Tom’s Deep Trax & Seminal Sides Volume 1

ROBBIE SHAKESPEARE: Bob Dylan “Too Late” 

 

Audio link: https://youtu.be/RUT7N8RYgSI When is “too many notes” not too many notes? Right here! Dig Robbie’s double-time riddum on this Zimmy outtake entitled “Too Late,” metamorphosing a mid-tempo folk ditty into a groovin’ reggae psalm! And the libretto ain’t to shabby either… 

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JERRY SCHEFF: Mick Jagger “Memo From Turner” 

 

Audio Link: https://youtu.be/yCoCgB3eIU4  Recorded by the Stones a few months following the Beggar’s Banquet sessions in ‘68, various versions of this incendiary track from Mick’s Performance film have found its way on to bootlegs. However the official release is the definitive, produced by Jack Nitzsche in L.A. with session cats aplenty: guitarists Ry Cooder and Russ Titelman, Randy Newman on piano, drummer Gene Parsons, and bassist Jerry Scheff.  

 

Presley’s late 60s-70s anchor drenches his trad Fender P bass tone with distortion, and he’s a far busier player than the former William Perks, affording this somewhat forgotten gem of a recording a decidedly southern fried rhythm & blooze veneer abetted by Jagger’s jagged drawl.

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HERBIE FLOWERS: David Bowie David Live

 

Introducing Ziggy Souldust….

 

It could be the greatest concert recording ever by a major rock artist …or the worst.

 

Despite overdubs aplenty, a near mutiny by his backing band (allegedly commandeered by this bassist), and horrific reviews – the former David Jones’ first (and to my ears finest) live set waxed in the summer of ’74 is a fascinating, futuristic, and funky meld of glam, soul, theater, and avant-garde. 

 

Anchoring an all-star ensemble which featured Earl Slick (guitar), Michael Kaman (keys), David Sanborn (sax), Tony Newman (drums), Warren Peace and Gui Asandro (backing vocs), Pablo Rosario (percussion), and Mike Garson (piano), Richard Grando (sax/flute) was virtuoso session bassist Herbie Flowers. 

 

Herbie’s sizzling staccato lines, jazzy harmonic counterpoint, and rhythmic variations re-cast David’s Ziggy era canon with a decidedly Broadway flair.

 

Akin to Robert Zimmerman, Bowie completely reinvents his canon on this now expanded twofer which blew minds aplenty upon its winter release. I’m sure it took concertgoers a few minutes to figure out what song the motely were rendering. Every now and then a cocaine fueled train wreck works, that’s David Live at the Tower Philadelphia.

 

Kudos to producer Tony Visconti for pushing Herbie up in the mix!

 

“Moonage Daydream” https://youtu.be/SOYNkDPqsso

 

“Suffragette City” https://youtu.be/WuyTVxvfIig

 

“1984” https://youtu.be/JIPt9UpHtXQ

 

“Rebel Rebel” https://youtu.be/QLyDNl0rfi0  

 

“Sweet Thing” https://youtu.be/CiydgQymvTE    

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BRUCE THOMAS: Elvis Costello & The Attractions Punch The Clock 

 

Times, trends, tones, and technology were a-changin’ during the Reagan / Thatcher era, hence the trad low-end resonance of Fender and Danelectro, among other studio staples, could not compete with the barrage of snazzy synthesizers that dominated the pop music landscape.

 

As such many a bassist opted for more treble trolling instruments. Enter Bruce Thomas on Declan’s superb 1983 platter Punch the Clock with his “electric Wal bass guitar” as listed in the album credits. Featuring Chet Baker and TKO sax colossus / clarinetist Geoff Blythe (listed as “Jeff”), Bruce’s signature countermelodic harmonic forays forged a decidedly sharper twang.

 

Thomas’ tempered timbre manages McManus’ melancholy melodies and “sugary” stanzas quite magnificently.  

