Lunch Report - Tuesday September 10th

Lunch today will probably be leftovers again. I'm going to try to run up the road to a coffee shop to grab a sandwich and some caffeine, but realistically I will most likely end up scarfing down something from the fridge between phone calls.

Today's G&L is a 1984 El Toro. This model had been on my list for a couple of years. When one popped up last fall at a reasonable price, I jumped right on it. My '88 ASAT wasn't getting much playing time since the '86s arrived, so it went to a new home right up the street and the El Toro took its place.







This particular bass has a transparent blue finish over swamp ash, with a very nice rosewood board and a touch of figuring in the neck. It came to me very dirty, with old round wound strings and in need of a setup. I have to admit it wasn't love at first sight. I cleaned it up a bit and got the string height and intonation to a better place and suddenly it seemed very sweet, even with the old strings. The biggest surprise, though, was when I took a couple of pictures. There is quite a bit of flame in the body, which doesn't really show up under indoor lighting but pops with a camera flash from the right angle. Here's a back shot that hints at the grain patterns:



The El Toro is a very versatile bass. I'd put the basic tone somewhere between an L-2000 or ASAT Bass's booming low end and the midrange punch of an early SB-1 or SB-2. I recently changed the old round wounds to a set of LaBella Deep Talkin' Quarter Rounds, which I really do not like so far. Even so, this bass could easily cover just about any sound I would need in a gigging situation. It could probably handle the low end a little bit better with a good set of flats, so there is going to be a string change in the near future.

G&L topic: What G&L instrument would best handle your basic needs in a cover band situation, where a variety of sounds will be needed? Could you make it happen with one instrument, or would you need to bring in some backup?

Non-G&L topic: Let's talk about covers. Really bad covers. Worse is better. I stumbled across this "modern spiritual" from Lawrence Welk a while back:

[youtube]t8tdmaEhMHE[/youtube]

What is the most misconceived, inappropriate or just plain wrong cover song you've ever encountered? My apologies in advance to everybody who spends the rest of the day humming "One Toke Over the Line", and to your co-workers and loved ones who end up humming it too.

Ken

Beautiful El Toro Ken! That thing looks gorgeous and accroding to your account also sounds gorgeous.

G&L topic: What G&L instrument would best handle your basic needs in a cover band situation, where a variety of sounds will be needed? Could you make it happen with one instrument, or would you need to bring in some backup?

I think it would be either of my 2 Korina Deluxes. Both of them are string in the humbucking area but their coil splits are amazing too. And it that case you wouldn't need a backup.

Non-G&L topic: Let's talk about covers. Really bad covers. Worse is better.

Instead of posting a vid, I wanted to submit "The Annoying Music Show!" only to just learn its host Jim Nayder recently passed away. I always 'enjoyed' his contributions to "Morning Edition" because there was always some real bad stuff being showcased. Real bad stuff!

- Jos

Here's one, might help cleanse the palette from those tokes and lines Mr.Welk served up:

[youtube]ssR-830hrck[/youtube]



Devo's "Are you experienced" is wrong , but right. I didn't know they had problems with Hendrix's family.
Janie can be pretty proactive. I imagine that was when Al was around .I wonder if he ever saw DEVO's vid.
[youtube]rJ9stxCEGrY[/youtube]

"Not necessarily beautiful, but m-u-t-a-t-ed !"...exactly.


...oh and Butthole Surfer's SweatLoaf deserves an honorable mention .
[youtube]LwknFJpjl9g[/youtube]

I like these guys, this is from a whole album of Elvis covers:
[youtube]syWpGX7vZTE[/youtube]

I'd bring my Skyhawk, three single coils .Vol/Neck Blend/Tone gives me a whole lot of territory to play with.

Your right ,that last picture really captures the light playing in that lake of blue maple

elwood

Lunch today was a Loco Chicken Labretti from the local coffee shop.

G&L Question: What guitar would I use to cover most of my needs? I always seem to bring my custom SC-2 to most gigs. Very versatile and rock solid reliable.

NON-G&L Question: I am pretty certain that Killdozer and the Butthole Surfers were intending to do a hatchet job on these songs, going for the whole anathema effect. WTH was DEVO smoking?!! That is the wrong kind of "wrong". As for a bad cover, I'd have these two for your consideration,

Not outright bad, but just a weak effort compared to the Chris Isaak original:

[youtube]JdOc6FUYSL0[/youtube]


Neko Case & Nick Cave cover of She's Not There, just a bad arrangement and a bad mix to boot!

[youtube]MwSWKZSCBOI[/youtube]

an asat special deluxe trinity. (doesn't exist as far as i know) dfs trem.

That is the wrong kind of "wrong".

Jag, What kind of 'wrong' is this one?
( I used to have this on vinyl ...and played it occasionally..LOL)

[youtube]LzuCIpzX4Qg[/youtube]

Lunch wasn't much better today: a bowl of SpaghettiOs with meatballs and a cup of coffee while I was waiting for a conference call to start. At least today it was at 1:00 instead of 2:00. The week seems to be improving.

Jos - I need to try a Deluxe. That's one model I haven't seen in person yet.

Elwood - Why didn't anybody tell me about Killdozer before today? I will be going on a listening binge. This reminded me of being around the punk scene in the deep south in 1983 - everybody played at least one southern rock classic. My best friend and I could play Freebird start-to-finish in two minutes. To this day I am glad that we didn't get that on tape. I loved the other videos too.

