The former William Perks followed by Ronald David Wood, Keith Richards, and Darryl Jones. 

 

By Tom Semioli 

 

“I’m not saying they don’t keep going, but they need Bill. Without him they’re a funk band. They’ll be the real Rolling Stones when they get Bill back.” Bob Dylan as told to NME  2009

 

Thank you, Bob.

 

Born in 1960, I was too young to catch the Rolling Stones the first time around (and around) in 1964 during what we Yanks refer to as “The British Invasion.” ‘Twas not until the Edward Heath / “Tricky Dick” Nixon year of 1973 when I grabbed a fresh, newly released Goats Head Soup at Sam Goody, in Long Island, New York for $3.98 (on sale) that I became a lifelong fan.

 

By then, to older followers, the Stones were past their peak. But to me, they certainly were not. Massive stars in the United States, their concert treks were instant sell-outs in my homeland. Their legacy loomed large. The Stones played tough during the Joni / James / CSN & Sometimes Y/ Jackson et al. singer-songwriter zeitgeist, the disco onslaught, the blue collar Springsteen outbreak, the Johnny Rotten punks and new wave raconteurs. Jagger & Co. navigated the hard rockers and metal bands with ease – all of which were competing for young hearts and minds and ducats.

 

Stones Alone: If the goal is to hold the title; you have to knock out the champ. TKO. Perhaps the Stones weren’t as “relevant” as they were in earlier times: yet they could not be relegated to the canvas, albeit as they were Sucking in the 70s amid Van Halen, Fleetwood Mac, Queen, Pink Floyd…

 

Bruised and battered, they were still the greatest “rock and roll band” in the world. They had the songs, the chops (especially with Mick Taylor), the swagger, and the requisite panache. Heck, the Stones invented the template of a rock and roll band. Those new kids on the block – Bruce, Patti, The Ramones, Joe Strummer and The Clash – all looked up to the Rolling Stones whether it was fashionable to admit it or not.

 

Product such as GHS, Only Rock and Roll, and Black & Blue complimented the Bowie, Sir Elton, Roxy, Mott the Hoople, Led Zeppelin, and Bruce & E Street records which my generation spun incessantly. The Rolling Stones on automatic pilot were still tops in the general sense. By way of their new stuff, I was inspired to rummage through their past darkly and catch up on their hallowed history. Key tracks from Sticky Fingers, Exile On Main Street, Let It Bleed, and Beggars Banquet were FM radio staples throughout the decade– and shaped my generation’s vision of the band. However their 1960s canon, to my motely was ancient history, and of little interest.

 

Later on, as I befriended older musicians who were Stoned from the beginning, I learned of the deep cultural importance that the band had on a generation of players. Watching the Ed Sullivan Show, T.A.M.I. Show, Dean Martin Show television appearances and Gimmie Shelter film via clunky VHS tapes, I quickly came to the realization that I too would have favored the Stones (and The Yardbirds, The Animals, Cream, and Jimi) over the Fab Four solely on the raw musicianship and attitude.

 

No artist can approach The Beatles (and George Martin and their incredible team of engineers) as recording artists, songwriters, and conceptualists. They were too god-like. But the Stones and their aforementioned peers were within striking distance – or so it seemed. Now I understood why they were the “greatest.”

 

As a bass player, of course I fixated on Bill Wyman. It took years for me to fully appreciate his playing. I discovered where Bill came from: the Willie Dixon of bass. It was not easy to decipher Wyman’s work on their 70s releases. Record pressings were thin (oil crisis anyone?) with poor resonance, and decent stereo equipment was out of my economic reach. Plus, we were buying 8-track and cassettes which were aurally dreadful. Boom boxes and car radios were not much better.

 

When I heard my friends’ older brothers’ thick vinyl London pressings from the 1960s, mostly in mono, Bill’s artistry shone. As Keef documented in Life – they became the Rolling Stones when the former RAF (rank unknown) William Perks joined the band. On my last trip to London in 2019, I made the pilgrimage to the site where Bill became a Stone. https://youtu.be/gPrzf8hmMOY

 

 

Bill Wyman anchored The Stones for thirty years, spanning 1962 to December 1992. Fans and historians divide the Stones career into three distinct eras based on the service of their three lead guitarists: 1962-68 as the Brian Jones years, 1969-74 as the Mick Taylor years, and 1975 to the present day as the Ron Wood years.

 

With Brian Jones, the Rolling Stones were artists.

 

With Mick Taylor, the Rolling Stones were rockers.

 

With Ronnie Wood, the Rolling Stones are entertainers.

 

The Jones and Taylor versions of the band are considered the glory years. Which version reigns supreme will always be up for debate. Regardless, Bill was there.

 

Bill Wyman did not try to be cool. Cool tried to be Bill Wyman! Wyman’s statuesque on-stage stature and stoic veneer defined the look of the rock electric bass player – a vocation which was still rather new at the time. Due to his small body frame and hands, Bill held the bass at a nearly vertical position so he could reach the maximum number of notes with efficiency, and often employed glissandos to jump registers. Please refer to one of the greatest rock bass passages ever waxed: “19^th Nervous Breakdown.”

 

“19^th Nervous Breakdown” Live TV appearance  https://youtu.be/FoNSFFhyEi8

 

 

Wyman inadvertently “invented” the fretless bass by pulling those pesky metal strips out of the neck of his whittled down Framus. As such, Bill phrased akin to an upright player with a plectrum. His lines danced around the riffs rather than simply replicating them while forging harmonic variations in the manner of a jazz player. Look no farther than “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” to hear Bill’s unmistakable harmonic / rhythmic impact on the Rolling Stones.

 

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” https://youtu.be/MSSxnv1_J2g

 

Albums including December’s Children, Now, 12 x 5, and Aftermath – regardless of which UK/US title you reference – along with various archival singles, b-sides, and outtakes collections, are master classes in rock bass. If you absorb Bill’s passages, you can apply them to any blues-based situation you find yourself in.  And the last time I checked, blues is the foundation of rock and roll.

 

With drummer Charlie Watts, Wyman swung the small group Stones with a big band disposition. On up-tempo tracks, Bill avoided repetitive 8^th note patterns as was the custom with “common” players, opting to vary the band’s rhythms with half notes, quarter notes, and whole notes. His note choices also had character.  Bill would bring out the colors of a chord simply by emphasizing the 6^th, 7^th    9^th notes which he would sustain. Bill’s savvy use of hammer-ons, slurs, and staccato phrasing is the stuff of elite players. You learn that from the jazz and blues cats. Not the rockers.

 

The faster the tempo, the more Bill put on the brakes – that’s why the Stones grooved like no other band during Wyman’s tenure. It’s an approach which never failed Bill … or me; I reference the Wyman method all the time!

