The Root of Jimmy Buffet Bashing

I'm Carl, and I'm a Buffett fan. I'm also a Beatle fan. I don't play Beatle songs in my Tiki Lounge, (unless you consider Ringo's duet with Leon Redbone on "My Little Grass Shack" a Beatle song) and I don't play Buffett in my Tiki Lounge.

Although it could be, and has been argued that Buffett is like training wheels for a burgeoning tikiphile, once you really get into Polynesian Pop, you no longer associate the two. I don't anyway.

I like that Buffett himself is in love with many elements of tikistyle and music, and it influences his work.

As a reminder of my days as a Parrot Head, and the Jimmy Buffett Parties I had in the early 90s, which have been replaced by Tiki parties now that I've matured, I keep a few of his colorful books on a bottom shelf in my lounge. :)

On 2006-08-04 13:10, Rev. Griz wrote:

Furthermore, you talk about real tiki. One can make the argument that there's been no addition to real tiki for nearly a century since the last old traditional carvers in the south seas carved the last traditional god in wood for religious rather than commercial or even artistic reasons.

Ever heard of a little country called New Zealand?

[ Edited by: hanford_lemoore - fixed bb code - 2006-08-04 13:38 ]

On 2006-08-04 13:16, Tiki-Kate wrote:

Ever heard of a little country called New Zealand?

Why, yes, yes I have. On a dinner cruise on Lake Tahoe last week I sat at the table with a very nice couple from there who informed me of its existance :)

Help me interpret your comment, though. Is that your way of saying that they're still carving traditional tikis for religious reasons in New Zealand? If so, is that the "real" tiki then?

On 2006-08-04 13:13, The Granite Tiki wrote:
I'm Carl, and I'm a Buffett fan.

Everyone: Hello Carl.

Welcome to the 12 step program for Buffaholics :)

On 2006-08-04 13:10, Rev. Griz wrote:

This attitude makes me uncomfortable. What you wrote, Dawn, comes across to me as being the kind of attitude that will discourage people from coming here and learning so that they DON'T commit the sin of mixing parrothead and tiki. (And really, why that's such a big deal, I don't know.
All the answers are here grasshopper, you can find what you you seek!

We are very much in danger of over-defining our cliques here like junior high students.)
Do what you want, mix what you want when you want...but be prepared for some TC folks (like myself) to disagree on the Buffet mixing with their TC. Whats the big deal aren't I allowed my opinion without being compared to being in a junior high school clique? tsk...tsk..tsk...

Furthermore, you talk about real tiki.
Nope, No I didn't....

One can make the argument that there's been no addition to real tiki for nearly a century since the last old traditional carvers in the south seas carved the last traditional god in wood for religious rather than commercial or even artistic reasons.
Wait, you say, I'm talking about the post WWII polynesian pop craze. Okay, well, there are several versions of that. Which is right and which is wrong? Is it only right if the recently carved tiki is a copy of a "real" historic tiki? Is it only right if the tiki mug is a vintage mug from an accepted "real" tiki place? Those two definitions rule out most of the artwork done by the people who post here.
What is "real" tiki, someone explain this to me?

Not my job, but I will tell you what it's isn't ... BUFFET!

Because if you don't, I live in fear of letting my Buffett roots influence a post and getting slapped down by those who have taken it upon themselves to define what tiki is for me.
This web site has a huge potential to educate people in the roots of the generic tropical themes that are so popular these days. If they come here and see people posting basically "you're all wrong but I'm not going to explain why" then

Then READ the forums, it's all here!

those folks will go away and keep doing what you don't want them to. That, of course, is the desire of snobs, to set themselves apart from the unwashed masses through the perceived superiority of secret knowledge, which is secret because it usually doesn't stand up to inspection.
If you've read my previous post...I have made no secret that I know less than most people here on poly pop's history or the current polynesian pop revival, but I have taken some time in my history on TC to try to edumacatate myself on the subject and not expect others to spoon feed me the smarts that everyone has access to, it's free for the taking. Just take the time and apply yourself.

The folks here are not snobs, the folks here are much better than that. Let's embrace the mission to educate and convert all those potential "real" tiki fanatics.