Jag - I was very disappointed by the cover of She's Not There. Nick Cave and Neko Case are two of my favorite singers. It would have been better if her vocals weren't processed. IIRC, her advice to current pop singers was along the lines of "stop being lazy and turn off the pitch correction...spend an extra hour in the studio until you hit the ****ing note on your own!". This cover could have been wonderful with Grinderman backing them up.

Tim - I can't remember how long it's been since I laughed that hard. I am just glad we didn't have YouTube when I was covering Freebird.

Louis - That would be an interesting guitar...

Elwood - If that Jumpin' Jack Flash cover used a drone synth instead of a sitar, I would have really liked it.

Ken

Elwood - Why didn't anybody tell me about Killdozer before today? I will be going on a listening binge. This reminded me of being around the punk scene in the deep south in 1983 - everybody played at least one southern rock classic. My best friend and I could play Freebird start-to-finish in two minutes. To this day I am glad that we didn't get that on tape. I loved the other videos too.

I saw them play in the mid 80's with The Melvins...As little as I remember from the show, I couldn't forget that rendition .

Did you guys also play Layla in under 3min. ? I would like that version...maybe

Some of my old 4-track stuff still sounds good (to me at least) , some of it.
We did a 21 minute free for all version of 21st century schizoid man , some was ok, it shows we needed more practice...
that one was videotaped...ah well

I usually gig with a Legacy and a 2HB. For the 2HB, I will usually use a Les Paul, 335 or clone, ASAT Deluxe or Ibanez GR-520.
Then I carry a backup. I find that the Legacy Special does this really well, giving me a thicker tone than the Legacy, with Legacy ergonomics. I could do a gig with just a Legacy, Legacy Special, S-500 or Comanche, but I like having the contrast of single coil vs. humbucker tones. The PTB controls give tremendous versatility to these guitars, but the S-500 and the Comnache won't sound like a PAF humbucker.

The El Toro is gorgeous...and that's no bull!

Bill

Did you guys also play Layla in under 3min. ? I would like that version...maybe

The Neko Case cover song and talk about short songs in general reminded me of Neko's first band, Maow. I can only find one video on line, and it's far from their best song:

[youtube]Fk3GYN6M4-U[/youtube]

They cut one album in the mid-90s, with Neko on the drums and sharing vocals. IMO, the album started out as a parody of country/punk but partway in it turned to very good country/punk. Most of the songs clock in at about 90 seconds or less, including three verses, choruses and some sort of solo.

Some of my old 4-track stuff still sounds good (to me at least) , some of it.
We did a 21 minute free for all version of 21st century schizoid man , some was ok, it shows we needed more practice...

I have several hours of tape of jam sessions and primitive attempts at ambient music from '83-'87. Given that we were either recording in a bedroom or a backyard shed, and usually after midnight, I'm still happy with the results. We had a pair of reel-to-reel recorders, so overdubs involved playing the previous take through a PA and miking the room while we played. A lot of those pieces don't have any recognizable sound from the first takes. The parts I love the most are the random conversations that started before the tape was turned off. The idea of driving to 7-Eleven at midnight for some chimichangas and Mountain Dews seems unreal to me now...

Ken

What is the most misconceived, inappropriate or just plain wrong cover song you've ever encountered?

Can't believe nobody's posted these yet.

[youtube]7U7EEHujbSM[/youtube]


[youtube]1QS9aU0ONgA[/youtube]


Pat Boone recorded a whole album of these.

I watched the maow vid,reminded me of am/pm nachos for some reason.

One more country/western/other before I turn off the computer for a while, maybe passe' now,
but it was cool hearing Johnny Cash on the local rock station .
[youtube]EtbuUlSGXzc[/youtube]

House of the Rising sun is probably one of the greatest traditional/folk songs ever made and my personal favorite among the genre.

It has been covered by everyone from woody Guthrie to The Animals.

This is the version Muse put forth.

[youtube]xcHiFB_aFm8[/youtube]


Need I say more?

A lot of people love Johnny cash's cover songs, but I think they are amongst the worse I've heard. Particularly 'hurt'. Didn't make me want to cry as much as turn it off!

Didn't make me want to cry as much as turn it off!

Maybe some Patsy Cline?
[youtube]0AMMJF5-gMY[/youtube]

Just about the only thing I like better than a good cover is a really bad cover.
That One Toke cover is so wrong it's right.
That Devo Hendrix cover doesn't bother me like some folks. I guess cause Devo doesn't try to remain faithful to the original at all. It mutates into a Devo song.
When I think of bad covers this song always comes to mind:
First time I heard it I hated it. The 2nd time brought uncontrolled laughter.
Keep in mind that I'm not a fan of Southpark or Styx so I suppose I'm sort of unbiased.

[youtube]yOWK7Tam01M[/youtube]

Jeff

That is the wrong kind of "wrong".

Jag, What kind of 'wrong' is this one?
( I used to have this on vinyl ...and played it occasionally..LOL)

[youtube]LzuCIpzX4Qg[/youtube]

As they say, this is the just the right amount of wrong!

BTW- how can you hate on Pat Boone "In a Metal Mood". I give it the same regard as any Me First and the Gimme Gimmies cover. They have an ironic tone to them, but well performed and well produced:

[youtube]vV3XQcCyyPc[/youtube]

[youtube]Ymx8bHBigek[/youtube]

So bad yet entertaining:

[youtube]45E7bYPAq9k[/youtube]