The Last Ship

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 11 Mar 2006 9:52 am

No drums in this one, I took them out because they just didn't fit the song.
Acoustic Guitar, Fender P Bass and Remington Steelmaster.
Here is the page with graphics and embedded MP3, and
here is the link to the MP3 file . .

RA

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 11 Mar 2006 10:10 am

Guys
Rick played this over the phone and it is the best thing I have heard . Rock on Rick. Great steel parts and three way vocal harmony. It don't get any better than this .[This message was edited by Jody Carver on 12 March 2006 at 12:06 PM.]

Ron Bednar · Post by **Ron Bednar** » 11 Mar 2006 10:32 am

That is just fine Rick...really liked it.
Cheers, Ron[This message was edited by Ron Bednar on 11 March 2006 at 10:33 AM.]

Michael Winslow · Post by **Michael Winslow** » 11 Mar 2006 12:39 pm

Rick,

Great stuff. Loved the song and the whole arrangement. Excellent vocal and harmonies too. Well done....

Don Burrows · Post by **Don Burrows** » 11 Mar 2006 12:52 pm

Great job Rick. Love that fifties sound and great harmony too.

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Don Burrows
Builder of BSG Steel Guitars

C. Brattain · Post by **C. Brattain** » 11 Mar 2006 1:50 pm

You went and did it again, don't need no dadburn drums, good harmony and nice steel, sounds great. Do you what they call a drummer who just lost his girlfriend??
Chuck

George Keoki Lake · Post by **George Keoki Lake** » 11 Mar 2006 2:04 pm

Man o man, that sure sounded nice Rick ! Great lyrics and some mighty nice steel work. I'm eating my heart out in envy !

Kris Oka · Post by **Kris Oka** » 11 Mar 2006 2:35 pm

Rick, great lyrics and even greater voice.

George Rout · Post by **George Rout** » 11 Mar 2006 3:16 pm

WOW!!! Rick, that is nothing short of magnificant!! Keep up that good stuff.
George R.

Ron Victoria · Post by **Ron Victoria** » 11 Mar 2006 4:17 pm

I thought it was an instrumental until you came in. Nice work.

Ron

Steinar Gregertsen · Post by **Steinar Gregertsen** » 11 Mar 2006 6:40 pm

Nice song, great vocals!

Steinar

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www.gregertsen.com

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 11 Mar 2006 8:09 pm

Jody - thank you buddy! I know you can only get dial-up where you are, so I'm mailing you a CD "one-off".

Ron, I appreciate that. Great job mastering Steinar's CD!

Mikey - there you are my friend. Thanks for your nice comments.

Don, thanks so much - looking forward to your visit!

Chuck - you're right, drums aren't always necessary. Okay I give up - what do you call a drummer who just lost his girlfriend?

Keoki - I appreciate the kind words. Thank you.

Kris - what a nice thing to say, that made my day . .

George, thank you for the encouragement! Stay warm, pal . .

Ron, guess I had you fooled for a few seconds, huh?

Thank you Steinar - if you like it, it must be okay!

Guys, I really appreciate all your comments and support. Thanks also for the nice emails I have received about it. It's always gratifying to be appreciated by a 'regular' audience, but when musicians I admire give me the nod it means that much more. I think I will get busy and record another song . .

FYI, that's A6 tuning. The signature riff was overdubbed with the corresponding harmonics. That was Herb Remington's suggestion - not just for that song, but in general. I figure if Herb has a suggestion for me I'd be a darn fool not to try it. What a cool idea it is too, you could apply it in 10 different songs and it would come out different each time. Herb is the grand master of overdubbing steel parts!

It had drums and organ to begin with, but it sounded better without them. The drums were just unnecessary, and the organ seemed to wash out the acoustic guitar tracks. I love how the Taylor sounds, it's like a whole band in itself . .

RA

Gary Boyett · Post by **Gary Boyett** » 12 Mar 2006 5:05 am

Great Job Rick! Very nice balance. I didn't miss the drums at all.

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HSGA & RMSGC member
Do it with "Glass"
Boyett's Glass Bars

Mike Gross · Post by **Mike Gross** » 12 Mar 2006 6:21 am

Rick,

Great job!!! I also have always felt that no drums is better than a machine!

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Mike

C. Brattain · Post by **C. Brattain** » 12 Mar 2006 6:31 am

You call a drummer who just lost his girl friend "Homeless"

Roy Thomson · Post by **Roy Thomson** » 12 Mar 2006 6:43 am

Good Job on all counts Rick!

Jody Carver · Post by **Jody Carver** » 12 Mar 2006 8:52 am

Bump One For Rick.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 12 Mar 2006 9:03 am

Hey sailor...
Sounds like your ship is coming in for sure!
Fine job.

Brandin · Post by **Brandin** » 12 Mar 2006 2:40 pm

That's a nice one Rick! Less is more,
and I'm for that. Keep at it, I'm
lookin' forward to the next one.

GB

Bill Creller · Post by **Bill Creller** » 12 Mar 2006 7:32 pm

Really nice job Rick. I'm a guy who doesn't like drums anyway, so it was a pleasure to listen to. Keep'em coming!
Those Taylors are nice guitars aren't they.
BILL[This message was edited by Bill Creller on 12 March 2006 at 07:33 PM.]

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 12 Mar 2006 9:09 pm

Thank you Garman.

Mike, your support is very much appreciated.

Chuck, lol - I think I was in a band with that guy . .

Roy, thanks so much. Stay warm, pal.

Jody, thanks for the bump. I put a one song CD in the mail to you.

David, thank you for the encouragement.

Gary, thanks man. SpongeBob Squarepants Movie is on TV right now!

Bill, I think you just made it unanimous - "Drums - We don't need no steenking drums!"

RA

Ron Brennan · Post by **Ron Brennan** » 13 Mar 2006 6:15 am

Rick,

Sorry, I came in late with this...I got in on the last ship last night.

Rick, I really enjoyed the bluesy melody line, fits so nicely with "The Last Ship" story theme. What came first? The story or the melody?

Your Steel fills were perfect. They created the haunting sound needed for the story line.

Gheesh, I almost went down to the "Jersey" shore with a couple Drams to see the "The Last Ship" come in.

Nice stuff, Rick.......TX
Rgds,
Ron

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JCFSGC member since 2005 "Be of Good Cheer"
"55" Stringmaster D8,"59" Stringmaster D6
"67" Telecaster,
"60"Fender Concert Amp 4-10's

Rick Alexander · Post by **Rick Alexander** » 13 Mar 2006 9:14 am

Thanks Ron, I'm glad you enjoyed it.

This song came to me all at once - lyrics, melody, chord progression and an idea of how it would sound.
It was on the beach late at night . .

Loni Specter · Post by **Loni Specter** » 13 Mar 2006 11:02 am

Very stron stuff Rick. It sounds great even on the crappy little speaker on my CPU.
Well done,
Loni

Jennings Ward · Post by **Jennings Ward** » 13 Mar 2006 12:30 pm

RICK , I THINK IS TOP SHELF, AND LOVE THE
" NEW " SOUND, AWAY FROM THE "TODAYS " GENRE.
ENJOYED IT VERY MUCH,,,THANKS FOR SHAREING;
JENNINGS U PK;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;

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EMMONS D10 10-10 profex 2 deltafex ne1000 pv1000, pv 31 bd eq, +