Haole on the Steel - new blog

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 31 May 2011 11:41 am

Just discovered a kindred spirit that loves the steel the way it's supposed to be http://steelhaole.blogspot.com/

The new blog is at the baby stages, so I suggest joining Brudda Michael's new venture, as I just did, and giving him the support of our community to help make it a huge success. Maybe he's already here amongst us...?

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 31 May 2011 5:22 pm

I'm a real dummy on the PC, and couldn't figure out how to join the blog!

I like the traditional stuff (of course)

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 31 May 2011 6:14 pm

It took me a few times around the building to find the door too, Bill, but it was easy. Too bad I can't remember what I did... I'll try and let you know.

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 1 Jun 2011 11:54 pm

The Haole on Steel looks like LT Zinn. This would be just like him to pull a stunt on all of us.

Aloha,

Don

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 2 Jun 2011 3:00 am

Don, that is an interesting speculation. I only know LT from his video persona, but even so he doesn't strike me as someone who would sit through Voodoo Child 200,000 times. But then to quote the enigmatic Fats Waller: "One never knows, do one?"

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 2 Jun 2011 8:46 am

David, I think Don's saying the guy in the old pic playing the Diana D6 is LZ. The blogs author, Mike, is a forum member, and I think this blog will be fun and interactive. It'd be nice to see him well supported in his efforts.

Terry P. Miller · Post by **Terry P. Miller** » 2 Jun 2011 11:52 am

Thanks for the heads-up Ron.
Nice going brudda Michael! I'm really anxious to see and hear some of the things that Michael will be posting.
Michael's philosophy is very close to my line of thinking, especially his apparent disdain for those that would try to use the STEEL GUITAR for inclusion into junk music. Don't get me wrong, I am a proponent of using the steel in other genres, but not the kind of obnoxious noise I think he plans to exclude.

His list of favorites encompasses some of the finest Hawaiian STEEL players that have ever played the instrument (here comes the pun)----"bar" none.
Hopefully he will also feature some of the contemporary greats among us today.

Unfortunately, I'm in the same boat as Bill, in that I haven't been sucessful in signing up.
I don't know a blog from a schmog----- I'll work on that.
Good luck Michael.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 2 Jun 2011 1:11 pm

Terry P. Miller wrote:Thanks for the heads-up Ron.
Nice going brudda Michael! I'm really anxious to see and hear some of the things that Michael will be posting.
Michael's philosophy is very close to my line of thinking, especially his apparent disdain for those that would try to use the STEEL GUITAR for inclusion into junk music. Don't get me wrong, I am a proponent of using the steel in other genres, but not the kind of obnoxious noise I think he plans to exclude.

His list of favorites encompasses some of the finest Hawaiian STEEL players that have ever played the instrument (here comes the pun)----"bar" none.
Hopefully he will also feature some of the contemporary greats among us today.
...

So what is this "junk" music you speak about? Calling someone's music junk is like calling someone's wife ugly. There's no aloha in that.

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 2 Jun 2011 3:45 pm

One of my sons listens to "junk" music, some sort of heavy metal (I think). Sounds like some sort of growling with noise in the back ground, known to some as music

To each his own I guess.
I'm listening to David Keli'i as I type this, which puts me in a good mood

Don Kona Woods · Post by **Don Kona Woods** » 2 Jun 2011 4:52 pm

David, I think Don's saying the guy in the old pic playing the Diana D6 is LZ.

There you go again Ron, reading my mind.

I am like the supreme court I know pornography when I see it and I know junk music when I hear it!

Aloha,

Don

Terry P. Miller · Post by **Terry P. Miller** » 2 Jun 2011 5:13 pm

Well Mike,
I thought I was expressing the same feelings as Brudda Michael when he said "if I want to hear a steel guitar sound like Judas Priest with amps at 11---well hell--why would anyone want to hear that?"
So those are my sentiments exactly.

Maybe there are some folks who would refer to heavy metal more kindly than I have.
Come on Brudda Michael, bring on the good stuff.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 2 Jun 2011 5:32 pm

I dunno, I rather like Judas Priest....

It's a big world and if you've got big ears you can listen to a lot of sounds. I guess I've been lucky enough in my life to listen to more music than most because that is the life that I chose. Some musicians learn to hear something of value in almost every sound, even junk music.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 2 Jun 2011 6:47 pm

Mike Neer wrote -

So what is this "junk" music you speak about? Calling someone's music junk is like calling someone's wife ugly. There's no aloha in that.

