#same machines- same snare- same tom

[cloama]

Big Boi presented Kate Bush’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction and it reminds me of how music didn’t integrate until MTV’s music video revolution. Black gen x still wasn’t going up for white American pop but they liked the English new wave a lil bit. Kate Bush, Tears for Fears, and Depeche Mode etc.

[rastronomicals]

12:36 AM EDT May 12, 2024:

Can - "Unfinished (Hiller/Kaiser" From the album Sacrilege (1997)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

Not sure how this entered my music collection, but it's definitely the first Can record I ever had, which is weird, considering how it's not really a Can record. It's a drum and bass record or a progressive or ambient house record, if not quite a Fancy-Restaurant-Music record.

In the liner notes, Brian Eno (somewhat clumsily) says that "any attempt to do anything rhythmic against Jaki [Liebezeit, Can drummer] is an insult to his beautiful, spare playing, and just fills up the gaps he so gracefully left. Turning things into loops destroys the delicate balance [Can] always kept between the mechanical and the human."

Not sure that Mr. Eno nails it, but he's in the neighborhood. The thing is that remixers (endlessly, and as Eno recognizes, loopingly) rely on the drum breaks from '60's and '70's soul and funk music, while Jaki Liebezeit sounds nothing at all like that. He's toms, not snares, and he's beat-behind, not beat-forward. So this record recorded from pieces and bits sounds nothing like the band that inspired it. You might think that machines like samplers and TR-808s would be an excellent way to mimic the beats of a drummer who so publicly expressed his admiration for the music of the machine, but no: they don't get it done.

It's nice to upon occasion to listen (especially while mobile) to stuff that drops the bass in the same fashion as so much of the annoying and graceless music you hear on the streets. And the artifacts of the Can songs left in the remixes remind me as I listen that whoa, it's so much better. But I'd really just rather listen to Ege Bamyasi

File under: Krautrock with the Krautrock removed

[corner-stories]

in every way but blood

Bart Allen. Jesse Chambers.

Accusations. Aggressive Drumming. Hugs.

1798 words.

(ao3.)

Bart Allen was never fond of school.

There was something nefarious about a system that forced every kid to be judged by the same standard, despite no two people ever being the same. There was something even more nefarious about the deciding factor of someone’s potential future opportunities being the extent of their ability to analyze Catcher in the Rye or whatever, even if their chosen career path had nothing to do in that field. 

When Bart was asked to redo a test, a sudden sense of rage ignited inside of him, an emotion he hadn’t felt in a long time. Apparently doing too well on the social studies final came off as suspicious, especially from Keystone High’s resident jittery goofball. It seemed that his disinterest in doing homework — which barely counted towards his overall grade — led to a slacker reputation that just didn’t mesh with getting every question right on the final exam. 

Bart surprised himself by remaining oddly civil during the meeting with Mr. Aition, who was lucky to only get a stern, grumpy nod from his student in response. For once in his life, he managed to keep his stupid mouth shut as he grabbed his bag and left the classroom. 

So now he was here, secluded in the Garrick household with only his thoughts and a hobby to keep himself company.

Drumming was a strange thing for him to have picked up. Although Joan and Jay seemed panicked when he rolled up with a second-hand set purchased from Craigslist, they were strangely supportive of him as long as he set up his drums in the garage and the garage only. They even let him sound dampen the walls. 

Bart liked to believe that he didn’t suck at drumming. When he first picked up the sticks he immediately made an attempt at emulating the erratic antics of Keith Moon, but after enough practice he found himself preferring a different style of percussion. 

He was less drawn to the wilder, aggressive styles of the craft and more entranced by the subtler, more technically precise methods. The beats in songs that spoke to him were very machine-like, keeping a rhythm with intense rigor and meticulousness. When he drummed his hands were a blur over the set, something that would make Stephen Morris very proud. Some days he preferred to hit the toms more often, other times he would stick to the hi-hat and snare. He kept his fills fast and slick, even if it made his hands ache afterwards.

Bart had read books filled with exercises and drum rudiments, often practicing until either Jay or Joan politely requested some peace and quiet. Perhaps if that whole speedster thing didn’t work out for him, then he would certainly have a promising career as a human drum machine. 

With Jay at the JSA HQ and Joan giving a lecture at Keystone University, Bart was left to his own devices. Not that he minded though, as it meant that he could be as loud as he wanted and hit his kit to his heart’s desire. 

As Bart sat on the throne and held the sticks in his hands, he made sure to make every strike count. Hitting the rack tom just felt satisfying, pressing down on the foot pedal made him feel less jittery, and taking his frustrations out on a hi-hat and snare was just plain soothing. The kit was used, but with every strike Bart was reminded  just how much life was left in it. Physically he was here, but emotionally he was a percussionist in some 80s British post-punk band singing about how much Thatcher could suck it. It felt nice to be that, even just for a little while. 

Bart played at his usual pace, playing the main beats with a kind of particularity but adding some flair through the various fills. Sixteenth notes were often his favorite to play. In this state he could think — his head felt clear in the time between hits, milliseconds that he could stretch out forever. 

He tried to think of anything else. He tried to not think about Mr. Aition sending a scathing email to Jay and Joan, as opposed trusting the student to tell the news himself. He tried to not think about Jay and Max’s choice to keep Bart in the midwest, as apparently Keystone’s schools were better than Manchester’s. He tried not to think about the future, or what he wanted to do about school, or how someone would ask him about college at the next family picnic, or the inevitable reality that he would have to redo his god forsaken social studies test because Mr. Aition could suck it. 

Then in the midst of a double fill, Bart felt his senses perk up — something that filled him with a sudden feeling of anticipation. The second Bart bestowed paradiddle onto his snare, he saw flashes of bright yellow lightning in the corner of his eye. 

In the corner of the Garrick garage stood Jesse Chambers. The scowl on her face and furrowing of her brow indicated a rather intense amount of frustration bubbling in her brain — the fact that she was also currently three months pregnant probably wasn’t helping either.

“Hey, is it true?” asked Jesse, clearly upset about the whole ordeal.

Bart grumbled and put his sticks down on the snare. “That there’s a door? Yes.”

Jesse wasn’t having it. She walked up to the set and took him by the shoulder. “Answer the question — did a teacher accuse you of cheating?”

For a moment Bart could only look up at her. Absolutely sweltering from the drums, he could feel drops of perspiration moving down his forehead and over his eyes. He wiped it off and avoided her gaze, trying his damndest to ignore the pit of anger that had been brewing inside for the last hour. Perhaps he should have hit the drums a little harder.

“Yeah, so what?” he said like it never mattered. He grabbed his water bottle off the floor. “Who told you, anyway? Jay or Joan?”

Jesse shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. What’s your teacher’s name?”

Bart let out a sigh. It seemed that having tenure on both the League and the Society, a lofty share in her father’s company, a loving himbo husband, as well as a child on the way couldn’t stop Jessica Belle Chambers from meddling in other people’s business.

“Why do you wanna know?” asked the younger speedster, sounding just the slightest bit defensive.

“Because I’m gonna give that man a piece of my mind, that’s why I wanna know,” Jesse claimed with a frightening sense of determination in her voice. “What’s your teacher’s name?”

“Jess, it’s fi-”

“What’s your teacher’s name!?”

Her voice was loud and resonant, a noise so jarring that it made Bart’s heart skip a beat. In his odd years of life he had seen Jesse angry before — lord knew that she had lots of reasons to be — but today there was something vengeful in her eyes, like a line had been crossed to hell and back again.

“Jesse, chill!!!” Bart pleaded, standing from the drum throne. He raised his hand up to placate her. “It’s fine! Why are you even doing this?!”

“Because the idea that you’d ever cheat doesn’t make any sense!!!” Jesse explained loudly. “Come on, Bart, you’re too lazy to even think of it. Why would your teacher even do this?” 

His first reaction was to scoff. “Well, that’s it, right? I’m lazy and shit,” Bart explained as if it were the most obvious fact in the world. He gave Jesse a shrug. “I don’t do my homework a lot — fuck it, y’know? It doesn’t add up to my final grade so what’s the fucking point?” 

Avoiding her gaze once more, Bart took a few steps away and placed some distance between him and Jesse. He could feel his heart rate rising. In his chest he felt a weird empty hole, like nothing was there at all. He wiped more sweat off his forehead, though at this point it was hard to tell how much was from the drumming and how much was from his stress levels. 

“Mr. Aition accuses everyone of stupid shit,” he claimed like it would justify everything. “Last week, he accused some ninth-grader of shooting up in the bathroom. She’s a diabetic, for god’s sake! Let her do that needle thingy in peace!”

Impatiently, Jesse put her hand on her hip. “Bart, stay focused.”

“I am!” he insisted, feeling himself getting more and more frustrated by the minute. “Listen, I don’t care what Mr. Asshole wants any more.” In frustration he grit his teeth. “If he’s gonna fail me because he thinks I’m a goddamn idiot than so fucking be it!” 

Then suddenly the garage went silent. The look of grievance on Jesse’s face slowly softened. 

For a few seconds more neither speedsters spoke, then gently Jesse said —

“That’s not gonna happen… because I’m gonna talk to him.”

Bart didn’t know what to say — his heart was pounding and his face felt hot. He rarely ever got angry, as the feeling often left him with a headache at best and severe regret at worst. 

