atonement

Suspect Behaviour

2011-12-17T07:09:00.005+11:00

Suspect Behaviour

At the end of October 2011, I responded to a request to fill-in for a Bass Player in a covers band on the Northern Beaches, NSW who was returning to the UK. In stepping into that role, what I didn't expect was that the band - Suspect Behaviour are a tight, dedicated band (post Weekend Warriors) who know how to drive an audience into a frenzy. The most recent steamy testament was the wall of synchronised lines of arms and legs, all doing the 'Time Warp' at our December gig at Terry Hills Tavern. On the strength of which, I now have a number of workmates echoing "Give me 'more notice' next time ...and I'll be there!" So watch this space. :-R

"Suspect Behaviour was formed in 2010 to participate in the Billy Hyde Weekend Warriors program with mentor Paul Christie (Mondo Rock). Their first gig was a huge success and the joint was jumping! Spurred on by such a great response, the band have continued jamming together and aim to do as many gigs as possible to keep the groove going. Since then they have followed their debut with recent nights at the Mona Vale Hotel, and the Terrey Hills Tavern. They packed both venues and everyone had a ball. If you love cover bands who really know how to get the crowd going, this is the band for you!

Suspect Behavior Band Members are…
Henry Jennings ~ Vocals… Years ago Henry sang in a band in the UK. They were going to be huge. It was the era of punk after all. Couldn’t be that hard! Artistic differences (!) put paid to that dream then and corporate life beckoned! However the dream of performing never dies, and so 30 years later, he’s back singing in a rock and roll band. The birth of the ‘Suspects’ was down to Weekend Warriors, but the inspiration is the music. Always was, always is. As a professional actor and director as well, performing is in the blood and in front of an audience the years fall away. As John Miles once sang, “Music is my first love and it will be my last”. And thanks Paul for the encouragement!

Sheree da Costa ~ Vocals and Percussion… Sheree da Costa is a former ballerina who ‘in secret’ loved heavy rock bands such as Uriah Heep, Slade and Black Sabbath. With the advent of punk rock her day was made, donning black grunge during the day, and tutus and pink tights at night. Once recovered from these passing fads she embraced the wider world of music, loving everything from the purest classical to jazz to nostalgia to alternative, and back again. She is proud to be part of Suspect Behaviour and is having a ball unleashing her inner rock chick!

Warren Kearney ~ Lead Guitar… Warren Kearney is a carpenter who has played in numerous garage bands since he was a young lad. Once the disco craze came along it was time to put his dreams of rock and roll to one side and pursue marriage and kids, but he always kept an interest in playing guitar. With the advent of the Weekend Warriors program came the opportunity to pursue lost band memories, once again pick up his guitar in earnest and pick up where he’d left off. In the process he’s found a great bunch of muso friends with the same interest in being part of a working band.

Jon Leslie ~ Rhythm Guitar… Jon Leslie has always worked in the film and television industry, as a sound recordist, dubbing editor and audio engineer. Back in the Dark Ages (pre-seventies) he bought a shiny, new, red '62 Hofner electric guitar, which became his most prized possession. After several months of "suspect" chords, (and disgruntled siblings), it became apparent he would never become a "star," and the prized guitar languished for many years under several different beds. In April this year, out came the old guitar again when he joined the Warriors programme under the tutelage of the "whip cracking maestro"
Paul Christie, (the welt marks have almost faded!). Jon's now learnt "proper" chords, and is enjoying himself immensely, playing with fabulous people, in a "real band."

Trevor Lane ~ Drums… Trevor Lane is a Licensed Strata Manager. In his more youthful days he played drums in a local Melbourne band named "Sonix" and loved every minute of it. As with most youthful things, playing music was put aside and more serious matters took over with wife, family and home becoming the top priorities. However, there came a time when some of the freedoms returned, together with the time to enjoy them, and thoughts turned to the long-held dream of again being a drummer in a rock and roll band. The Weekend Warriors program was just the nudge needed to get that ball rolling. Twelve months on and the dream is now truly alive and kicking. New like-minded friends, music back in his life, and the opportunity to make other people smile and enjoy themselves… and maybe the chance to inspire another dreamer to make it happen.

Richard Grosser ~ Bass Guitar… Richard Grosser is the 'deep' member of Suspect Behaviour. Pitching in with support on bass guitar, he moonlights in his day job of Architectural Design and Project Management. Having returned belatedly to 'the scene of the crime' in Sydney after life in the 'deep-south' and 'way-up-north', previously Richard spent a decade outside of Australia, from the Eurozone to 'across-the-ditch' - working, lecturing and teaching in his current profession. This diverse cultural and musical immersion has left deep scars requiring him to replay out his teen 'garage band' fantasy... enter 'Suspect Behaviour'! Richard plans to work on his dream of a custom recording studio and have some '...good friends over for the weekend'.

Carolyn Woodorth ~ Keyboards… Carolyn Harwood Woodorth is a singer songwriter known as 'Rock Star Mama'. She has followed the pub rock scene since seeing the Angels at the Fairfield Hotel at age 14 and beams out the message that you're never too old to rock through her Old Age Party Animal social group and blog www.oapa.wordpress.com. Through the Weekend Warriors program, Paul Christie encouraged Carolyn to use her classical piano background to explore the possibility of playing keyboards in a rock band and now she plays in Suspect Behaviour and 1st Blues Platoon . Carolyn is still deciding whether to be reincarnated as Tina Turner, Suzi Quatro or Freda from ABBA."

Videos Copyright of Jon Leslie,
Photos, Words Copyright of Henry Jennings, Warren Kearney, Trevor Lane, Richard Grosser, Carolyn Woodorth and Sheree da Costa of Suspect Behaviour 2011. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.pittwateronlinenews.com/artist-of-the-month.php

LEMON Sournote 120

2011-10-08T10:49:00.002+11:00

Reposting Tym's wonderful beast here as I think it perfectly captures a forgotten 'time' in our collective musical history and does it with his tongue ....firmly planted in his cheek!
http://www.tymguitars.com.au/?page_id=622#Lemon120

LEMON Sournote 120

Back in the late 60′s a small amplifier/radio repair company in northern England teamed up with a very savvy businessman from London and created a line of amps that were strikingly appealing and sounded incredible. The sound was due to the amplifier company having been designing, repairing and building amps for almost 20 years at that point and was owned by an incredible electronic engineer. The look was thanks to the young businessman who knew to sell something it had to look “appealing” to the young players of the day.

The Lemon by Tym guitars is an accurate re-creation of that late 60′s amp made by this northern UK manufacturer with some modern appointments like a stand by, custom handmade transformers and a master volume thrown in for good measure. Available in 80W or 120W versions it has all the trademark tones of these now very collectable originals and is physically identical to the vintage amps it’s paying homage to.

The handmade, hand welded steel chassis holds two handmade transformers with massive amounts of grain orientated steel. These transformers are based on the original transformers but wound for tighter, more focused frequency response to suit the amp design, giving less “flab” once the extremes of tolerances are approached.

The circuit is identical to the late 60′s/early 70′s version known today as the GT or “Graphic” by collectors, but using modern, high quality components mounted on thick, high quality PCB like the original with chassis mounted power valves, pots and jacks but with the advantage of a master volume. An effects loop like the original is available at a very nominal fee. The amp is designed to run EL34, 6L6, KT77 ………. with just a re-bias.

