Hiya from Ynys Mon

[Sean]

Hi

I've eventually plucked up the courage to send in a post, The name is Sean 54 years young and I have lived in North Wales for the last twenty odd years.
I started off with live music back in the 70's in the UK Midlands, as a Vocalist with groups and duo's doing the working men's club circuit in the north midlands area.
I dare say a lot of the Guy's on here would remember the drill. ' three half hours or two 45 minute spots with Bingo topping the bill '

The sheer number of ford transit vans with four or five lads in, flying up and down the motorways on a Saturday night to gigs was absolutely phenomenal back then. They might have been tough venues, but they were a great opportunity for lads to learn the craft.
A lot of the bands would meet up in chip shops and greasy spoon transport cafes in the early hours after the gigs, and the banter (or Craic as us Irish would say) would often be quite histerical, with the jibes and suggestions of one another's musical ability, always high on the agenda.

Quite surprisingly there could on rare occasions be a modicum of compassion shown between rival groups, if a particular band had faced some adversity. ie.......... double booked, kit pinched, member poached, engine blown in the transit etc.

I particularly remember one touching moment when a member of a rival group was quite upset after having broken up with his girlfriend that night at his gig. Our bass player Rob (who was a big softie but not too bright) put his arm around the Guy and Say's "Never mind Bill at least your wife will be pleased" ! Yep, diplomacy was never Rob's strong point.

I have often thought of writing a book all about those Halcyon day's doing the club's, who knows one day I may get some time.

I appologise to all for having shot off on a historical tangent. Suffice to say, that I think the site is absolutely marvelous with a wealth of informative members willing to help us novice's to understand the basics of MIDI and associated equipment.

Although having only recently joined, I have been reading the site as a guest for some time and as a direct result I have purchased and started to get to grips with the Showplay4 programe for my 'Lappy' and am hoping to save enough pennies before Chrimbo to buy the Roland sonic cell to play the library of high quality midi files found here on this brilliant site.

In all honesty guy's I do not consider myself to be a musician in any way shape or form. I have met too many real ones in my time to know the difference. I am and always have been a vocalist first and last but I have recently taught myself to be able to strangle three or four chords out of a guitar and like to be able to play along and sing with tracks that I can change the key and tempo to.

I stopped doing semi pro entertaining about nine years ago, after 25 years and sold all my kit, as my daytime business took off but I have been coaxed back into doing some charity work by a couple of old like minded codgers here in the village.

O.K. I've prattled on long enough, once again guy's thanks again for sharing your knowledge and expertise with those of us just beginning to dipp our toes in the ocean that is midi.

Cheers

Sean

[gibbo]

Hey Sean,
Welcome to Midimart. I really enjoyed reading your first post.
Yes, I remember the Transit Van trips up and down the Motorways very well. Like you, I was the front-man singer in those days. We used to meet countless other acts in the Motorway Cafes, mostly Northern acts heading south, while we were from London and tooling North. I always wondered why we didn't just get together and swap gigs!
I live in Australia but spent part of the early the 70's doing the UK pub/club scene.
If you need any help with midi, laptops, songs or anything at all, just ask. There's a plethora of knowledgeable and helpful members here on the forum.
Cheers, Dave.

[ironbaden]

welcome Sean.... I too have slogged it out in the ford van.... and I bet a Book would be totally hilarious any help we can be....u let us know.

[weegeo]

Welcome Sean aaaww the whiff of the chips from the back of the wagon i`d forgotten about that Many a story we all could tell lol lol Look forward to your next 1000 or so posts and once again welcome to you from N.Ireland enjoy the forum and the midi`s if you need any help with anything the guys here are brilliant and will help you all they can

Weegeo

[Sean]

weegeo said:

aaaww the whiff of the chips from the back of the wagon i`d forgotten about that Many a story we all could tell lol lol

Weegeo

Thing is weegeo, most of us will have to write up these stories and leave them in trust with our respective solictors until after we depart for that great gig in the sky. For fear that the cost's of divorce out weigh the comissions/royalies from any publications, LOL

Thanks for the warmth of the wecome guys

Sean

[gibbo]

Just out of curiosity Sean, is Ynys Mon the correct Welsh name for Anglesey?
(Please excuse any ignorance on my part if I'm waaaaay wrong.)
I think we have/had another member who lives there.
Cheers, Dave.

[geraint]

Hi Sean and welcome, or as we say here in the land of song Croeso.

We are of the same era, and may have passed eacother in vans accross the beautiful North Wales scenery.

Gibbo, you are right, pmalcolm was an Ynys Mon member, but unfortunately is no longer with us.

I think I can detect by your post Sean that you may be Welsh speaking, and if I am correct, that at least we can translate for eachother.

Croeso mawr Sean, a diolch am eich post gyntaf.

[Sean]

You got it in one Dave

not far from

llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch

Sean

[Sean]

To be perfectly honest Geraint all my people are Irish right back to the O'Dinosaurs ;D though I was actually born in Manchester

I think you will find that Welsh people spell my name as Sion in Welsh and not in the Gaelic as mine is spelt Sean. I have lived up here long enough to Know that you have given me a Big welcome in welsh and have thanked me for my post today

It's heart warming to see you guys roll out the welcome matt for a newbie.

Sean

[doricvision]

And a 'Fit Like' frae Aberdeen ,Sean
Thought I would get into the local dialect debate as well
Regards Bigmike

[JohnG]

A rather belated welcome to the forum from JohnG.

I read your bio with great interest.

Have fun and post frequently most of us don't bite.

(they took my teeth away 'cos I was a danger to the nurses. Heh, heh!)
So the worst you can expect here is a nasty gumming!
Beware though, the saliva is toxic.
They're coming to take me away. Ha ha.
Unintelligible gibbering noises.