With a few slow breaths he could feel himself calming down. A million thoughts ran through his head as he looked up at Jesse. In every way but blood she was his older sister, a sister who bothered and annoyed him to seemingly no end, but one who loved and doted over and cared for him just as much. He had forgotten that lately, having been so swept up in an existence of speed and school and adventures around the world. 

“You don’t have to do this,” Bart finally spoke. Something inside of him tensed, an uneasiness that told him that his words were a lie. 

“I don’t have to,” Jesse avowed. “I want to.” 

Somehow, her promise was enough to make Bart smile, albeit a simple one. He made a sound that sounded somewhat like a laugh.

“Do you always have to baby me?” he asked, putting his hands on his head in an attempt to fidget and busy himself. 

“Always.” 

And with that said, Jesse pulled him into a hug. Bart didn’t hesitate to reciprocate, immediately wrapping his arms around her and resting his head on her shoulder. Nowadays he stood a tad taller than usual, but even then he still had to get his toes just a bit to better hug Jesse. Not like he cared, though. 

Life for a speedster was strange, time often moved so fast that one could forget the simplest of things, and sometimes one could forget that Max, Iris, Jay, Joan, Linda, and Wally weren’t only people who helped make Bart Allen. 

[tiesandtea]

Simon Gilbert

Simon Says

We interviewed Simon Gilbert, Suede’s drummer, whose book So Young: Suede 1991-1993 is a journal and photographic document of the band’s early years that will be published October 8th. So Young has foreword by journalist Stuart Maconie and a vibrant, lively text by Simon himself, documenting his move from Stratford-on-Avon, his hometown, to London, the audition with Suede, life in the van, the early success years and the many amusing things that come with it. It is one of those rare books that make an outsider feel like they were there, in the van. Or in absurd mansions in L.A. belonging to industry types. Or was it record producer(s)?…

The conversation extended to Coming Up, Suede’s third album that turned 25 this year and drumming. Simon’s witty, often, one-liners contrast with my more elaborate questions, proving an interesting insight into our way of writing/replying.

by Raquel Pinheiro

So Young: Suede 1991-1993

What made you want to realease So Young?

I was searching through my archives when researching for the insatiable ones movies and found lots of old negatives and my diaries. They had to be seen.

When and why did you start your Suede archives?

As you can see from the book, it stared from the very first audition day.

From the concept idea to publishing how long did it took you to put So Young together?

30 years … I’ve always wanted to make a book since I was first in a band.

What was your selection process for which items – diary entries, photos, etc.- would be part of the book?

I wanted to form a story visually with a few bits of info thrown in here and there, also most of the photos tie in with pages from the diaries.

Which methods, storage, preservation, maintenance, if at all, do you employ to keep the various materials in your archives in good shape?

Boxes in an attic … one thing about getting the book out is that I don’t have to worry about the photos getting lost forever. It’s out there in a book!

Other than medium what differences existed between selecting material for The Insatiable Ones documentary and for So Young?

Video and photos … photos don’t translate well on a TV screen.

Do you prefer still or motion pictures and why?

I prefer photos … they capture a particular moment in time … as video does, but there’s a unique atmosphere with a photo.

So Young’s cover photo has a very Caravaggio and ballet feeling to it. Its chiaroscuro also contrasts with the images inside.  Why did you choose it for the cover?

It was a striking shot and I wanted the book to be black and dark …it fitted perfectly.

How many of the photos on So Young were taken by you?

Probably about 3/4 my 3 school friends who were there with me at the beginning Iain, Kathy and Phillip took a load of us onstage, backstage, after  the gig, etc., photos I couldn’t take myself.

So Young can be placed alongside books like Henry Rollins’ Get in The Van and Michael Azerrad’s Our Band Could Be Your Life, that not only chronicle and show the less glamorous, more mundane side of being in a band, but also totally immerse the reader so deep in it that we are there, feeling and going through the same things. Was your selection of materials meant to convey that “band being your(our) life” sensation?

Yes, exactly that. I was fascinated by photos of bands, not on the front cover of a magazine or on TV. The other bits of being in a band are far more interesting.

In the foreword, Stuart Maconie mentions the brevity of your diary entries which, as someone who keeps diaries, I immediately noticed. Do you prefer to tell and record a story and events with images?

I haven’t kept a diary since the end of 1993 … looking back on them they can be a bit cringeful … So, yes, I prefer images.

Contrasting with the diary entries brevity your text  that accompanies So Young is lively, witty, detailed and a good description of the struggles of a coming of age, heading towards success, band. Do you think the text and images reveal too much into what it really is like being in a band, destroying the myth a bit?

I think the myth of being in a band is long gone … Reality is the new myth…

In So Young you write that when you first heard Never Mind The Bollocks by The Sex Pistols music was to be your “future dream”. How has the dream been so far?

Still dreaming … lose your dreams and you will lose your mind … like Jagger said.

Is there a reason why So Young only runs from 1991 to 1993?

Yes, I bought a video camera in 1993. It was so much easier filming everything rather than take a photo, wait 3 weeks to get it developed and find out it was blurred.

So Young has a limited deluxe numbered and signed edition already sold out. The non deluxe edition also seems to be heading the same way. How important is it for you to keep a close relationship with the fans?

So important. I love interacting with the fans and is so easy these days … I had to write replies by hand and post them out in 1993…

Playing Live Again & Coming Up

Before Suede’s concert at Qstock Festival in Oulu, Finland on 31.07.2021 you wrote on your social media “cant fucking wait dosnt come close!!!!!” and Mat [Osman, Suede’s bassist] on his “An honest-to-goodness rehearsal for an honest-to-goodness show. Finally”. How did it feel like going back to play live?

It was great. Heathrow was empty which was amazing. A bit strange to play for the first time after 2 years …., but great to get out again.

Coming Up was released 25 years ago. How does the record sound and seems to you now compared with by then?

I haven’t listened to it for a long time actually … love playing that album live … some great drumming.

Before the release of Coming Up fans and the press were wondering if Suede would be able to pull it off. What was your reaction when you first heard the new songs and realize the album was going in quite a different direction than Dog Man Star?

Far too long ago to remember.

Coming Up become a classic album. It even has its own Classical Albums documentary. Could you see the album becoming a classic by then?

I think so yes .. there was always something to me very special about that album.

Is it different to play Coming Up songs after Suede’s return? Is there a special approach to concerts in which a single album is played?

No … didn’t even need to listen to the songs before we first rehearsed … They’re lodged in my brain.

Which is your Coming Up era favourite song as a listener and which one do you prefer as a drummer?

The Chemistry Between Us.

Will the Coming Up shows consist only of the album or will B-sides be played as well?

Definitely some B-sides and some other stuff too.

Simon & Drumming

If you weren’t a drummer how would your version of “being the bloke singing at the front” be like?

Damned awful … I auditioned as a singer once, before I started drumming … It was awful!

In his book Stephen Morris says that all it takes to be a drummer is a flat surface and know how to count. Do you agree?

No.

Then, what makes a good drummer?

Being in the right band.

Topper Headon of the Clash is one of your role models. Who are the others?

He is, yes … fantastic drummer.

Charlie Watts is the other great …and Rat Scabies … superb.

She opens with drums so does Introducing the band. Your drumming gives the band a distinctive sound. How integral to Suede’s sound are the drums?

Well, what can I say … VERY!

Do you prefer songs that are driven by the drums or songs in which the drums are more in the background?

Bit of both actually … I love in your face stuff like She, Filmstar …, but ikewise, playing softer stuff is very satisfying too.

You’re not a songwriter. How much freedom and input do you have regarding drum parts?

If the songs needs it, I’ll change it.

Do you prefer blankets, towels or a pillow inside the bass drum?

Pillows.

Do you use gaffer tape when recording? If so, just on the snare drum or also on the toms? What about live?

Lots of the stuff … gaffer tape has been my friend both live and in the studio for 30 years.

What is the depth of your standard snare drum and why?

Just got a lovely 7-inch Bog wood snare from Repercussion Drums … sounds amazing. It is a 5000 year old Bog wood snare.

Standard, mallets, rods or brushes?

Standard. I hate mallets and rods are always breaking after one song. Brushes are the worst …no control.

How many drum kits have you owned? Of those, which is your favourite?

5 … my fave is my DW purple.

How long to you manage without playing? Do you play air drums?

7 years 2003 – 2010 … and never.

Can you still assemble and tune your drum kit?

Assemble, yes …tune no …have never been any good at that.

You dislike digital/electronic drum kits, but used one during the pandemic. Did you become more found of them?

Still hate them … unfortunately,  they are a necessary evil.

When you first joined Suede you replaced a drum machine. Would it be fair to say you didn’t mind taking its job?

Fuck him!

Brett [Anderson, Suede’s singer] as described the new album as “nasty, brutish and short”. How does that translates drums wise?

Very nasty brutish and short.

When researching for the interview I come across the statement below on a forum: “If you’re in a band and you’re thinking about how to go about this, get every player to come up with their own track list & have a listening party. I’ve done this, not only is it great fun, it’s also massively insightful when it comes to finding out what actually is going on inside the drummer’s head!”. What actually is going on inside the drummer’s head?

Where’s my fucking lighter!

And what is going on inside the drummer as a documentarist head? How does Simon, the drummer, differs from Simon, the keen observer of his own band, bandmates, fans, himself, etc.?

