|
|
Post by wecantgetanybetter on Jun 11, 2012 23:57:18 GMT -5
I don't believe the Mats ever employed an organist or had an organ on their songs. The occasional synth, maybe, pianos for sure, but not your standard organ sound. Why not do you suppose? A good thing?
|
|
bside
Star Scout
Posts: 356
|
Post by bside on Jun 12, 2012 6:49:55 GMT -5
Jim Dickinson played organ on "Valentine". Also, Tom Waits on "Date to Church" if that counts.
But yeah, it's pretty subtle for official album tracks. Personally, I love a warm organ sound.
|
|
|
|
Post by DuluthToMadison on Jun 12, 2012 8:41:49 GMT -5
Kind of unrelated, but Deer Tick added an organ to their show closing "Let's All Go To The Bar" during most of their recent tour dates.
|
|
|
|
Post by wecantgetanybetter on Jun 12, 2012 15:13:10 GMT -5
Kind of unrelated, but Deer Tick added an organ to their show closing "Let's All Go To The Bar" during most of their recent tour dates. Deer Tick's organ is what got me thinking about it. They added a fifth member, the guy on organ, so he plays on most songs. I like it, but then I was thinking maybe it's like gravy or something that makes the songs wash down easier? |
|
|
|
Post by DuluthToMadison on Jun 12, 2012 15:52:49 GMT -5
Kind of unrelated, but Deer Tick added an organ to their show closing "Let's All Go To The Bar" during most of their recent tour dates. Deer Tick's organ is what got me thinking about it. They added a fifth member, the guy on organ, so he plays on most songs. I like it, but then I was thinking maybe it's like gravy or something that makes the songs wash down easier? I was referring to the guitar picking "organ", not the keyboard. |
|
ih8music
Star Scout
couldn't be happier.
Posts: 943
|
Post by ih8music on Jun 12, 2012 15:54:33 GMT -5
While we're talking about Deer Tick & their new organist, I thought the addition of horns on Main Street for Letterman was particularly awesome.
But back to the 'mats -- I always got the impression that Paul was a less-is-more kind of guy, especially when it came to live performances. On album tracks, he was a little more willing (to give in to the producer, most likely) and add different elements -- but at his core, I think he always wanted to make simple rock songs with the barest of additional layers.
Even during his big, "polished" solo shows in the early/mid 90's it was still just drums, bass & 2 guitars (though I think Tommy Keane played a little piano on the 14 songs tour).
|
|
|
|
Post by wecantgetanybetter on Jun 12, 2012 16:08:10 GMT -5
Deer Tick's organ is what got me thinking about it. They added a fifth member, the guy on organ, so he plays on most songs. I like it, but then I was thinking maybe it's like gravy or something that makes the songs wash down easier? I was referring to the guitar picking "organ", not the keyboard. I'm such a bonehead! |
|
ih8music
Star Scout
couldn't be happier.
Posts: 943
|
Post by ih8music on Jun 12, 2012 16:33:24 GMT -5
I was referring to the guitar picking "organ", not the keyboard. OK, now I'm confused. What's a guitar picking organ?  |
|
|
|
Post by wecantgetanybetter on Jun 12, 2012 17:30:43 GMT -5
I was referring to the guitar picking "organ", not the keyboard. OK, now I'm confused. What's a guitar picking organ? |
|
ih8music
Star Scout
couldn't be happier.
Posts: 943
|
Post by ih8music on Jun 12, 2012 17:44:14 GMT -5
walked into that one...  |
|
|
|
Post by Phillbis on Jun 13, 2012 11:58:02 GMT -5
I don't believe the Mats ever employed an organist or had an organ on their songs. The occasional synth, maybe, pianos for sure, but not your standard organ sound. Why not do you suppose? A good thing? There's an organ solo on Happytown. |
|
|
|
Post by ClamsCasino on Jun 13, 2012 17:13:57 GMT -5
I think the organ is an instrument best used sparingly in modern rock-n-roll. The Mats never seemed like organ guys to me, especially considering their starting point. It's kind of like asking why there isn't more bagpipe. At the end, it seems like they'd just arrived at the point where they (read: Paul) was willing to flirt with instruments they hadn't used before. I remember when The Hold Steady lost/fired/whatever their keyboard/piano player, and then quickly realized that they were writing piano parts into every song simply because he was there.
