Tedrow Concertina Pictured In Punk Rock Confidential Magazine

[Chris Allert]

accordions must be hip, cool, hot, be played by punks, come in neon colors, and all this is good...

 

careful what you wish for. i know for a fact that both andrew norman and bob tedrow are able to deliver conertinas in unusual colors. the bellows can be any color that their leather suppliers can deliver, which is just about anything.

 

on a slightly related note, here in olympia, washington there is a very active local music scene that i'm unfortunately a little out of touch with. i've met about three or four people here that are interested in trying to use the concertina in their bands and have expressed an interest in the instrument. i know that there are at least two of those chinese 20 button anglos around town being used for this purpose.

 

somehow i doubt the concertina will ever be as popular as the accordion is among this crowd since most people don't even know what a concertina is, but there's definitely a chance of the concertina becoming trendy for a little while.

[nalzalk]

Well I have a lot say on this topic being a punk rocker and the reason being drawn into concertina is the wonder of punk folk. Punk folk used the creativity of folk instrument but we sing song of revolution and change. The folk punk scene draws a lot from history movement such as Irish, Scottish and pirates. this make concertina fit in perfect with what we as the folk punk movement are trying to get done and that sing song of freedom, lust, and good drink. I think it going to be this group of people that are going to keep this instrument alive because we are group of people that are all about preserving the past and use it to save the future. most of the group in Houston who play a traditional music that are in the age bracket 15 to 25 will have a Mohawk, a crazy color hair, tattoo, and piercing is just the new progression in music. The sad thing is it seem to me is that you are willing to reject the future even know they have same goal as most of you and that is to play the concertina with all their heart and soul. I will try my hardest to integrated my concertina into a punk band like flogging molly which do have one song I know off my head with a concertina "with a wonder and a wild desire" or as least I think it a concertina but my ear has been wrong before.

 

On another note, I am a son of a tattoo artist so I speak about the great power of ink. tattoo are about expressing yourself in a ancient form of art think about how many seaman bard were cover in traditional sea man tattoo and play for there crew on the concertina. Concertina has a cool past to it. It almost romanticizes the so call low life playing it on the ships, the bar, and the dirty street. Tattoo is art form to express what important to you such as family crest right over your heart, or the idea of being a walking art exhibit. I though it was funny that some people were comparing tattoo to gang member because that just wives tail. I wondering if you ask about a concertina to some one what would that think. I always get like a pirate. Which we all know how wonderful pirates were raping and killing. I hope that these people are not using the same logic as some you guy because that makes us pirates arghhhh. Just be a little more open about an art form that predates almost any other form of art.

[Robert Booth]

"... Wives tails..."

Is that what happens when pirates marry mermaids?

[nalzalk]

now that funny

[twisper]

More interesting, the magazine cover

 

 

 

I've not seen a squeezebox quite like the one on the cover, but I bet it's good for playing scales! Probably jigs and reels too.

 

...................Forrest

Edited September 27, 2006 by twisper

[m3838]

//

Well I have a lot say on this topic being a punk rocker and... we sing song of revolution and change.

//

 

 

Tell you what, been from a country that sang song of revolution and change helps to develop strong antidote to such songs. The sooner you stop, the better.

 

//

The folk punk scene draws a lot from ... Irish, Scottish and pirates.

//

 

Yea, man.

 

//

this make concertina fit in perfect with what we as the folk punk movement are trying to get done and that sing song of freedom, lust, and good drink.

//

 

Hmm. How about slavery, altruism and american coffe?

 

//

I think it going to be this group of people that are going to keep this instrument alive because we are group of people that are all about preserving the past and use it to save the future.

//

 

Wrong. The only thing this group of yours is achieving is spreading desease, bad taste and distrust of neighbors.

What throws me off is the tendency of putting on a uniform (a black uniform, with simbols of death and hatred, mind you) and proclame it as been unique and original. They speak the same, look the same, live the same, get off it in the same way (the lucky ones) and play the same tune over and over. Aren't you bored?

 

//

On another note, I am a son of a tattoo artist so I speak about the great power of ink. tattoo are about expressing yourself in a ancient form of art think about how many seaman bard were cover in traditional sea man tattoo and play for there crew on the concertina.

