The Steel Guitar Forum

Harry Hess. Your words sure sounded mean spirited. A couple of things to consider. One,Robert is still in his early twenties. Probably by the time he's your age he will be wealthy and blowin licks you only dreamed of. Two;Lloyd Green knows Robert,has spent time playing with Robert and respects the young man.Conversly, Robert thinks Lloyd is the greatest steel player that ever lived.
It's amazing how you guys piss and moan about the state of steel guitar and it's fall from grace.We should be embracing this guy because all he wants to do is bring steel guitar to the masses.He is succeeding. Yeah Rusty Young was and still is great but Poco was thirty years ago.
I'm proud to call Robert Randolph a friend of mine. He came to one of my recording sessions and blew everyone away with his playing. I sat in with him the other night and could barely keep up. Harry,he's young, he's successfull and he get's better everytime I hear him. And yes Harry, he does use his Pedals and his knee levers. Sometimes at the same time!

BB

Robert can play any style he wants to. He is amazing. The question for me is how are we going to keep up with him !

Harry,
I don't get it. You have said on this forum that the reason you play steel is because of Sneaky Pete and the rock playing of Rusty Young. You seem to be upset that Robert is doing so well. I suggest that you go to one of his concerts and pretend he is an old white hippie and see if you have the same impression.

Bob

OK...... you guy's win. I've deleted all of my posts regarding Robert Randolf.

Bruce, I did not intend my opinions to sound mean spirited.

Bob Hoffnar, I don't appreciate your racist connotations.

I don't know where you guys get the insight to read so much into someones words. You guy's are dead wrong on your assessment of my feelings or opinions.

Regards,
HH <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Harry Hess on 13 April 2002 at 11:49 PM.]</p></FONT>

I want to personally say thanks to Robert & the family band, as they are the first
Sacred Steel band to go for it full time. As many know the rewards could be great or less than desirable over time. It is most likely many other younger Steelers from the church will follow Robert & the Family in making music a full time career because of Robert's bold step.
I see nothing wrong with Harry's taste, and definately nothing racist in not liking what he heard or thank he will hear. The fact of the matter is, playing for church services 2 to 5 hours in length we come from an enviroment where 80 percent or more of what you play may be rejected. BTW many in the church don't like what Robert, Campbell Brothers or many other players styles; in fact many of the negative comments of the forum about Robert & Sacred Steel we've heard a million times from church members. Too Loud, Fast, Out of tune, Not mellow, Not like a steel should sound. I've been asked by many why you can't play like those country steel players. I hope everyone continues to express there true feelings as the forum is the greatest thing since sliced bread for me (it's hard finding steel players to talk shop with). I'd like to close by saying thanks to those on the forum who have supported Robert & Sacred Steelers at shows, Jam sessions & with referrals as I would use names but there's too many to name. We try to turn people on to all steelers. If I can be racist; most of you all sound alike to Sacred Steelers. Only after recording with Dan & jamming with Bob, Bruce & Jim for hours did I notice maybe they're not Buddy, Lloyd, Tommy or Paul, Ha!
ps. How can you use a spell check on the forum?
Chuck

I'll be at the Garden on Tuesday to see Robert, and I'll be there early, I don't really like Dave Matthews, but my brother whom got the tickets loves him, so in respect to him, I'll stick around for his segment of the 'Robert Randolph Show'.

Hey chuck , Nice to see you post here!

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Regards, Craig

It's great to have your insight on this forum, and welcome to it Chuck.

One point that I'd like to made with regard to RR's use of pedals and knees; he is an animated player fronting his band. He's the center of focus and he is playing for the young people who like to dance,clap, and shout. They are not interested in watching somebody sit down with very little movement and so he is up and dancing, singing, stomping his feet and waving his hands. Not easy to hit knees and pedals when you are putting on a show. When he is seated, his hands are moving and jumping. When he's hitting high fast notes and creating frenzy, he keeps that visual excitement going by his exagerated hand movements. Let's not forget, most importantly, he is an entertainer.

man--take a day off from the forum, and all i see are those little happy faces! this is not at ALL like most soap operas, where you can watch once a week and not miss out. never-the-less, it seems we've gone through this not all that long ago, but i believe the artist's name was garcia... the archived thread to which i was directed really was dead-on.

