The Beach Boys and pedal steel.....

Mark Eaton · Post by **Mark Eaton** » 30 Apr 2005 9:51 am

You will find few more hardcore fans of the Beach Boys then me!

Brian Wilson has said that his favorite part of "California Girls" is the instrumental intro.

I had no idea that Al Vescovo was the the guy responsible for "Diamond Head." Here I was at the San Jose steel jam last week hanging out and talking with Al-what an interesting guy-and just an incredible steel guitar player. When it was his turn on a song I made sure I paid full attention-he is simply awesome!

------------------
Mark

Rick Garrett · Post by **Rick Garrett** » 30 Apr 2005 10:07 am

Ya gots ta be kiddin'!!!

Penny Lane
Strawberry Fields Forever
Nowhere Man
Hard Day's Night soundtrack
Paperback Writer
Sgt. Peppers
Rubber Soul
Revolver

Ad infinitum.....

Yeah what he said. (edited for poor taste

! I never noticed if the Beatles used steel on any of their songs? Anyone remember? Anyhow what he said again in spades!

Rick
P.S. It is my opinion (for what its worth)that there has been no finer an artist so far as writing and performing songs than the great Paul Mc Cartney. [This message was edited by Rick Garrett on 30 April 2005 at 03:26 PM.]

Dr. Hugh Jeffreys · Post by **Dr. Hugh Jeffreys** » 30 Apr 2005 3:13 pm

Mark: Albert Vescovo has recorded extensively with the Beach Boys (also did steel on Fantasy Island, Charlies Angles+++). He's a remarkable steel man and takes it very seriously. ---j---

James Cann · Post by **James Cann** » 30 Apr 2005 3:35 pm

Al Vescovo . . . a remarkable steel man and (who) takes it very seriously.

. . . not to mention a class gent, who took time to talk the first time I met him in Phoenix, and who recognized me some months later when me met again.

J W Alexander · Post by **J W Alexander** » 1 May 2005 6:36 am

Chuck Lettes began a wonderful thread here about Carl Wilson of the BB's way back on October of 2001 here on SGF. This reminded me of that and I re-read it--it's a nice commentary on one of those who truly contributed to a catalog of music that we're all the better for. If I knew how to post a link here I would but the date and author of the tread here might be helpful---I hope so!

Whether we liked or disliked their music or any other isn't the point so much as enjoying they created and how much they pushed the known technology of the time. They, like The Beatles, didn't know what couldn't be done so they had no limits and creativity ran rampant---always a good thing!

So anway, what was that song again?

J W

Bryan Bradfield · Post by **Bryan Bradfield** » 1 May 2005 7:46 am

The earlier thread is -
http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum10/HTML/001640.html

Paul Honeycutt · Post by **Paul Honeycutt** » 1 May 2005 10:20 am

One of the times I saw the Beach Boys in the early '70's They used a PSG for California Suite (Saga?). I can't remember if Al Jardine played it or a sideman.

Mods are cool but SURFERS RULE!
(Taking me back to 5th Grade here)

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 1 May 2005 10:43 am

Roger, awhile back I got the complete Beatles collection.

I found some "lost gems" in there ,
playing I had LONG forgotten they were capable of.
And I don't mean Geroge Martin's side men,
but the actual Beatles as players.

I was actually shocked at how well they could emulate several different genres not normaly considered Beatles music. And do it well.

British "music hall", swing jazz, blues, and things from their grandparents times, all done true and with feeling. They never got to be bop players, but who cares..
(I did hear that George did play with Ronny Scott a few times in the club.)

This wealth of fine playing was lost to most poeple,
because their song writing and big production numbers took precidence over time.

But, sorry I can't agree, they were weak and sloppy all the time,
these guys were no slouches or weak sisters in a larger production...

John Lennon played some lapsteel parts on album,
and very tasty it its blueiness too.[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 01 May 2005 at 11:48 AM.]

Russ Young · Post by **Russ Young** » 1 May 2005 2:42 pm

I remember seeing the Beach Boys live about 30 years ago -- Blondie Chaplin took a turn on pedal steel, as did Ricky Fataar.

Those of you who mentioned "God Only Knows" should check out Steinar Gregertsen's instrumental version. Appropriately, he's playing it on his Asher Electro Hawaiian ...

Barry Blackwood · Post by **Barry Blackwood** » 1 May 2005 2:52 pm

I always thought 'Disney Girls' would make a great steel instrumental. If I had some way to record me, I'd do it ...

Jeff Agnew · Post by **Jeff Agnew** » 2 May 2005 5:35 am

Diverging somewhat back to the BBs and their use of steel...

During one of my former incarnations as a journalist I wrote concert reviews and photographed shows for the city newspaper. In (I believe) '74 I was assigned to cover a Beach Boys show. Opening act was Steely Dan, in their original lineup.

After SD finished the opening set I had planned to listen to just a few BB songs and get back to write the review, having heard the BBs live numerous times and with their sets not changing appreciably between tours in those days. What kept me there, however, was a guy who came out with them and sat down behind a Sho~Bud D10.

It was the Dan's Skunk Baxter, who had used the Bud on two or three of their own songs and now proceeded to sit in with the Beach Boys. For their entire set. Great stuff. So much so that at one point Mike Love pointed at Baxter and said to the audience, "Are you folks listening to what this guy is playing? It's unreal. That just blows me away."

