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Looper's Delight
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Hi everybody, Chris and I returned to Santa Cruz yesterday ending my long and exhilirating live looping tour of 8 countries in Europe and the British Isles. I had a fantastic summer (despite the rather rocky start that the tour had back in May) and it was so inspiring to get to meet and play and hang out with the incredibly talented live loopers that I visited in each place. Someone on this list posted that the internet does not have the possibility to create true and real community and I would love to politely disagree with that notion. This tour would have never ocurred without the internet and without this website (and, although we disagree philosophically about the whole idea of a live looping movement, Kim Flint, I owe especial gratitude to you because being on this site that you have created has changed my life..............much for the better..........a heartfelt thanks to you) I would also like to thank three people especially: Luca Formentini, my Italian brother, for starting this whole crazy notion a year ago by inviting me to participate in his Experimental Guitar Festival in the beautiful Lago di Garda in Northern Italy after only hearing an MP3 of my first ever performance on a guitar at the Woodstockhausen festival. You put the seed in my head and I'm so thankful that it germinated. Per Boysen, who in producing the his very first tour and the first Live Looping tour of Sweden with Matthias Grob, he and I, made it financially possible for me to take such a big risk. Per is a wonderful artist, a trusted friend and makes me feel really great about the future of live looping in Sweden........................watch out, Finland, Norway and Denmark.................here we come! Matthias Grob, my swiss brother and comrade and 'bandmate' through several shows in Sweden, Wales, England and Switzerland. Learning from the inventor of the Echoplex and making music in the middle of the Swiss Alps will be one of the highlights of my whole life. Thanks so much. Also, I would love to thank all the fantastic loopers and artists who were so kind and generous with their time and their attention and their artistry: Chris and I only spent 5 nights out of 2 months in a hotel because of the kindness and generosity of all of these wonderful folks. And this doesn't even touch the creativity and committment to live looping that hey all embodied. Special Thanks and warm hugs have to go out to: Paul Marshall (in Belfast, Northern Ireland) Gareth Whittock (in Swansea, Wales) for producing the 1st Welsh Live Looping Festival Steve Lawson (in London, England) for playing with me and introducing me to the fabulous Klinker. Andrew Ostler (Os) (who produced the 1st Cambridge Loop Festival)..................and all the really talented loopers of Cambridge Paul Shearsmith (in London, England) who, although not a live looper, took us into his home when he heard that we didn't have a place to stay in London (due to that damned pesky cat allergy) Stuart Wyatt (in Paris, France) April King (in Paris, France) also not a looper but one hell of an intense go getter and scene maker and one of my favorite students of all time Michael Peters (Kurten, Germany)............the first international looper I ever met and producer of the 1st Cologne Live Looping Festival Leander Reininghaus and Andreas Villers (who produced the 1st Berlin Live Looping Festival) and all the wonderful Berlin loopers Louis Angulo (my mexicana brother) (in Radolfzell, Germany) Claude Voit (in Switzerland) who drove a long way to attend the Lucerne Looping Festival and then later joined me in Lago Di Garda)........ and all the other talented Swiss loopers Bruno Kleinefeld (in Milan, Italy) Massimo Liverani (in Firenze, Italy) who produced the 1st Florence Live Looping Festival with a very talented group of Italian loopers and again, Luca Formentini (in Lago di Garda, Italy) the site of my last wonderful gig of my tour with he and Claude Voit. I have written extensively about my experiences with all of these amazing people on my website and , unfortunately, was unable to get practically any FTP uploading to occur on the whole tour. I was, consequently, forced to handwrite my tour entries and will be posting them as soon as I type them into my computer in the next several days if anyone is interested in reading about the tour. If you have any interest in contacting these folks or touring in Europe and the British Isles (or the Americas or Asia, for that matter) I can only advise you to go for it. This has been one of the great experiences of my whole life. I feel so grateful to be alive; so grateful to be associated with this movement and with all of the wonderful people in it. Oh yes, and one last incredibly important shout out: I would love to thank my loving and intelligent and talented and beautiful wife, Chris Wedertz for helping me to do this tour. I would not have been able to accomplish it without her. From making my website to booking the transportation and lodging to schlepping the gear on and off trains and subways and ferrys and taxis to rolling chords when I was exhausted after gigs or helping me to set up if sound checks were rushed, Chris served me in a way I can only hope to be able to emulate when I am her roadie on her next solo musical tour. This tour just wouldn't have occurred if she hadn't helped me. I love her dearly! thanks so much. long live live looping and all the loopers,website owners and equipment inventors who make it possible. yours, Rick Walker (www.looppool.info)