Craig Erickson: namm review

News:
27-01-2009:
Craig Erickson posted a NAMM review.

How many NAMMS have I been to...lost count but not my enthusiasm for this amazing circus of music equipment,musicians and bold fashion statements...from the flight there in whatever airport or airline...meeting interesting music manufacturers,store owners,newbies,famous and not musicians all with their
minds focused on the days and nights to come and not to mention escapes from cold climates to sunny California(though i've NAMMed in Chicago,Nashville,and Austin
as well)

NAMM has always held a special place in my heart...from spending time with my musicstoreowner dad to making new friends that have sometimes become like family at the holidays.How many great musicians and manufacturer associates have become like extended brothers and sisters,cousins,etc...not to mention that my sister and family lived in LA for years and NAMM has always been an excuse to see them once a year in warm weather.. I made music business connections that turned into record contracts,artist endorsement deals,European tours,instruction book deals,musicians for my CDs and lifelong friendships..amzing miraculous stuff...speaking of which ,the performances I have seen at NAMM conventions are stagerringly mindboggling and lifechanging from a musical standpoint...a small list would include Eric Johnson and Danny Gatton,Lonnie Mack/Johhny winter/Albert Collins,Larry Carlton/BB King,Pat Martino,Shawn Lane...several incredible concerts + hanging out with him a few times at the Vigier booth,etc.-one of the greatest musicians of all time: a true genius, Derek Trucks when he was a kid,Eric Gales(same),Steve Morse many times,Paul Gilbert(when he was a kid,Blues Saraceno(same), Billy Sheehan many times, Buckethead and Bootsy, Bumblefoot(Ron Thal) a very cool and talented guy who has been so nice to me over the years,Steve Vai and Satch many times,Van Halen(many times),Santana,Stevie Wonder,Chaka Khan,Hiram
Bullock,John Entwhistle,Andy Timmons(incredible guitarist and great guy,Tuck Andreas,,Chet Atkins, Phil Keaggy, Allan Holdsworth-many times-so amazing, Scott Henderson(same),Greg Howe Richie Kotzen, David Grissom, Buzzy Feiten, Kiss,TM Stevens,King's X(Dug Pinnick-another musical genius),Glenn Hughes my boss for awhile and amazing singer/bassist as well,my friend Johnnie Bolin, Bozzio,Wimbish,Wooten,Prince,Zappa,Jeff Beck, Lukather, Landau, Cobham, Varney, Becker, Firkins, Steve Smith, Schon yadayadayada...

geez I could go on but who of my favorite players have I not met,seen or heard at NAMM? And it's the mindblowing obscure unknown talents that constantly amaze,,it's just a fest of talent and musical toys for big kids....fun stuff... then theres the endless walking,expensive food endless nights at hotels and concerts when people should be sleeping... but the sunny walk to theshow,palm tree nghtwalks,the disneyland silhouette and back to the days of lake michigan sailboats in summer and surprise meetings in lunchlines,at crosswalks,on airport shuttles hotel lobbys bathroom lines, starbucks, restaraunts... such a meeting of humanity... good times

...so this year..who can recall half of it? Just interesting people form the airport shuttle,plane..check in lobby,the first night of hotel lobby hopping,sore feet already, save some for the show and weekend but so much going on already...get the show badge next morning continental breakfast happy march to the show...hey there's so and so and so and so etc. get the map take a walk through and get the layout of the huge maze of booths I'm lost but whats new...there's some amazing playing and clothes already...high school hall type crowded aisles free music magazines are heavy pretty girls pretty guitars there's another old friend hey man
i love your new CD did you hear so and so and what are you doing tonight..check out the new amp by..and this awesome wah pedal and man I need some lunc...wow look at the line...its expensive...what a nice sunny day...do i have to go back in? yeah cool stuff and people in there too...long day and it'll be a long night but full of joy and wonder of music and laughter and the palm tree walk an my comfy hotel bed and oh is it tomorrow morning already...wow what happened /...here we go again...amazing loving it and trying to survive it and not missing anything...whew!!!!!

so..Vigier has always been good to me with guitar and promotion assistance for overseas touring..Mr Vigier is a gentleman and guitar making genius who has attracted some incredible musicians such as Shawn Lane and Bumblefoot over the years...I met many interesting people through my concerts at Tone Merchants and overseas...The amazing bassist John Avila,Christophe Godin,Peter Diezel, Uwe,Ed D(the fretless maniac),etc.etc.

Nice people i ran into this year at the show included Paul Pesco(an excellent guitarist form Hall and Oates,Madonna,J Lo,etc. and just a great funk and fusion player,Rivera amps...great stuff and people,Lisa Sharken-cool guitar mag writer, The friendly and multi-talented Seymour Duncan,John Stix -guitar mag writer, producer,publisher etc...hanging out with my friends Tommy and Lisa ....and meeting so many cool new people whose names and cards I didn't always get but enjoyed talking with and hanging out with,hearing play,etc. so much talent form all over the globe...

With today's economy there are changes but the music plays on and I'll always miss the Chicago shows where music was a little bit higher than fashion and it was easier to talk to some people where the autograph lines weren't quite as long for so many people I hadn't heard of...and the first few California shows I attended when California was itself a novelty and I'd never been to Disneyland or seen palm trees..a real novelty for a midwestern boy...but ultimately it changed my perception of just how great musicians could be and allowed me to meet and even get to know people I never would have otherwise,not even knowing that someday i would be recording and performing and touring with them...what a miraculous journey in more ways than one...and more to come...