Concertina Hoarding

[JimLucas]

If it wasn't for the pioneering efforts of Neil Wayne in the 1970's, how many people would know anything about the concertina, let alone be playing one today ?

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I, for one, would be playing, but I wouldn't know nearly as much.

[John Wild]

If it wasn't for the pioneering efforts of Neil Wayne in the 1970's, how many people would know anything about the concertina, let alone be playing one today ?

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I, for one, would be playing, but I wouldn't know nearly as much.

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I, and I suspect many others, did not know of Neil Wayne until after I had been playing for a few years. then the version of events told depended on who was telling the story. I tried and still try to avoid that sort of argument.

 

- John Wild

[Helen]

Thanks, Paul, for a dynamite post.

 

Helen

[Stephen Chambers]

If it wasn't for the pioneering efforts of Neil Wayne in the 1970's, how many people would know anything about the concertina, let alone be playing one today ?

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I, for one, would be playing, but I wouldn't know nearly as much.

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I, and I suspect many others, did not know of Neil Wayne until after I had been playing for a few years. then the version of events told depended on who was telling the story. I tried and still try to avoid that sort of argument.

 

- John Wild

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John,

 

I too had started playing before I ever heard of Neil, who has always been a controversial figure, but especially in the '70's he did do a lot to raise awareness of the concertina, and he did groundbreaking work in research and in publishing The Concertina Newsletter/Free Reed (even if I never did get all my copies !), not forgetting all the wonderful concertina recordings he made available, the workshops he has run and the instruments he's provided people with.

[d.elliott]

Hoarding v Collecting V preserving V cherishing

 

all a matter of motive and view point, all are to some degree selfish, and deny others access to instruments. However these people tend to be enthusiasts and I would expect theat they tend to play the instruments, if not as often as the insruments deserve. What upsets me are the massive impersonal collections like the Horniman when the instruments are simply wasting away through lack of use.

 

As to the the hoarder, collector etc, its like the question of: 'throwing the ball to someone'; or 'throwing the ball at someone', the effect is the same, it still hurts if the ball hits; it is just a matter of motive.

 

Dave

[John Wild]

John,

 

I too had started playing before I ever heard of Neil, who has always been a controversial figure, but especially in the '70's he did do a lot to raise awareness of the concertina, and he did groundbreaking work in research and in publishing The Concertina Newsletter/Free Reed (even if I never did get all my copies  !), not forgetting all the wonderful concertina recordings he made available, the workshops he has run and the instruments he's provided people with.

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I have no problem with that. And I am pleased to hear of his apparently rapid recovery from hospitalisation

 

- John

[Richard Morse]

If it wasn't for the pioneering efforts of Neil Wayne in the 1970's, how many people would know anything about the concertina, let alone be playing one today ?

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I started playing well before I knew about Neil Wayne. Most likely this is due to my (and the rest of us on this side of the pond) concertina awareness coming from other people like Alistair Anderson who made the trip often to become a regular feature at festivals, concerts and workshops.

[JimLucas]

I started playing well before I knew about Neil Wayne. Most likely this is due to my (and the rest of us on this side of the pond) concertina awareness coming from other people like Alistair Anderson who made the trip often to become a regular feature at festivals, concerts and workshops.

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Alistair was a big influence on me. Whenever he toured the New York area I followed him around from concert to concert. My face became so familiar that one Sunday he came up to me and offered me a ride from the afternoon concert to the evening one.

 

And I remember Neil being with Alistair at both the Focus Coffee House and the Fox Hollow Festival, but I don't remember whether that was one trip for him, or two.

 

But even before I knew about either of them, I had been "hooked" by the playing of John Roberts, Louis Killen, Michael Cooney, and (at dances, not concerts) Phil Merrill.

[Helen]

Jim was a groupie.

 

I do think it was nice of him to offer you a ride.

 

Helen

[Guest]

Warning: Personal rant. Your millage may vary

 

I found my great AC Norman concertina by being in the right place at the right time and asking the right questions.

 

At the instistance of my husband we went into a music store in Cork that was somewaht run down, and had lots of button accordions in the window but no concertinas on display. The only one in stock had been packaed away in the store room for a couple of years, the case covered in dust. The right question was asking the Manager "do you have any concertinas?" (None of the other staff knew it was there).

 

I don't think I was depriving anyone else of this instrument because they weren't there at the right time in the right place etc etc. Okay, as much as I love my Norman it's no Jefferies/Wheatstone. But I think the example is still valid.

 

I think the other issue is how badly do you want it? (Insert name of dream concertina here). If you are happy with your Jackie/Norman/current concertina, then perhaps owning a Jefferies/Crabb/Wheatstone/Lachanel etc is a nice "one day". If you want it so much that you can taste it, and are willing to devote every cent you can possible save, give up take-away food, put off buying that much needed new car etc etc then you will save enough money, hunt long enough to find one, and ultimately one will be yours.

 

I wish there were enough of everyone's dream concertinas to go around, but the harsh reality is there is not. The upside of this is that fabulous concertina makers like Bob Tedrow, Andy Norman, Frank Edgley etc are devoting their time and talents to producing fine concertinas for us to enjoy.

 

The are many things in life I wish for; the really important things I make happen.

 

Just my two cents worth

 

Cheers

Morgana

[Helen]

Well said, Morgana.

 

I especially like the part of making the things important to you happen.

 

Cheers,

Helen