There is no difference … I’m Simon here there and everywhere…

What would the 16 years old Simon who come to London think of current Simon? What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t smoke so much you fool!

[randomvarious]

Capt. Rock - “Cosmic Blast” Street Sounds Electro 6 by DJ Maurice & DJ Noel Song released in 1984. Mix released in 1985. Electro / Hip Hop

***Song starts at 5:49 and ends at 12:07***

I just wanna preface this long-ass post I had queued up for today to say rest in peace to MF DOOM, the greatest rapper of all time, bar none, and an incredible beatsmith, too. No one has ever had quite the incredible way with words that DOOM had or managed to cultivate the air of mysterious intrigue around themselves like he was able to with his mask. I saw him perform once at a festival in 2007 and I don’t even really know if it was actually him on that stage. It would’ve been one of the DOOM-iest moves to trot out an impostor to perform his own songs while he still got to collect that check; a move whose abject ballsiness you really can’t help but just chuckle at. 

Fuck this year, royally, man.

A rhyming cannibal who's dressed to kill and cynical Whether is it animal, vegetable or mineral It's a miracle how he get so lyrical And proceed to move the crowd like a old negro spiritual

JUST REMEMBER, ALL CAPS WHEN YOU SPELL THE MAN NAME

*     *     *

There’s so much to dig into with this record, and I’m not even really sure where to even begin with this post, but I guess I’ll start with the Aleem twins, two (duh) enterprising guys from Harlem who loved all kinds of music. Born in the mid-40s, the Aleem twins got their musical education from many local sources. They frequented the Apollo Theater and then a legendary local gangster, Jack “Fat Man” Taylor, signed them to his label, Rojac Records. The Aleems didn’t go anywhere with Rojac, but they learned the ins and outs of running an independent record label and they also met the enigmatic Blowfly, who was an in-house writer for Rojac at the time. Through Taylor the Aleems also met Jimi Hendrix’s friend and love interest, Lithofayne “Faye” Pridgeon, who ended up hatching quite a scheme involving the Aleems and Hendrix.

Pridgeon wanted to get Hendrix evicted from his apartment, in which he lived with her friend June Vasquenza. So Pridgeon sent the Aleem twins to the apartment to kick him out, with one of them to claim that he was going to marry June in order to help her secure a green card since she was undocumented at the time. But the plan fell apart when the Aleems actually met Hendrix and discovered that the three of them all shared a deep passion for music. Rather than Hendrix being evicted, the trio would end up sharing an apartment together. 

Hendrix would then ship off to Europe and become a superstar, but upon his return to Harlem, he kept close to the Aleems. They provided backing vocals on a number of Hendrix songs and they also promoted a street fair in Harlem that Hendrix headlined, which took place just a few weeks after his legendary performance at Woodstock. Hendrix had bigger plans for the Aleems, too; he was set on producing an album that they were planning, for which they would call themselves the Ghetto Fighters. Hendrix envisioned the album as a “street opera.”

But then in 1970, while in London, Jimi Hendrix tragically died, which, to say the least, put a really big crimp in the Aleems’ plans. However, they kept at it throughout the remainder of the 70s; they expanded their group to four members, including their sister, Juliette, changed their name to The Prana People, and got to be managed and financed by New York Knicks star, Earl “The Pearl” Monroe (Is this post New York enough for you yet?). In ‘77, the Prana People released their debut album, and in ‘79, the Aleem twins decided they wanted to move towards more of an electronic sound and ended up releasing a club hit called “Hooked on Your Love,” which stayed on the Billboard Dance chart for months and had both a barely known Jocelyn Brown and a young Luther Vandross on backing vocals.

Off of the success of that record and from being disillusioned by aspects of the music business, the Aleems decided to start their own independent label, NIA Records, which was to release disco, funk, soul, electro, and hip hop music. 

Around this same time, Jack “Fat Man” Taylor, who now owned the famous Harlem World club, wanted to promote his neighborhood’s burgeoning hip hop scene, and in 1980 released a record called Rapper’s Convention, whose a-side featured a duo who would break off afterwards and call themselves Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde. A frequent patron of Harlem World was a guy named Ronnie Greene, and he would one day run into Mr. Hyde and convince him to make him Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde’s DJ.

Fast forward to 1982 and the Aleem twins are holding auditions to put out a new George Clinton and Tom Tom Club-influenced electro-funk-hip hop record called Cosmic Glide. It’s a record that introduces a main character, Captain Rock, who’s an extraterrestrial that just wants earthlings to get down to his space-funk jams. The Aleems and Mr. Hyde already had the song written and Mr. Hyde then brought Ronnie Greene in to audition to be Captain Rock. And even though Greene had never really rapped before, he managed to win the Aleems over with his smooth delivery, his cool and varied flows, and his swaggeringly captivating mic presence.

However, despite it being a quality tune, “Cosmic Glide” didn’t perform all that well. But the next Captain Rock record, 1983′s The Return Of Capt. Rock, again written by Mr. Hyde and the Aleem twins, fared much better, and also became the first record to really earn a name for the NIA label. This new bit of fame for both Greene and NIA then allowed for the third and fourth Captain Rock records, respectively 1984′s Capt. Rock To The Future Shock and Cosmic Blast, to flourish. “Cosmic Blast” became both Captain Rock’s biggest and best hit and it also marked Ronnie Greene’s musical peak. Mr. Hyde had moved on to do other things, so the Aleems allowed Greene to write the song’s lyrics and they also involved him in the production process. 

Not long before “Cosmic Blast” was recorded, Doug E. Fresh, who was also a Harlem resident, had released a record called The Original Human Beat Box, and that was a record that was simply fly as fuck. It put Doug’s deft skills as a beatboxer on full display, and it also gave Ronnie Greene the idea to include some beatboxing on his own upcoming record. So he got his friend Richie Rich, who was a pretty good beatboxer himself, to come breathily box his beats for “Cosmic Blast”. And with Richie Rich, and an unforgettable electro-chiming melody supplied by the Aleem twins, and Greene’s fun party-rocking rap demeanor as Captain Rock, that quartet spun some real, dynamic, mid-80s New York gold.

It was actually a quintet though, because also in on the fun of that record was none other than Marley Marl, who’d go on to become one of hip hop’s greatest, most prolific, and most important producers. While mixing “Cosmic Blast,” Marley discovered, totally by accident, how to sample drums. He was trying to take a riff from a song, and in the process of playing back “Cosmic Blast,” discovered that he had lifted a snare drum, too. But the snare he had sampled sounded better than the drums that were originally programmed, so he kept the sample as is. This discovery led to an epiphany for Marley, in which he realized that he could sample any drum from any point within any record that was in his massive collection and then use those sampled drums as part of his own drumbeats instead of having to program the drumbeats on his own with a drum machine. This was a huge freaking deal; Marley’s beats could now sound uniquely authentic, like the drums had come from an actual drumkit, instead of sounding like they had come from the same inferior-sounding drum machines that every other producer was using. Pandora’s Box had suddenly been opened for Marley Marl with “Cosmic Blast,” and it helped set him on a course to attain legendary status as a producer.

But there’s even more to this story. Not only was electro big in New York; it was pretty popular in the UK, too; so much so, that Captain Rock actually went out there to perform at Wembley Stadium for a hip hop and electro festival called UK Fresh ‘86. He had absolutely no idea that people in the UK even knew anything about his music, but a compilation label called Street Sounds, which specialized in electro and hip hop, had been lacing their mixes with Captain Rock songs since ‘83, and in 1985, a pair of UK DJs by the names of Maurice and Noel included “Cosmic Blast” on the sixth installment of Street Sounds’ wonderful Street Sounds Electro series. 

It’s there you’ll find this fantastic version of “Cosmic Blast,” which features the addition of some really dope scratches from DJs Maurice and Noel that you won’t hear on the original cut; and those scratches have a way of really fucking enhancing the song. Maurice and Noel speed things up a little bit, too, which raises the pitch ever so slightly, and makes the tune way more danceable, overall. They also completely transform the third verse by mixing in other dubby vocals from Captain Rock and then instead of running with the electric guitar solo from the original, Maurice and Noel close their version out with more scratching with a little Run-D.M.C. mixed in there.

Very cool stuff all around. An already incredible jam made even better by two British DJs. Ring in the new year with this shit. Long live electro!

[brittsekland]

Interview with Topper Headon, February 1980.

Turn off your mind, lie back on the couch and relax. We're going to have an association test. What do you think of when I say the Clash? Running battles with the grey forces of government? Three cord supercharged thrashes vilifying unemployment and public housing vegetation? Seething hordes of punks dancing themselves into a frenzy? Wrong. Times have changed. Punk is now locked as firmly into the past as hippies were in the sixties. Safety pins and bondage trousers are as passe as headbands and peace signs. The bands that characterized an era have disappeared. The Sex Pistols destroyed themselves, the Damned are a self-parody, which leaves the Clash. After an impressive first album and a fair second effort, their third a double recaptures the drive and energy of the first. The Clash have esestablished them-selves as the most talented band to emerge from the much vaunted new wave.

