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#Post#: 1913--------------------------------------------------
A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: indigo_dave Date: January 12, 2018, 3:12 pm
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I saw a news item on TV that Eric Clapton has tinnitus. Wonder
how that happened. I think I remember in the Ginger Baker
documentary ("Beware of Mr. Baker"), Ginger complaining about
how loud Jack Bruce played, and I guess Eric was keeping up with
Jack's stacks of Marshall amps.
I recall reading a couple years back that Eric said he had
pretty bad neuropathy and wouldn't be touring anymore.
I guess Eric had a good time getting to this point. Everybody
gets old, and most get more ailments then they (we) started out
with.
My Dallas friend just listened to "Goodbye Cream". He made the
comment that he wondered what Cream might've done if they'd had
George Martin producing them. I responded that he'd surely have
opened new possibilities for their music, even though I always
liked pretty much everything they did (Cream).
The interesting thing to me is that I pretty much liked all the
projects Clapton involved himself in over the years. This
includes Derek and the Dominoes, Blind Faith and Delaney and
Bonnie.
----------------------------------------------------
In unrelated pointless gossip: The Moody Blues are playing in
Orlando tonight. I know a couple of people who are going. And
this concert stands out a little bit more since Ray Thomas just
died a few days ago.
My question is: Am I the only person who has pretty much NO
interest or appreciation for the Moody Blues ? I always thought
they had sort of a dreary sound and I heard nothing intriguing
in the music that passed into my ears.
#Post#: 1914--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: AJ Date: January 12, 2018, 6:32 pm
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I'm a Cream devotee as well. I thought their first album, "Fresh
Cream" was horribly produced, but "Disraeli Gears" , "Wheels of
Fire" and "Goodbye" were incrementally better in terms of
production values. The large amounts of live material on the
last two certainly helped overall...Mixed just like I liked
it...Bass on the Left, Guitar on the Right, and the Drums right
up the middle.
I'm not sure George Martin would have been a good choice for
Cream though. They were a Progressive Blues band if you think
about it. With Baker and Bruce both from a heavy Jazz
background. Clapton never straying very far from the blues
really...He brought his take on the blues into every endeavor
and band he was in. They were at their best in concert, IMHO.
There were certainly exceptions to that on every
album..."Sunshine", "Strange Brew", Badge the standouts for me.
Not sure George could have really dealt with the fact that these
guys weren't pensive, introspective, dreamers like The Beatles.
Cream was LOUD...Baker wasn't Ringo. The guy could play and he
beat the hell outta those drums. I doubt the other three ever
played as loud as Bruce and Clapton. At least, at the point in
time we're referencing here.
Still....It's interesting to think what might have been had Sir
George gotten involved behind the boards.
Eric Clapton has been one of my favorite guitarists
ever....Younger people think he's overrated. I've loved music
from every point in his long career. I still get shivers down my
spine listening to all the live stuff he did with Cream and
Derek and The Dominoes is simply an album I cannot live
without...But stuff on down the line as well..
I own one Moody Blues album. "A Question of Balance". I like
that album. I have to be in the right mood to listen to them
however. I'm not in that mood very often.
#Post#: 1916--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: Bucky Date: January 12, 2018, 7:43 pm
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Clapton's deaf in one ear.
Cream was a live, raunchy Brit Blues band, and George Martin
wouldn't be the right fit. I wouldn't want Scott Litt to produce
Nirvana, or Brian Eno to produce Black Sabbath.
As a guitarist, Clapton has the chops. He's stylish and
tasteful, though. I'm not a huge fan of his solo work, but I'd
rather hear "Lay Down Sally" than Dragonforce. Even when I was a
teenager listening to shredders and what have you, I was blown
away by the Beano John Mayall album. To me, that was the epitome
of tone and style.
#Post#: 1917--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: AJ Date: January 12, 2018, 9:43 pm
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[quote author=Bucky link=topic=186.msg1916#msg1916
date=1515807781]
Clapton's deaf in one ear.
Cream was a live, raunchy Brit Blues band, and George Martin
wouldn't be the right fit. I wouldn't want Scott Litt to produce
Nirvana, or Brian Eno to produce Black Sabbath.
As a guitarist, Clapton has the chops. He's stylish and
tasteful, though. I'm not a huge fan of his solo work, but I'd
rather hear "Lay Down Sally" than Dragonforce. Even when I was a
teenager listening to shredders and what have you, I was blown
away by the Beano John Mayall album. To me, that was the epitome
of tone and style.
[/quote]
there have been arguments for years about how Clapton went about
getting the tone he had on that album. He says he doesn't quite
remember. Some swear he was using a Marshall 2-12 combo, some
say it was a Vox. Others say a Tone-Bender was involved, others
not. The only thing for sure was a either '60 or '61 Les
Paul...And that he set the place on fire with it.
