on 20 foot sewer ditches, helping make sure that people that otherwise might have not made it home in one piece, do so. People thank me at the end of the day, and are always glad to see me in the morning. I'm good at what I do.

Musically, I have a need to play in front of people I suppose to keep me from sinking into poverty for one, as I need the extra hundred or so bucks, unlike so many lucky people here, but also to help me affirm to myself that I'm not just playing pipe dream tapes in my head every time I sit behind the guitar.

Even if there was no money, or no jobs, I'd find ways to play with others or for others. It's a catharsis.

I think it matters, as Illusion is our medium, and Delusion is an occupational hazard.

Like all mental states, I think it is rather neutral, but there is a delicate balance point to be sure.

Stability is over rated. That's for sure.

quote:

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Common sense is not so common.

...Voltaire

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Every time I think I need to add another pedal, I throw Steel Guitar Jazz on my turntable, and my "needs" suddenly seem rather insignificant. Every time I think I need a new amp or guitar, I throw on an old Tubb album, and then marvel at what Buddy Charleton did with just an old 'Bud and a tube amp.

Then, on top of that, some 10 year-old kid comes on TV playing playing Rachmaninoff...from sheet music, and I realize how horribly inept I really am.

Yeah, delusional. Shoulda started sooner, practiced more, and bought less. Shoulda listened more, and talked less. Wish I'd done this or that. Wish I hadn't done this or that.

quote:

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If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.

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I have a delusion I'll play the county fair. Once I do that, I'm retiring.

Drew

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Drew's Website

[This message was edited by Drew Howard on 25 July 2004 at 07:36 PM.]

I am seriously thinking of quitting the computer business and going back to playing music full-time.

The last gig I played, two weekends ago, I got paid $100 for 6 hours work. 1 hour setup and sound check, 3 1 hour sets with a long break in between, then 1 hour tear down and pack up the trailer. Drove about an hour each way, and didn't get home until about 3:30 am

So, I figure if I could get 2 to 3 of these gigs a week, I could clear almost $220 after expenses.

de·lu·sion

A false belief or opinion: labored under the delusion that success was at hand.

Psychiatry. A false belief strongly held in spite of invalidating evidence, especially as a symptom of mental illness: delusions of persecution.

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hope

To wish for something with expectation of its fulfillment.
Archaic. To have confidence; trust.

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goal

The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective.

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dream

A condition or achievement that is longed for

To have a deep aspiration

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a·chieve

To perform or carry out with success; accomplish. See Synonyms at perform.

To attain with effort or despite difficulty.

To accomplish something successfully; perform at a standard or above standard level

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fail·ure

The condition or fact of not achieving the desired end or ends:

One that fails: a failure at one's career.
The condition or fact of being insufficient or falling short:

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These definitions probably fit picker's pretty well. They do me. I am delusional in that I think I can become proficient enough to not make a total ass out of myself when playing. It is excused at this point due to the fact that I've only been learning how to play for a month.

Secondly, I have hope that I will become better and that hope helps motivate me to practice more and pay attention to other's that play better than I do. I may talk or write too much, but I'm reading and listening!

My goal's are pure and simple. I want to continue to have fun trying to play this contraption and make as much of that playing sound interesting and enjoyable to listen to. A side goal is that if I can make a few dollars along the way doing it, that's gravy.

When it's all said and done, I'd like to look back and know that I achieved some part of my goals, hopes and dreams. If I didn't, I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I tried and had fun trying.

Failure is not an option. The bug has bitten me, I love to play on stage, but what's even better I just love to play!

And now for the kicker... here's what Webster has to say about steel guitars...

steel guitar

An acoustic guitar with a metal resonator built into the body, often played with a slide and producing a twangy, variable tone.

guitar whose steel strings are twanged while being pressed with a movable steel bar for a glissando effect

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Somehow I don't whoever wrote that definition has ever been inside a honky tonk!

Daryl

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Daryl Stogner
My Website: www.dstogner.com