 

Keith Cuts In: During Bill’s Stone age, his bandmate Keith Richards cut several bass tracks on their twenty-two (or so) studio albums. In her autobiography Marianne Faithful comments that Keith always had a bass in his hands and that poor Bill only played during concerts. Well, according to my ears and eyes, that’s not true.

 

As per the books I’ve read and researched– including Bill’s tome – Stone Alone; when fame, fortune and celebrity ensued,  the band’s sessions often dragged on for hours with various hangers on,  and sometimes in different countries. In many instances not all of the band members were present, hence another Stone would sub for the missing Stone. And then there were the substances…

 

Also take into consideration that Mr. Richards strikes me as a rather strong personality, therefore he may have simply wanted to do it all himself.  And if Keith came up with a bass line, he probably cut it out of convenience, as Bill occasionally played keys or percussion on tracks with Richards on bass.

 

Whatever the case, Keith created a few memorable passages. Yet to my ears, they were mostly incomplete. Being the riff master that he is, Keith came up with great bass riffs. But that’s where his playing stayed – on the riff. His tone lacked warmth. His note choices are predictable. He sounds exactly like what he is – a guitar player trying to play bass until the bass player shows up. (Don’t tell him I said this….)

 

“Live With Me,” “Sympathy for The Devil,” “Street Fighting Man,” all have killer motifs. Though Keith fails to embellish them with any meaning.

 

Listen to Bill render those songs on the Stones live Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out (1970) – he does a much, much better job. Why? Because he’s Bill fooking Wyman that’s why! A bass player – first and foremost!

 

Keith Studio “Live With Me” https://youtu.be/R_UArnXmEZc

 

Bill Live “Live With Me” https://youtu.be/1gj-BYI5i-o

 

Keith Studio “Sympathy for The Devil” https://youtu.be/f47TZePukuQ

 

Bill Live “Sympathy for The Devil” https://youtu.be/qmppOF0_DHE

 

Keith Studio “Street Fighting Man” https://youtu.be/hU8o6usr_oU

 

Bill Live “Street Fighting Man” https://youtu.be/M8gPQWSXZ4I

 

To hear the funkiest Rolling Stones bass passage not cut by Bill, check out Mick Taylor on “Fingerprint File” (It’s Only Rock and Roll, 1974). Whereas Bill oft altered Keef’s bass parts on stage, Ronnie replicated Taylor’s passages on the live version of this track which can be found on Love You Live (1977). Wyman, sticking to his less is more credo, opted to side-up to Billy Preston and render a minimalist keyboard pad during the live performances of said composition. 

 

Mick Taylor (studio) “Fingerprint File” https://youtu.be/V_M6lccMzek

 

Ronnie Wood (live) “Fingerprint File” https://youtu.be/Hcr-wMyFY2s

 

Note that Willie Weeks’ also cut the title track to It’s Only Rock and Roll which was recorded at Ronnie’s home studio “The Wick” in Richmond, London as he worked on his solo bow. The Glimmer Twins probably left Willie in the final mix out of handiness. Plus, Willie was a hot young player at the time, building his name with Stevie Wonder (“Misstra Know It All”) and Donny Hathaway, among others, so Weeks in the credits afforded the Stones some street cred.

 

Irony is, Weeks plays it like Wyman, and when Wyman plays it on Love You Live and ensuing concerts until the end of his Stones career, Bill renders more of a Willie Weeks pocket. When I meet Bill Wyman, this is the first question I will ask him!

 

Studio version of “It’s Only Rock and Roll” with Willie Weeks https://youtu.be/DmgCy__eUa8

 

Live version of “It’s Only Rock and Roll” with Bill Wyman https://youtu.be/G8X0DelcHoM

 

Conclusion #1: Bill should have overdubbed Keith’s bass parts. And stay the hell away from Marianne Faithful, she’s trouble!

 

Knock On Woody: Ron Wood first came to prominence as the bass player in the Jeff Beck Group in 1968-69. Though he was primarily a guitar player, Woody’s wild personality came through on his Fender Tele bass. He never outlined the changes, he hardly sat in the pocket, his tone (mostly) lacked depth – and somehow it all worked! Woody broke all the rules – probably because he didn’t know there were any!

 

When Bill was unavailable and Keef wasn’t up to it, Ronnie would cut a bass track. Woody, like most guitar playing bassists opted for “box” patterns/motifs and pentatonic scales – which, to my ears, do not bring out the nuances in a chord.

 

The most prominent of Ronnie’s bass passages was “Emotional Rescue” – which sounds to my ears as more of a lead guitar passage rather than a supportive bass part, though he does anchor the tune in the verses. Woody also cut scattered album tracks on the Stones weaker 1980s sides which were partly recorded in New York City where Ronnie, Mick and Keith lived at the time. Those bass tracks are mostly buried in the mix.

 

Ronnie Wood “Emotional Rescue” https://youtu.be/U4dSIZ5QS7I

 

Like most guitar players who “double” on bass, Woody conjures a riff and leaves it there. Unlike the Jeff Beck records, which were given to improvisation in a blues format, Ronnie could not noodle up and down the neck with the Stones. Ronnie’s bass parts for the Stones really didn’t go anywhere harmonically or rhythmically. Neither did the songs.

 

I’ve Got My Own Bass Tracks to Do: If Ronnie wants to play bass again, get ahold of Jeff Beck! I’m sure they have the same hairdresser on retainer.

 

Keeping Up with The Joneses: In 1992 Bill Wyman departed the Stones to pursue other interests. After several auditions they chose Darryl Jones at the behest of jazzer Charlie Watts.

 

Born in Chicago (the artistic birthplace of The Rolling Stones) in 1961, Jones garnered acclaim as one of Miles Davis’ stellar bassists (along with Marcus Miller) during the jazz icon’s much heralded return in the 1980s. Jones also anchored Sting’s first solo ensemble which was massively popular, scoring several hits and videos which were on constant rotation on MTV. When one of the world’s greatest rock bass players asks you to be his bass player – I think you’re qualified for just about any rock gig!

 

Born on the South Side to a musical family, Jones started out as a drummer at age seven. Switching to bass when he was about nine, Darryl quickly advanced on the instrument in his teens, supporting such local jazz and blues artists as Vincent Wilburn, Matthew Rose, Perry Wilson, Otis Clay, Ken Chaney, and Phil Upchurch. Though they played the same twelve notes as the Stones, these cats were on an entirely different level that the British rock stars. Jones paid his dues with the masters.

 

On their 1989 -92 comeback tours (their last with Wyman) after years of inactivity, the Stones emerged as “The Rolling Stones Revue.” Darryl Jones was in his early 30s when he nailed the Stones gig in 1993, but by then they were a much different band.

