My love/hate relationship with pedals.

I've always loved effects pedals. When I was 15 years old and just starting to play live, I put together a small board with four or five BOSS and MXR pedals. It was probably the most fun I've ever had with pedals because I had the benefit of ignorance. I had no internet forums telling me what was hot and what was not. I had no way of correlating the music I loved to the pedals that were used to create it.

The first time I ever experienced "gear envy" was whilst playing at a small festival a few years ago. It was the largest show that I had done/would do with that band and we were top of the bill. One of the other bands who were playing were sound-checking as we arrived and because I had always had a healthy fascination with tech stuff I headed over to have a snoop about and to suss out the stage, etc. We had played with this band a number of times before; a fairly typical indie band, all good musicians but nothing special. All talk and no trousers, as they say. However, just recently they had been picked up by a small label and were just starting to make a name for themselves off the back of the success of bands such as The Pigeon Detectives and Arctic Monkeys. "All of this is what the point is not" (see what I did there?), they hadn't improved much since the last time we'd seen them except that they were sporting brand new pea-coats and winkle pickers that they had bought to celebrate their signing. That, and the lead guitarist's pedal-board. It looked like something out of Alien, all twinkling LEDs and a sea of cables weaving in and out of pedals like black spaghetti. I was in awe.

This experience has always stuck with me, the mix of wonderment, envy, deflation and unworthiness. The truth is, they sounded exactly the same as they had done before, in fact I don't think I saw him step on a single pedal during their set. But from that moment on, I always felt an overwhelming feeling of dread as I would unveil my modest, five pedal set-up at gigs.

As I've grown older and (hopefully) wiser, music has become an even more prominent force in my life, but this fascination with pedals has never gone away. I've found a guitar and amplifier set-up that I love and that don't get in the way of my music but I've yet to find a pedal set-up that I am content with. I think this comes down to pedals being cheaper and seemingly more disposable but getting in the cycle of buying and flipping pedals hinders my creativity.

I guess this is the point I'm trying to get across; I feel that collecting pedals and making music are counter-intuitive. I think of the two things as separate passions in my life and never the twain should meet.

I have an obsessive and collective personality and this manifests itself in many ways with gear. I feel like I have to have what my favourite artists have or that I must use the most expensive and therefore the best as though I would be selling myself short as a musician if I don't. I think everybody has these insecurities to some degree and it's this that music equipment makes and dealers prey upon. This is nothing new of course, I'm not so naive as to think that musicians are the only victims of commercialism and consumerism but I do think that when anchored to something like art and creativity, capitalising on these insecurities can be damaging.

I am an artist and I try so hard to be true to myself and my own ideologies but I am also a slave to music equipment and its marketing. That's as honest as I can be.

I feel, as I imagine many other people do, this enormous pressure to have an obnoxiously big pedal-board with all the latest and greatest "must have" stomp-boxes and yet, I'm happiest when I'm not worried about signal flow and buffer placement, cable capacitance and impedance matching. It all comes down to my obsessiveness at the end of the day, everything has to be perfect or I can't have peace of mind. Some nights I lay awake at night, worrying about my drive section or the fact that my beloved Memory Man "pops" when I switch it on or off and frankly, life's too short.

That's it basically, sorry for rambling but maybe there's somebody out there reading this who feels the same and is consoled by the fact that they're not alone. We just need to keep telling ourselves this:

"I don't need a Klon, I don't need a Klon, I don't need a Klon, I don't need a Klon."

Top Telecaster Tones (aka Return Of The Blog)

It creeps! It crawls! Beware of... THE BLOG!

If you got that classic B-Movie reference then you're all right in my book.

If you didn't, however, here's a picture of Steve McQueen looking at you discerningly:

Think about what you have done.

After a fairly anti-climatic start, we are back with a new tantalising topic; my top 10 Telecaster 'tones'.

I use the word 'tone' very lightly because I'm not trying to sell you anything. Just as I won't be using the words; 'vibe', 'mojo' or 'transparent'. Yuck.

Ultimately I would rather have entitled this instalment 'Top Telecaster Sounds' but I'm a sucker for alliteration.

Anyway, I digress.

Suttykin's Top 10 Telecaster 'Tones'

10. Frank Black

Just making it into the top 10 is Mr. Frank Black.. or Black Francis.. or Charles Thompson.. or whatever the hell he wants you to call him, the man practically invented Alternative Rock for crying out loud! There's nothing quite like the sound of a Telecaster through a cranked combo amp and Black is testament to this. As the front-man of the Pixies, he changed the sound of Rock music for the next 30 years (and counting).

