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 Indie Rock Pedalsteel (Page 2)
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Ward Williams Member From: Dallas, Texas, USA |
posted 13 February 2003 11:28 AM
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My Dearest Todd, (if that is your real name) I'll have you know that I am not trying to take the pedal steel in any new direction but up baby! I am well aware of all of the history behing this instrument, and I know that there is nothing that I am going to do or try that hasn't been done or tried by someone else at some point in time. Steel guitar's been around for a long, long time, and still most of the general public don't even know what it is. That's what I would like to change. I just want to create awareness. That's all. I take steel guitar very seriously, and I really know how to play. I can play country, rock, jazz, I'll even play rap on my steel(which is not a beginner guitar by the way) I don't care. Steve Pierce. You ROCK too brotha! I'm out, Ward |
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b0b Sysop From: Cloverdale, California, USA |
posted 13 February 2003 11:39 AM
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Let's cool off the flames here, folks. There's no need to be throwing insults at people we've never met. ------------------ |
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Larry Bell Member From: Englewood, Florida |
posted 13 February 2003 12:51 PM
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I, for one, WELCOME your enthusiasm, Ward. And I welcome you to the Forum and apologize for some who may not get the highest scores in 'Works and Plays Well With Others' on their report cards. Your skin will thicken and your filter will learn which to ignore. If we limit growth of our instrument by its roots we're asking for extinction. It is a PHENOMENAL instrument with potential that has yet to be REALIZED, much less TAPPED. ------------------ |
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Jim Smith Member From: Plano, TX, USA |
posted 13 February 2003 01:00 PM
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Todd and Ward, you're both listed as being from Dallas. I've been playing in and around the DFW MetroPlex for over 20 years and have never heard of either of you. I'm off this weekend, so please let me know where you're playing. I'd like to come hear you.  ------------------ |
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Buck Dilly Member From: Branchville, NJ, USA |
posted 13 February 2003 01:02 PM
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Jon Rauhaus play a very unusual steel on: "The man in the Moon" by Sleepwalker. THis great album is on Hayden's Ferry Records, and sports steel, bass, drums and vocals. It is not a steel album however but a 'music' album. NO flashy licks but some wonderful sonic washes, sounds, and melodies. Jon plays more traditionally with Nico Case (who is not very traditional at all) on Bloodshot records. He has a newer album that is more in the vein of a 'steel album' but I much prefer "The Man in the Moon". There are several used copies available on amazon.com. This is an album I have recommended to every one, not just steelers. It is a gem. ------------------ |
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Greg Simmons Member From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada |
posted 13 February 2003 01:39 PM
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Buck, thanks for mentioning Jon Rauhouse - I like his work with Neko Case and the "Sleepwalker" is kinda neat. I've got his latest "Steel Guitar Air Show" on Bloodshot Records and like it a lot ------------------ |
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P Gleespen Member From: Lakewood, OH USA (I miss Boston!) |
posted 13 February 2003 01:52 PM
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This indie rock stuff is coming out on a Boston based indie later this month. The band's called "Placer"... http://www.dopamine-records.com/images/placer_thehighway.mp3 http://www.dopamine-records.com/images/circles.mp3 |
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Jim Smith Member From: Plano, TX, USA |
posted 13 February 2003 03:42 PM
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I listened to both of these cuts, and sorry to say, I didn't hear anything that couldn't be done very easily by a slide guitarist or an amateur lap steel player. In fact, if I hadn't known in advance that there was steel on them, I would never have guessed it. I can't see this advancing the popularity of steel guitar, or is it just me?  |