Most people have never seen Eric with anything but a
Stratocaster. He played a lot of Tele's and Gibby's as well
early on. When I saw Cream live...After "Wheels of Fire" was
released...He played a 335 Gibson the whole show. Never took it
off. The show was great but the venue was terrible. The Old Sam
Houston Coliseum. The instruments were coming through PA
equipment I guess they brought with the tour but the vocals were
going through the house PA and it was horrid. When Bruce fired
up his harmonica on "Train Time" it was breaking up so bad as to
be painful to listen to.
The standout tune that night for me was "I'm So Glad".
"Crossroads" was a disappointment as I remember. Sounded nothing
like the Golden version on "Wheels of Fire", which had been
recorded at Fillmore...East? West?...I forget. The arrangement
was closer to the way they played it at their "Farewell" concert
at Albert Hall, if you've seen that old show. I bought the DVD's
of the shows they did a while back at Albert Hall and have
watched the entire show 7 or 8 times now I guess. I remain
amazed at the absolute power of those old songs..Ginger
Baker....It was a wonder that he could still play with the fire,
energy and stamina he always had. And a more perfect
time-keeper you'd be hard pressed to find.
#Post#: 1918--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: Bucky Date: January 12, 2018, 10:08 pm
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I didn’t know Layla was originally a kickass Rock track until I
was 13. The local radio only played the acoustic version, which
I still despise. My uncle thought Clapton was from Texas, and he
was born in the sixties.
Funny, I want a new guitar when tax returns come. Some of my
favorite tones are Strat. I already own an Epi Strat, which I
prefer to all of the Fenders I’ve owned, and a Mustang. I
actually have access to pretty much any tone I want. I haven’t
gotten a new electric since my Casino in late 2014. There’s
nothing wrong with the guitars I own, yet I’m craving
something!!! I’m considering an American Tele Deluxe with a
natural finish.
#Post#: 1919--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: AJ Date: January 12, 2018, 11:12 pm
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[quote author=Bucky link=topic=186.msg1918#msg1918
date=1515816495]
I didn’t know Layla was originally a kickass Rock track until I
was 13. The local radio only played the acoustic version, which
I still despise. My uncle thought Clapton was from Texas, and he
was born in the sixties.
Funny, I want a new guitar when tax returns come. Some of my
favorite tones are Strat. I already own an Epi Strat, which I
prefer to all of the Fenders I’ve owned, and a Mustang. I
actually have access to pretty much any tone I want. I haven’t
gotten a new electric since my Casino in late 2014. There’s
nothing wrong with the guitars I own, yet I’m craving
something!!! I’m considering an American Tele Deluxe with a
natural finish.
[/quote]
If I had to pick one track off "Layla and other Love
Songs"...It'd have to be "Bell Bottom Blues". That solo on that
song makes me want to cry, really. I taught myself how to play
that solo, note for note...Just so I could say to myself..."I
can play at least one Eric Clapton solo, note for note". It's so
simple, yet so absolutely perfect. And I did it on a Les Paul.
Once I got a Strat though...I really captured it completely one
night through my 'Ol Super Reverb...And there was no one there
to witness it....But i did. And I'll always have that moment for
myself....
I've always lusted for a Tele....it's just such a Classic
American Rock guitar....Don't matter that the Country Boys have
made it their's....And a natural finish, or TV Yellow are the
only finishes that get my motor runnin' on 'em.
The Deluxe is a Full Humbucker job ain't it?
I dunno...For you mebbe a good fit Bucky.....For me...I'd want
that single coil in the bridge for that brittle, biting Thang.
But a 'Bucker on the neck would add that Fat Thang to balance
her out a bit. I played a Tele Modern Player several years ago
and damn near fell in love with it. Loved the neck..It had dual
'Buckers as I recall...And a unique, rockin', yet Twangy thang
goin' on.
I haven't had a tax refund in years. Last year was a good
year...I only owed Uncle Sam $100.
I hope you can add to your stable Buddy. You deserve it!
#Post#: 1921--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: Bucky Date: January 13, 2018, 8:26 am
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The only Tele I’ve owned that I absolutely loved was a black
Squier Affinity that’d been sitting in the local shop for years.
It had jangle and grit. But I was young and dumb, so I got bored
and took it apart because I wanted to mod it. Ended up putting
the neck on a Squier ‘51 I had. I had a Modern Player Plus that
was cool. Can’t remember what I traded it for.
The Tele that was a true on-off again love affair was the Tele
Deluxe with reissue Fender humbuckers. I had a Jazzmaster that I
used on a lot of the stuff I was recording later in high school
and college right when my music was getting good. But I grew
bored of it and put it on Craigslist and met up with a dude who
had this Tele Deluxe with a white pickguard. It’s on Shui no and
Songs From My Mental Breakdown, two of my “reboot” albums from
2014.
But I traded it for something. Then the local shop got it back
and posted a picture on Facebook a year later! So I hurried down
and got it back. Kept it for a while and traded it again, and I
can’t remember for what. My friend Paul has it now, and his son
loves it.