Their lastest album, London Calling, displays considerable evolution since early days of the band. The songs are more reflective and melodic. Songwriters Joe Strummer and Mick Jones contribute heavily but to a large extent the dexterity and adaptbility of drummer Topper Headon has enabled the Clash to develop their musicality. Topper is, perhaps, the most accomplished musician of the four-man band. His early training with a variety of different music forms from traditional jazz to soul, has provided a firm foundation for Strummer and Jones. Topper provides the matrix from which the rest of the band work. Topper believes the Clash have survived because they have staying power, because they haven't been afraid of changing and because they weren't hesitant to branch out when they grew tired of playing frenetic chords. "We've remained true to what we originally believed in," declares Topper. " We still enjoy playing our own songs. We're not going through any set patterns. The basic idea has been to remain true to what we believe in and not allow ourselves to be dictated to by the industry and become CBS puppets." They've done a deft job of staying ahead of big business machines. "We refuse to do Top of the Pops for example, even when the single came in at 29. CBS started to put pressure on us to do it. They tell us we won't have a hit single, and we say, so what? Who needs it? We wanted our double album to go out for £5 when everybody else's albums go out for a lot more. We had to fight battles to get a cheap record out. Obviously that's not in record company interests. They told us it was impossible. Maybe that's why we've stayed together; we keep setting ourselves impossible tasks. It gives us drive. Even on tour, the Clash are determined to keep prices down which certainly affects the bands take home pay. But money isn't what they want most. "What we want is for the kids to be able to see us," Topper says. Their attitude to irrates businessmen. "If anybody does something like sneak a video of us on television, we'd split up. And CBS know we mean business. We owe them so much money they can't afford for that to happen." The Clash are a refreshing contrast to the kind of bands that do anything to get their name on the dotted line. From the beginning it's been a complete turnaround from the usual state of affairs that exist between band and record company. The companies have been chasing the Clash. Topper joined the Clash between their first and second albums. Previously he was playing with a soul band that regularly toured Germany and British airforce bases. Regularly earning £50 weekly, Headon took a cut in pay to work with the Clash. "I knew at once that it was the gig I'd been looking for. Everything came quite naturally. By the time Topper joined the Clash, he was beginning to think he'd never pass an audition. Not many bands were signed before the British punk explosion. "They'd form a band for somebody from out-of-work musicians who had been thrown out of other bands. They knew the ropes, so they wouldn't kick up a fuss because they knew they were dispensable. Every time I went along for an audition, I was constantly beaten by drummers who had played for name bands and had 'experience'. It just went on and on like that." Topper had been playing drums since he was 13. Drumming was a habit he picked up when he had a broken leg which halted a promising football career. His dad spotted a second-hand kit in the local paper and bought it. By 14 Headon was regularly playing with a traditional jazz band. "For some reason bands were always short of drummers..." As far as tutoring, Topper never got past the introduction in the books. Paradiddles and triple paradiddles were as far as he got. Eventually Headon bought a Premier kit: "At that time it was the cheapest pro kit you could get. You could go into any music store and get one. Everyone stocked spares and fittings. That was one of the reasons why I bought a Premier. I'm still sold on silver kits because they look great under the lights." A few days before his first tour with the Clash he took possession of a silver Pearl kit, which he still uses. After a bit of chopping and changing of toms, he's wound up with a 24" x 17" bass drum, 14" x 10" top tom tom, 16" x 10" and 18" x 10" floor toms, and a Ludwig Black Beauty snare drum. All the cymbals are Zildjian - two pairs of 15" Heavy Rock hi hats, a 16" crash, an 18" crash, a 21" Rock ride, a 19" Rock crash, and a 20" Rock crash, plus a little Zildjian splash cymbal attachted to the top of the bass drum which he claims is driving the rest of the band mad. All the stands are Premier Lokfast Trilok stands. "I go for a real solid kit," claims Topper, "that's why I chose Pearl and Premier. They're really solid and serviceable, no frills on them. You get a good feeling when you sit behind them because they're so workmanlike. You think, 'Great, I ain't gonna knock these over.' I use rubber mats to secure the kit on the riser." "Although I have the kit basically the same most of the time, I do like to change it around occasionally. If I started to use wooden blocks on the riser then I'd be stuck with one position, and that can be limiting." When it became evident that the Clash were here to stay, Topper got the chance of a new kit, which he tried but didn't rate as much. However, he did take Pearl up on the offer of a recover and recon. He expects to have his present kit for at least another five or six years, providing it dosen't get dropped or broken. Another complaint from Topper is lack of service and spares outside London: "We've got a flight case which is like a miniature drum shop, it carries everything down to cymbal felts and spare lugs for the bass drum. We always take it with us on the road and keep it stocked up. "I begin a tour with everything I conceivably need, and gradually I get rid of things I don't need, so the kit gets smaller as the tour goes on. Once the hi hat busted, the spring went right inside, and it was impossible to fix up. It was a Saturday night when we discovered it, and we had a show on Sunday. Luckily, we were able to borrow a high hat stand from the support band." Topper is a man dedicated to acoustic drums. He regards synthisized drums as irrelevant: "They were alright for two weeks, then the novelty wore off. Personally I'm exploring different areas, like percussion. I even use finger cymbals on one track of London Calling. But thats the way to go - into acoustic percussion. There's so much scope there that I don't know why synthisized drums were invented in the first place." Miking up for a gig is a lot similar to miking up for the studio. Topper uses two overhead cymbal mikes, and two mikes for the double hi hat set up he uses. The toms are all miked from the top, and the snare drum is miked from beneath. He keeps both heads on and never keeps anything inside the shells. Topper uses very little damping live. What damping there is, is usually on the bass drum, and always external. All damping is with gaffer tape. Topper prefers AKG mikes, but on tour they vary depending on which PA hire company is being used. "I can go into the studio and get a good drum sound in an hour," continues Topper. Listen to the latest LP London Calling and you'll hear what he means. "The first time I went into the studio I was pretty green but I learnt from it. For London Calling I went straight in and knew exactly what to do. Everybody goes into the studio much more relaxed now. I use AKG mikes and everything is miked from the top except for the snare. Again I use double heads to get the boom sound, and I use room mikes to pick up the spillage, to make it sound more live without going over the top. The set up is exactly the same as I have live, really, except I don't use a bit of damping." The biggest problem with putting out the new album were recording costs. The Clash figure that the longer they spent in the studio, the more it would cost, the more money CBS would have to put up, and consequently they'd have a greater hold over the band. The Clash even put up some of the money themselves. Eventually they had the tape and told CBS: "You can have it if you meet our conditions." Topper admits that there are some mistakes on the album, and more than a few drum errors. That's the price to pay for the energy captured on the vinyl. London Calling was recorded in a month, with Guy Stevens producing. That's how it's going to be in the future, Topper maintains. The second album, Give Em Enough Rope, was not as successful as either the first or the third records, and Topper blames producer Sandy Pearlman for this. "He made it quite dull," Topper says. "He was a dull person to work with. We wanted a producer, CBS gave us a list of producers and his name was on the top. We listened to stuff he'd done with heavy metal bands, and we thought it was rubbish, but it was the production we were interested in. We wanted to get a good sound, and one complaint against the first album was that it sounded too thin. So we wanted some production that would stand up to time. So we got Pearlman. But he took so long to do it, with his perfectionism, that the prevalent feeling in the studio by the time he'd finished was boredom. When I think about recording that album I cringe." Problems don't end in the recording studio for the Clash. For a good few years now they've had constant trouble with local councils who insist on banning their gigs for fear of trouble. The whole surge of reaction against punk bands from "The Establishment" began with the infamous Sex Pistols. The daily newspapers portrayed the Clash as wreckers of society. "We're still getting that sort of prejudice," explains Topper. "We've had 16 gigs booked at various Mecca places, and then about 12 pulled out. You have to completely re-route the tour." The Hammersmith Palais cancelled a concert there because they said there were too many mirrors in the place to safely allow Clash fans in. "But our fans don't smash things anymore. They do if they're told what to do, like sit down in this seat and be a good boy. That's why out of all the gigs on our British tour only have two seats in them." Harassment from local villages takes other forms. The obligatory visit from the fire inspector often results in strict demands being laid down: "He says take that backdrop down, so we take the backdrop down, and he says erect more crash barriers, so we put up more crash barriers, he says this stage has to be rebuilt here, and you need more security. We just laugh at him and do anything he wants. Nothing can stop us playing. But they make life difficult." As time progresses, however, the Clash are becoming more acceptable, though not more respectable, Topper hopes. He makes the point that the Clash have to pay for all the damage that's caused, so why should they promote vandalism? Surprisingly, Topper found that the audiences in America weren't so much different to the British fans. The punk thing is really only just beginning to happen across the pond: "They're still into safety pins," declares Topper. "It's the same as the White Riot tour here, when there were about 300 or 400 fans dancing down the front with the rest there out of curiosity. But we sold out 25 of our 28 gigs there, and that was in 3,000 and 4,000 seater auditoriums. The States is so big. LA was just a load of old hippies lazing around getting stoned in the sun. I liked Chicago best, with all the blues clubs. But we should do well over there because the USA has all the same problems as Britain except they're magnified. They have all the slums and the poverty and more of a racial problem too." Highlighting social problems is one of the bands strong points. They should have plenty to write about in America. The Clash are political, and very definitely anti-National Front. Topper's favourite drummers come from America, such as Harvey Mason and Steve Gadd. His favourite British drummer is Terry Williams, who plays for Rockpile. Musically, his tastes are strictly black; James Brown, Otis Redding and lots of reggae, particularly the Mighty Diamonds. America looks tripe for the Clash. They've toured there twice and soon they should start to take off now that punk has spread. The Americans have been fairly slow catching on to what the 76' British New Wave was all about - perhaps they've been too wealthy for too long. With a new recession biting home, maybe the Clash will take on new relevance to downtrodden, unemployed kids in America. Topper himself represents a new establishment of musicians in Britain that once would have been unthinkable. Two years ago the Clash were vilified as not being "real" musicians. Their drive, talent and staying power has proved the cynics wrong. In general, the Clash have proved themselves to be dedicated professonials with firm ideals at heart. In particular, Topper Headon spearheads the drumming new wave with a forceful and accomplished style that can't be dismissed.