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Bobby Snell Member From: Austin, Texas |
posted 13 February 2003 07:40 PM
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Yeah, Jim, it's just you. Why don't you and Todd start a thread about how Joe Wright playing House of the Rising Sun through a (b)uzztone is "real good rock." No smilie on this one. |
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Bob Hoffnar Member From: Brooklyn, NY |
posted 14 February 2003 01:02 AM
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I almost forgot. last year I did a van tour playing steel for Kyle Fischer of Rainer Maria and Mike Kinsella. Also I have been playing with Hem but I don't really think of them as "indie". Pat, Sounds great to me. As long as you are in Cleveland you might check out a band called Aloha. I think they are based out of Cleveland. Great players. Bob |
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Ricky Davis Moderator From: Spring, Texas USA |
posted 14 February 2003 01:25 AM
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WEll I know Ward as I've been to his house and sold him that Webb amp Rig(how is that workin' for ya anyway Ward???). I sat down and picked his steel and he sat down and picked his steel....and I'll tell ya.....Ward can play man...and he's not just a guitar player turned> slide up and down the neck aimlessly and squelch out some guitar rock riffs kinda Steel player.. Ward knows the instrument well and can play just fine..........and knows his stuff. So there ya have it....and I hate Country Music too....Well I mean I love it;; but hate it all at the same time...ha....Weeellll I mean> what the heck is Country music anyway?? it lost all meaning...thanks to >well you know> but I like to hear good steel guitar played... Ricky |
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Jim Smith Member From: Plano, TX, USA |
posted 14 February 2003 06:05 AM
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quote:Bobby, sorry we don't agree on this one. I have heard many examples of pedal steel in venues other than country, but these just don't float my boat. |
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Scott Houston unregistered |
posted 14 February 2003 06:44 AM
What instrumentalists of all stripes often seen to forget is that it's not the instrument, it's the song. As musicians we easily loose our objectivity. But I tell you this for sure-99% of the people who enjoy music don't judge it on the technique of the players. Heck, most of them can't even tell what instrument is what. They hear two things: the singer and the song. Out of those two, a good song is worth more than a good singer every time. So that's why it really doesn't matter to anyone (except other players) how fancy you guys can pick. That's just crowing. Who besides other steelers cares what your gear is? Or what style of music you claim to prefer? Bottom line is there's good "country" songs, there's good "indy" songs, there's good Hawaiian, etc., and there's one huge pile of garbage out there in every category no matter how you slice it. I'd rather hear a beginner do his best on a good song than a virtuoso play perfectly on a piece of carp. Like Dylan on the harp. What an awful sound, but the song is always worth it. With all due respect, Mr. Pertll and Mr. Williams can have their shoot out, but good luck finding anybody besides forumites who want to listen. |
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Scott Houston unregistered |
posted 14 February 2003 06:48 AM
Let me add that even though I said there's a huge pile of garbage out there, thank goodness there's at least so many people trying to make music. I'd LIKE to think that very few are setting out to make garbage from the very get go... |
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HowardR Member From: N.Y.C.,N.Y. |
posted 14 February 2003 10:13 AM
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quote: true....but how about salmon? they have different scales... |
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P Gleespen Member From: Lakewood, OH USA (I miss Boston!) |
posted 14 February 2003 11:43 AM
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quote: That's probably because it IS all being done very easily by a (arguably semi
quote: That's good sort of...I'm not out to play the same stuff I've heard a thousand times before. ...not that I could if I wanted to...