 

In this “Revue” configuration -which more or less continues to the present day, the Stones sidemen / side-women outnumber the actual band members with three or four backup singers (including Blondie Chaplin who doubles on rhythm guitar), two keyboard players, and oft times, a horn section.  Synthesizers and keyboard pads play a prominent role too,  replicating string arrangements from their studio albums which adds to the illusion of even more instrumentation. Ronnie’s guitar is way down in overall mix as is Keith’s – sans for the occasional break. Sacrilege!

 

The Stones 21^st Century sound is now slick, Las Vegas like – with virtually no room for spontaneity, though they do stretch out a bit for “Midnight Rambler” and “Can’t You Hear Me Knockin’.

 

You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need. It’s great to have the Stones back and touring frequently, but now it’s only show biz entertainment rather than only rock and roll.

 

Given the expansive rotating roster of side players and the massive sound of the latter-day Stones, Darryl Jones mostly holds the fort with sturdy Fender Precision / Fender Jazz style instruments.

 

Occasionally Jones throws in a rhythmic flourish to show you that he can! But Darryl sticks to the pocket – as he should and as is necessary.  He’s got a lot of people depending on him to outline the changes. On songs from the Wyman era – which comprise the majority of a Stones live set, Jones will quote the essential motifs, and return to a secure pocket.

 

The Stones have not recorded much with Jones – on the four studio slabs (one is a blues covers album) that he’s appeared on in nearly thirty years with the band, Jones is relegated to “roots only.” Of course, not being an official band member, Darryl does as Darryl is told! Besides, the older you get, the less notes you need to play anyway.

 

Whenever a band loses a member, the band changes. The dynamic changes. The power structure changes. Choosing Jones was an excellent move. I don’t think having a Bill Wyman clone would have made sense. Even though they are an established entity, it was time for the Stones to move ahead artistically.

 

But they didn’t. Sans Bill, the Stones swagger is more of a smooth jazz vibe. Charlie still works his swing chops, but he’s an anomaly amongst all the modern cats on the bandstand who are not Rolling Stones.

 

Fact is, the two “newest” members of the Stones core ensemble– one official geezer (Ronnie) and one a hired hand (Darryl) are under-used. Cherry pick tracks from any of Ronnie’s solo slabs and you’ve got another classic Stones side or two. Turn Darryl loose as did Miles and Gordon Sumner, and you’ve got a soulful cat who’ll make a lot of those sleepy album tracks percolate!

 

Dig Darryl’s “Miss You” bass break: https://youtu.be/YI-OzM0dy30

 

 

Darryl tears it up on “Stray Cat Blues” a (weak) bass track originally cut by Keith in the studio in ’68 https://youtu.be/PVZH7IdHP2E

 

 

Dig Darryl’s intro to “Under My Thumb” at the 51:00 mark https://youtu.be/boeEcc6hirk

 

 

 

Coda: Skipping Stones…

 

Exile on Madison Avenue?

 

Commencing with the recording of Exile on Main Street (which stretched from 1970- 1972), Stones bass credits begin to get sketchy. Globe-trotting jet set celebrities, tax exiles, among other titles of dubious renown, the Stones moved to Atlantic records (an American imprint) and were soon to break commercial ground by enlisting corporate sponsorship for their concert tours. The Rolling Stones were no longer a band, they were an industry.

 

As such, Stones records had to reach the largest audiences possible and rake in maximum revenue. Commerce took precedence over art. Which meant bringing in top session players. Rather than setting trends and experimentation, Mick & Company (and I do mean “Company”) had to keep up with vogue in the studio, on the bandstand, and in the media.

 

In a Guitar World interview published in January 2020, Bill discusses the well documented mayhem that surrounded the recording of the Stones tenth studio slab Exile On Main Street– a timeless twofer which stands among rocks greatest collections.

 

Upright bassist Bill Plummer is cited with “Rip This Joint”, “Turd on the Run”, “I Just Want to See His Face”, and “All Down the Line” recorded at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles. Mick Taylor is credited with cutting the bass tracks on “Tumblin’ Dice,” “Torn and Frayed,” “I Just Want to See His Face,” and “Shine A Light.” Keith takes ownership of “Casino Boogie,” “Happy,’ and “Soul Survivor.” Bill charges that Mick often botched the credits when he was finalizing the jacket art, and that Bill is not given credit when credit is due on Exile. Wyman also has major bones to pick about songwriting and band politics in general. He claims the riff on “Jumpin’ Jack Flash,” and professes that many Stones compositions started off as studio jams only to be credited to Jagger / Richards. Such was the life of a Rolling Stone.

 

Who do I believe? Bill ‘fooking’ Wyman – the bass player that’s who!

 

Under Cover? Reggae master Robbie Shakespeare (cited in Huffington Post by this writer as a bassist deserving recognition in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Musical Excellence category) was everywhere in the early 1980s – cutting  albums with Grace Jones, Bob Dylan, Joe Cocker, Sir Mick, Garland Jeffreys, Jackson Browne, Ian Dury, and Carly Simon.  Robbie’s name is on the inner sleeve of Undercover (1983), however there is no further explanation. 

 

Undercover does not sound like a Charlie Watts / Bill Wyman album (mostly) other than the track “She’s Was Hot” which was the soundtrack one of the silliest MTV videos off all time. Dig Bill spinning the prop doghouse.  And you can clearly hear Wyman’s signature motifs in this mix too. 

 

“She Was Hot” https://youtu.be/VQh8oh0rj3s

 

To my ears, the rhythm section on Dirty Work (1986) does not sound or feel like Bill and Charlie on many of the tracks as well. The band were living on different continents. They were not getting along personally. Some members were given to unhealthy habits.  Overdubs and/or basic tracks were cut at Right Track in New York City.  The drums tracks lack Watts’ signature swing. The bass tracks are devoid of Bill’s phrasing. Considering Mick’s yen for modern technology and modern 80s sounds (gated ambience), and Watts / Wyman’s reverence for tradition, I wouldn’t be surprised if their only appearance is on the album jacket photo. Note that studio bassist John Regan is credited on the inner sleeve.

 

Bassists Me’Shell Ndegeocello, Doug Wimbish, John Sarli, Darryl Jones, and Pierre de Beauport, are among the bass credits of Bridges to Babylon (1997). An MOR mish-mash – there are a few good compositions here but it’s “smooth” sailing all the way. These funky cats are all kept in check – playing roots only passages – what a waste!

 

Wait, it gets worse… Sir Michael Phillip Jagger cut five bass tracks on A Bigger Bang (2005), a bigger dud of a Stones slab if there ever was one. Mick renders roots only, mercifully down in the mix with no harmonic or rhythmic movement. This, my readers, is the difference between a bass player and someone playing the bass until the bass player shows up. (You can tell him I said that….) 

