So this Pixies thing has meant that, for the first time in my life, I've been seriously invested in learning a cover song exactly the way it was played by the original artist. Well...to be precise...in learning 88 songs that way.
The process has been a combination of looking up bass or guitar tab online, listening to recordings (studio and live), watching videos, and discussion with my bandmates. Typically the tab is a nice place to start, but it is usually wrong in some way.
So, in the process I've been assembling a personal fake book for the bass parts for all the Pixies songs. I think it is more accurate than what is currently available online. I'm thinking of cleaning it up, once I've got all 88 songs mastered, and putting it together in a format that I can share. Given that it's all copy righted music, I'm not looking to make money on it. But it was is a labor of love that feels worth preserving.
There's no rush, because we're probably six months away from completing the catalog (my personal goal anyway, don't know when or if the band thinks we'll get through everything). At this point I'm dedicated to learning all of the songs whether or not the band ever plays them all. I'm on a mission. I think that I'm going to start being a bit more careful in the formatting of the fakebook, though, making sure to preserve key bits and keeping things orderly. Then, when it's done, clean the whole thing up one last time and then either print it up at a copy shop, or maybe via Lulu or other outlet (again, only making it available for my personal use...not published with an ISBN and not for sale at a profit to others...I might make a link somewhere that people can buy copies from me at the cost of production and distribute them that way). Might even be worth prettying up with pics and such. Could be a fun project.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Progress
CJ had its first rehearsal March 25, 2010 I believe. I first was aware of the potential of the band forming in January 2010 (prior to that knew nothing about The Pixies). Here's where I am at now:
Songs learned ("learned" means I can play it and have it memorized):
Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons (band hasn't learned it yet)
Bone Machine
Break My Body
Brick Is Red
Broken Face
Cactus
Caribou
Crackity Jones
Dead
Debaser
Down To The Well
Ed Is Dead
Gigantic
Gouge Away
Here Comes Your Man
Hey
I Bleed
I'm Amazed
Into the White
Isla De Encanta
I've Been Tired
La La Love You
Levitate Me
Monkey Gone To Heaven
Mr Grieve
Nimrod's Son
No 13 Baby
Oh My Golly
River Euphrates
Sad Punk
Silver
Something Against You
Subbacultcha
Tame
The Holiday Song
There Goes My Gun
Tony's Theme
U-Mass
Vamos
Wave Of Mutilation
Where Is My Mind?
TOTAL: 41 songs
In process (know how to play but not memorized yet):
Alec Eiffel
Allison
Dig For Fire
Head On (cover)
Winterlong (cover)
TOTAL: 5 songs
Still to Learn:
Ain't That Pretty at All (cover)
All Over The World
Ana
Bailey's Walk
Bam Thwok
Blown Away
Boom Chicka Boom
Born in Chicago (cover)
Build High
Cecilia Ann
Dancing The Mantra Ray
Distance Equals Rate Times Time
Evil Hearted You (cover)
Hang on to Your Ego (cover)
Hang Wire
Havalina
I Can't Forget (cover)
In Heaven (cover)
Is She Weird
I've Been Waiting For You (cover)
Letter to Memphis
Lovely Day
Make Believe
Manta Ray
Motorway to Roswell
Navajo Know
Palace of the Brine
Planet of Sound
Rock A My Soul
Rock Music
Santo
Space
Stormy Weather
The Happening
The Thing
Theme from Narc (cover)
Trompe le Monde
Velouria
Velvety Instrumental Version
Wave of Mutilation (UK)...don't think bass varies significantly from original
Weird At My School
Wild Honey Pie (cover)
TOTAL: 42 songs
Songs learned ("learned" means I can play it and have it memorized):
Bird Dream of the Olympus Mons (band hasn't learned it yet)
Bone Machine
Break My Body
Brick Is Red
Broken Face
Cactus
Caribou
Crackity Jones
Dead
Debaser
Down To The Well
Ed Is Dead
Gigantic
Gouge Away
Here Comes Your Man
Hey
I Bleed
I'm Amazed
Into the White
Isla De Encanta
I've Been Tired
La La Love You
Levitate Me
Monkey Gone To Heaven
Mr Grieve
Nimrod's Son
No 13 Baby
Oh My Golly
River Euphrates
Sad Punk
Silver
Something Against You
Subbacultcha
Tame
The Holiday Song
There Goes My Gun
Tony's Theme
U-Mass
Vamos
Wave Of Mutilation
Where Is My Mind?
