That would be insane. I’d buy ten. Or imagine BD reimagining Topographic Oceans as a one-off.Originally Posted by chalkpie
Yeah, it's his "Close to the Edge", and luckily he hasn't made a "Union" yet
Actually a BD version of the entire "Close" album would be fuckin brilliant! Pump some new steroids into that olde warhorse.
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
I removed this as it was an error.
Last edited by Bob Drake; 01-13-2016 at 04:22 PM.
SO many BD threads - my feeble brain can't take it.
BTW, that's quite an odd request - to tell your most hardcore fans to stop taking a potentially lethal substance that alters their normal functioning state-of-being.
It was just a joke. I removed it in case of misunderstanding.
BD
I took Frank's response as a joke too. Anyway...
I believe this one will be my next musical acquisition.
Ha - are you taking the piss of me taking the piss of you taking the piss?
Me joking? No way- never
I had to look up "brain"; heard of them, not sure if I have one or what I'd do with it. But yes indeed, I am not aware of any other time or place where three simultaneous discussions about my work are being carried on! It's kind of fun!
BD
This should be the norm in all seriousness. The "problem" with your work is that I think it takes a certain type of listener with a certain type of mindset, and unfortunately there are folks that either don't have the patience, time, open mind, and or desire to want to explore these further realms in music. Its not easy listening by any stretch, but once you become to accustomed to the immense detail, unbelievable creativity and imaginative nature, and uncompromising vision, well I personally feel as though its become some of my favorite music, and this is over years now. I know I'm not telling you anything new. The humor along with the non-pretentious way in which it also bases its approach is also just so refreshing, and plain out fun! If you keep making it, I know at least I'll keep buying it, and it looks like Mr 100 Dead will tooI think its great for folks to read these threads on your music if for nothing else but at least pique their interest or curiosity.
PS - brains are overrated.
No Brain = No Pain
Listening to the Drive-In for da very first time right now. It’s love at first listen, just as with Lawn Ornaments!
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
I thought it was funny, but I see your point. Weird thing, though: After putting down the crack pipe for a moment and relaxing, the urge to hear Bob Drake rewire Yes DID subside. For a few seconds, but still…some progress!
Do think about it, though! You’re the real Yes anyway!1!! Bring it on home to France…
BTW: Can’t imagine there’s such a thing as a cheer- or humorless Bob Drake fan. Your lyrics are full of wry humor and razor-sharp wit, so I doubt any Bobhead is easily offended (if ever). Can’t speak for the other freaks posting here, but I sure wasn’t.
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
That’s certainly true of 13 Songs, but Lawn Ornaments and Bob’s Drive-In are incredibly catchy. You could even argue that they’re pop records (weird pop for sure, but pop all the same).
To me, Lawn Ornaments is in a league with Piper at the Gates of Dawn or Pet Sounds (not that LO sounds anything like those two – I just mean in terms of the songwriting quality).
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
Why "argue"? I have always considered every musical thing I've done as a kind of pop music, and feel I've only just scratched the surface of the Universe of pop wonderfulness.
"Haunted Land“...now there's a hit. It is mesmerizing in its Appalachian glory, even though (or because?) it *only* has two parts. Love the “verse” with the fluid guitar picking, and the “chorus” is more uplifting than Xanax. Another winner! Listening to that one for the fifth time in a row right now. Très jolie!
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
The song you're talking about is from Little Black Train, which came out in 1998, so I may have been recording that particular piece anywhere between 1995-1997. It might not sound like it, but that verse bit was one of the trickiest finger picking bits I’d yet attempted at that time, there’s a note that comes every few beats that I had to fret with the back of the fingernail of the middle finger of the left hand (because I’m missing the fingertip of that finger) without lifting the other three fingers off the frets. Like contorting the left hand into a knot every few seconds! So it sounds a bit awkward and I miss a note here and there in the pattern, but I decided that’s OK, I’m not a machine, I'd only been fingerpicking for a couple of years, and it’s a record of where I was at that time. I also remember feeling the “chorus” bit was a tad corny, but made the same decision - it’s fine and it’s where I was at that moment in time during the ongoing construction of “the body of work”.