The faceplate is also in homage to the original amps with the big knobs and handles all there to help give that incredibly striking look. The controls from left to right are inputs, FAC, Hz, KHz, Drive, Volume, Master, stand by and power. The originals didn’t have a stand by but we have added this for extended valve and component life.

The sleeve is exactly original size and dimensions (in fact your vintage chassis will bolt straight in) with “picture frame” front and is done in yellow to keep with the theme but, like all our amps is available in any colour currently being offered.

The matching Lemon 4×10 speaker cab is also done in yellow and is available with Jensen Neodymium speakers for that big round bottom end and sparkling highs that these amps are famous for. Other speakers are available on request and any one of our cabs can be custom ordered matching the head.

These amps and cabs are made here in Brisbane by hand for players who want locally made quality gear.

We’re not trying to re-invent the wheel or claim to be “boutique”. We’re just making amps, pedals, speaker cabs and guitars they way they used to be made. By hand by people who care and are passionate about what they do. We only use the best quality components available to us and try, wherever possible to use local or Australian manufacturers where quality isn’t compromised.

Technical data:

Valves:

Power: 4 X EL34 (6L6 or KT66)
Preamp: 12AX7
Phase inverter: 12AX7

Controls: inputs, FAC, Hz, KHz, Drive, Volume, Master, stand by and power.
Input: High and low
Foot switch: NA
Effects loop: optional
Speaker out: 4,8 and 16ohm
Power: 240V IEC plug

Power: approx 80W clean (120W Max)

Size:

54 X 25 X 25cm
Weight: 20.5 kg
Chassis: welded steel
Cabinet: Ply with choice of colour.

...'Love em! :-)

Jimi Hendrix Guitar List

2011-08-22T21:14:00.044+10:00

This list of 'Jimi Hendrix's Guitars' is based on that of Jimi Hendrix Gear: The Guitars, Amps & Effects That Revolutionized Rock 'N' Roll by Michael Heatley and advances the article on Jimi Hendrix's Gear.

This list is intended to be both springboard and a working document that will have additions and clarifications added as items are confirmed over the course of time. Wherever possible, cross-references will be given to features that provide unique provenance.

Above: In October, 1967 Jimi Hendrix and his three piece band performed at Hastings Pier, Hastings (UK) which is now derelict and and ruin. One of the many regional UK performances by the Jimi Hendrix Experience(JHE).

Above & Below: Black Beauty which is No. 69 in the list below. Which is a Fender Stratocaster, serial no. 22265. Having a Black body and Maple Fretboard.

Above: Jimi Hendrix's replica Woodstock guitar strap.

Below: Jimi Hendrix in the newly formed five piece Band of Gypsies. Hendrix and this expanded band with two ex-Army buddies, Billy Cox and Larry Lee were the closing act of the Woodstock Festival at 9 a.m. on August 18th 1969.

No.	Make of Guitar	Year	Colour	Neck
1	Larson Stahl	1900's	Blonde	Rosewood
2	Gibson Les Paul 56043	1955	Black	Rosewood
3	Danelectro	1956	Red	Rosewood
4	Fender Strat left handed	1957	Blonde
5	Supro Ozark	1957	White	Rosewood
6	Hofner Club 40	1959	White	Rosewood
7	Fender Stratocaster	1959	Black	Maple
8	Fender Stratocaster	1959	Fiesta Red	Maple
9	Fender Stratocaster	1959	White	Rosewood
10	Fender Stratocaster	1959	Fiesta Red	Maple
11	Dobro Electric 12-string	1960	Mahogany	Rosewood
12	Zemaitis 12-string acoustic	1960	Blonde	Rosewood
13	Fender Stratocaster 72961	1960–61	Sunburst	Rosewood
14	Kay	1961	White	Rosewood
15	Epiphone Wilshire	1961	Cherry	Rosewood
16	Eko	1961-62
17	Ibanez Japanese 1830	1962
18	Epiphone Coronet	1963	Black	Rosewood
19	Fender Stratocaster L08573	1963	White
20	Fender Stratocaster L09784	1963	White	Rosewood
21	Fender Duo Sonic	1964	White	Rosewood
22	Fender Duo Sonic	1964	Sunburst	Rosewood
23	Fender Stratocaster	1964	White	Rosewood
24	Fender Stratocaster	1964	Fiesta Red	Rosewood
25	Fender Strat/Neck L45185	1964	White	Rosewood
26	Fender Stratocaster	1964	Black	Rosewood
27	Fender Stratocaster	1965	White	Rosewood
28	Fender Jazzmaster	1965	Sunburst	Rosewood
29	Fender Stratocaster	1965	Sunburst	Rosewood
30	Fender Stratocaster L68025	1965	Sunburst
31	Fender Stratocaster L89024	1965	White
32	Fender Stratocaster	1965	Fiesta Red	Rosewood
33	Fender Stratocaster	1965	Sunburst	Rosewood
34	Fender Stratocaster	1965	Fiesta Red	Rosewood
35	Fender Stratocaster	1965	M/Blue	Rosewood
36	Fender Stratocaster	1965	Black	Rosewood
37	Fender Stratocaster	1965	Black	Rosewood
38	Fender Stratocaster	1965	Fiesta Red	Rosewood
39	Fender Stratocaster	1965	White	Rosewood
40	Fender Jazz Bass 116544	1965	Sunburst	Rosewood
41	Guild SF-V Starfire	1966	Red	Rosewood deluxe
42	Fender Stratocaster	1967	Blue	Rosewood
43	Gretsch Corvette	1967	Cherry Red	Rosewood
44	Hagstrom 8-string Bass 723006	1967	Cherry Red	Rosewood
45	Hagstrom 8-string Bass 723070	1967	Cherry Red	Rosewood
46	Fender Stratocaster	1967	White	Rosewood
47	Fender Jaguar	1967	Blue	Rosewood
48	Epiphione Cortez	1967	Sunburst	Rosewood
49	Vox Teardrop	1967	White	Rosewood
50	Fender Stratocaster	1967	Sunburst	Rosewood
51	Fender Strat Neck	1967		Rosewood
52	Fender Stratocaster 213078	1967
53	Fender Jazzmaster	1968	Sunburst	Rosewood
54	Goya	1968	Painted	Rosewood
55	Fender Stratocaster	1968	Sunburst	Rosewood
56	Fender Stratocaster	1968	Sunburst	Rosewood
57	Fender Stratocaster 240981	1968	White	Maple
58	Fender Stratocaster 40281	1968	Sunburst	Maple
59	Martin D-45 Acoustic 239387	1968	Blonde	Rosewood
60	Gibson ES-335 847084	1968	Sunburst	Rosewood
61	Fender Mustang L45185	1968	Red	Rosewood
62	Fender Stratocaster 285705	1968	Black	Maple
63	Fender Stratocaster 244458	1968	Sunburst
64	Fender Stratocaster 240981	1968	White
65	Fender Stratocaster 638519	1968	Red	Rosewood
66	Gibson J-200 acoustic	1968	Sunburst	Rosewood
67	Fender Stratocaster	1968	White	Rosewood
68	Black Widow	1968	Black	Rosewood
69	Fender Stratocaster 222625	1968	Black	Maple
70	Gibson SG Custom	1968	White	Rosewood type 2
71	Fender Stratocaster	1968	White	Maple
72	Rickenbacker 330 or 360 6-string	1969
73	Gibson Flying V 932594	1969	Sunburst	Rosewood
74	Gibson SG Custom 899617	1969	White	Rosewood
75	Fender Stratocaster 274200	1970	Sunburst	Maple
76	Gibson Flying V 849467	1970	Black	Rosewood
77	Washburn A33191	Undated		Rosewood
78	Gibson J160 acoustic	Undated
79	Epiphone Ft-79 acoustic 62262	Undated
80	Fender Strocaster L/H L-38705	Undated	Sunburst
81	Gibson Flying V	Undated	Cherry Red	Rosewood
82	Epihone Casino 8508423	Undated
83	Gibson Les Paul 1042	Undated
84	Gibson SG	Undated	Red	Rosewood
85	Gibson SG Custom	Undated	Cherry Red	Rosewood
86	Gibson Les Paul Custom	Undated	Black	Rosewood
87	Gibson Les Paul Special	Undated	Blonde	Rosewood

