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The Talent on Here

On the first episode of this season's "America's Got Talent" last week was a band of players using suit-case guitars and bass. Unfortuneatly, they were pretty bad and were booted off. That notwithstanding, there are obviously a number of very talented musicians here on the Nation, as well as builders and I was wondering - anyone here going to audition for the show? It would be a great showcase for CBGs and what can get wrung out of three or four simple strings. The live auditions are over but you can submit a video to U-Tube up until June 11th here: https://www.youtube.com/AGT

Hey, if a 77 year-old rapper can get through, certainly someone here can do better. How about it guys?

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Permalink Reply by 3 String Blues on May 22, 2012 at 11:31am

sounds like a job for JJ Rango & Bestillroy McCoy...we'll open some eyes

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Permalink Reply by Bad Finger (Eric) on May 22, 2012 at 2:13pm

Those were some cool instruments they didnt do a great job of playing

Whatchagonnado?

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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on May 22, 2012 at 8:18pm

I can't comment on "America's Got Talent" having never seen it but the British version is considered something of a freak show over here, most amateur musicians wouldn't be seen dead on it, and is usually reserved for teenage wannabes or silly old fools old enough to know better, it even ranks below the dreaded "Eurovision Song Contest" which has become so blatantly politically motivated there are calls to remove our great country from this sham completely...

As for CBG players, i hope we keep it as an underground movement far removed from the muddy formulaic mainstream, i still buy the odd album but most of my musical activities and interests are focussed in the CBG world now, there are many brilliant musicians and songwriters here and many of my CBG heroes have become friends and acquaintances who i can go and see for very little money, then share a pint with after the show - that only happened once in my previous "life" as a Rock Fan and i saw many many of the greats, but i never met any of them...maybe a good thing! (-:

... it's a nice dream, things are great as they are and i hope i never see one of my "stars" charging 200 pounds a ticket playing at the 02, it goes against everything we stand for...!

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Permalink Reply by HOLLOWBELLY on May 22, 2012 at 9:31pm

I concur Steve.One might get 15 minutes of fame, but what self respecting rock n roll club is gonna put you on after you've appeared on X Factor/Britains got Talent-you've just become a joke act.I don't know if thats true in the States-indeed one thing I like about the Yanks is they don't really care what people did before-in America,if an actor turns musician they tend to say "wow ok-lets hear it"..in England we tend to roll our eyes skyward and view it as cheesy.

These talent shows,in England at least, represent the Conservative mainstream-with Simon Cowell being the head of State,arrogantly proclaiming the number one slot as his own..hence the backlash where the British public put Rage Against The Machine at number 1 to prove a point.Brits dont like people getting too big.Americans celebrate mega success,Brits view it with suspicion.An interesting cultural divide.I'm not presenting one as being superior to the other,merely highlighting its existence.

I was standing outside a gig last year chatting to 6 people.One girl asked me "Do you think you'll ever make it?" The interesting thing about the question was that every person there,including myself, knew what she meant.TV appearances,recording contract,playing stadiums,screaming fans,platinum record sales.I pointed out that even our definition of success had become co-orporatised, and suggested that it might be possible to have a different definition of success-mine was,and remains-turning up at a club,playing a good,entertaining show,and leaving with more money than when I arrived.Sounds like success to me.When the Rolling Stones started out they defined success as 'maybe one day being able to earn a living from our music".Lets get back to those kinda ideals.

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Permalink Reply by Webweaver on May 23, 2012 at 4:01pm

I'm sort of split 2 ways with this. On one hand it was Seasick Steve's exposure on Jools Holland that pointed me in the direction of CBGs and this kind of music (and perhaps some others who have found their way here). Ok I know it wasn't a talent show, but itwas reasonably large scale exposure. On the other hand I would be interested to know how many of the non-winners, but obviously talented performers on some of the talent shows go on to earn a decent living without necessarily making it big time.

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Permalink Reply by Habanera Hal on May 23, 2012 at 2:17am

I agree that fame and fortune can ruin a "pure" musical genre. "Saturday Night Live" years ago did a great skit with Paul Shaffer as a sleazy music producer taking a blind, raw, blues singer and turning his music into a "viably commercial product". But it doesn't have to be that way.

Yes, there are freaks that try out for these shows (that's part of it's appeal in the early stages), and it would be unreasonable to expect even a great CBG player or band to make it to the finals, however, AGT is a remarkable venue to showcase talented performers that aren't in the mainstream entertainment. A good act can go several levels and make a positive impact on the masses, and 'maybe one day being able to earn a living from our music" . Anyone remember a little girl named Jackie Evancho or an elderly matron named Susan Boyle? The Texas Tenors came in only fourth in 2009, but have become a very successful act in Branson and on tour.

I don't see that trying to keep our music just among us as healthy.

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Permalink Reply by Ron "Oily" Sprague on May 22, 2012 at 11:29pm

Hey, y'all,

I just got done reading Ted Gioia's book on the Blues. It has lots of philosophical and factual points about the original Delta bluesmen, that kind of speak to this issue of homegrown success versus being "Bad, and Nationwide." I agree with HB - only you can decide what level of success you're comfortable with, and how you calibrate it. Beware of too much popularity, is what Slowpaw is saying. Popularization of anything inevitably ruins it, makes it more commercial, and less real. Oh, and not all Americans celebrate mega success. My country is undergoing a lot of soul-searching at the moment. Problem is, I personally don't think it's deep enough.