[RICH.J]

I've ordered myself a rack so I can sing and play, as I want to know what certain things sound like rather than having to record a few chords and then play over them separately.

Now over here in England, when I tell a few mates I've ordered a rack for my harmonica, I get the old "ha ha, you'll be just like a one man band. All you'll need is drum on your back, and some cymbals, maybe a three legged dog etc"
I couldn't give a flying... but it does get on my nerves that we attach that "folky" thing to it over here. To me I always thought it was a pretty cool thing to be able to do.

I know the "old folky" tag is a British kind of thing (our traditional music is somewhat scorned upon over here, especially with the charts being the way they are), but do any of you Americans that maybe play guitar with harmonica get a similar sort of reaction, or is it steeped in that cool bluesman thing?

[dadfad]

I've used a rack for many years. I usually use a rack even when playing with my electric bluesband, which is fairly unusual I guess. The "folksy thing" probably started with Bob Dylan (who copied it, and a lot of other things, from Ramblin' Bob Elliot and Dave Van Ronk) and the other early 60s folkies. For an acoustic soloist where a harmonica "works" it's a great addition to fill in the sound. As part of an electric band it's like adding another man to the band, being able to play either double rhythms (harp and guitar) or lead and rhythm simultaneously. (With the band for like a true "harmonica solo" I'd usually quit playing guitar and cup my hands around it on the rack into the mic.).

So we get the same thing here... that "folky thing" attached to it. Mostly by people who are musically ignorant, never having heard expert solo guitarists like John Hammond Junior or (especially) Paul Geremia, who is probably THE rack-harp master. Years ago I opened for an old one-man-band bluesguy for a long time at a little club (Mr. "Yer Buddy" Buddy Folks). He was pretty skilled (also played the drum, and occassionally a keyboard lying on the floor with little sticks attached to the toes of his boots in addition to his old electric guitar.) (No three-legged dog though!). He was recorded by the Smithsonian Institute as an example of a lost old-time American art-form, the one-man band.

So anyway, screw your friends and their jokes. The proof is in the pudding, as they say. Or in this case, the music the audience hears. Though they wouldn't admit it I'm sure, they're probably jealous anyway knowing they could never put out the total amount of pure music that you and your guitar and rack together can.

Paul Geremia Doing A Rack-Harp Tune
(Never Mind. The site is down.) (New Orleans based.... )

[RICH.J]

I tend to find most comments on any music people hear you play are usually in the negative (especially if they can't play). I reckon it all comes down to jealousy.

[Grizzly Adams]

After your pals give you the initial hardtime, the joking will most likely cease indefinatley. But then they probably won't comment on it or mention it, good or bad. But I find most people like it, even if you're not that good. While playing at the boardwalk with the ol' guitar case open to encourage donations, people are generally impressed by anyone doing the guitar/harp thing. I'm not claiming to be proficient at it, but you don't have to be that great to impress the average non-musician.

[Grizzly Adams]

Dadfad, just to be picky, I think you meant Ramblin' Jack Elliot?

And did Dave Van Ronk play rack harp? I don't think any of the recordings I have of him feature any harmonica. Although I always wondered why, since it was quite popular in that time why he didn't do it. But I guess with his skills he doesn't need the help. I just picked up his autobiography so maybe I'll figure out. Although I don't think any of the pictures that I saw flipping through it had a rack on it.