Hi Friends,
This story has a lesson or two. One; Don't mess with an artist.
Click on an image to view it enlarged.
Once upon a time a friendly minstrel was traveling the world playing love songs and hit songs for the lovers of tunes. Suddenly, without warning, disaster struck. With one United act of thoughtlessness a minstrel's guitar was broken.
That minstrel was Dave Carroll. Tossed about like so much trash Dave Carroll's Taylor Guitar was smashed. His story is told below in his own words.
Dave tried for a year to have United Airlines do the honorable and pay for repairs to his Taylor guitar which airline employees had smashed. They denied not the act. Yet the buck was passed around and in the end United Airlines said it would not pay a cent. Dave told them he would write, record and post on YouTube three songs about this reprehensible happening.
United Breaks Guitars Song One had five million views on YouTube in a month. It sure helped that CNN aired a story in early July '09 when there had been only 50,000 hits. After CNN's feature story United Breaks Guitars views soared. United Breaks Guitars has become an internet phenomenon.
Now United Breaks Guitars; Song Two has been released.
Who would have thought that out of such thoughtlessness and one broken guitar so many people would receive so much joy.
Dave and Friends you have turned it all around.
You're the Best.
Boo United and the rest.
Except for poor ole Ms. I. who was only doing what she was told to do in that mess.
{:~DDD
Here is the short story of United Breaks Guitars told by Dave Carroll.
"United Breaks Guitars: Story behind Songs 1 & 2 (short version below, please see blog for detailed versions) note from author; that would be Dave Carroll's blog.)
In the spring of 2008, Sons of Maxwell were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and my Taylor guitar was witnessed being thrown by United Airlines baggage handlers in Chicago. I discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. They didn't deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various people I communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate me for my loss. So I promised the last person to finally say "no'' to compensation (Ms. Irlweg) that I would write and produce three songs about my experience with United Airlines and make videos for each to be viewed online by anyone in the world.
United: Song 1 (United Breaks Guitars) is the first of those songs and was released in the summer of 2009. It went viral and became an internet/YouTube sensation. It has nearly 5 million views to date.
...and the saga continues...
United: Song 2 (United Breaks Guitars: Song 2) was released in August of 2009.
On Tuesday August 5 (2009) we reconvened at the field behind the Station 41 fire department in Waverely NS to shoot the second video in the trilogy. United Breaks Guitars: Song 2. Once again, everyone volunteered their time and talent to produce an outstanding video; however, song 2 was a much bigger production than United Breaks Guitar. In addition to the main roles, we had nearly 100 extras in the cast and in order to say everything we wanted to say with the video, we required a broken guitar, an imitation broken guitar, a 40 foot high scissor lift, a limousine (complete with secret service agents), one genuine imitation space capsule, a space suit, a tuba, 3 suits of German Lederhosen, a canoe, one white panel van and woman willing to wear tights and a big dollar sign."
Dave, our late father was Director of Public Relations for Bell Canada International. I think that he would have marveled at what you have done.
I salute you and your helpful friends.
Sincerely,
John Redmond
in Ottawa, Canada
If you would like to view more of my paintings simply scroll down to Froggy at the bottom of this page. Click on Froggy and you will hop to my online store with links to eBay. You can also find me on Etsy. Search for johnredmond (no spaces). - john r
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