 

“Everyday I Write the Book”    https://youtu.be/V1d4r9awjKE 

 

“Let Them All Talk” https://youtu.be/NaYJCfenR20

 

“Invisible Man” https://youtu.be/3o-iZ_GfTTs

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DAVID HOOD: Traffic On The Road

 

Extended live slabs are oft ponderous affairs, however this terrific Traffic twofer with Muscle Shoals “Swamper” David Hood in the bass chair is the rare exception.

 

Waxed in Germany ’73 – dig the “wir fahr’n fahr’n fahr’n auf der Autobahn” cover artwork – Hood along with polyrhythmic percussive purveyors Jim Capaldi, Rebop, and Roger Hawkins stir up a Bitches Brew brouhaha on super stretched out renditions of the studio originals.

 

Hood masters the pocket – rendering subtle variations on what are essentially jam vamps tailored to the improvisational prowess of Messrs. Chris Wood, Steve Winwood, and second keys man Barry Beckett. 

 

“Glad / Freedom Rider” medley https://youtu.be/K37bsDlutes

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JOHN BAKER SAUNDERS: Mad Season Above

 

Doomed by drug addiction, this 1990s alt-rock super group comprised from Seattle’s finest – Alice in Chains (Layne Staley), Pearl Jam (Mike McCready), and Screaming Trees (Barret Martin)- waxed a gem of a slab that traversed ambient, jazz, blues, trad hard-rock, experimental and “grunge.”

 

Bassist John Baker Saunders, who cut his teeth with notable artists including Hubert Sumlin and The Walkabouts, nimbly works the pocket with inventive harmonic extensions and legato passages.

 

Intense, understated performances from all involved – it’s pity that half of Mad Season left this mortal coil way too soon….     

 

Lifeless Dead”  http://bit.ly/2tPMebm

 

“River of Deceit” https://youtu.be/StqioKCPqF8

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JIMMY ASHURST: Izzy Stradlin & The Ju Ju Hounds

 

Start to finish, this was the best album Guns ‘n’ Roses never recorded – save perhaps for Gilby Clarke’s Pawnshop Guitars (1994). The Gunners best songwriter fires on all cylinders with a collection that strips the pomp and circumstance of Use Your Illusion l & ll with songcraft and a laidback Stonesy vibe that would do Keef proud – note Ronnie Wood, Nicky Hopkins, and Ian McLagan’s individual appearances on three cuts.

 

Veteran bassist Jimmy Ashurst (Buckcherry) renders a fine chordal intro on the slab’s single / video “Shuffle It All,” and works the pocket with sparse grooves that leave space aplenty for Charlie Quintana’s fat back beat and Rick Richards (than name again!) riffage.

 

Buried in the grunge era, this is one of the great lost rock albums of the 1990s.  

 

“Shuffle It All” https://youtu.be/TKBgbbFaF2U

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DUFF MCKAGAN Guns ‘n’ Roses “Pretty Tied Up”

 

“Cool ranch dressing!” Michael Andrew McKagan stands among the hard rock’s premiere bassists – and this track proves why. Controversial libretto aside, Duff’s mastery of melody and the pocket achieves perfection on this cut, abetted by a funky flange resonance.  Had Axl had a handle on his ego, you pull the best tracks from solo Slash, Duff, Gilby, and Izzy slabs and they’d have had a career equal to the Stones. But…. GnR as a nostalgia act in the 21st Century continues…yawn. 

 

“Petty Tied Up” https://youtu.be/uOzA23ibxjU 

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ROB RAWLINSON: Ian Hunter’s Overnight Angels 

 

Whenever I mentioned Overnight Angels (1977) to Ian Hunter during our four or five interviews since 2000, the usual reaction was a groan, or a grimace, or a combination of thereof. Though it was an album out-of-time, out-of-touch, and somewhat out-of-tune thanks to producer Roy Thomas Baker’s misdirection, the songs and bass playing on Overnight Angels are, to my ears, rather astonishing. Rare is the player who can overplay – yet play to the song.

 

Yet that is exactly what Rob Rawlinson achieved on this collection, which, incidentally, was only available as an import in the United States upon its release.

