I believe that if I were to become a player in today's Valley scene… I would limit myself to playing in my garage or room. I feel sorry for all the people who are really trying to get their thing going… because there are so little places to go, and for a pittance. Clubs have to employ three bands to get an okay crowd, and most of the crowd is on the pest list. Let's face it—except for the big acts or old and established acts, there is very little discerning audience.
I have reinvented myself and am playing and singing better than in my whole performing life, yet I do no better than anyone else in this scene. Because the scene is in "intensive care," or maybe it has flatlined… .
The joy for me is to play to a listening audience… these days that means Mocha Maya's in Shelburne, PACE in Easthampton, and a few house concerts throughout the Valley… I have enjoyed those shows immensely, but thank God I have a day job and a wife who is employed.
You have to travel if you want to play a lot. Over the last year Ameri-mf-cana played great shows in NYC, Western Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. Sue [Burkhardt] and I just did a two-week stint throughout Florida and had a ball, but with all the expenses, we can't say we did it for the money.
The scene is shrinking in every market. Bands don't even have to learn more than a set of music around here… they just need to have enough friends to fill a joint for a few gigs, then they break apart until they bump up against some other loose instrument owners and do it all again… it may not be what they would choose for themselves, but that is the way it is.
