Ryan Adams and the Cardinals

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 31 Aug 2007 5:23 am

Can someone tell me who is playing the steel in this video ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7WjCTmSm_M

Jerry Erickson · Post by **Jerry Erickson** » 31 Aug 2007 5:45 am

Most likely Jon Graboff.

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 31 Aug 2007 7:49 am

That's definitely forum member Jon Graboff.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 31 Aug 2007 8:17 am

Ryan Adams is a genius songwriter. One of the only ones in the public eye these days. Just tremendous.

Jon, it has to be a blast playing these tunes. You have killer tone both live and on the recordings.

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 31 Aug 2007 9:21 am

Chris,

Are you familiar with the bonus tracks from Jacksonville City Nights from the vinyl or DVD copies? There's nice covers of 'Always On My Mind' and 'I Still Miss Someone,' plus an original called 'Jeane' that is really stunning, and a totally rocking demo for 'A Kiss Before I Go.'

Great stuff!

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 31 Aug 2007 12:29 pm

Mark, I have to check this out! Thanks for the lead!

Jon Graboff · Post by **Jon Graboff** » 31 Aug 2007 2:05 pm

Hey fellas, here's a link to the same song filmed in London a few months back. A different arrangement of the same some as the link above. Chris, yea, one of the things that makes this gig so much fun, is the constantly evolving approach to the song list. We never play the same songs night after night and rarely in the same way! Much fun!

You can actually see Ryan's face in this one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQZ1BV2_4aQ

Mark: Fellow forumite Bob Hoffnar played steel on that version of "Always On My Mind".

Mike Neer · Post by **Mike Neer** » 31 Aug 2007 2:17 pm

Sounds really great, Jon. I like that you're singing, too.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 31 Aug 2007 4:44 pm

Oh my, Jon.........please tell me this is going to be a concert DVD release. I don't get the shivers much anymore when it comes to music. It's nice to feel them again.

Jon Graboff · Post by **Jon Graboff** » 31 Aug 2007 5:26 pm

Chris, that's a good question. It was shot for and aired on BBC Four in the UK so I'm sure they "own" it. I don't have a copy of the show myself but I'd like too. It was beautifully shot and the band sounded great IMHO. One insight to the show. Ryan had broken his wrist skateboarding and was taking his removeable cast off for shows… that's why he isn't playing guitar. Jon

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 31 Aug 2007 5:40 pm

Jon, I thought when watching the clips that Ryan singing without the guitar really added to the whole vibe of this new live setup you have. But I bet he misses playing. It's like when Neil Young went acoustic for much of Harvest, but (as the story goes) only because he had hurt his back and couldn't wear the heavy Les Paul. He inadvertently started a whole new sub-genre of music by falling out of a hayloft.

Edit: He's back on guitar again. Saw some other recent youtube stuff........

Brendan Mitchell · Post by **Brendan Mitchell** » 1 Sep 2007 12:11 am

Thanks for the replies and well done Jon . One of the guys I play for writes his own stuff but has just thrown this song into the set , I really like it . Here is a link to his my space which has a few of his songs on it .
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu ... f9055d593c

Tim Bridges · Post by **Tim Bridges** » 1 Sep 2007 5:51 am

We do several of Ryan Adams & the Cardinals tunes; also some of Ryan's older stuff. "A Kiss Before I Go" has such a GREAT hook as do so many of his songs. The measure of a truly gifted writer.

I thought the same thing about the Greatful Dead influence on that one tune. Had the pleasure to catch their show a few years back at Birmingham's City Stages. There was a really good turn out to hear them. Sure wish the'd come back!

Jon Light (deceased) · Post by **Jon Light (deceased)** » 1 Sep 2007 6:13 am

I'd formed some opinions about RA a number of years ago and he has not really been on my radar until the last couple of years. I really owe it to myself to see a show. Songwriting is such a mystery to me (good songwriting, at least) that I don't even think about it until I hear something original that sounds like it has always existed. Which might well be a definition of a great piece of work in any field of art. I am hearing songs like that in these RA & the Cardinal presentations.

Damn, Jon, that London Let It Ride is outstanding. You are so thoroughly integrated in it, I can't imagine it without you. I said it before & I'll say it again--this band sounds so jelled. It's not just that you are 'together'. There is a sonic solidity. As if you guys are actually listening to how it sounds, not just how it goes.
As if you guys have maybe played a couple more than a half dozen shows together.

Rick Batey · Post by **Rick Batey** » 1 Sep 2007 7:50 am

Jon Graboff · Post by **Jon Graboff** » 4 Sep 2007 5:15 am

Jon, yea… we've hit those tunes quite a few times.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 4 Sep 2007 5:37 pm

"Goodnight Rose" from Easy Tiger is the best rock album opener since the Black Crowes' "Sting Me" from 1992's The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion.

Frode Bjoernstad · Post by **Frode Bjoernstad** » 5 Sep 2007 3:07 pm

Love the Easy Tiger album Jon! I see that you guys are back in Oslo in November. I will try to catch you this time as well.

And Chris: You're right about Sting me on Southern Harmony and Musical Companion. Thats a great record!

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 5 Sep 2007 3:33 pm

Frode, there seems to be only a few "new-generation" keepers of the roots-rock flame in the past 15 years: Ryan Adams, The Black Crowes, The Jayhawks, Ron Sexsmith, Matthew Sweet, Wilco, Blue Rodeo, and a few more. And several of these bands have fallen off the radar. Ryan Adams and The Cardinals are, in my opinion, holding the torch these days. It only takes a glance at the touring schedule on Jon's website to know how hard these guys are working. I'm flying to Montreal to see this show in a few weeks, and it's the only touring act I'd do that for these days.

Frode Bjoernstad · Post by **Frode Bjoernstad** » 5 Sep 2007 3:48 pm

You are right! I actually love all of those bands!

I saw Ryan Adams & the Cardinals here in Oslo last fall, and gave a fantastic 3 hour show.

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 6 Sep 2007 12:23 pm

I too love that stuff, and totally agree about Sting Me and the rest of that album being TOTALLY awesome. However, Chris, I think that Spoon's 'The Beast and Dragon, Adored' from Gimme Fiction is the hotteset rock opener since then!

I saw the Jayhawks on their last tour and was really blown away. Quite special.

Unfortunately, I missed the Cardinals when they were in Vancouver a few weeks back.

Chris LeDrew · Post by **Chris LeDrew** » 6 Sep 2007 2:20 pm

Marc, I've never heard of that recording.......do you have a link to some info?

Frode, you posted some links here yesterday, and I didn't get a chance to come back and check them out. Can you post them again or send them to me? Thanks.

Marc Jenkins · Post by **Marc Jenkins** » 6 Sep 2007 3:50 pm

Chris,

Spoon is a great band! They've been around for about 10 years, and started out a bit punkish, but developed a pretty unique R&B/rock sound. Great lyrics, and lots of great studio ideas and sounds. Their new album 'Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga' is smoking! Lots of early Elvis Costello in there too, plus Motown.

Not roots rock, but awesome! They're playing in Victoria on Saturday night. Very excited!

Spoon
Spoon on Myspace

There's good history on Wikipedia too, but the link won't work!

Keith Ballmer · Post by **Keith Ballmer** » 7 Sep 2007 9:54 am

Jon is by far one of my favorite steel gitar players, he has played with some of the best. I work hard trying to master his style!
Take a look at www.archive.org and down load some of the Ryan Adams bootlegs, on alot of the reordings there on licks and chord changes that can be learned.
I look forward to all his works!
Keith