Busker HoF 28 – Stories By The Butterfly

• Content pulled from conversations with: Robert Nelson, Alan Plotkin, David Aiken, Henrik Bothe, Woody Keppel, Linsey Lindberg, Chad Taylor, Al Millar, Glenn Singer, Rob Torres, Amy Saunders, Joe Cobden and Gazzo
• Original Recording Dates/Locations (in chronological as clips appear in this episode):
  • Prologue
    1. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at the 1997 Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival • “…I’m ready to snap!”
    2. Robert Nelson with David Aiken, Henrik Bothe & Woody Keppel – October 28, 2011 (Pahoa, Hawaii/North Vancouver, BC Canada) • “Biggest Laugh…”
  • Act 1 – Shows To Remember!
    1. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Chad Taylor at the 2001 Windsor Buskers Festival • “In a Parking Lot in Windsor…”
    2. Robert Nelson with Linsey Lindberg –  February 16, 2012 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Austin, TX, USA) • “ABACs Bad Ass Cowboys”
    3. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Chad Taylor at the 2001 Windsor Buskers Festival • “At This Point In My Career”
    4. Robert Nelson with Glenn Singer – January 11, 2013 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Lewisburg, WV, USA) • “The Church Show in Halifax”
    5. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Chad Taylor at the 2001 Windsor Buskers Festival • “My Former Friend Gazzo”
    6. Robert Nelson with Al Millar – November 28, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Boston, MA, USA) • “Crowd Wars With Gazzo”
    7. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Chad Taylor at the 2001 Windsor Buskers Festival • “I’m On Probation”
    8. Robert Nelson with Linsey Lindberg –  February 16, 2012 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Austin, TX, USA) • “Performing At A Bible School”
    9. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at the 1997 Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival • “The Original Juggling Act!”
  • Act 2 – On The Subject Of Where One’s Material Comes From…
    1. Robert Nelson with Chad Taylor from a video recording captured by Chad Taylor at the 2001 Windsor Buskers Festival • “Where Does Your Material Come From…”
    2. Robert Nelson with Rob Torres – January 29, 2012 (Pahoa, HI, USA/the Estudio Busqueda de Pantomima in Guanajuato, Mexico) • “Old Man Story”
    3. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at Butterfly Acres in Pahoa, HI, USA, June 2006 • “My Brain Was Alive”
    4. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at the 1997 Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival • “Fire Eating Was Invented By An Idiot”
    5. Robert Nelson with Al Millar – November 28, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Boston, MA, USA) • “Stolen Fire Routine Story”
    6. Robert Nelson with Amy Saunders – January 12, 2012 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Diamond Harbour, NZ) • “Nick Stealing Robert’s Line”
    7. Robert Nelson with Al Millar – November 28, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Boston, MA, USA) • “Book Of One-Liners”
    8. Robert Nelson with Little Joe Cobden – December 8, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Toronto, ON, Canada) “Trying Out Original Material”
    9. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at Butterfly Acres in Pahoa, HI, USA, June 2006 • “I’m A Performer”
    10. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at Butterfly Acres in Pahoa, HI, USA, June 2006 • “No Victim, No Comedy”
  • Act 3 – Goodbye Butterfly
    1. Robert Nelson with Little Joe Cobden – December 8, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Toronto, ON, Canada) “All White Checkerboard Guy”
    2. Robert Nelson with Glenn Singer – January 11, 2013 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Lewisburg, WV, USA) • “Party in Halifax with Jean Michel”
    3. Robert Nelson with Chad Taylor from a video recording captured by Chad Taylor at the 2001 Windsor Buskers Festival • “Severely Independent Characters”
    4. Robert Nelson with Al Millar – November 28, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/Boston, MA, USA) • “Lucky Rich Story”
    5. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at Butterfly Acres in Pahoa, HI, USA, June 2006 • “This Is The World I Fell Into”
    6. Robert Nelson with Gazzo – December 7, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/England) • “Crossing The Border”
    7. Robert Nelson from a video recording captured by Alan Plotkin at the 1997 Edmonton International Street Performer’s Festival • “The Butterfly Poem”
  • Epilogue
    1. Robert Nelson with Gazzo – December 7, 2011 (Pahoa, HI, USA/England) • “Festival Producer Comment”
    2. Robert Nelson with Rob Torres – January 29, 2012 (Pahoa, HI, USA/the Estudio Busqueda de Pantomima in Guanajuato, Mexico) • “That Was So Beautiful”
• Date: Aired: September 16, 2013
• Music used in this Podcast:
  1. Robert’s Intro Theme Music: “Pendulum” Royalty Free Jingle available in Apple Computers’ GarageBand.
  2. Additional Music: “The Song is Ended,” “Ain’t She Sweet,” “When You’re Smiling”  & “It’s a Sin To Tell a Lie” as played by Hokum W Jeebs on his Piano  ala Cart CD.
• Mixed and edited by: Magic Brian, Linsey Lindberg and David Aiken for the Busker Hall of Fame

Comments: When Robert and I first started this project I asked him to write a little something about the stories he wanted to collect from the World of Busking and what he wrote actually captures what Episode 28 attempts to do by going back to the original recordings we did with Robert to share some of the best stories he told while talking with other people. Somehow it seemed like the perfect way to celebrate what would have been Robert’s 64th Birthday.

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Ever hit a little boy in the face with a machete? Ever had a gun pulled on you by a heckler? Ever been propositioned by a beautiful woman while juggling fire? Well, we’ve got those stories to share… and many more.

After 30 years as a street performer, there’s one thing I’ve learned… it’s all about the story.

Sure, we make more money than heart surgeons, sure, we have better sex lives than NBA athletes and sure, we travel to more locations than Vasco de Gama but the real joy is found in the unbelievable stories we get to tell… and hear!

The legends, the veterans, even the new kid on the block; each one of them has a story to tell. How it all started for them, what made them do it to begin with and when and where they did what they did. Each one gives us a glimpse into their history with their own words and in their own voice. Each one tells us a story!

Maybe you’ll learn something in the process. Maybe you’ll learn something about busking; maybe you’ll learn a little about the world, maybe you’ll even learn about yourself… who knows? Just listen, it’s all inside the story!

A good story is everything!

Robert Nelson
The Butterfly Man

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