 

Time Waits For No One: Conclusion #2

 

Given the global pandemic, its residual effects, and their age, whether the Stones will ever perform or tour again is anyone’s guess. If they do return to the stage, they are not to be missed. Despite the choreography and tendency to churn out the hits with an occasional nugget, the Stones still display flashes of their former glory.

 

As for the bass chair, their records sans Bill, except for a few scattered tracks are best to be avoided. No disrespect to Darryl or any of the other session cats.  As mentioned, I’d have favored The Glimmer Twins allowing their post-Bill bassists flexibility, and a platform to bring their unique talents to the table ala Darryl’s former boss Miles Davis (and his former boss Charlie Parker, whom Charlie Watts idolizes in more ways than just music). Miles leveraged the amazing skills of  bassists Paul Chambers, Ron Carter, Darryl Jones, and Marcus Miller to his and his audience’s benefit. And to the benefit of the artform.

 

The Rolling Stones minus Bill played it safe. Or dare I say “Respectable.”

 

Among my favorite Wyman passages: “Respectable” https://youtu.be/ptDz5BwAgXQ

By Joe Gagliardo

The American Dream—you flip out after seeing the Vanilla Fudge at the age of fourteen; play a bunch of their songs in a band; retire from the music business for twenty years; and then years later, go from being an Assistant Webmaster of a Vanilla Fudge fan site to being the bass player in the Vanilla Fudge and Cactus.  Only in America!

Pete grew up in a house filled with music.  His mom played piano (though they didn’t have one in the house), and his dad tinkered with a 1949 Hammond Spinet organ.  His dad also owned and operated an electronics company that built stereos and TVs.  That meant a lot of demonstration records were in the house, and his dad was always spinning records – from classical to jazz.  Pete had his own cool collection of 45s, including “Bad Boy” by the Jive Bombers.

In 1962, when Pete was nine or ten years old, he was a percussionist in his grammar school concert band. Many bass players picked up the bass after seeing Paul and The Beatles, but Pete picked up drumsticks instead, after seeing Ringo.  Pete banged on a practice pad and furniture, until he cobbled together a drum set.  By his freshman year of high school, his parents bought him a set of Ludwig Black Diamond Pearl drums, which he still owns.  He studied music theory in high school, and attended William Patterson University for two years studying percussion, where he studied with Thad Jones.

Like many kids at the time, having friends play music in his basement worked well, but once his bandmates decided they wanted to jam at other houses, pulling the drums on a wagon was not a viable alternative, so Pete volunteered to play guitar.  One day, his best friend said to Pete “we have enough guitars—play bass! It only has 4 strings, and you only have to play one low note at a time.”  Pete thought that would be cool, but after developing into a pretty good drummer, he quickly grew bored playing roots and fifths.  That was soon about to change.

When Pete was fourteen, a musician friend who was a year older, and always on the cutting edge of new music, took him to an outdoor concert in New Jersey to see a band called the Vanilla Fudge.  It was August, 1967, the day before the Fudge’s debut LP was released.  Although the band had released the 45 “You Keep Me Hanging On,” Pete had not heard it.  Seeing the Fudge and hearing Tim Bogert changed his life that day. Tim’s lines were innovative, and he played with speed and muscle. To this day, Tim is one of the fastest bass players Pete has ever seen, even if he is sometimes only playing with one finger. The bass was no longer boring!

In addition to igniting his interest in the bass guitar, Pete immersed himself in the music of the Vanilla Fudge, even learning the keyboard parts on his dad’s Hammond Spinet.  There came a point when Pete could play the entire Vanilla Fudge album on bass, organ and drums!

When Pete was part of a cover band, Heaven’s Sundae, they became popular playing the teen clubs, CYO events, and school dances.  Because their repertoire included a heavy dose of Fudge music, they were often referred to as the Heaven’s Vanilla Fudge Sundae.

After playing the New Jersey music circuit for several years, Pete retired from music for about twenty years.  During that time, he worked in the printing industry, married and raised a family, became a volunteer firefighter, and became a volunteer search and rescue dog handler.

You must be wondering–how did Pete get pulled back into music?

Well, his bass playing neighbor signed up for a gig around Christmas, 1993 playing cover tunes, and when he realized he didn’t know most of the songs, and it was only a few days away from the gig, he asked Pete to share the gig with him as a favor.  The neighbor didn’t care that Pete hadn’t played for twenty years, and Pete did the gig, playing two of the three sets.  That ignited the “bug” in him, and he started going to weekly jam nights, just to listen.  Ultimately, the bass player of the house band found out Pete played bass, and got him up on the bandstand.

When Pete was in his early forties he was looking to get a part-time job, and his wife suggested that he start playing music again.  He reunited with his childhood friend who originally encouraged him to play bass, and they started gigging together.  During the entire time, whether he was playing music, or in retirement from music, he continued to follow the members of the Fudge in their various projects.

Over the years, some of the bassists Pete has loved listening to include Tim Bogert, Paul McCartney, Chris Squire and John Entwistle.

In March, 1997, on a night he couldn’t sleep, he went to his computer, rather than turn on the TV, and, by chance, punched in Vanilla Fudge.  A fan web site popped up that had only been in existence for a few months, and he started communicating with the Administrator.

Since Pete had some familiarity with websites, he became the Assistant Administrator.  At this point in time, the Fudge was not together, the Fudge members had no affiliation with the site, and Pete had no contact with members of the Fudge.  Over time, each member found the site, and the Administrator convinced the band to make it their official website, and that’s what happened.

One of the first official steps taken by the official site was to interview Vince Martell.  When Pete saw the interview, which was done outdoors, he realized that he and Vince lived in the same area.  Although Pete had no contact with Vince Martell, one of Vince’s friends contacted Pete through the website to talk about the band.  Pete gave him his contact information, and asked him to pass it on to Vince.

Months later, Pete received a call from Vince, who was impressed Pete knew so much about the Fudge.  Pete asked Vince to let him know when he would be playing, and Pete ended up going to see Vince play an acoustic show at a coffee house.  When Pete asked Vince to play the song “Thoughts”, from the Renaissance LP, a song Vince wrote, they hit it off, had a lengthy conversation, and became friends.

Weeks later, Vince was telling Pete that he had an acoustic duo gig that night, but the bass player dropped out at the last minute.  When Pete offered to fill in, Vince was surprised, because Pete had never mentioned that he was a musician.  Pete filled in, and that further solidified their friendship, and led to Pete joining the Vince Martell Band in 2000.

