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[Gary P Chapin]

http://accordeonaire.blogspot.com/2012/11/andy-cutting-interview-part-one.html

Note that my conversation with Andy is still going on, so if you have questions you would like to ask, feel free.

Thanks!

[IanD]

http://accordeonaire.blogspot.com/2012/11/andy-cutting-interview-part-one.html

Note that my conversation with Andy is still going on, so if you have questions you would like to ask, feel free.

Thanks!

Nice to see Andy hasn't forgotten who "push-started" him 
But after he spent six months or so practising all day it was pretty clear he was going to end up in a very different league from most box players...

[Jackson]

Gary--it occurs to me that this interview project with Andy is a reflection of your own status as a thoughtful, literate accordéonist of real dedication.  My thanks to both of you--very nice work...!

[Gary P Chapin]

That is an extraordinary compliment, thank you.

Ian, I don't think Andy has forgotten ANYTHING.

[Bobtheboat]

Thats great Gary! Looking forward to the coming instalments. Could you ask him why Stephane Delicq doesn't appear in his list of French influences? I love your blog, keep it up! Bob

[Owen Woods]

I like "rhythmic feeling of levitation". Ask him how he does it from me

Also, 8 hours practise a day for 9 months? Blimey!

[oggiesnr]

I like "rhythmic feeling of levitation". Ask him how he does it from me

Also, 8 hours practise a day for 9 months? Blimey!

That's the difference between the top players of any instrument and the rest of us 

Steve

[MelonBox]

Great blog Gary! Only just discovered you via this Andy Cutting discussion on melnet, but also just read your Fred Paris interview too! I did a workshop with him in Bath just 2 days ago - such a laid back, unassuming sort of a bloke - I had to keep reminding myself who I was in the presence of! Fabulous day of music and dance :) Thanks for posting, I'll certainly be keeping an eye out for future posts!

[IanD]

That is an extraordinary compliment, thank you.

Ian, I don't think Andy has forgotten ANYTHING.

Neither do I -- he gave me a copy of his latest CD before it came out and said "thanks"...

[Gary P Chapin]

Here's part two, Andy discussing his equipment. He does NOT have a collection. Just ask him.

http://accordeonaire.blogspot.com/2012/11/andy-cutting-interview-part-2-gear-talk.html

[MelonBox]

Excellent! But I'm concerned that he doesn't consider 15 boxes to be a collection!! (Maybe it's just a female thing... but I agree with Vic!)

[Tamba]

Thanks for posting this Gary, I always thought Andy was a man of few boxes, nice to see has had MAD (and is in denial) like the rest of us!!

[Adam-T]

I guess what it means by "collection" . if he`s got them because each and everyone is needed for a specific music type, genre or sound then I`d say it`s not a "collection" .

It becomes a collection when you`ve got boxes because of their history of who owned it or who famous played it (or the same model) or because you want to own one of that make and year . these things rarely get played and are there because you want to have them for their own sake rather than any real musical repertoire reason ...... This is generally where lame excuses are made by owners to their spouses "I need it to play Scottish music on" =  "I wanted it because Jimmy Shand once played it in the Green Man in the 1950s"

EDIT - How do you buy a box as expensive as a Castagnari Lilly  "By mistake"    . as he says to his missus "Damn, I Ordered a Toaster, Honest"

[Gary P Chapin]

Thanks for posting this Gary, I always thought Andy was a man of few boxes, nice to see has had MAD (and is in denial) like the rest of us!!

If I had to have only one box, then you could do far worse than his fabulous sounding Mory, but if you don't have to have only one ...

(One of the first accordions I noticed out there was Daniel Thonon's, a G/C Mory ... also entrancingly beautiful.)

MAD (in this case, "Melodeon Addictive Disorder"):  if you are acquiring Castagnari by mistake -- perhaps after a lost weekend? -- may be evidence that you have a problem.  12 steps?  (Not that I am in any position to judge!!)

[IanD]

I guess what it means by "collection" . if he`s got them because each and everyone is needed for a specific music type, genre or sound then I`d say it`s not a "collection" .

It becomes a collection when you`ve got boxes because of their history of who owned it or who famous played it (or the same model) or because you want to own one of that make and year . these things rarely get played and are there because you want to have them for their own sake rather than any real musical repertoire reason ...... This is generally where lame excuses are made by owners to their spouses "I need it to play Scottish music on" =  "I wanted it because Jimmy Shand once played it in the Green Man in the 1950s"

EDIT - How do you buy a box as expensive as a Castagnari Lilly  "By mistake"    . as he says to his missus "Damn, I Ordered a Toaster, Honest"

You think that's a mistake -- some years ago Hilda went out intending to buy a bass clarinet and came back with a sopranino sax 

(but it wasn't a mistake, it's a lovely little beast -- if sometimes prone to bringing plaster down from the ceiling if she gets carries away)

[Gary P Chapin]

You think that's a mistake -- some years ago Hilda went out intending to buy a bass clarinet and came back with a sopranino sax 

Life is made of such mistakes!  Similarly -- since we're speaking of a form of subterfuge -- I ordered my Nik "just for perusal."  It arrived and She Who is Most Beautiful took delivery and saw right through my nefarious intentions.  No way was that "just for perusal."  Still, she embraced the better angels of my nature and the box has improved our family's quality of life in many ways.

Also, Thomas Chapin, a saxophonist who passed away in the 1990s, a friend of mine, found himself having such a successful year that he had to get rid of some of his income to fend off the taxman.  He went out and purchased a sopranino!  It sounded great, but very strident!

[Gary P Chapin]

Andy sent along some pictures of his non-collection, and explained The Accidental Lilly (isn't that a Raymond Chandler short story???).

http://accordeonaire.blogspot.com/2012/11/andy-cuttings-boxes-pics.html

[Adam-T]

Still, she embraced the better angels of my nature and the box has improved our family's quality of life in many ways.

Errr, you got the Nik and she got to buy Shoes for a week or two ? (two weeks ought to cover a Handry-18 from experience 

[Adam-T]

Andy sent along some pictures of his non-collection, and explained The Accidental Lilly (isn't that a Raymond Chandler short story???).

Yeah but it`ll only work ONCE .. and as for a "lend out" - isn`t that what scruffy Ericas are for ?

[Gary P Chapin]

Errr, you got the Nik and she got to buy Shoes for a week or two ? (two weeks ought to cover a Handry-18 from experience 

A fair trade!