The Hat.

I get asked about it all the time. Sometimes it’s ignored, other times it’s the subject of conversation and debate. What is it? Why do I wear it? What does it mean? Am I hiding something under it?
The quick synopsis:
That hat doesn’t mean anything in particular to anyone but me. I wear it because I like wearing it when I play. It’s fun for me and and I’m all about that!

(warning, interesting stories contained within, requires attention span).

CHAPTER 1 (Origins)

I came across my first “Fez” (what I call it) in a small street market in Buenos Aires, Argentina (sometime in 2001). After trying it on (something which was then a bit out of character for me to wear something so radical), the street vendor assumed a stance of astonishment and pronounced in her native spanish that I was the only white man she had ever met that actually might be justified in wearing this hat. Thus, I became THE sucker customer. She must be right! And then I payed her.

CHAPTER 2 (Let’s do this)

Newly excited at the new promise of mojo that this hat might entail, I brought it back to the states and began wearing it during performances, proudly displaying only when I was playing. And the adventures began. The hat was swiped twice (by fans), used against me as evidence (right after Sept. 11th) in a concert hall persecution (I had to remove it up north one time in order to survive a crowd of bikers who were concerned that I might be a muslim). It was also the subject of fascination in Philly, where a club go-er once asked me if she could photograph just the hat. No, not me wearing the hat, just the hat stupid!

CHAPTER 3 (What do I call it?)

It’s often mistakenly referred to as a “Kufi.” (pronounced koo-fee) meaning:(Kufie: an Islamic (Muslim) prayer cap). Right…
It’s more accurately a “Fez” (Fez: Brimless, conical, flat-topped cap “sometimes” with a tassel attached at the top center). I recall one of my favorite Steely Dan numbers: “The Fez” (off Royal Scam). (please see YOUTUBE video below if you are unfamiliar with this Steely Dan classic).

CHAPTER 4 (The journey to Mecca: that’s a joke)

That hats wears out (it’s going to happen after sweaty stage performances). I hunt down the maker/creator of the hat (no, he’s not in Morocco, he’s here in NYC).
I introduce myself and somehow impress him. Now, we’re friends (he sends me a dozen hats a year because they do wear out).

CHAPTER 5 (Is it forever?)
I can’t say that I’ll wear it forever, but I can say that I’ve enjoyed it thus far…

Does this help?

 

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