YankeuDeHunedoara

Hi! Westroot, Bucharest's only bluegrass band, is playing tomorrow for the 4th of July at the Hard Rock Cafe in Bucharest! Come out and experience the independence! https://www.facebook.com/events/1432578453680988/ I haven't posted much lately because, in an unexpected turn, I was taken on as banjo player for Loredana Groza! An unexpected turn of events. It sounds like name-dropping, but it's true. So I guess Westroot is no longer the only band in Romania with a full-time banjo player from the US. Still, if you want to hear country and bluegrass played on banjo American style, we're the only ones who can offer it. Concert starts at 22:00, free entrance! -Chuckk

Howdy! Westroot, singura trupa in Romania cu un american la banjo (care este eu), va canta sambata in programul "Sala de Repetitii" pe Radio 3net: http://www.radio3net.ro Sambata, 18 ian, ora 13:00 Evenimentul pe FB: https://www.facebook.com/events/237330133105029/ Daca ai auzit de Rednex si ai vrea sa stii cum suna stilul autentic cantat de americani, fara caricatura de tarani, acuma ai sansa aici in Romania. Daca nu, asculta Rednex. Dar asculta si Westroot. Everyone's doing it! Noi suntem la: facebook/westroot.band www.westroot-band.com Have a good one! -Chuckk

Hey folks, we're bringing the bluegrass back to the famous "Peasant's Club" tomorrow, i.e., Clubul Țaranului! We're offering a special one-time-only deal: Entrance was 10 RON, now JUST 3 DOLLARS (10 RON)!!! https://www.facebook.com/events/1484469741779158/ Hope to see you there! -Chuckk

Hmm. Are altceva in spate care se poate desface? In poza, parca ai scos deja niste suruburi, nu? Daca tot ce se poate scoate e scos, inelul se poate trage in jos pana iese de sub gatul? Eu am mai desfacut banjoul meu acoustic, dar nu vine din aceasi planeta! Singura alta idee pe care o am ar fi sa rupi gatul de chitara si sa pui unul de banjo... -Chuckk

I don't know about courage or genius, but I think Bill Gates is a perfect example of what I'm talking about, because he's a greedy bastard. I can't stand him. But he saw opportunity early on in an undeveloped market and, rather than starting a company to do things lots of other companies were doing, he started a company to do something that almost no one was doing. If he had been a musician in Bucharest today, he would not have started a metal band...

Absolutely right, one must refrain from making comments like that. In 6 years I've refrained from saying such things again and again because I'm always aware that I got just as frustrated in American society from time to time. I must point out, though, that the people who had told me how frustrating Romania would be were always only Romanians, chastising me for my optimism and my belief that things might not be so bad. So if you say anything positive about the country, the natives berate you; if you say anything negative about the country, the natives berate you. I know foreigners who have established themselves in the states and criticize various aspects openly and people agree or disagree just like they would with a fellow American. I've been here for 6 years and I speak the language fluently. I engage in serious conversation with Romanians about Romania on a regular basis. It may sound whiny to say that this society is messed up, but I'm most definitely saying it from the inside. I could introduce you to foreigners in the US who do so. But I didn't join this forum just to make this post. I joined it years ago and have used it often with no complaining. My point being that it can be very rewarding to embrace an unexplored market, however small it may seem. As they say, it takes no courage to buy when everyone else is buying, but the returns are small. Single post? Again, I didn't just get off the boat. I've been here for 6 years and have been working with musicians here for a good part of it. That was not "a single post". I made many other posts before this one that were not at all cynical, some of them in Romanian. Only someone who doesn't know me would think of me as a stereotypical American. It is not top 40, but I never said anything about that. I said people love it, and they do, in the states and here. The hard part here is getting musicians to play with you. Now, of course, I have a country/bluegrass band and we've played a dozen concerts in the last few months, including some pretty good locations. The public loves us, but still we're having the same old problem with the personnel. Good product, wanted by the people, but the ones who have it don't want to distribute it. My Romanian wife is now also pushing me and pushing me to leave Romania, and I am still convinced that this is the best market for what I have. -Chuckk

Eu am absolvit compozitie jazz din Univ of the Arts in Philadelphia, PA, USA. Cant la 5-string banjo din 1989, singurul banjoist in Romania. Sunt din SUA. Nice to meet you!