Mike you were probably not trying to be funny, but I just about wet myself when I read the above.
Don, sorry for misreading your idea, and LT would have appreciated the talent of that Hendrix kid.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 2 Jun 2011 6:58 pm

Mike Neer wrote:Calling someone's music junk is like calling someone's wife ugly. There's no aloha in that.

No, but there sure are some ugly wives.
And I've heard plenty of junk steel in the last couple of decades, heard myself exibit some just today, so it's out there, and shouldn't be.
Now if a similar hard line opinion offends anyone reading this, the Haole blog may not be for them. I know this blog will be very opinionated per the author's perspective, and it's one of the things that attracts me. It's focus is historic hard core basic steel, played by the top dogs.

David Matzenik · Post by **David Matzenik** » 2 Jun 2011 7:38 pm

Its nice to have a broadminded perspective, and its also nice not to offend other peoples taste. The problem is I just can't seem to be that cool. Some people get away with murder musically. I agree with Haole On Steel. There is Junk Music vis: Guns and Roses, Madonna,Kenny Gee, Beyonce, 90% of Rap and Hip Hop. Over-used blues guitar licks, Irish Ballad-Singer one CD sensations, and all the wah wah, fuzz and feedback guitar that sounded once so innovative and rebellious, but now is reduced to the sound track of car commercials on TV. . . . (muttering to self) let's see . . . who did I leave out?

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 2 Jun 2011 9:06 pm

Auwe! the pot is boiling over and I've only made one post!

Okay brethren in steel, there's a lot to speak to here. First off, thanks so much Ron for saying such good things about me and supporting this idea. Mr. Neer, my respect for your playing is unbounded, but your statement about no ugly music seems like it came from someone who lives in a sheltered world. From where I sit there IS ugly music, and an abundance of it. There is music that is ugly by design, because the artist is making a statement about some ugliness they see (or imagine) in their environment. There is music that is unintentionally ugly, because the artist is ugly inside spiritually and emotionally - violently antisocial self-destructive screwups like Sid Vicious, who BTW called steel "that thing that sounds like cats." And there is music that is literally just ugly atonal noise for its own sake, because the artist creates under the impression that they must push imaginary boundaries in order to be seen as avant-garde. And as some of our brethren here have mentioned, there is music that is so absent any emotional value other than pure commercial greed and a desperate desire for fame that it feels ugly to anyone with soul. Clone music or as my brother calls it, "entertainment product". Sometimes I like to call it "robot alien Hamster Dance music".

You mention aloha, which I consider one of the most powerful ideas we haoles have had the privilege of being exposed to, and maybe you are just making this point; we all have demons to contend with, yourself included, and there is envy and a need to dismiss our fellow musicians too quickly sometimes.

More tolerance - at least when appropriate, I don't want to be one of these fools who congratulates themselves on tolerating the whole spectrum of terrible behavior in my fellow humans - is not a bad thing. But I will be totally forthright about what I feel and think about music at all times. Music is far too important to treat like a candy bar, even though (ironically maybe) it is the most transient thing people create. Or maybe that's one of the reasons it's so important: it's here and then it's gone, and in the moment we are hearing it floating on the air, or recalling it in our memories later, we are deeply transformed by it in ways we will probably never understand. Or we should be anyway - we should be given the opportunity to be.

I have played flute, bass, blues harp, guitar, drums, all kinds of percussion, and most of all I sing. I have played Celtic, blues, rock 'n' roll, Brazilian, Cuban, funk, and reggae. I have listened to music from pretty much every culture on earth, so please don't get the idea I have been narrowly focused. But I want to get a whole hell of a lot more narrowly focused for the sake of my own musical satisfaction, and no matter what I have done musically it has always been with an eye (ear really) to the masters who have preceded me. There is evolution, sure, from Weissenborn to electric steel for example - but there is devolution too. I am what time and experience have made me, so if anyone gets offended, remember blogging is mostly an exercise in focusing.

I'll have a new post some time tomorrow and it will explain a lot more about me. Till then, thanks to all who are showing interest; this forum has already helped a newbie to steel in so many ways.

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 2 Jun 2011 9:09 pm

Oh, and that picture: I just found it on the web. if it's a fellow someone knows, and they think my using it is inappropriate, please say so and it'll be replaced.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 3 Jun 2011 3:48 am

Hi Mike. I'm glad you started your blog, it is a great outlet and it is only through writing about your feelings that you begin to understand them more.

