Man Up Monday: Lunch Report for Monday, August 1, 2011

[zapcosongs]

Welcome to “Man-Up Monday.” We cannot avoid it any longer, but I think we can postpone it just a bit.

I’m Ed and I’m a moron. I’m a daddy to two boys, one just turned 8 and one will be 10 in a couple of blinks of the old eyes. One is biological, the other a recently-adopted foster kid. I live less than 30 miles from Washington, DC, and yes, I can smell it from here. Don’t get me started.

Though I’m licensed to practice law in a couple of jurisdictions, these days I’m mostly a daddy, who not only takes care of the kids but also is trying to maintain two aging parents, both of whom have dementia and are fighting me at every turn. - just like the younger kids. Needless to say, I wish I had more time to play guitar.

I’m married. My wife actually brings home most of the bacon these days, but I get to fry it up and I’m getting good at it. My days of long commutes and stressful 70-hour weeks behind a desk are behind me, and I don’t miss ‘em!

Lunch: As is my tradition, the lunches I will report are aspirational only. My actual lunches are so mundane – and so often skipped entirely – that I can only presume that you don’t really want to hear about them. So I’ll tell you what I feel like having.

Today I feel like having a real, quality Maine lobster roll with a salad and kettle-style potato chips on the side. It’s hot here today (we just finished the very hottest July on record!), so a glass of cold spring water sounds wonderful – perhaps with a twist of citrus fruit….

Okay, we’ve put it off long enough. It’s time to man-up:

Tell us about a time when the music moved you to tears. Maybe you recall a particularly moving live performance. Maybe after years of trying, you stumbled upon a slick bridge for a song you have been longing to but could not quite complete. Maybe somebody wrote a song for you that really touched your heart. Maybe it was the bagpipes at the funeral of someone you will forever miss….. Maybe you were alone in your car when it happened late at night, when some certain song came crashing through your radio, ripping open an old wound from out of the blue. Maybe it was the music at a place and time of worship that moved you so. I could go on and on, but you get the idea.

Man up. Tell us about a time the music made you cry.

My second question reaches for G&L content – which seems to be part of the tradition. Actually, this question asks us to examine the tradition itself a little bit.

I’ve read (and enjoyed) a lot of lunch reports over the five plus years I’ve been hanging around here, and everybody seems to have their own style in keeping alive the traditions of the Second Highest Honor known to Mankind.

Some folks make a couple of points, ask a couple of questions, and leave us quickly to respond. Others go to great lengths to convey biographies, stories, wisdoms, technical assistance, matters of their own personal interests, etc.

I guess what I’m asking is: “What do you like to find when you click on the weekday Lunch Report?”

Does your typical weekday afford you the opportunity to read lengthy contributions, click through one or several links? What percentage of links would you say you actually pursue over time? Do you work somewhere that makes it impossible for you to spend enough time to explore long, involved LRs, watch videos, listen to music clips?

Do you prefer to find a LR that is brief, rather naked and to the point? Do you enjoy vacation pictures, guitar pictures, video tours, philosophical topics to consider, practice tips, obscure leads to new artists? Do you like the “general question/G&L question” format that seems to have developed over time?

What would the daily LR consist of if it was up to you as reader/participant? What do have the time and patience for, enjoy and find worthwhile responding to? If you have any suggestions as to how the LR tradition might be improved, reinvigorated, etc., this would be a fine time to weigh in.

Thank you for hanging in with me this far. I genuinely look forward to reading your responses, and to following up this evening – earlier if I am able (very busy day today). Enjoy your Monday - ed

[westsideduck]

Here is a song from one of the greatest albums of all time, madman across the water. I live on the border of an Indian reservation and have quite a few friends of american indian heritage so this song hits home for me. I used to play this song in my coffee house gigs years ago, it chocked me up then as it does now to this day. You have to really listen to the lyrics of this song for the emotional story it tells of the plight of a young warrior.

http://youtu.be/dZZ7F3NIUew

As far as lunch reports go I like a lot of porn!!!!!!!

Any hot chick with a guitar is OK by me coochie coochie



And I really miss the technicial and historic posts by Gabe and Greg, nobody could do a lunch report like brudda Gabe

Gary

[sirmyghin]

Well, being honest here, there is not time I can think of where music moved me to tears. Music has always been a place I go to get away, and avoid thought, so that has never really happened, I think I would recall if it had. The most stirring piece of guitar music I have encounterred is Whipsering a Prayer, and I can never cease to pull motivation from it, but that is probably as close as it gets.

I like to have a bit of something to read, but links and videos I generally don't have quite enough time to watch. I might pop in a few times and eventually get them but I flit in and out of necessity so can read a lengthy post, but not spend 10 minutes on videos for a given day. I like to get a little more insight to the individual behind a post, which I try to give when I do up the LR too. On this particular forum this is the only area we go out of our way to socialize in any manner really. The guitar sections are very much tech stuff and NGD. Most of them started by newer guys at that (as we have beat that road to death over time).