[mranderson1994]

Introduction to University

13th October 2020

My name is George Broker, I am currently studying Music Technology at the University of Portsmouth... This blog will be an account of everything I am working on day to day during University, even things I am working on outside of my University work will be posted on here. 

So why not start with my first week? After completing my first week I have now received the first bits of info surrounding my upcoming initial projects for the upcoming modules which has resulted in me making a start on a variety of Uni projects (including this blog...) The first of which was the task we were given on our first Face to Face lecture which was to create a piece of music in a group of four, unrestricted... 

Going into University I have been developing the mindset that I will approach every task, project, lecture etc with the utmost determination to be the best I can be and also to try and be the best out of everyone around me, not because I'm competitive but because I know this mindset will serve me well in trying to achieve the best and most high quality projects that I can possibly create.

I explained this to the other three guys in my group who frankly at first seemed a little bit annoyed by how I presented myself but after plenty of discussion and talking it through I made them realise that although I probably seem like im taking it too seriously its just because I want to achieve the best work possible, and I think that everyone jelled really well in our group and contributed effectively to the song we created in the end. I actually dont know how easy this would have been to do if we had not had that intense discussion on day one where I essentially made it clear that we should all be able to criticize each other on the project in order to elevate its quality as well as of course putting in as much time to it as possible...

Once everyone was on the same page and understood each other better we got to work... I initially sent the other guys three song ideas that were very barebones at that point in time (I had been working on these that week anyway so they seemed like good enough projects to use as a starting point)... The song we decided to continue developing and working on was a ‘Synthwave’ type song at 100bpm... To create the initial idea I set up the Kick and snare which I played in by assigning the sounds I wanted to a drum machine and then playing them at 100bpm live through Ableton as midi tracks, which I then exported as an individual audio track and bounced it back into my main project file. I then began looking through the VST plugin Analog Lab 4 by Arturia for natural synthesizer sounds to create the basis of the track and before too long I had 3 separate synth lines that worked in tandem very well to compliment the initial idea of the track being a ‘Synthwave’ project (the synth lines were all sequencers...).

I then wrote a verse and chorus for myself to sing over the project but before adding anything further I wanted to send the ‘empty’ version of the track as it was to the other guys so they could come up with their additions with plenty of space in the track to work with still... The next day all three guys sent me their stems (I had initially sent them my stems as well as the project information), I started off by adding in Tom’s vocals and guitar which took the song to a whole new level in my mind and I was delighted to hear and work with the sounds he had contributed, the same can be said for Jack and Dan’s additions which were both focused more on the B Section, creating some variety in the sound as well as enrichening the rhythm and overall feel with ambient noises. 

I then mixed everything down in Ableton using the stems which I then added into the project, I also used my mixing desk/interface compressor for external mastering however the majority of tweaking was done on Ableton using master track effects such as Multiband Dynamics, Enhance and Wide & Warm Master (All Ableton preset effects from the rack)... I added my vocals (verse and chorus) and then use Vocal Synth 2 to edit my vocals in a way that was inspired by Daft Punks use of vocals on their first album using a Vocoder (one element of Vocal Synth is a vocoder effect)...

The song is called Company and you can hear it here:

https://soundcloud.com/mrand3rsonmusic/company

[ducktracy]

32. it’s got me again! (1932)

release date: may 14th, 1932

series: merrie melodies

director: rudolf ising

starring: n/a

another cartoon with more “firsts”! this is the first cartoon to credit tom mckimson, one of the mckimson brothers (bob, charles, and tom) who would later serve as one of bob clampett’s layout artists, bob mckimson of course becoming clampett’s top animator (tied with rod scribner) and later moving on as a director. this is also the first warner bros cartoon nominated for an academy award! unfortunately it didn’t win, losing to disney’s flowers and trees. warner bros would receive many nominations as we’ll see, but only won 5 awards out of 1000+ cartoons! (tweetie pie, for scent-imental reasons, speedy gonzales, birds anonymous, and knighty knight bugs) anyway, enough names. this cartoon features the antics of a gang of jolly mice, which are rudely interrupted by a hungry cat.

in the middle of the night, a mouse takes furtive footsteps out of its hole. it sneaks around a mouse trap, but the chime of a clock scares it and its tail gets caught in the trap.

he seeks his mouse hole for refuge, and the trap slips off its tail and hits the wall. safe from the metal clutches, the mouse cautiously makes a return and steals the cheese. all is well.

there’s a lovely pan of the room as the mouse makes its way to the other side, tiptoeing over an xylophone, squeezing through a french horn sliding down a violin, bouncing off a drum, and sliding onto the crank of a phonograph, giving it a few whirls.

music gets going and the mouse declares “okay fellas, on with the dance!”

an armada of mice stream out of the hole, using an accordion to lower themselves down. there’s even an elderly mouse on crutches (ha!) that keeps spinning around his crutches when the little mice run between his legs.

the mice sing the titular number of “it’s got me again!” while frolicking around the record, the one mouse on the record tripping and spinning around in endless loops. frank marsales’ music score is beautiful as always! the mouse flies off of the record, bouncing off a horn, a banjo, etc, using a metronome as a javelin to pull himself back on top of the phonograph.

process repeating as the mouse gets thrown off of the record again, he slides through a clarinet, and out come a tiny army of mice. they jump on the drum, completely synchronized with a rolling snare drum march! i can’t eat this up enough! the animation is so tactile and fun, and the music is synchronized perfectly. a mouse plays “the girl i left behind me/the waxie’s dargle” on a fife, the mice sitting on the exposed holes of the fife sprinting into the air with each note played. animation reused from hold anything gives us a line of mice (who uncannily look like mickey—i know all the mice and foxes do, but they’re sporting pants and shoes too) who march in time with the beat.

one by one the rodent soldiers take their exit, except for one, who trips on a nail in the midst of a hurry to catch up with his brethren. he falls and lands straight into a spittoon, much to his public ridicule. he gets out and blows a raspberry into a tuba. i love that! it amuses me to no end how many raspberries are used in these cartoons. spittoons are another common object.

meet the enemy, a hungry cat in a rainstorm. the cat looks inside at the festivities and licks its lips—trouble is brewing. i love how ugly this cat is, especially the big irises and conjoined eyes. good design on their part!

we cut back to a piano, where two mice burst out and tinker around on the piano in a fight. a gangster and a hapless victim! i wasn’t expecting that whatsoever. i wonder if friz freleng animated this sequence? the musical timing and the suspicious tinkering around accompanied by piano music reminds me of his sylvester and tweety cartoons. this is a great scene though, synchronization on point and the concept of a mobster mouse is hilarious.

back to the cat, who’s made his way onto the roof, looking in through a skylight. he shoves himself into a chimney, granting himself entrance into the house through a fireplace. spotting a cuckoo clock, he attacks the bird that comes out of it and swallows it. as all cats do. consequently, each time the cat opens its mouth, a “cuckoo” sounds, which alerts the mice.

time for a good ol’ cat and mouse chase! the cat corners one of the mice, who bursts into a rendition of “it’s got me again!”, doing an al jolson impression. i’ll say it once and i’ll say it many times again (so be warned!), the music is phenomenal! frank marsales really adapted well to the various moods of the cartoon, from the suspicious opening to the celebratory party, to the furtive nature of the cat to the hurried chase sequence, and now to the warbly, jazzy “farewell” underscore (it’s hard to describe, but it’s to the same effect as this great scene, one of my favorite daffy scenes ever because of the music).

just as the mouse’s family is going to have to shop for a tombstone, we get a view of a group of mice using a musical bow as a hunting bow, complete with a drumstick arrow. the drumstick shoots the cat squarely in the ass, sending it running.

more mice join in on the fun, using a harp as a bow and sending an armada of drumsticks flying. great sound design with the plucky harp strings playing each time a shot is fired! the cat tries to dodge the arrows, but to no avail.

of course, we have a flamethrower too. i LOVE THIS IT’S SO SMART. you lull your audience into a certain mindset, expecting more musical macgyver patented weapons... and then you randomly pull out a flamethrower from nowhere. it’s genius!

the cat runs into a bass drum and briefly becomes dazed. however, he has little time to rest, as a mouse blows a streamer in the cat’s face, sending him running. and possibly best of all, we have a shot of a mouse shooting needles from the record player like a machine gun, complete with the sound effects! the cat leaps out of the window, and all is well, iris out.

certainly worthy of it’s academy award nomination! the pacing was just right, as was the story structure. frank marsales’ music was beautiful as ever! a LOT of fun visuals, like the mice being divided by the clarinet and jumping on the drum, and the mouse shooting needles at the cat. this is probably my second favorite merrie melody after you don’t know what you’re doin’!. certainly worthy of a watch!

