Blues Brothers 2000 story (from harp-l)
Steven Levine
Interesting story about that young harp player and the new Ackroyd movie.
From harp-l:
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 1998 11:36:07 -0600
From: John Barker <JBA...@HNTB.com>
Subject: RE: BB 2000
To: "'har...@foo.garply.com'"
<har...@foo.garply.com>
The following is a story in the Kansas City Star today.
Until recently Brody Buster lived in the Kansas City area.
http://www.kcstar.com/item/pages/fyi.pat,fyi/30d9e441.219,.html
HEARNE CHRISTOPHER JR.
HEARNE CHRISTOPHER JR.
`Blues' movie is a tall tale for Brody
By HEARNE CHRISTOPHER JR. - Columnist
Date: 02/19/98 22:15
Imitated. But not flattered.
That pretty much describes the feelings of 13-year-old
blues harp wunderkind Brody Buster after watching "Blues Brothers
2000."
The reason: The similarities between the real Buster and
the movie Buster, a blues-harmonica playing character played by
young J. Evan Bonifant.
Here's the scoop. "We sent Dan Aykroyd a script proposal
that my brother (KC fire battalion chief John Tvedten) had written when
Brody was 9," says his mom, Janet Buster, who lives in Paola, Kan. "And
we never heard back from him.
"About a year ago we got a call from the producer and he
said Dan Aykroyd wanted (Brody) to audition for the part. But by
then (Brody) was too tall."
Here's the rub: "They took that kid and put sunglasses on
him and tried to make him look like me," Brody says. "And he's not even
playing the harp. They dubbed in John Popper of Blues Traveler."
By using Brody's last name, "obviously, they're trying to
identify the character with him," Janet Buster says. "There's no other
kid in the world who plays the harp named Buster Brody."
Another similarity: "One scene in the movie is just like
part of Brody's promo video," Janet says. "He jumps up on the stage and
plays with B.B. King, Sam Moore, the Staples and Isaac Hayes."
"They were all in my video," Brody says.
Universal Studios did not return telephone calls.
To hear John Popper from "Blues Brothers 2000," call
StarTouch at 889-STAR (7827) and enter (1952).
Brian Calway
In a message dated 2/20/98 7:29:56 PM, sle...@capcon.net wrote:
>
> By using Brody's last name, "obviously, they're trying to
>identify the character with him," Janet Buster says. "There's no other
>kid in the world who plays the harp named Buster Brody."
I don't get it. He will get all the publicity off the character in the movie,
thats what probably is most important to him anyway. I've seen him play, he is
pretty terrible. See what having parents who push a kid too much wiil do for
you. HB
Gil T. Wilson
amen brother.
--
Gil T.
http://www.kcxl.com/html/blues.html
Brian Calway <HAS...@aol.com> wrote in article
<ee858f5d...@aol.com>...
Gil T. Wilson
to let something like that go to his head at such an early age...
what a waste.
Steven Levine <sle...@capcon.net> wrote in article
<1998022019...@transcom.capcon.net>...
> By using Brody's last name, "obviously, they're trying to
> identify the character with him," Janet Buster says. "There's no other
> kid in the world who plays the harp named Buster Brody."
>
Bill Salmon
Hash Brown commented:
<<I don't get it. He will get all the publicity off the character in the movie,
thats what probably is most important to him anyway. I've seen him play, he is
pretty terrible. See what having parents who push a kid too much wiil do for
you. HB>>
So much different from Andrew Baxter's parents. Whenever I have talked with them they have seemed so amazed at their son. His dad has told me he just doesn't know what to do next. Once when we were talking I asked him about school work. Andy Sr. kinda laughed and said "that's easy, he's not allowed to play guitar till his homework is done. Very refresing people.
Bill Salmon
Brian Calway
In a message dated 2/21/98 2:18:51 AM, kcxl...@discoverynet.com wrote:
>> > By using Brody's last name, "obviously, they're trying
>to
>> >identify the character with him," Janet Buster says. "There's no other
>> >kid in the world who plays the harp named Buster Brody."
Obviously they used part of his name, which will be good in press for him, I'm
not saying it is right or wrong, but I think he can capitalize on it. HB
Dick Waterman
>Hash Brown commented:
><<I don't get it. He will get all the publicity off the character in the
movie,
>thats what probably is most important to him anyway. I've seen him play, he
is
>pretty terrible. See what having parents who push a kid too much wiil do for
>you. HB>>
I stayed away from this comment the first few times it passed back and forth
but now others are citing this as being factual.
Do you KNOW the kids parents?
