View Full Version : ..What a chitty thing to do
Scotti Adams
Apr-01-2004, 6:32am
....just goes to show how greedy James Monroe is...he didnt care about the legacy that Mandolin held...he robbed his daddy blind while he was alive now his up to his old tricks again...selling that mandolin that was a part of American history to a Japanese investment firm for a reported 2.5 million....thats simply discusting.....one of the most ludicrous things I have ever heard of....James and everything he stands for should be shunned by the musical community and all of his venues boycotted....makes me want to hurl...
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 6:38am
Ok is this an April fools joke.??? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
Scotti Adams
Apr-01-2004, 6:43am
...nope..no joke...theres a link to the Tennessean on the cafe's home page describing it in detail...if it is a joke then that publication has been duped as well as the rest of the world...looks pretty real to me..
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 6:50am
Just checkin I gotta keep my eye on you guys, I never know what to expect
One nice thing- the gentlemen in question are loaning the famous F5 to the Mandolin Archive for 6 months! I can't wait! I'll have it at NAMM in Nashville this summer in a special tribute booth, hope to meet some of you there!
Scotti Adams
Apr-01-2004, 6:55am
..so Dan..this must have been one of those best kept secrets huh?....
J. Mark Lane
Apr-01-2004, 6:59am
I'm always a little puzzled by the outrage that exists on this. Bill left the instrument to James. James is his son. He knew James, and surely knew what was likely to happen. Maybe he wanted James to maximize the thing, perhaps for the benefit of family etc. And anyway, how can a man be faulted for accepting an offer like that? Can you honestly say that, in the face of $2.5 million, you would put some amorphous notion of "musical history" ahead of your own comfort and security? I can't. (And I have no shame over it, either.)
Lets see. #James Monroe was the legal owner. #The Monroe foundation made an offer (below estimated market) that was accepted but they failed to meet their financial obligation. #James sells it at market value. #
Its easy to say what someone else should do with their $2.5 million, but it was his property, his decision. #Just as it is each individual's decision to "shun" him or not.
Scotti Adams
Apr-01-2004, 7:07am
I'm always a little puzzled by the outrage that exists on this. #Bill left the instrument to James. #James is his son. #He knew James, and surely knew what was likely to happen. #Maybe he wanted James to maximize the thing, perhaps for the benefit of family etc. #And anyway, how can a man be faulted for accepting an offer like that? #Can you honestly say that, in the face of $2.5 million, you would put some amorphous notion of "musical history" ahead of your own comfort and security? #I can't. #(And I have no shame over it, either.)
..evidently you dont know some of the messes James got his father into...and yes I can honestly say that if my father was Bill Monroe that yes that mando would stay on American soil and I wouldnt be a sell-out...dont get me wrong..theres nothing wrong with the 2 cultures mixing..we've done it for years and to some advantages...but like Christine said..some things need to stay here... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif..thats all Im saying on the subject..its my opinion....you dont have to like it.. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
J. Mark Lane
Apr-01-2004, 7:09am
You got any children, Scotti?
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 7:10am
Yes it was his to do with what he wants. Money isn't everything and somethings you can't put a price tag on. I agree with Charlie's statement it should have stayed here. #No I wouldn't have sold it to the highest bidder money is such a fleeting thing one day here next day gone. I'm taking the high road on this one.
Hmmm......... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
I heard it was a French Consortium, not the Japanese that made the purchase.
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 7:15am
It's his mando and he can do with it what he wants but we have so little left of our own traditions and this is part of American music history this really chafes my rear. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif I'm not even that big of a Monroe fan. But for some reason this saddens me deeply.
Don't get me wrong I enjoy the mix of other cultures I think that is what makes America great! Just some things need to stay here
Scotti Adams
Apr-01-2004, 7:20am
..yep..Ive got children..lets keep them out of it..James wasnt just someones child..he was Bill Monroes boy...the man who created a whole new form of music..music made on that mando...american music..that mando was a part of Americana....James should have had the sense to know that the mando belonged here...I heard of all the shady business deals James has had in the past...he wasnt the straight and narrow like his dady was...its just icing on the cake.....and if this is a joke..Im not laughing..
