Photo of Range Performance Jan 05
Used with permission of Buzz Bee. (Barrie & Claire) Thanks Y'All!
See more of their great photos here.
The Range
Builder Bill
built the Range as a performing stage for musicians at the Slabs and
those groups who might visit the Slabs and need an area to pick music.
During the winter I spent there I performed regularly playing pedal
steel, lead, and bass.
The Range opened the winter I spent there. It was just a slab and we set up instruments on concrete next to the bus in the left of the pic above. There were a couple of telephone poles with spotlights lighting the performing area. They were powered by a Po Boy generator. Here is a pic of what part of it looked like then. I'm on the right sitting at the pedal steel. Bill has done a lot of work since then.
For pics, here and here. At the time I was there, November 2001 through late May 2002, several really good musicians/singers lived at the Slabs. After I left, there was a documentary filmed there, and for two years running, 2003 and 2004, Digihitch members converged on the Range for a New Year's Eve party. Each January a Talent Show, no prizes, just a good time had by performers and the audience, is sponsored by Solar Mike, the dude who sells and installs solar systems at the Slabs. This year it was held at the Range.
This year there was some disagreement between Builder Bill and some performers. I had an email from the Slabs about it. It named two persons-- neither of whom were there when I was-- who had broken off and built a competing stage on Low Road.
Here is the relevant part of the email:
Whatever, when I get to the Slabs this year I will be pulling up in front of the Range, parking my rig, and getting the latest poop. Will be parked there until I find a nice spot across the road, or if none are available will stay at the Range.
When I needed help to replace a blown auto tranny, Builder Bill was the first one to show up to help. The Solar Dude accepted delivery of the tranny and came to get me at my camp when the delivery truck showed up at his camp. He did this without charge. A good dude!!!
We stored the new tranny at Bill's place for a couple of days until I could get fluid, etc., to do the install.
Earlier, when I got stuck in sand trying to take a look at the old ammo storage bunkers, Bill pulled me out. No charge. He could have said he needed money for his time, was busy, his PU could not do the job, or he had a hot date and could not help. He didn't!
When I put the new tranny in, I used his slab to install it. He rested the tail piece of the tranny on his belly as me and a couple other musicians slipped the tranny into place.
He fashioned an adapter for the shift linkage. He noticed that it was needed, made it, and installed it. No demands for money. Without it, I would have never been able to drive the PU. The adapter is still attached to the linkage.
No charge for any of this.
I don't forget friends like that!!!
Whatever other differences other folks might have with Bill, I have none. I continue to call him "Friend!"
If there are other musicians who wish to do some picking at the Range, I will be there! If none desire to do so, I will get a case of cheap beer, a bag of ice, and take them to the Range to share with Bill. Pop a Top!
This page will be updated often once I am at the Slabs and picking again. I will have the chance to take some good photos and post them.
I will have in my laptop computer a complete recording studio program and will be recording performances. I will train Builder Bill to act as the engineer for recordings when I am picking. I hope, too, to do some tracks with the musicians getting together in a big, old school bus we used when it was too cold outside to pick. That way, we can get some true professional studio performances because we can record multi-tracks, lay down one or two at a time, go back and tweak them, then add as many more tracks as we wish. We will be able to record the singers separately, one per track, or harmonizing on several tracks. This project I really look forward to. If it turns out pro quality I will make some CDs for folks who want them. I'll need to look into ASCAP or BMI requirements regarding public performance of copyrighted music put on CDs not for profit.
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The Range opened the winter I spent there. It was just a slab and we set up instruments on concrete next to the bus in the left of the pic above. There were a couple of telephone poles with spotlights lighting the performing area. They were powered by a Po Boy generator. Here is a pic of what part of it looked like then. I'm on the right sitting at the pedal steel. Bill has done a lot of work since then.
For pics, here and here. At the time I was there, November 2001 through late May 2002, several really good musicians/singers lived at the Slabs. After I left, there was a documentary filmed there, and for two years running, 2003 and 2004, Digihitch members converged on the Range for a New Year's Eve party. Each January a Talent Show, no prizes, just a good time had by performers and the audience, is sponsored by Solar Mike, the dude who sells and installs solar systems at the Slabs. This year it was held at the Range.
This year there was some disagreement between Builder Bill and some performers. I had an email from the Slabs about it. It named two persons-- neither of whom were there when I was-- who had broken off and built a competing stage on Low Road.
Here is the relevant part of the email:
"I just returned from Slab City
on (last) Monday. It seems the place, like the Yahoo!Groups, are
troubled with internal squabbles. Most notably, Builder Bill has lost
most
of his audience at the Range due to a falling out last Fall with Johnny
(aka. "Sticks"). Since then
they've gone onto separate ventures. Johnny's built a new stage and
concert area adjacent to his slab
on the corner of Low Road directly south of the Chapel.
"It's a bitter situation, with both sides feeling hurt and contradictory information at best. Consequently, many visiting musicians do not know where to play without offending the other venue, and several have opted not to play at all.
"Reno Jones is rumored to be returning for a follow up concert some time soon, but firm details are lacking."
"It's a bitter situation, with both sides feeling hurt and contradictory information at best. Consequently, many visiting musicians do not know where to play without offending the other venue, and several have opted not to play at all.
"Reno Jones is rumored to be returning for a follow up concert some time soon, but firm details are lacking."
Whatever, when I get to the Slabs this year I will be pulling up in front of the Range, parking my rig, and getting the latest poop. Will be parked there until I find a nice spot across the road, or if none are available will stay at the Range.
When I needed help to replace a blown auto tranny, Builder Bill was the first one to show up to help. The Solar Dude accepted delivery of the tranny and came to get me at my camp when the delivery truck showed up at his camp. He did this without charge. A good dude!!!
We stored the new tranny at Bill's place for a couple of days until I could get fluid, etc., to do the install.
Earlier, when I got stuck in sand trying to take a look at the old ammo storage bunkers, Bill pulled me out. No charge. He could have said he needed money for his time, was busy, his PU could not do the job, or he had a hot date and could not help. He didn't!
When I put the new tranny in, I used his slab to install it. He rested the tail piece of the tranny on his belly as me and a couple other musicians slipped the tranny into place.
He fashioned an adapter for the shift linkage. He noticed that it was needed, made it, and installed it. No demands for money. Without it, I would have never been able to drive the PU. The adapter is still attached to the linkage.
No charge for any of this.
I don't forget friends like that!!!
Whatever other differences other folks might have with Bill, I have none. I continue to call him "Friend!"
If there are other musicians who wish to do some picking at the Range, I will be there! If none desire to do so, I will get a case of cheap beer, a bag of ice, and take them to the Range to share with Bill. Pop a Top!
This page will be updated often once I am at the Slabs and picking again. I will have the chance to take some good photos and post them.
I will have in my laptop computer a complete recording studio program and will be recording performances. I will train Builder Bill to act as the engineer for recordings when I am picking. I hope, too, to do some tracks with the musicians getting together in a big, old school bus we used when it was too cold outside to pick. That way, we can get some true professional studio performances because we can record multi-tracks, lay down one or two at a time, go back and tweak them, then add as many more tracks as we wish. We will be able to record the singers separately, one per track, or harmonizing on several tracks. This project I really look forward to. If it turns out pro quality I will make some CDs for folks who want them. I'll need to look into ASCAP or BMI requirements regarding public performance of copyrighted music put on CDs not for profit.
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