//

 

The one thing you don't understand, is the principal: "Don't do anything permanent for temporary inclinations". The sea men didn't do it for the beauty. Same with criminals or people belonging to a clan, as in ancient times. Tatoo was a passport, a seal of belonging.

And the seaman didn't play for the crew on the concertina. The seaman worked like crazy for very little pay and awful food. Been flogged for small mistakes and considered a lesser being than cook's pig.

 

//

Concertina has a cool past to it. It almost romanticizes the so call low life playing it on the ships, the bar, and the dirty street.

//

 

You mixed it with a fiddle, I think.

 

//

I though it was funny that some people were comparing tattoo to gang member because that just wives tail.

//

 

Considering how much you know about history, you may be loughing all day long.

 

//

Just be a little more open about an art form that predates almost any other form of art.

//

 

It doesn't predate any other form of art.

And it's not an art form, at least it's not random.

This can be illustrated as someone searching for God and Religion comes into a Supermarket and sees all kinds of wonderful cultural and religios principals for sale. As he is walking down the isles, he picks up whatever caught his eye. A pint of Christianity, a grain of Marxism, two pounds or Islam, a sprinkle of Woodoo.

"Wrap it all up, please". Why study, why axcept, why surrender? Just bounce on the surface and have fun.

It really gets me, I'm tired of this brainwashing, and I'm working in the "art" field, I'm an "aaarteest" myself, if the crap we're putting off for some punks to gobble, is an art form.

On the other hand, it pays well, and there are many fools with green hair, that buy ours stuff, so... Keep on.

 

Sorry if I offended anyone. I don't think it's any more offencive as saying that the biggest threat to the world today is the USA.

[Trilby]

Judging from some comments on the Irish music on the English we do have a thriving gang culture!!!

So who will be the crips and who the bloods ? Can the English crowd be the ones who wear red then I won't have to wear a differenty scarf.

As a ps I was put off tats when I worked in a pub and a regular had "LIve fast die young" on his fore arm. I'm not sure he really did the former but he patently failed with the latter!

[nalzalk]

//

Well I have a lot say on this topic being a punk rocker and... we sing song of revolution and change.

//

 

 

Tell you what, been from a country that sang song of revolution and change helps to develop strong antidote to such songs. The sooner you stop, the better.

 

//

The folk punk scene draws a lot from ... Irish, Scottish and pirates.

//

 

Yea, man.

 

//

this make concertina fit in perfect with what we as the folk punk movement are trying to get done and that sing song of freedom, lust, and good drink.

//

 

Hmm. How about slavery, altruism and american coffe?

 

//

I think it going to be this group of people that are going to keep this instrument alive because we are group of people that are all about preserving the past and use it to save the future.

//

 

Wrong. The only thing this group of yours is achieving is spreading desease, bad taste and distrust of neighbors.

What throws me off is the tendency of putting on a uniform (a black uniform, with simbols of death and hatred, mind you) and proclame it as been unique and original. They speak the same, look the same, live the same, get off it in the same way (the lucky ones) and play the same tune over and over. Aren't you bored?

 

//

On another note, I am a son of a tattoo artist so I speak about the great power of ink. tattoo are about expressing yourself in a ancient form of art think about how many seaman bard were cover in traditional sea man tattoo and play for there crew on the concertina.

//

 

The one thing you don't understand, is the principal: "Don't do anything permanent for temporary inclinations". The sea men didn't do it for the beauty. Same with criminals or people belonging to a clan, as in ancient times. Tatoo was a passport, a seal of belonging.

And the seaman didn't play for the crew on the concertina. The seaman worked like crazy for very little pay and awful food. Been flogged for small mistakes and considered a lesser being than cook's pig.

 

//

Concertina has a cool past to it. It almost romanticizes the so call low life playing it on the ships, the bar, and the dirty street.

//

 

You mixed it with a fiddle, I think.

 

//

I though it was funny that some people were comparing tattoo to gang member because that just wives tail.

//

 

Considering how much you know about history, you may be loughing all day long.

 

//

Just be a little more open about an art form that predates almost any other form of art.

//

 

It doesn't predate any other form of art.

