The Cheap Leis - on YouTube

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 10:16 am

Forget art. I'd settle for it to be entertaining.

As I said, to each his own. Obviously a lot of you guys do find it entertaining.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 5 Apr 2007 10:20 am

Bill McCloskey describes the Cheap Leis as puerile.

Definition:

pu·er·ile adj.
1. Belonging to childhood; juvenile.
2. Immature; childish. See synonyms at young.

The "free" improvisation from the other thread surely meets the above definition. I'd also add masturbatory. Look that word up.

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I don't personally know any members of the Cheap Leis. I found their videos on YouTube while searching on Hawaiian guitar. I found them energetic, quick witted, funny, entertaining good musicians with a swinging beat, more-than-adequate vocals and a great steel guitar player.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 10:23 am

Quite the contrary, I found it a very interesting experiment that grew more interesting on repeated listening. But then again I like experimental music.

BTW, experimental music is just that. Experimental. It doesn't always have to work to still hold interest.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 10:36 am

BTW Gerald, you are the second person to use the term "masturbatory" to describe that piece. I'm not sure I understand the connection. It seemed to me that guy was trying to create a piece that had sound and movement, without worrying about a particular chord progression or set structure. Much like a drum solo might be. I'm not sure how masturbation fits into the equation.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 5 Apr 2007 10:38 am

Self absorbed.

If you sift back through the threads about that piece, I mentioned that I enjoyed the two additional videos that Fred suggested. I wondered why if Andreas had those excellent musical chops he allow the "free" piece to be aired as a representation of his art.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 10:42 am

And which music isn't.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 5 Apr 2007 10:48 am

Bill,

I'm a very practical musician.

Yes, I feel that I'm an artist and I put a lot of my heart and soul into my music. But like I said, I'm practical.

I play in concert in front of hundreds of people many times a year but I also play weddings, retirement parties and supermarket grand openings. I recently played "The Fall Festival Of Savings" in a shoe department at a local store (and was happy to get the gig).

I am honored that people find my "art" worthy enough to pay me to do it - no matter what the gig. One of reasons people hire me is because I employ the three fundamental requirements of music - melody, harmony and rhythm.

In practical terms the "free" improvisation had none of those three requirements. If I tried to play something like that while the bride and groom exchanged vows I'd be killed.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 10:53 am

Yes, that is true. But not all music is designed to be played at weddings. One would guess that if you played Frank Zappa or Harry Partch, you would also be in trouble at the local nursing home. But that doesn't make it any less music and I don't think the player of the experimental piece would be whipping that out at the local supermarket opening either. But that doesn't make it any less legitimate or interesting, or worthy of attention.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 5 Apr 2007 10:54 am

OK, truce.

I still think the Cheap Leis dressed appropriately.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 5 Apr 2007 11:11 am

Bill, when do we get a chance to hear you play?

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 11:22 am

Every Monday night in Nyack. O'D's bar.

You should come up some night Mike. It is a great session and has been going on for 30 years.

I only wish I could play more. My current schedule doesn't allow it. I'd be doing it full time if I didn't have other obligations.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 5 Apr 2007 11:24 am

Bill,

Zappa's 'Peaches En Regalia' from his Hot Rats LP would be very appropriate at any of the venues I mentioned. The tune is very melodic and rhythmic with a pleasant recurring theme.

In fact I played that song frequently in my high school rock band.

See... you thought all I knew about was grass shacks and Fox Trot rhythms.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 11:25 am

I've heard your stuff Gerald. I think you are a great player.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 5 Apr 2007 11:32 am

Thank you Bill.

I just didn't want you to get a pre-conceived notion of my artistic musical abilities and knowledge because of my aloha shirt, my smiling picture, the 40 lbs I need to lose or my Semitic good looks.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 11:35 am

One of the best musicians and mandolin players I know wears nothing but hawiian shirts.

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 5 Apr 2007 12:00 pm

Bill McCloskey wrote:Every Monday night in Nyack. O'D's bar.

You should come up some night Mike. It is a great session and has been going on for 30 years.

I only wish I could play more. My current schedule doesn't allow it. I'd be doing it full time if I didn't have other obligations.

Maybe I will. Is it O'Donohue's? If it is, I know where it is.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 5 Apr 2007 12:23 pm

Yep. That is the place. Starts up around 9:30 - goes to 1:30 - 2.

A real mixture of styles: irish, bluegrass, folk, oldtimey, Tin Pan Alley. Depends on who shows up. There is a usual core group of about 5 of us. Quite honestly, I don't know another session quite like it. Some nights it is okay, some nights it is amazing.

wt golden · Post by **wt golden** » 5 Apr 2007 1:21 pm

Hijacking a little bit - does any one know what kind of steel that is in the video. It looks like it could be a huge string through magnet over the strings - or maybe just a huge string through hand rest...?

