Philippe Rouille says [110614 MMDigest], "When a real flesh and blood
musician begins singing or playing his piano, guitar or saxophone,
generally everybody listens in silence."

No.  Some of them attempt to converse with the performer.  Not only do
they try to talk to me when I play my player piano, but even when I am
singing along, as I try like anything to get others to sing.

I thought this had something to do with the piano, as player busking is
a rather odd sort of performance that people don't really understand,
so they ask questions.  But I've been told by singers who perform at
nightclubs that members of the audience will actually walk right up and
start a conversation with the singer, apparently expecting that he will
hear them and answer while he continues singing!  Perhaps some of these
idiots are aided by ethanol.

A long time ago I was busking in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and was
asked by a policeman to show my (required) busking license, which I in
fact did have.  But he asked me by standing behind me and talking to me
while I was pumping and singing some spirited and loud tune.  I had no
idea that the conversation behind me included orders from a policeman
until someone grabbed me and made me stop playing.  He was quite annoyed
that I failed to pay attention to him.

Oh well, I am presumably guilty of the same sin.  When some person
drives past me (or one or two blocks away) with his car stereo blasting
out "WHOMPA WHOMPA WHOMPA" at 125 decibels for the enjoyment of the
surrounding public, I attempt to continue the conversation in which
I was already engaged, rather than stand respectfully and listen.

Peter Neilson