[blargfromouterspace]

At the risk of looking like a bit bit of a cry-baby, each of these songs have made me tear up at some point

Nina Simone - I Get Along Without You Very Well. Written by Hoagy 'Georgia on My Mind' Carmichael and allegedly inspired by a fan letter he received from a war widow. Touching stuff and sung ever so beautifully by Ms. Simone. Wait til the end before you stop watching it.
[youtube]_22tXp1g44U[/youtube]


Debussy - L'isle Joyeuse. This was introduced to me by a dear friend. It's one of the most technically and emotionally frightening solo piano works. The build up at around the 5 minute mark is one of my favourite all time moments in the history of music
[youtube]XeBZT5_iEeA[/youtube]

Then there's always this one with Etta James and Dr. John singing 'I'd Rather Go Blind'
[youtube]pyMd19sE6U4[/youtube]



I like the variety of the different styles of LRs. I like pictures, videos, words, its all good.

[Kit]

Songs make me cry on a fairly regular basis, but I know it is more due to what my mind is on when the song comes on that triggers the emotion, rather than the songs by itself. I know that because the same song won't make me cry other times.

I am always interested in the human side of any person. So LRs that projects a person's personality, emotions, humor, thoughts are what interest me the most. Those attributes sometimes comes through also when someone posts their recording or photograph.

Ed, interesting discussion topics.

Kit

[jonc]

Nice start to the week Ed. Though why you insist on tagging yourself as a moron or idiot is beyond me. In any event a good song, jam, symphony, noise, etc., can elicit a wide range of emotion and spur many different thoughts and memories, tears of pain and joy, among them. Though I'm with Kit as to the "cause" and to being interested in the human side of someone. One song that always stands out for me is Streisand doing "Don't Rain On My Parade" from Funny Girl. My mom took me to see it at Radio City when it first came out and I can still see us sitting there watching the tug churn towards the Statue of Liberty and Streisand standing on the wheelhouse deck belting the hell out of the ending.

[youtube]G_g3kkGH8Mo[/youtube]

[darwinohm]

Ed, glad to see you on board this week. Ed, it is good to see that you are taking care of the family. I also admire you for taking of your parents. I hope my kids will be that concerned if I get over the hill but I believe they will. There is no doubt that you may be one of most intelligent in your area. The morons are in the capitol as demonstrated by recent events. Like you I am home most everyday but I am usually having fun, as retired life is great. Today I looked at more guitars and had the kitties outside for a while tonight.

I find the luch reports interesting. There are many different views and it seems that everyone has there own interesting ideas. I am a techie and get into the workings of everything. I am always looking for the next project. Today, i made an offer on a John Mayer Strat, brand new with a bowed neck. They had a ridiculous price on it and when I showed them the price of a neck on e-bay, they started to rethink. I don't know why but the GC does not fix things on factory warranty but they discount and sell as is. I think one of my favorites is restoration examples on the LRs. I also like the neat new stuff and SouthPaw has been coming up with some dandies in the last week. He must have 30% of the world inventory of lefties.

I find myself tearing up at live performances, especially when the bands that are better than they ever were. I find that some of the older musicians are better with age. I have seen Chet and Paul on some of there more recent stuff and they were awesome. I also think that the Eagles are better every time they do another tour. That is what moves me. We had a new female vocalist sing with us this weekend and she was amazing. Perfect pitch and can do cover song better than some of the original artists. I told Ginny late Saturday night that this was too good to be true. She would also knock your socks off in the looks department. Think about that with us old dudes rock'in in the background. Trouble is if she had a young band they would not be focused on the music like we are!!!!! Ya, right. Damn, I have to straighten up or Ginny will do it for me. How did I get so off track, I think we were talking about tearing up and I'm on a tangent of lust. Now Ed, I am not sure of your age as you left that out in your intro, but you are probably still a young squirt relatively speaking. I think I will stop here and work on tearing up. Maybe I will think about when Ginny and I got married and the judge was working on a murder case, and was 3 hours late. That was a lot of social hours before the wedding and I still remember everything. Keep it up this week Ed!!-- Darwin

[CGT]

I like my lunch reports long and personal. I don't always have time to check them out, but when I do, it's good to learn about others and the things that make them tick.

Music often moves me to tears, whether I'm listening to it at home, on my iPod or during a live performance. Sometimes it's the music itself, sometimes it the intensity of the performance and sometimes it is the association of a piece of music with an event in my life. There are too many occasions to list at live performances but Yes has moved me to tears with live renditions of Close to the Edge, And You and I, and Gates of Delirium. Arcade Fire has done so with No Cars Go, Wake Up and Intervention. Marillion performing Easter always gets the waterworks going, as does Radiohead performing Letdown. And of course, I bawl my eyes out at musical theatre. Yeah, I'm a softie and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

My real lunch was chilli but my aspirational lunch would have been sushi.