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 7:20am
My computer must be on crack this morning the last post was accidently erased and now it showed up again sorry it there is any confusion. I'll go drink more coffee.
Hey all..before we get our panty's in wad it is a fake.. Look at the ip address in the link on the Monroe page its the mandolin cafe ip address. Its Scott messing with us.. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Dang, that must mean I don't get to have it http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
That explains why James talked his songs and looked at his watch every couple of minutes at the BG festival in Columbia, MS 3 weeks ago. He was probably thinking, "I not going to be doing this crap any more". If the $2.5M keeps him off the stage, something good comes from this sale.
J. Mark Lane
Apr-01-2004, 7:27am
LOL! Good one. Way to go, Scott! I'm still laughing....
I don't think so Mav.......The Japanese own those plants in Korea & China. They will now be building to the Exact specs of Big Mon's Loar. They will most likely soon Flood our shores with "Monroe" model mandos..........
Damn, and I was getting ready to send out for more popcorn. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Jim
Scotti Adams
Apr-01-2004, 7:27am
..Ive got to say one more thing...Scott...your BUSTED....its a joke..
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 7:28am
Most peple in the bluegrass community are very loyal and they bust thier tales to keep this music and the traditions alive and in doing so they embrace allot of diffferent cultures. I belong to an organizaton (Bluregrass Anonymous) who busts thier rear to keep these traditions alive at thier own expence the members of this board are so dedicated, trying to impelment Bluegrass in schools, hosting jams, fund raisers, support for bands etc. They do this for the love of the music and the people.They are the most dedicated loyal honest people and how I see it is what James has done is a stab in the back to all these folks who give so much of themselves for this music. It's not just music to us it's a way of life and a sence of community. What he did was motivated by greed.
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 7:30am
Ohhh SCOTT TINCHNOR YOU ARE GONNA GET !!!!
I should have went with my first instincts!!!
evanreilly
Apr-01-2004, 8:27am
Upon a careful review of the article supposedly in the Tennesean today, the date '3/29/04' appears....
and the article isn't on the real Tennessean.com site....
Beware them UNIX geeks!!!!
mad dawg
Apr-01-2004, 8:29am
Well why not continue this discussion as a hypothetical one: if James were to receive an offer from an off-shore consortium for $2.5.MM, would Bill more likely come back to...
A. kick James' butt for sending it off-shore
...or...
B. kick James' butt for not accepting such a large offer
Good one, Scott! Made for some real interesting reading this morn. Nice job http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif
What's so bad about selling a stupid old mandolin that once belonged to your stupid old dad? It's not like he threw it in a freezer!
Sincerely,
John Henry Williams
JanJan
Apr-01-2004, 9:43am
Dang. He had me going there for a while. My blood pressure was creeping up an' everything . . . http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 10:00am
I know I was getting on my rant box and everything. I'm still calming down had to go eat some Chocolate and I'm on Atkins, see scott you made me cheat my diet if my butt is the size of the side of a barn when I get to the symposium I'm blaming you for that one too.:p http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
LilCreekster
Apr-01-2004, 10:07am
Niiiice one Scott!! You rock http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
ROFL Christine! I can't even think about my weight in August... I'm too busy worrying that my picking will embarass me http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif Onnnne mountain at a time. Heheh.
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 10:42am
Heather,
I'm more worried about my #pickin than my rear end embarassing me too. But I figured if I could have at least one thing in shape I'd be happy, http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Nolan
Apr-01-2004, 10:50am
Scotti, does this mean you take back what you said about James?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
JD Cowles
Apr-01-2004, 10:56am
hey this isn't funny. i'm still waiting for my "mandolin for dummies" book to arrive, and now this!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
cheers scott, nice work http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif
mrmando
Apr-01-2004, 11:18am
To me it doesn't much matter who owns the mandolin as long as the instrument itself stays in the USA, someplace where the public can see it. If I were James Monroe and a Japanese "investment" firm wanted to pay $2.5M for the mandolin, I'd gladly sell it on the condition that it be placed on permanent exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame, with a small percentage of ticket revenues going back to the firm. I know there are some BG fans in Japan, but not enough for such an "investment" to ever generate a return.
