Hey folks! Garbage in, Garbage Out, as they say. So, I’ve been trying to improve my YouTube habits, shifting from the tragedy of war history to the occasionally uplifting. As such, Steve Irwin’s legendary footage has been in heavy rotation. Crikey, I love this guy. I’ll be eating my pasta, eyebrows to the ceiling, yelling “Put him DOWN, STEVE!” as he expounds upon the grumpiness of the deadly viper or stinging scorpion.
Steve is a first-class example of a well-developed personality lifting the rest of us up along with him. How does he do that? Is it his skill with animals? His exotic locales?
Let’s turn to the haunting blues of Skip James to further explore the question.
Both of these men seem, to me, to share a common thread of authenticity. Oh, I hate to drone on about such a cliche topic, but it’s worth noting. YouTube is full of snake wranglers yelling in absurdly hyper tones, and the blues clubs have their requisite members of suspender-wearing, vintage guitar playing disciples (I say this as poor imposter myself.) I think the mistake I make is to think: “Hm, I like this vibe of old blues. I shall put on my suspenders and pretend I’m living in 1938, and play a song of the day.” Or “Hm, I’d like to get people excited about nature, I’ll yell and say Crikey!”
I like how Stevie Ray Vaughan does it, managing to be steeped in a tradition, but using the language to speak his own thoughts. He’s not reading from a traveler’s phrasebook, but articulating his own statement that exists independently of a language, expressed via the native speak.
I immediately fell into the very trap I’m talking about as I was watching this video. “Hmmm, I need to dust off the stratocaster (similar guitar as his) and play some blues.” Note to self: It ain’t the type of guitar, buddy.
Now comes the real work - picking up the instrument, and saying something of my own.
Crikey, mate, sounds like a tall order - but worth it!