The American deluxe fixes all the issues I had with the MIM
version. Different humbuckers, a decent bridge, American made
parts.
#Post#: 1924--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: AJ Date: January 13, 2018, 8:20 pm
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[quote author=Bucky link=topic=186.msg1921#msg1921
date=1515853613]
The only Tele I’ve owned that I absolutely loved was a black
Squier Affinity that’d been sitting in the local shop for years.
It had jangle and grit. But I was young and dumb, so I got bored
and took it apart because I wanted to mod it. Ended up putting
the neck on a Squier ‘51 I had. I had a Modern Player Plus that
was cool. Can’t remember what I traded it for.
The Tele that was a true on-off again love affair was the Tele
Deluxe with reissue Fender humbuckers. I had a Jazzmaster that I
used on a lot of the stuff I was recording later in high school
and college right when my music was getting good. But I grew
bored of it and put it on Craigslist and met up with a dude who
had this Tele Deluxe with a white pickguard. It’s on Shui no and
Songs From My Mental Breakdown, two of my “reboot” albums from
2014.
But I traded it for something. Then the local shop got it back
and posted a picture on Facebook a year later! So I hurried down
and got it back. Kept it for a while and traded it again, and I
can’t remember for what. My friend Paul has it now, and his son
loves it.
The American deluxe fixes all the issues I had with the MIM
version. Different humbuckers, a decent bridge, American made
parts.
[/quote]
One thing you said raises a question.....
What's your favorite bridge/ tailpiece combo? Also..what
improvements to the bridge on said tele are you referring to?
Most of my experience is limited to the fender Floating bridge
and the Gibson tune-o-Matic.
I've never owned a guitar with a Floyd Rose lock down set-up.
Nor a guitar with a Bigsby
.
The Fender setup is an invitation to go out of tune when you get
wild with the Vibrato. I've had mixed results with it...I think
the only examples I could give of where I kind of made it work
are on two of my cover tunes..."Sympathy for the Devil", where I
went nuts with it on the solo, and "Give me Strength", where I
just floated with it a bit.
Belleswell made a good point in one of his earlier posts where
he mentioned, (And I'm paraphrasing) a good vibrato technique
can make a mediocre player sound better, but a great player with
a poor vibrato technique sounds like crap.
I've got just enough vibrato technique to get me in
trouble...Lol.
#Post#: 1926--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: Bucky Date: January 13, 2018, 9:09 pm
---------------------------------------------------------
I'm leaning more toward a Eric Johnson Strat. I've always wanted
a two-tone classic Strat, and my obsession with Johnson has made
me lust for one again. The more I considered the Tele, the more
I thought about what I disliked about the MIM Tele I had.
Honestly, if I could make every guitar I own a Gibson
tune-o-matic and stop bar combo, I would. I hardtailed my
Mustang, and not only did the tuning stability improve but the
tone got a little twangier. Tremolo/whammy systems are annoying
to a player like me. I had a Floyd Rose on an Ibanez, and it was
enough for me to trade the guitar back a few weeks later. Ibanez
makes great guitars, but damn if they don't make enough with
stopbars!
A couple of years ago, Satriani made a hilariously cringe worthy
video where a guy won a lesson with him. All he did was ramble
at the guy for an hour. But he did point out that when players
bend strings, they tend to use vibrato immediately. The guy
actually had to consciously stop himself from fooling with the
string once he bent a note because that's what so many players
do. So, when I play, I tend to keep my vibrato in mind and vary
it as I go depending on the mood. Some of my solos sound like
I'm using a tremolo system because of the way I'm bending and
playing with the notes. Last night, I was sliding around one
note really fast and found it was an interesting effect. Bending
a note for a second, purposefully going out of tune and crazily
moving the string gives a cool effect. Guitar is such an
interesting instrument because of how you can emote. That's why
I focused on improvisation and developing my own style for
years. Most of the players I know either studied it like a
science or started bands playing fairly generic covers. Even the
best player I know, who incidentally plays flamenco music and
studied at Atlanta Music Institute, was taken aback by my
approach when I tried out his Les Paul one day. We sat down and
talked playing for over 30 minutes. He was so concerned with if
the licks I was playing fit into traditional theory and what
scales I was using. This is a guy who can wipe the floor with
even renowned pros, and he's trying to wrap his head around what
I was doing.
I blame Fripp.
#Post#: 1927--------------------------------------------------
Re: A little pointless Rock & Roll gossip
By: AJ Date: January 13, 2018, 9:32 pm
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I've read a lot of pros and cons about the Eric Johnson
models...Mostly concerning the shape of the neck.
People seem to either love it or hate it. Some say it's too
radical a 'V" and too fat. I'd certainly try one out before
jumping because they are not cheap.
Of course if you get a below market deal on one I guess you
could flip or trade it...
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