Scott, you really had me going for 5 minutes. If there wasn't a thread I was going to start one...:p
straight-a
Apr-01-2004, 12:12pm
Wow!! Sure am glad I'm not kin to James!
mandopete
Apr-01-2004, 1:24pm
Jeez, sorta makes posing with your mando while wearing nothing but a ski cap and a smile look tame!
mandodude
Apr-01-2004, 1:35pm
Jeez, sorta makes posing with your mando while wearing nothing but a ski cap and a smile look tame!
C'mon now, Pete, a joke's a joke... but do you really think that someone here at the ol' Cafe would actually do something as totally outlandish as that??
Sheesh, Pete... what an imagination you've got, buddy!!
;-)
Harrmob
Apr-01-2004, 1:36pm
Whew, that was one of the best April fools I have seen, that totally beat my sign I put on the office copy machine that said it was installed with a "voice activation module".
but, it made me think for sure...
This is showing up on many other bluegrass websites.
Scotti Adams
Apr-01-2004, 2:50pm
Scotti, does this mean you take back what you said about James?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/rock.gif
..notta... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
duuuude
Apr-01-2004, 2:57pm
Folks on about every bluegrass website are all riled up about it, hilarious! Great job!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Christine W
Apr-01-2004, 3:02pm
Lets hope that ole Jamsey doesn't get his butt whooped by some bluegrassers by mistake???
jim simpson
Apr-01-2004, 3:44pm
Wouldn't Jame's siblings (known & unknown) be wantin' a share of the money? Bill was the father of bluegrass music after all plus we can't forget his "little Georgia Rose"!!
Greenmando
Apr-01-2004, 6:36pm
Dang, I was ready to order my new Monroe Kelly http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
elenbrandt
Apr-01-2004, 7:42pm
One word....
suuuuccckkkers.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Joey Ace
Apr-01-2004, 7:43pm
Good One!
My hat's off to whoever has a warped enough mind, and the skills, to pull this one off.
I just hope you're not clarvoient too. #
Scott Tichenor
Apr-01-2004, 7:54pm
Folks on about every bluegrass website are all riled up about it, hilarious! Great job!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
Oh, I'd love to see those. Post them out here for everyone's benefit. Apparently some phones were ringing at a few places like Gibson and the Bill Monroe Foundation to mention a few. I had one high up at one of those--won't mention the name--but he called me and was laughing his fanny off about the whole thing.
It was a little on the edge. Sorry, but if you think this is weird, just wait. One of these days that mandolin is going to move again it's my opinion and the end result could be even more bizarre. Or not.
Either way, hope everyone had fun. Much nicer day around the board than, say yesterday.
Ken Berner
Apr-01-2004, 8:02pm
I didn't know that Morgan Monroe was Japanese; always heard that he was the lad "never talked about" in family circles. Has anyone compared his signature to Bill's? I guess the real question of the day is, "Are we having fun yet?"
beachbum
Apr-01-2004, 8:23pm
Good one Scott! You gave me a good laugh to start off an EEO class and a 4 hour drive home. I only wish I were as creative!
Nik-chick
Apr-01-2004, 8:47pm
Scott: Are you saying that YOU'RE responsible for this??? The first thing I got when I got online was an email from the Bill Monroe Foundation (whatever mailing list I'm on with them that you don't have to join anything to get) saying that the story had gotten into the Associated Press and was not true.
Somehow I can see something like this really happening in the future.... even though it was a joke this time.
Scotti Adams
Apr-02-2004, 8:18am
Somehow I can see something like this really happening in the future.... even though it was a joke this time.
..yep..and thats the sad side to this story..I wouldnt put it past James....
duuuude
Apr-02-2004, 9:50am
From Bluegrass Rules:
"There was a link to an article from a Tennessee newspaper on another website that announced that an investment group from Japan has bought
the famed mandolin. The link is on mandolincafe.com homepage. The article mentions that the mandolin will be leaving the country.