quote: That wasn't my job in that band. I'll leave that to you. I'll be the first to admit I'm not a terribly proficient steel player (in fact, I still pretty much suck!), but that's not what that band needs or wants anyway, so it worked out pretty well. I thought about putting some PEDAL steel on some of the tracks (neither of the ones posted above), but since I knew that I wasn't going to be around to tour for the record that I wouldn't make it impossible for the guy who took my place in the band now (he doesn't have a pedal steel...at least not yet! I bet he'll get the bug.) added a few minutes later: [This message was edited by P Gleespen on 14 February 2003 at 12:08 PM.] |
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Mark Ardito Member From: Chicago, IL, USA |
posted 14 February 2003 11:51 AM
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I played steel on an album for a Chicago indie band called "The Atari Star". http://www.theataristar.com/ They are pretty far from Country, but they play this slow mellow stuff. Pedal Steel fit in real good! Mark ------------------ |
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Jim Smith Member From: Plano, TX, USA |
posted 14 February 2003 11:54 AM
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quote:Sorry, I wasn't slamming your abilities, but the title of the thread does indicate pedal steel, so I assumed...  |
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Bobby Snell Member From: Austin, Texas |
posted 14 February 2003 12:12 PM
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OK, Jim, no accounting for taste...so I won't include you in my rant against the usual trend of any thread on this forum concerning rock music being hijacked by folks who don't like rock music. |
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Todd Pertll Member From: Austin, Texas, USA |
posted 14 February 2003 12:22 PM
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Sorry Bobby, Jim isn't alone on this one. Although it may be true, I disagree with the "Any publicity is good publicity" policy in this instance. "Shoehorning"(that probably isn't a word) a steel into a song that doesn't need it annoys me. BTW I'm stating a general opinion. I didn't hear the posted tunes. So, I'm not refering to P's tunes. |
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Bob Hoffnar Member From: Brooklyn, NY |
posted 14 February 2003 12:55 PM
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I enjoy and appreciate any player at any level of ability getting out there with the steel and expressing themselves with it in a new context. I want to hear about more bands and new players ! Early on I used to show up at gigs with piles of scrap metal I would lay over the strings and then start banging and scraping. In the wrong hands a pedalsteel can make a hell of a racket ! Funny thing is I had plenty of gigs even back then. Bob |
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D Schubert Member From: Columbia, MO, USA |
posted 14 February 2003 01:30 PM
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Related story -- I agreed to play some PSG on one CD track for some young musicians (30 years my junior) on Wednesday night. I hauled my Sho-Bud over to their studio. We sifted through a number of ideas and sounds, to nail down what they wanted. We tried four different amps, and in the end we ran my steel through a wide-open Super Reverb in an isolated room, and recorded it with a ribbon mic. Yes it was loud, but I was safe inside the control room with headphones. I ended up folding back the knee levers on my E9th and riding the A&B pedals, because that's the "raw" sound they were after. Oh, yeah, man, that's it! Not the best steelin' you ever heard, and not exactly to my taste, but I made a few bucks and had a good time playing the old hired gun. And they were all tickled pink 'cuz I played exactly what they wanted. Roll your eyes and judge if ya' want, but I don't see a thing wrong with it... |
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Bobby Lee Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA |
posted 14 February 2003 07:19 PM
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quote:I agree that many songs don't cry out for a traditional country steel part, but playing an appropriate part is part of all-around musicianship on any instrument. There are songs that don't "need" a piano, or a guitar, or drums, but adding appropriate parts on those instruments usually improves a recording. I think we should strive to add parts that fit, whatever the style. Here's an example: I added a trivial (IMHO) steel part to one of the rock tunes that my band plays. Later when I tried to switch to percussion on my HandSonic for that tune, the leader (who wrote the tune) said "no" because he had grown accustomed to the steel part. I never thought that the song needed steel, and it surely needed more percussion, but the "unnecessary" steel part actually became a part of the singer/songwriter's conception of how it should sound. I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't assume that a song doesn't need a steel guitar. If you find the right part, the steel can become as indispensable as a piano or guitar. ------------------ |
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Dave Van Allen Member From: Doylestown, PA , US , Earth |
posted 15 February 2003 05:37 AM
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well stated b0b!! |
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Jon Light Member From: Brooklyn, NY |
posted 15 February 2003 05:53 AM
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Agreed. But I certainly do feel that musicianship can determine that the music would be better without. Years ago I was a far better keyboard player than I've yet to achieve on steel. And there were times when I knew that the sound was better without me. Maybe not without piano but without me on piano---and I didn't see nobody else around w/keys so I guess it was my call. I hope to get good enough on steel to be able to make the same good judgements--yes, I sometimes play just because that's what I'm there to do. There's no law that says there's got to be steel. Maybe someday, if I'm elected, but until then.... |
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