He's playing down the street from me in Asbury Park NJ this Friday. I'll go check it out if they let this "old white hippy" in.

Kim, I appreciate the similarities to the style of the forum threads between Garcia and Randolph, but there the similarity ends. Robert is 100% dedicated to the steel- and one of his ongoing goals is to establish it as a recognized instrument in the minds and hearts of people who are not aware of it. How can anyone hear knock that? He accomplishes this in his own style. This does not mean that he is removed from the styles of others- He quotes Lots of players as he goes. Bruce mentioned that He and Lloyd Green are friends- I also know that on special occasions Robert wears the beautiful black derby that Buddy Emmons gave to him. Robert is a respectful and focused young man. I am also glad to be able to have him as a friend. The detractors can bring it on, if they must. But for Robert (along with many others) ..."I've got your back"...
T. Sage Harmos

Geez......
I sure hope you guys don't think I'm a racist or any of that. Some of my best friends are old white hippies !

Harry,
I didn't mean to offend you. You have every right to your opinion. I was just trying to suggest that you go to one of Roberts concerts and really check him out with an open mind.

Peace and Love, Bob

Just got on this morning, expecting more sniping from Harry, only to find greats like
Bruce and Chuck weighing in to support Robert.
Unfortunetly, like a sniper in the bush that melts away after a few shots, Harry deleted all his insulting comments that
'were not meant to be insulting', which makes my responses to his posts look ridiculous,

Aint computers great- you can eat your words
without anyone knowing.

This is one mean-spirited thread. Except for the comments by CC, it pains my eyes to read it. FWIW, I think the RR thing is super. I think it is totally IRRELEVANT how great or not great he is, or whether we like or don't like what he plays. It isn't about us or what we think. How arrogant is it of us to DEMAND that he play to some sort of arbitrary standard. The fact that there is FINALLY someone popular in the mainstream who is possibly making the PSG accessible to a world of young people is absolutely terrific. IMHO, that is all that matters. If the PSG becomes popular, there will be plenty of opportunites for all the new people to find out about the icons. All of us who first heard B. Cage eventually found LG, BE, CC, and the rest. So will the young people who take it up. Don't worry about it. Our icons will become the icons for the new generation as well. Let's just hope there is a new generation, and not just a few scattered young players. We need a
bunch.

Well said Jeff.

Getting back to a happy place here, with regard to blues/rock/Sacred Steel style of playing, has anybody ever heard Herby Wallace
rock out? I kid you not. Two years ago at the PSGA Show, the steel jam with Doug Jernigan, Joe Wright, and Herby Wallace gave us an unexpected surprise. Joe Wright's choice, last number of the evening was Jonny B. Goode. Joe of course, well versed in heavy metal, Doug playing with a lightening jazz approach, but Herby Wallace kicked in with distortion & fuzz and proceeded to burn the house down! Duane Allman, Stevie Ray Vaughn, and Jimmy Page couldn't touch Herby.
At the end of the set he said "I bet you didn't know I could play that way."

If anybody derserved an honorary tie dyed T shirt that evening, it was Herby. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by HowardR on 14 April 2002 at 05:53 PM.]</p></FONT>

Jerry Fessenden tells me that Robert has ordered a new Fessy. He's getting a lacquer finish this time, something "colorful"!

Real Bummer here tonight. I should have just seen Robert open for Dave Matthews at the Garden in NYC tonight along with 20,000 others, repeat 20,000., but Dave had to strain his vocal cords and cancel both Monday and Tuesday shows.

The other bummer is that who knows if Robert will open the rescheduled shows, by that time I think maybe Dave Matthews will be opening for Robert and the Family Band.

