For Genesis fans...

[duncanparsons]

Leland.. cool guy.. I used to some stuff by 'The Section' I think it was 'Forward Motion'. Lee plays a bass solo that sounds like far away elephants..

DSP

[Squids]

Yeah! a PC soundlibrary would be awesome! what I wouldn't give for that!
I also always hoped for a Collins instructional video at some point.....oh well....

If ever Leland and you decide to team up for a soundlibrary, that would be a great experience for you both (he's a great guy! not very computer-minded though ;-)Did you by any chance meet him at NAMM 2006? Because I know he was there...

btw. what did you mean by your Shankar story?

Yeah, I met him at NAMM. Nice guy. He's also looking forward to Ampeg SVX, the bass amp plug-in powered by AmpliTube. A lot of bass players are. He and his partner were pretty excited about sounds and plug-ins. Maybe he's more computer-minded that you might think. I've also seen that Genesis has slowly been getting more and more into it. Now that they are I think they're REALLY getting into it... which they should! What you can do these days with plug-ins and sample collections is pretty amazing.

Okay, at the risk of telling some of my stories too much and becoming boring I will tell my Shankar/Collins story again. This is a funny one at least. Okay, in 1992-93 I was working with L. Shankar (double violinist on Face Value and Gabriel's Passion, US etc.) on an album of his. I was playing keyboards, helping write parts and even doing a lot of the drums (via midi programming). They had some tracks done with Ginger Baker already but for the rest it was up to me. Shankar had this real desire to do a pop album like Phil Collins. I on the other hand was happy to do something like Passion. It ended up being somewhat of a mix of the two... but, not necessarily in a good way. I should dig up some clips and you'll see what I mean. But, anyway, there was this one tune where he wanted a Phil Collins tom sound. I actually sampled the toms from the Ginger Baker track which were pretty big sounding but that wasn't enough. I tried a few other things and it wasn't quite "that Phil Collins sound" so just for a mock up I sampled the toms from "I Don't Care Anymore". The intro "sample 1, 2, 3" thank you! I layered it a little bit with Ginger's toms (don't try this at home sampling CDs is a no no). Anyway, when Shankar heard it he said "YES! That's what I wanted!" So, I think we ended up leaving it that way.

All of that would have been no big deal except that later on I heard the master and I was listening to that track when I noticed the background vocals sounded a lot like Phil Collins. I thought maybe someone sounded like Phil which I was curious about so I called Shankar up and asked him "Who is singing backup on this track? It sounds a lot like Phil Collins. Was it you?" and then he said "No, it WAS Phil Collins". and I said "WHAT????? WHEN?????". I had been in the studio with them for months (at Zappa's Joe's Garage studio) and the best I had seen was Eddie Murphy rehearsing "My Girl Wants to Party All the Time" in Dweezil's rehearsal studio. But, apparently even a day after I was there Shankar had not only Phil Collins come in to sing on a couple tunes but also Bono and The Edge. I was a little ticked that he didn't call me over because it would have been nice to meet them... well, anyway, that was one thing but then I started thinking about the fact that Phil sang on a track where I sampled his drums!!!!!! So, I asked Shankar what Phil thought of the drums and Shankar said "Oh, he liked them very much!". I guess he had no idea. Pretty funny. That's a good "sample story". Also, technically I can say that I played on a song with Phil Collins... but it doesn't really count. I don't even know if that was released. I think it might have been later on. However, that album was done with his then wife Caroline. They broke up after the Womad festival which I did with them. She ran off with the roadie (a guy who used to say "so'ed" aka "sorted" in a cockney accent). Crazy stuff. Anyway, I didn't talk to the Shankmeister much since then (he owes me a session too SOB! Just kidding). But, I saw he had an album with most of those tunes with another woman. I didn't even buy it. I don't know what my problem is! I should get it just out of curiosity.

Okay, that was even a more elaborated version of the story so hopefully it was enjoyable. I've always wanted to meet Phil, Mike and Tony. I never have. I've met Chester Thompson and Peter Gabriel. That's it. But, as a keyboardist I think to meet Tony Banks would really be... well, you know. So, hopefully that will happen some day, even if it is just for the novelty of it.

