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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 30, 2013 17:36:53 GMT -5
OK Freewheelers, here's something that hopefully you'll: a) actually kinda dig b) get some more fodder for ribbing me or c) actually dig and get some more fodder for ribbing me.  I won't bore you with the inspiration for this song and all that nonsense; just that I enjoyed making it, and I always appreciate your comments - constructive or otherwise! And feel free to watch in HD. |
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Post by Hey Man on May 30, 2013 18:06:45 GMT -5
That was excellent Blackwell - I really dug it, but did you have to get all wet like Bruce Kulick in the Tears Are Falling video?  Where is the 5 o clock shadow? |
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Post by R&ROVER on May 30, 2013 19:41:30 GMT -5
You had me at "fountain shower".
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Post by Tookie on May 30, 2013 21:38:06 GMT -5
Cool! It kinda reminded me of Sambora or something Bon Jovi might have done in 1995. I liked the fountain shot even if you had to share it with a little kid, and the skyline shot was the best.
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 2:00:22 GMT -5
Thanks guys! I was expecting it to be unbearably hot while filming, so I figured the water fountain might be a good idea. I guess I kinda got the idea from Bruce Kulick, but also Billy Squier. Maybe a Rock Me Tonight-type video will be next? |
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Post by R&ROVER on May 31, 2013 6:10:13 GMT -5
The fountain thing might've been cooler to watch at night with some flood lights. While I think you ought to have someone else dress you, the fountain thing really caught me by surprise. The video makes a great hair metal parody, intended or otherwise. Visually speaking I laughed from beginning to end and never harder than at "splashville".
On to more important things, the song is perfectly pleasant. I'm glad you're not an over the top player. While I don't really hear anything new or terribly exciting or surprising in this song (sorry...but you're doing what you're doing with aplomb just the same), I'm also not rolling my eyes at it either. Hardly. Taste is an oft-overlooked and too often dismissed quality for self-centered wankery. Thanks for sidestepping that and exercising a good degree of control.
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 12:39:08 GMT -5
The fountain thing might've been cooler to watch at night with some flood lights. While I think you ought to have someone else dress you, the fountain thing really caught me by surprise. The video makes a great hair metal parody, intended or otherwise. Visually speaking I laughed from beginning to end and never harder than at "splashville". On to more important things, the song is perfectly pleasant. I'm glad you're not an over the top player. While I don't really hear anything new or terribly exciting or surprising in this song (sorry...but you're doing what you're doing with aplomb just the same), I'm also not rolling my eyes at it either. Hardly. Taste is an oft-overlooked and too often dismissed quality for self-centered wankery. Thanks for sidestepping that and exercising a good degree of control. Thanks so much R&ROVER! The video is sort of meant to have a Spinal Tap-ish flare, and the fountain is sort of the topper. When I posted the video, it wanted to make that scene the thumbnail, but I changed it, so the surprise wouldn't be ruined! I laugh watching it, too, mainly because I remember how hard it was keeping a straight face for most of this. I get what FV was saying that the corny video might detract from the song, but I thought this would maybe have a bit more personality - good or otherwise! And I really appreciate the comments on the playing - it's exactly what I'm going for, so it really makes me feel as if I'm getting at least close to what I'm after. There's still sometimes the temptation to 'shred' here and there, but I make myself play a Strat without overwhelming amounts of sustain, which makes it harder. Thanks so much!! And glad you got a kick out of it, too, LED! |
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 12:49:02 GMT -5
Maybe I'll make another video with the outtakes of me playing with the kids in the water?  |
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 12:54:39 GMT -5
