He sometimes comes across a little gruff and has ruffled a few feathers, but I'm here to tell you that, from a musician/recording expert standpoint, Diki is a monster, on top of being one of the "experts" on all things technical around here.

He and I make a good bit of our living writing and recording proprietary music, which, contractually, we can't share on the internet.

I do film scores for the industrial films I produce. I've only had one rough in the last few years that I could share, with the client's permission (posted a while back, with Don Mason's help). When you share that kind of production, you immediately make excuses; not about the musicianship, but about the kind of production. Scores can't be too busy. They are repetitive, and generally have a hokey head and tail, which is intentional, to give room for intro's and endings. The whole production is mixed down to lay under a voice-over, and is not a good example of "stand alone" music.

Diki produces and plays on a variety of independent productions. We have shared a few with each other, with strict reciprical agreements not to share under any circumstances, and, when he has the lattitude, he produces a final product as good as the material on a Foreplay albumn. Of course, he and I both have our share of productions where we don't have a lot of lattitude (think grandpa financing his talent deprived granddaughter's first recording).

From a longivity standpoint, at least, I think I have a bit of "cred" in this area, and Diki is on my "short list" of the committed, experienced, talented folks I've been associated with in this business. We're working towards a joint project and may get the fabulous Rory to play on. That would be a real pleasure.

I'm glad I know him and count him as one of my industry associates and friends.


Russ (old softee) Lay




[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 08-13-2009).]

Good for you Capt Russ. Diki has always been aces with me.
Bernie

Russ..you and Diki do have a lot in common...

I respect everyone on this board (well maybe with 1 or 2 exceptions), just some more than others and for different reasons. Some are obvious; such as Rory for his awesome talent or Russ for his talent, professionalism, and generosity of spirit (and of course his taste in music ), DonM of course, has all the 'goods' but with the added gift of a great, great, sense of humor, and of course we all love Rikki for the many great qualities she brings to the table......and the list goes on. Diki is right up there in this top echelon of SZ contributors (along with many others that I did not name). Love him or hate him, you've got to admire his intellect, his talent, his knowledge, and his ability to make his point (which is usually right on the money, even if we don't want to hear it.......again ). He may tweak some (that probably deserve it) or rankle some that chose to 'kill the messenger', but he is rarely, if ever, just mean or malicious just for the sake of being mean or malicious. I think the board is richer (certainly in usable content) for his presence and as for me, I'll take one Diki any day over ten of our egotistical, blowhard, self-proclaimed 'pro's', some of whom should be dragged off of the stage and flogged for impersonating a musician (don't respond to that last statement unless the shoe fits).

Glad Russ decided to throw some well-deserved kudos his way. Now if we could only get him to stop playing that Jimmy Buffet music .

chas

What's the emoticon for blushing?

Ease up guys! I'm pretty sure me and Rory don't belong in the same sentence, let alone the same band! There are some great talents that post here, and there are some VERY busy 'entertainers', and I believe there's room for us all. We're not going to always see eye to eye all the time, but I believe there's room for all our opinions. And, just as I reserve the right to not always agree with them all, I don't expect agreement myself. Where's the fun in that, anyway?

But Russ and Rory, it'll be an honor if we get an opportunity to collaborate... and I promise not to 'Buffett' it up too much (unless you mean Warren Buffett!)

...every dissagreement is a sign of progress...

Hi ,
how wonderful to read something positive about members.
best wishes
Rikki

Right on, Russ.

And I, too, know the same predicament all too well.

However, I must say that since spending the last two decades in the studio producing musics for hire in the same fashion, that the Internet Forum and its critics/doubters is about equal to the performance world critics, where the rags assign young journalists to do music critic work -- and the young lady writes all about the Trombone solo in Spanky being played by my brother, the Alto Saxophonist. And describes, "muted saxophones".

So I learned early on to grow the thick skin and just not pay attention to the noise.

I think the one thing that comes through is PASSION.

Passion for the art and science is often mistaken for something else, even moreso on Internet Forums.

The best outfits I've had the pleasure of performing with were really an assemblage of Prima Donnas, yours truly inclusive. The way we'd treat each other on the bus, the arguments, the constant undercurrent like that, actually went towards a better show when the lights go up. Hard to understand if you've never been there.


--Mac

[This message has been edited by --Mac (edited 08-13-2009).]