[Aussie]

For me music probably generates stronger emotional responses than any other creative artform, but I can't honestly recall an occassion when music resulted in tears of either sorrow or joy. The closest occassion I can think of was when my best mate and his sister sang and played Lois Armstrong' Wonderful World at their grandfather's funeral. The song had been a long time favourite of his.

Long and short, technical and personal, pics and clips ... or not, its all good. In fact I think the variety that comes through in the LR's is probably what has kept the LR's viable over the long term.

cheers, Robbie

[Philby]

Hi Ed. I enjoyed your Monday post and let me say I admire your commitment in looking after your kids and parents. So many people choose to do the easy thing rather than the right thing these days. Not having your parents appreciate the sacrifices involved in caring for them must be particularly gut wrenching.

My actual lunch today will be boring sandwiches but my aspirational lunch would be char grilled lamb fillets on turkish bread with some tzatsiki on the side.

It has been a record warm July down here as well. It might just be me, but the planet seems to be getting hotter and wetter . Dunno what we're going to do about it. Or it could just be all the hot air emanating from Washington DC.

I've lost count of the times that music has made me tear up. 'The Tourist' on Radiohead's OK Computer does it every time just because it is such a beautiful song with a soaring crescendo and gentle landing. 'Leader of the Band' by Dan Fogelberg comes to mind as it sums up my woeful, half arsed attempts to be like my Dad and gain his approval. Even hearing a gospel choir sing Amazing Grace will do it though I don't consider myself particularly religious.

I like lunch reports that reveal something about the reporter. Length or style doesn't bother me. Pictures are nice. Virtual tours of home towns (like Jos's reports) are great too. Food and beer reviews. All good too. Zen tips for guitarists would be a handy feature of lunch reports as I find being in a good head space is essential to creative playing. Darned if I can remember how to get in a good head space sometimes.......

Keep up the good work Ed

[willross]

Nice lunch. My dinner consisted of shrimp, basil, olive oil, butter, romano cheese, garlic, pepper, lt gray Celtic sea salt, splash of white wine over capelini. Made some garlic bread too. Cry, well anything by Marty Robbins...


Cheers,

Will

[zapcosongs]

Wow guys. Thank you for all your exceptional replies. I got a bit worried early in the day, when the page got a lot of views but not a lot of responses. Appreciate you all coming through, and manning up! I'm a bit tired, but in a good way, so here goes:

duck: Man, I'm so glad that you've stuck it out here, when so many of "your" generation of enthusiasts have moved on for whatever reason. Salud! I think of you each time I pick up that old SC-3. I can't for the life of me figure out how I got lucky enough to acquire that one from you, but know that I am and will forever be glad for it. That Native-American themed song you posted really blew me away, and on a number of levels. Not only is that a great song, a stunning performance enhanced greatly by the huge orchestra, but it hits me particularly hard in that it was envisioned and executed expertly by an Englishman. Thank you so much for bringing this moving piece to our attention. (btw, I'm with you on the "porn" angle. I love girls and guitars. What's not to like? Post 'em if you got 'em!).

sirmyghin: You're a tough nut, you know? Or a nut with tough skin. Though we clearly have some things in common, we are very different animals. Yeah, I use music to escape too, but instead of going there to avoid thoughts, it's thinking that takes me there and is a necessary component to my appreciation of it all. And creating it (the little of it I manage these days) usually is a product of thoughts that need to be memorialized in some fundamental way.

But I very much share your view (and others' that responded) that Lunch Reports that give us insight into the enthusiast behind them are most worthwhile. Cheers!

blarg: Spot on! That Nina Simone thing is just superb. Like we can really fool ourselves...???? The Horowitz piece just blows me away.
Could that music possibly be interpreted more intricately or performed with such confidence of vision? As for the Etta and Dr. J performance, I was grateful when you brought that to our attention previously. In and of itself, it well explains how a particular, singular performance can in and of itself cause mountains to move in a place and time certain - and live to be felt (thanks to technology,etc.) to reverberate again and again. It's interesting to think that until relatively recently in human history, musical performances were known and truly appreciated only by those in attendance, never to be heard or discovered again.

Kit: Great point - as usual. State of mind at the time exposed to the trigger is probably more important than the trigger itself. Bravo!
Also, again, I like to learn a bit about fellow enthusiasts through thieir lunch reports as well (also through folks' responses!). My preference would be more of that kind of thing.....

jonc. I tag myself as a moron because I think we all are in one way or another. Also, if folks expect little from me, I feel like I'm bound to surprise them in a good way! (You think Rodney Dangerfield got no respect ? ;+) I'm not surprised that you recognize and share
Kit's insight with respect to the intricacies of cause with respect to sparking human emotions. - ed
btw: I for one very much appreciate your "Funny Girl" response and back story. Probably a cultural thing. But powerful indeed!