The fountain thing might've been cooler to watch at night with some flood lights. While I think you ought to have someone else dress you, the fountain thing really caught me by surprise. The video makes a great hair metal parody, intended or otherwise. Visually speaking I laughed from beginning to end and never harder than at "splashville". On to more important things, the song is perfectly pleasant. I'm glad you're not an over the top player. While I don't really hear anything new or terribly exciting or surprising in this song (sorry...but you're doing what you're doing with aplomb just the same), I'm also not rolling my eyes at it either. Hardly. Taste is an oft-overlooked and too often dismissed quality for self-centered wankery. Thanks for sidestepping that and exercising a good degree of control. Thanks so much R&ROVER! The video is sort of meant to have a Spinal Tap-ish flare, and the fountain is sort of the topper. When I posted the video, it wanted to make that scene the thumbnail, but I changed it, so the surprise wouldn't be ruined! I laugh watching it, too, mainly because I remember how hard it was keeping a straight face for most of this. I get what FV was saying that the corny video might detract from the song, but I thought this would maybe have a bit more personality - good or otherwise! And I really appreciate the comments on the playing - it's exactly what I'm going for, so it really makes me feel as if I'm getting at least close to what I'm after. There's still sometimes the temptation to 'shred' here and there, but I make myself play a Strat without overwhelming amounts of sustain, which makes it harder. Thanks so much!! And glad you got a kick out of it, too, LED! The next time you do this, it would be cool if you had a bridge/build up in the instrumental with hard rock riff or something like this at the 1:15 mark. |
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 13:34:18 GMT -5
Thanks for the suggestion - I'll keep that in mind. For reasons beyond my control, I'm turning into a wuss in my old age. I just seem to keep getting mellower. I just rarely if ever pick up the guitar and 'rock out.' I've got some ideas for my next song but haven't chosen which one to pursue; and I've promised the girlfriend I wouldn't fire up Pro Tools for 2 weeks, when she goes out of the country. At first I shied away from harder rock because it always sounds bad with drum machines; but now I have an extensive (and incredible) loop library (and I could call Brian Tichy ) but it's still something that I'm not that inspired to pursue. But I am giving up on the notion of working with vocalists, at least for the short term. This current song was intended to be a male/female duet, where the male takes the first verse, the female the second after the key change, and they sing in harmony for the minor key chorus. But musicians are flaky, and my soul singer friend flaked out on me. It was maybe headed in the direction of this: |
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 13:42:40 GMT -5
Don't you have any guitar students that have a killer voice too that you could add to one of your instrumentals? Yes - call Tichy.
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 14:45:40 GMT -5
Don't you have any guitar students that have a killer voice too that you could add to one of your instrumentals? Yes - call Tichy. The problem with someone with a killer voice is, they feel they have to demonstrate it all the time. Which can be a detriment to a pop song. I meant to Facebook Tichy after you made that post just to get a ballpark figure. But he joined Geoff Tate's band right after that, so I figured he was out of his studio. I'll still do it, just out of curiosity. |
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 14:48:36 GMT -5
Don't you have any guitar students that have a killer voice too that you could add to one of your instrumentals? Yes - call Tichy. The problem with someone with a killer voice is, they feel they have to demonstrate it all the time. Which can be a detriment to a pop song. I meant to Facebook Tichy after you made that post just to get a ballpark figure. But he joined Geoff Tate's band right after that, so I figured he was out of his studio. I'll still do it, just out of curiosity. You think Chad Kroeger doesn't try to impress with his vocal growl? |
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 15:19:47 GMT -5
The problem with someone with a killer voice is, they feel they have to demonstrate it all the time. Which can be a detriment to a pop song. I meant to Facebook Tichy after you made that post just to get a ballpark figure. But he joined Geoff Tate's band right after that, so I figured he was out of his studio. I'll still do it, just out of curiosity. You think Chad Kroeger doesn't try to impress with his vocal growl? I think it's different in that it's not a demonstration of virtuosity or musical prowess. He stays in the melody pretty well, and his occasional growls are more for expression than showing off. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. That Kei$ha clip is actually a good example; she's trying to demonstrate her singing ability (whatever that may be) and she's go her least melodic song as a result. |
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 15:27:10 GMT -5