I bet you I even told this story in this same thread! That one and my playing the Lamb in the hotel lobby piano when I was touring on the Womad festival hoping Pete would come by and do a double take. Maybe a little ODD progressive karaoke. There is lamb's wool under my naked skin is not something people expect to hear in the hotel lobby.

[pauloos]

Wow squids, thanks for the Shankar story! funny one too (you doing some drum samples & later Phil!!!! haha!!)

Leland must really be coming around to computers since his chatting 'adventure' on the PC forum (I think his 'first' true computer encounter) Because then he didn't sound too interested when I was talking to him about some great plugins and stuff.....

[AndreasE]

Squids, as you know Tony Banks , Rick Wakeman , Keith Emerson , ...: Do you also know Mike Pinder (early Moody Blues, who is living in USA since the mid 70s)? He was my preferred Mellotron player during the end 60s - mid 70s (actually he still is). If so, is he still active in making music?

I think he was the first one who ever sampled Mellotron sounds (but only in AKAI format).


Btw., another excellent Mellotron guru was Woolly Wolstenholme (Barclay James Harvest).


Sorry about hijacking your Genesis threat ...

[duncanparsons]

AFAIR, Dave has owned one or two of Mike's old mello/novatrons, or at least sampled them..

And I agree about Wooly, he had some great textures

DSP

[AndreasE]

AFAIR, Dave has owned one or two of Mike's old mello/novatrons, or at least sampled them..

And I agree about Wooly, he had some great textures

DSP

Fine!

Btw., Duncan, in this month's contest someone is participating who is called "Moody Dudes" - very strange ...

[duncanparsons]

AFAIR, Dave has owned one or two of Mike's old mello/novatrons, or at least sampled them..

And I agree about Wooly, he had some great textures

DSP

Fine!

Btw., Duncan, in this month's contest someone is participating who is called "Moody Dudes" - very strange ...

Well, it isn't me!!

[mellotronaut]

One can not listen to BJH's lyrics, but yes this Woolly was one of the mellotron biggies!

[Squids]

Wow squids, thanks for the Shankar story! funny one too (you doing some drum samples & later Phil!!!! haha!!)

Leland must really be coming around to computers since his chatting 'adventure' on the PC forum (I think his 'first' true computer encounter) Because then he didn't sound too interested when I was talking to him about some great plugins and stuff.....

I see. Well his partner Neal (a drummer in a band with Lee) is probably pushing him I think. But, also, when you're a bass player and there's an Ampeg plug-in coming out you sort of perk up. I remember last year when I told Tony Levin about it he was immediately "I need it!"

But, like I've said, a lot of musicians seem to be slowly making their way over to the virtual world.

It's funny because I did once talk to the bass player for Van Halen and he wanted nothing to do with that stuff. However, even then I mentioned the Ampeg plug-in and he said "Really?" Sometimes people need a little push into technology or a lure. It really is a lot of fun even if it is just a laptop you use when traveling or around the house. Why not???

[Squids]

Squids, as you know Tony Banks , Rick Wakeman , Keith Emerson , ...: Do you also know Mike Pinder (early Moody Blues, who is living in USA since the mid 70s)? He was my preferred Mellotron player during the end 60s - mid 70s (actually he still is). If so, is he still active in making music?

I think he was the first one who ever sampled Mellotron sounds (but only in AKAI format).

Btw., another excellent Mellotron guru was Woolly Wolstenholme (Barclay James Harvest).

Sorry about hijacking your Genesis threat ...

Actually, I don't even think Mike did that sampling but he was somehow involved in that. Good library too except that it was done at 22.5K. I prefer a minimum of 44.1 sample rate. (that's even if the freq response of a tron probably doesn't go above 10K but the aliasing a lot of samplers produce when playing back samples at 22.5K is rough sometimes).

I never met Mike Pinder in person. However, I do have a story. (typical Squids stuff here). Besides the Moody Blues Chamberlin M-4 that I owned that he used to tour with. I have to see if I can find pictures of it. It was a four manual M-1 basically and it was all tolexed and falling apart. He used it on tours. I'll have a lot more samples from it on the upcoming Squids Tron Vol. 2 (this post sponsored by www.esoundz.com just kidding).

