I was given a tape by a friend of mine are the late 80's, early
90's. You know the thing I mean. ' Listen to this band, they'll blow your
mind !' The tape was of Irish traditional music and somehow the image of Ronnie
Drew beards, in Arran woolly jumpers, hopping around going diddle ie, was
enough for me to put the tape in a drawer for a long while. Then one night
at the same friend’s house ( after quite a few drinks ) my ears were
woken up to some fantastic music. To my embarrassment, it was the same tape
he had made for me a long time ago. I had never heard anything like it.
The band was Planxty
and the sound that really struck me was incredible mandolin playing. I can
say that very soon after, all my other tapes went in the drawer. I played
this on a loop, and eventually got hold of their other albums. This was incredible
music, and in the middle was a voice that shone out. This voice also happened
to be the mandolin player.............Andy
Irvine. I remember making a best of type tape of all of the songs
he sung and I guess that was the start of it all. I played this tape on a
loop.
Very soon after this I decided that I had to learn the mandolin, not just
learn it but play just like the tape. I played for a couple of years but I
was getting frustrated that I just couldn't seem to get that sound. Then one
day I saw an Ad for a concert by Andy Irvine solo, in a north London Folk
club. This was what I needed...............I would go along, see what he was
doing that I wasn't and that would be that.
What no mandolin?
Andy was signing and chatting with people when I arrived. I decided that I
would buy a cd and get him to sign it for me. I counted my money and I had
enough to get the 2 cd's but I knew it would be toast for the rest of the
week, if I did..............I bought 'After the break' and a solo album 'Rude
Awakening' ( After the Break' got stolen but I still have 'Rude Awakening'
) I asked him about the mandolin, just a thousand or two questions. He told
me that he doesn't play much mandolin on stage these days,and that he mainly
plays bouzouki. What no mandolin ? A bouzouki, what the hell is a Bouzouki?
Bloody brilliant!! No mandolin and I was on toast for the rest of the week.
He handed me the 'Rude Awaking' cd with " Good luck with the ol' mandolin"
signed Andy Irvine. He didn't play it anymore! good luck with the ol' mandolin,
'Rude awakening'................yes, it was beginning to be !
There were many musicians playing that night, various styles of various levels.
Then Andy got on stage with his bouzouki and a drone pedal at his feet. What
happened next is a bit of a blur really. It was a bit like when people get
blasted by those phasers in Star Trek. This was the most incredible sound
and feeling I have ever experienced from watching a musician, ever! I can't
even remember what he sang that night, but I do remember a few mind blowing
Balkan tunes..................................................I had to have
a bouzouki !!!!!!!!!!
Funny thing is that I even brought a note pad, to write down a few tips and
tricks, but his fingers moved too fast for me to even see, never mind write
it down! I had never heard a bouzouki or Balkan music and the way he played
those tunes was addictive to the ear.
In the coming months I squeezed enough money together to get the cheapest
bouzouki in the shop, a Musikalia. Not a great tone but it was a start. I
played it every spare second I got............................until my work
dried up. Money was as scarce as pink elephants,I was getting used to the
taste of toast and the rent was backing up. I began selling everything to
keep a roof over my head, and that also meant the mandolin and bouzouki. I
took them back to the shop where I had bought the bouzouki, less than 6 months
before. The guy in the shop gave me a bullshit story about the neck being
broken and repaired. Broken neck !!! I hadn't even changed the strings ! He
gave me buttons for it, I was desperate for cash and he knew it! The funny
side to this story is that the guy in the shop was also playing on stage that
night I saw Andy play. What can I say......................Don't give up your
day job, Pal !!!!!
Later I picked up a guitar for $25 and converted over to 8 strings. It sounded
magic and a lot better than that old Musikalia any day. I could never afford
one of those Sobell
Guitar shaped Bouzouki's but If I squinted my eyes and tilted
my head to the side, it was close. After that I bought a real Irish Bouzouki
called a Sherwood, in a Dublin music shop. Spruce top, Sycamore back and sides,
rosewood fret board and a wonderful Jangly sound. I still have it and wouldn't
swap it for any amount of buttons.
I have a few more since
those days......................................Tell me
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