Regarding what you wrote above: I would not consider myself to be sheltered in any way shape or form. I have been exposed to all of music's beauty and ugliness and there is a place for all of it with me. But you are right in one way with your statement: I am like a child with music. I have a child's curiosity and open mind when it comes to music.

I love every kind of music when it is performed well; when it is not, I am not so tolerant. Music is a deeply personal experience for me most of time, although when there is something wonderful that I'm ecstatic about, I love to share it. Otherwise, I try to keep the negativity concealed. I don't fault anyone for stating their opinions, there is nothing wrong with it. But most of the time it reveals more about the person making the statements than the intended target of the criticism.

Now, I love traditional music. I study every aspect of it and learn from it. But it is not who I am as a musician. It's not my life's ambition to carry a torch for any particular style of music. I've been working my whole life towards creating my own masterpieces, and all those beautiful and ugly sounds I've heard along the way are part of the tapestry.

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 3 Jun 2011 6:45 am

Very thoughtful reply Mike, and the last sentence in that middle paragraph rings true. I have always worn my heart on my sleeve so am used to people seeing what my opinions - even negative ones - reveal about me, so that's fine. My blogs have always been very personal and I am a guy who spills over the side sometimes, but I hope you find it entertaining at least, especially since you all have far more experience than me with what I'm going to write about. It's about my own personal adventure so even the embarrassing stuff will be there.

I saw you in a video playing tricone with the Moonlighters and am a bit surprised to hear you say that tradition is not who you are as a musician; you are so damn good at it! Anyway I was once working up the music for a Brazilian play with a very good drummer, and she asked me if I ever wanted to leave the tradition and be more creative. I honestly just answered no; I figured that in the x amount of years I had on this planet, I'd be absolutely ecstatic if I could just master the techniques left us by the masters, and leave the creativity to others. This was in the early 90s and I had quite frankly heard a lot of "creative" approaches to the music of other cultures by Western artists that really turned me off.

But I do like to write the occasional little ditty for my wife and boy.

aloha,
Mike.

John Bushouse · Post by **John Bushouse** » 3 Jun 2011 6:55 am

I'm with Mike Neer on this one.

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 3 Jun 2011 6:57 am

John Bushouse wrote:I'm with Mike Neer on this one.

That's cool! One thing about never trying to be creative, I'll never have to worry about being judged on how good my creations are.

Bill Leff · Post by **Bill Leff** » 3 Jun 2011 10:09 am

David Matzenik wrote:... that sounded once so innovative and rebellious, but now is reduced to the sound track of car commercials on TV. . . . (muttering to self) let's see . . . who did I leave out?

How about "...that sounded once so innovative but now is reduced to the soundtrack of "Hawaiian getaway package" commercials?

No offence, just saying this is just a fact of modern life and all popular music eventually gets co-opted by marketing.

Mike Anderson · Post by **Mike Anderson** » 3 Jun 2011 10:16 am

Bill Leff wrote:
David Matzenik wrote:... that sounded once so innovative and rebellious, but now is reduced to the sound track of car commercials on TV. . . . (muttering to self) let's see . . . who did I leave out?
How about "...that sounded once so innovative but now is reduced to the soundtrack of "Hawaiian getaway package" commercials?

No offence, just saying this is just a fact of modern life and all popular music eventually gets co-opted by marketing.

Thank goodness there's still plenty of unpopular music around!

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 3 Jun 2011 10:25 am

Fascinating beginning, Mike. You have a lot of feedback on this discussion, but no comments on your blog yet. Let's see where you take this! Good luck with the blog.

Ron Whitfield · Post by **Ron Whitfield** » 3 Jun 2011 11:01 am

Brad Bechtel wrote:You have a lot of feedback on this discussion, but no comments on your blog yet.

That's kinda how it goes with blogs, it's brand new and still a foreign venue to many. The forum contributions will probably always outshine a little blog, heck I havn't even checked in on Mike Neer's blog yet(!?!), but if it tackles substantive subjects and generates conversation, and has lot's of cool pix (I love pix) like it's started with, it should be a worthy/fun venture. They're labors of love and I'm still trying to merely navigate the basics on these, lucky to even sign up, and get a post on.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Haole on the Steel - new blog

Haole on the Steel - new blog

no kidding!