If you enjoyed this, please check out the support links below. Have not played outside since sept 2019. I also suffered a serious brain aneurysm early April 2021. Music is my only income. Gigs don’t exist anymore in Vancouver.
1) Street playing is not all fun and games and dancing kids. Doing this for 7 years. I regularly face not only verbal abuse, but physical assault as I work a few blocks from downtown eastside Vancouver, one of the worst areas in all of North America. I'm surrounded by addicts, drunks, and people who should be in mental homes. 2) I'm unemployed. All live music including busking, is banned. I lost all work last year and received ZERO compensation. I had a very bad year in 2020, came out of a depression in dec 2020, then had a serious brain aneurysm early April 2021. I’m lucky to be alive. 4) I'm a musician that writes his own music for 20 years. Check out my bandcamp page to see what I can really do with a guitar. 500 albums of original instrumentals. 5) It's a lot of unpaid work to post these videos all the time so please try to help me keep the channel going. Many thanks to those that have supported me! It means a lot! 6) I get asked this 100 times a day so here's the answer: I play on the street and not in a band because all the clubs closed years ago. I used to lead many bands from 2006 to 2018. That's all gone. It's also a lot more hassle, and less money, to run a band than play by myself. 7) I get asked this 100 times a day. "Why don't you try a better spot?" THIS is the best spot. How do I know? I've tried all of them. This spot is even better than Granville Island which is all tourists. Vancouver does not have many spots to play. Maybe 3-4 downtown. I have to go where traffic is heaviest or you make no money. Playing on beaches and parks or near homes, condos, apt buildings, is forbidden. This is the main transit hub of trains/seabus and also walkway for the convention centre as well as heavily touristed gastown.
Anyone who has music work to offer can contact me at [email protected]. Do not send me your offers to sell your crap apps or software. It will go straight into the trash.
First day of busking season at the Vancouver seabus terminal. What better way to start than this classic from 1978. Nailing the Knopfler tone with fingers and Parker Mojo. Not a straight copy. I am improvising all over the place. Also, for the rabble that likes to scream 'clickbait!' in fury, mashing that thumb down button at lightning speed, how much did you pay to watch? I don't make a cent off youtube video, regardless how many views they get. Feel joy because your view sends more money to Mk, and we know he needs it more than I do. If the title offends you, please contact me and I will paypal you $25 for the rip off. Look at the publication date. This video has sat in the youtube toilet for FOUR YEARS with 47 views and all of a sudden started getting hits early 2021, so I would call that some mighty slow clickbait. If you mention the word ‘clickbait’ you will be banned and deleted.
If you actually take a title like this seriously, I have a bridge to sell you. If Knopfler's jaw is all you care about, then I suggest subbing to his channel and perhaps writing him for a photo of his jaw dropping, then you can hold it up to your face while you watch this video. If you get that easily upset at an unemployed busker who spent 48 years playing guitar, 15 years posting 1000 videos on youtube before even being seen, and busks for seven years on the most dangerous street in Canada, just put on your grinch costume full time and go step on some baby chicks.