[serenasoto-blog]

9 Best Places to Add Keywords Inside Content for On-Page SEO

Catchphrases. Web optimization is about catchphrases.

Right stated, huh.

Catchphrases resemble the seeds that connote the entire tree in itself.

Accordingly, they convey tremendous significance with regards to SEO.

Truly, SEO is nothing without watchwords.

Its everything about the best catchphrase rehearses, utilizes and the executives that prompts all around streamlined on page SEO.

Previously, I will proceed onward directly to the subject, it will be a great idea to convey a harsh foundation on catchphrase inquire about.

Substance cover up

1. Watchword investigate

2. #9 Best Places to Add Keywords in Content

3. 1. Website design enhancement Title – The #1 Best spot to include watchwords

4. 2. Meta depiction

5. 3. Title of page content

6. 4. Beginning passage of substance

7. 5. Headings and subheadings in content

8. 6. Fundamental substance

9. 7. Picture alt labels

10. 8. Stay writings

11. 9. Labels and breadcrumbs

12. Outline

Catchphrase inquire about

The world is loaded with words, characters and sounds. So do you put all of them any place you need, anyway you need?

No!!!

Truly, much the same as you can't talk b***s***t to anybody, you can't compose anything you desire, trusting getting included on the first page of Google.

In this way, you have to do an appropriate research before you even beginning composition.

I have quickly canvassed watchword explore procedure in my instructional exercise here.

To close to put it plainly, you can utilize Google straightforward hunt, just as different instruments for catchphrase explore.

Google catchphrase organizer, keywordtool.io, SEMRush,.. There are many out there.

OK… So now you're prepared with your rundown of catchphrases. Next what?

You will obviously begin composing on the theme. This is what you have to mind while adding watchwords to the substance piece.

#9 Best Places to Add Keywords in Content

Website design enhancement Title

Website design enhancement Meta portrayal

Blog entry title

Beginning passage of post

Headings/Subheadings

Fundamental substance

Picture alt labels

Stay writings

Labels and breadcrumbs

Lets comprehend individually.

1. Website design enhancement Title – The #1 Best spot to include catchphrases

website design enhancement title

Website design enhancement title is the MOST (I state multiple times) significant thing you can't pass up a great opportunity.

Fundamentally, it is this title appears on Google indexed lists in blue shaded connections.

So you can think about how idiotic will it be to skip including SEO title.

Let me clear one thing here.

In reality, regardless of whether you don't include SEO title and depictions (coming up straightaway), your substance despite everything can possibly be positioned!

Goodness God, at that point what was that previously? You may be thinking.

Truth is, its not tied in with planning for the most pessimistic scenarios all things considered!

Furthermore, on the off chance that you don't include these labels, Google will haphazardly pick the initial not many lines as the portrayal for your page, and the blog title as SEO title.

Also, wonder in the event that you that isn't as significant as what you could really had in charge of!

Right?!

Thus, don't face such challenges, simply compose a basic better than average SEO title.

It has be to totally pertinent to the substance and exact, long-tail!

In case you're utilizing WordPress, you can a few modules for this.

Yoast SEO, RankMath SEO are truly outstanding out there for holding nothing back web optimization benefits.

I have added connections to the modules toward the finish of instructional exercise.

Give them a shot!

2. Meta portrayal

That is second most significant spot.

Meta portrayals are essentially said metadata of the run of the mill site page.

You can check for metadata of destinations in their source code, which can be seen utilizing "View page source" (or Ctrl + U) in Google Chrome.

These are some place covered up inside <meta> labels in the source code.

As examined in the past subject, the equivalent modules, Yoast SEO, RankMath SEO can likewise be utilized to include meta portrayals in the substance.

Along these lines, when you include both the SEO title and depictions, you essentially state the Google, "Hello bae, please me. Take me with you."

Tips to remember while including meta information:

Try not to keep it excessively short or excessively long. The modules in WordPress help you with as far as possible.

In the event that conceivable include the center watchwords, in the beginning just as in the center of the meta portrayal.

Try not to include immaterial stuff here. This should be extremely important just as appealing at that point. Think, individuals perusing your portrayal ought to get spurred tom read your substance further by tapping the connection to your subject.

3. Title of page content

post title search engine optimization

This is only the genuine title of the substance that you see when you land on the page.

For instance, here in this example, "10 best places to include catchphrases inside substance" is the subject of this post.

This is additionally eqaully significant in light of the fact that it can possibly get the peruser's consideration.

Envision, if a peruser likes the title of your post, he will peruse on further. Or then again he may simply tap the back catch and skip perusing by any stretch of the imagination!

You won't care for that occur!

In this way, take a stab at including a sharp however alluring title to your blog entry.

As a tip, its better to keep the title long-tail here as well.

4. Beginning section of substance

WordPress modules like Yoast SEO request you to specify catchphrases in the beginning section of the substance.

Its not critical to state honestly. Be that as it may, including it, won't hurt you truly.

Consider it like the third limit for your peruser, the first being SEO title-depiction, and second, post title.

Who needs to lose individuals in the wake of snaring them in not once, however twice?!

Feel free to compose the primary passages for your posts.

5. Headings and subheadings in content

Headings resemble the little loosen up focuses in your article!

Truly, envision that it is so exhausting to peruse entire large lumps of content with no breakpoints in the center.

Senseless right?

Indeed, even I despise that. C'on, we are bloggers, advertisers, scholars. Not promoters or Ph.D. holders.

Try not to outrage please. I regard you as well.

So as you probably are aware, its imperative to include watchwords in headings and resulting subheadings in article.

This gives an away from to web search tools of something identified with the watchwords and valuable coming up in the accompanying segment.

Snappy tip: Never include superfluous sub-headers and headers in your substance. Break the substance into pieces as required and reasonable to facilitate its meaningfulness.

6. Fundamental substance

Furthermore, here's coming the body of your substance.

I will pressure more here.

There have been numerous contentions, a large number of them uncertain and even profoundly questioned with respect to what ought to be the specific include of watchwords in content.

Suppositions with respect to this shift from individual to individual, SEOs to SEOs, journalists to authors.

The best practice is to include the catchphrases just where required and coordinate the significance of the present setting.

In straightforward terms, I mean, simply be it common.

It ought NOT be constrained notice. Keep in mind, Google has treated such substance gravely previously.

You additionally may fall prey to Google's punishment, emerging by the spam factor.

7. Picture alt labels

picture alt labels for website optimization

Pictures resemble the magnificence of your article.

They add beat to the understanding experience.

As the time is advancing to an ever increasing extent, visuals have become a significant piece of our lives, Internet is no special case to it.

Thus, adding pictures to content is sound. Truly.

However, does the Google search bots truly comprehend your picture proerly like we people.

You may contend that, AI and Machine learning is changing the way Google bots decipher substance and visuals. I concur, master!

Yet at the same time its a best practice to add alt labels to the pictures in content.

Who knows, Google bots may be as yet searching for it?!

You can include these basically by altering the HTML code of your page.

In HTML, the <img> label serves picture on the site page. "alt" is one of the key traits of <img> tag, which you can alter utilizing any code supervisor of your decision.

Good karma!

Tip: The alt labels ought to carefully be basic, short and direct. Try not to be senseless to compose long queues and passages here.

Get familiar with picture website optimization in our article.

8. Grapple writings

Ever observed those blue hued hyperlinks on sites?

Did you consider it a spot to grandstand your watchwords?

Truly. The content on which a hyperlink is assembled, is called a "stay content".

All things considered, it fills in as an extraordinary open door for good SEO.

The truth of the matter is very generally welcomed that watchword focused on grapple writings fill in as solid advantage to both on page and off page SEO.

Ensure while composing stay writings, it needs to representation the connected substance extremely right. A ton of fledglings miss this out.

9. Labels and breadcrumbs

catchphrases in labels breadcrumbs

Truly, this isn't SO significant one. So I'm hardly any requiring some investment here.

Labels and breadcrumbs are essentially billboards on your site. Inquire as to why?

At the point when you read a concise substance, regardless of whether short or little, labels help to associate the substance with explicit subjects. This is especially valuable while having more substance than typical.

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[justforbooks]

"Led Zeppelin The Forum June 3, 1973

This is based on the fantastic AUD recording, expertly transferred from the JEMS Master - DAT (16/32) source. This is a wonderful audience source, documenting an incredible show.

Some feel this is Led Zeppelin's best performance of the 1973 North American tour.

Hey guys, if you're interested in imagining what it was like to be at this show, I highly encourage you to check out this post by Strider on the Led Zeppelin forum. It is easily the best account of a Zeppelin show I have ever read.

Let's get on the time machine...

Sunday June 3, 1973

I'm flying home from San Francisco to Orange County...a little wobbly after my Kezar Stadium trip, but feeling better the more fluids I drink and the closer I realize I am getting to the appointed hour of my third Led Zeppelin concert in four days.

This Led Zeppelin concert is a little different, however. Not only is this the last show of the first leg of the 1973 US tour, but the last LA show...and who knew when the next tour would be, so this would have to get me through whatever dry spell awaited. Most important of all...I was taking my girlfriend to the show; not only her first Led Zeppelin concert, but her first concert period. That I wanted her to enjoy it was an understatement.

