One of the posts I was reading on the HO earlier tonight reminded me of all the times I had been surprised by people's reactions to hearing me play.

Just last Friday at work I was playing my banjo at lunchtime, sitting on the back of my pickup in the parking garage, and a woman came up to me with a big ol' smile on her face, just to tell me how happy it made her to hear my playing and to say thanks.

A few weeks ago, one of the maintenance guys came to the apartment to fix a gremlin in the toilet. (Quick side-story; my toilet is possessed, I'm sure of it. Ever since I moved in over two years ago, the thing has behaved strangely. It will be perfectly good and quiet for 3 or 4 months, and then it will start making strange and spooky noises at random. They become more frequent and annoying until I call the office and tell them my toilet is possessed again. They send a maintenance man out, he fixes the problem, and it's all quiet and good again for 3 or 4 months... This last time, the toilet started randomly almost-flushing itself. The time before that, it started making incredibly loud banging noises every time I flushed, sounded like a machine gun firing more and more rapidly. I thought it was going to blow up the building. I called the office in a panic, letting the lady hear the actual noise and I had to pretty much yell over top of it, it was that loud. No way could I go pee again til THAT particular demon was exorcized...) But as I was originally saying, the maintenance guy came to expel the latest imp, and I was practicing the banjo while he was there. He kept having to go in and out of the apartment to get various tools and esoteric spirit-banishing instruments. On his 3rd and final time coming back inside, he had a big ol' smile on his face and walked by saying how much he really liked hearing the banjo. And when he went to leave, he had a noticeable spring in his step and he just grinned like a cheshire and said "thanks, you've really made my day with that music."

I think there is something about the sound of a banjo that will smack you right upside your head (or cuts straight through to your heart) and leave you in a state of mindless giddiness. It seems to have the most incredible power to make people suddenly very happy. I don't know why I'm so surprised by seeing it affect others that way, because if I remember right, that is exactly what happened to me and I was so taken by it, it made me go out and get one.

Have you all had similar experiences?
Banjo related, or haunted toilet related, both acceptable.

(Harry [Hoss], your post on your clawhammer debut inspired me, I hope I didn't "hijack" yours, I just wanted to take it a step further.)


"F# is the new G."

Posted - 07/19/2009 :  21:40:05          

As a bluegrass-style picker, I am especially impressed with the "happy" sound pf clawhammer/frailing/round peak players. You just feel like dancing. A friend also plays Eddie Peabody sounding plectrum... That is another style that dares you not to bust a move just listing to it. Irish tenor is a lively style as well.

While I enjoy being studiously attached to the technical acumen of the contemporary bluegrass style, I really appreciate all of my brothers and sisters that play the "happier" styles of banjo. It would be a world less smiled at w/o you my friends! Frail away! I feel happier just having known ya.

Posted - 07/19/2009 :  22:03:53      

Will you marry me?

"F# is the new G."

Posted - 07/19/2009 :  23:36:18      

Aba daba doo, that's the banjo for you.

It will set you free, but I didn't realize that it would do that.........

Whether picked, hammered, or plugged-in, the banjo lives on.
Carpe Banjo!

Blake507
Danny Brown
Swayback Ranch
Blanket, TX

Posted - 07/19/2009 :  23:55:22        

On a recent camping trip, a couple from two campsites over stopped by my site while I was playing banjo by my campfire. They commented on my banjo playing, which I did not think they could hear from where they were, so I apologized for disturbing them, and the woman said, "Oh no, your banjo isn't disturbing us; it sounds wonderful!" I felt so happy about that! The next day I was feeling pleased with myself, until the woman from across the way asked about my banjo playing. She said that she enjoyed it and "didn't even care about all the mistakes- it was just nice to hear something different." Oh well!

Mary

"Do not pray for an easy life. Pray to be stronger. Do not pray for tasks equal to your powers. Pray for powers equal to your tasks."
- Fr. Solanus Casey

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  04:42:29      

quote:

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She said that she enjoyed it and "didn't even care about all the mistakes- it was just nice to hear something different." Oh well!

---

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  05:29:33        

Steve Martin addressed this issue of the banjo being a happy instrument on Saturday Night Live back in 1976:

[sings without banjo] "Oh, I'm a neat guy!" [speaks] Excuse me, excuse me. All right, um, you know, uh, the banjo's such a happy instrument, it really is. It's a good thing for a comedian, like me, and, uh, it's just a happy thing, you know. [plays a happy melody] Isn't that happy? You just can't sing a depressing song when you're playing the banjo. You can't go-- [grins, plays and sings] "Oh, murder and death and grief and sorrow!" [pauses, holds up his hand] Really, when you're with me, it's like being at Shakey's Pizza, you know? It's just... [plays "Ain't She Sweet?"] Hey! [keeps playing "Ain't She Sweet?" but sings "Swanee River"] "Way down upon the Swanee River..." [gets confused, peers at banjo, stops playing, waves dismissively]


Dean

"Each one''s got to have his own style. It''s all creamed potatoes, just fixed a little different." -- Benton Flippen

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  09:08:57  

My wife tells me that my "mistakes and stumblings" are wonderful and she just plain loves the sound of the frailing banjo! Did I marry the right women or what? I fear my nieghbors may not share in her pleasure and joy but at least up to now, they havn't called the police. I do get a smile out of the folks passing by. At least I interpet it as a smile and not a smirk......

 "The man that hath not music in himself and is not moved with concord of sweet sounds is fit for treasons, stratagems and spoils; Let no man trust him."
               Shakespeare

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  09:44:27        

We live next to a ritzy gated community that has an alley along our back fence. One day I was out on the patio plunking away on "Fly Around" on my Romero and when I finished up, I hear applause! Turned out that I had accumulated an unknown audience of folks out in the alley in Abbottsford, walking their dog. It was a total surprise to me. I guess I sounded OK at 50 yards.

