Townshend on steel?

[Mark van Allen]

I'm trying to recall any tracks I heard from Pete with steel on them.
I'm reading his Autobiography "Who I am", and it includes this photo of Pete in one of his home studios. Anybody know more about his steeling? Just thinking about it has me working on my horizontal windmill...

[Ben Jones]

Its on the Scoop album (excellent album of his home recordings and demos).

Heres what he says n the liner notes:
"Cookin'
An early attempt at playing pedal steel, an instrument I finally abandoned. I used a secret open tuning on the acoustic guitar , (which I gave away in a music book called DECADE OF THE WHO) and invented a drum sound that I hoped would sound like a wash-board. A chauvinistic little ditty, but I'm chauvinistic towards men as well so it's OK isn't it?
"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qGz9zO9gjQ

[CrowBear Schmitt]

http://www.gettyimages.at/detail/85003938/Redferns

[Frank Freniere]

Looks like a blonde Sho-Bud S-10, probably a 6139.

[Joachim Kettner]

No actual answer, but on "The Who Sell Out" s first side there is a sound gimmick introducing each track. The two tracks at the beginning of the record feature the Talk Box, so obviously someone must have been aware of Pete Drake.
Btw, nice to hear from you again, Ben.

[Donny Hinson]

I'm trying to recall any tracks I heard from Pete with steel on them.
I'm reading his Autobiography "Who I am", and it includes this photo of Pete in one of his home studios. Anybody know more about his steeling?

To which Pete answers:

An early attempt at playing pedal steel, an instrument I finally abandoned.

And yet another "guitar god" gives up in disgust, the instrument which I, an admitted hacker, found reletively easy to play.

I think my ego just bumped up a notch!

[Dave Hopping]

I'm surprised Pete did anything at all with PSG.Can't windmill on it,and too unwieldy to pick up and smash.

[Ron Whitfield]

I'm surprised Pete did anything at all with PSG. Can't windmill on it, and too unwieldy to pick up and smash.

But I'd give anything to see him do the mighty leap across the stage with a PSG at the crescendo of Won't Get Fooled Again...

[Mark van Allen]

Hey, Joachim, Pete mentions in the book working out the idea and operation of the talk box effect before Drake and before hearing anyone else doing it.

[Pete Finney]

I'm pretty sure the talk-box things on "The Who Sell Out" are actual old radio jingles from the U.S. and that they got sued for using some of them without permission.

There's some great information and examples of how those jingles were made - in Dallas; Texas with a console steel and the old Alvino Rey "talking steel" technique - in Russ Wever's second and third posts in this thread; cool stuff!

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopi ... 07&start=0

I just read the Townsend book too and enjoyed it, but took his saying he came up with the talk-box thing on his own with a grain of salt; he also mentions how Frank Zappa claimed to have invented it... But no mention of Drake's big hit record in 1964!

[Joachim Kettner]

Mark, I guess we were on the wrong track.
In Russ Wevers second post, third example, there is exactly the same melody and sound which precedes the track "Heinz Baked Beans" from
Sell Out.
Only the words have been altered to "Wonderful Radio London, whoopee!" Very interesting!

[Alan Berdoulay]

Lookin like a 6140 in that gettyimage

[Dave Harmonson]

looks like at least 6 pedals. interesting

[Tim Fleming]

Yeah Dave - I see 6 pedals but can't count the strings.
Maybe it's a universal. No wonder he "abandoned".

[Skip Edwards]

It's a 6140... S10 w/6 pedals, and no more than 2 KL's, if it had any at all.

[Dave Harmonson]

Maybe a C6 single neck?

[Jerry Hedge]

The "Wonderful Radio London" was a real Jingle. It was done at PAMS of Dallas. Radio London was a pirate radio station that played an American type of musical format. That jingle used to be on the PAMS website.

[Ken Byng]

I was told by a friend that that guitar ended up being thrown in a pond or a river.

Not sure if the story is true or not, but my friend worked for an importer of Sho~Bud guitars in the '70's. We've all been frustrated with the instrument at times I guess, but that kind of action does seem somewhat OTT, even for someone who wrecked a great many 6 string electric guitars in his time.

[Tim Fleming]

I've found it -
On his "Who Came First" solo album (1972) it can be heard clearly on the track "Time Is Passing". It comes in at about 1:10.
If you have the later release with bonus tracks you can hear more on "The Love Man".

Also on Thunderclap Newman's "Hollywood Dream" on the track "Hollywood Dream (Instrumental)" his steel is fairly prominent in places - and well played.

[Jason Odd]

Personally I think the Who's "Who's Next" LP is a case of Townsend deconstructing country licks into a mostly rhythm based style for power-pop rock ....

[Chris LeDrew]

Personally I think the Who's "Who's Next" LP is a case of Townsend deconstructing country licks into a mostly rhythm based style for power-pop rock ....

Yes, and let's not forget the use of volume pedal on "Bargain." I bet he would have loved to have been able to play it on steel. But alas, the pedals immobilize yet another rock star guitarist.

I've read that Stephen Stills owns a Sho~Bud, but it simply collects dust in his music room due to his inability to get his head around it. Also, I read in a Band biography that there was a Sho~Bud set up at Big Pink in Woodstock. Apparently no one could figure it out, so it never got used.