You think Chad Kroeger doesn't try to impress with his vocal growl? I think it's different in that it's not a demonstration of virtuosity or musical prowess. He stays in the melody pretty well, and his occasional growls are more for expression than showing off. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. That Kei$ha clip is actually a good example; she's trying to demonstrate her singing ability (whatever that may be) and she's go her least melodic song as a result. It's weird, but I have never listened to a song with a vocalist that has killer pipes and said to myself - I really wish he would tone it down, because he is ruining the song. The ending of Sailing Ships here MAKES the song and yes Coverdale is showing off. At the 5:30 mark. |
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 15:36:41 GMT -5
I think it's different in that it's not a demonstration of virtuosity or musical prowess. He stays in the melody pretty well, and his occasional growls are more for expression than showing off. At least that's my story, and I'm sticking to it. That Kei$ha clip is actually a good example; she's trying to demonstrate her singing ability (whatever that may be) and she's go her least melodic song as a result. It's weird, but I have never listened to a song with a vocalist that has killer pipes and said to myself - I really wish he would tone it down, because he is ruining the song. The ending of Sailing Ships here MAKES the song and yes Coverdale is showing off. At the 5:30 mark. For me it may be just about changing tastes with changing times. I've heard all the vocal pyrotechnics and guitar acrobatics SO many times, that it's just old. (Weird comparison alert) I just walked to the mailbox in my boxer shorts type underwear. Waved to the neighbors, no big deal. Yet watch a sitcom from the 70's and there is absolutely NOTHING more hysterical than someone being seen in their boxer shorts or underwear. Heck there's a fitness Facebook page I frequent and girls are always posting before and after pictures in their underwear. It's really no big deal; but decades ago it was riotous and/or shocking. So maybe the first however many times I heard someone sing impressively or play guitar fast it had an 'Ooh aah' effect on me. But now it's more like, 'Here we go again, yawn.' I was just going through the cloud player to see if I could get a spark for some heavier music and came across another band I absolutely love. I don't how they rate in your estimation compared to Nickelback, but man I am totally cranking up Disturbed right now. Love it! |
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 15:44:12 GMT -5
It's weird, but I have never listened to a song with a vocalist that has killer pipes and said to myself - I really wish he would tone it down, because he is ruining the song. The ending of Sailing Ships here MAKES the song and yes Coverdale is showing off. At the 5:30 mark. For me it may be just about changing tastes with changing times. I've heard all the vocal pyrotechnics and guitar acrobatics SO many times, that it's just old. (Weird comparison alert) I just walked to the mailbox in my boxer shorts type underwear. Waved to the neighbors, no big deal. Yet watch a sitcom from the 70's and there is absolutely NOTHING more hysterical than someone being seen in their boxer shorts or underwear. Heck there's a fitness Facebook page I frequent and girls are always posting before and after pictures in their underwear. It's really no big deal; but decades ago it was riotous and/or shocking. So maybe the first however many times I heard someone sing impressively or play guitar fast it had an 'Ooh aah' effect on me. But now it's more like, 'Here we go again, yawn.' I was just going through the cloud player to see if I could get a spark for some heavier music and came across another band I absolutely love. I don't how they rate in your estimation compared to Nickelback, but man I am totally cranking up Disturbed right now. Love it! I feel it's important to bring up, because you mention it always - but not every virtuouso guitarist was a shredder or tried to play as fast as possible. Plenty of great guitarists in the 80's just went for the groove. I feel you lump in every talented guitarist in the same boat. |
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 15:48:55 GMT -5
Oh I agree, I just feel that back then they had A & R guys and labels making them reign it in a bit. Steve Lukather was brilliant - from Olivia Newton John's Physical, to Donna Summer's She Works Hard for the Money, to The Tubes' She's a Beauty, etc. etc.
But where are the similar works of today? Today everything seems overly indulgent.
People like to think all that guitar wankery was really in vogue in the 80's, and do a degree it was. But let us never forget none of those guys sold albums the way Mick Mars and C.C. Deville did.