If your out there reading Robert, stay cool, It's still 85 degrees out at 9PM and tomorrow it's going to be in the 90's again, and it's still only April in NJ.





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Regards, Craig

Let's take a five piece "country" band of, let's say;
1. Drums
2. Electric Bass
3. Keyboards (Piano)
4. Electric Guitar
5. Pedal Steel Guitar

Of those five instruments a person would be hard pressed to find someone who would say that the first four didn't fit into vast catagories of music. They're heard in Country, Blues, Jazz, Rock, Elevator Music, Jam-Band stuff, Disco, just about everything musical you can imagine.

Why would anyone who loves this instrument (Pedal Steel Guitar) wish to throw the proverbial fire-blanket over it and not wish for it to advance into any and all types of music.?.? That includes advancing in Country too, the key word being advancing. Can't the Pedal Steel be accepted just the same as those other instruments mentioned above.?.?

Robert Randolph plays a totally different style than I do, I can assure you of that. But I admire the way the instrument is being sold and promoted through his efforts. And he has chops. I wish I could have gotten to Poughkeepsie to see him as that's only 'bout 60 miles south of me, but I coudn't.

While I was working for Gene Watson we cut a band album and I sang a Down Child Blues Band song on the record, besides doing a couple instrumentals. I wish Robert had been around back then so he coulda' played a ride on my vocal rendition.

Now I admit, I am a Country Music fan above all else. I love to play those smooth ballads and swing and chicken-pickin' stuff. But I also listen to, attempt to play and enjoy many other music types. I think Robert Randolph is a great addition to the Pedal Steel Guitar World. Let's not thwart his efforts. There's room for us all.

Tiny Olson

Well Said Tiny.

I've listened to some of Robert's material and spoke with him yesterday by phone. However, I hope to get the chance to visit with him at his upcoming Oxford(Ol'Miss Univ.), Mississippi show coming up May 2nd. Robert is a very "into" the steel guitar and I wish him the best.

Mike Brown
Peavey Electronics Corp.

Please accept my apologies for my unintended, but none the less percieved "mean spiritedness" of my comments in this thread. I think the bluntness of my words create an impression that I am a much harder guy than I am.

Many are aware of my distaste for "fuzz PSG", but my attempts to explain my tastes in PSG playing seem to serve to earn me only more enemies than friends on this Forum. Henceforth, I will not enter any further discussion on the subject.

Further, since I feel that I have reached the point of having more enemies than friends on this Forum, I will refrain from any participation in this Forum for a while. I will not be returning to read any replies to this post.

Best wishes to all of you.

Regards,
HH

Harry, remember the motto of the French Foreign Legion : " You can live down anything but death "

" We'll leave the light on for ya "

Hey Harry comeback, don't go, we need you!!!!
We're family & there's enough love in the psg family for all of us!!! BTW when I sent Gene Fields a SS Cd letting him know the music(anyway I call it music) I would play on his product, he says to me; your playing is not my cup of tea! Some people say his comment was offensive when I tell this story, but I loved his honesty & his guitar which I bought. Every sacred steeler that has played it loved playing it. I consider Gene a friend I can depend on.
Yo Dawg just because you don't like someones picking, don't mean wees not PSG brothers.
Peace
Chuck
(:
ps. this post starts out reminding me of what I said to my first wife!!!

I don't know if this applies, but I found it to be true in my case...

A lesson I learned from Miss Lo-Retta!

"Don't come home a drinkin',
With postin' on yer mind"

Harry i wanted to thank U a few days back when you deleted your posts.
that was bein' cool <> but hangin' up isn't !
So stick w: the Family like Brother Chuck is askin' ya'.
Steel ain't here to have enemies...

.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobG on 19 April 2002 at 06:06 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobG on 19 April 2002 at 06:08 PM.]</p></FONT>

.<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobG on 19 April 2002 at 06:07 PM.]</p></FONT><FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by BobG on 19 April 2002 at 06:10 PM.]</p></FONT>