 

Rawlinson, who went on to found Atomic Studios in London, also anchored sessions and gigs with Freddie Mercury, the Climax Blues Band, the Lloyd Langton Group, Rick Astley, and Alison Moyet, among others.

 

“Golden Opportunity” https://youtu.be/xOgI42s53uA

 

“Overnight Angels” https://youtu.be/HzYBO4Uw92o

 

“Wild and Free: https://youtu.be/KwFFEw5BtOo

 

“Miss Silver Dime” https://youtu.be/qzADr4fkbUQ

 

“Shallow Crystals” https://youtu.be/7stOZSXUFU4

 

“To Love a Woman” https://youtu.be/Hb4mTJnPFrQ

 

“Justice of the Peace” https://youtu.be/PjWzp2gb-yU

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MARTYN LENOBLE: “Dirty Sticky Floors” (Live) Dave Gahan

 

Veteran (Pornos For Pyros, Scott Weiland, The Cult) alt-rock anchor Martyn LeNoble (that’s Mr. Christina Applegate to you!) furtively works the fuzz on this Depeche Mode-minus magnum opus whilst a sustain pedal does the heavy lifting for his three-note bass break at 2:30. Yep, ‘twas a time when rock gods traversed the terrain…

 

“Dirty Sticky Floors” https://youtu.be/guB5PHcArLw 

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ADAM CLAYTON “Mysterious Ways” U2

 

Groove monster Adam Clayton works his dub bass magic on this 90s classic. What is it with bass players and their model mates?

 

“Mysterious Ways” https://youtu.be/TxcDTUMLQJI 


 

LESLIE LANGSTON: “Devils Roof” Throwing Muses

 

Of all the bassists who served in Kristen Hersh’s corps (with / without Tanya Donelly) over the years, Leslie Lansgton was by far the most accomplished, incorporating funk and reggae influences beneath her bandleader’s mystically twisted libretto. An alt-rock collective way ahead of its time…. 

 

“Devils Roof” https://youtu.be/E9-Zqgxvogw

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GAIL GREENWOOD “Geppetto” Belly

 

Rock critics who opined that grunge bass lacked finesse didn’t know what they were talking about…again…and again. Dig Gail’s grooves as each note melts into the next.  

 

“Geppetto: https://youtu.be/gQlk8eKdIIA

Richard Thompson Discusses His Bass Players VIDEO INTERVIEW

 

“Ask him about throwing Roy Harper off a ferry!”

In this video preview from an episode of The Bass Guitar Channel Radio Show on Cygnus Radio with host David C. Gross and Know Your Bass Player “honcho” Tom Semioli, Richard Thompson discusses the bassists he’s employed over the years including Jerry Scheff (Elvis Presley, The Doors), David Pegg (Jethro Tull, Fairport Convention), Danny Thompson (Pentangle), Pat Donaldson (Fotheringay, Chris Spedding, Sandy Denny), Bruce Lynch (Kate Bush, Cat Stevens), Willie Weeks (Donny Hathaway, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton), and Taras Prodaniuk (Lucinda Williams).

 

Know Your Bass Player Waddafoam Hallafame

By Tom Semioli   *Warning: this essay contains irony, useful information, humorous irreverence and reasonable cause for debate…

 

Attitude is 90% of playing an instrument – to paraphrase (and thoroughly sanitize) one of Miles Davis’ many memorable quotes.

 

No instrumentalist on the bandstand nor the recording studio exemplifies the “carriage of cool” more so than the bass player.

 

In the electric / bass guitar realm, there are methods at our disposal for the instances wherein we need to scoop out the overtones, muffle to approximate the din of the doghouse, facilitate a percussive attack, or to simply dampen the strings.

 

Such practices include the time-tested traditional palm-mute (of which there are permutations – no pun) and the terrycloth fret-wrap  affixed with a Velcro strap attachment which is growing in popularity – especially with extended range players. Of the former, it is an essential technique for all serious (and amused) players.  The latter is a bit, shall we say, “pretentious” but different downstrokes for different low-end folks.

