beetlejuice Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Is it just me or is the standard of busker in Aberdeen generally very, very, very low? let's look at some examples:The old woman who sits and plays the guitar with a combThe man who flicks 2 bits of string and makes a puppets arms wave out of time with the dodgy accordion music pumping out of a hidden boomboxThe guy on Union Street who claims he plays requests, and plays Wonderwall regardless of what you ask forIt seems a shame, because I've seen some great buskers in other cities. Even bought a CD off a couple of them.There is one guy I have seen in Aberdeen who is actually quite good. Not sure who he is - he may even be a forum member - but he is a young chap with a proper amp etc, stands between St Nicks and Bon Accord, and has actually bothered to learn to play the guitar. He always seems to have a crowd of excited young ladies crowded round him every time I see him, and from the snippets I've heard he has a good voice and a decent ear for picking the right songs to cover.Why can't we have more decent buskers in Aberdeen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Owl PhD Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Then there's the guy in the cowboy hat with the electric organ who does country songs outside M&S. That guy rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I absolutely love what the old wifey does on her guitar (think she's using a spoon just now).....we would love to have her as a guest at a Matrciarians gig (seriously!). Krautrock rhythms alert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TR!ΔNGL€ T€€TH Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I absolutely love what the old wifey does on her guitar (think she's using a spoon just now).....we would love to have her as a guest at a Matrciarians gig (seriously!). Krautrock rhythms alert I am a big fan of her sound too. Many folk told me about her, and I expected it to be something I'd like. I was delighted when I finally heard her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetlejuice Posted January 17, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 think she's using a spoon just nowI stand corrected, she has a diverse range of talents I await her debut EP!Just found a video of a busker who goes by the name of Richard Blues, who you'll no doubt have seen if you've been down to the Edinburgh Fringe in the last few years. Got one of his CDs and he's a pretty damn good blues guitarist. I like the way he gathers a big crowd, and builds a rapport with them... he gives them a proper gig rather than drunkenly mumbling his way through a couple of tracks.YouTube - Richard Blues-Johnny Be Good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Ive never heard any good buskers in Aberdeen. That 'band' at st nicholas are amazing though. Just the way they get a crowd together on a fri/sat chanting oasis songs. Are they still on the go?The buskers in New York are incredible. Not just the quality but the variety too. Everyone seems to be doing a different thing. You'll be getting a train, minding your own business and all of a sudden hear an awesome slapbass solo or some homeless man rocking out with a tuba. There's a hierarchy to it too. The top guys get the best/busiest subway stations and are making an absolute mint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 Buskers being creative are pretty rare though....I would love to have seen Moondog in New York back in the 50s/60s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mistersticks Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 i gave a guy on belmont street 50p to play lay lady lay and has soon as he had started some of his strings snapped. so i didn't get my cake or got to eat it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HateEvent Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I wish the woman with the spoon knew how to tune to an open tuning, as she doesn't fret anything Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaki Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 The buskers in New York are incredible. Not just the quality but the variety too. Everyone seems to be doing a different thing. You'll be getting a train, minding your own business and all of a sudden hear an awesome slapbass solo...Are you actually living in Seinfeld? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain burrito Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 ca_gere means 'George Costanza' in latin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ca_gere Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I'd rather be Jerry. Purely because he got to nob Elaine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
captain burrito Posted January 17, 2011 Report Share Posted January 17, 2011 I'd be Kramer. The door slide thing is magical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stroopy121 Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 In Brusels the wife and I found a couple of guys busking playing a cello and violon playing one of the songs from Zapp!xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monster Zero Posted January 18, 2011 Report Share Posted January 18, 2011 There used to be a guy called Job who played acoustic reggae stuff by Markies years back, he was fucking ace. I bought one of his tapes one time and was disappointed to find it was rather polished studio recorded stuff, the raw stuff like what he played on the street was what I was after... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Cynic Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 Raw is good I added a short sample of the spoon-strumming wifey onto one of the tracks on the new Matricarians CDr('Perilous Crossings'....available from Friday at the Moon Unit gig in the Tunnels, thread-jacking fans!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 There used to be a guy called Job who played acoustic reggae stuff by Markies years back, he was fucking ace. I bought one of his tapes one time and was disappointed to find it was rather polished studio recorded stuff, the raw stuff like what he played on the street was what I was after...I also bought one of his tapes. Don't think I've got it anymore.He was ace though, used to go away and return with a bigger amp when the preacher guy got too loud.There's a fiddle player that sometimes appears at the farmers market or outside the Bon Accord centre who's excellent. But to balance that out I've noticed a bagpipe player at Union Terrace recently who's fucking awful. The guitarists that line Union Street in the evenings are pretty bad as well.What happened to the auld mannie with the accordian that used to be outside St Nicholas? Seems to have been usurped by the Romanian with the puppets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigsby Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 No love for the pan pipes guys?Are they actually playing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FOX Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 And the native American chaps in fornt of Markies some days!! Show the love.... Or don't. I can't stand them myself... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oxbow lake Posted January 19, 2011 Report Share Posted January 19, 2011 I've only ever busked twice and it was recently. I just had to give it a go as you do. Both times after very drunken drummonds gig. Just up on union street. Daryl with his accordion and me on guitar. Jesus the crazy ass folk that come by. Talk madness and dance aboot. An eye opener. And yes we were probably just as bad being bleezin'Acid must be given out free in the local night clubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beetlejuice Posted January 20, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 But to balance that out I've noticed a bagpipe player at Union Terrace recently who's fucking awful.SO BAD! I once saw him playing the pipes and the chanter fell out halfway through a piece. I often find myself standing at the traffic lights, subconsciously tapping my foot to his playing, but his timing is a bit ropey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oxbow lake Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Mind the boy is it dod (?) from thon punk band (name?) who used to busk with the pipes. I thought he was great. Bondage trousers eye liner and pipes. Saw him at one of our gigs while back.Is he still doing it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Badge Posted January 20, 2011 Report Share Posted January 20, 2011 Dod Copeland, not seen him in a while, sure he still busks though.Back to Job he busked all over Scotland i seen him in Edinburgh and Glasgow.The wifee we the spoon is quality, im really tempted to give her my son's electric guitar and a wee practice amp, maybe a cheap and nasty fuzz box too! Id fucking pay to see some stuck up folk passing by shaking their heids in disgust hahaha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youareonstilts Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 There is one guy I have seen in Aberdeen who is actually quite good. Not sure who he is - he may even be a forum member - but he is a young chap with a proper amp etc, stands between St Nicks and Bon Accord, and has actually bothered to learn to play the guitar. He always seems to have a crowd of excited young ladies crowded round him every time I see him, and from the snippets I've heard he has a good voice and a decent ear for picking the right songs to cover.This him? Myke Black on Myspace Music - Free Streaming MP3s, Pictures & Music DownloadsHaven't seen him about for a while though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jf9tp2wd40 Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 Alan is indeed correct, she is currently using a spoon... though i have seen her use a comb, a pen, what apeared to be a 2p piece, and a few other random objects... she is out infront of markies quite a bit, so i pass her most days on my way to work, and hear her throught the day when i'm out smoking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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