Mark Spencer and Brad Sarno on new Son Volt CD

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 10 Mar 2013 9:44 pm

I haven't heard it, but this review literally gushes about the steel parts:

Luscious twang; passages of pedal steel (courtesy of Mark Spencer and Brad Sarno) that make the emotions of a given song’s lyrics just a little higher/deeper/further/darker/lighter); baritone guitar cameos; fiddles, accordion, and mandolin in just the right places.
...

...But just listen to that moment at the 1:17 mark when the music slams to a sudden stop ... and for a couple of seconds all you hear is the low murmuring shimmer of the pedal steel, sounding like an early-chapter warning in a Stephen King novel. That is not a Hee-Haw moment, my friends.

Consider the soaring “Livin’ On” – the combination of the burbling, bubbling organ with the pedal steel takes the tune far beyond the roadhouse and dollar draughts;

The new Son Volt CD is called Honky Tonk.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 11 Mar 2013 2:43 am

A few weeks ago I got a mail order catalogue, and after looking through the pages I had no idea what to order. This doesn't mean I have too much cash to spend and I also have enough records, so I don't really need anymore.
I decided to get this one for me and a different one, a new cd by Jeremy Spencer, as a birthday gift for a friend.

Brett Lanier · Post by **Brett Lanier** » 11 Mar 2013 4:46 am

Mark Spencer is a brilliant guy, and mostly responsible for rekindling my interest in six string guitar. On Honky Tonk, he played pedal steel, lap steel, guitar and keyboards. He also co-produced and engineered the album I believe.

His pedal steel setup is very basic. A fender 400 with a 7 string open E major tuning. No finger picks.

Chris Garner · Post by **Chris Garner** » 11 Mar 2013 8:58 pm

I really like this album. It is reminiscent of their stripped-down songs on their album, Trace. Some nice fiddles, steel and waltzes on here. Here's a sample:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoGk_pdyS_c

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 12 Mar 2013 5:24 am

Had no idea Marc Spencer played PSG.

Spencer changed my life as a lead guitarist back in the late-90s, when he was touring as Freedy Johnston's lead player. I sat 2nd row, listened to the back of his MusicMan combo that he had tilted back on the floor in front of him, and he chipped away at just about everything I thought a lead guitarist is supposed to be. Amazingly fluid player, great taste & chops. And PATIENCE.

Robert Daniels · Post by **Robert Daniels** » 12 Mar 2013 7:17 am

I visit St. Louis fairly regularly and heard that Jay Farrar is now playing pedal steel in a classic country band. Forgot the name...

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 12 Mar 2013 8:00 am

I watched/listened to "Hearts and Minds" and thought it was kind of a cluttered, mushy waltz played without much energy or inspiration. Also, I wondered if the singer could at least try to look like he was enjoying himself..

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 12 Mar 2013 8:58 am

Chris Walke wrote:Had no idea Marc Spencer played PSG.

It's a first for me as well.

Two of my brothers and I attended a duo show of Jay Farrar/Mark Spencer I want to say about four years ago in San Francisco at The Great American Music Hall. For me what really made the show was Spencer's lap steel playing. He probably used it on 60% of the songs. We were up in the rear balcony so I couldn't see exactly what he was playing but it was likely a National or Supro.

He came up with some real creative, tasty stuff.

Does Mark Spencer remind anyone else besides me of the French actor Gerard Depardieu?

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 12 Mar 2013 10:58 am

Mark Eaton wrote: Does Mark Spencer remind anyone else besides me of the French actor Gerard Depardieu?

Yeah--he knows it and references it on FB.

Chris Walke · Post by **Chris Walke** » 12 Mar 2013 11:57 am

Barry Blackwood wrote:Also, I wondered if the singer could at least try to look like he was enjoying himself..

No, that ain't Farrar's style. $:\$
He's a just stand there and play kinda guy. You can hear it in his voice too. The amazing thing is he's not staring at his shoes thru the video. Shoe-gazer alt-country....it's what he does best.

I don't mean that as an insult. I love Son Volt & Uncle Tupelo.

Duncan Hodge · Post by **Duncan Hodge** » 12 Mar 2013 12:47 pm

Here is another one with Mark Spencer on steel, from the previous CD. I have loved listening to Son Volt since Trace. Jay always puts one, or two, songs on every release that hit my heart in about a hundred ways.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_i6JtsFXTg
You folks have a great night,
Duncan

Jonathan Shacklock · Post by **Jonathan Shacklock** » 13 Mar 2013 4:36 am

Robert Daniels wrote:I visit St. Louis fairly regularly and heard that Jay Farrar is now playing pedal steel in a classic country band. Forgot the name...

Colonel Ford with Jay Farrar on pedal steel, go Jay! Now there's an unforced smile for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Cn1mZQgyqg

He also owns this rather nice stringbender lap steel:
http://www.crestonguitars.com/guitars/j ... _lap_steel

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 13 Mar 2013 7:35 am

Fiddle player is smokin'!