I think that since the Mats' demise, it's become "cool" in a retro-country/rock sorta way to employ organs, steel guitar, etc. But back then, it definitely wasn't. I still remember the overwhelmingly negative reaction to the strings and horns on Can't Hardly Wait among my Mats-loving friends. The appearance of an organ back then would not have been looked on kindly.
|
|
|
|
Post by wecantgetanybetter on Jun 13, 2012 19:35:47 GMT -5
Oh yeah, thanks, Valentine and Happy Town. I think it half crossed my mind once that they might have been influenced to have organ on Happy Town from touring with Tom Petty.
Interesting about Hold Steady. I kind of miss that guy but I see your point. Also he was the loudest backup singer.
|
|
Jer
Beagle Scout
Posts: 1,182
|
Post by Jer on Jun 14, 2012 5:50:35 GMT -5
Hey Clams - I was (and still to this day am) one of those who cringes at the PTMM version of CHW and the horns and strings are a big part of that. Horns are a different animal, but sorta need the same acceptance that keys or an organ might. You're probably right that some fans wouldn't have been happy, but I don't think it would have solicited the same reaction to add an organ to, say, just about any other track on PTMM or Tim as the extreme left turn on CHW with it's clean, strat-tone guitars and *gasp* strings and horns did. I don't recall and didn't myself take any issue with the sax in Nightclub Jitters or the violin in Here Comes a Regular, but for me CHW was that road that we just didn't want them to go down (like we had a say!). Maybe it all goes back to The Stones. I've always used them as the benchmark on how to successfully incorporate horns into rock and roll.
But I remember in the mid 80's listening to that Del Fuegos - Boston record constantly, and there's organ all over that. I think that record still stands up today and I had no problem with the organ back then. You're also right that it has become a bit more hip in the last decade to use organ on your records. The Del Fuegos were one of the exceptions back then. Kudos to them for that.
|
|
|
|
Post by FreeRider on Jun 14, 2012 11:37:20 GMT -5
walked into that one... What's better than a rose on a piano? Two lips on an organ! (sorry, stupid joke....couldn't resist an organ joke!  ) |
|
|
|
Post by dee on Jun 14, 2012 12:28:32 GMT -5
There's a b-side organ version of CHW minus all the stuff they added to it.
|
|
h
Dances With Posts
Fuck the Fiddly Bits!
Posts: 50
|
Post by h on Jun 14, 2012 20:54:30 GMT -5
Oh yeah, thanks, Valentine and Happy Town. I think it half crossed my mind once that they might have been influenced to have organ on Happy Town from touring with Tom Petty. Interesting about Hold Steady. I kind of miss that guy but I see your point. Also he was the loudest backup singer. I believe that is Benmont Tench of The Heartbreakers playing on Happy Town. |
|
creep66
First Class Scout
Posts: 119
|
Post by creep66 on Jun 15, 2012 0:05:16 GMT -5
Oh yeah, thanks, Valentine and Happy Town. I think it half crossed my mind once that they might have been influenced to have organ on Happy Town from touring with Tom Petty. Interesting about Hold Steady. I kind of miss that guy but I see your point. Also he was the loudest backup singer. I believe that is Benmont Tench of The Heartbreakers playing on Happy Town. Ben played with them quite a bit while they were opening for Tom Petty. Even when he didn't know the songs, he played amazingly. |
|
creep66
First Class Scout
Posts: 119
|
Post by creep66 on Jun 15, 2012 0:15:09 GMT -5
That's funny Jer, I always did, too. Never much cared for horns in my younger days, but always dug 'em on the Stones tunes. As for the organ/piano thing, the Stones always had keys on their tunes thanks to Ian and Nicky so I was used to that as well. Didn't mind when the Clash had the guy from the Blockheads with them, he added to the sound in a positive way. I like keyboards when they're not too obtrusive, in a rock and roll context... they add a nice texture. The only exception I can think of right now is The Doors, who wouldn't have been The Doors without Ray Manzarek... |
|
|
|
Post by ClamsCasino on Jun 15, 2012 14:26:26 GMT -5
I used to love the Del Fuegos, but I haven't listened to them in years. That reminds of a snarky comment that Paul made about them after an interviewer said that Tim reminded him of a Del Fuegos record. He sarcastically said something along the lines of, "Thanks, we were really trying hard for that Del Fuegos sound." |
|
) 