Above: No. 57 from the above list being a 1968 Fender 'Olympic White' Stratocaster, with maple fretboard, serial no. 24091 that Jimi Hendrix played at Woodstock in August 1969. This guitar, reputedly the most famous guitar in the world was bought from an Italian disk jockey for $1.3 million. It is now the centrer-piece of the Allen-funded Experience Music Project (EMP), a Seattle rock 'n' roll museum and historical foundation that opened in 2000.

Above: Hendrix's 1967 8-string Hagstrom Bass from the EMP, Seattle, Washington USA.

Below: Replica, Detail and shard remains of No. 34 from the list being Jimi Hendrix's hand-painted 1965 Red Fiesta Stratocaster known as the Monterey Stratocaster. This amongst other significant Hendrix guitars, is on exhibit at the Experience Music Project museum in Seattle, Washington, USA.

Below: Hendrix in Gothenburg, Sweden September 1st, 1970.

Below: "Fire" performed by the 'Band of Gypsies' at Woodstock Festival, August 1969.

Above: Hendrix with Black Beauty, in the garden of his girlfriend Monika Danneman's apartment, the day before he died. Danneman revealed afterwards that Hendrix had played the guitar on the night of his death and had penned the following lyrics:

"The story of love is hello and goodbye.

The story of life is quicker than the wink an eye.

Until we meet again.”

Above: 'Blue Wild Angel' (Cox, Mitchell & Hendrix) playing "Freedom" at the Isle of Wight Music Festival, 26th -31st August 1970.

Below: Noel Redding and Jimi Hendrix changing the strings of Black Beauty with the assistance of a 'Rotosound' representative, UK.

Blues For a Dog

2011-06-19T13:18:00.009+10:00

B.B. King playing his blues song from the U.S. TV series 'Married with Children', "Look Who's Barking" (Episode #513 from 1991). This was the song he sang when 'Buck' (the dog) was roaming the streets in search of food:

I was born in the junkyard,
A child of the streets,
My ghetto was cats and garbage,
And other tasty treats.

Police chased and caught me,
I was in the pound alone,
The Bundys came and got me,
Didn't even bring a bone!

I'm hungry out here.
I ain't talkin' jive.
I'll eat anything,
Even if it's alive.

Don't want no fax machine,
Got no use for a phone,
Don't even want my belly rubbed,
Just give me a blood-stained bone!

Starvin' out here Mama,
Got no food to call my own.
You better watch your wives and children,
I'm out here prowlin' for a bone.

Woman makes you stupid,
Every man's a hound,
She says I love's an ocean,
Then she pulled you in to drown.

Woman makes you stupid,
Always playin' with your head,
Next time you'll be smiling,
Is the day you wake up dead.

Woman makes you stupid,
When she show a little tail,
I don't know why we need 'em,
Oh yeah: a coffin needs a nail!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pDYeKiQyWk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZgsIiSL8zk

http://www.tvrage.com/Married_with_Children/episodes/109908

Jimi Hendrix's Gear

2010-07-06T15:53:00.098+10:00

Jimi Hendrix's music remains a well-spring of inspiration to contemporary guitarists, who still in returning to his music, continue to find relevance in his riffs and musical soundscapes. Like all good 'legends' his musical journey is both encouraging and tragic. Arising from 'The Animals' bassist, Chas Chandler's desire to capture the uniquely American folk-rock style of Tim Rose's 'Hey Joe', he discovered a unique talent:

"The ex-bassist for The Animals, Chas Chandler, who was now focusing on managing other acts, had seen Rose performing the song at the Cafe Wha? in New York City and as a result, was looking for an artist to record a rock version of "Hey Joe".^[34]^[35] Chandler discovered Jimi Hendrix, who had also been playing at the Cafe Wha? in 1966 and performing an arrangement of "Hey Joe" inspired by Rose's rendition."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hey_Joe

Jimi Hendrix is widely recognized as one of the most creative and influential musicians of the 20th century, having pioneered the explosive possibilities of the electric guitar. Hendrix's innovative style of combining fuzz, feedback and controlled distortion created a new musical form. Because he was unable to read or write music, it is nothing short of remarkable that Jimi Hendrix's meteoric rise in the music took place in just four short years. His musical language continues to influence a host of modern musicians, from George Clinton to Miles Davis, and Steve Vai to Jonny Lang.

Hendrix’s transformation from a quirky, Nashville-based R&B player nicknamed 'Marbles' to an acid-tripping, gypsy, mega-star changed not only the face of pop music, but the rules of the game, as well. Hendrix’s songs and sounds were incredibly intertwined, and it’s safe to say his tools were part of his magic.

The Guitar Story

Somewhere between his 11th and 13th birthdays, Hendrix received his first guitar—an inexpensive acoustic—from his father, who bought it after seeing his son holding the neck of a broom and strumming the bristles. His first electric guitar was a white, single-pickup Supro Ozark 1560S that his father purchased from Myers Music in Seattle in 1959.

Next came a red, single-pickup Silvertone Danelectro that Hendrix was slinging with Seattle’s Tomcats in early ’61. He parked this guitar with a girlfriend when he joined the army that year and switched to a cheap Eko or Kay for a while.

Eventually, he asked his father to send him the Danelectro, which he had nicknamed 'Betty Jean'.

While gigging around Tennessee with the King Casuals in ’62, he traded in the Dano for a new Epiphone Wilshire —a dual-pickup guitar with a solid-mahogany body and a glued-in mahogany neck.

He also bought an Ibanez electric from Collins Music in Clarksville, Tennessee. Unable to pay the $10-per-week installments, he voluntarily returned the guitar.

During his nine-month stint with the Isley Brothers in 1964, Hendrix obtained his first Fender electric guitar which was a blonde ’59 or ’60 Duo-Sonic.

With 'Little Richard’s Upsetters' in ’65, he slung a Fender Jazzmaster. He switched back to a sunburst Duo-Sonic with 'Curtis Knight & the Squires', but later returned to the Jazzmaster.

With funds supplied by his then girlfriend and the trade-in of his Duo-Sonic, Hendrix bought his first Strat from Manny’s Music in New York, in the summer of ’66. He used a number of different CBS-era Strats, which were mainly models with rosewood-fretboards while gigging around New York’s Greenwich Village in ’66 and ’67 as 'Jimmy James and the Blue Flames' and later with the 'Jimi Hendrix Experience'.