I wish this piece of history could have stayed in the US. The only positive thing that I can think about regarding this event is that maybe it will treasured and well taken care of. (Just trying to see a bright side to a really sucky event)"
Bluegrass Works:
"Sad to see the most famous mandolin going overseas but Bills's 1923 Gibson Loar F-5 was sold to a group of Japanese Investors. There is an article here: http://66.246.88.181/news/articles/monroe/"
Bluegrass Forum:
"They made them an offer they couldn't refuse? Is there a japanese mafia? I agree it would have looked nice here in the usa on display in the gibson showcase or something."
Too funny!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
This just goes to show. Do not believe everything your read on the internet.
Does the person who wrote it have any credibility? or are they somebody like me http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
advising somebody to invest in electric toilet paper.
Electric toilet paper?!? #I want to get in on the ground floor of that one. #How much do they charge? #Do you have any current information?
I need to rebuild my retirement funds after that unpleasant incident with the Nigerian government.
Moose
Apr-02-2004, 10:18am
Hey Tim!! - Yeah!!## - THAT one pops up on my computer about 3x per week..### - Do you think anyone(!?) has really been "taken-in"..?? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif
Moose - CNN had an article on their website on Wednesday about a college professor who had swindled some of his peers and then lost his ill gotten gains to the Nigerian scan. #Can't verify the accuracy but it wasn't on April Fool's Day. #The link is here (http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Northeast/03/31/odd.scammer.reut/index.html).
8ch(pl)
Apr-02-2004, 10:40am
I did an April Fools post last year about "Montana Mandolins" and someone commented that it was a waste of a thread, so I didn't try to think up one for this year. Being new I thought I had committed a faux pas in this forum. Now Scott does it. Watch out next year.
good one.
futrconslr
Apr-02-2004, 10:45am
FYI---I saw the same article in the Nashville Scene published yesterday. I just assumed it was a joke.
evanreilly
Apr-02-2004, 10:58am
Here is the BMF response:
There was an elaborate April Fools joke played on the world today by an unknown person. It concerned the sale of Bill Monroe's mandolin to the Japanese. This bogus AP story broke today and was linked to a fabricated Tennessean newspaper website. It had many of us fooled, and concerned. The BMF spent a great deal of time today trying to figure out what was going on. For all of you who read the story, it ain't so. Thanks. The Bill Monroe Foundation continues to work at this 11th hour to bring the Mandolin home to Rosine.
Campbell Mercer
Executive Director
The Bill Monroe Foundation
www.billmonroefoundation.com
docmercer@earthlink.net
270-256-1430
thistle3585
Apr-02-2004, 1:38pm
Quote (Nolan @ April 02 2004, 10:11)
Somehow I can see something like this really happening in the future.... even though it was a joke this time.
Quote (Scotti Adams)
..yep..and thats the side side to this story..I wouldnt put it past James...."
Apparently it wouldn't surprise Mr. Campbell if it was ever sold out from underneath him, as he was taken in by it and you would think he has the inside track on anything involving the mando. Maybe this spoof will motivate the KY legislature to get off their duffs and give the foundation the money. Afterall, they spent more than that trying to keep Indiana riverboats from using their half of the river. Surely they could come up with the balance.
Mike Bullard
Apr-02-2004, 2:50pm
This one ranks up there with passing gas (loudly) at the dinner table with guests present....I haven't stopped laughing since yesterday...Good one Scott http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Eric F.
Apr-02-2004, 3:00pm
The story did NOT appear on the AP wire. But Scott, if you find you're making too much money as a Unix geek and want to work as a humble scribe, I'll put in a good word for you.
AS an "aside' for my previous post re: "Nigerian scams': thanks Tim in Va. for that info. That's hilarious!!! - 'cause I work in an academic setting and some of these folks(Ph.D's) are so wrapped up in their own niche(i.e. academic speciality/area) they've NEVER been outside the "walls-of-academia".. While shelving books once on the third floor I was approached by a certain respected/super intelligent prof. he asked me "...how do I get off this floor and get downstairs.." - I told him.."...go to the end of this hallway and look for the EXIT sign."" - another..: while standing at the entrance door during a fire drill(I knew it..,They didn't!!) a PSYCHOLOGY professor asked me.. "..how long will THIS take?"... hee.. hee.. (sorry to digress folks but I wanted to respond to Tim's post). Moose. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif