Apprised Of The Road To Stardom

[Bill Hankey]

Allan,

I say that it wouldn't be difficult to brush aside a portion of the commentary that involves receiving subject matter that would be a blessing if most of it suddenly became EPHEMERAL. (Lasting a short time.) The verbal swings created (no doubt) by certain mood swings, loads the sayer with another round of nonsteel malingering turbulence.

Allan, I do not skip questions provided they are to the point and pertinent to the issues. I look for a reasonably safe path to travel, should another crowd the walkways of reason.

Your response to my inquiry that centered on your abilities as a progressive steel guitarist was very much appreciated. The rejoinder could have been most unpleasant if you for one moment decided that my approach was nothing more than an inducement to stir up unwanted issues.

As of now, I'm satisfied that you are an adept musician whose love for the steel guitar is a huge plus in any language.

[Brian Henry]

Bill, Your mention of the word "Ephemeral" brought to mind some receent rambling in the San Bernadino Mountains in California.

The response of ephemeral alluvial streams to active tectonics is not as well established as those documented for perennial alluvial streams. Ephemeral streams transverse the growing folds along the north flank of the San Bernardino Mountains in southern California.

The growing folds emerge amid a broad, sloping piedmont mantled by north-dipping alluvial fans and underlain by coarse, angular gravel and sand of mixed provenance. There is an abundance of fans composed of two distinct lithologies that control the expression of the folds. Sediment transport processes differ among alluvial perennial and ephemeral channels and play a primary role in defining the range of responses that ephemeral streams have to an actively rising fold.

During my travels I found that ephemeral streams respond by (1) changing pattern from a single, slightly incised channel with well-defined banks to a braided channel upstream of the fold axis, (2) incising across the fold axis, preserving a terrace and braid bars, and (3) returning to a single-thread, less incised channel downstream of the fold axis. This channel response is documented for both a topographically obvious anticlinal fold, the Cougar Buttes anticline, as well as a suspected, but not topographically obvious anticline, the Pitzer Buttes anticline. Variations from this general model appear to be correlated with locations of slow fold growth and/or channel alluvium that is fine grained and of low cohesion. A growing fold, such as the Cougar Buttes anticline, provides a laboratory for the investigation of the development of transverse streams with respect to position along strike with the fold axis. Some streams crossing the Cougar Buttes anticline are antecedent, whereas others are consequent to the growth of the fold.

These observations lay the foundation for a conceptual model for ephemeral stream response to active tectonics, particularly useful in identifying previously unrecognized actively rising folds. In this study, the fold axis of the Cougar Buttes anticline is revealed to extend at least 1 km beyond its current obvious topographic expression.

Because ephemeral streams are sensitive to tectonic deformation, they can be used locally in paleo-seismological investigations, regionally to understand the strain partitioning between the Big Bear and Mojave blocks, and conceptually to constrain geodynamic models investigating the interaction between surface processes and the geometry of and slip rates on faults responsible for fold growth.

It is just amazing what that "ephemeral" word triggers in my mind and memory. Way to go Bill.

[Eric West]

Well Bill, I think there was a different breed of cat once apon a time.

The Big Shows, and Big Busses were "The Thing". Or a few of them like Speedy and Jimmy got a great TV show to work from.

Nashville showcased them when they came to town, they had The Opry in their rotation, and traded studio gigs.

Then they went out and played more big stages, on big busses...

It was bound to change, and the stages got smaller and more electronic.

Nashvile changed too. A few of the big cats got into trouble with the crowd that controlled Nvl and they had to stay on the busses. A couple steel players come to mind.

Nashville studio work started getting hogged, and I don't just mean twenty years ago.

The Big Busses and Big Shows stopped with Alabama, and bands that worked cheaper.

Then all there was left was a few guys hogging studio work and artists that worked for cheap, didn't have to tour, and then it went on and on....

It was a mighty flowering, to be sure.

With many records of it intact.

Now the Big Studio is in The Basement.

And Fabio is walking around lower broadway in his underwear making more money than anybody...

I know it's simplifying things, but it'd be interesting to read more off the cuff accounts.



EJL

[Bill Hankey]

tbhenry,

Your most recent article of much interest demonstrates your profound writing ability. My habit of squandering the English Language becomes more obvious in the presence of your skillful writing. The recent rash of thread closings attributed to my wandering away from the guidelines, placed in accordance with forum rulings, is a stumbling block at the present time. I've come up short on cheeks, due to the consecutive order of closings. I truly believe that my attachment to the blessings of the pedal steel guitar are never challenged by those who are in touch with my musical interests. Your responses have become 1st class in my mind. Consentaneous writings may fortify future acceptance by management and its voluminous memberships; provided as b0b has pointed out, numerous times, it is imperative to keep all unbroken commentary focused on STEEL PLAYERS, and matters concerning how they apply themselves to music. Restrictions in part will definitely curb the enjoyment that is experienced through expressed thinking. The other option will be to review less critical areas of the forum, where expression is more tolerant.

[Bill Hankey]

Eric,

You wonderfully good buddy! You are that diamond in the rough, that we hear others refer to, when there is a need to express with emphasis a person's special attributes. I'm aware that hard times are the things we try to avoid, still through some unerring circumstances, some of our hopes are dashed to bits according to nature's plan. The good times continue to outweigh the bad, as they, the (steel players) say. Thanks for stopping by, and for your impressive deliveries of steel guitarist's activities that may not have been previously realized by some steel players with memberships.

[Bill Hankey]

b0b,

SHOOT! PLEASE CLOSE THIS FOOT-DRAGGIN' THREAD! IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT OF ANNOYANCE. THE FEELINGS ARE QUITE MUTUAL. THANKS A BUNCH ....

[Gary Lee Gimble]

SHOOT! PLEASE CLOSE THIS FOOT-DRAGGIN' THREAD! IT'S GETTING TO THE POINT OF ANNOYANCE

Geez Bill, someone soiled your Wheaties?

[Brian Henry]

Bill,

I come away from this post with two critical words, ephemeral and annoyance. These words bring to mind the social life of the Great Tailed Grackle when I was doing research in the eastern United States.

The social mating system of the Great-tailed Grackle is polygynous, and individuals of both sexes are frequently nonfaithful to their social mates. The male defends a small territory, comprising 1 to several trees, in which females nest. Only adult males acquire territories, and most territorial males are at least 3 years old. In contrast, females usually breed in their second year. Social bonds are ephemeral, and females may switch nesting trees and social mates within or between breeding seasons. The male defends nestlings and fledglings hatched in his territory from potential predators, but otherwise all parental care is provided by the female. Fewer male than female nestlings survive, and adult male survival may be lower than adult female survival, resulting in a female-biased adult sex ratio.

The impressive range expansion of this species presents an instructive contrast to the numerous species that have been adversely affected by human activities. Its great success and its role as a human commensal have made it an agricultural pest and an annoyance to many urbanites, but they have also made it a convenient subject for study.

BoB, probably needs to close this! Bill you must put more thought into your topics, they tend to be, shall I say,somewhat ephemeral, and annoy many members.

[Bill Hankey]

tbhenry,

I feel more confident as far as your concerned on the the subject of "Grackles". The grackles I've known are vicious songbird nest robbers. That includes attacking young birds just leaving their nests. At the present time, I'm feeding 4 young groundhogs every morning. They have become pets, and love any kind of bread. I don't suppose you've had that natural privilege. They sit up, and hold the bread in their little paws while munching away. BTW, when the grackle flies, his tail becomes vertical, much like my vertical fretboard on my steel.

[Barry Blackwood]

Bill,

I come away from this post with two critical words, ephemeral and annoyance. These words bring to mind the social life of the Great Tailed Grackle when I was doing research in the eastern United States.

The social mating system of the Great-tailed Grackle is polygynous, and individuals of both sexes are frequently nonfaithful to their social mates. The male defends a small territory, comprising 1 to several trees, in which females nest. Only adult males acquire territories, and most territorial males are at least 3 years old. In contrast, females usually breed in their second year. Social bonds are ephemeral, and females may switch nesting trees and social mates within or between breeding seasons. The male defends nestlings and fledglings hatched in his territory from potential predators, but otherwise all parental care is provided by the female. Fewer male than female nestlings survive, and adult male survival may be lower than adult female survival, resulting in a female-biased adult sex ratio.

The impressive range expansion of this species presents an instructive contrast to the numerous species that have been adversely affected by human activities. Its great success and its role as a human commensal have made it an agricultural pest and an annoyance to many urbanites, but they have also made it a convenient subject for study.

BoB, probably needs to close this! Bill you must put more thought into your topics, they tend to be, shall I say,somewhat ephemeral, and annoy many members.

tbhenry,

I feel more confident as far as your concerned on the the subject of "Grackles". The grackles I've known are vicious songbird nest robbers. That includes attacking young birds just leaving their nests, At the present time, I'm feeding 4 young groundhogs every morning. They have become pets, and love any kind of bread. I don't suppose you've had that natural privilege. They sit up, and hold the bread in their little paws while munching away. BTW, when the grackle flies, his tail becomes vertical, much like my vertical fretboard on my steel.

Gentlemen, and this has what to do with steel guitars?
I concur, b0b, a closing is in order.

[Bill Hankey]

Barry,

Cute, Barry, cute! I'm the moose, and you're a member of the forum Wolf Pack. Perhaps you might take the time to note the TITLE of this column. It's labeled STEEL PLAYERS, not STEEL GUITAR. In which case, it matters little, other other than I've been within my rights in every instance.

[Barry Blackwood]

Bill, it has nothing to do with steel players either.

[Charles Davidson]

Mr. Bill,What's wrong Some one has come along that can spread the looney tunes BS twice as deep as you can. Seems to be up setting you. It's really something you two guys can waste so many words and say absolutely nothing that makes ANY sense at all. Got to admit though ya'll have made an art of it. YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

[Brian Henry]

Charles,
It is quite simple - you just go to google and type in a word like "ephemeral" and right click and copy a bunch of crap and then, paste it into a posting. Any of you could do the same thing. Even if Bill doesn't do this, you have to admit that mine was pretty good. I just did it so that I could fool Bill, like he has been fooling us!

Bob, as far as I am concerned you can close this post, I cannot understand what I nor Bill have written.

[Bill Hankey]

Barry is quite precise, technical, and official. He sets the standards of how to tune your untuneable steel guitars, the brand of strings to use, anything that places him in a position to be critical and appear as an authority is the name of his game. Charlie, on the other hand, will swagger, toting his steel into a roped off circle of friends, chanting with his usual picayune outbursts, challenging accredited steel guitarists from every state in the union. "Ephemeral", I think not! He's everywhere, consistent with the buffalo chips in the Buffalo Bill era, that were scattered throughout the plains states of the old west. Dodging those droppings would have been simple, compared to enduring moderately crass verbal attacks submitted by Charles.

[Stephen Silver]

Carry on.

SS

[Joe Casey]

"Ceci est en train de devanair un tas de conneries"

[Rick Winfield]

Le petite taileur, travileir par la fenetre
Oh Noooo
It's deja vu, all over again
Rick

[Storm Rosson]

ROFLMAO.............Hankey...babble, exposed at last...thx TBHenry hehehehe

[Bill Hankey]

Storm,

For me, it's not over untill my "wheels" stop turning, and my steel refuses to tune. By then, it won't matter a silly iota. Someone with much more power than ordinary men possess, will corral you sunshine jokesters. Of this, I am certain.

[Bill Hankey]

Gary Lee Gimble,

Have jobs and finances simmered down? I hadn't heard from you for quite some time. Albeit, your stances have been a leaning toward negative issues, I don't mind. Usually steel players from the East Coast are of the friendly sort. I'll play out that notion.

[Chris House]

I wake up every day, right here, right in Punxsutawney, and it's always February 2nd, and there's nothing I can do about it.

[Papa Joe Pollick]

[Gary Lee Gimble]

Bill, day gig and finances continue to grow as you probably have read my bio, I'm with a company that manufactures bagels. I wear many hats at my job, depending on the fire dejour. Basically, I have been for the past 16 years, a bean counter. Some call us comptrollers, some refer to folks like me, a pencil pusher. We own a plant which produces bagels at a wholesale level and a flagship retail shop. At one point when money was being loaned on a signature basis only, we were 8 stores strong. But soon, we seriously down sized when rents started to hover around 100 bucks per square foot, triple net. We are currently expanding again into more retail during this roller coaster economy, with rental space affording to support cheap eats. I am mean, whats not to like, a bagel with a schmere is $1.99+ tax, add a small coffee for a buck plus change, and ya got close to a pound of food and drink, filling up a normal size belly. As for music gigs, about 2 years ago, after a 5+ year stint, I submitted my resignation. I got seriously tired of weekend travel. Since then, gigs around me are a tad scarce given the current economic conditions and my determination not to drive 90 minutes one way to a gig. The upside, there are many steel players around my area as we congregate once a month or so, jamming to BIAB tracks. Typically, about 6-7 of us, friendly types if you will, turn out for a 5 hour jam that feels like 4 minutes. No breaks, except to accommodate the WSSC, this is just the way it is. Joe Sapp hosted a first class steel weenie roast last month, which you can view here,
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=186793
There are a few pics posted, can you pick me out?
Oh, BTW, our road to stardom didn't include any classic arrangements as you've suggested. Our support instrumentation basically entertained pukey line dancers excluding spring and summer months when we did shows.

[Charles Davidson]

Mr. Bill,Sir are you trying to offend me by saying my verbal attacks are [MODERATELY] crass I have you know sir,I'm no amateur. My posts can be obnoxious,vile,contemptible,uncouth,depraved,highly objectionable,villainous,with the best of them And there is NOTHING moderate about them.I can make a crass verbal attack as you noted in one sentence that anyone can understand without scratching their head and saying[ WHAT THE HELL DID HE SAY ] YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.