Hendrix would narrow his choices to the black or white Strats with maple fretboards that were his primary axes for the rest of his career. Although he owned innumerable Fender Stratocasters and often carried more than 13 at a time when touring, only six can be accounted for today.

Hendrix bought right-handed Strats because he preferred to have the controls on the bottom of the head. He’d reverse the nut, and wind his low-E string the opposite direction around the farthest tuner in order to keep it from jumping out of the nut slot. He originally tuned to standard pitch, but he eventually tuned down a half-step to ease the strain on his voice.

Of course, Hendrix bought and played other guitars—lots of other guitars—and he gave many away. Henry Goldrich of Manny’s recalls selling him everything from a Gibson ES-330, as below.

As well as a Gibson Firebird, as below.

Including a Mosrite electric resonator guitar, as below.

His other guitars included a Guild 12-string acoustic, as above and an Acoustic Black Widow Spider, as below.

As well as a double-neck Mosrite with non-parallel necks (as below),

including an Hagstrom 8-string bass as played by Noel Redding which was played on “Spanish Castle Magic” from 'Axis: Bold as Love'. Some of Hendrix's '67 studio shots featuring this bass, are as shown successively below.

Jimi played various Rickenbackers (a bass, a 6-string, and a 12-string [seen below in 1967 holding Pete Townshend's RIC-360/12 at the Monterey Pop Festival]), a ’67 Gretsch Corvette.

Jimi also used a left-handed Guild Starfire Deluxe fitted with a Bigsby tremolo, a ’67 Gibson Flying V, a ’55 Gibson Les Paul, a ’68 Gibson SG Custom, a black left-handed Flying V, a Gibson Dove acoustic, a Martin acoustic, and a Hofner electric.

Modifications to his instruments were minimal, and his frets were rarely reworked because the guitars didn’t last long enough to become worn.

The String Thing

Hendrix’s strings of choice were light-gauge Fender Rock ’N’ Roll sets (gauged .010, .013, .015, .026, .032, .038). However, guitarist/producer Bob Kulick—an acquaintance of Hendrix’s during the Greenwich Village days remembers him breaking a string in a dressing room, and saying, “Uh oh, I don’t have any extras". Kulick asked him what he needed, and Hendrix said he used an E string for a B. “That was the first time I’d ever heard of anyone moving their string gauges over like that,” Kulick says.

But, then again, Band of Gypsies drummer Buddy Miles insisted that Hendrix used a very heavy E string, a medium gauge on his A and D, a Hawaiian G string, a light B and a super-light E.

This was supposedly not just for experimentation, but something Hendrix did because he thought the mixed gauges would keep the guitar in tune better. (Michael Bloomfield apparently tried some of the Hendrix Strats that Miles owned, and he was also a proponent of the mixed gauge theory.)

For picks, Hendrix chose whatever medium gauge his hand came up with when he stuck it into the drawer at Manny’s. Barrett simply reports that the Experience carried thousands of picks, as well as hundreds of guitar straps, all selected to match Hendrix’s shirts.

The Amp Armada

Hendrix experimented with various amplification systems, but, to use Barrett’s words: “It was 99 percent Marshall". The guitarist’s route to the Marshall stacks that eventually became his familiar backline was a process of elimination. He reportedly owned a Silvertone amp and a matching 2x12 cab during his days in Tennessee in ’61 and ’62, but he mainly borrowed amps for gigs. From ’65 through ’66, Hendrix’s mainstay was a Fender Twin Reverb.

Jimi reportedly assessed the performance of Orange amps at Pink Floyd’s December 1967 “Christmas on Earth” show in London and again at his very last concert. Although, apparently, he couldn’t get the sounds he wanted from them.

Also in 1967, Buck Munger solidified a five-year contract (which actually lasted 14 months) between Hendrix and Sunn amplifiers after the Monterey Pop Festival. Sunn agreed to supply the entire Experience with anything they needed, in exchange for Hendrix’s research and development input.

Hendrix started out with a 100-F cabinet, loaded with one JBL D-130 in the bottom and an L-E 100-S driver horn in the top. There was not much midrange, which Munger described the tone as “almost a surfer sound” and Hendrix combined the cab with a stack of Marshall 4x12s to get a blend. Later, the Sunn setup included up to five Coliseum P.A. tops altered for guitar at 120 watts RMS each, with ten speaker cabinets loaded with two JBL D-130's each.

“We then went to four 12" Eminence speakers at Jimi’s request, and we also took his advice that the minimum acceptable power at that time was 100 watts,” recalls Munger.

For the Experience tour that began in February ’68, Hendrix used Fender Dual Showman's and Marshalls, and then added 100-watt Sunn Coliseum P.A. tube amps, plus an array of Sunn 2x15 or horn-loaded cabs. Stage photos from this period show quite an assortment of Sunn, Fender, and Marshall gear, but Hendrix soon severed his relationship with Sunn and began using Marshalls almost exclusively.

“Jimi was used to the big numbers,” explains Munger, “and when he turned his Sunn amps up, he got a lot of noise he didn’t like.”

Hendrix’s Marshall of choice was the 100-watt Super Lead driving two 4x12 cabs, and his standard backline would quickly grow to three Super Leads and six 4x12s. He plugged his guitar into one amp, and linked it to the others by running a cable from an adjacent input (the Super Leads had four inputs) to the second amp’s input jack, and so on.

This was a long way from the band’s humble beginnings, when Hendrix and Noel Redding shared one miked 100-watt Marshall during the sessions for their first album. As Hendrix performed with his amp settings nearly always on full, his systems wore out fast.

In 1969, the Experience began using the services of West Coast Organ & Amp Repair in Hollywood, California, to prepare and maintain their equipment. “We received eight new Super Lead heads and about ten 4x12 cabinets before the start of Jimi’s ’69 tour,” says David Weyer, who was then West Coast’s amp technician. “Hendrix wanted us to install heavier-duty speakers, so we took out all of the 25-watt Rola Celestions and replaced them with 75-watt Rolas that we bought from [Vox distributor] Thomas Organ."

"They used those speakers in the solid-state Super Beatles that were being made here." Jimi told me that he preferred the sound of 6550 tubes in his Marshalls, so we replaced the stock Mullard EL34's with General Electric, Tung-Sol, and RCA 6550's that I got from Yale Radio on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. "I rebiased all the amps and changed their suppressor-grid voltages to keep the 6550s from over-dissipating."

"By the end of a tour, Jimi would always have two or more tops that he liked best, and I’d measure their voltages and spec everything out in an attempt to understand why they sounded particularly sweet. His favorites always seemed to be the ones with extra-high plate voltage."

“We kept most of his Fender Showman's stock. I modded some with 6550 tubes, but that required building heavier-duty power supplies. We usually just tuned the Fender stuff to sound as good as possible. Jimi had some 2x15 bottoms that would come in all torn up with the speaker grilles kicked in. We’d recover them, replace the broken speakers, and send them back out. Amp bashing was a big thing back then.”

'Effectric' Ladyland

Effects were pretty new when Hendrix began forging his classic sound, and Hendrix once said that the first time he heard wah-wah was on Cream’s 'Tales Of Brave Ulysses' (May 1967).

Although, this doesn't accord with the chronology as the song featured Eric Clapton's first use of the wah wah pedal (released a day before Hendrix's first wah wah single, "Burning of the Midnight Lamp"). This is one of the first recorded uses of the wah-wah pedal in rock music. Soon after, a Vox Wah became an indispensable part of Hendrix's sound.

