Ten Years of Being There

[territa]

I liked King of the Bop. Thank you for being there when I was looking.

[DzM]

Holy crap! Jim Pettijohn!

How the hell you doing?

[Jim Pettijohn]

DzM

Hope you have time to read all this. J

It has truly been a long time. I’ve been great. A lot has happened to me in the past few years. My life completely changed in 2001. I decided to learn piano accordion. Ironically I received my first piano accordion on Sept. 11, 2001.

Before that, I had never played an accordion, nor had I never played a piano. I wanted badly to learn by ear and watching others (primarily the Maestro, my main inspiration). When I received it, I couldn’t figure out what to do with it. So I made enough noise on it till I figured out Amazing Grace (kept hearing that song on the news at the time, and it struck a nerve, so I learned it).

From there I started figuring out how to use the bellows, bass buttons, and treble keys all at once (it fucks with your head at first). The first real tune I learned was Dingle Regatta, then Broad Majestic Shannon, then In the Wake of the Medusa, so on.

I’ve heard the Pogues songs so many times that my fingers seemed to fall into the right places, very easily after a while, even the bass side (which you never heard on Pogues recordings)

Anyway I joined a Irish group band called “Whiskey at the Wake” and played with them for about a year, that band went no where.

In between I decided to learn the Cajun button accordion in 2003. I bought my first real one, an Acadian brand handmade in Louisiana by one of my heroes, Marc Savoy. In addition to Irish pub / rock I’ve been playing traditional Cajun also, no Zydeco, however…….

Anyway, back to Irish music. This past year I joined a Baltimore based Irish / rock band called Rossnareen, these guys are awesome. The singer, Tommy McCann is from Belfast, an excellent vocalist. The band recorded some material in the past, which is on the website, but it was recorded BEFORE I joined. Rossnareen.com

Also I’ve been recording Cajun music on my own, on the Acadian button accordion, with my dad.

James Fearnley’s different styles of accordion have opened doors.

Apparently, even stuff on Pogue Mahone, has inspired the Cajun in me…. God bless the Pogues

Here’s a traditional Cajun tune I recorded last year on my dad’s 16 track (I’m on the Cajun ten button accordion, triangle, and guitar)

http://bengalrecords.com/les_amis/hicks ... pecial.mp3 were

[Jim Pettijohn]

Terita

thanks for noticing the old site. I was 15 or 16 when I made it in 96..and blown away by the Pogues, and Shane. Now adays I still love the inspiration which has carried me to what i do now.

I will say this, if the Pogues record again (I believe they will take that BMG offer), i can only hope that Shane puts something in his mouth to help him pronounce words correctly. I'm not trying to be ignorant


We all know how stubbon he is, God love him. The thing that bothers me is that recent picutres have shown that there are only gums left. How does my hero chew these days, i guess he has his way of seeing it through.

I know the Pogues will make an impression on him to make his voice carry when they record again.

Cheers, thanks again

Jim

[just a wally]

Hey hey, that sounds pretty damn good! I like alot.

Probably not my place to comment either seeing as how i'm new to the site and don't know you at all, but best of luck with your musical endevours nonetheless...

[Phoenix Saint]

Just wanted to say 'Thanks' to DzM and to anyone and everyone involved in the maintenance and contributions to this website. Without it i would have missed a reunion concert in Brixton in 2004 and even the recent trip to Tempe. I find radio and print media in AZ very different to the UK - you just don't find yourself 'informed' the same way...you have to go out and hunt for it in the States. Maybe it is because the US is so big, whereas the UK would fit a couple of times into the state of AZ. Anyhow, this website has just reignited my love of the Pogues..I got into them in '88, saw them on a few tours, my highlight being at the Electric Ballroom, Camden - didn't play them as much in the mid to late nineties - seemingly the popularity of CD's actually lessened my interest in music as a whole. As a vinyl purchaser you would 'listen' to a whole album and it was just a different experience - all of my Pogues albums were on vinyl and phono was just a piece of equipment i was using less and less. So thank you again...i joined your website in 2004 and it has been a great 5 years listening to the Pogues all over again.