Inspired by the punk and surf music of his youth and his love of Sci-Fi and avant-garde cinema, Black set his bleak, tortured lyrics of incest and self-harm against a backdrop of crashing guitars and Beatles-esque melodies. This dichotomy created something truly unique, often imitated but never matched.

Over the course of just five studio albums, the Pixies mastered the art of their famous "loud, quiet, loud" school of song writing until their break up in 1993. From the hugely influential Come On Pilgrim and Surfer Rosa to the often over-looked later albums such as Bossanova (just listen to 'Is She Weird' and try to tell me it's not one of the best Pixies songs ever written.. go on, I dare you!)

Black's guitar sound during his work with the Pixies and later on during his solo career isn't one for the cork-sniffers though. It's not what one would traditionally think of as 'great tone' but it has a sense of urgency that fit perfectly with his lyrics and vocal style. It's not pre-meditated and it's not pretty but it sounds flipping brilliant.

9. Dante Schwebel (Hacienda)

Hacienda are a good old fashioned rock and roll band from San Antonio, Texas. It can be difficult to play classic rock music nowadays without coming across as clichéd and insincere but these boys do it with ease. They have reached minor recognition with the backing of Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys who, as well as having the band back him on his 2009 solo tour, has produced all three of their albums; Loud Is The Night, Big Red & Barbacoa and 2012's Shakedown.

What earned guitarist Dante Schwebel a place in this (clearly, very prestigious) list is just one song though. In fact, just a couple of seconds of one song.

Check out 0.55 of this video for the single; 'She's Got a Hold on Me'.

Holy smokes, what a sound!

Due in some part to Auerbach's production skills (listen to Dr. John's recent record Locked Down for ample evidence of this) but boy can this guy play.

In Schwebel's own blog, which I will include a link to below, he highlights some of the elements of his sound, musing on the common misconception that he relies heavily on fuzz boxes for that over-saturated, splattering goodness.

"When I'm asked about the fuzz tone I was getting on stage, I dont have the heart to tell people that my amp is just really really really really loud and I use that treble booster. So there you have it, get a great guitar, play your amp loud, get a treble booster and an echo and thats what I sound like"

It's a great read and there's some really useful information on there so take a look. I'm currently flying the flag for Hacienda here in the UK because I really want them to make it big. They seem like cool guys with some great tunes and a totally legit attitude towards their music and touring, so if you haven't already, check them out!

http://texasdante.blogspot.com

8. Jim Campilongo

There's not much to say about Jim Campilongo. When internet know-it-alls tell you that "Tone is in the fingers" they might well be referring to Jim Campilongo. In which case they would be excused.. and then almost immediately scorned for their abhorrent use of the word 'tone'.

Campilongo seamlessly floats between country, jazz and rock in a way that is totally fresh and again, unusually sincere. Here is a man who uses his guitar as a tool, knows its nuances and idiosyncrasies and makes every single note count.

It's impossible to pick a standalone example of Jim demonstrating his craft but I find his work with The Little Willies alongside the fabulous Norah Jones particularly charming.

Of course, the Telecaster is only one half of the equation in this case and Jim's sound owes a great deal to his impressive collection of vintage Fender Princeton amps.

Check out his website for lots of drool-worthy shots of his gear and a lot of insightful information from the man himself.

http://www.jimcampilongo.com/

7. Jeff Buckley

The guitar sound on Hallelujah.

Need I say more? No, but I will...

Jeff Buckley is the man responsible for my long standing love affair with reverb. His use of dynamics and effects to create dream-like textures and spaces, darkness and light and earth-shattering crescendos of sound.

This technique of creating dense, roaming textures to augment his incredibly acrobatic vocals was clearly influenced by the use of drones in Eastern music, particularly that of Buckley's hero; Pakistani musician, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. This is more clearly reflected in songs such as 'Dream Brother' from 1994's Grace album.

There are also themes of spirituality found in Buckley's music, his lyrics often focusing on mortality and the concept of "eternal life". This ties in with the imagery he creates with the almost church-like spaciousness and meditative guitar sounds, not to mention the hymn like falsetto vocals on songs such as 'Lilac Wine' and 'Corpus Christi Carol'. There is undoubtedly something other worldly about his music and this is reflected in his guitar playing.

The Jeff Buckley sound is, in my opinion, exemplified by the Live at Sin-é album.

Nothing more than his 'borrowed' '83 Telecaster into a Fender Vibroverb. So pure and clean, nothing but class.

Like Frank Black, there seems to be a sense of urgency to Buckley's sound. It is as if the guitar is a means to an end, a way of accompanying his vocals and a vehicle for transporting his music. It is perhaps because of this that despite his heavy use of effects later on, his guitar never loses that pure, organic quality that made Sin-é such a joy to listen to.

