Vault Vol.4 No3 March 2014

MARCH

2014

CLASSIC

STEVIE RA STEVIE RAYY VAUGHAN FEATURE THE EPIC TALE OF HOW SRV WENT FROM LOCAL BOY TO THE GREATEST BLUES PLAYER IN THE WORLD.

M O C . R E Y A L P R A T I U G . W W W

BLACK CROWES LESSONS

JAZZ COMPING DEMYSTIFIED BLUES YOU CAN USE AND MORE!

PLUS 3 FREE SONG TRANSCRIPTIONS

WWW.DANGELICOGUITARS.COM WWW .DANGELICOGUITARS.COM

|

(646) 460 8472

|

[email protected]

|

141W 28TH ST 4TH FL NY NY,, NY 10001

the world’s most epic guitars

Editor in Chief

Michael Molenda - [email protected]

Editors

Matt Blackett - mblackett@nbmediacom Barry Cleveland - bcleveland@nb [email protected] media.com Art Thompson - athompson@nb [email protected] media.com

Consulting Editors

Jim Campilongo, Jesse Gress, Henry Kaiser, Michael Ross, Leni Stern, David Torn, Tom Wheeler

Designer

Amy Santana

Production Manager

Beatrice Kim

Publisher

Joe Perry - [email protected] 212.378.0464

AdvertisingDirector Eastern Region, Midwest & Europe

Jeff Donnenwerth - [email protected] 770.643.1425

AdvertisingDirector Western Region & Asia

Mari Deetz - [email protected] 650.238.0344

Advertising Sales Eastern Accounts

Anna Blumenthal - [email protected] [email protected] 646.723.5404

Specialty Sales Advertising, West

Michelle Eigen - [email protected] 650.238.0325

Specialty Sales Advertising, East

Jon Brudner - [email protected] 917.281.4721

The Newbay Music Group Vice President, Publishing Director Group Publisher Editorial Director Senior Financial Analyst Production Department Manager Director of Marketing Marketing Project Manager Web Director Motion Graphics Designer IT Tech Office Services Coordinator

Bill Amstutz Bob Ziltz Brad Tolinski Bob Jenkins Beatrice Kim Josh Bernstein Emily O’Neill Dan Angeloro Tim Tsuruda Bill Brooks Mara Hampson

Newbay Media Corporate President & CEO Chief Financial Officer Controller Vice President, Digital Strategy & Operations Vice Presidend, Audience Development Vice President, Content & Marketing IT Director Vice President, Human Resources

Discover the Most Famous, Rare, and Valuable Guitars in the World Jimmy Page’s 1959 Gibson Les Paul Standard. Carlos Santana’s PRS Santana II “Supernatural.” Eddie Van Halen’s “Frankenstein.” Discover the world’s most incredible guitars, the stories behind them, and the musicians and collectors who own them. e Collections presents spectacular photographyy and unprecedented access to the artists who created photograph America’s rock music culture.

Available wherever books are sold.

Steve Palm Paul Mastronardi Jack Liedke Joe Ferrick Denise Robbins Anthony Savona Anthony Verbanic Ray Vollmer

Please direct all advertising and editorial inquiries to:

Guitar Player, Player, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 125, San Bruno, Bruno, CA, 94066 94066 (650) 238-0300; FAX (650) 238-0261; guitplyr@n [email protected] bmedia.com Please direct subscription orders, inquiries, and address changes to:

Guitar Player, box 469073, Escondido, CA 92046-9073, 92046-9073, or phone (800) 289-9839, or send an email to [email protected], [email protected], or click to subscriber services at guitarplayer.com. BACK ISSUES: Back issues of Guitar Player are available for $10

each by calling (800) 289-9839 or by contacting guitarplayer@pcspublink. [email protected]. com.

Guitar Player (ISSN 0017-5463) is published 13 times a year, monthly plus a Holiday issue to follow the December issue, by Newbay Media, LLC, 1111 Bayhill Drive, Suite 125, San Bruno, CA 94066. Guitar Player is a registered trademark of Newbay Media. All material published in Guitar Player is copyrighted © 2013 by Newbay Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction of material appearing in Guitar Player is prohibited without written permission. Publisher assumes no responsibility for return of unsolicited manuscripts, photos, or artwork. All product information is subject to change; publisher assumes no responsibility for such changes. All listed model numbers and product names are manufacturers’ registered trademarks. Periodicals postage paid at San Bruno, CA, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608. Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2.

Follow Guitar Player online at:

PUBLISHED IN THE U.S.A.

4 | March 2014 | GUITAR PLAYER VAULT

P24

60th Anniversary American Vintage 1954 Stratocaster

Les Paul Studio

P24QBOR

Strat60AmVnt54

LPST145MCH-14

“A perfect setup and in perfect condition. I think the 55-point Evaluation is the best in the industry.” Joe from Gadsden, AL

Knowledgeable Staff, Top Brands, and Competitive Prices – That’s the Sweetwater Difference. 55-POINT EVALUATION PROVIDES MAXIMUM PLAYABILITY

GUITAR GALLERY SHOWS YOUR ACTUAL GUITAR

Nearly every bass and guitar that we stock receives a detailed 55-point Evaluation before it’s shipped. We make sure it looks and sounds great — and plays as well as it possibly can — right out of the box! Visit Sweetwater.com/55-point for more details.

Sweetwater’s new and improved online Guitar Gallery lets you check out our world-class inventory of basses and guitars in beautiful multiple-photo detail. Then, you can pick the exact bass or guitar you want by serial number! Visit Sweetwater.com/guitargallery.

( 800 ) 222-4700 Sweetwater.com

24 MONTHS SPECIAL FINANCING AVAILABLE ON SELECT BRANDS, USING YOUR SWEETWATER MUSICIAN’S ALL ACCESS PLATINUM CARD, THROUGH APRIL 30, 2014*

FAST, FREE SHIPPING

2-YEAR WARRANTY**

FREE PRO ADVICE

On most orders, with no minimum purchase!

Total Confidence Coverage™ Warranty

We’re here to help! Call today!

*Subject to credit approval. Minimum monthly payments required. Call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for details or visit Sweetwater.com/financing. **Please note: Apple products are excluded from this warranty, and other restrictions may apply. Please visit Sweetwater.com/warranty for complete details.

March 2014 · Volume 4, Number 3

nn

from the vault 8

Stevie Ray Vaughan

The epic tale of how SRV went from local boy to the greatest blues player in the world in this classic interview from the February 2002 issue of GP . 18

Black Crowes

Rich Robinson talks about crafting hard-rocking boogie in this feature from the January 1995 issue of GP .

Gear 32

New Gear (from the March 2014 issue of Guitar Player ).

oN the NewsstaNd 34

GP March 2014 Table of Contents

lessoNs 36

An Introduction to Walking Bass Lines (from the August 2000 issue of Guitar Player ).

44

An Encyclopedia of Blues Turnarounds (from the December 1991 issue of Guitar Player ).

sessioNs 52

The ever-popular TrueFire Lessons

traNscriptioNs 54

Israel “Iz” Kamakawiwo’ole

T T I P L Y R R A D : O T O H P

“Over the Rainbow”

58

“Come Go With Me” The Del Vikings

64

“L.A. Woman” The Doors

Stevie Ray Vaughan - Page 8

GUITAR PLAYER VAULT | March 2014 | 7

classic interview SRV kicks back at the Keystone Berkeley in 1983, playing “Lenny” on the guitar of the same name.

L L A C N O T Y A L C : O T O H P


february 2002

was into that guy before anyone .” That’s a common refrain among guitarists. Recognizing a great player before it’s fashionable to do so is a point of pride in the guitar playing community. After all, no one wants to look like some fair-weather, bandwagonjumping fan.

n

The thing is, there was no such thing as a blues bandwagon for

anyone to jump on in the early ’80s.


classic interview february 2002

New Wave bands like the Go-Gos and Men at Work shared the airwaves with pop rockers such as Journey and Foreigner. The closest thing to a blues-based guitar hero was Eddie Van Halen, and a I-IV-V shuffle was about as uncool as you could get. That all changed overnight when a guitar slinger from Austin, Texas, named Stevie Ray Vaughan exploded on the scene in 1983. It’s difficult now for most guitarists to remember a time before SRV. His tone, style, and stage show have all become popularmusic benchmarks. But that was not the case

when Vaughan first set the world of guitar on fire. Most guitarists went from never having heard of the guy to not being able to get away from him. Turn on rock radio and you’d hear a track off Vaughan’s slamming debut album. Switch to a pop station and there he was a gain on David Bowie’s Let’s Dance . It seemed to happen so suddenly that it was easy for some to think that Vaughan hadn’t paid his dues. The fact is, Vaughan and his band, Double Trouble, did their time playing dive bars and lousy gigs as much as anyone. When things did start to click for SRV, each new break was plagued with difficulty. And when the red carpet was finally rolled out, Vaughan paid dues with every step he took on it. Nowhere was this “best of times, worst of times” dichotomy more obvious than at the 1982 Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. Without a doubt the biggest gig of Vaughan’s career, the festival would hopefully be his

Paul Ray and the Cobras in 1976. The Cobra at the far right is a young Stevie Vaughan.


ticket out of the dives and into the big time. It proved to be exactly that, but not before SRV would go through yet another trial by fire, which is immortalized on the new, two-CD Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble—Live in Montreux 1982 and 1985 [Sony]. Montreux would also lead to Vaughan guesting on the huge pop record that would further his legend and reputation, but even that break would turn into a brutal rite of passage. By the time SRV returned to Montreux in 1985, he was at the top of the blues guitar heap, and it was just another gig where everyone loved him. The following recollections, however, are from the people who worked with Vaughan before he became famous. As his bandmates, guitar tech, producer, and admirers, they recognized his genius before anyone else, and they are best able to paint the picture of SRV on the verge of becoming a superstar.