I have always hoped there is plenty of room here for everyone, and the Buffet argument has been going on as long as I've been visiting TC and I'm sure long, long before. This is a place where I hope we are free to say what we think when we think it without being reduced to name calling, thanks for the "Snob" referral. I've been compared to worse. So there you have it... I still hate Buffet! :lol:

[ Edited by: DawnTiki 2006-08-04 14:22 ]

Well, Dawn, I'm sorry you took my post personally. Really the only part of it that was directed at you was the part where I said the attitude makes me uncomfortable. I probably did a bad job communicating that the rest was general and not in reference to one person. I don't know why you took the snob comment to heart, because I said in plain black and white that the people here are not snobs, but since you did, let me make sure that you understand that I did not mean that I think you or anyone else here is a snob.

Humu:

a Mystery Bowl for a baptismal font
... now THERE'S an idea!

Rev. Griz:

Church of Jim Beam Orthodox
... is there also a Reformed chapter? :wink:

On 2006-08-04 22:53, Rum Balls wrote:

is there also a Reformed chapter? :wink:

You got me there. Someone besides me would have to start it :)

Wow, first of all for the record, I am NOT a Buffet fan trying to Buffetize TC. Far from it.

My roots in Hawaiian culture go deep, my grandfather instilled a love of Polynesia in his family from his years of living in Hawaii in his youth. Resulting in subsequent generations of hula dancers, ukulele players, traditional Hawaiian songs, family history with Trader Vics (aside from my current TV issues), and I live in a home full of retro pop modernistic collections...

Lurking and attending events for several years, though just recently posting, I'm aware of the focus of this forum and group. That's why I'm part of it, because I agree with it.

For the sake of discussion, I posted. My general curiosity was ironically answered in the story Pablus tells in this post. http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=20564&forum=1&vpost=247060

What was not clear to me initially was the intense passion the post could still evoke. Yes, I know we all HATE Buffet, but I errantly understimated feelings. Curiosity really can kill the cat.

TikiCentral is a very special place and it deserves to be protected from from pollution of mass-commercialism and exploitation of Tiki in diluted forms.

Therefore, I apologize for offending anyone with my air dive into the crowd comments. Not realizing the affect it would have on some, it seemed right at the time. One danger of internet posting...post-posting hangover.

I had the opportunity to talk with DawnTiki last weekend at TikiInvasion. She was lovely. No hard feelings for the response. Have a great day.

On 2006-08-11 10:18, Coco Loco wrote:
I had the opportunity to talk with DawnTiki last weekend at TikiInvasion. She was lovely.

Noooo! You were lovely! :blush:
But I don't wanna argue about it :lol:

Jimmy Buffett is my second favorite artist. It doesn't bother me that other people don't care for him. I personally don't care for Dave Matthews but he too is pretty popular right now. I tried playing Arthur Lyman and Martin Denny here last Friday night and got alot of flack for it. I actually deceided to do a tiki bar after Buffett's 2002 Tiki Time tour. It was probably just some kind of an excuse to have some type of bar period. Tequila is my drink of choice, not rum. Since joining this board I have learned alot but I will probably never be a total tiki purist. I had some of the books and bar decorations already. I like to entertain and just like the vibe and the whole look. I'm a big guy so the hawaiian shirt has been in my wardrobe for many, many years. I am self employed and wear flip flops to work in. I am a big fan of ''casual'' I can't wait to make it to one of the functions going on around here.

[ Edited by: moondog426 2006-08-25 06:20 ]

On 2006-08-17 19:48, moondog426 wrote:
Jimmy Buffett is my second favorite artist.

Who's your favorite?

The Rolling Stones...they have helped me keep from fully growing up (thank god!)

last night I saw another one of my favorite bands, Lynyrd Skynyrd. Not the same band I saw twice before the plane crash in '77 but still an impressive bunch of musicians playing Ronnie VanZandt tunes. A very pleasurable evening.

[ Edited by: moondog426 2006-08-25 06:23 ]

Jimmy Buffet is to music what Thomas Kinkade is to art.

That's an insult to Jimmy Buffet. (and I don't care for JB)

Funny Buffet article in the Onion