 

Note that the term “palm-mute” is misleading as the fleshy side of the hand is the body part which actually performs the deed. Purists tend to advocate the organic use of the palm/side-of-the-hand / left-hand finger mute.  I believe that these techniques leave too much room for inconsistency – especially for bassists who position their instrument hip-level or (gulp!) lower.

 

The left-hand finger mute, as widely heard on funk, jazz fusion, blues passages by Francis Rocco Prestia, Jaco Pastorius,  and Tommy Shannon respectively – affords a quick and effective percussive resonance and facilitates dead / ghost notes as well. 

 

Though palm and left-hand muting are indeed valuable tools which require no artificial elements – neither of these techniques exemplifies a bassist’s attitude quotient to the extent of the predominantly infallible hallowed “chunk” of polyurethane foam. 

 

Also known in the Know Your Bass Player community as “waddafoam,”  preferably in a urine yellowish or beige tone which consequently destroys the aesthetic of just about every bass finish save for natural wood, Olympic white, and butter-crème / vintage blonde. This strategically placed wedge adjacent to the bridge is, in my modest opinion, unmatched. For those who prefer a decidedly unassuming appearance, dark gray / black foam is the formal, socially acceptable choice – and compliments many bass finishes. 

 

Whaddya mean, waddafoam? The bigger the better, the fatter the funkier – depending on the pickup / bridge configuration of the instrument. The 4″ (L) x 2 1/2″ (W)  x 1/2″ (H) waddafoam appears to be the norm  as it affords virtually no sustain or moderate sustain with medium to heavy gauge strings.

 

The skinny 4″(L) x 1/2 (W) x 1/2″ (H) waddafoam is pictured above on my 21st Century American Fender Precision and similar to those found under the ashtray of older Fender basses and other models including the MusicMan StingRay (that’s Leo for ya!). Observe that the MMSR has individual mutes embedded in the bridge and can hardly be described as a “wadda” – yet its visibility warrants KYBP waddification.   

 

The slimmer waddafoam is a viable option as it allows for modest sustain with medium and heavy gauge strings while significantly quickening the note decay. Light gauge players have no reason to mute!  More consistent than the palm or the fret-wrap which tends to slide down the neck of the instrument, waddafoam mutes are far more reliable physically and sonically, regardless if you are a finger or plectrum player. 

 

From  James Jamerson (whose wad was hidden beneath his Fender bridge ashtray, as was custom in the early days of the instrument) to Sir Macca (a wadder with Wings and The Beatles) and his countless bass offspring, to modern players spanning the globe–  waddafoam is the sound, vision, and attitude of thumped greatness. But most of all, it is the epitome of bass unflappability.

 

It takes personal conviction to waddafoam in public view – be it on a gig or a session date, as we risk ridicule from the conservative motely. Though in this woke age of 2020, waddafoam players are garnering praise in their overt quest for the perfect and appropriate bass tone.

 

As such, Know Your Bass Player salutes the players who proudly display their waddage on stage and in the studio. 

 

Congratulations to the Inductees – Know Your Bass Player Waddafoam Hallafame 

 

Brian Stanley (Garland Jeffreys / Beach Boys / Bryan Adams)

 

 

Sir Paul McCartney (The Beatles / Wings)  

 

 

Kenny Aaronson (Stories, Bob Dylan, Billy Idol, Rick Derringer, The Yardbirds, Dust, Joan Jett…)

 

 

Bob Babbitt (Motown Funk Brothers)

 

 

Ric Grech (Blind Faith, Family, Traffic, Gram Parsons…) 

 

 

 

Robert Jenkins (Flooded Tomb, KYBP Austin Bureau Chief)

 

 

 

Suzi Quatro 

 

 

Carl Radle (Eric Clapton, Derek & The Dominoes, George Harrison, Leon Russell, Delaney & Bonnie, Joe Cocker….)

