RE: famous live loopers

["William Walker" <billwalker@baymoon.com>]

I saw Paul Dresher using Two Tape machines in the early 80's, did anyone
mention him? I actually first tried looping  using this method while in 
High
School, when a friend named Eddie Clemenco set of two tape machines in a
mutual friends living room and we each took turns looping. This was 
probably
1974 0r 75, and I believe my friend Eddie (who was way a head of the curve
as a musician compared to the rest of us stone rockers), was familiar with
the likes of Terry Riley and Harry Partch, and studied with Lou Harrison
who's gamelan inspired compositions have a lot in common with looping from
my perspective. I assume he got the two tape deck idea from either Riley or
perhaps Brian Eno.
 I personally don't feel famous, so my inclusion on the list seems a bit
odd, but I'll take it as a compliment, and do my best to live up to it, and
perhaps start dating a super model,  and doing a couple of stints in rehab,
and punching out members of the paparazzi. This celebrity thing is going to
be fun!
 On another note, Saturday night I played at the second annual
Lapstravaganza show at the Kuumbwa jazz center here in Santa Cruz.  In what
was otherwise a fairly traditional night with various steel players being
backed up my a house band and running through country classics, I was the
lone looper, and the only one doing primarily improvise music, with the
exception being the one cover tune I did (In a Silent way). I was a bit
nervous that my more modernistic approach would not be well received my the
crowd, but I was pleasantly surprised at the response I got, and even more
so from the interest that some of the other lap steel players showed in 
what
I was doing with the LP-1. Even the headliner, Bobby Black who is 72
(started his professional career at 15 long before I was born) and an
absolute steel guitar master, was intrigued by my wall of lap steel sound.
This was very heartening to me as often times I've found that
traditionalists and music purists turn up their noses at new approaches and
technology. It was very gratifying for me as I had never done an all lap
steel set before and I knew I was in pretty heavy company hanging with
people who have been playing this way much longer than I have, and are much
more knowledgeable and skilled than I. All and all a great night of lap
steel playing. Hopefully there will be some posts on Youtube soon from the
concert.
 Cheers
 Bill