Jul 152009
On the ride in today I heard The Stooges‘ “No Fun” and The Who‘s “Getting in Tune” and the following questions occurred to me for possible discussion here in the Halls of Rock:
- What’s the most stunning entry by a soloing guitar on record?
- What’s the tastiest intro lick by a bass guitar on record?
I think you can figure out which songs led to each question. I’m not asking these questions, I should add, to set up a Battle Royale but rather to capture your gut responses, as we do in Dugout Chatter sessions.
A few other questions have since come to mind:
- What’s the first drum intro that comes to mind for you?
- What’s the first vocal ad lib/aside on record that comes to mind, now that I’ve asked?
- What’s your favorite vocal ad lib/aside on record?
I look forward to your candid responses!
1) Ringo – Abbey Road
2) Jimi Hendrix – Crosstown Traffic (isn’t the whole song an aisde)
3) Listening to Otis Redding on Monterey Pop
* What’s the most stunning entry by a soloing guitar on record?
There are so many! Faves of mine would probably include: Hendrix’s amazing live version of “Johnny B. Goode;” Billy Gibbon’s slow burn on “Brown Sugar;” and, yes, probably something off of a Van Halen track.
* What’s the tastiest intro lick by a bass guitar on record?
The only one that springs to mind is “Come Together”
* What’s the first drum intro that comes to mind for you?
Well, because I was thinkin’ about the ‘Halen earlier, “Hot for Teacher.” But I’d rather say “Honky Tonk Women.”
* What’s the first vocal ad lib/aside on record that comes to mind, now that I’ve asked?
“…and my mother hates me!”, from AC/DC’s “Problem Child.”
* What’s your favorite vocal ad lib/aside on record?
Ian Gillian’s evil cackle in the middle of “Speed King.”
HVB
What’s the tastiest intro lick by a bass guitar on record?
I love the way Bob Sheehan intros himself on “Onslaught” on the Travelers and Thieves by Blues Traveler (one of my favorite bass records).
TB
1. What’s the most stunning entry by a soloing guitar on record?
Hendrix: “just…ask…the Axis…he knows everything…” and as he is speaking these last words, a guitar starts climbing into a solo, a full measure before everybody else on the planet would start it.
2. What’s the tastiest intro lick by a bass guitar on record?
That Sabbath song…”Hand of Doom.” Stealthy.
here’s a great version of it, by turns simmering and blazing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KsK630FuTxk
Mod, I want to write a Sabbath thread after watching this. Sabbath: so neglected on RTH, so monolithic.
3. What’s the first drum intro that comes to mind for you?
Led Zeppelin: the Rover
Hendrix: Little Miss Lover
4. What’s the first vocal ad lib/aside on record that comes to mind, now that I’ve asked?
“come on come on come on hahhahaha comeon”
in “EVerybody’s got Somethin to hide…”
5. What’s your favorite vocal ad lib/aside on record?
Hendrix: “Let’s see if I can talk to this girl a *little* bit…” in “Wait ’til tomorrow.”
Guitar – When Doves Cry – Prince
Bass – The Real Me – The Who
Drums – Rock and Roll – Led Zeppelin (or just give it to Little Richard, but you said first one that came to mind) / Or When The Levee Breaks
Vocal Adlib – “and don’t forget the joker” The Ace Of Spades – Motorhead (right before it goes into the 2nd solo)
saturnismine – I look forward to your Black Sabbath report. I have borrowed most of the 70’s records but can’t say I’ve really every played them. Maybe your words will encourage me to emerse myself in the sound of the Prince of F’n Darkness
jungle: i may take awhile with it, but i *do* really intend on getting something into the RTH discourse about the Sab. I need to know what we all think of these blokes.
* What’s the most stunning entry by a soloing guitar on record?
On the Europe ’72 version of China Cat Sunflower, at about 5:00 Garcia’s solo starts to emerge as the song evolves into I Know You Rider.
* What’s the tastiest intro lick by a bass guitar on record?
Rick Danko on Yazoo Street Scandal from the Basement Tapes. I think there’s a downbeat on the kick drum right before the bass lick, but I’m sticking with that one. The bass on that song is amazing all the way through.
* What’s the first drum intro that comes to mind for you?
The crack of the snare that opens Like a Rolling Stone.
* What’s the first vocal ad lib/aside on record that comes to mind, now that I’ve asked?
* What’s your favorite vocal ad lib/aside on record?
The first one that comes to mind is this one from the slow version of Voodoo Chile on Electric Ladyland:
“I float in liquid gardens
From Arizona’s new red sand
I taste the honey from a flower named blue [way out in California]
And then New York drowns as we hold hands”
Then I realized that song is full of asides, all so cool I can’t pick a favorite:
“Mountain lions found me there
And set me on a eagle’s wing [I said eagle’s wing, baby]”
“Well I make love to you in your sleep
And Lord knows you felt no pain [have mercy]”
“My arrows are made of desire
From far away Jupiter’s sulphur mines [way down by the methane sea]”
Various laughs, yeahs, squeals, and grunts, and also the guy in the studio audience who jokingly says “turn that down, turn that down” when the guitar feeds back.
