Hey guys (Tom "Big Nick", Bryan LaFleur, Rick Reid, Jude Moreau, Nuet, Ned Cheever,
Mr. Guy and others)

I want to apologize to you about the thread I started-Savoy Family Band traditional? It got hijacked and really was taken too far. I didn't realize I was going to step on so many toes when I offered an opinion, but I should know better. Even so, people don't have a right to start swearing and throwing offensive remarks towards other forum members, but that is their shortcomings, not mine.

Again, I hope you will accept my apology.

Don Howell

Don, no apology required. Sometimes the simplest statements become combustible. We -all of us - never know when this might happen.

The unfortunate result is that some good ideas will die under the shadowy threat of such a reaction.

Nedro, the sad thing is this board used to be a terrific place to come to discuss anything and everything about the Cajun accordion and Cajun music. Their were disagreements then, but you rarely had the childish tirades that occur so frequently now. The last few years has seen it erode into a soap opera of sophomoric insults and other childish behavior. Most, but not all of the serious posters of years past have left, or don't post any longer. I assume because they grew tired of these little tirades. Last night is a perfect example and it is not the first time through the years that member has done so. I would ask Big Nick why he hasn't banned members due to their behavior towards others, but I assume Tom may be powerless to do so or has better things to do than babysit the children.

See my last post on the Savoy Family.

Only one person owes an apology.

Don, Oscar Wilde and I wish your contributions to continue - "A man who does not think for himself does not think at all".

Thanks Mr Guy. Your quote of Oscar Wilde is appropriate.

Don, I happen to think your original post was refreshing and helped to farther the consciousness of the group. It took us to a place that addressed an on going problem in the Cajun Music Accordion Playing genre. Oh yeah, there's still a long way to go to understanding the phenom of the Cajun Accordion. It has not been "all pretty" throughout its evolution. Many foreigners to Louisiana as well as native Louisiana Cajuns have strayed away from the original idea and turned it into a dancing chicken show and a money making exploitation that has its clicks and incrowds and bad ideas. I don't like this path at all. The original intention, the way I understand it, was for both white and black poor Cajun people to learn on german made accordions and try to reproduce a music that was sung only by mouth and played only on fiddle by musicians of the past. It was a hand me down thing ever evolving taking from music and instruments available during each time period, until it reached its zenith in the early and mid 1900's, and made a comeback in the 1980's "accordion strong". The fiddle and ballod singing took a back seat to the accordion, and now we seek out all three to be done together perfectly and in a traditional manner that will bring us back to better times. Times that are long gone, but much sought after by people both Cajun and non Cajun. We try hard, but those times cannot be reproduced perfectly, and we sit in the here and now in lacking trying to figure out what the hell happened. Now, we are on the way to figure out "What The Hell Happened Then, and What The Hell Is Happening Now. Just like the "Country Music" genre. Those young no shirt, smashed cowboy hat wearing, techno country lip sinking idiots of today can't hold a candle up to Conway, George Jones, Merle, etc. I bid you all adure, or is it adue, or maybe neither one?