 

 

Greg Ridley (Spooky Tooth, Humble Pie) 

 

 

 

Jerry Scheff (Elvis Presley TCB, The Doors, Richard Thompson, Elvis Costello, Nancy Sinatra, Mick Jagger…)

 

 

 

Phil Chen (Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Robbie Krieger…) 

 

 

 

Bobby Vega (Sly Stone, Etta James, Santana….)

 

 

 

John Deacon (Queen)

 

 

 

Joe Iaquinto (Peter Cetera, Billy Preston, Branscombe Richmond and the Renegade Posse, KYBP Cub Reporter…) 

 

 

 

David Keyes (Van Morrison) 

 

 

 

Klaus Voormann (Manfred Man, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Carly Simon…)

 

 

 

Mark Polott (Haystacks Balboa, Urban Blue, KYBP Editor) 

 

 

 

John Cardone (The Sixties, John Ford Band, Mike Barry)

 

 

Tony Senatore (Genya Ravan, KYBP Adjunct Professor) *MusicMan StingRay Individual Mute Category

 

 

Carol Kaye (Wrecking Crew)

 

 

Emory Gordy Jr. (Elvis Presley, Gram Parsons, Emmylou Harris, John Denver…)

 

 

Jon Rogers (Mike Quashie, Michael James Orchestra)

 

Glenn McCready (Hell or High Water)

 

 

 

Philp Cohen (Tom Clark & The High Action Boys) 

 

 

Carl Pedigo (Chicago Bass Doctor)

Carl with the Lakland Jerry Scheff Signature Bass Carl with the Lakland Jerry Scheff Signature Bass

Carl with the Lakland Jerry Scheff Signature Bass

By Joe Gagliardo

He is Chicago’s “bass doctor!”

From violin, to bass violin to bass and guitar player and eventually guitar maker – Carl Pedigo used the skills he learned in his high school machine shop and wood shop classes, and made his first guitar cobbling together pieces from a Teisco Del Ray guitar!

This passion ultimately led to him playing a 35” scale four string bass tuned BEAD. Carl later moved on to a fretless five string with flat wound strings.

Among Carl’s bass heroes include Alain Caron (UZEB); and Larry Graham of Sly & the Family Stone and Graham Central Station: universally acknowledged as The Godfather of “thumpin’ and pluckin!’

Carl spent a large part of his live bass playing career in Chicago with various bands including legendary singer/songwriter Jim Desmond, The Hightones, and L & L All Stars.

He has the distinction of playing his own hand-made basses for most of his playing career.

Over the years, Carl’s work on musician friends’ gear, led him to going to work with a luthier.  His repair work showed him that many of the issues he was dealing with were the same, no matter the brand name of the bass guitar.  In 1994, he was thinking that the situation could be rectified if basses were made that eliminated the most common issues he was seeing. Dan Lakin and Hugh McFarland shared that same thought,  and that was the beginning of Lakland Bass Guitars, using parts of Dan and Hugh’s last names.

Carl has made Lakland Basses for a virtual who’s who of bassists, including Prince (the bass was commissioned by Rhonda Smith who was then playing bass with Prince), Duck Dunn (Booker T & the MGs, The Blues Brothers), Bob Glaub (Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen), Jason Scheff (Chicago), Adam Clayton (U2), Joe Osborn (“The Wrecking Crew”) and the first Jerry Scheff Lakland Signature Bass, with  Kent Armstrong hum cancelling lipstick pickups.

For a complete list of client’s check out http://www.chicagobassdoctor.com/clients.html

Carl with the Prince bass…and Prince bass headstock Carl with the Prince bass…and Prince bass headstock

Carl with the Prince bass…and Prince bass headstock

Prince Bass 2.jpg Prince Bass 2.jpg

These days Carl still works with Lakland, and he is also doing repairs— as well as making custom basses and guitars for his Carlo brand.

And Tim Commerford (Rage Against the Machine) is a fan!

To learn more about Carl – visit www.chicagobassdoctor.com

Courtesy of Lakland Com Courtesy of Lakland Com

Courtesy of Lakland Com