Mellotronists

Oh my, it's all kicking off.

Let's not forget that we (Mellotron owners) are the lucky ones. There aren't 
that many of these machines on the planet so naturally demand outstrips 
supply. Most of the folk that want one won't get to own one. Or even SEE 
one, for that matter. Not all of the people who DO own them use them. Some 
will disappear into collections and never come out again. I can think of one 
in particular with at least 15 in one room. Fair play- but there are so few 
of these out there and they get more expensive all the time.

Exclusivity is .. fascism.

Clones feed peoples' desire for the real thing. Every effective performance 
or recording helps to spread the word. Some will try the real thing and 
decide that they don't want one after all. Some may not want to lug several 
thousand pounds or dollars' worth of bulky, rare, fragile, beloved Mellotron 
from gig to gig- but they'll still want to play Mellotron sounds as part of 
their music. That's why I would consider a Memotron. Not INSTEAD of my 
beloved M400 but as a tool to enable me to play Mellotron in adverse 
circumstances. And I've personally dragged mine around enough times and will 
do again. The same goes for my Hammond C3, which I cut in half just so that 
I could gig with the beast- and gig it I did.  I'm still completely f**ked 
though if nobody will help me carry it up the stairs. And this has happened 
on more than a few occasions. Try taking a Tron or a C3 on a train or bus 
when your car packs in. Or running down the road with one if a gig turns 
ugly! Not all of us have roadies or label support. Some of us don't even 
make any money from gigging. But we still carry on.

  And let's face it, MkVIs and M4000s are necessarily expensive hand-built 
precision machines -built by individuals - that will never be made in 
sufficient numbers for everyone who wants a Mellotron to be satisfied.

Imagine if there were only 2500 electric guitars in the whole world...

Go on...

Yeah... I think that makes the point.

So someone tries to make it easier, more attainable, less of a worry, less 
hassle.. raising awareness in the process, engendering respect for the 
original achievement and appreciation of the new tape-replay machines..

And people sneer at them for doing it, as if it's a form of ...pollution. 
Pissing in the bath.

  It's for US, you know. That's why it's got 35 keys and funny little knobs. 
  I bet there are more people making music nowadays involving Mellotron 
sounds because of things like the M-tron package. Many of those would give 
their right arms for the real thing. But there are only so many to go round 
and often they just get redistributed amongst the existing cognoscenti. If I 
could have more Mellotrons I know I would. So I'm just as bad.

Bloody Hell, I've gone on a bit. No offence is ever meant and none of this 
questions Streetly and DK/MR in any way whatsoever. Beyond criticism.

Foaming at the fingers,

MSW
xxx

>From: "Doug Berg" <caddyfam@...>
>To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Mellotronists] Re: Memotron Video Clip
>Date: Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:24:05 -0000
>
>Here's my 2 cents worth(with rebate). It all comes down to what the
>individual percieves as acceptable. I cannot think of anyone who has
>the real thing that wants a memotron, of course there will be
>exceptions.  The other side of the coin is that competition is healthy
>and because of that may inspire those to eventually get the real thing.
>To Tron owners, it translates to good investments.  Had it not been
>for Streetly and Kean keeping things going, we would be in the same
>resale category as  say a Mirage, with tapes you could read a
>newspaper through.  Another point you don't hear mentioned much, name
>another keyboard of that era that you can still get any part for.
>In all fairness, the average audience could not tell the real thing
>from a sample, yet they can identify the sound. Last Sat, had the 400
>out playing.  The regular keyboard player could not make it and
>brought a substitute. During the first break he wanted to know what
>the white "organ" was.  So he got the mini-tour.  Then he says,
>seriously, "I have those sounds in my computer at home, did you record
>those from your computer?"  Now this guy has been playing for over 25
>years. (possibly a polka band)
>It is easy for us to be judgemental, and most of us think of the
>clones as mostly garbage, infecting the sanctity of our realm, but in
>reality the Mellotron is sitting pretty at this time and I believe it
>is more identifiable now than it was 30 years ago.     Doug
>

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