TOTAL: 41 songs
In process (know how to play but not memorized yet):
Alec Eiffel
Allison
Dig For Fire
Head On (cover)
Winterlong (cover)
TOTAL: 5 songs
Still to Learn:
Ain't That Pretty at All (cover)
All Over The World
Ana
Bailey's Walk
Bam Thwok
Blown Away
Boom Chicka Boom
Born in Chicago (cover)
Build High
Cecilia Ann
Dancing The Mantra Ray
Distance Equals Rate Times Time
Evil Hearted You (cover)
Hang on to Your Ego (cover)
Hang Wire
Havalina
I Can't Forget (cover)
In Heaven (cover)
Is She Weird
I've Been Waiting For You (cover)
Letter to Memphis
Lovely Day
Make Believe
Manta Ray
Motorway to Roswell
Navajo Know
Palace of the Brine
Planet of Sound
Rock A My Soul
Rock Music
Santo
Space
Stormy Weather
The Happening
The Thing
Theme from Narc (cover)
Trompe le Monde
Velouria
Velvety Instrumental Version
Wave of Mutilation (UK)...don't think bass varies significantly from original
Weird At My School
Wild Honey Pie (cover)
TOTAL: 42 songs
Monday, November 8, 2010
Kim Deal's Basses
So I play a Yamaha ATT Plus M bass:
Mine is lime green and a cheap knock off of some famous bass...I think Billy Sheehan's Yamaha Attitude Bass:
Don't know...looks more like a Fender Precision (P) Bass knock off to me. That's what I thought it was when I bought it. And I still don't really know who Billy Sheehan is (well NOW I do). I DO actually have a second bass...but it is also a P bass knockoff (or perhaps an Attitude knockoff)...only crappier (a Lotus).
So how does that compare to what Kim Deal plays? Both are closest, I think, to her 62 Fender reissue (though much crappier). See below.
From Kim Deal Wiki:
Bass guitars
Kim Deal generally plays four-string solid-body bass guitars and always uses a pick particularly the "green Dunlops with the little turtle on them" [28], although since the Pixies' reunion she has also been using custom green Dunlops with "KIM" written on them. She prefers having old strings on a bass.[28]
Aria Pro II Cardinal Series — The Pixies' first bass belonged to Kelley,[28] and is heard on Come On Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa and seen on the Town & Country live video. It later reappeared in the Kelley Deal 6000.
1962 Fender Precision Reissue[27] — Acquired for use on Doolittle on Gil Norton's insistence.[28] It appears in the video for "Here Comes Your Man". On the Bossanova album, the Precision was used on "Dig for Fire" for its "lazier, growlier sound" that was "not as boingy-boingy-sproingy".[27]
Music Man Stingray — Added in time for Bossanova "because it was active and had a different sound" and became her main live bass "because it was a little less country-sounding than the Fender".[28] The instrument was afterwards played by Josephine Wiggs in The Breeders and Luis Lerma in The Amps.
Steinberger headless (but full-bodied, two-cutaway) bass — Bought during the recording of Trompe Le Monde because the other basses were out of tune on the higher frets. Deal described it as having a "weird, organ-y sound".[28]
[no photo...edit 12/1/2010...see below and here, this is the bass played on the Brixton shows 1991...white with black edging]
Gibson Thunderbird — more recently, her favorite bass that she did not use on the Pixies reunion, feeling she had to "sound like the records".[28] It is seen played upside-down (left-handed) by Mando Lopez in The Breeders.
Gots no idea what this is (edit 12/1/2010...this is the Steinberger headless):
or this (though this might just be the same Fender from above with a weird reflection on the pick guard)
Here's another Fender looking thing (a 2010 image late in the tour)...different profile from one directly above. Maybe there's more than one Fender floating around now, or she's changed the pick guard. The three red Fenders pictured here kind of look like three different instruments to me...but maybe it's just the angles. Hard to tell:
Mine is lime green and a cheap knock off of some famous bass...I think Billy Sheehan's Yamaha Attitude Bass:
Don't know...looks more like a Fender Precision (P) Bass knock off to me. That's what I thought it was when I bought it. And I still don't really know who Billy Sheehan is (well NOW I do). I DO actually have a second bass...but it is also a P bass knockoff (or perhaps an Attitude knockoff)...only crappier (a Lotus).
So how does that compare to what Kim Deal plays? Both are closest, I think, to her 62 Fender reissue (though much crappier). See below.
From Kim Deal Wiki:
Bass guitars
Kim Deal generally plays four-string solid-body bass guitars and always uses a pick particularly the "green Dunlops with the little turtle on them" [28], although since the Pixies' reunion she has also been using custom green Dunlops with "KIM" written on them. She prefers having old strings on a bass.[28]
Aria Pro II Cardinal Series — The Pixies' first bass belonged to Kelley,[28] and is heard on Come On Pilgrim, Surfer Rosa and seen on the Town & Country live video. It later reappeared in the Kelley Deal 6000.