Jeff Buckley. Gone but never forgotten.

6. Bill Frisell

Again, there's not much to be said about Bill Frisell. He is an incredibly talented, intelligent and humble musician and composer who has created his own unique brand of folk-infused, experimental jazz.

There is something very cinematic and visual about his music and this is heightened by his innovative use of looping techniques. He also draws influence from popular music such as his love of John Lennon and this is evident in his use of melody and a lot of his chordal work.

Frisell is another figure-head for the argument that expensive, boutique gear does not maketh the 'tone' and he is often seen coaxing some incredible sounds out of very readily available equipment.

This is a video of Bill demonstrating his use of effects and some of his techniques. I must have watched this video hundreds of times, it blows my mind every time.

5. Stephen Stills

Ok, we're halfway through and I have a confession. This next sound isn't technically a Telecaster but an Esquire. I had to include it though because it's just awe-inspiring; one of the best guitar sounds I've ever heard in my life.

I must also confess that I'm not too familiar with Stephen Stills' other work outside of a handful of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young albums I listened to as a kid. However, as I say, it's a guitar sound that has stuck with me ever since I first heard it and it needed to be included on this list somewhere.

So in the very respectable number five spot; Stephen Stills performing 'Love The One You're With' live on a German television show in 1983.

4. Steve Cropper

Pick any classic soul tune released on Stax Records in the 1960s.

Any of them, you can't miss.

Got one..? Good.

It's more than likely that Steve Cropper (or "The Colonel" as he has been known) co-wrote and/or played guitar on that track and if he did, he did so on his trusty blond Telecaster.

As part of Stax's in-house band; Booker T & the MGs, Cropper's timeless guitar playing on songs such as Sam & Dave's 'Soul Man', Eddie Floyd's 'Knock On Wood', Otis Redding's '(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay' and Booker T & the MGs' own hit; 'Green Onions', would change the electric guitar's role in contemporary music forever.

As Booker T famously said of Cropper:

"We were writing sounds too, especially Steve. He's very sound-conscious, and he gets a lot of sounds out of a Telecaster without changing any settings, just by using his fingers, his picks, and his amps."

3. George Harrison

Ok, so maybe between the Gretsch and his "Rocky" Stratocaster, the Telecaster isn't the first guitar you think of when you hear the name George Harrison.

Well it should be! Here's why.

The following is an extract from the book; Fender: The Golden Age 1946-1970. It's an absolutely fantastic book, beautifully put together with extensive information and some beautiful photography. A compendium of Fender history that I highly recommend.

"In 1968, Don Randall met with The Beatles at their Apple headquarters in Saville Row, London, and an arrangement was made to supply the group with a full complement of Fender equipment including guitars, keyboards and amplifiers for the recording of their new album 'Let It Be'. Back in Fullerton, at Fender's research and development department, the idea was hatched to build special, one-off versions of the company's best-loved six-strings, made entirely from expensive, heavy rosewood. These instruments were some of the most lavish solid-body designs Fender would ever produce and it was decided that a prototype Telecaster would be presented to George Harrison and a matching Stratocaster to Jimi Hendrix."

But how did it sound? Well the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. Just watch any of the footage of The Beatles last live performance on the rooftop of the Apple headquarters to hear both Harrison's unique approach to melody and lead playing and how well it worked on a Telecaster. A match made in heaven.

Let It Be gets a lot of criticism, mainly by Paul McCartney himself, because of the way it was produced by Phil Spector leading to McCartney eventually remixing the album as Let It Be... Naked 33 years later. I actually prefer the original release though. Spector's characteristic "add nine of everything" 'wall of sound' approach lends the songs a lot of charm and whimsy, especially Paul's ballads. It's like watching an old, low budget movie from the late 70s. The way certain colours blur together in a hazey, over-saturated mess, and most importantly of all; George's Telecaster sounds great!

2. Graham Coxon (Blur)

Ok, this entry is a little specific.

Coxon is renowned for his Telecaster abuse and for creating some of the most disgustingly beautiful (or beautifully disgusting) sounds ever recorded.

Any of his work with Blur is stellar and would deserve a place on this list but there is one example in particular that never ceases to amaze me; the lead break from this version of Tender:

Starting at around 3:30, it's a tour de force of fabulous, fuzzy, sputtering noise.

Makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up, doesn't it?



1. Ted Greene

So here we are; the number one spot.

If a picture says a thousands words, then the music of Ted Greene must be a whole gallery.