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 16:15:25 GMT -5
Oh I agree, I just feel that back then they had A & R guys and labels making them reign it in a bit. Steve Lukather was brilliant - from Olivia Newton John's Physical, to Donna Summer's She Works Hard for the Money, to The Tubes' She's a Beauty, etc. etc. But where are the similar works of today? Today everything seems overly indulgent. People like to think all that guitar wankery was really in vogue in the 80's, and do a degree it was. But let us never forget none of those guys sold albums the way Mick Mars and C.C. Deville did. To be fair - any rock you do hear is snippits or out of album context songs that we post here. You are not even buying albums now from rock artists/musicians you loved in the 80's. You can't claim to know what every rock artist is doing, when you don't listen to full albums. When was the last time you bought a new Steve Lukather album. His new stuff still gets great reviews. I think you have taken that one Journey album where Neal decided to go on a wank fest and you think that every rock artist is doing the same thing. Believe it or not, but some 80's bands are actually making better albums today, but by your own admission you have mellowed out and are pop focused. So at this point - I don't think you could even recognize that some bands are releasing quality material today because I am sure you don't really care for the hard rock albums you loved in the 80's at this point in your life. Do you ever have a 80's metal weekend where you pull out all your old hair band/hard rock favorites? |
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 17:15:58 GMT -5
By the way, why are your arms tanned - but your hands are bone white?
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on May 31, 2013 17:20:19 GMT -5
Oh I agree, I just feel that back then they had A & R guys and labels making them reign it in a bit. Steve Lukather was brilliant - from Olivia Newton John's Physical, to Donna Summer's She Works Hard for the Money, to The Tubes' She's a Beauty, etc. etc. But where are the similar works of today? Today everything seems overly indulgent. People like to think all that guitar wankery was really in vogue in the 80's, and do a degree it was. But let us never forget none of those guys sold albums the way Mick Mars and C.C. Deville did. To be fair - any rock you do here is snippits or out of album context songs that we post here. You are not even buying albums now from rock artists/musicians you loved in the 80's. You can't claim to know what every rock artist is doing, when you don't listen to full albums. When was the last time you bought a new Steve Lukather album. His new stuff still gets great reviews. I think you have taken that one Journey album where Neal decided to go on a wank fest and you think that every rock artist is doing the same thing. Believe it or not, but some 80's bands are actually making better albums today, but by your own admission you have mellowed out and are pop focused. So at this point - I don't think you could even recognize that some bands are releasing quality material today because I am sure you don't really care for the hard rock albums you loved in the 80's at this point in your life. Do you ever have a 80's metal weekend where you pull out all your old hair band/hard rock favorites? To a degree you are correct; and yes I do occasionally take a stroll down memory lane with those great old tunes. I've heard some music all the way through, and some I've sampled. Lukather is even a damn good vocalist, too, but I don't think his solo work is anywhere close to being as commercial as Toto - and when you get right down to it, that's what I like - commercial, accessible. I have a DVD he did with probably my absolute favorite, Larry Carlton, and sadly both of them sunk into untold depths of wankery. I have listened to entire tracks when they have surfaced - Warrant, Night Ranger, etc. - and considering these are likely the most accessible tracks and I wasn't even that crazy about them, I don't imagine I'd dig the entire albums. |
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Post by Hey Man on May 31, 2013 17:30:16 GMT -5
To be fair - any rock you do here is snippits or out of album context songs that we post here. You are not even buying albums now from rock artists/musicians you loved in the 80's. You can't claim to know what every rock artist is doing, when you don't listen to full albums. When was the last time you bought a new Steve Lukather album. His new stuff still gets great reviews. I think you have taken that one Journey album where Neal decided to go on a wank fest and you think that every rock artist is doing the same thing. Believe it or not, but some 80's bands are actually making better albums today, but by your own admission you have mellowed out and are pop focused. So at this point - I don't think you could even recognize that some bands are releasing quality material today because I am sure you don't really care for the hard rock albums you loved in the 80's at this point in your life. Do you ever have a 80's metal weekend where you pull out all your old hair band/hard rock favorites? To a degree you are correct; and yes I do occasionally take a stroll down memory lane with those great old tunes. I've heard some music all the way through, and some I've sampled. Lukather is even a damn good vocalist, too, but I don't think his solo work is anywhere close to being as commercial as Toto - and when you get right down to it, that's what I like - commercial, accessible. I have a DVD he did with probably my absolute favorite, Larry Carlton, and sadly both of them sunk into untold depths of wankery. I have listened to entire tracks when they have surfaced - Warrant, Night Ranger, etc. - and considering these are likely the most accessible tracks and I wasn't even that crazy about them, I don't imagine I'd dig the entire albums. And to me commerical and accessible sounds like a bad thing. It's like saying be mediocre so that general public who has shitty taste in music will like you. I generally always preferred the deep cuts over what some record label or band thought would be hit single material. So while you probably loved I Was Made For Loving You in 1979, I couldn't stop listening to Save Your Love and HATED I Was Made. |
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Post by R&ROVER on May 31, 2013 18:34:14 GMT -5
Please tell me you water logged a Squier Start....