P H O T O : W A T T C A S E Y , J R .

february 2002

classic interview

THE ROAD TO MONTREUX “I first saw Stevie play in early 1977,” recalls Double Trouble drummer Chris Layton. “I was awestruck.” “When I saw Stevie, it was like a revelation,” adds bassist Tommy Shannon. “That’s where I wanted to be. When they called me, that was one of the happiest days of my life.” The band started working the Austin/ Lubbock/Houston/Dallas circuit, but was unable to take things to the next level. “Before the Montreux show, we were mostly doing club gigs in Texas,” says Layton. “We’d gone to the East Coast twice and the West Coast once—all low-dollar gigs.” “We were traveling around in a milk truck,” elaborates Shannon, “with a bed rigged up on top, a couch for a back seat, and all of our gear crammed in there. We were living lean.” Despite all the struggles, Vaughan’s reputation was growing, and the band’s slamming live shows were impressing audiences, regardless of size. “We always played with enthusiasm and excitement,” says Layton, “even if we were only playing to five people. And we never got a bad reception.” For the most part that seems true, but Shannon does remember a particularly rugged gig. “We opened for the Clash in Austin,” he says, “and people were yelling and throwing stuff and telling us we sucked. We were supposed to do two shows, but we t old them we weren’t doing the second night. For some reason, I don’t remember that hurting our feelings too much, though.”

SWISS BANK While Vaughan and company were slugging it out in the clubs, they crossed paths with veteran R&B producer Jerry Wexler, who was so taken with the band that he arranged to get them on a really prestigious gig— blues night at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland. “I had played the Montreux Festival with Johnny Winter in 1969 and we went over great,” says Sh annon. “I told t he guys how beautiful it was. I had nothing but good memories.” Layton recalls feeling a nervous excitement about the gig. “Stevie and I had never been to Europe, and we were excited by the prospect,” he says. “But it was going to cost

NILE RODGERS ON LET’S DANCE

BY 1982, NILE RODGERS WAS ALREADY A

world-renowned guitarist and producer with platinum albums to his credit . He was doing pre production for what would become David Bowie’ s landmark Let’s Da nce when Bo wie excited ly informed him that he wanted to use a n unknown guitarist from Tex as named Stevie Ra y Vaughan on the upcoming sessions. —MB

Were you in Switzerland during the Montreux Festival? Yes, but I didn’t go to the show. David did, and he said, “Man, I heard a fantastic guitar player last night!” He had never heard of him before, and Stevie’s playing just blew him away. “Stevie’s sound turned every Were you okay with the idea of using him on listener into a blues fan,” the record? says Rodgers.” If David Bowie makes a suggestion, you’ve got to listen to it. I was curious, but because I hadn’t seen the gig, I had no idea what Stevie would add. I didn’t even know he was a blues player. David just told me, “I know this is going to be cool.” David has an incredible history of finding unique guitar players, so I was expecting something amazing, but I didn’t know what. What did you think when Vaughan showed up? My first impression was that Stevie was a really, really nice guy. When I finally heard him play, I’ll be honest—I didn’t get it. I thought he sounded so much like Albert King that I was offended. I thought, “David, if you want this trip, why don’t we just call Albert King? At least people have heard of him!” So, you didn’t think it would work? The concept was very weird at first. I mean, try to get into my frame of mind as a producer who is trying to make David Bowie hip and new and interesting. Today it’s totally accepted to have a blues element on any kind of record, but in 1982, no one was claiming to be a blues fan. But it only took a matter of hours before I not only got it, but I was digging it and having more fun than you can imagine. Did Vaughan track loud? Oh, yes! He stood in the control room with us, and his amps were just blasting. It was the loudest thing I’d ever heard in my life. I was fine with it, though, because Stevie’s sound was very soothing. It didn’t make you cringe like some loud tones can. How much direction did you give him? Not much. We just turned the tape on and let him rip. He would find the key and just go off. Were you looking for complete performances, or would you punch in sections? Almost all of my work with St evie over the years was about complete perf ormances—there was very little punching. I didn’t comp any tracks for the Let’s Dance sessions, but for the Vaughan Brothers’ Family Style I used a Synclavier to move performances around and Stevie loved that. He’d go out there and use the Synclavier himself, and I thought, “Oh god—what have I done?” How do you view his place in history? He’s right up there with the best of them. No question. To come along at a time when nobody was digging the blues, and to not only make it a credible art form, but also to pave the way for so many after him—that’s incredible. But even if you forget about all that and just listen to his playing, it’s magical. I really miss him, man. I think about him a lot. He was a virtuoso—right up there with greats like John McLaughlin, Wes Montgomery, and Julian Bream. Stevie had the gift.

P H O T O : C O U R T E S Y N I L E R O D G E R S



us over $15,000 to go, and we had to get a loan from our management group. Even though it seemed risky, Stevie thought we should give it a shot because we were doing the same clubs over and over. People loved us, but we wondered where we were going with it.” So off they went to Switzerland with the intention of taking the country by storm. Sitting backstage before going on only served to heighten the excitement for the band. “Larry Graham came up to us backstage and told Stevie, ‘I’ve heard about you. I know you’re a badass guitar player,’” remembers Layton. “That was way cool, because we were huge fans of Sly & the Family Stone.” Shannon was particularly jazzed to meet one of his bass heroes. “Graham is one of my favorite bass players,” he says. “He’s so innovative. He asked if he could jam with

us during our encore on ‘Johnny B. Goode.’ Stevie was really pumped up then—not just about the gig, but also about the chance to jam with Larry Graham.” Certain factors, however, would prevent the set from being all that SRV had hoped it would be. “I not iced that t here hadn’t been any other electric bands up until we went on,” says Layton. “It occurred to me that we were going to be quite a contrast—Stevie had a couple of amps up there, and we always played loud. But it never entered our minds that we might not go over.” “It was all acoustic acts,” adds Shannon. “We shouldn’t have been playing that night. We came out blasting, but we didn’t think anything of it. People were always telling Stevie he was too loud, so nothing seemed out of the ordinary.” What was out of the ordinary was the crowd’s response. Almost instantly people started booing, and the boos would persist for SRV’s entire performance. Roots legend John Hammond, Jr. opened the show that night and vividly recalls the events. “When I did my set, the crowd response was amazing,” he says. “It was one of those magical nights. I had heard Stevie before that night,

“When we went back to Montreux in ’85,” says Chris Layton, “we didn’t go with anything to prove. Every time Stevie put a guitar in his hands he wanted to be the best he could be. I know he wanted the ’85 gig to be great, but no more than any other gig.”


P H O T O : D A R R Y L P I T T

because he was already legendary as a guitar wizard in blues circles. And he was always very respectful to the blues. The only radical thing was the volume, and that was his undoing at Montreux. He was so loud it was overwhelming. He was playing his ass off, but he lost the crowd by his second song. People weren’t hearing the music because of the volume.” Darryl Pitt was the staff photographer at Montreux for nine years, and he worked the ’82 show. Despite having heard countless amazing musicians over the years, Pitt knew instantly that he was witnessing a unique talent. “This guy I had never heard of came out and started playing and stalking the stage and I was shaking ,” he recalls. “I was a blues fan, but I was not a fan of the schmaltzy blues revues that were successfully touring Europe at the time. There was nothing schmaltzy about Stevie—he was the real deal. I couldn’t believe the crowd didn’t get that. Then the boos started, and from where I was in the front row, the boos were a lot louder than what y ou hear on the recording. You could see it on Stevie’s face later in the set—it got to him.” Pitt has a different take on why Vaughan wasn’t bette r receiv ed that night . “In my opinion,” he says, “it wasn’t about acoustic versus electric. I think it was racist. I think the crowd turned on this white guy in the cowboy hat who they viewed as kind of a caricature. I believe Albert King would have gone over playing the exact same stuff.” While Pitt and Hammond were watching the drama unfold, Vaughan and his bandmates were living it, cranking out rocking versions of future classics such as “Pride and Joy,” “Texas Flood,” and “Love Struck Baby,” despite the hostile crowd reaction. “I realized after the first song that we weren’t getting to them,” says Shannon. “You could look out there and see people frowning, and we could hear them booing. It hurt Stevie bad, but he didn’t let up. He just kept doing what he does. He didn’t panic or withdraw.” “Because I know Stevie so well,” says Layton, “I could tell it was affecting him onstage. But he didn’t change his approach. He wasn’t arrogant about it, but his attitude was, ‘If you don’t like us, we’re sorry, but we’re going to keep on, because that’s all we know how to do.’ It was heartbreaking, though—especially for Stevie. When we finally got off stage he was like, ‘Oh man, what just happened?’”

february 2002

classic interview

MONTREUX POST MORTEM As SRV was reeling from t he shock of his performance, Pitt took it upon himself to find the unknown guitarist and apologize for the crowd. “I went backstage,” he recalls, “and I saw Stevie slumped on a roadcase with a bare light bulb hanging over him. It’s one of the bleakest things I’ve ever seen. As the staff photographer, I should have snapped that picture, because it perfectly encapsulated what had just happened. But all I could think to do was tell him how great I thought he was, and that the crowd was tot ally wro ng. He smiled and thanked me. Even though he’d been through this ordeal he was really warm and friendly.” Hammond also spoke with SRV after his set, and tried to reassure his fellow bluesman that this was a fluke. “He came off the stage in tears,” says Hammond. “He was really vulnerable—there was no attitude. He just said, ‘Aw man, we wanted to go over so big .’ I told him that it was just one of those crowds and that he played great. Anyone who really listened knew he was great.” Unfortunately, the hostile crowd reaction wasn’t the last indignity that Vaughan and Double Trouble would suffer that night. Being booed off the stage obviously meant no encore, which also meant no jam with Graham. “We walked off stage,” says Layton, “and we walked by some other band’s dressing room, and there’s Larry Graham going over ‘Johnny B. Goode’ with them! It added insult to injury.”

N A M R E P P O N O D : O T O H P

Swiss Miscreants (left to right): Layton, Vaughan, and Shannon touch down in Switzerland.

TEXAS TECH SUPPORT

DON OPPERMAN WAS STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN’S

tech at the time of the Montreux festival in 1982. Here he recalls the gear, tricks, and psychology he used to help SRV do his thing.

