Road Cage

Wiki feud

Buddy Cage — Tue, 24 May 2011 05:21:15 +0000

Wiki WORKS!
Published on my BLOG – www.roadcage.com
I just had an online conversation with an editor at Wiki – and she really helped. Let me describe the confusion – sounds obtuse from the git, doesn’t it – ‘describe the confusion’?!
Here’s the prob: My identity has been contested, a few people who ‘contribute’ to the Wiki entry labeled Buddy Cage see it differently than I. Now, get this, some people out there on Wikipedia feel that I have missed the beat, have argued the facts about my history. For the past year, it starts like this, Buddy Cage – An American guitarist (generally how a professional musician from the US begins), and then goes on to list my musical associations, recording sessions, various appearances and so forth.
But the ‘others’ have intervened to straighten me out as regarding, my personal and professional life. Apparently, this is the way Wiki works, at least thus far, online. Anyone can manipulate the online perception providing they have established themselves as ‘credible’ sources with other ‘credible’ authorities. Weird? Yeah, a little. Particularly in light of the fact that I am who I am and hopefully still, in a modest way possess my faculties.
So, we’re going to try a suggested tack in the endeavor as was offered by our friend, editor at Wiki. I think they all sort-of become authorities after a fashion. Our editor implies that there is no effort to have any other agenda but to ‘scrupulously’ scrub my biography! Hmmm…’for me’…
Yes, I was born in Toronto, Canada Feb. 18, 1946 – if you’re into astrology as a relatively harmless, social, parlor game you would understand I, as an Aquarian have trouble putting up with tedious horseshit.
I began to take Hawaiian guitar lessons in the Summer of 1957 in Port Credit, Ontario – some really neat people at the Conservatory who cared to give me their best through lessons on how not to suck! My life as a professional player came in 1961, I left high school in 1963 to pursue music and landed a solid gig in ’65. I never looked back or was out of work ever again.
I took most dates living in Canada in the United States – back then, there wasn’t such a closed system to traveling musicians, INS was much, much looser. No one was out there to rob someone else from their livelihood – we had a union (A.F. of M.) but they were pretty much useless except for television, radio, recordings, etc. – they didn’t have a lot of strength in area regulations - with the notable exception of Local in Chicago. You get my drift? In fact, we as musicians were considered ‘special people’ (do you know how I identified with that?). We were, and are a fairly non-combatant group.
I worked the preponderance of dates in the US. As it should be – it was fair, these were the jobs. After all I had lost most, if not all contact with Canada as regards as nationality. I was technical a Canadian citizen but I belonged to the world of musicians. The US was, and is, is where I honed my craft, lived, exercised my freedom – had my families. There is a rather unfortunate term in the Immigration game – the term Resident-Immigrant but that’s the way it is – I don’t write the terms. I work within the system.
I maintained that status as a Green Card holder ‘till 1991 where I took the offer to become a full citizen of the United States, something I’m proud of it. I was graduated from New London HS in Connecticut through the G.E.D. opportunity on a recommendation from my old friend Waylon Jennings who recently had been through that process.
However, some Wiki’s choose to identify me otherwise. They have tried to refer to me as Canadian-American, Canadian lives in New York City, ‘once-born-always-will-be’ (lol, giggle, giggle…) – this is frankly garbage. For all their alleged scrupulousness, they continually skew my Wiki introduction to the version that pleases themselves – some choose, evidently a couple Canadians, to declare me to satisfy their own selves, of their own nationality. I have zero Canadian affiliation, no Canadian tithe or pride of any kind. In the service of your own, you do a disservice to me.
I am what I am – I’m an American guitarist. My residence? None of your business, actually. In the music business, I will reside where I benefit myself, my choice and irrelevant to historical accuracy.
I left Canada permanently in 1965 when the first gigs took me to the US returning only for certain tours and to visit my parents coordinating with my tour schedules. I worked for Ian & Sylvia/Great Speckled Bird, a Canadian band. I left somewhat of a musical footprint through gigs and shows, some sessions in Canada working as a freelancing musician most notably with Anne Murray, a 2 week job playing for I&S at the Canadian Pavilion of the World Expo ’70 culminating in the Festival Express train tour across Canada – dvd available online! I ended my relationship with Ian after the train job although I kept up doing a few tv shows on his Nashville North/Ian Tyson Show.
In the Spring of 1971, I lived and worked as a New Rider (still after 40 years!) and continue to do so with a multitude of independent music jobs.
I don’t mind the scrutiny but I resent the perception that I am other than an American guitarist! Please stop insisting on your Canadian references thru my Wiki profile – it causes me damage, personally and professionally.
www.thenewriders.com
Buddy Cage