A smörgåsbord of sound; there is very little I can say about this man and his playing so I will say just this:

If you don't own Ted's 1977 album; Solo Guitar, buy it! You will be glad you did.

He was a pioneer of chordal melody and harmonic structure and is a criminally underrated voice in both the jazz and guitar world.

I will leave you with this:

If you got this far (I know I didn't), thank you for reading. More to come soon!

Deluxe Memory Man... Man

Ok, before we get stuck in I have some admin to get out of the way.

Upon further analysis I have realised that some of the things I want to do with this blog will require some sort of video/audio accompaniment. So this blog is going to be multi-platform but mainly written.

Also, I've decided to rechristen the blog as "The Amazing Sounds Of Orgy" after the Radiohead B-Side of the same name.

I'm still trying to find my feet with all of this so stick with it, it's about to get fun.

Any questions? No? Good, on to today's agenda.

The Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man; the little (pretty big actually) grey box that has changed my life.

The year is 1976. A year before the release of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope and in an era of some of the greatest technological advancements that mankind has ever faced.

America had won the race to the Moon just seven years earlier and "Space" was the word (two years later the word would be "Grease" but that's a whole other story).

Space fever swept the nation and even left it's mark upon popular music. As tubes gave way to transistors and Robert Moog produced the first commercially available synthesizer, the possibilities were endless and music soared into the stratosphere.

The Tornados had invented their own genre of Space Rock with their hit single "Telstar", opening the door for the psychedelic bands of the late '60s; notably Pink Floyd. It's use of distorted sound effects and swirling, twisting noises evoked a feeling of other worldliness that perfectly matched the child-like fascination with which the world regarded space. Using tape echo effects pioneered by the likes of Les Paul and Sam Phillips of Sun Records in the mid '50s and later Hank Marvin of the Shadows, they created some truly Sci-Fi sounds.

This is a very concise history of the tape delay effect so you'll have to excuse me but essentially it works like this: one loop of tape runs continuously between two tape machines. One machine records the audio signal (guitar, vocals, etc.) and the other replays the same notes, creating an echo effect.

Jump back to 1976 then and delay effects are more popular than ever. Tape echo units such as the Binson Echorec and Roland's Space Echo have been used to create some of the most ground breaking and staggering sounds in music history.

Electro-Harmonix are just about to launch the first ever solid-state analogue echo in the form of the Memory Man. Developments in transistor technology and the advent of the Bucket-brigade device has allowed them to produce an echo unit that doesn't use magnetic tape to delay the signal.

It is smaller, more reliable, can be mass-produced on a much larger scale and allows for longer delay times and even more control over the sound.

Regarded for it's warm, organic sound, the Deluxe Memory Man has become a much-loved classic amongst guitar players. Its ability to modulate the sound gives its delays a unique shimmer that allows them to sit beautifully in a mix whilst cranking the feedback levels can create a screaming oscillation that can introduce very interesting timbres and gritty textures.

The Memory Man has been popularised by U2 guitarist, The Edge who used nothing but two of these units and two Vox AC30 amps to record the first three U2 albums. One of the highlights of the film; It Might Get Loud, is when The Edge is talking about his first encounter with the delay pedal and there is a brief clip of him creating some marvellously squelchy echo sounds whilst looking out onto a beach. If you have seen it you will know what I'm talking about.

"So why so much focus on this one pedal? This isn't a blog about gear."

Correct, but I just had to write about this little box. It's my desert island pedal and the one thing I would save in a fire. Why? Because it has completely revolutionised my playing and the way I approach music and composition. This is no exaggeration.

It's hissy, it's noisy, it's finicky and it uses a lot of power but the sounds I can create with it resonate with me in a way that I couldn't possibly explain. So I won't attempt to.

Thanks again for reading, I think I'm starting to get the hang of things. Let me know if you like it, dislike it, whatever and follow me if you like what you have read so far.

Suttykins.

Introduction

Hello!

This is an introduction to my new music blog.

Originally this was intended to be a video blog in which I would talk about music as a form of entertainment, as a craft and as a culture. I filmed my "pilot" blog and edited it down to a rather slick three minutes of general arsing around and was all ready to post it but I had a crisis of confidence.

"Who cares what you have to say?" I thought to myself, which was a question I failed to answer.

But the simple fact is that I care.

A written blog seemed a suitable compromise then. My own little corner of the internet in which I can ramble until my heart's content. The written word is easier to ignore than a video and I find the anonymity comforting.

So is this simply an exercise in satisfying my own ego? Maybe. You tell me.

That's it for now, thanks for reading.

Suttykins.





This blog is dedicated to the late Levon Helm; my humble offering to one of my biggest influences.