—MB

“I first met Stevie in the late ’70s,” says Opperman. “I was working with Joe Walsh at the time, and I had no interest in working with a blues band. I didn’t actually hear Stevie play until 1981, when he opened for George Thorogood in Albuquerque. I walked into the show, and it felt like seeing Hendrix for the first time. I was just awestruck at how well this kid could play. I started teching for him shortly after that. “I was at the Montreux gig in ’82. Stevie SRV onstage in 1981. His manbrought guitars and his pedalboard—he didn’t bring his amps. For guitars, he had #1, his famous ager, Cutter Brandenburg, lurks ’59 Strat. That was the only one that would really behind two Fender Vibroverbs stay in tune when he threw it on the ground. He and a Marshall 2x12. also brought Lenny, which is a ’62 or a ’63 woodgrain brown Strat, and a Strat called Butter—a guitar originally owned by the guy from Vanilla Fudge. Butter was routed for four humbuckers at one point, but Stevie just had a DiMarzio single-coil in the neck position. The only other guitar was a 3-color sunburst Tokai. As I recall, he played all of those that day. “I would string Stevie’s guitars with whatever gauges we had in the string box. I’d start with .011s, and when those ran out we’d go to .012s or .013s. The low strings were GHS semi-flats—a roundwound string pressed into a flatter shape—because he liked their low-end response. In fact, that’s how we would set up his amps—he’d pop the open low-E with his finger and tweak the amp until that one note sounded right to him. His action was incredibly high—about 1 /4” off the fretboard. I couldn’t believe he could bend the strings, but he did. The guy had amazing strength in his hands. He used heavy picks, but not the pointed end—he would use the butt end. He would also rub the pointed end on the carpet to round it off. “Stevie’s pedalboard was really simple—just an MXR loop selector, an Ibanez Tube Screamer, and a Vox wah. Before I built the pedalboard, [SRV’s manager] Cutter Brandenburg used to run out onstage with a wah pedal and unplug Stevie’s cord from the amp and plug the wah in! The loop selector sent his signal either directly to his amps or through the effects. When it went to the effects, it would hit the Tube Screamer first, and then the wah—which is the opposite of how most guys do it. It’s a Joe Walsh trick that I passed on to Stevie. He liked the way the wah sounded better when it came after the Tube Screamer—he got a little more tone out of it. I would also tweak Stevie’s wahs to tune them. I’d open up the wah, and with the pedal in the toe position, I’d rotate the pot until it was at the frequency Stevie wanted. He knew how much treble he needed out of it. “When I worked with Stevie, he was using two Fender Vibroverbs for his dirty sound and he got his clean sound from a Marshall Club and Country 2x12 combo. He didn’t have his amps for the Montreux gig, so he played through two blackface Twins. We spent a lot of time working with them, mostly messing with the EQ, and we had a lot of problems with the volume that day. Stevie was used to people telling him he was too loud, but he wouldn’t turn down. The sound that he’s so famous for is based on volume. He did make some concessions because they were recording that day, so he let me tip the amps back on their legs, and I put towels over them to try to reduce the volume a little. But Stevie had never played Montreux before, and he was going to give it all he had. He couldn’t get the Twins to break up like his Vibroverbs, though, and his sound was a little brighter and cleaner than normal. “I didn’t see much reaction on Stevie’s face until after the gig, and he was really bummed at the crowd’s response. But he played great that night. I had no idea that all the connections would come from the Montreux show, but I definitely felt like Stevie was on the verge of being a big star.”

P H O T O : W A T T C A S E Y , J R .



SWISS CHEESE However, two members of the audience were very impressed with Vaughan’s playing that night. Meeting them would prove to be not only the turning point of the Switzerland trip, but arguably the most important contacts of Vaughan’s entire career. The first was David Bowie: “Claude Nobs had run the Montreux Festival for many years,” he recalls. “He knew I was a big R&B fan, and he thought I might enjoy this new kid. Come the show, blasting through a short but riveting set, SRV completely floored me. I probably hadn’t been so gung-ho about a guitar player since seeing Jeff Beck with his band the Tridents.” Bowie and Vaughan talked after the show, and those discussions led to Vaughan playing on Bowie’s huge Let’s Dance album. SRV described the meeting in the August ’83 issue of Guitar Player : “From what I understand, Bowie was looking for somebody who played this style anyway, and I was the one he picked. I didn’t really know how it would fit in, since I hadn’t heard the material and I didn’t have any idea what the songs would sound like. I did know what kind of rhythm and blues David liked, because we talked about that.” The other fortuitous meeting that night involved Jackson Browne, who was so moved by Vaughan’s playing that he offered to let him record for free in his studio in California. Those sessions would produce the master that became SRV’s debut album, Texas Flood . For Layton and Shannon, the words of praise from Bowie and Browne were a welcome relief from the catcalls during their set. “It didn’t surprise me at all that Bowie and Jackson Browne loved Stevie’s playing,” says Layton. “Stevie appreciated it, but he didn’t trip on it. Any time a big star told him they liked his work, he would smile and say thanks, but in his head he was thinking, ‘Wow, you like me just like that guy over

there who’s an auto mechanic.’ Everybody who liked his playing was just as i mportant as the next person. He was a real statesman that way.” Vaughan and Double Trouble discovered after their set that no one was scheduled to play in the basement bar at Montreux, and they jumped at the chance to get back on the horse that threw them. “We thought, ‘We came to play, so let’s play,’” says Layton. “Jackson Browne and his band stopped by and asked if they could jam.” “We felt a lot better by that point,” adds Shannon, “and we played all night. When we left, I remember the sun coming up. It was a great ja m.”

HOME AGAIN What had started out so great and then turned horrible, was now looking up again. SRV and company came home, filled once again with a mixture of nervous excitement. “There was a bunch of stuff out there on the horizon and it was really interesting,” recalls Layton. “At the same time it was a little scary, because Bowie had asked Stevie to play on this much-anticipated album of his, and there was talk of Stevie doing his tour. Tommy and I were worrie d that maybe our band was breaking up.” Over the Thanksgiving weekend in 1982, Vaughan, Layton, and Shannon went to Browne’s studio in California to lay down tracks. The next month, SRV went to New York to record Let’s Dance . “Stevie strolled into the Power Station and proceeded to rip up everything one thought about dance records,” says Bowie. “He knocked down solo upon solo, and pulled notes out of the air that no one could have dreamed wo ul d wo rk wi th my


songs. In a ridiculously short time, he had become midwife to the sound that had been ringing in my ears all year.” Shortly thereafter, Vaughan began rehearsing for the biggest Bowie tour of all time. He never ended up doing the tour, and the reasons behind that decision remain unclear to this day. Layton recalls the conflicting emotions that SRV was wrestling with at the time: “The Bowie tour seemed like a great break for Stevie,” he says. “But there were a number of restrictions placed on him, such as having his press interviews approved and orchestrated through Bowie’s people. Stevie was kind of a wild stallion, and he didn’t like people trying to fence him in. “Then there was the money issue. Stevie was getting paid o n a weekly basis, with t he understanding that they would do a couple of shows, then have a couple of days off. Well, Bowi e’s peop le kept addin g show s, which made Stevie’s weekly pay less mean-

P H O T O : E B E T R O B E R T S

SRV tearing it up on his #1 Strat in 1983.

Tone You Can Trust Te S2 Series from PRS Guitars provides tone you can trust whether you’re rocking an arena or gigging in the bar around the corner. Now, with two new models, the S2 Custom 22 and the S2 Singlecut, it’s easier than ever to find the one that’s right for you. Affordable, Maryland-made guitars with classic PRS sound and playability.

2 2 m o t s u C 2 S

a l r a t S 2 S

4 2 m o t s u C 2 S

a r i M 2 S

t u c e l g n i S 2 S

r e d l e i F m a h a r G y b o t o h P t r e c n o C / y e l g i u Q c r a M y b s o t o h P r a t i u G / s r a t i u G S R P 4 1 0 2 ©

classic interview february

ingful. The money got played up as the big reason why he quit, but I think it was less important than the fact that we were on the verge of having our record come out, and Stevie wanted to be able to give it his all. That was what he had always wanted, and he didn’t want to wait for a year to push his own record.” “Stevie was really unhappy at that point,” remembers Shannon. “He told me about the rehearsals where they wanted him to come down this ramp making all these rock-star moves. He could never do it—he just walked down the ramp. The guy was so dedicated to his vision that he couldn’t be false, and he wouldn’t bend that rule for anyo ne.”

Vaughan was also dedicated to his bandmates, and he offered to pay them his Bowie salary in order to keep the band together in his absence. When he quit the Bowie tour, the news was greeted with relief and admiration from Double Trouble. “All he said to me was, ‘Man, I just couldn’t do it,’” says Shannon. “I was really touched by his decision. I mean, the fact that in the midst of riding in limos and jets he could be happy to go back with us in our milk truck—that meant a lot.” SRV never said much about his split with the Bowie camp. He summed it up to GP in ’83 by saying, “I learned a lot working with David Bowie, but I’m glad to be back with my own band again. That was always my main concern, right from the start.” What seemed like a public relations disaster—quitting a world tour that would expose him to thousands of new fans—was once again transformed into a music-biz coup. News of Vaughan’s ballsy choice to remain true to his bluesman vision spread through the guitar community and garnered him an

2002

incalculable amount of street cred. “We had a great publicist named Charles Comer,” explains Layton, “and he spun the news like, ‘This skinny little white blues guitarist from Texas is not doing the biggest tour of a real star. Where does this nobody get off refusing this total somebody? He must have a lot of guts.’ As this story’s getting played up, our record and Bowie’s are out at the same time and everyone’s talking about how it’s the same guitarist. You couldn’t have planned it any better than it worked out on its own.” “About a month later,” continues Shannon, “we were touring California in our milk truck, and we pulled up to a club and there was a line stretching around the block. We’d played there before and the p lace was less than half full. We saw this crowd and wonde red if we had the righ t club! Then the record started selling like crazy, and we were on our way. It was an exciting time, but in a lot of ways I wasn’t surprised. I always knew Stevie was that great—long before he g was discovered.”

CLASSIC INTERVIEW from the February 2002 issue of Guitar Player magazine WATCH STEVIE AND DOUBLE TROUBLE TEAR IT UP AT MONTREUX.


The Best... For Less Only Guitarfetish.com offers the most unique brands in the music biz... Sold “Warehouse Direct” at Wholesale Pricing... with the widest variety of cool vintage, modern and cutting edge gear anywhere. Our GFS® Pickups, Xaviere® Guitars, Slickstraps™, Hardware and Accessories are shipped daily to customers all over th world. Our 30,000 sq. ft. of warehouses are packed with the brands that we design and sell, exclusively. We design everything in our Boston headquarters, and skip the middleman to sell direct to you! We’ve been fortunate enough to sell our stuff to some of the most respected guitarists out there, check our website to see the latest guys who turned down paid endorsements to PAY for their GFS® pickups and electronics. New products are arriving DAILY... New takes on the classics as well as totally new stuff that we invented... Great quality at the absolute lowest prices. Isn’t it time you stopped by to look around?