Friends and Help

Buddy Cage — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 03:11:54 +0000

Monday, January 10, 2011
What a trip! New England…
The Xmas gig 2010 was swell, I reconnected with some musicians from Wachusett, MA with an imminent Nor’Easter heading up. But who better to know the possibilities than these guys to be on spot for a storm of this nature. The gig was a local bar in Worcester, a neat one on Chandler St. (the notorious area of the methadone clinic) in a improved, upgrading movement.
Mocha Java took my breath away with a hard rock tune into which I could fit and groove. I hadn’t seen them for a number of years but they were up for a session as well – the music engine can’t be stopped! They rocked. Turns out 5 of 6 of the new songs were in B major.
Quite unusual as they almost always play live in Ab or Db by tuning their instruments down a semi-tone. But on Dec. 26th, Rob felt better in his new tunes in B major. For me as an E Open player, this provided some entertainment (with pedals, or without) on the second fret giving me tons of licks involving pull-offs or mordents. Tasty. A Brand New Bag, or milieu…
Dave Smith, the great guitarist took me back to his house to sleep after Xmas where he presented a Xmas present, apparently a Santa gift for me which had been overlooked! These were the King Biscuit of snow gloves – how do these Wachusett guys know this shit? Dave knew I would soon be using these World Class gloves with which to dig myself out of the blizzard.
Actually, I was headed for Walpole on the 27th to sit with my friend Tony to work out some steel techniques – my Winter, New England nâivetė strong, my bullhead-ness – I was going to Walpole! But Mocha Java and Tony knew better. Buddy, you ain’t goin’ nowhere! I pulled out of Wachusett (Princeton), MA and got down the street in the early evening, got down to Sutton and was blocked from any further progress cause the blizzard had just got with it. I stopped at the nearest Dunkin’ Donuts, called Tony who called the lesson off. With my coffee I swung down to a motel down 146 and got a room with this zero visibility and parked my ass for the night (2 nights, actually). Good advice from my MJ buddies, I was quite comfortable and watched the Weather Channel – coffee, snacks – C-O-Z-Y!
THEN – I called my old friend Herb Smokler down 395 and asked to stay over while the blizzard tore thru. I couldn’t go back to NYC as the snow had picked up – I would have had to drive thru (or try!) Manhattan, drop all my gear, find parking (impossible), get back to storage/reload and head to Reading, PA for the NYE gig with NRPS and 7 Walkers – saved!
All this help from Worcester/Walpole, MA -> CT -> NYC -> PA -> Woodstock, NY for the 1.1.11 date and all the folks in the seam, including Roger who engineered the 12.26.10 session with aplomb (!) got me to where I needed to be to complete the contract. Thanks, could not have been able to do the jobs w/o you all!!!
bc

Well, as long as he gets some money back to you that’s what counts. But where to next? j.a

Buddy Cage — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 22:42:03 +0000

In answer to my steel guitar friend in Denver, John Arnold:

Dunno. Talk about Horns Of The Dilemma! Remeber the last Convention I saw you? And we sat at the dinner table with Scotty and his gang? He told that racist joke to everyone’s delight? I was done with him there! But the Excel issues never got resolved - the tuning finger block was manufactured too tight - the fingers were jammed, couldn’t EVER tune. They rubbed against each other with a compression that prevented the springs from ‘returning’ the fingers back to original pitch
.