Have you spoken to the kid himself? Do you know how motivated he is on his
own?
And another thing . . any time that a professional musician on this List says
that another professional is "pretty terrible," you had better be pretty
secure because soembody is going to critique your performance for sure . . . .
Dick Waterman
Brian Calway
In a message dated 2/21/98 7:53:40 PM, net...@mycroft.mexia.com wrote:
>
>So much different from Andrew Baxter's parents. Whenever I have talked with
them
>they have seemed so amazed at their son. His dad has told me he just doesn't
know
>what to do next. Once when we were talking I asked him about school work.
Andy
>Sr. kinda laughed and said "that's easy, he's not allowed to play guitar till
his
>homework is done. Very refresing people.
Andy and Angela are very good parents, the salt of the earth. Andrew jr.
recieves a very normal christian upbringing. He is a very gentlemanly young
boy. HB
Brian Calway
In a message dated 2/21/98 8:52:35 PM, Jinx...@AOL.COM wrote:
>
>And another thing . . any time that a professional musician on this List says
>that another professional is "pretty terrible," you had better be pretty
>secure because soembody is going to critique your performance for sure . . .
.
Let the chips fall where they may, I don't particularly care if I get
critiqued bad or good, he is terrible, he's cute, he may develop, he may not,
maybe he should get some renumeration for them using his likeness, I wish him
the best, I wish you the best also, the boy is very young, I don't wish him
any ill will, I apologize if my words inferred this, its hard enough to make
it in this business, he is very young, but that carrot will only get you so
far. IMVHO HB
bonnie kalmbach
>In a message dated 2/21/98 2:18:51 AM, kcxl...@discoverynet.com wrote:
>
>>> > By using Brody's last name, "obviously, they're trying
>>to
>>> >identify the character with him," Janet Buster says. "There's no other
>>> >kid in the world who plays the harp named Buster Brody."
I know some people have named their guitars, but I didn't know
anyone was into naming harps.
BK
Dave Therault
In a message dated 2/21/98 1:52:43 PM, Jinx...@AOL.COM wrote:
>>Hash Brown commented:
>><<I don't get it. He will get all the publicity off the character in the
>movie,
>>thats what probably is most important to him anyway. I've seen him play, he
>is
>>pretty terrible. See what having parents who push a kid too much wiil do for
>>you. HB>>
>
>I stayed away from this comment the first few times it passed back and forth
>but now others are citing this as being factual.
>
>Do you KNOW the kids parents?
>
>Have you spoken to the kid himself? Do you know how motivated he is on his
>own?
>
>And another thing . . any time that a professional musician on this List says
>that another professional is "pretty terrible," you had better be pretty
>secure because soembody is going to critique your performance for sure . . .
.
I don't know what's behind Buster Brody's promotion, but I imagine it has to
have something to do with the kids parents. I have some first hand experience
with this type of phenomenon. We have a 13-year-old guitarist here in
Colorado who has a fair way of getting around a strat with single-note
Hendrix-styled leads. He has no chords, no rhythm, no blues knowledge, but he
has some limited but budding power. His dad has pushed him out there for the
last year, taking him to every national show and getting him up on stage with
just about everybody who comes through. He then markets the kid as having
played with all these various Mr. So-And-So's. It works (to some degree). The
kid has a band, gets gigs and does draw for his first show at a venue and then
the audience catches on and it falls away.
While I think it's fine for these kids to get out there and play, getting
their stage legs at an early age and all, the value of the music is
questionable. Would an adult or even a mature teen be taken as credible in the
big markets, playing at the level that Buster is playing? I have heard the kid
and I think that he is more a product of early training (my 4-year-old nephew
can bend every draw note on a diatonic harp), than he is a prodigy. So, he is
a novelty, and by any reasonable musical standards, pretty terrible. It
doesn't mean that he can't or won't develop and even become great, and it
doesn't mean that folks like BB can't have fun playing with him.
It is one thing when the parents and promoters of such gimmick acts work the
lay public with their "boy wonder" spin, but there is a potential for negative
reactions when the same thing is foisted on musicians and journalists of any
sophistication. When the father of aforementioned guitarist calls me on the
phone, I'd much rather hear him tell me what his kid is learning rather than
how good he is and who he has played with.
So, I think there is nothing at all wrong with these whiz kid promotions, but
let's not call it more than it is. I would have loved to hear Big Walter, Rice
Miller, Little Walter, Junior Wells or James Cotton at that at that age.
Buster Brody, more power to ya, but it's possible that for every one of you,
there are 20 your age quietly and diligently wood shedding.
-dave