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on Jun 1, 2013 2:54:13 GMT -5
Please tell me you water logged a Squier Start.... You got that right! I was a little apprehensive about it, but it's my 10 year old nephew's, and believe me - if you made a list of the 10 worst things that poor guitar has been through, being in the fountain probably wouldn't even make the list! |
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on Jun 1, 2013 2:56:03 GMT -5
To a degree you are correct; and yes I do occasionally take a stroll down memory lane with those great old tunes. I've heard some music all the way through, and some I've sampled. Lukather is even a damn good vocalist, too, but I don't think his solo work is anywhere close to being as commercial as Toto - and when you get right down to it, that's what I like - commercial, accessible. I have a DVD he did with probably my absolute favorite, Larry Carlton, and sadly both of them sunk into untold depths of wankery. I have listened to entire tracks when they have surfaced - Warrant, Night Ranger, etc. - and considering these are likely the most accessible tracks and I wasn't even that crazy about them, I don't imagine I'd dig the entire albums. And to me commerical and accessible sounds like a bad thing. It's like saying be mediocre so that general public who has shitty taste in music will like you. I generally always preferred the deep cuts over what some record label or band thought would be hit single material. So while you probably loved I Was Made For Loving You in 1979, I couldn't stop listening to Save Your Love and HATED I Was Made. I actually dug both, if that's OK. What did you think of Toto? They may be too ballad heavy and slick for some, but I do prefer them to what Lukather does solo. |
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Post by Hey Man on Jun 1, 2013 3:01:26 GMT -5
And to me commerical and accessible sounds like a bad thing. It's like saying be mediocre so that general public who has shitty taste in music will like you. I generally always preferred the deep cuts over what some record label or band thought would be hit single material. So while you probably loved I Was Made For Loving You in 1979, I couldn't stop listening to Save Your Love and HATED I Was Made. I actually dug both, if that's OK. What did you think of Toto? They may be too ballad heavy and slick for some, but I do prefer them to what Lukather does solo. But that's Toto. Isn't the whole point of a band and a solo career to be somewhat different. Sammy Hagar solo isn't like Van Halen and so forth. It sounds like you never wanted Toto to end and thus you are not interested in the output of individual members from that band. |
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Post by R&ROVER on Jun 1, 2013 7:27:23 GMT -5
Please tell me you water logged a Squier Start.... You got that right! I was a little apprehensive about it, but it's my 10 year old nephew's, and believe me - if you made a list of the 10 worst things that poor guitar has been through, being in the fountain probably wouldn't even make the list! "What are you doing to my guitar?". Blackwell replies, "Playing it for a change." |
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Post by Mr. Blackwell on Jun 1, 2013 13:57:33 GMT -5
You got that right! I was a little apprehensive about it, but it's my 10 year old nephew's, and believe me - if you made a list of the 10 worst things that poor guitar has been through, being in the fountain probably wouldn't even make the list! "What are you doing to my guitar?". Blackwell replies, "Playing it for a change." That about sums it up! My biggest regret when I gave it to him was telling him not to screw the whammy bar in too tight. Which of course meant he went home and screwed it in as far as he could. Now the whole thing is stripped and it just dangles uselessly. He also asks me questions frequently about why guys smash guitars, so I'm prepared to see it in a million pieces someday. |
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Post by R&ROVER on Jun 1, 2013 15:00:15 GMT -5
Ha!
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Post by Hey Man on Jun 1, 2013 15:51:48 GMT -5
So why are your arms all tanned, but your hands are bone white?
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