GFS REDactives™ Noiseless Active Pickups...Vintage Tone... Starting at $26.95

XV-890HH

XV-950 Xaviere® Guitars

XV-580SS Necks and Bodies

Acoustics... Electrics... Semi Hollow... Solidbodies GFS Pickups Factory installed... from $159

Solid Woods... Spectacular finishes Starting at $32.95

You can search the web or retail stores across the globe only to discover what tens of thousands of guitar players do every year...Nobody beats Guitarfetish.com GFS® Pickups and Xaviere® Guitars are sold exclusively online by

www.Guitarfetish.com

classic interview

Crowe-nies: Rich Robinson (left, with vintage Firebir d) and Marc Ford (with Les Paul Pro) keep it all in the family.


january 2005

here’ve been many tears making this record, just sitting behind the board listening and weeping, going ‘Goddamn, that’s beautiful.’” Marc Ford’s usual impish grin and twinkling eyes dim for a moment. Dragging on a Marlboro and taking a swig of Bud, the 28-year-old lead guitarist suggests that the emotional nature of the Black Crowes’ music and lifestyle is partly a result of the band being “very family-oriented.” That might refer to the blood tie between singer Chris Robinson and his brother, guitarist Rich, or the way the band moves through the world a self-supporting, idea-generating entity unto itself. Like all families, that closeness can bring shared pleasure or agonizing dysfunction. The Crowes have dealt with both.


classic interview january 2005

C

lack B

rowes

The 11 songs on their new American release Amorica, recorded by Jack Joseph Puig of Jellyfish fame, feature lush textures

S SHAKE

of open-tuned electric, Dobro, mandolin, pedal steel, and Latin percussion supporting

combative stance in the press, kicked off a tour for criticizing corporate sponsorship,

songs that lash out at outsiders and point at bubbling inward troubles. It’s heady stuff, but

and largely shunned by so-called “alternative” radio. Their considerable playing ability

will anyone notice? Since the band debuted in 1990 with Shake Your Money Maker , which yielded the hits “Jealous Again,” “Hard To

and musical background haven’t been highly touted either. Joining the band to replace Jeff Cease just

Handle,” and “She Talks To Angels,” critics have overlooked the band’s soulfulness,

before the recording of 1992’s The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion, former

poetry, and rhythmic edge, harping instead on their sonic resemblance to ’70s hard

Burning Tree frontman Ford is among the handful of truly convincing young blues-

rock outfits like the Faces, Humble Pie, and Free. They’ve been criticized for supporting marijuana legalization, attacked for their

based rock guitarists. His lead work on Southern Harmony ’s “Bad Luck Blue Eyes Goodbye” established his heartfelt single-note lyricism,

YOUR

MUSIC

MAKER

tudio Rats

M

and Firebirds

arc Ford is ambivalent about gear mania: “B.B. King once said, ‘Give me any guitar and amp, and I will get my sound, because my sound is me and not the instrument.’ That’s totally right-on. Give me a Hondo II, and I’ll make some nice sounds with it. The guitar is just wood and some electric bits. Get over it.” Of course, Marc doesn’t use a Hondo II. His main roadhog is a stripped-to-the-wood ’71 Gibson Les Paul Standard, a Christmas gift from Chris Robinson. “I had never played Gibsons before,” says Ford. “I was al ways a Stratocaster man, because you can throw them on the ground, step on ’em, drag ’em behind your car, and they still work. Gibsons always seemed too precious. A Gibson is like a Cadillac; it almost plays itself. With Fenders you’ve got to really dig in to get it out of there.” Along with a red Gibson ES-330 he borrows from Chris, Marc lays into two mid-’70s Strats, two early-’60s Epiphone Casinos, and a black early-’70s Les Paul Professional. He keeps a Guild D-25 acoustic at home. He likes brass, titanium, and ceramic slides, uses Gibson strings—either .010s or .011s on top—and totes .71mm Dunlop Delrin picks that say


“Shit Brown” on the flipside. His few effects include a reissue Vox wah, the Dunlop Roto-Vibe heard on “High Head Blues,” a Dunlop/Heil Talk Box, and a prototype tube-loaded Dunlop Fuzz Face. Marc played a Coral Electric Sitar on “Ballad Of Urgency” and used an EBow for the very first time on “Gone,” nailing it on the first take. “I know the guitar,” growls Marc, “and some little gadget isn’t going to be that scary. Your first instinct is always your best.” Rich Robinson has over 30 guitars, his signature ax being the naturalfinish ’68 Fender Telecaster he’s played for years. The Fender Custom Shop also made him a ’69 reissue rosewood Tele and a B-benderequipped Tele. “I’ve gotten into Firebirds lately,” says Rich, pulling out a gorgeous mid ’60s model. Rich also digs Les Paul Juniors and Specials. He calls his limed mahogany-finish ’73 Special “Bob Marley,” because he saw a film of Marley playing a similar one. He also has two ’63 TV Juniors. A few years ago Rich had Tony Zemaitis build him a custom ax with three Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates pickups. He also owns a black ’61 Gretsch Duo-Jet and a Gretsch White Falcon, a Travis Bean 5-string, a 1928 National Resonator that he plays on “Downtown Money Waster,” a ’50s Les Paul gold-top with a Bigsby tailpiece, a ’61 Gibson ES-335, and an ancient Supro given to him by Motley Crüe’s Mick Mars. His acoustics are two older Martin D-28s and a D-45.

january 2005

classic interview

and he comes of age as a powerful Duane Allman-inspired slide guitarist and stunning

recalls War’s classic “Spill The Wine”) are in standard. For the airy parts in “Non-Fiction,”

times Chris and I won’t talk to each other for three months.” After intense meetings that

soloist on new songs like “Cursed Diamond” and “P-25 London.” Rich Robinson, who

he used a pretty B b tuning, F , B b, F , B b, D , F . Their musical chemistry may be a winning

Ford describes as “therapy sessions,” the band reconvened in a different studio, and

writes most of the group’s music, is a driving boogie-rhythm player and a strong arranger. His ambitious pieces balance drummer Steve

formula, but the Crowes’ personal relationships remain volatile. Amorica was not made without ruffled feathers. The group originally

the sessions went off without a hitch. “The band was getting along much better,” says Ford, “and you can hear it.”

Gorman’s hard grooves with potent chord changes fleshed out by Eddie Hawrysch’s pi-

recorded 17 songs before scrapping the project and starting again. “Sometimes you have

Outwardly, Rich and Marc seem worlds apart. Marc walks with a cool-guy lilt, wears a

ano, Farfisa, and Hammond B-3. Rich played “Gone,” “Cursed Diamond,” “She Gave Good

to go through a bunch of shit to get it right, and you fight with band members,” shrugs

mischievous grin, and is open about his heavy partying, describing chemical-free, earnest,

Sunflower,” “Ballad Of Urgency,” and “Wiser Time” in his customary open-G tuning, while “A Conspiracy” and “High Head Blues” (which

Rich, who attributes group squabbles to the pressure cooker of long tours and the psychological vacuum that follows them. “Some-

composed Rich as a “rather sober fellow.” But both see themselves as musical lifers. “I really love the guitar,” says Ford. “I just have

Rich slams a power chord on a ’65 Fender 12-string, while Marc cuts a solo on a cherry Gibson ES-335 at L.A.’s Sound City Studios, May ’94.

Rich uses Gibson Brightwire strings with .010s on top; his slides are made of brass, and he digs in with yellow .73mm Dunlop Tortex picks. As Rich stated in our July ’92 issue, “I have never used an effect.” In the studio, Rich and Marc used an assortment of 50and 100-watt Marshalls, blackface Showmans, a ’60s blonde Fender Tremolux, a blackface Bassman, a ’50s Vibrolux, Vox AC30s, and Matchless Clubman 35s. For their first few tours, the Crowes’ entire backline was Marshall: Marc relied on his “baby,” a ’60s 50-watt Mark II, and a 100-watt Plexi head, while Rich preferred Silver Jubilees. On this year’s outing, the band is going with custom prototype heads by Mark Samson of Matchless. Each houses two amplifiers: a 35-watt and a 120-watt, with separate controls and outputs. When the amps are on, the scriptive nameplates that normally read “Clubman” light up with “The Doomer” and “The Deptford,” in reference to Marc and Rich’s respective guitar techs. Matchless is also making the band two 8x12 cabinets with 30-watt speakers made from reconed Celestion frames. The cabinets’ top halves are open-backed, the bottoms closed; each side has a separate input jack. Robinson is optimistic but concedes, “I’m going to bring the Showman on tour, just in case.” Rich recently purchased a home studio, as well as a mobile studio to record shows and those magical soundcheck jams. Special thanks to Black Crowes guitar and bass tech Paul “The Doomer” Bloom for his help in preparing this piece. PHOTO: BUTCH BELAIR



C

and if it sounds like shit sometimes, that’s fine, because you’re finding your way to

someone manufactured that’s supposed to look great, or someone just being who they are and being beautiful? I’d rather hear Keith

new areas. Even Jimi Hendrix at his best, when he was playing flawlessly, would occasionally hit the clam. “Ouch!” But he was

Richards just strum than somebody flippin’ out all over the guitar. Rich: I’m not technical at all. I mostly

up there in heaven with the guitar, feeling his way around and always trying to push

play in open G , so I don’t know the names of any chords. I know that I throw a capo

further and further, to find that new thing that tells you, “I’ve never done that before.”

on different frets, but I don’t know what the chords or scales are. And I’ve never bothered

this insane passion for music.” Rich agrees: “I guess you could almost call us musical scholars, without having gone to school. We

Page was the same way—all the greats were. You’ve got to fuck up to move ahead. We’re not a pop band. It’s spiritual. “Don’t think,

to find out, though it’s something I’d like to learn. The strongest thing about Marc is how well he knows the instrument and how

love all music, and we study it. We’ve devoted our lives to it.”

feel”—that’s my motto. I can’t listen to guitar as athletics. Who

many different styles he can play. He knows everything about every note.

cares how fast you can run? It’s how cool you look . [Laughs .] It’s like a woman. Do you want

Marc: I don’t know as much as you think

I do. If there’s one thing I’ve brought to the

a natural-born woman with beautiful curves, or do you want someone with silicone and collagen all over their body? Do you want

band, it’s the ability to listen. I was a little more familiar with my instrument than the other guys when I joined, and they learned

lack B

rowes

BIRDS OF A FEATHER Marc: I’m

not big on the technical side

of things. I’m about letting it all hang out,

from watching me and listening to me say, “This is not a competition. No one’s better, no one’s worse. Let’s listen to each other. Let’s make this sonic tapestry together.” You can have six guys with instruments in their hands—they could be the most amazing players in the world—but if they’re not listening to each other, it’s bullshit. There are live versions of us doing “Thorn In My Pride” that are like 18 minutes long. We just keep going, trying to really listen to each other. Rich: It’s

not the typical arena drumsolo/guitar-solo deal, and it’s not like the super hippy-dippy space jam. It’s not just a bunch of people soloing—it has a structure and it’s musical, like parts of a song where everyone follows each other.

