Ashley M nonsense

Gordon Webber

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Jul 16, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/16/96

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For anyone to suggest that Nanci Griffith leaving the Chieftons tour
because of Ashley's sexuality is pure and utter nonesense.

If you had followed Ashley's career you would know he has an ego and
attitude bigger than the Bras D'Or Lakes and is probably more overexposed
that Cape North.

Maybe by what Nanci has not said points to someone finally calling his
performance style for what it is.

The guy has loads of talent, but I believe he himself is getting in the
way of it. Grinding bows and yellow glasses are not enough to sustain a
performer's following. I find his stage presence rather tiresome and there
is not enough left in the music to interest me.

Allan Meltzer

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Jul 17, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/17/96

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GOOD ON YA GORDON:

I don't know what the original post was about but I too find Ashley's
(a legend in his own mind) MacIssac's playing and his stage presence tiresome
and more than a bit irritating.

I agree that he is talented but I believe that his greatest talent is self
promotion, which when you look at the nature of the music industry is a
postitive trait.

--
Allan Meltzer
661 King Edward AVE. 613 565-3635
Ottawa, Ontario
Canada K1N 7N8

ward...@interport.net

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Jul 17, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/17/96

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sn0...@sunshine.net (Gordon Webber) wrote:

>If you had followed Ashley's career you would know he has an ego and
>attitude bigger than the Bras D'Or Lakes and is probably more overexposed
>that Cape North.

Does he? Is he? Does not sound like the Ashley M I've
encountered--both in Cape Breton, when he was still playing straight
traditional stuff, and a year or so later in New York. I spoke to him
briefly in New York (I happened to bump into him at a pub) and he was
very kind and gracious. Did he have a sudden personality crash, or
what?

Craig Cockburn

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Jul 18, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/18/96

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Ann an sgriobhainn <nstn0207-180...@ts3-15.hfx.istar.ca>,
sgriobh Andrew kirk <nstn...@fox.nstn.ns.ca>
>
>Nor does it sound like the Ashley I have done fiddle work for these past
>four years.
>He has always been kind and generous to me.
>Why do you care anyway? Either go to his performance or not. He knows his
>show doesn't appeal to everyone. He is having fun doing what he loves. I
>am constantly amazed at the Cape Breton attitiude of dismissal for local
>boy doing well.
>Traditional music is something you embrace, learn and add to...too often
>people think it is something that must be a cerain way. You cannot own
>music.

For those who think Ashley is too avant-garde, there's always Natalie
MacMaster. She doesn't seem to clutter up her performance with gimmicks.

--
Craig Cockburn ("coburn"), Du\n E/ideann, Alba. (Edinburgh, Scotland)
http://www.smo.uhi.ac.uk/~craig/
Sgri\obh thugam 'sa Gha\idhlig ma 'se do thoil e.

Yatesian

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Jul 18, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/18/96

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Somebody said:

>For those who think Ashley is too avant-garde, there's always Natalie
MacMaster. She doesn't seem to clutter up her performance with gimmicks.<

But why does it have to be an either/or kind of deal? I happen to enjoy
them both very much.

Andrew kirk

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Jul 18, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/18/96

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Nor does it sound like the Ashley I have done fiddle work for these past

four years.
He has always been kind and generous to me.
Why do you care anyway? Either go to his performance or not. He knows his
show doesn't appeal to everyone. He is having fun doing what he loves. I
am constantly amazed at the Cape Breton attitiude of dismissal for local
boy doing well.
Traditional music is something you embrace, learn and add to...too often
people think it is something that must be a cerain way. You cannot own
music.

Let him do what he wants. I don't think you would enjoy someone telling
you how to do your job.

--
Andrew Kirk-Violinmaker
1585 Barrington St.
Halifax, NS
Can
B3J 1Z8
(902) 429 6236
nstn...@fox.nstn.ns.ca
http://emporium.turnpike.net/A/AAllen/violin.html

Mike Biffle

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Jul 23, 1996, 3:00:00 AM7/23/96

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Isn't it funny that it's somehow incomprehensible to some 'trad'
stalwarts that a talented person in that genre might possibly
*really* enjoy fuzzed out guitar and cool hip hop beats. His
enthusiasm for that kind of energy as well as his scorn for his
silly detractors could probably be viewed by some as 'Ego'.

In a tangential way this reminds me of the Byrne / Eno collaboration
'My Life in the Bush of Ghosts' which combined samples of ethnic
indigenous events with hip-hop and house grooves as well as very
electric 'cutting edge' guitar and synthesizers. An incredible
album and very eerie.

Regards, Miko