***Untitled*** (Split from SESGF topic)

[Ken Byng]

Basil
That is a spectacular version of Begin The Beguine. I thought at first that you were playing the main melody section on steel guitar, and then realised it was a keyboard playing a steel guitar sample. Very, very good.

[jonshack]

Having followed this thread all I can say is I'm glad I stayed at home!

Obviously there are people reading this thread who have been put off attending the festival, I think it would be really unfortunate if new and especially younger players made any sort of judgement based on what's been discussed here.

I find some of Basil's comments unnecessary, tactless and frankly unfathomable given the first clip he posted, which opens with the LEAST recognisable version of the Steel Guitar Rag lick I've ever heard ( )! I also find the boasting hard to take. There.

That said, he's apologised and I don't believe for a minute that it's coming from a mean spirited place, in fact IN PERSON I found Basil to be nothing but extremely helpful and encouraging on the day. Immediately after my set (which I was quite disappointed with) Baz pinpointed exactly where I had gone wrong with balancing my on-stage sound with my volume pedal. Far from being offended I was grateful for the advice which was not only spot-on but also exactly the kind of thing I went there for, constructive criticism from more experienced players. There's only so much you can learn from everyone being nice about your playing. (He did remember to be kind as well and was quite complementary about one of my tunes, so it's not all negativity by any means.)

Earlier Basil had also taken the time to explain to me the tuning on his Fender which nearly melted my mind. I could vaguely follow the over-arching logic behind it but his knowledge of theory just leaves me in the dust. A humbling experience but I'm glad he considered me worth the effort!

Yes, getting up and playing in front of an audience of steel players is scary (personally I have never experienced that combination of dry mouth and perspiration in any of the gigs I've played with bands) but I highly recommend putting yourself in that unique place if you want to get better at performing. It can only be good for you, please don't be put off, no one is going to tear you down. The odd heckle maybe (and I mean odd).

Occasionally there is some big mouth/old fart stuff on this forum which makes me cringe deeply. And we wonder why young players are put off joining in. I think it's incumbent on all of us to try to rein in some of the blow-hard know-it-all stuff and concentrate on sharing our knowledge, which every player is hungry for.

Most of us thoroughly enjoyed hearing different interpretations of old standards and have no problem with players going even slightly off piste. In fact the most universal praise I heard went towards guys such as Mick and Harry who were pushing the boat out in terms of creativity and original song choices. The first thing I heard when we arrived was Bob playing absolutely delightfully and I couldn't care less if there was a wrong chord somewhere. It clearly says on the tin "The Steel Festival for ALL players" and it was, and that's really the important bit.

[Ken Byng]

Well said Jon.

[Basil Henriques]

PS anyone know when NESGF is please?

August 12th-13th.. Pat and I will be there and I will be my usual bombastic self opinionated unforgiving self. BUT on the other hand I will help whomsoever I can.
BTW my musical theory regarding scales and the underlying chords is totally incorrect, BUT that's how I hear it. At least I know it's wrong according the "The Book" but I can't make my ears hear the changes any other way..


and How my tuning handles the Nightlife intro..


Dmaj7 - F9 - Bbmaj7 - Ebaug11 - Dmaj7
or written another way,
DM7 F9 BbM7 Eb7#11 DM9

BTW, The Eb7#11 chord in the above sequence is just
A
F
Db
G
Eb
As for a name, there are a few depending what precedes it and what follows it and of course what the bass note(s) are/is, it could be:-->
F9#5 (Chord alternate symbols: F9(#5) F+9 Faug9 F7#5(add9))..

or D#9b5 (Chord alternate symbols: D#9(b5) D#9(-5) D#7/9(b5))..

or Eb9b5 (Chord alternate symbols: Eb9(b5) Eb9(-5) Eb7/9(b5))

[Basil Henriques]

I find some of Basil's comments unnecessary, tactless and frankly unfathomable given the first clip he posted, which opens with the LEAST recognisable version of the Steel Guitar Rag lick I've ever heard ( )! I also find the boasting hard to take. There.

in fact IN PERSON I found Basil to be nothing but extremely helpful and encouraging on the day.