And all this after the initial 2.5 yrs of suffering with this guitar. Now, the builder won’t honor a refund on this lemon. The steel world should know this.

Me? I’ll survive. I’ve still got this S-10 Emmons. If you’ve heard the Where I Come From cd of ours, every lick was done on the old thing. Every nuance. And when the new one comes out next Winter, the same applies.

I couldn’t put the Excel on the steel market because of its state - but Scotty could and did, alas.

The answer was to send it back to Fujii, get the refund (which you guys put up!) and have him rebuild the finger block. Buddy

New Riders Tour Dates

G Man — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 06:21:16 +0000

Upcoming New Riders Northeast Tour Dates. Come on out and check out the show.

3/11/10

THE GERMAN HOUSE

315 GREGORY ST.

ROCHESTER , NY 585 325 4088

3/12/10

THE WESTCOTT THEATER

524 WESTCOTT ST.

SYRACUSE, NY 315 299 8886

3/13/10

RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE

80 EAST RIDGE AVE

RIDGEFIELD, CT (203) 438-5795

3/14/10

UKRANIAN AMERICAN

CULTURAL CENTER

60 NORTH JEFFERSON RD.

WHIPPANY, NJ

an old steel friend from Ann Arbor - Mark O’Boyle

Buddy Cage — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 06:49:57 +0000

Hello Buddy,
Really good to hear from you man! Would you believe my cat in the pic (almost 18 years old) is named “Buddy?”…. Now isn’t that a coincidence. BTW, I clicked on the “roadcage” and spent a good hour and then some reading and going over all the links, and reminisced… Where it all started for me too, was listening to your playing, I probably have told you that a dozen times. Anyway, I purchased “Where I Come From” and can really hear you good and your playin really cuts thru! Man, really like “Ghost Train Blues”, the effects and your playing are way ahead of the times. Nobody I know, doin that kind of stuff, it is special. I mean, it is “out there” in that play land of exploration and joy. Bet you have fun with that one. Could do it different every time you play it. Reminds me of why I liked your playing when it all started for me, was that your style is so unique, and I know it is you when I hear it!
I also really liked your playing on the REX Benefit soundcheck, “Absolutely Sweet Marie”. Very nice playing, yes yes yes….. Any chance that gig is on a CD or sumpthin?
Sure is good to hear your voice too, and the fun stories and jokes on the REX benefit. I’m still in the same trio, doin lots of our own stuff, which is so much more enjoyable, mostly play locally at Zou Zou’s in Chelsea Michigan. Gotta get back Saturday to play from 7-10pm there.
Headin to Athens Ohio for Christmas to see Sister Joan, and Bro-In-Law Dan Erlewine. Nice write-up on Flying V “Lucy” he made for Albert King, in “Vintage Guitar” June 09 issue, axe now in possession of Steven Seagal who has all Albert’s “V”’s.

Here it is in pic below getting cleaned up down in his basement in Ohio, before Seagal’s boys picked it up, two winters ago. I remember when Dan built that in his basement, I was baby sitting for them at the time! Albert played it for 20 years before he passed on.
Albert played at the Ann Arbor Blues & Jazz Festival, Dan and I were bartenders backstage, he poured em, I stocked em. (I was 16 I think). Dan was building guitars then, approached Albert and said I want to make a custom Flying V for you. He also made a custom Strat for Jerry too, I met Gar when he picked it up in St. Helena CA. That too was an interesting vacation, back in 72. Pic of it below. My oh my….
Well, today was Buddy Cage day around here! Thanks for making it a great day Buddy, I am going to listen to “Where I Come From” some more…
Always, Mark

So who is Rex?

