Musician's hats

[theinterchange]

Weezer, okay Rivers Cuomo in a hat[listening to them at the moment and couldn't help but hunt down a hat photo]

 

[DAJE]

Popular bands make a lot of money from merch like T-shirts. It doesn't look like an ego thing to me, it looks much more like a canny bit of product placement: after the gig, as you pass the merch stands, you see Santana T-shirts exactly the same as the one Carlos is wearing! Sold!

...or you could argue that it's simple laziness, and the musician has just grabbed a free-to-him T-shirt to wear. But I suspect that at that level of showbiz, the first option is more likely to be true. Either way, it's not an ego-trip, he's not saying he's a fan of himself in the way that a fan would when wearing a Santana T.

Personally I'm not a fan of band T-shirts, and I am a gigging musician. I wouldn't wear a T-shirt of one of the acts I play with onstage because I just don't wear band T-shirts. I'm far more likely to wear vintage-inspired clothes onstage. I do wear hats, partially because shading your eyes from bright lights is a big help when playing an instrument (especially when you wear glasses, like I do) but mostly because (as we all know) hats look cool.

It can be a confidence thing, too. It's easier to get on a stage and play in front of people if you've kind-of psyched yourself up to it by dressing up. Like an actor playing a role, musicians often assume a kind of stage-persona to perform. I've never played in front of tens of thousands of people like Carlos Santana does, but I've certainly done it in front of hundreds of people, and it is a bit of a challenge if you're naturally reserved.

I've found that a lot of the performers that I've known are actually quite shy people. Assuming a persona and performing onstage, whether as an actual character like an actor or just as onstage-version of yourself appeals a lot to naturally reserved people. Far from being egomaniacs, a lot of performers are actually (over-)compensating for shyness, and that's part of what attracted them to performing in the first place.

Of course, there are plenty of total egomaniacs on stages too. Just don't assume it: I've been pleasantly surprised a number of times by people I'd assumed were egomaniacs turning out to be very down-to-earth away from the stage.

 

[VitaminG]

I can see how for many it is literally "putting on a hat". I've always found it a little odd how devoid of fear I am before hitting the stage. Not that I don't get butterflies, but then they happen before playing sport too - that adrenalin rush, the nervous energy, the desire to do well and not look like a chump. But never fear. No dutch courage necessary!

I'm not much for wearing band Ts on stage either. I have on a couple of occasions but generally prefer either a plain T or collared shirt. Not worn a hat on stage, although our last gig was 4 hours on a covered trailer in the middle of a paddock (small town showgrounds). It was a bloody cold & windy night and I would throw on my Stylemaster and a jacket as we left the stage between sets.

Bald head + chilly night = Unhappy me

 

[Memo]

Here is Dave Alvin wearing a nice fedora last Sunday with the Blasters at the Redwood bar.

 

[YiovanGrigoriou]

Rebetika Musicians Hats

 

[YiovanGrigoriou]

More Rebetika Hats

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[hatophile]

Interchange,

The movie with Bob Dylan was about Billy the Kid, I believe Knockin' on Heaven's door is sung in that movie.

Mario, I like your musical taste. I have been a fan of the Band for years, also have a couple of Robbie Robertson's solo albums, as well as Levon Helm (he has a new one out with his daughter). Rowan and Harford both great. Rowan was in the band Old and in the Way with Jerry Garcia and Dave Grisman.

 

[Yeps]

Speaking of Knockin on Heaven's Door, I always think that it and I Shot the Sheriff are part of the same story.

 

[hatophile]

You may be right, Yeps, it's been quite a few years since I've seen that movie. It's Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, with Kristoferson, and Jason Robards as Pat Garrett. Dylan plays a character named Alias, this was his movie debut.

 

[hatophile]

Whoops,

James Coburn was Pat Garrett, Robards was Governer Lew Wallace.

 

[frussell]

Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

I just saw that movie again. It's got too many good character actors to name, Slim Pickens, Katy Jurado, Harry Dean Stanton, Chill Wills, R.G. Armstrong, Emilio Fernandez, Luke Askew, L.Q. Jones, Jack Elam, Dub Taylor, etc.... One of my favorite movies, and soundtracks as well. Frank

 

[azshawn]

Josh Rouse in a fedora:

 

[theinterchange]

Josh Rouse in a fedora

I haven't heard this one yet, I'm only a mild Rouse fan.

Randy

 

[hatophile]

Carlos Gardel, famous Tango singer from Argentina, tragically killed in a plane crash in the 1930's.

 

[hatophile]

Duke Ellington, what a snappy dresser.

 

[zetwal]

Carlos "Patato" Valez (1926-2007)

 

[hatophile]

Ibrahim Ferrer

 

[danofarlington]

Duke Ellington, what a snappy dresser.

Yes, it looks like he owns the clothes instead of the other way around.

 

[Mario]

Ibrahim Ferrer

That's not Ibrahim Ferrer, that's Compay Segundo. Nice hat, though...

 

[hatophile]

Good catch Mario, I was googling pics of Ferrer, (looks like he wears mostly
newsboys), but saw the fedora one and picked that one up instead, different musician, still a good one.