The written word never conveys the nuances of direct speech..In my case being an amateur etymologist I work from a slightly extended and obscure lexicon at times.
Thanks for the Kudos,(where applicable) and the boasting comment, although correct per se, my demeanour in that respect is to an extent justified; having sold over 3 million [getting closer to 4 now] albums worldwide, do you not think I MAY have my finger on the pulse of the vox populi and average Joe ? That alone should add credence to my opinions. There is such a thing as "Bona Fides" Jonatahn and mine stack up.
Go here and peruse the countries involved (Most of the world except the CONUS), BTW Still on sale worldwide including China now..And have been continuously on sale worldwide since 1967-8-9.
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com/assets/EMI/

https://itunes.apple.com/om/album/moon- ... =697061029

As for the LEAST recognisable Steel Guitar Rag, Which one Jonathan, because either of these would be pretty seminal if not definitive. Probably the most well known one would be the Texas Troubadors one..


I try to emulate Buddy Emmons' licks to the extent of my capabilities, but SPECIFICALLY the hammer ons which incidentally are the same as Speedy West did and that I heard on the Alvino Rey version..


And here is the ORIGINAL version that Leon McAuliffe STOLE and claimed he wrote; 12 years after Sylvester Weaver Recorded this..


BTW If you're still unsure of where I'm coming from, go here and just read a little. The interesting part is about my playing being mediocre, BUT: As a 'Solo' artist and NOT as a session musician, and under a personal 10 year contract, I recorded at Abbey Road in the sixties for EMI, by far my WORST playing, but the stereo record market was embryonic and the major stores used my albums to demo the 'NEW' stereo sound systems.
Most people in the UK who bought Hi-Fi systems in the sixties also bought one of the albums used for the demo, so mine along with 'Impact' sold the same approximate quantities as the major department stores sold Hi-Fi's.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=127488

I also was featured, not as a sidesmand but as a solo artist on a 'Stereo Sampler' that sold over a million in the UK..STWO2-'Impact' (1968), Re-Released as MFP-50341
The other featured EMI artists that I shared that album with were
Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra,
Mr. Acker Bilk,
David Rose and his Orchestra,
Pepe Jaramillo and his Latin-American Rhythm,
Ron Goodwin and his Orchestra,
Joe Loss and his Orchestra,
The Norman Newell Orchestra,
Ralph Dollimore and his Orchestra,
Manuel and the Music of the Mountains and
Jack Emblow.

So if stating that track record is boasting, then yes I'm guilty, notwithstanding that, in my mind that equates to "Proud".. Considering the disabilities I had to overcome, yes proud would be my tack on it.. In my life I have great friendships with the top echelon worldwide and stood along with them either as Record Produce or Stage Musician or Studio Sidesman,
A lot of what I do is not recognised or talked about. SO I do it myself. As a for instance did you know that last year I featured on a One Hour TV show on Sky Television 3 times a week for 26 weeks as "Devils Advocate' on the interviews, musical Director and featured a steel guitar instrumental on every show. I supposed not talked about because to some it's not Country and to the rest I'm persona non grata. And guess what, all of the above would only be skimming the surface of my curriculum vitae..

[Danny Mitchell]

I find some of Basil's comments unnecessary, tactless and frankly unfathomable given the first clip he posted, which opens with the LEAST recognisable version of the Steel Guitar Rag lick I've ever heard ( )! I also find the boasting hard to take. There.

in fact IN PERSON I found Basil to be nothing but extremely helpful and encouraging on the day.

The written word never conveys the nuances of direct speech..In my case being an amateur etymologist I work from a slightly extended and obscure lexicon at times.
Thanks for the Kudos,(where applicable) and the boasting comment, although correct per se, my demeanour in that respect is to an extent justified; having sold over 3 million [getting closer to 4 now] albums worldwide, do you not think I MAY have my finger on the pulse of the vox populi and average Joe ? That alone should add credence to my opinions. There is such a thing as "Bona Fides" Jonatahn and mine stack up.
Go here and peruse the countries involved (Most of the world except the CONUS), BTW Still on sale worldwide including China now..And have been continuously on sale worldwide since 1967-8-9.
http://www.waikiki-islanders.com/assets/EMI/

https://itunes.apple.com/om/album/moon- ... =697061029

As for the LEAST recognisable Steel Guitar Rag, Which one Jonathan, because either of these would be pretty seminal if not definitive. Probably the most well known one would be the Texas Troubadors one..