* What’s the most stunning entry by a soloing guitar on record? Behind Blue Eyes lulls you softly for a LONG time before it gives you some hairy little lead work by Pete.
* What’s the tastiest intro lick by a bass guitar on record? Live With Me. Is Keith the best bass playing guitarist? The weirdest one I like is Mike Watt on The Politics of Time.
# What’s the first drum intro that comes to mind for you? First one that came to mind was the Beatles’ Birthday given all the Hrrundi love around here. Thinking about it, I’d say Lipstick Vogue.
# What’s the first vocal ad lib/aside on record that comes to mind, now that I’ve asked? “I’ve got blisters on my fingers!” The trickle of consciousness continues.
# What’s your favorite vocal ad lib/aside on record “Would somebody go to the liquor store, please.” before Texas Wine by Jon Wayne.
First drum intro that comes to mind? The opening onlsaught on “Daddy Rolling Stone” by the Who. I didn’t say it was the best, but it’s definitely one hell of a kick off.
First vocal ad lib that comes to mind? Bowie’s banter with the engineer/ producer (Ken Scott?) on “Andy Warhol”.
Best vocal adlib? Bowie’s banter with the engineer / producer (Ken Scott?) on “Andy Warhol”.
E. Pluribus
P.S. Happy birthday, Fritz!
epluribusgergley said:
First drum intro that comes to mind? The opening onlsaught on “Daddy Rolling Stone” by the Who.
I say:
Plurbie — we REACH!
Fritz,
Give me a buzz when you get a chance. Somebody called me about a jazz record collection they want to unload. Supposedly, it’s HUGE. It’s in your neck of the woods.
E. Pluribus
Solo entry, gtr; I always went for the nasty sounding solos that explode out of “A Certain Girl” by The Yardbirds (Clapton, I think), “Strychnine” by The Sonics (Larry Parypa), & Keith’s “Sympathy for the Devil” solo on the studio version. Never did it sound like *that* again.
Bass intro; “The Real Me” by The ‘Oo, & “Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou.
Drums; “New Lace Sleeves” by E.C. & The Attractions always stuck in my mind. Also, the undeniable “heavyosity” of “When the Levee Breaks” by Led Zep.
Vocal ad lib; 1st one to come to mind is at the end of “Treatment Bound” by The Replacements. Roughly, Tommy;”What happened to that one part there, you motherfucker?” Paul;”Fucked ’em up.” Pretty much sums up their professional career.
Favorite vocal ad lib; Nearly the entire “Take No Prisoners” album by Lou Reed. The whole thing is like an extended insult comic ad lib w/musical backing.
Yep. That’s it. There are probably better ones, but those are the 1st that come to mind. Have a pleasant day.
Bobbyb, I’m TOTALLY in agreement with you on the explosive, nasty sounding guitar solos. That’s what “No Fun” made me think of. It’s like some dude walks into a party and suddenly changes the tone of the room – for the better.
Man, that’s what’s so great about the Who, they kicked OUT the covers they chose.
Mod, I thought about that nasty cutting sloppy solo Harrison lays down on Lennon’s Gimme Some Truth for the chatter question.
Mockcarr,
The Who did indeed kick ass and take names on a lot of their early covers. Case in point is “Daddy Rolling Stone”. I’m familiar with two earlier versions of the song, one by Otis Blackwell, who actually wrote the song, and one by Derek Martin. Both are incredibly lame. No spark whatsoever can be found in either version. What amazes me is that the early Who found something in the song worthy of a retread. They turned that turd into an absolute powerhouse. To this day, I think it’s one of their best tracks, and it was deemed unworthy of any sort of American release until the band’s post “Eminence Frump” days.
The early Stones were champs at all this as well. No need to go on about that. I recall you and I being in agreement there as well.
Have a good one,
E. Pluribus
Perhaps it’s because they never recorded it properly to saturate my ears, but I think the Beatles BBC version of Solider of Love is a winner.
Your thinker is working well.
Other BBC Beatle winners are their versions of the Everlys’ “Everyone Needs Someone”, Chuck Berry’s “Gotta Find My Baby” and Little Richard’s “Ooh My Soul” -McCartney is especially good on this track. Easily one of his best balls out rock and roll performances.
The other thing I like about all that BBC stuff is that it’s more or less a faily complete recorded body of their preparatory songwriting homework.
I found out about a lot of good stuff because of those transcriptions.
Ever hear “A Picture of You”? That’s another great BBC number that’s hard to track down. After hearing it, you can see why they were so taken with the song. Nice structure and chord changes.
E. Pluribus
Not first to mind, but in the cool column:
Drum intro: Ringo, Back Off Boogaloo.
Bass lick intro: Faces, Three Button Hand Me Down.
Asides: Ringo’s encouragment for George to rock out for me one time on Honey Don’t.
Mickey’s rip off of “One more George to Ringo” on the Monkees, No Time.
Does George say on For You Blue, Elmore James got nothing on this “fairy”?
(?)
A Picture of You is a rockabilly number George sings right? I think I have that on a bootleg. Been a long time since I went through that nasty sounding third generation stuff but the radio stuff usually sounded better in comparison.
Does George say on For You Blue, Elmore James got nothing on this “fairy”?
I though it was THIS CAT….