Darwin: Few things can be more emotionally inspiring than a great live performance, eh? Agreed! Man, I admire you in many, many ways, but if I had to pick one, it is the fact that you managed to find Ginny in this wide and crazy world. The rest, I suppose is history - with many a good lesson for the rest of us. Man, I think I'm gonna cry. Rune on you two! - ed

CGT: Way to Man-UP in a big way. Again, what can compare to the energy and emotion of a stellar live performance? Not much.
(btw, I'm a bit of a softie too. Comes with the amateur songwriter territory. Anyhow, it was a question that I thought interesting that I had not seen before). Thank you much for sharing your experiences. Now will you pass the ama ebi? And a good rice beer?

Aussie: Music is powerful indeed. I would have been a friggin' wreck hearing "Wonderful World" at that funeral. That is one of the best damn songs EVER written. I"m with you on variety being both the spice of life, and the life of the Lunch Reports. Cheers, Mate!

[zapcosongs]

Sorry. A couple of you posted while I was writing and posting my response. No insult intended, I assure you.

Philby: Thank you for the kind words. Let's face it, the journey isn't easy for any of us. We do the best that we can. When we're lucky, the things we feel result in satisfying music. And vice versa. And the lamb sounds great (not Baaaaaaaaaad!) I'm feeling a bit sheepish now.

will: I sometimes accept dinner invitations ;+) Seriously, sounds fantastic! I'm going to have to listen to some Marty Robbins shortly. In the meantime, I'm probably remain a moron..... Ha! [Last Call, Ed!]

btw, I intended to get to giving some insight into what music/situation has had dramatic emotional impact on me, but I'm for various reasons, I'm going to have to get into that in the next day or two. I've got a kid that can't sleep, and another one getting home from visiting cousins in another state in a few moments along with my wife (who just called to tell me she got a speeding ticket on the PA turnpike). In other words, I need to make a snack.... ;+) - ed

[sam]

Howdy Ed,

Glad to see you at the helm this week, will drop in as much as possible, lots of planes trains and automobiles this week for me.

We will vicariously have lunch with you this week but, however mundane let us hear about the "lunch on the fly" at least once. Hey, my lunch today was an apple and beef jerky today.

Music has moved me through every emotion possible. A few that really hit me are

This one from Warren Zevon - Long time fan and three decades of shows so of course I picked up his last album on release day in 2003, and when I heard this song driving to work I had to pull over and just listen. At the time he was in the last cancer phases and I was waiting on test results for one of my closest friends, call it a double dose.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMTKb-pgxGI

Saw Jackson Browne play this in 1987 at a Berkeley Community Auditorium solo benefit show that hit me then and still does, circumstances at the time, not just because of the title.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzNo7Ol4zTA

“What do you like to find when you click on the weekday Lunch Report?”
Depends on how much time I have for the day. Ideally porn, personal bits and any technique tips that can be passed along. I do like the general format and like consistency.

Nice start Ed

[sirmyghin]

Ed- tough nut, maybe, but it is more a product of too many years back home. My teenage years were a literal hell, even on the homefront and I retreated from emotion I guess. Was all I could do really but today my normal disposition is pretty icy, which gets me into occasional troubles on the relationship front. Generally when I put a tune together I don't know what it is about, I just roll with it then decide when I can pinpoint it. A very subconscious experience for me.

[Ledergeist]

Ed,
Looking forward to the week.
Can't really think of too many times a tune made me really break down. I can recall a few instances when something major happens and I'll forever connect a certain tune I heard that day to the event.
There's probably as many styles of LR'ing as guitar playing, Pics are always good, and nothing wrong with putting in some fun links or vids.
Remember not all that long ago, there was a poll on keeping/ending the Lunch Reports?!

BW

[astutzmann]

great start to the LR

being new to playing guitar, I love all the LR. I have learned so much, like to hear people's stories and also love to hear from the folks who have been playing a long time, professionally or not. My wife and I love to go see bands play.

I never seem to take the time to view all the videos, but everything else is good.

My brother has suffered a massive stroke and we were visiting with him on friday. (he's about a 2.5 hour drive away) When we got back we went for a quick dinner and there was a local band playing outside. They were really good. They started playing TOES by the Zack Brown Band, "Life is Good Today!" I started crying. Man, doesn't take much these days.

Its all good!

Thanks to all the LRs, great job!

ALf

[Brock]

Do you like the “general question/G&L question” format that seems to have developed over time?

Yes.