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 23 Mar 2013 10:43 am

Can some of you insiders put this in perspective for me?
What's the connection of those many Alt- Country bands/ singers like Son Vault, Wilco, Jayhawks, Ryan Adams? When did they first appear, and did they mingle with each other?

Shawn Brown · Post by **Shawn Brown** » 23 Mar 2013 10:57 am

A lot of these kinds of bands came at around the end of the grunge big thing, about 15 years ago. Ryan Adams was in a band called Whiskeytown with Jay Farrar. (Check out a Whiskeytown CD). Ryan Adams then went out on his own and Jay Farrar formed Son Volt. The Jayhawks came out of the Minnesota area around the same time. Wilco originally had a multi-intrumentalist who played pedal steel (Bob Egan) who is now with Blue Rodeo in Canada. I don't think they have much if any of an alt-country sound any longer.

Tommy Janiga · Post by **Tommy Janiga** » 23 Mar 2013 11:02 am

Joachim Kettner wrote:Can some of you insiders put this in perspective for me? What's the connection of those many Alt- Country bands/ singers like Son Vault, Wilco, Jayhawks, Ryan Adams? When did they first appear, and did they mingle with each other?

I'm certainly not an insider, but I like this music a lot.

Uncle Tupelo spawned both Wilco (Jeff Tweedy)and Son Volt (Jay Farrar)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Tupelo

The Jayhawks were part of the Minneapolis scene in the mid-80s, along with bands like Soul Asylum and Run Westy Run (and from earlier, the Replacements and Husker Du)

Ryan Adams is from Jacksonville, North Carolina and was in Whiskeytown (Caitlin Cary was a member). Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings played with him on his early solo stuff.

Adams isn't really related to the others, except maybe common influences like Gram Parsons, etc.

There's a connection between Wilco and the Jayhawks in the band Golden Smog, kind of a recurring casual all-star thing involving lots of midwestern alt-country (or americana, which seems to be the more popular terminology now) musicians - that has produced some really good CDs, too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_smog

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 23 Mar 2013 11:23 am

Incredible information! Thanks

Bill Kellum · Post by **Bill Kellum** » 23 Mar 2013 11:35 am

Shawn Brown wrote:A lot of these kinds of bands came at around the end of the grunge big thing, about 15 years ago. Ryan Adams was in a band called Whiskeytown with Jay Farrar. (Check out a Whiskeytown CD). Ryan Adams then went out on his own and Jay Farrar formed Son Volt. The Jayhawks came out of the Minnesota area around the same time. Wilco originally had a multi-intrumentalist who played pedal steel (Bob Egan) who is now with Blue Rodeo in Canada. I don't think they have much if any of an alt-country sound any longer.

Farrar was not in Whiskeytown. He was in Uncle Tupelo with Tweedy.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 23 Mar 2013 11:49 am

does the singer guy have to practice his expressionless trance-like state or is he just that way.

i think it's kinda too bad he doesn't relate to the audience, or even seem to be enjoying it.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 23 Mar 2013 8:42 pm

chris ivey wrote:
i think it's kinda too bad he doesn't relate to the audience, or even seem to be enjoying it.

It's through his lyrics that he relates to them.
I can understand somehow that for many including me this kind of music, at first listen, may seem to lack the temperament and the groove, which our favorite artists put down on records from the fifties to the nineties. But it's still good in my opinion. I listened to this record a few times, and it has some nice unexpected chord and rhythm changes.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 24 Mar 2013 8:31 am

chris ivey wrote:does the singer guy have to practice his expressionless trance-like state or is he just that way.

Sort of like most steel players, no?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 24 Mar 2013 9:05 am

ha ha b0b...yeah....i at least try to smile when i play (unless my lame band of the night is really irritating me).
joachim...i like the music just fine. i have lately found myself becoming more and more 'turned off' by groups(generally the lead singer....and especially the lead singer if they aren't playing an instrument) who are shoe gazing or emoting or prancing in ways that lead me to believe they are 'very' into their own little 'i am special' space, rather than an honest natural presentation of the joy of what they are doing.

not that any million sellers care what i think, but i turn them off in disgust if i don't care for the aura they are presenting.

this goes as far back as all the good bands chris hillman was in. i loved the bands/music, bit chris always seemed to have a stick up his butt. i would still watch to see jaydee, though.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 24 Mar 2013 1:59 pm

I liked Chris Hillman a lot when he played straightforward rock songs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9WMcwmkL4A

Joerg Hennig · Post by **Joerg Hennig** » 24 Mar 2013 2:06 pm

Speaking about Chris Hillman doing straightforward rock songs, this here is still my favorite:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdW8xQfC7JQ

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 24 Mar 2013 5:48 pm

see what i mean? he looks a little 'troubled'..or uncomfortable. course, i can understand, having to play with a steel player like that....and all that curly hair on stage is a little weird.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Mark Spencer and Brad Sarno on new Son Volt CD

Mark Spencer and Brad Sarno on new Son Volt CD

Thanks bOb.