SF Drumming Scene - Fight for the Right

[Congadelica]

Back to the drum .





Edited By Congadelica on 1187919988

[109-1176549166]

Fine with me.

[congalero]

Brother bongos...... some questions... What kind of drum playing goes on at that park? Is there a drum circle going on, or some rumba, Taiko ? because if there is some dudes
sounding as if they where falling down stairs . It may draw this kind of reaction.
People in San Francisco know percussion.
I always have known as Frisco' being a hip city with strong percussion roots and many players also coming from Okland.

Paz Olsongo

oslongo,

you make a good point. being born and raised here in the city and playing in public many years ago, we would always go to a remote part of ocean beach; on the pacific - west side of the city (at least when we were not at precita park in the mission or jack grubers house in bernal heights). there were always too many drunks in the park who wanted to bang a drum while slurping a beer. in those days mingo lewis, john santos, raul rekow, armando, the perez brothers, jack gruber, the escovidos – even little Sheila -, many others and myself would find a sweet spot away from the crowds. john and mingo were so serious that booze was out and singing was in. that was when mingo had hair and john was as skinny as skinny gets.  this was around 1972 - 1975
once in a while my room mate chris beloy would drag along a flute and sax. we had to coax mingo and john away from the ‘way down’ traditional stuff to add chris in. years later mingo is with the tubes; go figure. he is now in the east bay near john. jack is in vallejo playing salsa. one perez brother is in Hawaii and the other in pacifica. raul is in europe last I heard and amando, the escovidos – as we know! and me, here in the city still trying to get it right. the san francisco drumming scene is still alive, just different players in the city and the old guys spread out around the bay and beyond. michael carabello is in marin giving percussion lessons - even chapito is still around.

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... ute_1_.jpg

[congalero]

chapito with what looks like a King Conga



Edited By congalero on 1187927886

Attachment: http://mycongaplace.com/forum/eng/uploa ... img_1_.jpg

[bongosnotbombs]

Congadelica,

Don't sweat it, bro! I'm not in the least offended. I'm certainly not advocating that we should talk about religion and/or politics in isolation on this thread. I'm talking more about the history and the use of drums as a religious and/or political tool. There's no denying that the history of drumming is replete with the connection between drumming and religion and/or politics.

Heck, if you go back and really analyze many of the previous posts on this thread, this thread is evidently replete with political messages, either implied or direct:

- "So as a proud citizen of the Haight Ashbury community, swelling with civic pride I performed my public duty... - bongosnotbombs (Aug 19)

Note also the picture of "cannabis sativa" (scientific term for "marijuana") in the background. Question: Was the picture of "the plant" intentional? Was bongosnotbombs trying to make a subtle political statement? Or even an innocent medical statement? Either way, what does the subject of marijuana, even if legal, have to do with drumming? 1st incident of threadjacking?

- "YOU ARE A REAL AMERICAN!" - congamyk (Aug. 19)

- "Thanks congamyk!" - bongosnotbombs (Aug. 19). bongosnotbombs thanking congamyk for calling him a "real American".

- "BNB . way to go fella. you have a nice couple of plants there too buddy" - Congadelica (Aug. 20). 2nd incident of threadjacking?

- "In true San Franciscan fashion, a fellow citizen, witnessing my service to the public remarked to me:" - bongosnotbombs (Aug. 19)

- "FIGHT THE POWER" - written on a sign shared by ABAKUA (Aug. 20)

- "Agreed! Seems like a nice crop!" - ABAKUA (Aug. 20). 3rd incident of threadjacking?

- "Yeah, nice plants" - Charangaman (Aug. 20). 4th incident of threadjacking?

- "Just doing my part to provide some medicine to all those suffering with glaucoma and eating disorders...We are allowed to grow up to 10 plants legally with a growers card here in wonderful California." - bongosnotbombs (Aug. 20). 5th incident of threadjacking?

What has this got to do directly with drumming? I know that bongosnotbombs later said that he's going to use income to buy a new set of drums in the future, but still what's the DIRECT connection to drumming? Anybody can come up with any rationalization that there is similar to the connection between drumming and religion and/or politics.

- "Way to go BNB! I like to see acts of civil disobediance for a cause! If you can't drum in a park in SF where can you play at? That's just the man trying to keep us down. Don't give up, you struck a blow for all of us!" - Jongo (Aug. 20)

- "this is a 'free' country" - JohnnyConga (Aug. 20)

- "btw I think I am going to take Olsongo's hint and repost the signs after I doctor them up...As for the plants, I am a legal grower in the state of California and my crop iswithin legal limits." - bongosnotbombs (Aug. 20). 6th incident of threadjacking?

- "I wanna come live in Cali BNB .......I did not know it was legal to grow plants anyplace in the US mmmmmm. interesting" - Congadelica (Aug. 20). 7th incident of threadjacking?

- As for the plants, I am a legal grower in the state of California and my crop iswithin legal limits....Dam! that sounds good, I wish it were like that around my way. I may be new to congas but I can get at least half a bucket out of those plants ( in my old days of course ) What strain is that? looks more indica dominant though. Just kidding now back to the drum topics" - Tone74 (Aug 20). 8th incident of threadjacking?

At least Tone74 was honest enough to admit that he veered off the thread and subsequently tried to return to it.

