People can sure miss the point

[Big Poppa]

Someone forwarded me a blog post about me...It was old and Im not sure why people think that I want to read something negative about myself....Comes with the territory..

THe guy said While a fine guitar player Sterling ball is he obviously doesnt realize how great John Petrucci is and that basically I dont belong on the stage with him....

You know what....Besides him missing the entire point....He's right.....unless you consider that making music is a special bond. It is a way of communicating and sharing. I don t ever want to have to do that publicly....When I do the artists ask. They enjoy relating with me on their level regardless of my ability. Get it?

When they come to my house we eat, talk, mess around with cars or smokers or whatever and always play music. Always. ALways. Do I think that I'm in their league....NO NO NO..do I feel that we can have a blast pickin? YES YES YES Do I play music with friends that play worse than me? Yes Its all the same....its a gift we can share

I have never considered myself a professional musician. I am at best an interesting hack...but Im not going to stop relating with my friends on a musical level because of someone elses percieved barriers.

The point of this post isnt being defensive its just pointing our that music is a gift that we all have to a certain level and one that is a universal language.

 

[ScoobySteve]

Thanks for letting us know about this. I hope it doesn't get to you too much Poppa. Guitar playing, or any instrument playing when a virtuoso like John Petrucci gets involved, people, fans and admirers like to place them on hierarchical levels. Specials levels where they're not allowed to interact with the "lesser" plays which might somehow dilute they're awesomeness.

It's a combination of overly serious fan-dom and selfishness.

I remember during a brass training session when I was in middle school, we had a famous Julliard alumni come to teach us trumpet. After camp was over we always had a celebratory presentation for the parents when they'd come to pick me up. For the finale he chose a few students to play a select piece with him on stage and you could tell all the die hard trumpet fans were so disappointed that they didn't get to see him perform a more masterful piece. I was one of them too, but you know what, now that I'm older, what an opportunity for those students who did get to play with him, and also an opportunity for him to share and teach his music with others. Sharing music with others is a gift. And for some reason fans take things a bit too far.

Just thought I might share that anecdote.

 

[marduke]

well said BP! nothing better than getting together with other muso's and jamming away even if they are of a higher caliber than yourself. It's also a good way to learn and grow your own skill base.

 

[dwells]

hmm i think you can play Poppa hehe people are weird hey
loosers!!

 

[peterd79]

Mr Ball-
music is a language that does not boast a greater or less than... but when music is involved we are all equals. I have had great memories just pickin' with buddies and pals keep doing what youre doin... life is too short to miss the opportunities to share music with friends and family...

 

[Dizzy]

It's a credit to you to have the balls to get on stage with them and easily hold your own..
.... especially with cameras etc rolling all the time.

Most would freeze and sh!t their pants !

Water of a duck's back Sterling

Keep kickin' it and have a ball doing it.

 

[buckethead777]

Not only that you can play guitar Pops, but you can rip it up on the bass too!
Kudos to you for getting up there with the big boys and giving it your best. That takes balls.
I guess people see you playing with these amazing players, and automatically assume that your trying to force your way up there to play with 'em, when in reality its the players that enjoy your company, guitar playing , and relationship with you, and thats why we see you doing these clinics with 'em.
Keep it up BP, we all love watching you play....and smoke some cheese!

 

[Colin]

Who wrote the article, was his name Hartley? Don't put yourself down (ie the interesting hack comment) I've seen you play several times and I think you hold your own quite well.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

Don't worry BP, You are not alone, Paul Reed Smith is also quite a good player, and he too thinks very little of his own playing skills. Still, how many people like you and him can boast about having played with some of the best musicians on the planet?

You will certainly have more interesting bedtime stories for your grandchilren one day than the average guy, that's for sure.

 

[walleye]

THe guy said While a fine guitar player Sterling ball is he obviously doesnt realize how great John Petrucci is and that basically I dont belong on the stage with him....

without you petrucci wouldnt have had such a smooth run getting to where he is now. i go as far as to say he owes you a great deal, and if "letting you" share the stage with him at guitar centre is a way of showing his appreciation and respect, then so be it.

 

[Mick]

That´s why I prefer music over sports. There is no first or loser.

Well except

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkMWdI2IKiw"]YouTube- Final Countdown[/ame]

 

[walleye]

That´s why I prefer music over sports. There is no first or loser.

hahahaha
no winner in music? too bad every single youtuber user thinks different

 

[Lax]

Don't take word of a blog post BP, cheers !
I only knew you recently by watching i.e. the videos with JP, morse and luke.
Mainly through the MM history and your playing.
You're a kind person, skillful musically and full of humour.

All I see in you are values, kindness and professionnalism.

So don't give a damn if a fanboy wanted you out ^^
I think those videos could have suck without you !

 

[DavidOfOz]

The point of this post isnt being defensive its just pointing our that music is a gift that we all have to a certain level and one that is a universal language.

That's something I try to get through to my students...music doesn't need to be a competition, though some of them seem to think it is. Music is about expression and communication...and yeah, that common bond stuff.

Ha ha...I'd be honoured to jam with you any time, BP...my hack playing will make you sound like JP by comparison!

 

[Jimmyb]

Don't you just love internet heroes?

You're bang on when you say that music is a way of connecting with people. I've never understood why some people seem to think of it as a competition.

I was lucky enough to have my arse well and truly spanked by the devil at last year's UK knucklehead bash, but all it did was re-enforce the respect that I have for him as a player. If anyone doesn't have the right to share a stage with another musician, it's me, but it's all good fun...

 

[e.mate]

right said poppa....REAL musicians don't give a s**t about the limited minds of some self-induced smart a** and the verbal vomit they're producing in their blogs, just because they can. Stupidity never dies....sad but true

 

[dwells]

im in tears of laughter about that final countdown video hahahahahahahahah

 

[Jack FFR1846]

Sounds like the writer of the blog has no life and has to put others down to feel good about himself. Just about every vid and in-person at the Boston sessions, BP made it abundantly clear how lucky he's been to be able to play with the great musicians who play his guitars. I wonder if that writer even was present at one of Sterling's appearances or if he heard from a friend who heard from a friend.....

 

[threeminutesboy]

We all know you don't have to be ashamed of your playing poppa.

This post is also rather insulting as I have read somewhere that your dad was involved in your guitar learning

The Ball family has so much given to the world of music that this blog post is really misplaced.

I will just mention Mike Rutherford (Genesis Guitar/Bass Player) that was answering a journalist about is "limited" technic compared to some dudes that plays in some Holydays Inn every night and can shred like no others his reply was a typical english one (great sense of humor) as he mentionned he is playing stadium every night and if he was as good as those guys he would play only holidays inn

Playing is about sharing emotions not about technics

 

[guitfiddle]

No matter how well you can play, there will ALWAYS be folks that are perceived as "better". You can either worry about that, or get on with enjoying the gift that you have to be able to make music. I can't imagine my life without music. I say whomever is enjoying it the most wins!