MOTM

OK, this is what I don't get.  Why does somebody spend hours everyday for weeks 
on end practicing material that's already been recorded (just buy the CD) and 
is not conducive to live performance anyway, and then go through the major 
hassle of lugging heavy and expensive equipment around the country to play in 
some dive for a handful of disinterested people?  I can't think of a more 
unproductive use of one's life.  Better to spend that time and energy on the 
next album.

People, I'll never understand them.

-Elhardt

Answer: dedication to a personal vision of art.

--- In motm@yahoogroups.com, elhardt@a... wrote:
> OK, this is what I don't get.  Why does somebody spend hours 
everyday for weeks 
> on end practicing material that's already been recorded (just buy 
the CD) and 
> is not conducive to live performance anyway, and then go through 
the major 
> hassle of lugging heavy and expensive equipment around the country 
to play in 
> some dive for a handful of disinterested people?  I can't think of 
a more 
> unproductive use of one's life.  Better to spend that time and 
energy on the 

> next album.
> 
> People, I'll never understand them.
> 
> -Elhardt

a) because you enjoy doing it
b) Robert doesn't care if its 10 or 10,000, you get the same show
c) Robert enjoys travelling
d) Robert enjoys meeting people as much as he enjoys playing

Not everyone in this world is focused on "What's in it for ME?!?"

Paul S.

On Friday, June 20, 2003, at 04:09  PM, elhardt@... wrote:

> OK, this is what I don't get.  Why does somebody spend hours everyday 
> for weeks
> on end practicing material that's already been recorded (just buy the 
> CD) and
> is not conducive to live performance anyway, and then go through the 
> major
> hassle of lugging heavy and expensive equipment around the country to 
> play in
> some dive for a handful of disinterested people?  I can't think of a 
> more
> unproductive use of one's life.  Better to spend that time and energy 
> on the
> next album.

Probably for a similar reason to somebody who spends hours everyday for 
weeks on end trying to emulate acoustic instruments when he could 
easily get someone to perform his music on the original instruments 
(and spend that time and energy on the next composition.)  :-)

As a friend in New York says when things seem difficult, "It's all part 
of the fun."

Kudos to Robert Rich for making the effort to do it live and in person.

> People, I'll never understand them.

Nobody will ever understand all of them.

> -Elhardt

nathan

Mr. Elhardt said - "OK, this is what I don't get."

Uhhhh...why go see the London Symphony play "The Firebird" when you've got
the CD?

Maybe I placed too much emphasis on the one jerk in the group that didn't
need to be there, and not on the remainder of the bunch that sat on the edge
of their seats the entire time.

Second, the performance has "quotes" out of various CDs, but it was 80
minutes of continuous amazing music that probably had more "oomph" than the
CDs did and varied from the CDs as well. I really hope he releases a
recording of these shows.

Third, I'm sure there are much better audiences for his shows than down here
in the "Freebird Lives Forever" South.  I felt bad for him for the small
crowd, but I'm very glad that he took the chance to play here and I got to
see him.

Hey, it was worth the three hour drive for me! You should have been there,
then maybe you'd understand. I'm very happy that Robert decided to share his
music with the small crowd.

Additionally, this was "research" for me. I'm seriously considering playing
live some again myself, and to be honest, I want to do it to make *me*
happy. Screw the majority of the public that will never bother to show up.
If I can get 25 people to come listen that are really interested, then I'm a
happy guy. They'll get the same performance either way.