1962 Fender Precision Reissue[27] — Acquired for use on Doolittle on Gil Norton's insistence.[28] It appears in the video for "Here Comes Your Man". On the Bossanova album, the Precision was used on "Dig for Fire" for its "lazier, growlier sound" that was "not as boingy-boingy-sproingy".[27]
Music Man Stingray — Added in time for Bossanova "because it was active and had a different sound" and became her main live bass "because it was a little less country-sounding than the Fender".[28] The instrument was afterwards played by Josephine Wiggs in The Breeders and Luis Lerma in The Amps.
Steinberger headless (but full-bodied, two-cutaway) bass — Bought during the recording of Trompe Le Monde because the other basses were out of tune on the higher frets. Deal described it as having a "weird, organ-y sound".[28]
[no photo...edit 12/1/2010...see below and here, this is the bass played on the Brixton shows 1991...white with black edging]
Gibson Thunderbird — more recently, her favorite bass that she did not use on the Pixies reunion, feeling she had to "sound like the records".[28] It is seen played upside-down (left-handed) by Mando Lopez in The Breeders.
Gots no idea what this is (edit 12/1/2010...this is the Steinberger headless):
or this (though this might just be the same Fender from above with a weird reflection on the pick guard)
Here's another Fender looking thing (a 2010 image late in the tour)...different profile from one directly above. Maybe there's more than one Fender floating around now, or she's changed the pick guard. The three red Fenders pictured here kind of look like three different instruments to me...but maybe it's just the angles. Hard to tell:
Allison
I've been working on this for days now and it's driving me a little bit nuts.
Start with THIS bass tab and THESE guitar chords. Now play along with the recording. It isn't quite right in a few spots. But what IS right?
How about THESE chords?
Now...watch this:
At 0:44 there's a key bit. In the bass tab and in the first of the guitar chords the bass would play E up to F. RS said that the piano sheet music HE had said I should play Ab to F. I assumed that he meant Ab up to F, but this seemed really wrong and akward.
But watching the video it is clear to me that there's no way she's playing E to F. Reason? She seems to like playing at the 7th and 8th fret. Most of the song (contrary to the bass tab online) she plays here. If the progression were E to F she could stay at the 7th and 8th frets. But she doesn't. She shifts down. Why would she shift down? To hit a lower note on the E String. So this supports the idea of playing Ab DOWN to F (rather than up). And if you listen carefully to the video, the bass DOES step down here even though the overall feeling of the music is tension and building UPWARD. It's counter-intuitive.
Got to sit down and rehash. But I think it's coming into focus.
Other videos...less helpful:
And nearly super helpful (Allison starts at 1:50...progression in question at 2:34), played on the Ernie Ball. Gots to get me one o them some day:
Start with THIS bass tab and THESE guitar chords. Now play along with the recording. It isn't quite right in a few spots. But what IS right?
How about THESE chords?
Now...watch this:
At 0:44 there's a key bit. In the bass tab and in the first of the guitar chords the bass would play E up to F. RS said that the piano sheet music HE had said I should play Ab to F. I assumed that he meant Ab up to F, but this seemed really wrong and akward.
But watching the video it is clear to me that there's no way she's playing E to F. Reason? She seems to like playing at the 7th and 8th fret. Most of the song (contrary to the bass tab online) she plays here. If the progression were E to F she could stay at the 7th and 8th frets. But she doesn't. She shifts down. Why would she shift down? To hit a lower note on the E String. So this supports the idea of playing Ab DOWN to F (rather than up). And if you listen carefully to the video, the bass DOES step down here even though the overall feeling of the music is tension and building UPWARD. It's counter-intuitive.
Got to sit down and rehash. But I think it's coming into focus.
Other videos...less helpful:
And nearly super helpful (Allison starts at 1:50...progression in question at 2:34), played on the Ernie Ball. Gots to get me one o them some day:
SSW, Wisco, 11/5/2010
The last of the three shows in 7 days.
Got started at 11pm and played 21 of the 23 songs that we know. Clocked out at an hour almost on the dot. I was pretty spot on. Used my own kit. PA was Wisco's...not bad. No monitors and J's vocals overwhelmed R's again (that damn Beta mic is too good for its own good). K kept the bass down and avoided blowing out his amp this time.
The band that headlined was...interesting.
Brought down $120 for two bands from $5 cover...$60 a piece per band. Wisco also threw in two pitchers of beer (three actually cause they gave us a free bottom of the barrel pitcher).