[Sean]

Hi Bigmike, I was up in Aberdeen last year for the first time, It's a cracking city. I couldn't get over just how busy the place was. Scotlands answer to Dallas I reckon.

Hi John, Found your section on Midi Basics an absolute must read for newcomers like me needing an understandable overview.

Cheers

Sean

[JohnG]

Hi Sean,
Don't put off the idea of writing a book until you've got time. Just try to find a little time every day. Even 5 or 10 minutes can be enough! It can be jotting down some headings or basic ideas for chapters or a conversation or reminiscence you recall. Just get it down somewhere. After a year you'll find you have a stack of material and that may give you the incentive to take the next step, putting it in order and getting some human interest into it. I'm doing that right now and I'm several chapters into writing a book on MIDI.

Like the man said "carpe diam" sieze the day.
0£.0s.2d.
JohnG.

[Tubbs]

Cead Mile Failte Sean!!

[Sean]

Dia duit Tubbs

What can I say The Welshman gave me a big welcome but trust the Irish to give me a hundred thousand. LOL

Sláinte

Seán

[rogerb]

A belated welcome from me too Sean. I don't speak Welsh or Gaelic so can't greet you in your native or adopted languages. In the seven years I've lived in Northern Cyprus I've picked up enough Turkish to get by but somehow I don't think that would work in Ynys Mon either. Coming originally from Derbyshire some would say I struggle with English too, lol. I well remember the greasy spoons and chippies on the way home from gigs and the goings on in the back of the Transit but we'd best not go there! Save it for the book and it will be a sure fire best seller. Enough of my ramblings. What ever the language a big welcome from me.

[Sean]

Hi Roger, Or should I say Merhaba.

Now just before the members of the site think I am some kind of Linguist let me put the record straight I am most definately not, all I do is type in 'greeting' into my google box and the nationality of the person I wish to greet and hey presto up it pops !

I do envy you your place in the sun, Cyprus is a wonderful place to live. The better half and I are comparative new comers to traveling abroard and only had our first trip overseas some five years ago.
What I can say though is that we have made up for it since. In fact we have been to Cyprus three times in the last eighteen months and have been all over that paticular Island like a rash, both north and south.
I have to say though that if you are based in the south they don't exactly make it easy to visit the northern part. You have to be bloody minded if you want to get there, as there are only two crossing places and they don't advertise either one.

Famagusta was really spooky which is such a shame as it is without doubt the best beach on the whole of Cyprus to my mind. I won't try to begin to describe it as it is a place that has to be seen to be believed.
I was impressed with the quality of the local home grown traditional entertainment but not so much so, with most of the western imported stuff. It seemed to me to be money for old rope.

I was almost tempted to buy some gear and come out of retirement, I kept thinking back to the old day's on the circuit and Knew for a fact that at least half of what I was seeing would have been paid off before the end of their first set, in favour of another game of bingo.

All I can say Roger is that if you are still performing and have a half decent act then you must be making a fortune.

Thanks again for your kind welcome we'll have to get together and have a jam next time I'm on the Island.

Regards

Sean

[Keri]

Hi Sean

If anyone should write a book, it has to be you. You are so good with words. I have hung on everything you wrote in your bio and replies to other members.

The comradeship on the Motorways back in the 70's is still happening down here in Oz. Last night on the way home from my gig we pulled into a "Servo" (Aussie for petrol station and food stop) and the only 3 vehicles there were on the way home from gigs. The best thing about coming home after a gig and stopping off for a bite, is that it's so late that the attendants sometimes give you the food for free 'coz it's been there so long.

I'm having so much fun and have met so many fantastic people in the music industry - I'd never give it up. I'm a little older than you and have only been in the business for 7 years, so I guess I'll end up playing for Nursing Homes in about 10 years. By then all the "residents" will be singing along with the 70's songs instead of the 50's.

Great reading your stuff and welcome from the Land Downunder.

Keri

[rogerb]

Hi Sean, Next time you're planning a Cyprus trip let me know and we'll arrange a meet. It sure is a small world - my former neighbours in Cyprus are from Anglesey.

[Sean]

G'day Keri,

I thought I'd be a smart Arse and try and find an original aboriginal Greeting for you with my usual Goggle trick. So if you hear of a guy being sued for breaking the goggle search engine it will probably be me.

In my ignorance I was completely unaware that there are over 300 different Australian aboriginal languages. with even more regional dialects. That'll teach me !

I can only say that you put some of us to shame by being on the road and Gigging when some of us hung our Mic's up before you even started. Fair play to you.

Actually you've given me a brilliant idea. I'll see if I can't convince my own particular Sheila to do like wise. After all, I shared the pennies with her when I was out gigging.
I'll be able to hold you up as a shining example of modern day, feminine entrepreneurial spirit.

Then again, I have to ask myself, am I really that brave ? perhaps not. I think I'll give that one a miss. More out of concern for the long term psychological effect on any potential audience you understand, rather than my own self preservation. ::)LOL

Another thing Keri don't knock the nursing home gigs the way that the demographics of the planet are going, they'll probably be the biggest and best paying venues around just now.
I'm even thinking of creating a new genre of music to capitalize on the potential of this opportunity. It's all about branding and coming up with the right name.
Zimmer Rock, Grey Rap, Alzheimer Blues ?............Mabey not but I'm sure I'll come up with something.

Thanks for the welcome Keri and all the best from 'Up Over'. By the way we have our own Aborigines here on Anglesey, they are called the Welsh, though I dare say they'll send me on 'Walkabout' after reading this. ;D

Kind Regards

Sean