Doing Things Wrong

Steely Dan, but Paul Shaffer won't shut up!

This is the worst interview I have ever seen. Paul Shaffer never shuts up. Poor Donald Fagen can hardly get a word in edgewise. I am surprised Fagen didn't walk out. If he gives a two-word answer, Shaffer will interrupt it. Forget about finishing a sentence, or even starting one! Shaffer continually talks over his guest, and plays over him too. When Fagen finally tells him how much fun it wasn't (19:53), Shaffer doesn't even notice, just keeps blathering on. Incredible - that's narcissism.

Here's one of my favorites, that you've probably never heard unless you are a big fan.
A rollicking 2 minutes and 43 seconds.
At least here Shaffer stays in the background. I hope he was unplugged, Becker and Fagen don't need any help! Letterman gets it: "Leave the big stars alone, Paul, you're making them sick." (Josie)

Around the time of this video, I saw them live, and they were terrific, even without Paul Shaffer.

Artie Fufkin, Polymer Records

Update:

I tried to watch this "interview" a second time, but I couldn't. It's just painful.

Charlie Parker

Mar 9, 2016

image

I have several of these necks and bodies roughed-out, and they feel much better than my first one, much better balanced. I knew that banjo neck would never play well, which is why I used a standard Fender profile on my first one. Banjos are made for picking. Intonation is one of those things where close is good enough, and with only 16 frets, I doubt it will ever be a problem. You'll be forever wiping smudges off that copper pickguard. I would shine it up and clear-coat it. Make a brass headstock tag and print out a waterslide decal to put on it. I posted the graphic above.