I try to emulate Buddy Emmons' licks to the extent of my capabilities, but SPECIFICALLY the hammer ons which incidentally are the same as Speedy West did and that I heard on the Alvino Rey version..


And here is the ORIGINAL version that Leon McAuliffe STOLE and claimed he wrote; 12 years after Sylvester Weaver Recorded this..


BTW If you're still unsure of where I'm coming from, go here and just read a little. The interesting part is about my playing being mediocre, BUT: As a 'Solo' artist and NOT as a session musician, and under a personal 10 year contract, I recorded at Abbey Road in the sixties for EMI, by far my WORST playing, but the stereo record market was embryonic and the major stores used my albums to demo the 'NEW' stereo sound systems.
Most people in the UK who bought Hi-Fi systems in the sixties also bought one of the albums used for the demo, so mine along with 'Impact' sold the same approximate quantities as the major department stores sold Hi-Fi's.

http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=127488

I also was featured, not as a sidesmand but as a solo artist on a 'Stereo Sampler' that sold over a million in the UK..STWO2-'Impact' (1968), Re-Released as MFP-50341
The other featured EMI artists that I shared that album with were
Norrie Paramor and his Orchestra,
Mr. Acker Bilk,
David Rose and his Orchestra,
Pepe Jaramillo and his Latin-American Rhythm,
Ron Goodwin and his Orchestra,
Joe Loss and his Orchestra,
The Norman Newell Orchestra,
Ralph Dollimore and his Orchestra,
Manuel and the Music of the Mountains and
Jack Emblow.

So if stating that track record is boasting, then yes I'm guilty, notwithstanding that, in my mind that equates to "Proud".. Considering the disabilities I had to overcome, yes proud would be my tack on it.. In my life I have great friendships with the top echelon worldwide and stood along with them either as Record Produce or Stage Musician or Studio Sidesman,
A lot of what I do is not recognised or talked about. SO I do it myself. As a for instance did you know that last year I featured on a One Hour TV show on Sky Television 3 times a week for 26 weeks as "Devils Advocate' on the interviews, musical Director and featured a steel guitar instrumental on every show. I supposed not talked about because to some it's not Country and to the rest I'm persona non grata. And guess what, all of the above would only be skimming the surface of my curriculum vitae..

Now, that's what ye call,"Slappin' yer Dick on the table"

C'mon chaps. Ante up.

[Basil Henriques]

What I find a bit of a quandary is the fact that many players post video versions and play live versions of the Tom Brumley solo in "Together Again" and the John Hughey solo in "Look at Us" and try their hardest to get as close to the original as they possibly can...and are given kudos for such; And yet when I suggest in entirely unrelated discussions that they should respect the melody/lyrics of any particular tune/song, I get lambasted for suggesting such an outrageous thing. It's oxymoronic..

[mick hearn]

You have a valid point there Basil.

[JohnDavisStringsHere]

Baz we all try to play the "Signature" lics.... You taught me that at North Walsham..... Farewell Party..... nothing else will do

[jonshack]

No one's lambasting you for that Basil. I think everyone would agree that you should respect the song. What I don't understand is your example:


I'm sorry, that is, I repeat, the least recognisable version of the SGR lick I've ever heard. Just wrong. You don't play the lick, the melody, 'correctly' until well over a minute in. You've also flown in a G section - are we meant to ignore that? This is exactly how the tune goes everyone, except for er, this bit and that bit. You've presented your version, it's great, brilliantly played, but it significantly departs from "the original(s)". As is your prerogative. Just don't expect everyone to take you seriously when you take pot shots at THEIR interpretations.

Well, you doubled down on the boasting, which is hilarious. I would say you have your finger firmly on the current zeitgeist in that respect.

Seriously, I just think there's a time and a place for being proud. Your achievements are manifold and deserve appreciation, I wish I had a fraction of them, but I think you need to be cautious that you're not using them as an "argument from authority". I.E. A bunch of gold records make you commercial, not necessarily always right.

Speaking of proud, here's MY little achievement. I played Steel Guitar Rag at last night's gig, a little rough but as close as possible to Leon's version (I can't do the fancy double hammer on's that you guys do) and lo and behold someone came up afterwards and said "I LOVE that Steel Guitar Rag"! It made me chuckle in the light of this discussion There you go, people love that tune, we should all keep it alive, in all it's glory and interpretations, faithful or sacrilegious, for ever and ever, amen.