Buddy Cage — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:37:38 +0000

When Rex arrived in Marin mid to late 60’s, he was led over to Mickey Hart’s ranch in Novato. Mickey had this one horse with an attitude, most saw it as very dangerous, virtually un-ridable, loco…When one made the sightest attempt to approach this horse, it just went ballistic. Jackson heard about it and said, “Show me the horse.” Not well known outside of Pendleton was the fact that Rex possessed the rare quality of being a true horse whisperer. They don’t advertise.

Within minutes, he had that pony nuzzling up to him. Strange, mysterious to us but true.

THEN, we went overseas for the GD’s Europe 72 tour to open for them. The culmination was 4 days at the Lyceum theater in London. Everybody was having a ball, a celebration of our time together, sort of a milestone at that - conquering a foreign crowd and all. Backstage, there were some problems: seems like some irate Brit kids, four or five tough guys were creating a ruckus in the alley behind the stage. At certain loading docks, there are these sliding doors, they were hung on thick wire cables, steel rollers on these immense, steel doors. There were fashioned to slide sideways. Balanced, sort of… These doors were about 4 feet wide, impregnable but when banged on, they made a helluva noise! These street fucks were protesting their banishment by beating on them while the Dead were in the middle of their performance.

I was sitting on a stairway just to the left of the stage and was privy to the disturbance. Jackson jumped right into the problem, yelling through the door that if they didn’t ‘quit it’, there would be trouble. Well - so what, they must have thought - one crew guy, four of them and these HUGE fucking doors!!

Jackson stretched out his arms as if to measure the possibility of accessing these punks. His wingspan was just about the right size. He bent slightly at the knees, gripped the edges of the door and heaved! Up, and off the tracks, came that monster door. He carried the piece of steel sideways about two feet!!

The punks outside were frozen, watching this superhuman display from the other side of the door - they were speechless. Apoplexy? It might have occurred to one or two of them that given this incredible thing had just happened and now, there was nothing separating (protecting) them from the Beast who lifted this massive piece of metal! Duh…

Rex took stock of their hopeless position, stepped out into the alley and beat the living shit out of 3 of ‘em. The rest of the Lyceum security jumped into the slaughter and finished off these peckerwoods. Jackson just turned back around to the stage, sort of brushing his hands together as one would when a chore has been completed. Unforgettable…

I think I remember him almost cracking a smile.

Open letter to my old boss from 1967, Mickey

Buddy Cage — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 14:18:36 +0000

When it snows in NYC - well, there are some complications. It usually melts, what, with the 24/7 traffic and all the rest that goes with being a metropolitan center. But man, owning a car here can really suck when it snows, major-ly!

There’s a new film out with Jeff Bridges - I’m debating whether I can handle it or not. Seems like he’s dressed up à la, Waylon! Oh dear…
So, (and I don’t want to pre-judge) I may step in and check it out, Mickey. I wouldn’t go see “Ray”, nor would I pay for “Titanic” to see some Hollywood drivel. Wouldn’t go see the Johnny Cash exploitation either.

I felt I had skin in the game with all these guys since I’d worked with some of them and had grandparents ON the Titanic, etc. I knew Cash, worked on his tv show at the Ryman in 70, met him several times with Nashville insiders (Big Jim Webb, 6’5” steeler with Del Reeves). Hated the film angle. I’ll have to blog a piece on the Cash Show, Family/cast dinner we had before the actual taping at another time! “Have the frog’s legs, Son!” The night Buddy developed two heads…

After all, they never even came close to the real reasons he wrote his stuff – “Ballad Of Ira Hayes”, and all the songs that came in about the underdog in America, the suffering, the injustice. Would they have a fucking clue as to why he recorded a Nine Inch Nails’ song? Or care? Not hardly…

Worshipped Brother Ray – couldn’t bear to see an actor portray the junkie-genius and try to get away with it, blatantly vying for an Oscar before the ink was dry on his contract.

But Waylon – that’s a whole ‘nuther deal.