My girlfriend's name was Trudy. She was slightly older than me...11 going on 12...while I wouldn't turn 11 until the next month in July. We met when we were on the same community rec swim team the summer of 72. She also liked baseball and played on the girl's softball team until it became too painful for her(this was before the days of high-tech sports bras). A tomboy, she was like Tatum O'Neal with boobs. Our first date was to an Angel game to see Nolan Ryan pitch.

*Quick digression: baseball games make wonderful first dates. It's not as crowded or noisy as football, basketball, hockey or auto races. And the leisurely pace allows for plenty of conversation time to get to know each other. And if you're lucky to get picked for the "Kiss-Cam", that gives you an excuse for a quick kiss.

Back to Trudy...she was great, except when I met her, her musical tastes ran to America, Bread and Seals & Crofts...the hardest band she liked was Three Dog Night. So it was a long process to get her to like Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, the Stones, Alice Cooper and my other faves. Some she never took to(Frank Zappa, Velvet Underground), but after a few months she finally got hooked into Zeppelin. Of course, it was mainly the softer stuff she liked...Stairway to Heaven, What Is and What Could Never Be, That's the Way. Thank You was her favourite LZ song. And when Houses of the Holy came out, she immediately fell in love with Rain Song. But little by little she came to appreciate the hard rocking songs as well.

All this was on my mind as I rested on the plane-ride home. You see, before I saw Led Zeppelin for the first time in 1972, I had NO IDEA what to expect from a Led Zeppelin concert. I had all four studio albums released at that time, but had yet to acquire any bootlegs. So yes, the effect was fairly shattering when finally seeing my first Zeppelin concert, June 25, 1972. By the time of the 1973 shows though, I had bought two Led Zeppelin bootleg double-albums: Live on Blueberry Hill, the September 4, 1970 Forum show; and Going to California, the Sept. 14 1971 Berkeley show, mislabeled as being at the Forum.

Those two boots, plus the memories of the 1972 shows, instilled in me the idea that the acoustic set was a regular part of a Led Zeppelin concert, and I raved to Trudy about the acoustic set...how they did Going to California and That's the Way, two of her faves. But now I had seen 2 of the 73 concerts, and neither one featured an acoustic set, not even one acoustic song...there didn't appear to be an acoustic guitar in the building. They had played Rain Song, so I knew Trudy would love that, but after building it up in her head, I was worried she would be disappointed if she didn't get an acoustic set. Perhaps, they were saving it for this last concert of the first leg...a special treat for LA. That was one fortunate outcome of Jimmy Page's finger injury: not only was Trudy now able to see the concert, but by moving the concert to June 3, my last Zeppelin memory of 1973 would be crystal clear, unlike the hazy one I had of the Kezar Stadium debauchery.

Shortly after 5pm, the plane descended into Orange County airspace, glistening swimming pools dotting the landscape, the brown smog bank of the Inland Empire off in the distance. There they were, my BB and Trudy, my sun-dappled girl, waiting for me as arranged. To save time, I gave him Trudy's address so he could pick her up before meeting me at the airport. Then we could just drive straight up the 405 to the LA Forum. So, after a brief wait for my luggage, there the three of us were in my BB's blue 1969 Chevy Malibu, him driving, and Trudy and I in the backseat. Making the long slog north on the 405, joining thousands of others making the drive from San Diego back to Los Angeles, I filled Trudy and the BB in on my San Francisco trip, not exactly revealing EVERYTHING. Trudy wasn't a party-stoner girl, and I didn't want her to get the wrong idea about me. The BB and I answered questions she had about the concert; she was excited when I told her that it was pretty certain that they would play Rain Song. But I also said that they hadn't played Thank You, and she looked bummed about that...but hey, I said, you never know what they'll play for sure. Maybe tonight they'll play it.

A quick pit stop for gas and a bite to eat at Tijuana Taco(don't ask...just slightly better than Taco Bell...they shut down later in the 70's when employees were caught selling drugs thru the drive-thru window), and we were back on the 405, past the Westminster Mall, past Seal Beach then Long Beach, until nearing LAX airport, and the giant Randy's Donut Donut marking the Manchester Blvd. exit. It must have been around 7pm, as we drove east on Manchester, past La Brea and Market, past the A-Frame International House of Pancakes on the left at Hillcrest, past the usual shady characters holding up "Need tickets" signs. This time we turned right on Prairie, then left into the Forum parking lot, the Forum Club awning up ahead. It was still plenty light outside, a pleasant June evening, and as usual for a rock concert, the parking lot was a bazaar of the bizarre. A panoply of colourful types everywhere you looked.

Thanks to my uncle's wife washing my clothes while sleeping off my trip in San Francisco, I was wearing my burgundy velvet hip-hugger bell-bottoms and yellow 1973 Zeppelin tour shirt. But I saw a bootleg parking lot shirt I liked and bought one for me and Trudy...total cost $4.

There was a long line to get in the Forum, so we headed to one of the special entrances for people with floor seats. Yeah, I had almost forgotten...after 4 previous Led Zeppelin concerts spent in loge or bleacher seating, I was finally going to be near the stage, 13 rows from the front, on the floor, looking at the stage head on. No side or obstructed views this time. I was already stoked...this sudden realization of where we would be sitting further stoked my fire. So eager with anticipation we fairly glided through the narrow tunnel into the Forum floor, past the massive soundboard/mixing desk towards the rear and past the rear sections of the floor, approaching the stage closer and closer until we came to our destination: Section B, Row 13. It did feel weird looking at our tickets and seeing the date May 30. The time once again said 8:00 pm...but we told Trudy that was more a "suggested" time than a firm commitment.

That allowed for plenty of time for concert prep...last-minute bathroom visits, stock up on snacks and coke and back to our seats with plenty of time to watch the roadies fine-tune the stage as the Doobie Brothers and Yes played over the sound system. Although the music wasn't nearly as loud as the concert would be, I gave Trudy the earplugs the BB had brought for her, as we didn't want her first concert to be too painful...I mean, Led Zeppelin were LOUD...VERY LOUD!

Being so close to the stage, you notice details you can't see from far away...the details of the amp setups...Jimmy's simple effects setup...Jones' keyboards and the white mellotron...Bonzo's orange Ludwig vistalites. In fact, I noticed that if you took away the gong and tympani, his drum kit was actually quite small compared to the gargantuan kits of Carl Palmer, Keith Moon and Ginger Baker. Just a bass drum, snare, one rack tom and two floor toms, that's it. Yet, in Bonham's talented hands, that kit sounded more MASSIVE than Carl, Keith and Ginger's kits combined.

Ooooh, there was the big mirror ball high above Bonzo's kit...I pointed it out to Trudy. She also noticed with some trepidation and awe the huge PA speaker stacks...courtesy of Showco. As roadies climbed roped rigging ladders to fix the various spotlights and whatnot, I sensed a different vibe in the Forum tonight from the Bonzo Birthday Party show. Yes, the audience for that show was excited...it was the first night and it was Bonzo's birthday, so we were hyped. But as shouts of "Led Zeppelin!" and "Rock and Roll!" and "Whole Lotta Love!" echoed around the arena, as frisbees and beach balls whizzed and bounced around, the anticipation and buzz of the audience seemed torqued to a higher degree. With the benefit of hindsight, I think I know why. First, the June 3 show was originally supposed to be the first show...and anyone who has been to multinight stands knows that the first night crowd often has the hard core fans. We were the "real" first night crowd, not the May 31 crowd. Second, that May 31 show was so amazing that obviously word-of-mouth spread. Folks heard how awesome the May 31 concert was, so everyone was at fever pitch for tonight's gig...both the people who were there May 31 and were expecting more of the same, and those who just heard about it and couldn't wait to experience it themselves. If you've ever been to a concert by your favourite band, you know the feelings you go through right before the band comes on: the butterflies in your stomach, the calculations in your mind at what the first song will be and what the setlist will entail. How you literally cannot breathe from excitement.

Well, take all that and multiply by 10 and you'll get an idea how feverish the crowd was for this Led

Zeppelin concert was...if someone had thrown raw meat into the crowd, it would have been devoured. Hell, I feared if one of the roadies had fallen into the crowd, he'd be torn limb from limb. The beast was getting hungry...we wanted Zeppelin. At any bit of lull from the sound system, any break from the music, a great hue and cry went up from the throng in anticipation of the band coming on stage. At long last however, after several false moments, sometime around 9ish, the Forum went dark as the house lights went down.

CUE PANDEMONIUM!!! I am serious. Sure, every Zeppelin concert I attended the crowd would greet the band loudly, as loud as any concerts I have seen. But the concert of June 3, 1973 was something else entirely...it was like RAPTURE! People stomping their feet, ecstatically screaming, firecrackers exploding...the only other time I experienced this frenzied a response was the June 21, 1977 show.

In the dark, periodically illuminated by flashes and lit lighters, we could make out the shapes of the band members making their way on stage. As the stomping and hollering from the crowd continued, Bonham gave a quick test of the drums and soon after, the Little Richard-tribute drum intro to Rock and Roll commenced the beginning of the show as the stage exploded to brightness as the stage lights came on the same time as the band kicked into the main riff of Rock and Roll.