Salut, yankeul de la Westroot sunt. Vom aduce niste country si bluegrass ce n-a auzit Parisul la Big Mamou sambata 14 septembrie! Iata pe Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/162197413983925/ Avem o noua violonista care este foarte, foarte buna! Acuma vii la Westroot si primesti hillbilly, cowboy si redneck cat suporti! -Chuckk

Yes sir! -Chuckk

Howdy! I'm Chuckk, the yankee and banjo player from Westroot. We have finally assembled a band and we're playing out! Next Saturday, August 10th (my birthday), we're playing at Clubul Țaranului in Bucharest: https://www.facebook.com/events/278157402322454/ We kick it hillbilly-style! I don't know any other band (here) that plays this music: http://www.westroot-band.com/video.html Come on out and join us! -Chuckk

Salut. Noi suntem Westroot, country & bluegrass in Romania. Iata niste videoclipuri: 'Blackberry Blossom', traditional American bluegrass tune: 'Flowers on the Wall', 1960's Statler Brothers hit, dedicat tatalui meu de aniversarea lui fiindca nu puteam sa fiu eu in SUA: Avem partituri de vioara pentru melodiile, dar si improvizatie este bunvenita daca are cineva chef. Asa cum stiu ca se zice, putem zice si noi: rugam seriozitate. Noi muncim de ceva timp sa stapanim un stil si acuma avem cateva concerte aranjate in curand. Eu sunt Chuckk, banjoist din SUA. Vodafone: 0731 618125 email: badmuthahubbard at hotmail dot com Multumim! -Chuckk

That bubble was burst long ago! Not to overgeneralize, because there are all kinds of people everywhere, but I sometimes think of this old experiment in learned helplessness, in regard to Romanian society. If you put a dog in an area with different walls and buttons and stuff, and shock the dog, it will run around until it finds the switch or gate that turns off the shock. But if you shock the dog so it can't get away for a couple hours first, then put him in the same situation, he will only lie down and whimper, rather than running around and pushing levers; he doesn't even try to escape. I do know plenty of Romanians who refuse to accept injustice, and there were plenty even throughout the Communist era (Vasile Paraschiv, e.g.), but I think I probably know more who accept it without complaint. Of course, maybe you've noticed too, dudu, that one has to be careful generalizing in a different society, for good or bad; sometimes it seems like every problem I have is because of cultural differences, but that's not always the case. I sometimes feel like Romanians walk painfully slowly on the sidewalk, but in reality it's the same in America; it's actually me that walks fast.

Not a bad idea! We used to play a lot in Cismigiu, and got a lot of people stopping and asking. I think busking is a great idea, because we can cut through the bullshit of these childish bass players and go right to people's ears. I'll suggest it to the mandolinist and violinist... Double bass would be a DREAM for us! We met with a guy who played double bass, but, big surprise, he didn't wake up the morning of practice and was so ashamed he couldn't be bothered to answer his phone, the little bitch. More than once... If you happen to get hold of the guy's info, please do pass it on. -Chuckk

Thanks! It's nothing great, it's what they call a "bottlecap" banjo, meaning the rim and pot are one piece of aluminum. It was made in Korea. It's not next to me right now but I think the name on it is Arrow. I also have a Goldtone EBT electric 5-string banjo which is more versatile and a decent instrument. -Chuckk I think I could work it out. The metal bit is cool! -Chuckk

Salut. Banjoist din SUA inca este disponibil in Bucuresti pentru proiecte. Cant bluegrass, dar ma descurc si cu jazz, rock, alternative sau alte genuri. Cateva exemple: badmuthahubbard (at) hotmail (dot) com +4(0)731618125 Hit me up! -Chuckk