When I was working for you in 67, part of 68 – I had morphed into a neo-hippie! The transformation was achieved entirely through the love of music. I swore at the time, this would be my last gig as a sidemen. I’d done ALL the yeoman work, been a good student, a dependable soldier as a Mustang. But I was reaching for another goal – a broader place to play a wider range of music styles. Rock, pop, R&B…

The Beatles had affected me tremendously, the Stones, Led Zep. The Who, Big Brother, the Grateful Dead, Donovan, Steppenwolf – DYLAN!!! Crazy shit was going down. Then, I met Charmaine at Ann Dunn’s Matador club while the Mustangs were working there as pretty much the house band. And Char changed my life! She was the Magic Carpet Ride to take me through the Looking Glass to the Other Side. And I was deeply in love with her.

One day – Waylon Jennings came to town to play a week’s stint at the Horseshoe (Tavern), two of his band guys came to see me at the Edison Hotel the night we were both playing. They were seeking pot. They had asked around at the Shoe, who in town they might approach about finding some weed and were told that well, there is this ONE hippie we know (who might have some dope!) and they were directed to the Edison…Enter Me.

I always came to work early. And there were those southern-hippie-types a-waitin’ – smilin’, grinning. Waylon’s drummer, Richie Albright and his bass player, Jimmie Gray. They broached the subject of grass and I highballed it with a quick call to Charmaine. Yeah, we could hook up after our respective shows tonight and get stoned! I was single at the time and free as the breeze. I dropped by the Matador and whisked Char away to the Holiday Inn on the Lakeshore. We commenced to par-TAY!

In those days, it was kinda like a Zap Comix cartoon, Furry Freak Bros., Mr. Natural reenactment: Is it better to have dope than food? The classic conundrum. These boneheads would argue the point ad nauseum…coming to the conclusion that with Fat Freddy, they were fucked either way. If you spent the household bread on dope, you got high AND got subsequently hungry, needing FOOD!!

I remember the interior of Richie & Jimmie’s room at the H.I. – the standard H.I. twin double layout with BLUE CURTAINS! The curtains were significant. As we smoked and got higher & higher, we cracked funnies till dawn. Char brought a lot of weed and the guys bought the large amount we didn’t smoke. As morning crept up, the curtains got bluer and bluer! Quite remarkably so, enhanced by the marijuana (a C+ at best) till they veritably glowed, became 3 dimensional, then FOUR dimensional – then 5, then 6 and so on. These were 4 pretty nice people sharing those joints for 4 hours or so. And when we had to split, we headed for the elevator.

At that time…of morning…on that very given day, there was a convention at the hotel. Not unusual. We stopped on EVERY goddamned floor to pick up more and more people. Slowest elevator any of us had ever been on. And the PEOPLE!? They were SO FUCKING STRAIGHT!!! Slacks, short-sleeve golf shirt’s, argyll socks, loafers – a complete 180° from us 4 freaks. And of course, we started to laugh. And laugh. AND LAUGH till we were falling over these creeps in the elevator.

And when the elevator finally reached the lobby, the doors opened to reveal the source of STRAIGHTNESS rampant in the hotel. It was the USGA. Golfers. Thousands of ‘em!!! It was probably the Canadian Open Golf Championship or such – and they looked at us like we were well, from another Planet.

Which, of course – we were…

A week later, I got a post card from the Waylon bus saying, “Busted At Bridge”. [Actually, at that time, they were traveling in a Cadillac limo w/a trailer for gear] Ever since that time, Ole Hoss used to view me suspiciously every time we hooked up. Like I was about to get HIM busted. Fair enough.

When old Waylon dying, I was in Nashville recording, got hold of Richie and offered my help and can I drop over to see him. Richie said, “Buddy, thanks but Ole Hoss doesn’t want anybody to see him the way he is…”

Ah, man – what a gyp! The songs he gave us, the licks, the reactionary politics. I miss him.