Although Hendrix began using a fuzzbox which was most probably a Maestro Fuzz-Tone, while playing with Curtis Knight, it was after meeting a young effects builder named Roger Mayer in London in 1967, that he was introduced to the neutron bomb of fuzz technology being a prototype design that Mayer called the Octavia.

A fuzzbox with frequency-doubling circuitry that synthesized a second note an octave above the fingered note, the Octavia was first used by Hendrix on 'Purple Haze' and 'Fire'. Mayer signed on as a guitar tech for the Experience’s 1968 U.S. tour, and he continued to work with Hendrix for some time thereafter. Although Hendrix’s main fuzzbox was the Arbiter Fuzz Face, Mayer says he built 16 or 17 fuzzes for Jimi, along with an unknown number of Octavias.

Another essential ingredient in Hendrix’s tone chain was the Univox Uni-Vibe, a chorus/rotating-speaker simulator that was introduced in 1969. Hendrix immediately added the device to his setup, and he continued using it throughout his career.

The Uni-Drive was another Univox product that Hendrix may have used around 1970. A rotary-speaker fan, Hendrix played through a Leslie on 'Axis: Bold as Love' and 'Electric Ladyland' and he occasionally used Leslie speakers in live performances. His standard effects order was Wah, Octavia, Fuzz Face and Uni-Vibe.

Clues as to why Hendrix preferred one device over another are scarce. “He didn’t express to anybody what he wanted,” says Barrett. “His ears and only his ears, knew his tastes.”

The only scrap comes from Michael Bloomfield, who once stated that Hendrix gave him a big lecture about the Fuzz Face and the CryBaby being the only ones that really worked. “He said the CryBaby gave the biggest range from treble to bass and it had the hugest wah effect, the fastest action, and the most authentic vocal sound,” remembered Bloomfield. "The Fuzz Face was the most distorted sounding of such units, and the two plugged together created permanent sustain and endless distortion.

References:
http://www.jimihendrix.com/us/home
http://www.musicplayer.com/article/the-gear-jimi/Mar-05/4046
http://www.classic-rock-legends-start-here.com/jimi-hendrix.html
http://digitaldreamdoor.nutsie.com/pages/best_artists-bio/Jimi-Hendrix.html
http://home.provide.net/~cfh/dano.html#models
http://www.pen4rent.com/pen4rent/tribute.aspx
http://www.guitarplayerscenter.com/blog/pics-players-nterviews/the-guitars-of-jimi-hendrix/
http://www.theguitarcolumn.com/2009/11/jimi-hendrix-birthday-tribute.html
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/08/dayintech_0810/
http://www.rock.co.za/files/jimi_hendrix_bio.html
http://www.elitetone.com/fillmore.html
http://www.flying-v.ch/hendrix69/hendrix69.html
http://www.kitarakuu.fi/index.php?PAGE=43&NODE_ID=43&LANG=1
http://www.voxamps.com/history/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tales_of_Brave_Ulysses

Steve Marriott's Guitars

2010-05-22T10:32:00.060+10:00

'Saw 'The Small Faces' here in 1968 at The Stadium and although they were a support act to 'The Who' they were stand-out show stoppers. Steve's musicianship and vocal delivery was phenomenal. Few rows from the front and it was truly soul-searing delivery that was indelible. The trippy psychedelic lyrics of "Itchycoo Park' and ambling melodies of the scouse 'Lazy Sunday Afternoon' belied artistry of of the highest calibre. The following article is based on the few and scant sources regarding Steve Marriot's testy and diverse interests in his 'unique' guitar tone.

Steve Marriott played the devil out of a clutch of essential guitars he’s associated with. In "All or Nothing" (DVD) he's mostly depicted with a Telecaster sporting a Gibson P-90 pickup in the neck position and a Gretsch 6120, but he also used a Gibson Les Paul Custom in Small Faces.

A black Custom became his main stage guitar in Humble Pie from 1973 on through the band’s many incarnations right up until his death in 1991 from smoke inhalation during a fire in his home. Steve Marriott seemed to be very loyal to guitar brands, once he had a guitar he liked, he stuck with it: a case of if it’s not broke don’t fix it! There is evidence of modification however; but the authorship of the modifications is unknown.

THE SMALL FACES

GRETSCH (6120 & VARIOUS MODELS)
The first and most used guitar in The Small Faces, many are evident, the original brown one and virtually the same models in white and red, but as these guitars vary so little, it is difficult to tell them apart.

These were very solid sounding guitars, popular with rock and roll artists, also seen used at the same period by the late George Harrison.

His however was a semi-acoustic Country Gentleman, rather than the solid body Gretsch Tennessee Rose shown here. Most of the Small Faces tracks would have been recorded with this model. A brown one was used at the very beginning of Humble Pie.

In the above image Steve Marriott appears to be playing a Gretsch 'White Falcon'.

FENDER TELECASTER
According to Ian MacLagan in ‘All The Rage’ this was bought for him to mime on the track on ‘I got Mine’ on TV. Steve then started to use it towards the end of the Small Faces, fattening up its sound by replacing the neck pick-up with a P90 (The black blob next to the fretboard in the video capture of 'Colour Me Pop', shown in the picture below).

There are precious few pictures of this Fender Telecaster around, hence the video capture here, if you know of something better please let me know. A lot lighter to play than the Gretsch, it would have seemed to suit Steve’s more flamboyant way of playing at that time.

It’s interesting to note that Eddie Cochrane (of ‘Come On Everybody’ fame) replaced his neck pick-up on his Gretsch with a P90. A case of emulating his hero perhaps. This telecaster ended its days with the Small Faces at Alexandra Palace, breaking in two as it was thrown down in disgust during the gig on New Years Eve.

HUMBLE PIE
EPIPHONE DWIGHT
Early in Humble Pie, Marriott got his monster tones on numbers like “I Don’t Need No Doctor” with an Epiphone Dwight (an Epiphone Coronet made under license to New York City’s Dwight music shop) with an extended home-made pick guard. To all intents and purposes an identical guitar to the junior above, this was an Epiphone Coronet made under licence to the Dwight Music shop in New York.

It had exactly the same hardware and electrics as the Gibson Junior, but was of thinner mahogany and this therefore affected the sound giving it a slightly more cutting sound. This is the sound of Steve’s earlier Humble Pie days, a brash, braying sound. As heard in the opening of ‘I Don’t Need No Doctor’!

The famous ‘Dwight’ was actually in Steve’s possession until about six months before he died. This guitar was stolen from him during a break in, in the UK. The Gibson 335 was not found, as it was under the bed. The fate of the ‘double cut Junior’ was also discussed, and the opinion was that it was sold in the States during one of Steve’s leaner periods.

Note that the jack plug socket, is on the front of the guitar. Also victim to a rather strange modification, the apparently home-made black scratch plate which extended along to the controls and jack socket. The 'Dwight' is the most famous Humble Pie guitar icon, and it was stolen in the UK.

GIBSON LES PAUL JUNIOR
After the Epiphone 'Dwight' was stolen, but he was given a double-cutaway Gibson Les Paul Junior by a fan.

Marriott installed the Dwight’s original pick guard on that guitar, perhaps as a memento of its original home. A slab bodied mahogany guitar - a simple guitar with a great hard sound, a very ‘rock and roll’ guitar, apparently given to Steve by a fan. Another small guitar, easy to play and control, and is also very light.

