NAMM report: Friday

["Rick Walker" <looppool@cruzio.com>]

Things are going swimmingly at the Looperlative booth.

We're headed into the shark fest they call Saturday at NAMM.

Bill Walker, Steve Lawson and I all had good demo sessions for the 
Looperlative 
yesterday with a lot of walk up traffic.

My own first demo started roughly because seeing an FCB that Bill was 
bringing down 
to Matthias Grob (so damn wonderful to see Matthi again) I thought mine 
was in the car 
and forgot it standing up in the living room.    I borrowed Bob Amstadt's 
Gordius, which 
is a cool little piece of gear but whose ergonomics I don't have down yet 
so I had a lot 
of technical difficulties in my first demo just due to unfamiliarity with 
gear.  I got used to 
it fairly quickly with my little cheat sheets, though.

Everything really came together, though, when I came by and heard Bill 
doing a really 
amazing piece of music.  I got out my frame drums and kanjira and he and I 
jammed on 
a couple of pieces.     We may hook up the Looperlatives today possibly.

I went up to a guy at the string booth across the way to apologize for all 
the 
sonic mayhem that is my own demo and was suprised to hear him say, 
"No man,  you guys have been the soundtrack for our show.  You guys are on 
the 
cutting edge."   

It made my day to hear this guy who had to sit across from us and hear 
every demo 
all day long say this.

********
I haven't  had too much chance to get out and see the show 
but I have heard
1)  Electrix has a booth listed in the NAMM book but it is sitting empty 
there
2)  There isn't even a demo model of the RC50 at Roland (that's kind of 
unnerving)
3)  Kim Flint was spotted at the Looperlative booth but I haven't seen our 
fearless 
leader yet
4)  There didn't appear to be any porn starlets at the Dean Heavy Metal 
Guitar booth as 
in past years
5)  There is more all black attire than I've ever seen..........more grey 
hair than I've ever 
seen at a NAMM show.     My bright yellow hair and 'gay lumberjacks on 
acid'  yellow 
flannel shirt stood out like a neon bulb yesterday.........lol.
5) our looping pal Larry the O is looking good and ensconced at the BIAS 
booth
6) Bill Putnam , owner of the very successful Universal Audio (and 
generous patron to 
the Y2K festivals),  has become an avid looper and put in his order for a 
Looperlative.
that made me particularly happy as I've come to love how completely 
devoted to the 
cause of Music,  Bill is.     He invited us all up to the UA cocktail 
party and I got to have 
a fascinating conversation with the last producer who worked with Ray 
Charles.

this is a great and fun and overwhelming show.
Off to get breaky with Bill and do it again.

cheers and loop on everyone.

Rick