Setlist:
1. NEW ROSE
2. DANCE (4X) TO THE RADIO
3. TEENAGE KICKS
4. YOU STUPID FUCKING LIBERALS
5. THE WAY I LOVE YOU
6. HATE & WAR
7. I HATE THE RICH
8. MR. SUIT
9. HELICOPTER
10. WE ARE THE ONE
11. DON'T GIVE ME NO LIP CHILD
12. BOSCOBEL BREAKOUT
13. THAT'S HOW I ESCAPED MY CERTAIN FATE
14. SUSPECT DEVICE
15. FABLE
16. WARSAW
17. POLITICAL SONG FOR MICHAEL JACKSON TO SING
18. EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS
19. MANIAC
20. TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A PACKET OF CRISPS PLEASE
21. FUCKED UP AND WASTED
Got started at 11pm and played 21 of the 23 songs that we know. Clocked out at an hour almost on the dot. I was pretty spot on. Used my own kit. PA was Wisco's...not bad. No monitors and J's vocals overwhelmed R's again (that damn Beta mic is too good for its own good). K kept the bass down and avoided blowing out his amp this time.
The band that headlined was...interesting.
Brought down $120 for two bands from $5 cover...$60 a piece per band. Wisco also threw in two pitchers of beer (three actually cause they gave us a free bottom of the barrel pitcher).
Setlist:
1. NEW ROSE
2. DANCE (4X) TO THE RADIO
3. TEENAGE KICKS
4. YOU STUPID FUCKING LIBERALS
5. THE WAY I LOVE YOU
6. HATE & WAR
7. I HATE THE RICH
8. MR. SUIT
9. HELICOPTER
10. WE ARE THE ONE
11. DON'T GIVE ME NO LIP CHILD
12. BOSCOBEL BREAKOUT
13. THAT'S HOW I ESCAPED MY CERTAIN FATE
14. SUSPECT DEVICE
15. FABLE
16. WARSAW
17. POLITICAL SONG FOR MICHAEL JACKSON TO SING
18. EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS
19. MANIAC
20. TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A PACKET OF CRISPS PLEASE
21. FUCKED UP AND WASTED
TD, Great Dane, 11/4/10
My performance went as well as I could have hoped.
Awesome ska band "4am" opened for us and brought in a crowd. I didn't drink a drop of alcohol before or during the set. Pretty much nailed the whole thing. J had some technical difficulties and some nervous energy, but overall we did ok. I really locked in with T and RS. Several songs got played way too fast (not my fault) but I was able to keep up, even with super hard "Easy Life." Still waiting for cash out, but the money will be good.
Debuted the bass drum head. It pleased the boys.
We got offered a house party on Dec 18th and a Jan gig at Dane. My predessor came and hid in the corner, but I'm told he was pleased. I'm glad.
Set list to follow.
Awesome ska band "4am" opened for us and brought in a crowd. I didn't drink a drop of alcohol before or during the set. Pretty much nailed the whole thing. J had some technical difficulties and some nervous energy, but overall we did ok. I really locked in with T and RS. Several songs got played way too fast (not my fault) but I was able to keep up, even with super hard "Easy Life." Still waiting for cash out, but the money will be good.
Debuted the bass drum head. It pleased the boys.
We got offered a house party on Dec 18th and a Jan gig at Dane. My predessor came and hid in the corner, but I'm told he was pleased. I'm glad.
Set list to follow.
Upgrading: The Snare
Picked up a used Pacific LX Maple snare last week. It's pretty sweet. It was the right size, wood, color, and price ($100) for what I'd been wanting. No compromises.
Details I didn't notice until further inspection:
-Ten lug (existing two steel snares I own only each have 6)
-Bearing edge seems to be peaked in center. Don't know what you call this, but I've read about it. The steel drums I have come to a peak at the outer edge of drum...this new one comes to peak in center of drum edge.
-Throw off feels sturdy and smooth
I played it Thursday and Friday night at gigs. Saturday I opened her up and inspected the inside, which all seems good. Lubricated the lugs and put on a newish Ambassador Hazy resonant head and Powerstroke 3 batter head. Also put on brand new snare wires that had been hanging around the house and moved the LX's snare wires to the better steel drum.
Essentially at this point I've done all the upgrading that I'd intended to do. Happened more quickly than I'd anticipated. I'm still trying to decide if I like the Sabian AA El Sabor Ride I picked up or if I want to get something different. That's essentially all I've got an eye out for at this point.
Details I didn't notice until further inspection:
-Ten lug (existing two steel snares I own only each have 6)
-Bearing edge seems to be peaked in center. Don't know what you call this, but I've read about it. The steel drums I have come to a peak at the outer edge of drum...this new one comes to peak in center of drum edge.
-Throw off feels sturdy and smooth
I played it Thursday and Friday night at gigs. Saturday I opened her up and inspected the inside, which all seems good. Lubricated the lugs and put on a newish Ambassador Hazy resonant head and Powerstroke 3 batter head. Also put on brand new snare wires that had been hanging around the house and moved the LX's snare wires to the better steel drum.
Essentially at this point I've done all the upgrading that I'd intended to do. Happened more quickly than I'd anticipated. I'm still trying to decide if I like the Sabian AA El Sabor Ride I picked up or if I want to get something different. That's essentially all I've got an eye out for at this point.
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