“Retro was an easy label created by someone who thought it was going to be big for five minutes.” Rich Robinson

PHOTO: BUTCH BELAIR


january 2005

classic interview P H O T O : B U T C H B E L A I R

“We’re not a pop band— it’s spiritual.” Marc Ford

Marc: We’re

listening to each other. If

someone starts going . . . Rich: . . . the rest of us back off. Marc: If someone starts taking that dive, you support hi m. Then when he’s done, it’s someone else’s turn and you help him. “Help let that man slide!” Rich: Since I initiate the whole thing, everyone pays attention to me. They don’t always know where I’m going to go, so it’s amazing how well everyone follows. The only guy I really need to look at is Steve. He and I are on a wavelength when we jam—I can tell him the weirdest shit, and he’ll understand what I’m getting at. If Steve and I are in sync, everyone else knows exactly what’s go ing on.

open G . A lot of times I’ll only play two notes

I enjoy the outer side of reality, so maybe we’ll

is sort of the band director. You need one guy saying, “It’s going to be up, it’s going to be down.” Rich gives Steve a cue

of the chord, and Marc will follow it up. Marc: When two guitarists restate what each other’s doing, it can make it really big

drive for eight hours, and everyone will get off the bus and go into the hotel room, and we’ll just sit there and rap until everyone gets

and we’ll follow Steve, but really it’s a vibe situation—it’s so instant. Steve might raise

and powerful, but most of the time it’s just redundant. We’ve got seven people in the

back on the bus. Sometimes you don’t want to leave the bubble—bus, stage, hotel room.

his hand, but what does that mean? We just know. It’s a strange communication.

band, so you’ve got to make space, because there’s a lot of area that’s already covered.

It’s not a bad bubble, as long as you keep it in perspective and know what you’re doing.

Rich: I’ve got Ed Hawrysch over at my side

You’ve got to do your thi ng, but stay out of the way and be part of the whole. There’s a lot of notes lying around.

I’ve seen a lot of people crash. But it’s very cool, ’cause you know you’re going to make rock in a couple hours. Days off are fucked,

Marc: Rich

of the stage. Marc handles it on his side, and Johnny follows Marc . . . Marc: . . . which is so weird . He’s following

my hands. I’ll say to Johnny, “Go over there

will double up parts, but we don’t overdo it—there’s a balance, and

’cause you’ve got no gig to do, and you end up getting yourself in a lot of trouble.

next to the drummer—you’re the bass player!” How do you work out parts for the stage?

that’s what keeps it interesting. I think our songs are interesting; they take you to dif-

What’s the worst trouble you’ve ever gotten into with the Crowes?

ferent places and emotions, and that’s what music is for.

Marc: No comment. [Laughs .] I can’t say.

Marc: Sometimes

we’ll double rhythm parts, but more often Rich will play the bottom end of a chord and I’ll play the top. Or if he’s on top, I’ll widen the chord on the bottom. Rich: Plus

I play a lot of weird chords in

Rich: We

What’s it like spending ten hours in a bus every day for a year? Marc: It all depends on what you’re holding. [Laughs .] We have a great time. Chris and

Lots of trouble. Never been arrested, knock on wood . . . or formica, or whatever that is. Rich: Being on the road is a weird way of

life. It’s not bad, but it’s strange, especially when you’ve been brought up to live in o ne



C

lack B

rowes

house and go to school every day. But we still

fee is, you know where the beer is, you know

soundcheck every day! I love soundcheck. Get up there and play, that’s what you do.

where the weed is, you know how to get what you need. Get to the gig! Be as close to the

Marc: Yeah,

we always jam at soundcheck—a lot of bands don’t even show up at soundcheck, which is unbelievable to me. I

stage and the guitar as possible. Every single day, we show up religiously to soundcheck. Sometimes it’s just to check the monitors and

want to spend as much time around the gig as I can, because the rest of the day is fuckin’

things, but some days we’ll stand out there for three hours and they’ll have to kick us

boring. How many times are you going to be in the same city, and you know where the cof-

offstage because they’re opening the doors. “Get off!” Every day we switch the set around, because it would be such a shame to have it be mundane. “Aw, we did that last night.” It would turn into a job, and I’m into this because I didn’t want to have a job. I wanted to make sounds that people could appreciate, and see as many smiling faces as I possibly can. I say it all the time, though: “I have a great job. I go to work with a beer in my hand.” Just a bunch of belligerent drunks running around the world.

A CLASSIC FORD IN THE MAKING Marc: I was born in Long Beach, California, on April 13, 1966, and I grew up there. My first guitar was a $7.50 acoustic that

you couldn’t play past the 3rd fret; the neck was so fucked up and bent that all the notes were the same after that. My grandmother was a big antique freak. I used to go with her to swap meets all the time. At a Rose Bowl swap meet, I walked by this old, toothless man playing an acoustic guitar, and out of nowhere something hit me. I said, “Please, please, buy me a guitar.” It took me all day to beg her to break with the $7.50 to buy this shitty little acoustic, and ever since then, I just can’t put it down. Magic came to me. Then my little brother trashed it! My grandfather kept buying me guitars because he saw that it meant a lot to me. He bought me a classical nylon-string, then a steel-string, and finally a Les Paul copy, probably ’cause Frampton Comes Alive was the big record at the time. “Three pickups—wow.” As I kept getting better and more involved with guitar, he got me a Fender Stratocaster, but it had no whammy bar, and I was so depressed. “Oh, damn it. How could you get me a Stratocaster with no whammy bar?” But



C

lack B

rowes

I was already playing to a hundred million billion fans every day in my room. Did you ever take lessons? Yeah. That’s probably why I got my first guitar. In elementary school, we had this elective period for a half-hour a day. You

could grow gardens or play guitar with Mr. Milling. He really got turned on by turning

posture ] “You have to hold the guitar like so, put your foot over here. . . .” She would give

other people on to guitar. He taught me D and A and all the rudimentary chords, and

me homework to do, and of course I wouldn’t touch it until 15 minutes before class the next

he would write out songs like “Clementine.” At some point hi s class at schoo l ended, so he started a night class for adults— mostly

week. I’d cram really quick, memorizing by ear, because I had to fake my way through the reading. I played trumpet in fourth grade,

bored housewives. I was the only kid in the class, so I ended up teaching all these women

so I knew what the notes were, but I couldn’t really get it together. I didn’t have the heart

how to play “Stairway To Heaven.” I also took classical lessons from a woman

to tell my mom that I didn’t want to go to this teacher any more, because I was afraid that

who lived around the corner from my mom’s house. I hated that so much, but at least I was learning somethin g. I’d go for a half-

it would be a slap in the face. What were your favorite records back

hour every Wednesday at 5:30 p.m., and it was like going through hell. [Puts on mock formal voice and twists his body into classical

Descending again: Marc Ford’s lyrical lines pack an emotional wallop.

then? I really got turned on to the Beck-Ola and Jeff Beck Group albums. I’d blast them as loud as the stereo would go and as loud as my amp would go. I couldn’t wait to get out of school to get home and pick up the guitar and play Jeff Beck. At some point, someone taught me the blues scale and the Mixolydian and Assholian modes. And it really didn’t help me. I learned a lot more from sitting there with records and playing them over and over. I drove my parents fuckin’ crazy. In the early days it was stuff like Ted Nugent’s Double Live Gonzo. I had a friend who really turned me on to Hendrix. But I always tried to keep open to any other style that might be heartfelt. I still do. Chris really turned me on to Gram Parsons. Clarence White was unbelievable, his picking and things. The guitar saved my life. I’d either be dead or in jail if I didn’t have the guitar. It was always there. It was always someone I could talk to. It was my lady. I could always go to it, and it would help me out. I never bought into the macho, jock bullshit, and I never bought into what they were trying to teach me in school. I dropped out of school when I was 17, told Mom and Dad, “I have to be a musician—I’m going to be a rock star.” It went over really well. My father’s a banker. “No, you’re not. Get a real job. Don’t you know that for every 10,000 people who say they want to be rock stars, only one will make it?” I said, “Yeah, but I’m the one. I’m going to do it. I know what I’m doing, leave me alone.” I was living at Mom’s house because I didn’t have a job. I was just hanging around. I’d crawl into Mom’s house at five in the morning when Dad was leaving the house. We’d wave at each other. It was really hard to explain to them

PHOTO: BUTCH BELAIR


classic interview january 2005 the world, we need the best guitar player.” I went to Atlanta and we jammed in Chris’

through it, and it runs its course. And then with R.E.M. being big and coming fr om the

garage, and it went great. I went back home for a week, got some more clothes, and came

South, you heard a lot of alternative radio— real alternative, not 80 million listeners like it

back. Meanwhile, they had written a whole new batch of songs. They said, “We trashed those other songs; these are the new ones.”

is today. It was what alternative is supposed to be: the alternative to commercial mainstream music. There were all these college

We rehears ed for two more days, learned all these new songs, and on the third day

stations that used to play bands like Rain Parade, R.E.M., the Three O’Clock, the dBs—

we were in the studio making The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion. It was

who we were big fans of—the Long Ryders, and Let’s Active, [early R.E.M. producer]

that it was all worth it. I had to stay out late. I was networking . We had this network of people who were

finished in eight days. It was a whirlwind. We were on the road for 18 months after that. And now we’re going out for another

Mitch Easter’s band, who, though they were supposedly an alternative band, used to do Zeppelin covers live like “The Rover” and

really fighting against the big-hair bands, metal bands, and all the bullshit. I knew

18 months.