In 2002, the Vanilla Fudge consisted of Vince on guitar, Tim Bogert on bass, Carmine Appice on drums, and Bill Pascali on keys.  The band had three gigs lined up for a Friday, Saturday and Monday–at the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ, a club in Virginia, and BB Kings in NYC.  Pete and his wife had decided to take a mini vacation, and catch the band at each of the three stops.  To his surprise, he received a call from Carmine on Thursday, at 4:15 pm, saying Tim had suddenly taken ill. Vince had told the band Pete knew all of the material, and Carmine asked if Pete would be able to sub.  Thursday night at 10 PM, they did a quick run through the set at Pete’s house, and Pete did all three dates, playing bass and singing Tim’s harmony parts.  That subbing went on for the next six months, including tours of Sweden, Denmark and California.

Pete’s playing with the band ended when his vacation time ran out at his day job, and he was replaced by T.M. Stevens.  Pete was so upset that he quit his job in the printing industry, and acquired a real estate license, so he could play music and make his own hours at work.

In 2004 and 2005, Pete toured with Essra Mohawk, whose Primordial Lovers album was rated by Rolling Stone as one of the 25 top albums of all time.  Essra is also known for her songwriting, including “Change of Heart” by Cyndi Lauper, and “Stronger Than the Wind” by Tina Turner, and she played for a period with Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention, and assumed the moniker “Uncle Meat.”

In 2005, the original Fudge members reunited, now including Mark Stein on keys.  Tim Bogert asked Pete to be his bass tech, and Pete also became the band’s road manager during 2005-2006.

Tim Bogert retired from playing in 2008, and in 2010, Carmine booked the Fudge for a gig at BB Kings in NYC.  At that point, 10 years after the odyssey began with joining the Vince Martell Band, Pete became the bass player for the Vanilla Fudge, and remains there today.

Prior to Pete’s joining the Fudge full-time in 2010, Carmine, had reformed Cactus with Tim Bogert and Jim McCarty.  Tim retired shortly thereafter, and another bass player was brought in.  When that bassist couldn’t make a gig, Pete was called in, and ended up being with Cactus for the next five years.

Pete has multiple releases with all these bands, including solo albums with Vince Martell, and live and studio albums with Vanilla Fudge and Cactus.  He has also played a number of memorable gigs with these bands, including the Fudge on the Jimmy Fallon Show; the Fudge headlining the Suwalki Blues Festival in Poland in front of 10,000 fans; and Cactus appearing with Govt. Mule at a blues fest in Germany.

Pete’s original go-to bass was a ’66 Hagstrom II bass, which he hot-rodded by adding a Gibson Humbucker pickup, and he wired it in stereo so that it could run through a Marshall stack and a Standell Super Artist.  In 1974, he purchased a “74 Fender Jazz bass, that he played regularly until 2007.  In 2007, he bought a Washburn 6 string, that became his go-to bass, tuned BEADGB.

In recent years, he has acquired a stash of Michael Tobias Design (“MTD”) basses, including a USA 635-24, a USA 5-string Saratoga, a Kingston KZ6 with Bartolini pickups, a 4-string Kingston CRB that he uses with Vanilla Fudge, and a Kingston 5-string Saratoga.  For his rig, he uses Hartke HyDrive 4×10 and 1×15 cabinets with a HA 5000 head.  He supplements his sound with a Boss Bass Chorus and a Boss Distortion pedal.

You can catch Pete and the Vanilla Fudge on tour, and you can check out Pete’s playing here:

Vanilla Fudge–“You Keep Me Hanging On” Live on Jimmy Fallon https://youtu.be/RuisGkFcDXI

Cactus—“Parchman Farm” Live in Tokyo https://youtu.be/_Sc6J3rPeMw

By Joe Gagliardo

He anchored one of the most accomplished, versatile, and influential ensembles in the history of rock and roll. Do you believe in magic?

Steve Boone was raised in household brimming with the sounds of music – most notably the classical works of Liszt and Chopin, along with Broadway musicals such as Annie Get Your Gun, and South Pacific.

Mesmerized by Buddy Holly’s singing style, and his unique rhythmic disposition, Steve decided to be a musician upon hearing Lubbock Texas legend’s seminal classic “Peggy Sue” on the radio.

Steve was also influenced by his guitarist brother Skip, six years his senior. Skip made it as far as recording a few demos at RCA with Chet Atkins and cutting an LP with the band Auto Salvage.  Consequently, Skip had significant impact on Steve’s music career.

At sixteen while recovering from a serious auto accident, Steve began to play an acoustic guitar which his mom purchased for him – a Gibson LGO. Skip taught him a few chords, and Steve began playing along with the songs he was hearing on the faint, late night signal of WKBW radio in Buffalo, New York.

When Steve was a high school senior – Skip was working in a popular Westhampton, New York band – The Kingsmen. One of front men was drummer / singer Joe Butler – who also would play a major role in Steve’s career.

At Skip’s invitation, sometime in October 1962, Steve joined The Kingsmen on acoustic guitar for a few impromptu numbers and was invited become a full-fledged group member – which prompted Boone to get his hands on a 1957 Les Paul Goldtop.

Within weeks after joining, The Kingsmen’s bassist announced he was returning to Louisiana – and he suggested Steve as his replacement.  After a few quick lessons from the outgoing bass player, Boone quickly realized that he enjoyed creating and rendering bass passages.

Steve also learned that the bass and the kick-drum are essentially “married” to each other and he developed a dynamic rhythmic rapport with Joe Butler.

Steve and Joe gigged together as a tight unit for two-years until the summer of ’64, when Boone decided to leave the band for an extended tour of Europe. Steve was in search of the Merseybeat / British Invasion sound which was garnering worldwide popularity by way of The Beatles, Dave Clark Five, and Gerry and The Pacemakers. He also planned to attend college following his sojourn overseas.

By the end of 1964 Skip and Joe Butler had moved to Greenwich Village and their band, The Sellouts, had a regular gig at one of Trudy Heller’s clubs.

During one of Steve’s visits to New York, Skip suggested that his kid brother bring along his bass.  Despite his reluctance as he was planning to head off to school soon in January 1965, Steve did as his brother asked.  When Steve arrived at Skip’s apartment, he was greeted by Joe Butler who asked if he was interested in putting his bass guitar to use with a few guys who were serious musicians. Steve made his way to
the Village Music Hall where he met John Sebastian and Zal Yanovsky.

John and Zal, who had briefly played with Cass Elliot in the Mugwumps, were seeking to assemble their own group – and all they needed was a rhythm section!

Sebastian grew up in a musical family; a guitarist and composer, he learned harmonica from his dad who was a virtuoso on the instrument. John explained to Steve that was writing songs that blended the traditional sounds of rhythm and blues records with folk style guitar.

The duo asked Steve to jam – and he pulled out his ice-box white Fender Precision bass. They jelled instantly. Having similar influences, the music came together – even in the absence of a drummer!