I really don't remember much about the details of Baxter's playing; my steel ear wasn't as discerning back then. But musically, it was outstanding. The notes, selection, and phrasing were a marvelous fit with the BBs. Not an easy thing to do, staying out of the way of those densely layered harmonies.

They gave him lots of room for fills and Love was truly mesmerized by Baxter's playing. They all seemed to genuinely enjoy having a steel in the band. My lasting memory is that it was way cool that such a top act (at the time) would not only invite a steel player to sit in, but also make such a big deal to the audience about his playing.

Matt Dawson · Post by **Matt Dawson** » 2 May 2005 6:12 am

Hi Roger,
Did you ever meet Tommy Talton? He had a band called 'the Rebelizers' with Mike Bell here in Luxembourg for a while. Tommy used to hang with Duane Allman and Lowell George, and told me that they both thought that 'Beggars Banquet' by the Stones was the ultimate album ever! Much as I love it myself, I find it amazing that some middle-class british sudents copying american blues could sell it back to America, & impress the two greatest (IMO) rock slide players ever! Apparently the sloppy feel and dodgy tempos just had something America liked (and found hard to copy)....
Matt [This message was edited by Matt Dawson on 02 May 2005 at 07:13 AM.][This message was edited by Matt Dawson on 02 May 2005 at 08:25 AM.]

Tom Stolaski · Post by **Tom Stolaski** » 3 May 2005 6:38 am

I liked the later Beatles stuff, because of their blend of Rock and Classical music. Their experiments with tape loops and early Electronic Music. The combination of George Martin and The Beatles song writing skills made them the greatest band in the world at the time. I also think that Lloyd Green should have gone on the road with Wings. That would have been a great thing to happen to the steel guitar world....

Mark Lind-Hanson · Post by **Mark Lind-Hanson** » 3 May 2005 10:48 am

I think what we most have to thank the Beatles for maybe was to remind ourselves (as Americans) what rock & roll was all about
-judging from the dull plastic stuff that was happening before they happened (and I myself tend to "date history" from the first Ed Sullivan appearance)-
if they hadn't happened can you think of how different the world might be today?
They were an awesome force of goodness undeniably & great songrwriters.
But they didn't really do anything FOR American music in particular so much as open the {WHOLE WORLD} up to rock & roll-
I still think people like Dylan did more for a real musical Americana-
but then, that wasn't the Beatles' thing, either nor could it have been...
Nor were they neccescarily the world's greatest BAND- they could sure write songs, but, could they jam?
Lots of U.S. rockers evolved into better all-round players, as the Beatles stayed in the studio & focused on the Art of writing.
But without them, things would have been completely different...

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 3 May 2005 11:11 am

It's been a couple of years since I last posted on this thread, and I've learned since then to keep my opinion of the 'Fab Four' to myself - especially here in the States!

It's impossible to imagine a world without the Beatles, but, without Lonnie Donegan, I can assure you that there'd have been no Beatles - at least, not in the same way; chey started as a skiffle group trying to emulate Donegan just as all of us baby-boomers were doing in 1957. No Lonnie Donegan? No Eric Clapton, no Roger Daltrey, no Brian May, no Jimmy Page, and no Roger Rettig either, 'though I doubt that would matter to anyone on this Forum!

.....

Despite this, I don't hear much about Lonnie these days, yet July 1954 was a cataclysmic month in pop-music terms - on July 5th, Elvis found himself with 'That's All Right, Mama' and, on July 13th, Lonnie reinvented 'Rock Island Line' and started his own revolution. Both events were unconnected and neither participant knew of the other, but they sure turned things upside-down!

It's all cause and effect, I guess - just like the butterfly flapping it's wings in the Amazon and a cold-front appearing in Canada as a result.....

RR
(Hi, Matt! I never knew Tommy T. - how's Mike Bell doing?)

A PS.....

I can't help it if this sounds like name-dropping, but George Harrison and I had a couple of lengthy conversations about music in general and 'idols' in particular - he said that he doubted that he'd have got wrapped up in playing the guitar had it not been for Lonnie D.[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 03 May 2005 at 12:18 PM.]

Roger Rettig · Post by **Roger Rettig** » 3 May 2005 11:16 am

Jeff Agnew,

Thanks for the Skunk Baxter post! I thought that he was one of the most inventive and tasteful steel-players ever. It was almost as though he'd listened to no-one, but just found a way to play the instrument - his part on 'Razor Boy' is brilliant!

RR[This message was edited by Roger Rettig on 03 May 2005 at 12:23 PM.]

scott murray · Post by **scott murray** » 4 May 2005 5:36 pm

howdy folks-
you can hear the first Steely Dan single here... just scroll down to 'Rare Songs'.

It's called "Dallas" and features some great steel playing by Baxter. A great country-rock tune, and very un-Steely Dan!

Jeff Agnew · Post by **Jeff Agnew** » 5 May 2005 5:14 am

Scott -

Thanks for the pointer to that page. Looks like I'll be downloading for a while. Geez, the demo stuff alone is a treasure.

Roger, I agree with your assessment. I assume you know the story of what Baxter is doing now?