Again, like the Telecaster, this was modified in a whimsical way; the original scratch plate was removed and replaced by the white scratch plate of his Dwight, causing confusion in the identification of these guitars. Notably. the Gibson and Epiphone LP 'Junior' has the jack plug on the side of the guitar.

GIBSON LES PAUL CUSTOM A classic electric blues guitar, fat sounding but with a cutting top end from the bridge, Humbucking pick-ups, both Peter Frampton and Clem Clemson were Les Paul Standard users.

Steve was pictured using a Gibson Les Paul Custom in 'The Small Faces' back in the sixties, so he was not averse to using them. The weight of this guitar would have stopped some of the showmanship that Steve used to do, but by this time he was playing exceptional riffs.

The LP Custom was used almost exclusively at Humble Pie performances from 1973 onwards; it appears that it was still being used right up to end of the group's life. It was still being used at the time of the ‘Marriott’ release and on the Humble Pie reformation in US. A beautiful looking guitar with gold pick-ups and hardware, often misnamed as a ‘Black Beauty’ (they had black pick-ups, a P90 and an Alnico V). This one although reported to have 3 pickups shows no evidence of this; they were also produced with two pickups, as the middle one was accused of getting in the way. Steve’s son, Toby now owns this guitar and it was played it at the Memorial Concert in 2001.

POST HUMBLE PIE

OVATION & IBANEZ

Steve was asked to endorse Ovation guitars in the mid seventies and was shown advertising an Ovation Electric in the trade and music press. In fact other than in the advert itself, I have drawn a blank on evidence of Steve playing these makes.

However much he enthused over their performance in the advert, although he has never been seen publicly playing one on stage; it was always the Gibson Les Paul Custom during this period.

What he used in rehearsal, whilst recording, at home or in the United States is open to debate, however I have no photographic record (other than the advert) to support him playing an Ibanez. I would be happy to be corrected here, of course.

GIBSON ES-175 
Steve Marriot used a Gibson ES-175 on Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake’s “Song of a Baker” — or at least used one to play the song when the band appeared on French television.

FENDER ESQUIRE
The guitar that was used on the Small Faces II reunion. Basically a single pick-up Telecaster, it had a clean sounding cutting tone, which gave it a comparatively acoustic property when viewed against Gibsons in a live concert environment. These were (and are) quite rare guitars to get hold of (Bruce Springsteen uses one). It appeared on the Small Faces II tour and disappeared as quickly after the split.

Talking Fenders, there is also video footage of Steve playing a Sunburst Fender Stratocaster during the Blackberries period of Humble Pie, but I’ve never seen photos, or ever seen him playing one, they are versatile guitars, but not for Steve it seems! (Both of these of course may have been borrowed.) The blonde semi-solid blues guitar, two humbucker pick-ups mounted on a solid block of wood in an acoustic guitar shell, which provides a massive tonal range. The harsh electric top and the plummy mid-bassy tones used in jazz and blues were both able to be used in this epitome of an electric guitar. Steve had learned to play well by the time he had this guitar bought for him by Marion Pearcy, and his decision to play in three-piece bands in the future reflects the confidence that he had in his playing.

GIBSON 335
After the acquisition of his Gibson ES-335, Steve Marriott seemed never to play any other, guitar fueling rumours that this was the only guitar he possessed. He certainly was using it when performing with both 'The Official Receivers' and 'Packet of Three' and was using it when he played his final gig at Half Moon in Putney in April 1991, similar to the jacket photo as below.

Toby (Steve's son) has this guitar now, the pick-up covers have been removed, and it's string action is demanding. The ES-355's comparitively to the LP's are not lightweight for stage performances.

REFERENCES:
The Small Faces:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Faces

Steve Marriott 
http://www.stevemarriott.co.uk/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Marriott Gibson Guitar Great

Steve Marriott’s Roots Unveiled in New Small Faces DVD 
https://gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/small-faces-0330/

Coley Guitars
http://www.coleyguitars.co.uk/gallery-coronet.html

Steve's Electric Guitars
http://www.humble-pie.net/rockon/features/html/steves_guitars.html

Ronnie Lane's H22 Bass
http://www.vintageguitars.org.uk/H22.php

The OPC (June, 2010)

2010-05-10T13:47:00.005+10:00

The revolutionary OPC Computer Amplifier Speaker is 100% designed and built in the UK. It is a fully integrated computer with internal speaker which delivers playing, recording, editing and computing capabilities to musicians and music aficionados. This is the first computer of its kind that you can connect yourself and your music to the digital world simply by plugging in your instrument.

The OPC will be leading the way with a number of ‘Firsts’:

- The first computer of its kind to have a built-in high powered speaker which delivers superb full range hi-fi quality sounds as well as vintage guitar sounds.

- The first computer to have a universal input jack enabling users to plug in a multitude of musical instruments (guitar, keyboard etc ) and peripherals such as the iPod, MP3 players, microphones.

- A unique cooling system to ensure air goes in and exits only after cooling the internal computer

As a fully fledged computer it has 4GB DDR2 RAM, 500GB Hard Drive, Intel chips, Windows 7 x64 home premium, 8 x USB2.0 ports, is Wi-Fi enabled and has an integrated GeForce 9300 graphics card with an optional dedicated ATI 5670 512MB card for those who may want to play a few games while they put their guitars down. T

The first models will include modelling software incorporating computer samples of vintage and current Orange amps and cabinets as well as free branded recording software package. Once plugged in, you can then use the software included to create music or choose your guitar sound and then play, record and hear your guitar through the computer!

The OPC is compact, very portable, sexy and beautifully Orange! It takes many of its design cues from Orange’s, instantly recognisable, brightly coloured Orange Amplifiers and picture-frame cabinets and once again makes Orange stand out from the crowd.

The OPC is due to be released in JUNE 2010 and the price will be announced shortly.

For further details, contact;

Tel ; +44 208 905 2828

http://www.orangeamps.com/features.asp?ID=163

LEMON 120

2010-04-07T12:06:00.004+10:00

Thanks to GuitarNerd for sending me on the trail to find these Brissie guys in downtown Fortitude Valley, doing their 'own thing' and proud to say that they "...play a LEMON!" :-R

	Back in the late 60's a small amplifier/radio repair company in northern England teamed up with a very savvy businessman from London and created a line of amps that were strikingly appealing and sounded incredible. The sound was due to the amplifier company having been designing, repairing and building amps for almost 20 years at that point and was owned by an incredible electronic engineer. The look was thanks to the young businessman who knew to sell something it had to look "appealing" to the young players of the day.
The Lemon by Tym guitars is an accurate re-creation of that late 60's amp made by this northern UK manufacturer with some modern appointments like a stand by, custom handmade transformers and a master volume thrown in for good measure. Available in 80W or 120W versions it has all the trademark tones of these now very collectable originals and is physically identical to the vintage amps it's paying homage to.
	The handmade, hand welded steel chassis holds two handmade transformers with massive amounts of grain orientated steel. These transformers are based on the original transformers but wound for tighter, more focused frequency response to suit the amp design, giving less "flab" once the extremes of tolerances are approached.
The circuit is identical to the late 60's/early 70's version known today as the GT or "Graphic" by collectors, but using modern, high quality components mounted on thick, high quality PCB like the original with chassis mounted power valves, pots and jacks but with the advantage of a master volume. An effects loop like the original is available at a very nominal fee. The amp is designed to run EL34, 6L6, KT77 .......... with just a re-bias.
	The faceplate is also in homage to the original amps with the big knobs and handles all there to help give that incredibly striking look. The controls from left to right are inputs, FAC, Hz, KHz, Drive, Volume, Master, stand by and power. The originals didn't have a stand by but we have added this for extended valve and component life.
The sleeve is exactly original size and dimensions (in fact your vintage chassis will bolt straight in) with "picture frame" front and is done in yellow to keep with the theme but, like all our amps is available in any colour currently being offered. The matching Lemon 4x10 speaker cab is also done in yellow and is available with Jensen Neodymium speakers for that big round bottom end and sparkling highs that these amps are famous for. Other speakers are available on request and any one of our cabs can be custom ordered matching the head.