The night following their introductory jam, Steve went to the Night Owl Cafe to hear John play with some of his friends—Tim Hardin, Fred Neil, Buzzy Linhart, and Felix Pappalardi.  By the end of their set, Steve was convinced that he wanted to be part of this scene.  As he walked back to his brother’s apartment – all the reasons he had for returning to school and pursuing a proper career were disappearing under the dark sky above.

Steve, John and Zal had decided to move forward, and Steve would “delay” college and dedicate the next six months to getting the band off the ground.

During rehearsals the following week, John received a call from Bob Dylan, asking if he could play bass on a few songs he was recording.  As Sebastian didn’t own a bass (nor did he drive) Steve loaded his bass (and John) into his car and headed off to Columbia Studios.  As John’s parts weren’t working out, he suggested that Steve play bass. Boone’s work with Bob can be heard on Bringing It All Back Home.

The Lovin’ Spoonful – a name derived from a Mississippi John Hurt song – made their live debut in February 1965 at the Night Owl Café.

Enter Joe Butler once again, who replaced the original Spoonful drummer. Another change took place – at the suggestion of renown producer / bassist Felix Pappalardi: Steve traded his beloved P bass for a Guild Starfire II with custom electronics.  With the line-up set, the band worked to tighten up its sound and bonded as friends.

The band cut a demo of “Do You Believe in Magic”- a classic song sans a chorus, and featuring Autoharp – which was rooted in rock – yet thoroughly indebted to the folk scene from which John and Zal were a product of.  The demo was so good that Kama Sutra label pressed it and it became a smash hit!

From 1965-1968, the Spoonful enjoyed a terrific artistic and commercial run—seven Top 10 singles, three charting albums, including a Top 10 album.  “Summer in the City” reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August1966 and remained there for three weeks.

Unlike many pop bands of their era, the Lovin’ Spoonful wrote and played on all their hits. In 2000 they were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

In addition to his bass playing, Steve also had success as a composer, co-writing “You Didn’t Have To Be So Nice,” “Summer In The City,” and “Night Owl Blues.” Steve also wrote “Butchie’s Tune” which appeared in the film Blow Up as well as in the acclaimed TV series Mad Men. The bassist also penned “Full Measure” and “Forever,” which appeared on the final Spoonful album Everything Playing.

Boone utilized the Guild Starfire II on most of the Spoonful records save for Hums of the Lovin’ Spoonful and Everything Playing wherein Steve played a ‘61 dual concentric Fender Jazz bass – which was later stolen.

In 1973, after spending time living on a boat docked in St. Thomas, Steve moved Baltimore, where a female drummer he met while on the Islands was cutting a demo.

The recording studio featured a board equipped with parametric equalization on all the faders which was built by George Massenburg – which consequently opened the door to digital recording.  The studio had fallen into disrepair when the owner left the country and Steve took it over, renaming the venue Blue Seas Recording Studios.

Among the notable albums and artists who recorded there included Little Feat (Feats Don’t Fail Me Now) Robert Palmer (Pressure Drop),  along with tracks by Bonnie Raitt, Emmylou Harris, Verdine White, Sonny Terry, Joe Butler, John Sebastian and Ricky Scaggs, among others.

The Hunt Valley, Maryland studio was ultimately moved to a barge that was docked at Baltimore’s inner harbor.  The studio abruptly came to an end in 1977 when the barge sank.  At the time Steve was playing four nights a week with his band, Blanche, Ltd.

In 1981, Steve was playing music regularly in Baltimore with the Scott Cunningham Blues Band, doing occasional duets with John Sebastian, and sometimes, with Joe Butler, as a trio.

Steve moved to Florida in the late 1980s, taking a break from music until he was inspired by a Ft. Lauderdale pub band called The Irish Times – Steve co-produced their LP Live at Maguires Hill 16.

In 1990 promoters were itching for a Lovin’ Spoonful tour. Steve and Joe Butler decided to put a band together after John Sebastian and Zal declined a reunion of the four original members.

That band, with some personnel changes, has toured worldwide since 1991. Joe Butler has moved out front to sing, and the drums have been handled for the last twenty-five years, by Chicago born drummer Mike Arturi.

These days Steve no longer utilizes the Guild Starfire II though he did bring it out for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremonies.  Steve’s go-to bass for the past thirteen years the Ibanez BTB.  He loves the feel of the instrument and its resonance, though he advocates that tone comes from the player – from pressure on the fretboard to sustane, and of course, and deep notes tying in with the bass drum.

In 2014, Steve published a memoire entitled Hotter Than A Match Head Life on the Run with The Lovin’
Spoonful. The book not only spans the life and career of Steve Boone, it affords a life-lesson in rebounding after facing adversity multiple times, and also details how the Spoonful emerged in the era when folk music was not widely known, yet they achieved great success by combining that roots music with rock.

In February 2020, The Wild Honey Orchestra hosted an epic four-hour celebration of the music of The Lovin’ Spoonful as a fundraiser for the Autism Think Tank at The Alex Theatre in Glendale, California.

Steve, John Sebastian and Joe Butler participated in this event.  The Orchestra included Elliot Easton (Cars),
Dennis Diken (The Smithereens), Dave Alvin (The Blasters), Susan Cowsill, Carnie Wilson (Wilson Phillips), Carla Olson (The Textones), Mickey Dolenz, Claudia Lennear, Peter Case, Marshall Crenshaw, Marti Jones, Don Dixon, and Bill Lloyd, along with many other guest performers.

Nowadays you can catch Steve and the Spoonful on tour, and listen to Steve’s weekly radio show which airs Mondays at 6 PM EDT, on www.flaglerbeachradio.com.

Watch, listen to Steve Boone:

“Do You Believe In Magic” and “You Didn’t Have to Be So Nice” from the Big TNT Show 1965 https://bit.ly/3d48EaL

“Only Pretty, What A Pity” https://bit.ly/2VSa9mu

“Summer In The City”  https://bit.ly/3bWlIi1

“Night Owl Blues”  https://youtu.be/11-YxOGJ6Bs

“Butchie’s Tune” https://youtu.be/BRTkqGSKTts

American Bandstand -Interview The Lovin’ Spoonful https://bit.ly/2WgEuua

“Revelation: Revolution ‘69” https://youtu.be/PlGVriLQyn8

Steve’s Hotter Than A Match Head Life on the Run with The Lovin’ Spoonful can be found at www.SteveBoone.net

CODA:  A View of Steve Boone from “The Drum Throne”

Mike Arturi has forged a backbeat with Steve Boone for twenty-five years.