Glad you’re enjoying it!
PS: I haven't tried Xanax so I can't say if I agree or not!
Last edited by Bob Drake; 01-19-2016 at 02:48 PM.
^^
That chorus is wonderful – nothing corny about it as far as I’m concerned. (BTW: I haven’t tried Xanax either - I just imagine it would have a similar effect.)
So, now that you mentioned it, I’m listening closely for the "missed notes" in the verse, but they’re not noticeable. If you were indeed struggling to record that part, it doesn’t sound like it at all. If anything, it’s pretty smooth. Little Black Train may be slightly *gasp* conventional or tempered compared to your more recent work, but it’s very cool in its own right (“Outside Influences” rules!). Let's put it this way: It would be a high-water mark for any other artist.
Bob, sorry about the missing fingertip (which makes your guitar playing even more unbelievable). Was that caused by an accident?
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
LBT certainly has its own character, and what can one say about an album one recorded 20 years ago...as with all of the albums, I did my best at the time, knowing it was a particular moment in the story thus far.
Yes back in the mid 80's. I was the bassist in a band where the keyboardist used a Rhodes Chroma (big, heavy synthesizer, weighed a ton) While packing up the gear after a show, the Chroma in its flight case slipped and fell on my hand, plucked the last half-inch of flesh clean off the bone of the middle finger of my left hand. When it healed, it was more wide and blunt than a normal fingertip, which meant I couldn't play a lot of guitar chords in the normal way anymore, which was actually a positive thing as it forced me to use more open strings in chords, try different tunings, and find other ways of voicing standard chords. It didn't affect my bass playing because the strings are much farther apart on a bass.
Here's a photo of me doing a gig with another band just a few days later, you can see I had to wrap the fingertip in a big ball of cotton, it took a long time to train myself NOT to use that finger. If I fretted a note with it, it felt like a violent electric shock even through all that cotton!
http://www.bdrak.com/photos/picture....5/category/102
BD
www.bdrak.com
There’s something to be said for software emulations of vintage keys after all!
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
Man, what about the “Don’t Ask a Cat” groove? The linear drumming during the verses is pretty much a masterclass in playing behind the beat. The drums sound so cool on the entire record…they sort of have a Houses of the Holy vibe.
The “outsourced” verses of "Swimming Pool" are a hoot – another example of the Beardog’s lateral thinking. Although it’s the polar opposite to Lawn Ornament in terms of arrangements, the songwriting is just as uniformly strong. The stripped down approach works just as well as LO’s “overproduced” angle. It’s tempting to write that Drive-In “breathes more”, but that would be untrue since Lawn Ornaments’ widescreen cinematic sound is merely more detailed, not cluttered or claustrophobic (no mean feat considering all those layers).
PS: Love the live version of “Recreational Guide to the Solar System”!
"Dem Glücklichen legt auch der Hahn ein Ei."
I'm glad someone notices!
[QUOTE=at least 100 dead;524526]The drums sound so cool on the entire record…they sort of have a Houses of the Holy vibe.
I recorded my solo versions of the songs in the attic of my house, where I'd never recorded anything before or since. It's a long, wide room with stone walls, wood floor and a low ceiling which is covered in cloth. I never planned it to be a recording space because it's much more dry sounding than I generally like. Here's a snippet from a blog post I wrote about that back in April 2011: I had been practicing my drum parts up there (in the attic) for a few weeks and it was sounding and feeling real good, because when you play a drum kit in the same room for a while you end up (hopefully!) with the drums tuned to sound good in that space, and I thought well what the hell, this sounds real good, so I got started recording the new songs right there in the attic.
haha, yes that turned out great. I never managed to come up with a melody for the verses, so I thought why not let a bunch of other people do it without hearing the song, and see what happens. Only time I've ever done something like that.
I like the way the verses keep getting faster! Again totally different from the feel of my solo version, which is exactly what I hoped would happen.
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