- "Anyway, eventually we'll all have to rise up against our government. The longer we wait the harder it'll be on all of us." - windhorse (Aug. 20)

- "Its so wild, in the heart of the Haight, to have such a sign in a place known the world around for the free love and music that changed the world in the 60's. How far we have fallen. We will rise again, in time." - blango (Aug. 21)

- however it still happened, and it happened here, the Haight still represents those ideals for many people, and it is exactly that ideal that the sign I took was against...thats why I took the sign, thats why I will always take the sign, I took it for me, I took it for you, and I took it for everyone...the history and legacy of the Haight street exists, freedom and music...but the Haight? of course! If I don't continue the push for freedom and music in a neighborhood whose history represents this very same ideal... - bongosnotbombs (Aug. 21)

- "So there's this doctor who works at Harvard name Dr Grinspoon. He's a public advocate. He's got this site that he hosts. Pretty interesting reads. Awful contrary to the information that is constantly fed to the masses." - jmdriscoll (Aug. 22). 9th incident of threadjacking?

- "I have every intention of returning the sign to the park once I make the necessary corrections to it." - bongosnotbombs (Aug 22)

- "I look forward to seeing the modified notice going back." - Congadelica (Aug. 22)

If all of the above direct quotations doesn't hint or overtly talk about politics and political activism, I don't know what does.

Congadelica, then you appear to contradict yourself by saying on the last post (Aug 23), "When I say that I dont think this "forum" not "form" manny is the place for this type of discussion I mean the particular thread of topic. If there was a section on this forum to talk political or religious topics I may decide to partake in debate , However It is somewhat irritating for me to read a thread on the beloved drum we play , only to find its gone all political . it can work but not on the general section of this forum."

And here are the real bombs (no pun intended) on this post: (1) The User ID of the bro who started this thread is "bongosNOTBOMBS"; and (2) His motto on his electronic signature is: "Make Beats not Bombs"!

Aren't both this user ID and motto political statements and calls to political activism? Moreover, who among all the subscribers to this forum have User ID's that doesn't have a religious and/or political connotation?

C'mon, Congadelica! Either we're blind or dense or we're hypocrites! This reply is addressed directly to you. So, I absolutely don't mean to offend anyone else, particularly those brothers whose statements I've quoted above, much less you.

I'm merely calling a spade a spade. I'm just citing the facts (evidences), bros, just the plain facts!

Jeez manny, why do you have to make such a big deal out of everything?
Lighten up man!



Edited By bongosnotbombs on 1187932180

[109-1176549166]

bongosnotbombs,

Hey, I was lightened up when I wrote my post. It was absolutely nothing personal against anyone. I was merely trying to point out inconsistencies in certain people's complaints in a sober, rational manner. Didn't you notice my smiley's?

Besides, my last response was addressed to Congadelica, not to you. His response to that was cool and my response to his response was also cool. So, why do you come out now and seem so all ruffled up? Aren't you the one who's making it a big deal? ???

I think you should ask yourself first the same question about lightening up before you ask me? You were the one who started all this whining about drumming no longer being allowed on Haight and childishly removing that sign and so on and so forth.

Also, why don't you re-read your post that started the thread on "threadjacking" expressing your irritation about it and calling it disrespectful? Then, tell me who's making a big deal about everything and needs to lighten up.

Why don't people lighten up and be open-minded on the topic of drumming in relation to politics and religion instead of being automatically closed-minded about any and all discussions about them? I and others don't find it a big deal. Why do others make it a big deal?

It's very clear and I've seen it too happen too many times before: People who like to complain about other people's actions often commit the very same actions they complain about themselves but they just do it in other ways. And they're often unaware that they do. It's called "lack of sensitivity".



Edited By mjtuazon on 1187932221

[bongosnotbombs]

give it a rest man...why do you need to write a novel about everything you disagree with in someone elses post?

[109-1176549166]

Freedom of speech!

As a member of Mensa International and 2 years shy of my 4-year law degree, I happen to have a great facility for the English language. Besides, sometimes it takes so many words to demonstrate to certain people, especially some complainers, their own inconsistencies.

C'mon, I thought you're open-minded and tolerant. Is there a law against being verbose? No one's forcing you to read each of my post in it's entirety. Certainly not me. So, why do you let it's length bother you?

Is it, therefore, now my turn to tell you, "Lighten up" or "Chill out, man?" We're all anal about something aren't we?



Edited By mjtuazon on 1187935793

[ABAKUA]

Freedom of speech in the real world yes. On this forum, no.
Being here is a privelidge, not a right.

Enough of the whining, some of you sound like little girls in the playground. ???



Edited By ABAKUA on 1187940587

[109-1176549166]

Freedom of speech in the real world yes. On this forum, no.
Being here is a privelidge, not a right.

Enough of the whining, some of you sound like little girls in the playground. ???

Abakua,

I can't believe I'm hearing all these from musicians, who as artists, would like to be viewed as the most tolerant, open-minded people anywhere.

Did I violate any rule here? Did I insult anyone or resort to name calling?

And I suppose what you just wrote isn't whining.

BTW, I believe that I haven't said anything on any of my posts that's as verbally abusive as your "sexist" comment about comparing whiners to "little girls in the playground".

You should be ashamed of yourself that in this day and age of supposed greater enlightenment, there are still sexist musicians like you.

If being on this forum is a privilege, then I believe that you have just abused that privilege but the "sexist" comment that you just said! So, who's policing who?

If these are the kind of narrow-minded people who run this forum then you guys have just terribly disappointed me and really don't mind I unsubscribing.

By your true colors, some of you guys have shown that you're only artists in name, but not in action and in spirit.

And some of you are just narrow-minded and intolerant as the people in the establishment that you war against. ???



Edited By mjtuazon on 1187942195