Edited by - WGE on 07/20/2009 09:45:04

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  10:10:11      

Maybe you just play much better than me.

My neighbors hate me.

***************************
Anything you can imagine is real. - Pablo Picasso

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  16:24:41      

My son and I go camping once a month with his Boy Scout troop. I oftentimes take a banjo or two plus a guitar. These kids have usually not heard a banjo, and rarely heard a fingerpicked guitar. They always gather around slack-jawed, not so much for my playing but just at the shock of enjoying something they've never heard before.

When I was building my grain measure tackhead, I did a lot of the neck shaping at camp. I never met a boy who wasn't drawn to whittling on a stick.

It's really fun to show kids something new, especially when they are surprised to find they like it.

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  17:15:03        

Sorry to disappoint you panthersquall...but I am not done with this man quite yet. However I'll be glad to let you know when this silver tongue devil is available. LOL

quote:

---

Originally posted by panthersquall

Will you marry me?

"F# is the new G."

---

Posted - 07/20/2009 :  18:17:58      

Doh!

That's alright! You can keep him!

Move along now, yall. Nothin' to see here!

"F# is the new G."

Posted - 07/21/2009 :  08:31:44  

Gee, I usually get thanked for NOT playing the banjo!


By the way, Panthersquall, it sounds like you may have the onset of TAS (Toilet Acquisition Syndrome). It usually manifests itself by your toilet making strange sounds at odd times throughout the day and night. This progressively gets worse as time goes on. After several (usually) ineffective visits from the toilet "experts" to fix the problem, the victim of this horrible disease replaces that toilet with a new one. Then THAT toilet begins to "act-up" and eventually, out of desperation, aanother new toilet is acquired. This goes on and on, throughout the TAS sufferer's life. This is incurable.
I'm sorry, good luck, and maybe a cure is just around the flapper!

Steven

Posted - 07/21/2009 :  17:40:05      

I've long been suspicious of water that comes indoors without a bucket! My wife hates for me to work on plumbing stuff-it lets the smoke out of my head! (She hasn't seen me at work!) Can you immagine if I worked on the WIRING? What if all that electricusion leaked like the plunbing does?
Paul

"A master banjo player isn''t the one who can play the most notes. It''s the one who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello
http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...IC_ID=128303 IBARD topic
http://ibard-rendesvous1840.blogspot.com/

Posted - 07/21/2009 :  19:05:20          

I am sooo disappointed... I though I was going to have two woman folk fightin' over me! But folks found it more satisfying to talk about potty haints than to focus on me. It's an old story I tell ya.

Posted - 07/22/2009 :  07:34:50      

Panthersquall, next time the toilet starts acting up, maybe you ought to try playing a little banjo for it...soothe the savage beast and all that. Might save a call to the maintenance guy. Just a thought....

"When Banjos are Outlawed, only Outlaws will have Banjos."

Posted - 07/22/2009 :  08:31:46      

quote:

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Originally posted by Bisbonian

Panthersquall, next time the toilet starts acting up, maybe you ought to try playing a little banjo for it...soothe the savage beast and all that. Might save a call to the maintenance guy. Just a thought....

---

Posted - 07/22/2009 :  17:00:22      

That's actually a pretty good idea! What songs should I play? Something with "John" in the title?

"F# is the new G."

Edited by - panthersquall on 07/22/2009 17:03:42

Posted - 07/22/2009 :  19:25:48  

Lazy John" of course. TC

Posted - 07/22/2009 :  20:07:58      

Try "The're Moving Father's Grave To Build A Sewer"
http://www.inversecondemnation.com/...oving-f.html
The Clancy Bros.
Paul

"A master banjo player isn''t the one who can play the most notes. It''s the one who can touch the most hearts." Patrick Costello
http://www.banjohangout.org/forum/t...IC_ID=128303 IBARD topic
http://ibard-rendesvous1840.blogspot.com/

Posted - 07/23/2009 :  05:37:58  

John Hardy,
Skip to my Lou,
Midnight on the water
Angeline the plumber [sic]
etc.

Got Blisters on me Fingers!

Posted - 07/23/2009 :  08:11:53        

Banjo music is happy - how can you not be happy when your playing. Just look at anyone listening and they wil have a smile on their face. I have found even more joy in my heart since I picked up the banjo - play your banjo from your heart Panthersquall every minute you can!

About the potty thing - I wouldn't even get my banjo near the thing - might start something you can't stop. Call the people with tools.

Posted - 07/24/2009 :  06:05:35        

quote:

---

Originally posted by panthersquall


I think there is something about the sound of a banjo that will smack you right upside your head (or cuts straight through to your heart) and leave you in a state of mindless giddiness. It seems to have the most incredible power to make people suddenly very happy. I don't know why I'm so surprised by seeing it affect others that way, because if I remember right, that is exactly what happened to me and I was so taken by it, it made me go out and get one.

Have you all had similar experiences?

---

Posted - 07/24/2009 :  06:48:49        

The banjo is instantly loved by folks who hear it. I sat at a Civil War encampment one weekend under a tent fly and demonstrated period music on guitars and banjos - I spent most of my time playing banjo and when I packing up I had three of my "Sutler" vendor neighbors come by to thank me for the beautiful banjo music they heard all weekend! Now I know I'm a much better guitar player then I am a banjo player - but it was the banjo music they remembered.

Jed Marum
http://www.jedmarum.com/