Jeff Strouse · Post by **Jeff Strouse** » 5 Apr 2007 1:48 pm

Geez! We sure have some critics here on the forum! This would be such a great place if the narrow minded folks would crawl in a hole somewhere and stop being overly critical of other people's music. Could most of these critics get up there and do the same thing? I seriously doubt it.

I think the 'Cheap Leis' have a great name...very clever! They looked great, sounded great, and sang some great songs. The steel has a nice tone all it's own...fits into the style very well. I found the performances to be very entertaining...vocals and all. C'mon, not everyone can sing like Frank Sinatra! Were they Alfred Apaka and the Hawaiian Village Serenaders, or Jerry Byrd and his Trio? Of course not...no one else can be! And no one should expect anyone else to be as good. Their vocals were just fine...Definitely professional gig quality.

How many other bands out there are doing this type of music? We all enjoy this music, but as soon as a group pops up, a bunch of forumites always jump on their case about silly things..."they don't look Hawaiian enough, the don't sound like so and so, their clothes aren't right, blah blah blah...(and since when did men care about what people wear anyway? Ladies are usually the ones to pay attention to and bring up such things)!

It doesn't matter if you're a Haole, Native, Black, Red, Yellow, Orange, Purple People Eaters, Green Vulcans, or any other color under the sun! What matters is the music...if you enjoy it, do it!

We (the steel guitar community and lovers of this style of music) should be encouraging groups of any race who perform this style...and do it well, like the Cheap Leis. It is certainly better than putting forth discouraging comments, especially when they aren't even warranted in the first place.

If some of you must be critical, at least make comments that are more constructive and positive.

Mat Rhodes · Post by **Mat Rhodes** » 5 Apr 2007 1:55 pm

So if you were going to emulate a combo from say, the 30s to the 50s, which one would you guys nominate for dress, authenticity of sound, and tightness of arrangements?

I know I could use a good role model since my black aloha blazer gets a bit warm in Houston's weather. And print shirts are a bit clichē.

Eddie Cunningham · Post by **Eddie Cunningham** » 5 Apr 2007 2:02 pm

I loved those guys !! Having fun , enjoying themselves , doing great music !! and working doing Hawaiian music !! We should all be so lucky !! IMHO !! Eddie "C" ( the old geezer )

Rick Aiello · Post by **Rick Aiello** » 5 Apr 2007 2:06 pm

This harmless post has become very disturbing to me on a few different fronts.

When I first moved to Virginia, we lived in a 600 sq ft cabin ... about 2200 ft up on a mountain in the Blue Ridge.

It was too outta the way to have cable TV and too tree laden to use a satellite dish ... so all I had was rabbit ears on my TV and got three channels ... and on a clear day a fourth from Baltimore.

One clear Sunday morning ... I watched a local Baltimore show .. "Rodricks for Breakfast" ... a funny, wacky kinda show ...

It was their final show ... and they had as their house band ... Dave Giegerich & The Hula Monsters.

Dave was playing a Fender Dual Pro ... and did several numbers ... as well as "leading to commercial" with some instrumentals.

Now ... admittedly, the steel player for the "Cheap Leis" is no Dave Giegerich ... but it was a very similar situation ...

I'd better sign off now ... because reading statements like:

I notice a lot of people of this generation tend to look really shabby on stage. Yeah, don't judge people by the way they look... but c'mon.

I find it amateurish, puerile, sappy, and ultimately boring.

... has really got me so pissed off ...

Ah, screw it ...

Mat Rhodes · Post by **Mat Rhodes** » 5 Apr 2007 2:11 pm

Admit it, Rick.

Controversial Hawaiian-oriented posts are simply more fun to read than all the others! The other topics have been hashed, rehashed, salted, packaged, salted again, and dumped in third world countries.

Speaking of the other Hula Monsters, I wonder what happened to Hank Mann. I thought they were pretty cool.

Joe A. Camacho · Post by **Joe A. Camacho** » 5 Apr 2007 2:37 pm

The Cheap Leis are a bunch of great guys. Adrian is an incredible steel player, but you should really hear him play jazz on a hollow body.

Gerald Ross · Post by **Gerald Ross** » 5 Apr 2007 3:20 pm

I still don't understand what is wrong with the way the Cheap Leis were dressed. Jeff Au Hoy, could you please address this?

And another Jeff - Jeff Strouse writes:

Could most of these critics get up there and do the same thing? I seriously doubt it.

I doubt many of the critics could do what the Cheap Leis do. Now, the "free" improvisation thing... piece of cake.

The Steel Guitar Forum

The Cheap Leis - on YouTube

FUN GROUP !! LOOKS GOOD , SOUNDS GOOD !!