From: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org (mad-mission-digest) To: mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Subject: mad-mission-digest V5 #199 Reply-To: mad-mission@smoe.org Sender: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-mad-mission-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk * If you ever wish to unsubscribe, send an email to * mad-mission-digest-request@smoe.org * with ONLY the word unsubscribe in the body of the email * . * For the latest information on Patty's tour dates, go to: * http://www.quackquack.net/pattyg * OR * go to http://www.amrecords.com * then click "tour" and fill in the blanks :) * . * PLEASE :) when you reply to this digest to send a post TO the list, * change the subject to reflect what your post is about. A subject * of Re: mad-mission-digest V4 #xxx or the like gives readers no clue * as to what your message is about. mad-mission-digest Sunday, August 12 2001 Volume 05 : Number 199 Today's Subjects: ----------------- MM: Mea Culpa (My Bad) ["donhenn" ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Sat, 11 Aug 2001 02:29:51 -0400 From: "donhenn" Subject: MM: Mea Culpa (My Bad) MMers , In the words of the late , great , Emily Litella (Gilda Radner); " Never Mind !! ". Which means ; forget every- thing I said before , I was laboring under a delusion , & The Truth just smacked me in the head. Thanks to an outlaw friend of mine , I'm listening to a recording of the Rams Head show. I'm feeling distinctly uncomfortable , & embarrassed with myself as I listen to myself talk. As a financial & emotional investor of long-standing (I hope I've done well at both) , I've always considered one of my best investments in both disciplines to be an occasion- al , unblinking , critical look at myself. I surely came up short this time. I was at my 4th Patty show in as many days , & Dave was at his 2nd in two days. Most of the fans at the Rams Head listening room , & our table mates , weren't quite as lucky. Yet there we were , chat- ting like two magpies , while many of those around us may have been seeing their only Patty show ever , which was as good as any performance I've heard from Patty. We were silent though , for most of the show (90% ?) While I don't think we were very distracting to those sitting near us who were focused on Patty (low volume), we certainly were to Karla & Paul , & of course , to each other. Small wonder that Karla & Paul felt no need to defend themselves , while I leapt to it like a crouching tiger. They had precious little to say during the entire concert. While listening to "Stolen Car" , I was shocked & dis- mayed to notice whispering during a significant part of the song. I assume it was me & Dave , or either one of us. After I listened again , ignoring the whispering as best I could , I concluded that this was Patty's best ever version of this great song. Actually competing with Billie Holiday's "Gloomy Sunday" as the song that takes my mood as deep as music can take it. Viewing their painful landscape w/o having to go through the emotions they had to go through to get there. Also reminding me of what one of the members of The Doors said regarding Jim Morrison ; (paraphrasing) "He would walk out over the edge , then come back & describe it to us". During this masterpiece , with Patty giving it the depth only her voice can , & Doug adding those long , plaintive , electric notes , someone had something "more important" on their mind. What really concerns me is that anyone fortunate enough to get a copy of this show , who may rarely , if ever , get a chance to see Patty , will have to listen to us talk instead of hearing Patty talk , or even , on a few occasions , play or sing. I hope that someone with more concern for the eventual listener recorded a cleaner version of the show.Even Patty apologized for carrying on a short private conversation at one point. My goal , regarding Patty's music , is to support & promote it. At the Rams Head , I failed. Even my penchant for writing reviews was affected , as I missed a number of things that she said between songs. It seems to me , that Patty's audiences have been getting more attentive over the last year or so. It's time for me to catch up. Certainly , no performer deserves complete attention more. I still have no apologies though , for anything I do when Patty is not singing , playing or talking. For my atonement , when I get back from Michigan , I am going to head up a tree for this show. To provide Patty's fans with a great per- formance , & to show how ignorant even the best intention- ed can be , on occasion. However , with the recent discus- sions of Patty's approval/disapproval of circulating her live music , all I need is a definitive word to cease & desist , & I will do so. Yet , I must say that I FIRMLY believe that music sharing among her fans is an important underpinning for her future success. Those who rarely , or never get to see her perform , & aren't privy to new music for long periods of time , might not only lose interest , but can't see how far above her music is. Day after day , year after year. Again , I believe that a dedicated fan base is as important as any other facet in creating greater success for an artist. Where in the hell is Paul when you need someone to make light of things ? Thanks to Aimee for making me take it seriously , & for being big enough to apologize for thinking that our table was the sing-a-long group (I'm still hoping that was what really set her off). I hope you'll accept a copy of the show. Peace , music , & Patty Griffin. It just goes to show ya , It's always something Roseanne Roseannadanna (Gilda Radner) Don ------------------------------ End of mad-mission-digest V5 #199 *********************************