But, my story is an odd one. I may not have told this one even! Okay. I used to have a band with a young lad named Karl from Surrey (oddly enough). I think I did tell the story of Karl and HIS trip to the Farm? The one where Phil Collins drove him home and popped in MAMA before that album was released and asked him what he thought. That must have been fun. Anyway, back to my off topic response about Mike Pinder. Well, Karl and I had a band called "Luna Park" and we were shopping for a record deal in LA when apparently someone had played our demo tape for Tony Clarke (Moody Blues producer) and he played it for Mike Pinder and they wanted to sign us to a record deal on their label. Tony had this studio on a boat where I think he also lived. The whole thing was odd. Anyway, nothing came of it but we had gotten out of this other contract to do it and a whole mess... typical music business crap. I should play you guys some snippets from those demo tapes though. Very Beatlesque and somewhat Genesis/Floyd like as well. This was in the early 90s. Wow I am getting old. 15 years ago! Maybe I will dig up some clips of all this stuff to add a little audio to the thread.

[Squids]

One can not listen to BJH's lyrics, but yes this Woolly was one of the mellotron biggies!

Yes, I hear he's a mammoth player.

[Squids]

I had an interested Genesis-related day today. I guess I shouldn't say much yet but in the next couple of weeks it'll be a Genesis-fest in the UK. I'll explain when I get back. This is fun.

[Sickle]

I was working with L. Shankar (double violinist on Face Value and Gabriel's Passion, US etc.) on an album of his. I was playing keyboards, helping write parts and even doing a lot of the drums (via midi programming). They had some tracks done with Ginger Baker already but for the rest it was up to me.

The craziest thing about this story was these two in the same room playing..



What kinda stuff was it you guys were working on?

[Squids]

I was working with L. Shankar (double violinist on Face Value and Gabriel's Passion, US etc.) on an album of his. I was playing keyboards, helping write parts and even doing a lot of the drums (via midi programming). They had some tracks done with Ginger Baker already but for the rest it was up to me.

The craziest thing about this story was these two in the same room playing..



What kinda stuff was it you guys were working on?

I wish I could say it was some avant garde cool stuff. Unfortunately, it was real poppy and Shankar was trying to sound like Phil Collins... not quite hitting it though. Some good moments though. You'd think with Bono, The Edge, Phil and Ginger Baker plus Shankar on the same record it'd be amazing. The playing is good at least. But, the songs... they're ok. Not nearly as good as it could have been. I can't complain though. Out of all of the people I played the most on the album and got paid pretty well. It is afterall their gig! Not mine. I can't complain.

Just for laughs I played the intro to Passion on a duduk sample once before we started the show and a few people went NUTS in the audience. Shankar was nervous and asked me not to do that. Oh yeah! I forgot. One time when we did a sound check before the tour we were waiting on some things and I just played the intro to Shine On You Crazy Diamond. The crew were loving it. I think some of them were roadies for Floyd too. Nice guys. I tend get along with the crew (probably because I am not up my own arse) and I would be known to sneak them into the parties. I was so thankful that I had my own roadie who set up my gear for me (used to doing it myself for years... still do). So, he wasn't used to someone being so gracious. I'd hook him up every chance I could. He was spot on too. Memorized everything I did the first gig and had all the patches, wiring and everything all set for me every night.

Drifted off there into memory lane. The Shankmeister. It was fun working with him. There were definitely a lot of memorable moments. I have to dig up some video footage. I also go around backstage with the camera filming all kinds of people who don't want to be filmed and bootleg from the side of the stage. I guess I have one of the last Crowded House concerts with Paul Hester on tape. Shankar sat in with them as well. I haven't seen this stuff in over 10 years. I think it is on 8mm video though. I should transfer it over. Squids with really long hair! Middle of my back. Hard to believe eh?

[Sickle]

Squids with really long hair! Middle of my back. Hard to believe eh?

Not really; I used to wear mine down to my waist.



Did you ever do any gigs at the Miami Arena? I worked for Innercept Management for about 3-4 years; we might have crossed paths back then.