An accomplished drummer on the Chicago club circuit who has toured with such popular bands as Big Twist and the Mellow Fellows, Jade 50’s, Rick Saucedo, and radio personality Big John Howell, among others, Mike has been working 300 dates a year for close to twenty years! Aturi is an ardent student of the instrument, inspired and tutored by Petula Clark’s road drummer Shelly Elias, who was a legendary Chicago based percussionist, composer and educator.

In assessing his experience playing with Steve Boone, Mike describes Steve as a singularly unique bass player.  “He anchors the songs, and his passing tones are beautiful—extremely melodic.  He inspires me, and I play totally different because of him.” 

Notes Mike, “as long as I have Steve in my monitor, with my snare and kick, that’s all I need.”

And according to Steve, Mike became a foundation upon which he could build his bass playing. “Mike is a drummer I could comfortably lock in with as a rhythm section… [we] have developed the best chemistry I have had with any drummer.”

Honorable Mention:  When Mike in not drumming with the Spoonful, he is the Founder and Executive Director of the Universal Music Center (UMC), a non-profit music school located in Red Wing, Minnesota.

UMC is dedicated to enriching lives through music and live performance education, and is staffed with University trained educators who are also professional working musicians with national and international touring credentials.

UMC is proud of the fact that to-date, eleven students have gone on to become professional working musicians.  Mike also devotes an extensive amount of time to working with underprivileged and at-risk students.  In recognition of his contributions, Mike has been honored as a National Artist for the John F. Kennedy Center Turnaround Arts Program, and is a Teaching Artist for the St. Paul MN COMPASS Arts
Program.

By Thomas Semioli

 

An engaging performer and a founding member of The Pretenders, Pete Farndon embodied the punk ethos of attitude over skill. However as the band progressed, he developed the necessary chops, as so many players do in their early years with steady work on the bandstand.

Of course, Chrissie’s songs reign supreme in The Pretenders – as does her vision of the band, hence Pete worked the lower register exclusively, and outlined the changes with rudimentary root / third / fifth passages, and basically (pun) stayed out of harm’s way.  Bassists who’ve followed in Pete’s bootsteps have noted to me (and in various publications), that Hynde is rather dictatorial towards her players – all Pretenders bass passages must be Chrissie approved. Note that the band has employed dozens of players since Farndon’s firing, and tragic passing.

Pete also served as a backing vocalist and composed two songs which made it to wax “The Wait” and “Space Invader.” Rumors abound that on occasion session player(s) were called in to ghost his parts, but I have no official proof…so I cannot confirm such claims.

Farndon’s primary weapons of choice included Fender Jazz and Precision basses, and a Rickenbacker 4001.

Dig Pete and The Pretenders at the height of their powers: https://youtu.be/_HD2fodz-7c

By Joe Iaquinto

“There’s two people who I always wanted to be…a Beatle or a Beach Boy…” Peter Cetera

 

When I started playing the electric bass in 1971, back when it was the voice of popular music, there was no shortage of great players in any style. Carol Kaye, Joe Osborn, Bob Babbitt, James Jamerson, Richard Davis, Wilton Felder, Chuck Rainey – all of them had a huge influence on my playing and helped me to develop my own voice, but it was Peter Cetera who brought it all together for me.

 

The first Chicago song that I was aware of was “Saturday In The Park.”  Hearing that thunderous, melodic bass part four bars after the infectious piano intro was all it took.

 

Once I realized who I was listening to I went out and got all the available albums and immersed myself in the music.  “I’m a Man,” with its percussive picked bass intro, the upper register runs and ever-shifting feel of “Questions 67 and 68,” the disciplined simplicity of “25 or 6 to 4, ” and the bass tour de force that is “Dialogue, Part 1 and 2.”

 

The latter is from Chicago V, which is arguably one of the band’s finest albums.  From a bass playing standpoint, it is  Peter Cetera’s best work, in my humble opinion.  Armed with one of two early-sixties Fender Precision Basses (Cetera owned one and producer James William Guercio’s white P-Bass was used on the first album and here and there on others) and a slot-headed Gibson EB-3, Peter Cetera’s bass playing runs the gamut from progressive rock goodness (“A Hit By Varese”) to finger funk ferocity (“State of The Union”) to walking jazz expertise (“Goodbye”) and Pop Rock Royalty (“Saturday in The Park”).

 

But the real gem on Chicago’s first single disc offering, is the aforementioned “Dialogue, Part 1 and 2.”  To me, it is every bit as wonderful and important as Paul McCartney’s playing on “Something.”  Terry Kath and Peter Cetera share lead vocals on this Robert Lamm composition, which is a musical conversation between two people with different ideologies, and Peter’s bass part is brilliantly back and forth, supportive yet restrained, and then bursting with emotion when proper.

 

Ever-evolving but never in the way. I remember literally picking the record player arm up and playing this song over and over and over and over.  Chicago V is also the album I use when bassists look at me cross-eyed when I tell them that Peter Cetera was my bass idol.  One guy laughed and asked me if I liked any ‘real bass players.”

 

He apologized profusely after I loaned him that album.  One of Peter’s biggest influences and favorite bassists was the late, great Andy Fraser, a fellow Gibson EB-3 player, and you can hear that in his playing on songs like “Now That You’ve Gone,” and “State of The Union.”

 

Even as the albums started to become less daring and more commercial, like the following release, Chicago VI, Peter never dumbed it down and always played something catchy and interesting. Listen to what he does with “Just You N Me,” by James Pankow. It’s a classic PC bass part, complete with tasty fills and that perfect blend of percussive-yet-melodic sensitivity.

 

Peter would go on to record nine more studio albums with Chicago and tour almost non-stop in front of each release, never failing to play and sing his ass off.  Even in their darkest moments, like the huge disaster that was Chicago XIV, you would never hear him phone it in.

 

Blessed with one of the most recognizable and iconic voices in modern music history, his bass playing has often gone unnoticed and unheralded.  But those who know, know!  Just ask Will Lee and Nathan East if you don’t want to take my word for it.  I’m grateful to have become friends with Peter over the years and in 2012, while I was Peter’s brother Kenny’s bassist and MD, I got to perform with him and play bass and acoustic guitar on several of his biggest hits when he joined us onstage in Las Vegas.

 

For this poor kid from Sheepshead Bay, that was all the proof I needed that miracles do exist!  He also bought me lunch. Twice!  Monumental bassist/singer/songwriter and one hell of a great guy.

 

Till this day, I channel him in everything I play on the electric bass. It’s impossible not to.