And it's not an art form, at least it's not random.

This can be illustrated as someone searching for God and Religion comes into a Supermarket and sees all kinds of wonderful cultural and religios principals for sale. As he is walking down the isles, he picks up whatever caught his eye. A pint of Christianity, a grain of Marxism, two pounds or Islam, a sprinkle of Woodoo.

"Wrap it all up, please". Why study, why axcept, why surrender? Just bounce on the surface and have fun.

It really gets me, I'm tired of this brainwashing, and I'm working in the "art" field, I'm an "aaarteest" myself, if the crap we're putting off for some punks to gobble, is an art form.

On the other hand, it pays well, and there are many fools with green hair, that buy ours stuff, so... Keep on.

 

Sorry if I offended anyone. I don't think it's any more offencive as saying that the biggest threat to the world today is the USA.

 

 

This what I am talking about, why would you criticize so harshly on some one way of life and inspect me not to be offended. I guess my friend are just bunch of thug who have help build park, feed the poor, help dying children with cancer, and try to save the environment. I guess you never though that just because we may have spiky hair (which I don't any more most people who are in punk scene stop dressing in your so call uniform at 17 and become community leader trying to fight back the ills of Americans society) that we are not trying improve our self and the world. were one in America who talk about politics and try to stop the all the horrible thing that we are doing by help educating any one who is willing to listen, before you freak out about some scary thug trying to teach people. I am working on a degree in education because there noting more important than education. I guess it doesn’t matter because I just have bad taste but still with all this bad taste that I have I’m sill trying to learn how to play the concertina. If we ever meet the first pint on me because even know you attack every thing I care about. Life is too short to care. yea maybe if I was in your shoe, I could see your mind set or maybe the punk scene over there are just full thug but I guess there a big ocean that set us apart.

 

I’m glad that your artist and already screaming about the whippersnapper and what we think art can be. I didn't know that we have to paint only on approve object to be consider art. All I know about art is it can be any thing you want to be and you more than welcome to draw line what you consider art. I will do just as you and live beside I am just a disease that spreading all over world.

[Robert Booth]

James

Rhetoric and vituperation aside, I'm interested in how you are using the instrument in punk music. Are you playing the classic punk style, all thrash and bombast, stripped and chopped like a half-Harley rat bike? Or a more elaborate sound? Raggy chords? Piercing single note lines?

How does it sound?

Do people like it?

[nalzalk]

James

Rhetoric and vituperation aside, I'm interested in how you are using the instrument in punk music. Are you playing the classic punk style, all thrash and bombast, stripped and chopped like a half-Harley rat bike? Or a more elaborate sound? Raggy chords? Piercing single note lines?

How does it sound?

Do people like it?

 

 

Honestly, I’m new at the concertina I just started so I am not far into my field. I know of one person in Houston who play dead Kennedy on the concertina and I’m going to start with conversation with him. I lived with a cello teacher and I going to get her to help break down song into a decent concertina form. We have a group in mine that are going to start practicing once I capable enough to hold my own. If you want a good idea of the sound were going for it will be a similar experiment like a band based out of Australia name mutiny. Like say before were shooting for folk punk. We have a harpist, exotic drummer, and me. I am going to hit classic punk first because it so simple to play and I may give go throw it up on tune o tron. I think from the beginning I be shooting for some ramones, dead Kennedy, (early)social distortion, and clash. The pouges have a wonderful version of London calling. See this is beauty of doing different variation of punk classic is that punk rocker having an open mind and are willing to try any thing ounces. The best example that I give is a local Houston band called the medicines show. They are punk version of bluegrass and hillbilly. There band include washtub base, banjo, mandolin, harmonica, and drum but they always have guest musicians such as a fiddle, accordion and horn on occasion. They sell out because of the extreme fast pace and fun environment that they play. As long as we keep it fun, it will do great. but I will keep you posted on my progress

[nalzalk]

It will be a mix between raggy chords and single note line. I’m not going to let the beauty of the concertina sound slip away because it punk. I just want to play what I know and I hope I can make some people smile on the way. I’m guessing it going to end up as a rhythm guitar. i will keep you guy posted and maybe i can change some opinion about punk.