	These amps and cabs are made here in Brisbane by hand for players who want locally made quality gear. We're not trying to re-invent the wheel or claim to be "boutique". We're just making amps, pedals, speaker cabs and guitars they way they used to be made. By hand by people who care and are passionate about what they do. We only use the best quality components available to us and try, wherever possible to use local or Australian manufacturers where quality isn't compromised.
	For more info or pics please contact us.
Technical data: Price : approx $2500* Valves: Power: 4 X EL34 (6L6 or KT66) Preamp: 12AX7 Phase inverter: 12AX7 Controls: inputs, FAC, Hz, KHz, Drive, Volume, Master, stand by and power. Input: High and low Foot switch: NA Effects loop: optional Speaker out: 4,8 and 16ohm Power: 240V IEC plug Power: approx 80W clean (120W Max) Size: 54 X 25 X 25cm Weight: 20.5 kg Chassis: welded steel Cabinet: Ply with choice of colours * head unit only. May be more with optional tolex and faceplate/grill cloth.
	back to top

All prices quoted do not include GST. PayPal payments incur a 3% charge. Shipping is done every Monday subject to payments. Prices subject to change without notice. All Tym products are covered by relevant warranties.

References:
1. Tym Guitars (Brisbane) - Lemon 120
2. Orange & Lemon Amps & MataAmps @ GuitarNerd
3. The Lemon @ TDPRI - The Telecaster Forum

"Ain't She Sweet", The Beatles (1961)

2010-03-30T20:19:00.010+11:00

"Ain't She Sweet" was performed by The Beatles (with Lennon on lead vocals). It was recorded on June 23, 1961 at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg, Germany with Pete Best on drums, and Bernard Purdie for drum overdubs, produced by Bert Kaempfert, released in 1964, May 29 on Polydor NH 52-317 (UK).^[1] and included on the Anthology 1 album in 1995.

A different rendition, recorded during a jam session in 1969 with Ringo Starr on drums, was released on The Beatles' Anthology 3 - it is the only song which appears on two of the Anthology records. The song was also included in John Lennon's Anthology box set.

"Cry for a Shadow" is an early Beatles instrumental. It was recorded on 22 June 1961 at the Friedrich-Ebert-Halle, Hamburg-Harburg, Germany while they were performing as Tony Sheridan's backup band for a few tracks. It was written by George Harrison with John Lennon as a parody of The Shadows style. (The Shadows, who backed Cliff Richard were the biggest British instrumental rock & roll group at the time of the recording.) It imitates the lead guitar with typical Hank Marvin licks, the melodic bass fills, and even has an imitation during the second middle 8 of the famous Jet Harris yell. It is the only Beatles track to be credited to Lennon and Harrison alone.

It was intended to be released as the B-side of "Why", another Sheridan song with The Beatles, but the record company chose to release another song instead. In early 1964, as The Beatles were gaining popularity, the record company Polydor decided to release it, with "Why" changed to the b-side.^[1] According to Bill Harry, editor of the Mersey Beat newspaper, Cry for a Shadow's original title was "Beatle Bop".^{[citation needed]}

It was also released in 1995 as part of the Anthology 1 compilation.

...And then were three!

2010-03-30T19:42:00.006+11:00

Paul and George (and Ringo) perform Milton Ager plus Jack Yellen's 1927 song "Ain't She Sweet". George plays the ukulele.

From The Beatles Anthology DVD
"Ain't She Sweet" is a song composed by Milton Ager and Jack Yellen in 1927. It became popular in the first half of the twentieth century, one of the smash hit songs that typified the Roaring Twenties. Like "Happy Days Are Here Again" (1929), it became a Tin Pan Alley standard. Both Ager and Yellen were elected to membership in the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Lyrics
"Oh ain't she sweet, well see her walking down that street. Yes I ask you very confidentially: ain't she sweet? Oh ain't she nice, well look her over once or twice. Yes I ask you very confidentially: ain't she nice? Just cast an eye in her direction. Oh me oh my, ain't that perfection? Oh I repeat, well don't you think that's kind of neat? Yes I ask you very confidentially: ain't she sweet?".

Milton Ager wrote "Ain't She Sweet" for his daughter Shana Ager, who later grew up and became Shana Alexander, who was on television and on radio as a political commentator.

Paul George and Ringo on the same day... in 1994 (despite the YouTube header's date) jamming and playing "The Blue Moon of Kentucky" et. al..

"Something", written by George Harrison, released on The Beatles' "Abbey Road" (1969). From Paul McCartney's 2001 USA tour.

Extract: The Beatles Complete On Ukulele

2010-03-30T05:19:00.010+11:00

It's hard to describe the complete and utter joy of finding a rare gem of both honest 'no-holds barred' musical prose and great collaborative musical works. This site is unique and although it's a great tribute to the Apollonian 'Beatles, it leaves a sense like the trials beset upon Odysseus in his quest, that they have been scourged. :-R

030 -Don’t Bother Me - Delaverde

DOWNLOAD HERE

Song - Don’t Bother Me

Artist - Delaverde

Original version recorded September 11-12, 1963

Ukulele Version recorded May 2009

Vocals - Marlon and Luis

Drums - Anthony Rondon

Guitar - Karen Gonzales

Bass - Durban Laverde

Ukulele - Roger Greenawalt

Fiddling while Caracas burns - David Barratt

Produced by David Barratt at The Abattoir Of Good Taste, Fort Greene, Brooklyn from original recordings made Delaverde in Caracas, Venezuela.

For best results play Don’t Bother Me on repeat while reading the essay.

ABOUT THE SONG

Don’t Bother Me is the first song written by George Harrison and it sounds like it, young and insecure. It is also the first Beatle song written in a minor key, another insight into Harrison’s personality.

Harrison was dour, taciturn guy, even by cynical Liverpudlian standards. Untalkative, rarely cheery, he hid a dry, bitter sense of humor. Harrison did not enjoy most of the aspects of fame. What he liked was music and money. Of the four group members, George and Paul followed the flow of them both most closely.

John and Paul were vastly richer than George and Ringo because of song writing revenue, and George knew it.

It would take George more than 5 years to write a truly great song (Something), but hey, you gotta start somewhere. In the meantime his various second rate contributions to earlier Beatle albums became the basis of a fortune greater than most human beings will ever accrue.

Don't Bother Me is also the first clinically depressed Beatles song, a style of self-pity that John Lennon would make very much his own circa late 64-65. For early Beatles though, Don’t Bother Me is very off message, especially compared to the celebratory teen anthems like She Loves You and I Want To Hold Your Hand that they were then trafficking in.