“Dancing Days.” We also started listening to Big Star and Alex Chilton around then.

C

lack B

rowes

Jimmy Ashurst in high school, and we had a garage thing, but he quit and formed the Broken Homes with Craig Ross. [ Now with Izzy Stradlin’s Juju Hounds, Ashurst plays

A RICH HERITAGE

Nick Drake is one of my all-time favorites. He’s kind of what got me into open tunings,

was born in Atlanta on May 24, 1969, the same birthday as Bob Dylan. I grew

because he’s just so . . . low. Especially his guitar tone and his picking, the subtleties that you can only pick out on acoustic,

up in the South. My dad used to always play guitar for Chris and I when we were kids. I

which i s how I writ e. That’s why you really have to listen hard to pick out half the shit

guitar sounds, not this stupid overdriven “crunch” thing. We were just sitting in alley-

always listened to a lot of folk and bluegrass with my dad, because he knows how to play it

I’m playing on our records, because they’re always washed over by so many different

ways drinking whiskey out of plastic bottles and screaming out, “We’re the next genera-

for real. My dad was mainly a songwriter and singer. He went by his name, Stan Robinson,

instruments. I started with a double-dropped-D tuning,

tion of great musicians!” And three or four years later, here we are. But at the time it was hard to find a singer

and had a folk band called the Appalachians. He had a few songs in the Top 40 and he was on the Alan Freed show and American

and I gradually tuned the A string to G , and it all started from there. Nick was the guy who got me into that. Then I started listening

who understoo d what I was trying to do, so I ended up having to create my own situa-

Bandstand . He used to play at the Ryman Auditorium at the Grand Ole Opry. My mom

to blues and started seeing different ways to tune down. I like Lightnin’ Hopkins and

tion. I tried getting a lead singer, a friend of mine, but we just didn’t see eye-to-eye, so

is from Nashville, and she used to sing, so she knows all the old folk and country songs.

Furry Lewis. His blues made me feel good. It’s just him and an acoustic. Lightnin’ makes

I quit. I figured I would have to sing myself. My record Burning Tree came out in 1990 around the same time the Black Crowes’

Sometimes I’ll hear a song and recognize it from my mom singing it. When I was 14 or 15 I st arted picking up

me feel good too, but he’s a little meaner and less folky. You know “Prodigal Son” on the Stones’ Beggar’s Banquet ? Elements of

first record came out. Chris and I got each other’s records about the same time. I said,

my dad’s favorite guitar, a really nice 1953 Martin D-28. To keep Chris and I from play-

that are definitely Furry’s things. Even his chord progressions make me smile, whereas

“I will listen to this man sing. I will be playing with this guy, I know it, because he hears

ing that guitar, he and my mom bought me a little shitty Lotus strat copy for Christmas and

someone like Mississippi Fred McDowell kind of bums you out. McDowell’s actually

and feels the same thing I do.” [Burning Tree later opened for the Crowes on a leg of their first headlining tour .]

got Chris a bass. We were into punk rock back then. There was a band in Atlanta called Neon Christ, so I had a big Neon Christ sticker on

my favorite guitar player, but Furry’s one of my favorites for his overall thing.

I got the call when they were done with their first big t our—350 shows in 14 months.

my guitar. I didn’t have the patience to try to figure out someone else’s songs, so I started

Do you write most of the band’s music? Chris and I always collaborate. He’ll ask me about melody and I’ll ask him about

I was still on Epic with B urning Tree, and we were about ready to do another album, but

writing music and Chris started writing lyrics. That’s how the whole thing started.

arrangements. Chris and I usually work the songs out before we bring them to the band,

the label was dicking us around and we were looking for another deal. Chris called one day and said flat-out, “We’re kicking Jeff Cease

What were your first songs like? The first stuff showed that we liked the Cramps, the Dead Kennedys, the Effigies,

but sometimes I’ll write a song in practice by accident. I came up with the “riff”—I hate that word—for “Gone” with Chris, took an

out of the band. He’s not working out, and we don’t want to play with him anymore.

Fear, and all those bands. It was punk-rocky, but we always had a pop thing going too.

older song and melded them together. “Descending” is almost like a Prince t une because

And being the best rock and roll band in

We liked the punk phase, but everyone goes

of the chord changes and the percussion.

mandolin on Amorica. Ross has been Lenny Kravitz’ lead guitarist for the past three years .] We were tryin g to keep it fresh, with real

Rich: I


WE’VE TAKEN DIGITAL WIRELESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL . . .

THE FLOOR

SYSTEM

STOMPBOX

DIGITAL 2.4 GHz HIGH- F IDELIT Y WIRELESS

Combining advanced 24-bit, field-proven performance, easy setup and clear, natural sound quality, our System 10 Stompbox delivers the ultimate wireless experience. With the tap of a foot on the rugged, metal Stompbox receiver, guitarists can toggle between dual ¼” balanced outputs or mute one output without affecting the other. And, since the System operates in the 2.4 GHz range, it’s free from TV and DTV interference. You can also pair multiple UniPak® body-pack transmitters with a single receiver to easily change guitars. So go ahead, give it a try – we think you’ll be floored. audio-technica.com

classic interview january

C

lack B

rowes

2005

you can come up with a billion meanings or associations of your own, and that’s when

so you can figure out what to do next. It all comes in a cycle. There’s a reason the Stones

people really get songs. It may have nothing to do with what whoever wrote it was think-

sounded like the Beatles and had similar haircuts when they first came out. Then they

ing, but you got something out of it. It’s hard to find something in common with anyone, but the 8 million or so people who buy our

found their niche and spread out. The music industry is stifling people whe n the y don ’t sel l eno ugh rec or ds at

records all liked a song or a sound, and that’s something they now all have in common.

first or don’t fit any niche. Bands aren’t being given the chance to expand and grow. They’re not being taken for their talent or their capabilities for the future. They’re be-

Prince is underrated as far as melody goes. That guy is amazing. I wrote “Descending” in practice, and I didn’t even like it at first.

RETRO R.I.P. Rich: The whole retro thing started as an

ing signed because they fit a niche. “That guy looks grunge—let’s sign him.” That’s about how pathetic it is. There are all these hands

I wrote the music for “Cursed Diamond” by myself on an acoustic in a hotel room. That

easy label created by someone who thought that retro was going to be big for about five

in the pot when money or glory is to be made, and all this selfishness stems from one of the

song is really heavy; it’s hard to listen to. But it’s cool that after hearing it a hundred times

minutes. They created that little niche. It’s like “alternative” now. Then retro became a

most selfless acts a person can do, which is write a song and give themself t o someo ne

I can still get bummed out by it. It’s really kind of lonely. When people say, “What did you mean

bad word, and suddenly only losers are retro. Which Seattle band doesn’t have Zeppelin or Sabbath in it? Soundgarden is Black Sabbath,

else. Even if you write a song to your girlfriend, you’re opening yourself up to a lot of criticism, a lot of hate or a lot of love. When

when you wrot e this?” my answer is, “What does it mean to you?” because that’s inevi-

but they’re not retro. This is the music we grew up on. You can’t deny that. You have to

you realize that, it’s a scary thing. But we love what we do , and no one can ta ke that away

tably the most important thing. With words

know what has and hasn’t been done before,

from us.

g

CLASSIC INTERVIEW from the January 2005 issue of Guitar Player magazine

BLACK CROWES IN 1995.


FAIR USE IS FAIR PLAY

Whether he is recording Mark Knopfler or learning a new plug-in, award-winning recording engineer Chuck Ainlay always acquires the music software he uses from legitimate sources. Chuck believes in fair play and works exclusively with legal software. Respect yourself, your craft, and the work of others. Buy the software you use, and buy the music you love.

www.imsta.org International Music Software Trade Association New York • Toronto • Hamburg • Tokyo Tel: 416 789-6849 • Fax: 416 789-1667 The International Music Software Trade Association is a non-profit organization that represents the interests of music software and soundware publishers. One of our most important functions is to advocate for the legal use of software in the music production and creation landscape. We do this primarily through public education campaigns. We are supported by our members who are software and soundware developers, distributors, retailers & publications. We are challenging piracy on moral grounds appealing to the good in all of us. We are trying to change behavior.

IMSTA_PFZ_Campaign.indd 3

5/9/2012 3:35:04 PM

new gear PRS SE MARTY FRI EDMAN SIGNATURE MODEL Goodies Beveled maple top with mahogany back. Mahogany neck.

Rosewood fretboard with 25" scale. SE humbucking Treble and Bass pickups. PRS-designed SE locking tuners. PRS adjustable stoptail bridge. Price $649

retail

More Info prsguitars.com

CARL MARTIN PURPLE MOON Goodies Dual analog vibe plus

fuzz. True bypass for FX on/off. Silicon fuzz has a gain control and is bound to the overall blend knob for volume. When the fuzz gain is turned all the way down only vibe is heard. Price TBA More Info carlmartin.com

DEAN MARKLEY PURE NICKEL HEL IX STRINGS Goodies New

patented hyper-elliptical winding

technique creates a tighter wrap and more

MARSHALL AMPLIFICATION

mass, sealing the strings without the need

HANDWIRED 2245THW

for coating. Pure nickel offers a warmer,

Goodies 30 watts. Tubes: four 12AX7s (one used

clearer tone and extends string life. Price $18

retail

More Info deanmarkley.com

for Tremolo), one GZ34 rectifier, two KT66. An exact replica of the extremely rare and muchsought-after “Bluesbreaker” 30-watt head. Price $4,800

retail, $3,299 street

More Info marshallamps.com


SAMSON SYNTH 7 UHF WIREL ESS SYSTEM Goodies Professional-level wireless system available

in

handheld, headset, lavalier, and guitar configurations. Offers over 90 channels, allowing for up to 20 systems to operate simultaneously, with a range of up to 300 feet. Receiver has a full-color LCD for use on dark stages. Metal-constructed

ON-STAGE GA300 CLASSICAL GUITAR CAPO Goodies Quick-squeeze trigger design.

