blatantly copying Bob-O ... why feel guilty?

["Eric Williamson" <erwill@suitandtieguy.com>]

rich said:
>after this thread... now i'm really feeling guilty for my liner
>notes, where my credits of 'loops and treatments' is a direct,
>intentional cop from mr. eno. and 'bass vibrations' a direct and
>intentional cop from spacemen3.

I blatantly copy Bob, crediting myself on everything my band does to 
"Organ and
Devices". I do not feel guilty about this, because ... well ... I just 
don't. I
figure there's quite a bit of humour in someone that lugs a Hammond and two
Leslies around and calls it "small and mobile" ... that is, a soul organist
who's as influenced by Bob Fripp as Booker T Jones strikes me as kind of 
funny.

When I play a gig, they ask me if I like Jimmy Smith. I say "Nah ... that 
guy's
an asshole." Then I point out the pewter KC (Thrak tour) pin on my lapel 
... and
say "that's my favourite band." Well, I have a lot of favourites ... but 
its
always good to distance yourself as much from the genre you're operating 
in as
possible.

But, Bob is not the only thing I blatantly copy. Not by long shot.

I don't claim originality or creativity. I'm not here to "make a 
statement". I
do what I enjoy, and some people here in Peoria IL like what I do. I have 
fun
with the music. I will play the most banal covers you'll ever want to hear 
...
the sort of stuff that prog peeps say is "lame" and Bob says is "the 
humiliating
act of being a professional musician". But right after I play "Fly Like An
Eagle", I'll throw that Isaac Hayes number ("Hung Up On My Baby") with the
extended ambient loop over the top of it. But I _never_ play a song I don't
like.

My best friend's favourite band is Shellac. His last album sounds 
_exactly_ like
Shellac with the singer from Blonde Redhead singing. He will not admit to 
having
"influences". I think that's kind of funny.

I guess my point is that originality and creativity are subjective and
overrated. I'm very open about my influences, I put a bunch of stuff that 
makes
sense to me (but not to some of the people around me ... they have a hard 
time
seeing the direct lines between concepts) in a pot and try to balance it 
all ...
get it to sound good and harmonise. Like what Dave Torn said about 
synthesisers
of concept ... that's my bag. I don't innovate. And I'm not one bit 
embearassed
about it.

Eric Williamson
www.suitandtieguy.com