I just drove passed an Applebees resteraunt and the sign advertised:

"LIVE KARAOKE HERE !"

I'm so sad. So unbelievably sad.
Live ...right.

Shame shame.

The word “Live” and “karaoke” should not even be in the same sentence.

Sadly it gets worse than that. Would you believe that there are actually a few bands here in Ireland that have mini disk players with karaoke songs recorded on disk. They then pretend that they are playing the keyboards, and they just sing along to the mini disks.

I nearly collapsed when I saw this with my own two eyes.

The really sad part is that these mini disk players are catching on really fast here.

Regards.
James.

The problem I would have with that type of entertainment, is whether they're being paid for it or not !!

Any idiot can 'mime' to mini-dics and do that whole karaoke thing... however, it takes a competent individual or group of individuals to do it for real !!

Sh*t, they're moving all IT work in the US, offshore to bloody India (maybe my job too), and now they're playing karaoke music in the bars... STOP the PLANET !!! I WANT TO MAKE ANOTHER CHOICE (like GET OFF !!)...

Regards,
Steve

The word is Entertainment ...pure and simple. How its done doesn't matter anymore. People pay to be entertained. In todays high tecjh world there are many choices and combinations for the "Entertainer" to do it....Right or wrong in your mind means nothing to a happy customer.
As live players dwindle, people still have to be entertained somhow and many have found unique ways to do it. Talent? whats that? Its a sad state of affairs. Find your niche` and Go For a Piece of the Pie my friends before they eat it all!!

Ditto!

Gary

.... and even the food is LOUSY!!!!!.
t

Pie...shmy ....
karaoke is evil, and is NOT live entertainment. No matter how popular it is with the "wannabees" .... it is just wrong to call it LIVE entertainment.

I'm still so sad.........

... and how about when the sign outside a club says "LIVE DJ" ..... what else would he be?!?!?!...
t.

UD .... although some may not sound it, those people ARE live!!! .....
t.



[This message has been edited by tony mads usa (edited 07-13-2003).]

The literal translation (I'm told) of Karaoke is:

EMPTY Orchestra. Now, as i see it - an EMPTY orchestra has NO LIVING THINGS !
Those patrons that are howling into the mics are just complicating the burial process !

I agree with Donny, it's all just entertainment, like it or not. Never underestimate the buying taste of the public.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

UD is correct.

To be more specific:

Kara means empty (as in like Kara-te, means empty hand).

Oke I believe means sound or music. So...Empty music (or a minus one)...with (ahem) 'live' vocal

For those people mimicking the mini disc...two words.."milli vanilli".

I entertain.
I use MD's.
I use MP3's.
I play live. (REALLY, really live)
I play pc-assisted.
I play sequences.
I play arranger tracks.
I play over top of my own custom tracks.
The key here is .... I PLAY.
I think the public is slowly straining the "juice" out of live entertainment, by trying to do it themselves. Sure, many people can sing, and many "K" lovers are truly dynamic singers, but keep it in it's place. I'm not trying to stop the fun.... I'm just trying to educate the drinking crowd to a better way of thinking. What we have here....... (remember that one??)
I'm ok .... just sad.

[This message has been edited by Uncle Dave (edited 07-13-2003).]

Dont be sad....be happy that your a great musician/entertainer and are able to make your living doing it!!!

regarding "Never underestimate the buying taste of the public".

I use a similar phrase "Never overestimate the musical taste of the public". Remember, we play to people who think "I just called" is Stevie Wonders best song!

Dave, I would not argue the fact at all that Karaoke is not my form of entertainment either. I think the term live though is stretched here to mean live human beings as opposed to say just a jukebox playing in the corner.

It certainly is sad that audiences are willing to accept this as quality entertainment though. There are some inventions that are better left to living rooms at home or perhaps even the drawing board.
Terry

------------------
jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Like it or not ...the Dreaded "K" word is World Wide!!! And getting bigger by the minute! Just look around most establishments all have a designated day for Karaoke Night.....people are "hams" and love to sing...add some Alcohol to the Mix and "Bang" your a Star....singing wildly to more people who are Blasted!!! It's a crazy form of entertainment..but it brings in the bucks to the owners and everyone is happy, thats the bottom line! It keeps people drinking while they wait their turn to belt out a tune [salted peanuts used to do that :>)] it doesnt matter if they sing good or not....It's Entertainment for the masses. Trivia Night, Karaoke Night, Live Bands, Strippers, or whatever...It's all entertainment somhow!

You know what the sad thing is? "Live" musicians think we, as arranger musicians, are one step away from karaoke! How frustrating is THAT?!? Ughhhh!!

Pass the paxil .

Donny,

I don't care what anyone says--I'm not gonna' take my clothes off on stage. I just don't look good naked anymore. Wow, there's a song with that title.