Gently applies pressure to nylon strings.

transmitters feature an LCD screen that indicates battery level and operating channel. Scan Mode locates optimal frequencies for interference-free performance. Price $349 retail More Info samsontech.com

Silicone padding offers true string fretting. Will not scratch your guitar. Price $23

retail, $13 street

More Info onstagestands.com

POSITIVE GRID JAMUP PLUG HD

BLAC K C AT

Goodies Studio quality guitar and

bass interface for

use with recording and performance apps on the

MONA WAH

iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch. 24-bit/48kHz USB

Goodies Available in two different models: Vintage and Modern.

digital audio solution. 1/4" input jack. 1/8" output

Modern uses Dale precision resistors and WIMA film capacitors,

connector for headphones or powered speakers.

and is optimized for a clean, full-frequency response. Vintage uses

Designed for maximum compatibility with

carbon-comp resistors and NOS vintage capacitors and is voiced more like a vintage Vox wah. Each model is available in standard and deluxe editions. Deluxe Mona has a 3-p osition mini-switch that provides three distinct voicings. Price Standard: $225 retail, Deluxe: $295 retail More Info blackcatpedals.com

other mobile processing and recording apps, including GarageBand, AmpliTube, AmpKit, Auria, Cubasis, Audiobus, Loopy, and more. Price $79 retail More Info postivegrid.com


current issue i R ffs

March 2014 · Volume 48, Number 3

Here’s what’s in the March 2014 issue of Guitar Player on Newsstands Now! ,

RIFFS

R.I.P. Phil Everly, ArtistWorks online guitar school spotlighted, editors’ faves, and more! COVER STORY

Phil Everly 1939-2014

Rolling Stones Gear

Gear-obsessed author Andy Babiuk provides an exclusive sneak peek of his massive new book chronicling a half-century’s worth of instruments from one of the all-time great bands. 24

GUITARPLAYER.COM/M A R C H 2 0 1 4

gpr03 4_riff _p 4- 6_ln5.indd

4

/ 4/ 4 4: 0 P

ARTISTS Greg Howe · Leslie West · Rory Hoffman · Mike Keneally · Jim Oblon

Features

LESSONS

XXX

Under Investigation

A thorough examination of a particular style or player. This month: Badass TV Guitars. Alex Skolnick

Exploring the Major Pentatonic Scale

Headline HERE IS A SUBHEAD, IT IS ABOUT THIS LONG B YLINE

38

gpr03 4_ rt_ho

You’re Playing It Wrong

You might think you know how to play classic riffs like “All Along the Watchtower.” Here’s the absolute real deal.


_ o . indd 38

/ 4/ 4

:

A

Rhythm Workshop

Bending in Rhythm Pt. 3 Gear TEST DRIVE

GEAR New Gear Buyer’s Guide Electronic Tuners Gibson Memphis Luther Dickinson ES-335 Gil Yaron Bone

Gibson Memphis Luther Dickinson ES-335 TESTED BY MICHAEL ROSS SO NO FMEM PH ISM U SICLEGEN D JIMDIC KINSO N,LU TH ER

asolidmaplecenterblock.Likelate-’50s335s, itfeatureslaminatedmaple

Dickinson hasmadeithismissi on tobringNorth MississippiHillCountry

top,back,and sides,andtraditi onalf-holes.Theglued-in neckisquarter-

bluesinto the21stCentury (seetheJanuary 2014issueofGP). He keep s themusicfresh by efusingto r bea mererevivalist,insteadadding influ-

sawnmahogany,toppedby arosewoodfretboardwithpearloid dotposition markers.Vintagecream bindingadornsboth body andneck,andthe

encesfrom theAllmansto hip-hop,allwithoutlosingthe music’sprimal energy. Similarly, his signature ES-335 combines traditional dot-neck

gorgeous,nitrocelluloselacquer “Jim Dickinson Burst”finish matchesthe tobacco finish on avintageES-175ownedb y Dickinson’sfather.Thegui-

335 looks with some personal preferences for a novel take on a classic American instrument.

tar’snylon nutisprecision cutby thePLEK automatedtrimmingsystem. A fan of Gibson ES-330s, Dickinson chose to equip his signature

TheLutherDickinsonES-335retainstheclassicsemi-hollowbodywith

instrument with “dog-ear”cover P-90s instead of an ES-335’s standard

HEAR IT NOW! 118

Tone King Sky King and 20th Anniversary Imperial LE Albion Gulf Stream 30

www.guitarplayer.com/march2014


gpr03 4_gib on_ o . indd

8

/ 4/ 4

:4 P

P ! - 1 X R S TOTALLYNAILHENDRIX’S“ALLALONGTHE WATCHTOWER” C O O O D U NE E R S - 1 X & A R T S U P S S D S O G U IT ALEXSKOLNICK’SPENTATONICWORKOUT PHILEVERLYTRIBUTE B O E T N E W E G U I D T I M A U L T •

M O C . R E Y A L P R A T I U G

®

Stompbox Fever BOSS OD-1X Overdrive and DS-1X Distortion Studio Tools iZotope RX 3 Stompbox Fever Visual Sound VS-XO Stompbox Fever Red Witch Violetta Delay Fable Fighters What’s the Big Deal About Output Attenuators?

ChATTER EXCLUSIVE FIRST LOOK!

ROLLING STONES GEAR ANDY BABIUK’S LONG-AWAITED HISTORY OF ALL THE BAND’S INSTRUMENTS MARCH2014

$6.50

A N E W BA Y ME DIA PU BLICA TIO N

g p r 0 3 4 _ oc v r _ p h . i n d d

TIPS &TECHNIQUES FROM LesLieWest • GreGHoWe • MikekeneaLLy /5/

4

Gary Brawer on Maintenance Carl Verheyen on Performing Craig Anderton on Technology

:34P


EXPAND YOUR

sonic palette

Bring spectacular sounds to your recordings and compositions with Garritan virtual instruments. These

award-winning libraries make exceptional sound quality affordable. Garritan libraries work as a standalone program or as a plug-in, so they easily integrate with DAWs, sequencers, and notation software.

SCAN HERE

Visit alfred.com/garritan

TO LEARN MORE

lessons

“Keep things simple. Don’t fill your head with theory and numbers that have little to do with music.”—JOE PASS


august 2000

the

of secrets

walkıng

bass

a beginner’s guide to jazzy comping

P H O T O : C L A Y T O N C A L L

ın

b y a d a m l e v y

the world of jazz, it’s often flam-

to be the virtual rhythm section. One cool way to

boyant soloists who garner the

make the groove happen is to strum four-chords-

most attention. But it’s the rhythm

to-the-bar, à la Freddie Green. But to get things

section—the bass and drums—who

seriously cooking, you’ll need to lay down bass

make things really swing. On gigs where there

lines yourself, and add rhythmic punctuation with

are no bass and drums, the guitarist is expected

well-placed chordal and melodic counterpoint.

n


lessons

august 2000 Baby Steps

the

secrets of

walking

bass

How can one player do the physical and creative work of two? With practice and persistence, it is possible to simulate a mini-ensemble. In this lesson, we’ll work through the basic steps of building a hardy bass-and-chords groove. First, we’ll isolate the essential skills, and then we’ll merge these elements to create a solid, swinging accompaniment.

Let’s start with a simple, twomeasure chord progression—G7C7 —and the most elementary bass line that will get us from the root of the first chord (G) to the root of the second (C) using scalewise motion. Jazz bass lines are typically rendered in steady quarter-notes, so if we walk an upward line from one root to the other (beat one, bar 1 to beat one, bar 2), we’ll have to account for five notes: G , x, x, x, C . Stepping up through the appropriate scale for G7—G Mixolydian— we only have four notes (G , A, B, C ). This means we’ll either have to repeat a note ( Examples 1a and 1b) or add a chromatic passing tone (Examples 1c and 1d). Any of these solutions is fair play.

Ex. 1a



= 72-120

C7

4

2

T A B

1

2 3

3

2

3

The next step is to add harmony. Here, the job is to outline a progression’s essential harmonic content. Of course, on any given beat, one fretting-hand finger will be tied up with a bass note, so your chord palette will be limited to two- and three-note voicings. Given such restrictions, the best bet is to play a chord’s 3 and 7, which are its defini-

C7

 44         2

4

3

5

T A B

2

1

2

3 3

Ex. 1d G7

C7

 44         2

3

4

T A B

1

2 3

4

2

3

G7

C7

 44         2

4

3

5

T A B

5

Ex. 2a

1

1

1

2

2

3

Ex. 2b G7

C7

 44          3

T A B

G7

5

Ex. 1c

= 72-120

Adding Harmony and Rhythm

Ex. 1b G7

 44        



Walking downward from G is simpler, because there are just enough scale tones to fit—G , F , E , D , C . But you can still add chromaticism if you like, as shown in Examples 2a and 2b .

5

2

4

1

3

1

3 5

3


G7

C7

 44          3

T A B

5

1

3

2

5

4

1

3 3

august 2000 tive tones. On G7 , for example, laying down F and B (the b7 and 3) above the G bass gives our ears enough information to infer G7 ( Ex. 3). For other chord types, use the appropriate 3 and 7 (see table, Definitive Chord Tones). Now, we could simply let the chord’s 3 and 7 ring out as wholenotes, but half the fun lies in adding syncopated chordal punches to create a swinging feel. The simplest way to do that is to include one eighth-note punch per measure. To practice this, repeat a one-measure phrase using G7 , and place a chord punch on the first eighth-note of the measure (Ex. 4a ). Note: Treat all eighth-note rhythms in this lesson as “swing” eighth-notes. Next, shift the punch to the second eighth-note of the measure (Ex. 4b), then the third eighth-note of the measure (Ex. 4c), and so on, until the punch is on the eighth eighth-note (the and of beat four). Make sure to work on this punchover-bass concept at a variety of tempos, from 72 bpm to 200 bpm. You can make this exercise even Ex. 3

 44       2

1

1

T A B

“Contrapuntal players need to be able to independently control the volume of each voice.” —TUCK ANDRESS

S T R E B O R T E B E

more interesting by repeating a two-measure phrase, which gives you eight more possibilities for the eighth-note punch. Once the basic one-punch-perEx. 4a

G7



= 72-120 Swing feel

G7

 44                 2 1

1

4 3

3

3

Ex. 4c Swing feel

3

3

 44                2 1

1

T A B

4 3

3

3

3

3



= 72-120 Swing feel

2 1

1

T A B

4 3

3

3

3

3

Ex. 5b

G7

 44                 2

1

1

T A B

G7

 44                 Swing feel

3

Ex. 5a

G7

bar groove starts feeling good, it’s time to tackle more complex rhythms. Examples 5a and 5b put two common jazz-comping rhythms to work. Ex. 4b

T A B

4 3

lessons

4 3 3

4 3

3

3

3



= 72-120 Swing feel

G7

 44                2

1

1

T A B

4 3 3

4 3

3

3

3


lessons

august 2000

the

bass tone

secrets of

walking

t

bass

here’s more to walking bass than learning a few hip bass lines. As you’re trying to create an aural illusion, the trick is to get a timbre that suggests acoustic bass. And to really make the magic work, you’ve got to pay attention to details. Rule number one:

Do not use a pick—the resulting sound is often pointed and plucky. For

Use Your Illusion

optimum bass-like attack, use the flesh on your picking-hand thumb.