 

Other than the songs I’ve already mentioned, I would highly recommend the following cuts for the total Peter Cetera bass experience:

 

Wake Up Sunshine (Chicago II) https://youtu.be/-7Qz2xPyJbc

 

At The Sunrise (Chicago III) https://youtu.be/o_X909h1x1k

 

All Is Well (Chicago V) https://youtu.be/jPVWCq8EWxY

 

Hollywood (Chicago VI) https://youtu.be/mmvUvYGzlgk

 

Something In this City Changes People (Chicago VI) https://youtu.be/_447n9Omc34

 

Hanky Panky/Life Saver (Chicago VII) https://youtu.be/6c3F46dz94A

 

Woman Don’t Want To Love Me (Chicago VII) https://youtu.be/VGaghf6nS6Y

 

Brand New Love Affair (Chicago VIII) https://youtu.be/L83kotQdhKs

 

Never Been In Love Before (Chicago VIII) https://youtu.be/3-mTxJy3qJA

 

Scrapbook (Chicago X) https://youtu.be/rbq2bap4xQk

 

Mississippi Delta City Blues (Chicago XI) https://youtu.be/fY3F6FP61os

 

No Tell Lover (Hot Streets) https://youtu.be/C_lOqptCAiU

 

Life Is What It Is (Chicago 13) https://youtu.be/-2ku4x4SKi4

 

Chains (Chicago 16) https://youtu.be/EVTWHcCeDH4

 

Stay The Night (Chicago 17) https://youtu.be/5LTWwkBNilI

 

I had the pleasure of doing a radio interview some years back with James William Guercio, the man who brought Chicago to California and produced their first eleven albums and  managed their career. He also played bass with the Beach Boys on tour and recorded a few tracks on the other side of the glass with Chicago. In fact,  that’s him playing bass on “If you Leave Me Now.” 

 

When I asked Guercio what it was like working with Peter in the studio, he told me that he never had to tell Peter what to play on bass and recounted a funny story about how he mixed the bass on those albums.  He said that he and Peter would take a cassette mix out to his car and if the plastic dashboard Jesus danced, the bass was perfect! 

 

I can go on forever about what an impact Peter Cetera’s bass playing had on me, his vast array of basses and amps, and more.  The bottom line (pun intended) is that he was  truly one of the best players of the era, and  his name should always be included when speaking of all the great singer/bassists, like Sting, Geddy Lee, Paul McCartney, Jack Bruce, Randy Meisner, and Glen Hughes. 

 

Anyone who writes him off as a balladeer is grossly uninformed and needs to join the Peter Cetera Bass Club!  Heck, even Jaco was a fan! Yes, that Jaco!  Peter told me that Jaco would come over to his house in Malibu and play his Ernie Ball Earthwood acoustic bass and told him  he wanted to sub for him in Chicago!   

 

I guess Jaco forgot about the singing part of the gig…

A master compositional and counter-melodic player akin to Sir Paul and Chris Squire, Mike Rutherford’s work with Genesis as a bassist was often overshadowed by his more high-profile bandmates and his own skills as a guitarist, songwriter, and bandleader.

 

“Fountain of Salmacis” https://youtu.be/zE3dYof_rbE

 

“Squonk” https://youtu.be/mmPf1rGClzA

 

With a treble laden tone enhanced by a myriad of effects (Moog Taurus among others), Rutherford’s potent passages, especially during Genesis’ watershed early prog-rock era, exuded technical prowess and a deft command of rhythm, space, and melody.

 

Rutherford’s weapons of choice include Rickenbacker, Status, Gibson, and Shergold basses.

 

 

And when he moonlighted from his platinum selling stadium filling day job with Genesis under the moniker Mike & The Mechanics – he added more gold and platinum to his resume.  

 

Mike and the Mechanics “The Living Years” https://youtu.be/5hr64MxYpgk

 

Tony Senatore’s rendition of “Afterglow” https://youtu.be/ORFBcYmOzlU

 

Tony Senatore’s rendition of “Earl of Mar” https://youtu.be/Zx6jy96DNfM

 

 

By Allen Fields

 

Rutherford is an amazing and gifted bass player, but unknown to many he is equally adept on the 6-string and 12-string guitars as well as the Bass Pedals.

 

In early live footage of Genesis, especially from 1970 to 1974, you can see how smoothly Rutherford moves from the 4-string bass to his 6 and 12 string electric and acoustic guitars.

 

Most famously when seen playing tracks from the 1971 Genesis release, Nursery Cryme (my personal favorite). His expertise on the Bass Pedals is most notable on the 1974 masterpiece The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, and the 1976 releases A Trick of the Tail and Wind and Wuthering — the first two Genesis releases post Peter Gabriel.

 

Starting with the 1978 release, …And Then There Were Three, Rutherford took over the 6-string and 12-string studio duties almost completely due to Steve Hackett leaving Genesis.

 

In 1980, Rutherford released his first solo album, a critically acclaimed but vastly unheard slab of vinyl titled Smallcreeps Day.

 

Here is a link to that amazing solo work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lg6FYXVFdI

 

By Thomas Semioli

With his “rock star” good looks and patented “rock star” coiffe, the late rock star Benjamin Orzechowski anchored Boston’s new wave Rock and Roll Hall of Famer quartet: The Cars.

An accomplished lead singer who crooned with an icy Bowie Berlin era delivery, and composer – Ben belted out the band’s signature hits “Just What I Needed,” and “Drive,” among others. Orr’s playing style exemplified the genre’s rudimentary roots rooted, eighth-note modus operandi which afforded a solid platform for the synths and shiny guitars to do their thing.

Orr continued his career when The Cars split with Big People, and Voices of Classic Rock. He also waxed a fine solo slab in ’85 entitled The Lace which featured the hit “Stay The Night.” 

Ben was a bass collector as well, among his weapons of choice included: Rickenbacker 4001, Fender Precision, Spector N2, Dean Metalman ML, Guild Pilot, Gibson Flying V, Gibson EB 6, and a Vox Teardrop

“Just What I Needed” at Live Aid https://youtu.be/Ukfkqs9LU4E

“Drive” https://youtu.be/xuZA6qiJVfU

“Stay the Night” https://youtu.be/1WGVG3_IoG8

 

He was the anchor of Charles Wright & The Watts 103^rd Street Rhythm Band, and later, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame soul icon Bill Withers.

 

Fueled by gospel, rhythm & blues, and jazz influences – among Melvin’s seminal tracks include “Express Yourself,” “Do Your Thing,” “Use Me,” “Who Is He and What Is He to You?” “Grandma’s Hands,” “Harlem / Cold Baloney.” 

 

Melvin’s weapons of choice include the Fender Telecaster bass and Fender Precision.

 

Melvin Dunlap Sound & Vision:

 

Watch Melvin with Charles Wright “Express Yourself” https://youtu.be/6Q3WuhV5wik

 

Watch Melvin with Bill Withers

 

“Use Me” https://youtu.be/g3hBYTkI-sE

 

“Ain’t No Sunshine” https://youtu.be/CICIOJqEb5c

 

“Grandma’s Hands” https://youtu.be/qv5pagal-ls