Hello everyone. New member here.

[Aquarian]

Hello again.
I spent some time reading this website before joining, then joined and read a bit more. I still need to read further before I waste anyone's time with further questions. I am slowly making my way while I have time.

On a personal note, my name is Allen. I am a 47 year old professional musician. Most of my adult life since 1982 was spent touring. These days I have come off the road and now spend most of my time teaching.
I always wanted to be a pilot but life took me in another direction. Now that I no longer tour I wish to spend some of my off hours building models. Something I did extensively as a child.
As I have mentioned on my own model thread I chose this site after reading a quite a few. I hope I will one day be able to offer something of worth to this forum. Although I fear it will be more a one way street with myself as beneficiary.
Thanks everyone. Allen

 

[Airframes]

Welcome again Allen. What instrument(s) do you play? I used to play guitar for around 40 years, until my hands packed up with RA. Can still just about play the 'gob iron' and sing!
Cheers,
Terry.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

G'day Allen, and a hearty welcome from down the road and I'm positive you will get what you're looking for here.

 

[Aquarian]

Hello gentlemen and thank you again.

I am a multiple percussionist. I play ethno/world percussion which also includes western musical styles. Instruments include many from agogo bells to zabumba. Most of my work in western music (pop, jazz etc) has been on drum set and Afro Cuban instruments. But I also play things like ash trays, pieces of paper, whatever makes the tune work. One never knows.

Thanks for the interest. Allen

 

[Thorlifter]

Welcome to the forum

 

[Crimea_River]

Make yourself at home Allen.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Wurger]

Welcome to the site Allen. Greetings from Poland.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Welcome aboard Allen.

 

[mikewint]

Welcome to our somewhat dysfunctional family. As a child of the '60's, like Terry, I played guitar, 6 and 12-string. My Dad was a professional musician like you, played piano. My left hand got mesed-up in Vietnam so that ended my playing, not that I was all that good at it. Anything you want to know about modeling is here by some of the best and most helpful people I have ever known

 

[Gnomey]

Welcome.

 

[Aquarian]

Good morning everybody.

What a nice surprise to awake to greetings from around the world.

Thorlifter, thank you. A few years ago I had a chance meeting with a family from Texas who were holidaying in Australia. Lovely people. We got along very well and I ended up showing them around Sydney and NSW for a few days. It was great because they were able to see places most tourists miss. I got a card at Christmas. Great times.

Crimea river, thank you also. And may I say, your user name is extremely clever. I did a double take when I first read it.
One night a few years ago after a gig in Sydney I walked past the Cheers bar on George st, looked inside and was amazed to see the entire crowd painted in red and white with maple leaf faces. My shock must have been evident because a number of them smiled and raised their glasses to me. Then turned back to cheering their team. I walked away grinning.

 

[Aquarian]

DerAdlerIstGalandent, I have no idea what your user name means. Thank you kindly for your hospitality. An old mate of mine played in the band Eloy. We were friends for years before I realised he had played in one of my favorite boyhood bands of the 70's. He retired here in Sydney. (imagine asking a good friend for his autograph. Very funny.)

 

[Aquarian]

Wurger was the first to greet me and offer advice on this site. He answered so quickly I was taken aback, and really quite humbled by the immediate attention.

Wurger thank you. When I was a very young boy, perhaps 7, I took out a small history book from the library. The subject was the Polish resistance during WWII. I suppose it was that I was young, but that book left an indellible impression on my young mind that has never left. The result has been a life time of respect for the Polish people and an admiration for courage.

 

[Aquarian]

vikingBeserker, you have me wondering why the B is uppercase. Thanks for your welcome. I am always happy to meet an American. I have many wonderful friends in and from the United States. Some of them superb musicians. Some have gone to great lengths to help me. And of the only 2 instrument companies I choose to represent, one is based in America. The man who owns the company was so helpful and attentive to my needs, we became best friends. I am very proud of that relationship.

 

[Wurger]

Thank you so much for these very kind words about Pols. I appreciate it.

 

[Aquarian]

Hello Mike.
I was saddened to learn about your hand and its affect upon the ability to play your instrument.
I believe you are correct about this website and the community. I am hesitant to join forums and so am careful when making my choice. I feel very comfortable here. My profession is not aviation, so I don't expect to be able to offer a great deal. As a result I am very awate that it is others who will offer me more than I am able to return. As a friend of mine said to me on Boxing day, "people are amazing!"

 

[Aquarian]

I am glad to be given the opportunity to mention my experience with that book about the Polish people. I don't recall speaking of it in the past. To think that was forty years ago is astounding to me.
Thanks for the opportunity to reflect upon it.
Cheers Wurger.

 

[Aquarian]

Hi there Gnomey.
Listen, please do not tell my father I am an unashamed Anglophile. It is best he does not know.
Thanks for the welcome.

The Brits, what a weird and wonderful bunch. During the last Ashes tour I had a very strange experience. At that time there was a serious issue surrounding a young student of mine. A genius musician at the tender age of 8. I did not know what to do, and had to act fast. I turned for advice to one of the worlds finest percussionist, an Englishman based in Surrey. I asked the question and he went and considered his answer.
The next day I sat amused in the crowd at the SCG watching Australia lose the Ashes while being called a convict by the Barmy army. The following morning I had an incredibly detailed response to my question. This answer from a very busy A list professional was perfect. I could tell much consideration had gone into his answer. Any frustration I had with the Barmy army fell away.
The boy is still my student and is doing very well.

 

[Aquarian]

Haha, as I hit "post comment", that student's father called me to tell me about the solo his son dedicated to Buddy Rich. At 8.05 am.

I said a silent thank you to that wonderful Englishman who helped me.

Some people are more high maintenace than others.....