Once you’ve made nice with the previous examples, it’s time to move on to the final step—putting it all together. The bluesy, eightmeasure etude (Ex. 6) combines all the points we’ve discussed, and offers a few extra goodies. Pay close attention to the lefthand fingerings, as some of the chords— particularly C9 in bars 5 and 6—are nearly impossible to sustain for their full value without using the suggested fingerings. Notice how the rhythmic chordal phrasing in bars 3 and 4 mimics the phrase in bars 1 and 2. Such symmetry makes comping musical, and not just a series of random eighth-note punches. Use

(That’s

not how

bassists do it, but it’s the best way to approximate their

timbre on the guitar.) Your attack should be quick and sure, but not heavy handed. The last thing you want is the un-bass-like sound of your strings slapping the frets. (After all, upright basses don’t

have frets.)

It’s also a good idea to experiment with where you locate your picking hand, as different points along the string create subtle timbral changes. In general, you want to have your hand a little closer to the nut than usual, with your thumb hovering near the end of your fretboard. If you’re an electric player, you’ll want to dial in a clean, clear tone, with little or no reverb. A guitar with a wooden bridge will give you the most authentic attack and decay, and for a bona fide bass vibe, use a set of flatwound strings. —AL

Ex. 6

  44                                           

= 72-120

G7

Swing feel

C9

1

4

3 1

1

2

2

3

3 4 3

T A B

5 7 5

2

8 7 8

8 9 8

7 9

3 1

3

2

3

1 2

9 9

12 10

10 3

5

6

7

8

8

9

9

10

4

1

1

2

3

2

8

E7

4

1

1

1

1

F7

1

3

2

G7

1 3

4 1 3

1

1

C dim7

10

2

2

7

7

8 7 8

7 6

2

7

12

7

7

0

                                                 A7

5

C9

4 1 3

2

3

5 6 5

8

1

7

0

1 4 2

C7

4

( )

3

3 5 5

3

5


5

0

2

1

A 7 G7

3 5 4 3

6

G13

3

3

2

3

1

5 3 2

4

1

3

1

1

1

3 3 3

D

4

2

1

5 2 5 2

G13

1 4 3

1

1

T A B

1 1

4

1

D7sus

2 4

1

4

3

5 4

5

6

3

5 4

4 3

0 0 2 3

4

3

3

august 2000 this concept as you develop your own bass-and-chord moves. Work the etude up to speed gradually, keeping time with a metronome or beat box. If you can’t make your bass line and chords swing at a slow, sultry pace, you won’t be able to make them swing at medium or fast tempos. You may find it help-

ful to practice the bass line (downstemmed notes) and the chord punches (upstemmed notes) separately before attempting to play them all together. To really get into the swing of things,

lessons

“Fool around with half-step approaches to create tension.” —LENNY BREAU

definitive chord tones chord type 3

7

maj7

3

7

Cmaj7 = E (3), B (7)

dom7

3

b7

C7 = E (3), Bb (b7)

m7 (or m7b5)

b3

b7

Cm7 = E b (b3), Bb (b7)

J O N

Cdim7 = E b (b3), A (bb7)

S I E V E R T

dim7

b3

bb7

example

the sound of walking

j

oe Pass is likely the best known and most extensively recorded guitarist to feature walking bass lines in his music. His solo discs on Pablo (including the Virtuoso series and Montreux ’75 ) contain numerous examples of high-caliber walking, and his duets with vocalist Ella Fitzgerald offer further inspiration. Lenny Breau was another fine walker. Found on Five O’clock Bells [Genes], “Little Blues” illustrates his prowess.

Tuck Andress—the fretboard titan in the guitar-and-vocal duo Tuck and Patti—is yet another master. Tears of Joy [Windham Hill Jazz] evinces the outer limits of walking guitar lines, and Reckless Precision, his solo outing on Windham Hill Jazz, is packed with sauntering bass and rich counterpoint. Of course, nearly any record by 7-string pioneer George Van Eps will motivate wannabe walkers. The new kid on the block is 8-stringer Charlie Hunter, whose approach has roots in R&B and straight-ahead jazz. You can hear Hunter in full swing on his mid-’90s Blue Note discs Bing! Bing! Bing! and Ready. . . Set. . . Shango! If you want to go to the low-end source, check out the undisputed kings of jazz bass—Ray Brown and Paul Chambers. Brown made many great records in the ’50s and ’60s as a member of the Oscar Peterson Trio, and some of Chambers’ finest walking can be heard on the 1956 recordings Cookin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet and Relaxin’ with the Miles Davis Quintet . —AL


lessons the

secrets of

walking

bass

august 2000 “It’s not about playing quicker, it’s about playing with more execution—cannonball phrasing.” —CHARLIE HUNTER

try setting your time keeper at half the actual tempo, using its clicks as beats two and four. As awkward as this may feel at first, it’s a triedand-true method for improving swing feel by de-emphasizing beats one and three, which are more favorably accented in rock than in jazz. Make sure that your two parts (bass and chords) are balanced musically. To get the clearest perspective, record yourself and listen to the results. Remember, you’re trying to create an aural illusion, so the bass line should have the timbre of an up right, and the chord punches should sound like guitar. Whichever instrument you try to emulate, keep your chords timbrally distinct from the bass.

E B E T R O B E R T S

Homework Okay, so you’ve got the basic moves under your fingers. Now what? For walking practice, work on 12-bar blues progressions at various tempos in several different keys—including keys that could easily make use of openstring bass notes (such as E, A, D, G , and C ), as well as those that are less likely to include open strings (such as Bb, E b, and Ab). When you’re comfortable walking and comping through blues progressions, take a stab at a few simple jazz standards, such as “Take the A Train” or “All of Me.” With a little effort, you’ll soon be able to walk and chew gum at the same time. g

THE GREAT JOE PASS TALKS WALKING BASS.


WINE CLUB AWA R D W IN NI NG CAL IFORNIA W INE INSPIRED BY LEGENDARY ARTISTS AN D THEIR CLASSIC ALBUMS.

JOIN TOD AY. Includes one free 12 issue Guitar Player subscription and each quarter you will receive three award winning bottles for only $39.95 (plus S& H).

BONUS One preview issue of Guitar Aficionado with your introductor y membership!

Call 1 - 8 8 8 - 9 8 7 - 4 9 8 7 o r v i s i t GuitarAficionadoWineClub.com Guitar Aficionado Wine Club is owned and operated by Wines That Rock™

lessons


december 1991


lessons

december 1991


december 1991

lessons


lessons

december 1991


lessons

december 1991


december 1991

lessons

JOHNNY WINTER PLAYS SOME GREAT BLUES AND ROCK TURNAROUNDS ON DON KIRSHNER’S ROCK CONCERT IN 1974.


sessions


truefre


transcriptions


Used by Permission of ALFRED MUSIC PUBLISHING CO., INC.

israel “iz” kamakawiwo’ole



transcriptions


israel “iz” kamakawiwo’ole


transcriptions



the del vikings



transcriptions the del vikings



40YEARS OF INTERVIEWS,

GEAR, AND LESSONS FROM THE WORLD’S

MOST CELEBRATED GUITAR MAGAZINE

THE ULTIMATE RESOURCE FOR

GUITARISTS! CLASSIC ARTIST INTERVIEWS Jeff Beck, Chuck Berry, Eric Clapton, Dick Dale, Jerry Garcia, George Harrison, B. B. King, Yngwie Malmsteen, Brian May, John Mayer, Jimmy Page, Prince, Johnny Ramone, Bonnie Raitt, Keith Richards, Carlos Santana, Joe Satriani, Andrés Segovia, The Edge, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Angus Young, and more! INSPIRATIONAL MUSIC LESSONS Including “40 Timeless Tips from 40 Years of Guitar Player Lessons” and the innovative “How to Play Like” series, which reveals the 6string secrets of Duane Allman, Steve Howe, John Lee Hooker, Ritchie Blackmore, and many other guitar legends. MUST-KNOW GUITAR LORE “The 101 Greatest Moments in Guitar History,” “The 50 Greatest Guitar Tones of All Time,” “99 Ways to Play Better Now,” “50 Stompboxes That Changed the World,” “50 Ways to Record Great Guitar Tracks,” and “How to Record Acoustic Guitars.” BONUS! VINTAGE GUITAR P LAYER COLUMNS Tommy Tedesco’s Studio Log, Frank Zappa’s Non-Foods, Robert Fripp’s Guitar Craft, Howard Roberts’s Jazz Improvisation, and more!

AVAILABLE AT MAJOR BOOKSTORES AND ONLINE AT: WWW.BACKBEATBOOKS.COM OR WWW.MUSICDISPATCH.COM (800-637-2852)

transcriptions the del vikings


transcriptions



the doors



transcriptions


the doors


the doors


transcriptions


transcriptions


the doors


the doors


transcriptions


transcriptions


the doors


the doors


transcriptions


transcriptions


the doors


the doors


transcriptions


transcriptions


the doors


the doors


transcriptions


transcriptions


the doors


the doors


transcriptions


transcriptions


the doors


EXTRA LESSONS MORE GEAR ENHANCED SEARCHING AWESOME VIDEOS ONLINE STORE EXCLUSIVE BLOGS REVIEWS AND MORE

®

transcriptions


the doors


Vault Vol.4 No3 March 2014

Recommend Documents