"I Don't Look Good Naked Anymore"

Stepped out of the shower, and got a good look at myself
grey haried, pot bellied, I thought I was somebody else
I saw my reflection in the mirror, on the bathroom door
I just don't look good naked anymore

So I'm going upstairs and turn my, bathroom mirror to the wall
I hung it there when I was trim and tall
I used to pose and flex and stretch, until my arms got sore
I guess I don't look good naked anymore

CHORUS:
I used to go out with the girls, I loved them one and all
now they don;t very close to me
because they're afraid I might fall

I went to the doctor, for my annual medical exam
Standing there in the buff, suddenly he said "Man"!!!
I said what is it doc, some fatal disease
I've got to know the score
He said "NO" you just don't look good naked anymore

Chorus2:
Me and Nancy had a dancin style, some folks thought it was unique
now it's only when were back to back
That we're dancing cheek to cheek

Went down to the nude beach, to have some seaside fun
stetched out in my birthday suit, soaking up the sun
somebody said there's an old white whale, washed up on the shore
I just don't look good naked anymore

My arches have fallen, the grim reaper's callin'
and my fanny's draggin' the floor
I just don't look good naked anymore!

Cheer up guys and gals--it's Monday,

Gary

Gee and everyone thought the mili vanilli fad would never come back... "Blame it on the rain..., yeah, yeah"...

Squeak

i never thought i would sing "proud mary"
in the key of c with just one finger on the
c note and bingo the band starts and i'm
into the song. it sure beats a seperate drum
machine, a second or third or fourth keyboard
and pedals. alot of drummers,and bass players
would probably say the same thing about
me and what i'm doing. i think the entertainment industry as we know it from the past is gone because of technology and
over-saturation of itself. the general
public has become numb,complacent of what
is out there as far as entertainment. they
no longer care.where's the excitemnent and
energy? i'm glad i'm soon retiring from
playing. it's time to move on.

Gary,
Excellent....put it to music would you? Then to your site I think a great tune lyrically.
Terry

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jam on,
Terry http://imjazzed.homestead.com/Index.html

Hey Gary, looks like a hit... let's upload the mp3!

Gary......

Graet lyrics......But the visual when I close my eyes is very SCARY!!!!

I'll record an MP3 within the next couple days and post in my site.

Cheers for an old man,

Gary

The people are live
They just don't have lives.

It's a matter of economics - the entertainers cost $$$, while goofus Karaoke cost $.

I remember, back in the early 1970s, bar bands were getting paid a whopping $200 per night. And then in the 1980s, they were getting paid a whopping $200 per night. In the 1990s, only a one man band (or DJ) could make a living on $200 per night. In the 2000s, it's a downloaded mp3 file from a "live" {via webcam} entertainer ;-)

Here's a blues versionof Gary's song...
Which under the circumstances I felt was more apropos !

"Don't Look Good Naked Blues"

Well, I woke up this mornin', stepped out of the shower,
Took a look in the mirror, lost a lotta my power,
'Cus I'm grey haired and pot-bellied, my teeth lost some of their shine,
Now the lines and craters on my face make shaving take too much time,
Saw my reflection in the mirror, and on the bathroom door
I guess I just don't look good naked anymore

So I went on upstairs, turned the mirror to the wall
I'd hung it there way back when I was trim and I was tall
My muscle tone was much better, the weights I used to test
The way mama looked at me, you could see she liked that best
I used to pose, flex and stretch 'til my arms got real sore
I guess I just don't look good naked anymore

[CHORUS:]
I got the Don't Look Good Naked Blues, sittin' here all alone
I used to go out with the girls, I loved them one and all
now they don't get very close to me
because they're afraid I might fall
I got the Don't Look Good Naked Blues, yeah, yeah, yeah [All wrinkly !]


So I went to my doctor, for my annual exam
Standing there in the buff, he suddenly said "Man"!!!
I said what is it doc, you gotta tell me please,
Do I have some exotic terminal disease,
I need to know right now, He said "NO"....
I guess you just don't look good naked anymore

[CHORUS2:]
I got the Don't Look Good Naked Blues, sittin' there all alone
Me and Nancy had a dancin style, some folks thought it was unique
now it's only when were back to back, That we're dancing cheek to cheek
I got the Don't Look Good Naked Blues, yeah, yeah, yeah [Who was Nancy ?]


So I Went down to the nude beach, to have some seaside fun
stetched out in my birthday suit, ah, soaking up the sun
Watchin' the girls walkin' by get's an old geezer to the fore
Then somebody said there's an old white whale, washed up on the shore
They said call the fire the ambulance, the National Fishery Board
We guess he just don't look good naked anymore

[CHORUS3:]
I got the Don't Look Good Naked Blues, sittin' here alone
My arches they have fallen, Metamucil in the mornin'
The grim reaper's callin', fanny's draggin' the floor
I guess I just don't look good naked anymore!, yeah, yeah, yeah [I'm gonna quit while I'm ahead now ?]

[This message has been edited by S0C9 (edited 07-14-2003).]