The lyrics sound like George is lovesick and in need of vacation. He wants Brian, Neil, Mal, and the rest of the world to bugger off so he can concentrate on crying over his current Bridget Bardot-doll fixation. Why doesn't she return his clumsy calls and longing letters?

Unlike Lennon, who in response to this turn of events would stalk, threaten, and blame the girl, George is such a pathetic wuss that he blames himself.

“Since she's been gone I want no one to talk to me.

It's not the same but I'm to blame, it's plain to see.

So go away, leave me alone, don't bother me.”

Not quite eloquent but two points for the internal rhymes.

“I can't believe that she would leave me on my own.

It's just not right when every night I'm all alone.

I've got no time for you right now, don't bother me.”

Who is George addressing here? The hundreds of proto-groupies constantly swarming around?

Complaining about his relentless work schedule? Hoping the girl who dumped him will hear the song and come back to him? Had he temporarily run out of amphetamines and crashed chemically?

My best guess is drugs.

I enjoy snarky English slang acronyms. NVI, (Non-Visible Income), describes someone who mysteriously seems to be living wildly beyond his or her means. SOHF, (Sense Of Humor Failure) is taking something unimportant far too seriously. And my favorite is OPRAH, (Other People Really Are Hell). OPRAH is a worldview that George Harrison would have related to. It must have been a total drag for such a misanthrope to have to deal with so many fucking people every day of his life. Never alone, never anonymous.

I like my job and friends plenty, but the truth is that the happiest hour of my day is spent reading the papers over breakfast by myself in the morning. The key factor here is, the complete and total absence of conversation with other people. What bliss. Don’t bother me indeed.

It would be nice to say something positive about the production of Don’t Bother Me. But there is little to praise here. The Latin-tinged groove Ringo plays makes no sense in the context of this chord progression and tempo. George’s double tracked vocals are botched as usual, and he commits one of the very few crimes against pitch in all of the Beatles oeuvre. Of the doubled vocals singing on the word “me” on the very first line of the song, one is drastically flat. A lot of the vocal doubles are messy rhythmically. I blame the producer. But this is also symptomatic of the scant attention paid to George and Ringo songs compared to John and Paul songs.

George was a fine singer, they just didn’t spend enough time on it that day. Check out his double tracked vocals on Chuck Berry’s Roll Over Beethoven from side two of the same album. It’s a great performance, youthful, exciting and sexy. I’ll bet George had sung Roll Over Beethoven hundreds of times live, conversely, Don’t Bother Me, according to our research, was never publicly performed.

He simply needed more practice.

George’s guitar solo starts off imitating the vocal melody and then peters out into nervous noodling. Lennon plays an psychotically loud tambourine on the backbeat. Sometimes he respects the stops in the groove, and other times he doesn’t give a toss and plays right through. You can barely hear the backbeat snare on the drum set over Ringo’s dull but loud open hi-hat playing. McCartney manages to get nothing wrong on the bass. However, this is insufficient to save the recording.

Roger And Dave recently devoured recording engineer Geoff Emerick’s memoir, Here, There, and Everywhere. He describes, we think accurately, Harrison as unfriendly, and their weakest link musically, then goes on to generously praise George’s growth as an artist and producer.

Roger and Dave believe that George flowered more than any other Beatle between 1962-70. Listen to masterpieces like Something or Here Comes The Sun. Compare George’s sublime playing on the later Beatles recordings to the childish noises he was responsible for when the band began. Even more impressive is his journey from selfish boy to spiritual man while under the toxic spotlight of fame. Had you given young Roger or Dave that sort of attention we would have turned out more Kim Jong Il than Hare Krishna.

I'm going through a rather disturbing anagram phase. Here are some rogered anagrams of the name “George Harrison”.

“Gonorrhea Grise”. An elderly man who has survived a social disease.

“Orgies or hanger?” asked the gynecologist.

“A Rogering Horse”. Modesty prevents...

The Roger And Dave version of Don’t Bother Me is our first foreign language escapade. The lyrics to DBM are much better in Spanish than English. It is an honor to have the multi-talented Derban Beatencourt involved with The Beatles Complete On Ukulele.

R&D would love to have more foreign language renditions to include in our epic quest. We already have French and German versions on the way, but we invite Icelandic, Burmese, and especially Ethiopian artists to contribute their oral talents to our endeavor.

Tigrinya caressed by the ukulele is very heaven.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Delaverde are from faraway Venezuela, and have been together for several years. Stylistically diverse, Delaverde respects no known musical boundaries. Their founder, bassist Durban Laverde, has played with many unknown British artists, like Jimmy Page, Manfred Mann, Joan Armatrading, and Mick Jagger, as well as the world famous David Barratt. Anthony Rondon plays drums and percussion, Karen Gonzales is on guitar, and Marlon and Luis, from Los Elfos, supply guest vocals. Delverde is putting the finishing touches on their new album, Delavede Y La Iguana Brass, which features Vicente Frejeiro (Venezuelan Symphonic Orchestra) on trumpet.

http://thebeatlescompleteonukulele.blogspot.com/2009/08/030-dont-bother-me-delaverde.html

Cole Clark: Jack Tenor Ukulele

2010-03-29T20:54:00.004+11:00

All Cole Clark ukuleles comprise our unique "Carved to fit" soundboard and backs, as well as the "Spanish" or "Integral Neck", that is, the neck forms a part of the construction as with our "Fat Lady" range of acoustic guitars.

The Jack Tenor has been designed to be of a comfortable size and scale length. Generally, guitarists venturing into the world of ukulele will prefer the Jack Tenor’s longer scale length compared with the more traditional Ukelady size. Natural “guitar dexterities” are more easily transferred across without too much adjustment of left hand technique.

The cutaway body style provides unencumbered access to the fingerboard, adding to the overall comfort and playability of the Jack Tenor.

Specifications

Body style: Cutaway
Construction: Internally carved soundboard and back, integral neck
Materials: All solid timber
Scale length: 17"
Overall length: 27"
Total # frets: 19
Frets to the body: 14
Nut and Saddle: Graphtech TUSQ
Tuners: Gotoh UK-700 geared tuners with height adjustable poles
Strings: Aquila Corde (all Nylgut) Regular Tenor
Finish: Natural satin nitrocellulose
Logo: Cole Clark script (decal)

JT1C

Timber: Solid Tasmanian Blackwood
Binding: None
Fingerboard & bridge: Solid Tasmanian Blackwood (or solid Indian Rosewood)
Fingerboard inlays: Mother of pearl dots 3mm
Bridge pins: Graphtech TUSQ

JT2C

Timber: Solid Tasmanian Blackwood
Binding: Maple binding (soundboard and back)
Fingerboard & bridge: Solid Tasmanian Blackwood (or solid Indian Rosewood)
Fingerboard inlays: Mother of pearl snowflakes
Bridge pins: Graphtech TUSQ with pearl dots

JT1AC & JT2AC

Fitted with Cole Clark's Rechargeable Faceblend system, the finest on-board amplification system on the market!
Specifications
Strap button fitted (rear only) to allow strap attachment. See Accessories

Options:

Finish: Full body nitrocellulose gloss full body (n/a JT1 series)
Finish: Tung oil body finish with natural satin nitrocellulose neck
Timbers: Solid Bunya soundboard
Timbers: Solid Indian Rosewood back and sides