Oh shit Dorothy, we're not in Kansas anymore. Being on the floor is a completely different deal. The loudness is even more LOUD...IN YOUR FACE...AND IN YOUR GUT!!! Especially Bonzo's kick drum and Jonesey's bass. I looked over at Trudy and thanked my lucky stars we had thought of bringing earplugs for Trudy...she had been gripping my hand since the Forum lights went down, but as I looked at her she smiled and signaled she was okay. Her eyes widened as she took in the scene in front of us, and I returned my gaze to the stage. From behind the kit, Bonzo looked like he was wearing the same pastel tanktop, or wifebeater, as before. John Paul Jones was wearing some multicoloured button-down shiny shirt with these fantastic flash silver bell bottoms. Simply extraordinary...he should've worn them for the MSG shows! Unfortunately, being close to the stage allowed me to see Jones' mustache more clearly...he just didn't look right with that mustache. Jimmy Page was wearing the same natty white double-breasted suit as he did at Kezar. With the black and white shoes. His hair looked healthy and fluffy, the coloured lights giving it different hued highlights throughout the night.

Then, there was Robert Plant. Golden God. Golden, flaxen hair flowing down past his shoulders, the lights amplifying the golden hue of his curly locks. Long, lean and tanned body encased in skintight flared blue jeans and a pinkish-red shirt, more masculine than his usual 1973 blousey-type tops, but with just enough femininity to give Plant that otherworldly, ethereal sexual charisma he, and only he among the 70's frontmen, had. No, not even David Bowie or Freddie Mercury had it...David was too drugged out and sickly thin and Freddie too campy with his "Al Pacino in Cruising" look. To top it off, Robert had a red flower(a rose?) stuffed down his pants, so that the flower was just over his belt buckle.

And because we were now looking straight ahead and up at the stage, and not down from afar as before at other shows, the band, particularly Jimmy and Robert since they were closest to the front, appeared 10 feet tall. Like they truly were gods descended from Mount Olympus to bestow upon us mere mortals their immortal musical alchemy. As Rock and Roll progressed, with Jimmy doing his signature Rock and Roll stagger step, Trudy and I were hopping up and down on our seats, standing on our seats the only way we could see over the grownups in front of us. After the guitar solo, when Jimmy did his little leap, Trudy and I jumped as well, as various girls around us squealed. That's another thing I noticed being down front...lots of teenage flesh in hotpants and platforms. But let's get back to the music...

Rock and Roll was at it's end, Bonham flailing away like Animal of the Muppets during the final drum flurry, which leads to the rousing fanfare into Jimmy's solo intro to Celebration Day, notes flashing fast and furious from his vintage Les Paul. THIS was one of the moments I was already anticipating, for the previous 2 Zeppelin concerts had proven how great, and underrated, a song Celebration Day was in concert.

Tonight was no different...as Jimmy's opening guitar shot rapid fire notes, and Robert intones the opening lines, the song builds to that slight hesitation as Robert sings "and she wonders pretty soon everybody's gonna KNOWWWW" and then Bonzo, Jones and Jimmy SLAM into the song in total force, and the impact is UN-FUCKING-REAL!!!

Try to picture this in your mind...Bonzo and Jones are laying down this MASSIVE volcanically-erupting groove, Jonesy's bass inhabiting your bones, while Bonzo's drums wallop your guts, all the while he's staring intently at Jimmy, his mouth popping open from time to time like he's chewing gum and his head jerking with each accent of the beat. Meanwhile, Jimmy is slinking around the stage, guitar slung low, while carving out that ridiculously sexy funky Celebration Day riff. It's not that there's anything wrong with Rock and Roll, although even then it sounded slower in concert than on record, with Robert's vocals not as manic as the studio version, but Celebration Day, for me, is when the enormity of the concert hit me. The song seemed faster and more high energy than Rock and Roll.

And it was somewhere during Celebration Day that I lost it. How can I explain it to you? There isn't a bootleg in the world that can replicate the sound, the experience. Jimmy's guitar is sounding like 100 chainsaws carving that riff into your head...the bass and drums are exploding into your spine causing you to spontaneously jerk and dance about. The overwhelming loudness of the sound envelops you, harmonic overtones, that no bootleg can pick up, merging to create new tones and notes, raising the hair on your arms and sending tingles up and down your spine. On top of the the force of the groove and the sound, is the visual impact of Robert and Jimmy swaggering, thrusting, dancing across the stage...their movements somtimes in tandem, sometimes on their own, yet still strangely in sympatico with each other; the yin and yang. As Robert's voice, by now warmed up from the rough Rock and Roll opening, wails over the musical onslaught, and Jimmy's guitar cuts like a knife sharper than Bryan Adams will ever know, Jimmy struts to the front of the stage and I half expect him to just keep walking off the stage into the air above us. That is when I just erupt in tears of joy. I couldn't help it...I'm with my girlfriend and the band is sounding so good and they are fucking rocking the stage like they OWN IT! None of this tentative squirreling about like some bands. And Celebration Day is KICKING SO MUCH ASS! I tell you, I was in a state of happiness, of TOTAL BLISS, that the waterworks just flowed and flowed. I hugged Trudy and gave my BB a high-five as CD came to an end much too soon...they could have kept that groove going for another 10 minutes as far as I was concerned. And they should have made Celebration Day a permanent part of the setlist from 1971 on, I'm my opinion.

No time for dillydallying, Jimmy immediately slides into the Bring It On Home riff after CD...and Robert promises all the ladies in the house he's going to make them sweat and groove, as the band lurches into the serpentine riff of Black Dog, the third all-out hard rocker in a row to open the show. I always preferred the Bring It On Home riff as an opener to Black Dog to the Out on the Tiles riff, and here's why. With the Bring it riff, the segue to Black Dog seemed smoother. Also, I didn't particularly want to hear the actual song Bring It On Home, by then having grown bored with the early blues covers like Bring It and You Shook Me, so I liked when they shifted into Black Dog. But Out on the Tiles is one of my favourite songs, especially after hearing it on the Live on Blueberry Hill bootleg. So everytime they would play that opening riff to Out on the Tiles, I would get excited they were going to play the whole song. So I actually would feel a twinge of disappointment when they would go into Black Dog instead. C'mon guys, just ONCE gimme Out on the Tiles!

Black Dog swaggers to a close, Jimmy bringing the song to an end with a blazing run, and just like that, the opening three song assault is over, and us fans have a chance to cheer and welcome the band back to LA, as Robert says good evening and goes into one of his plantations, none of which I recall. It's funny, but even more so than in the stands, people down front yell all sorts of stuff at the band, thinking they're so close the band will hear them and respond. Greetings, requests...some musical, some sexual...non sequiters, all manner of nonsense is shouted at the band as a whole and at individual members; Jimmy and Robert topping the list, natch.

Another thing you notice up front is all the stuff that gets thrown on stage that the roadies periodically have to clear off. Joints, wadded balls of paper(notes, I presume), cards, flowers, candy, popcorn, items of clothing(some intimate)...it's quite a sight and probably quite a haul by the end of the night. Fortunately, Trudy refrained from throwing any clothing.

Jimmy took this time to remove his jacket, revealing an orange-red striped button-down shirt with black cuffs that I don't think I've seen him wear before...or since. In fact, both Jimmy and Robert are wearing shirts that I've hardly seen pop up in photographs other than in photos of tonight's gig.

With jacket removed, and Robert's introduction over, the folky beginning of Over the Hills and Far Away begins, as Jimmy's sweet cherry red Les Paul tone lulls you into a state of mellowness, as Robert sings to his lady...then WHAM! The volume increases ten-fold, and again, one of those ingenious simple-sounding yet complex riffs grabs hold of you, while Bonzo lays down a beat that at first seems at odds with the riff, but gradually reveals itself to be a marvel of deep-in-the-pocket groove. In fact, OTHAFA is one of those songs that was fun to watch the band play in concert. Jimmy hunched over, jerking his body to the riff, while Bonzo and Jones watched each other, working over the changes as Jimmy solo'd stratospherically over the top. Robert by now would throw in his Acapulco Gold aside to knowing looks and laughs among the stoners in the audience.

After the song drew to its languorous close, Jimmy bathed in deep blue light, I checked with Trudy to make sure she was okay...that it wasn't too loud or if she needed to rest. Before the concert, we said that we would stay to the end, but if she needed to go to the rest room, I would escort her, and if she got tired, she could sit and if possible, nap in her seat. So far, she was A-OK, thumbs-up, all systems go! Which was fine by me, as we were coming to another highlight of the show for me: the Misty Mountain Hop/Since I've Been Loving You tandem, signaled by Jones removing his bass and walking over to our left and sitting down at his keyboards, face-forward to the crowd, while Jimmy switched from the red Les Paul w/ black pickups to his customary Les Paul Sunburst.

Hippie funk-groove, followed by the sweeping, cinematic English blues drama of SIBLY. As the band charged into Misty Mountain Hop, the vibe of the show kept elevating...so many people dancing and smiling and having a goodtime. Apparently enpugh people in the crowd had experienced getting hassled by the cops over rolling papers to the point that the entire Forum wanted to escape to the Misty Mountains. Once again, the sound is massive, as Jimmy Page's guitar is in your face. Robert is doing all his hippie dances and wiggles across the stage while Jones' funky Fender Rhodes gives the song its colour. But it is Bonham who really drives the song, his every beat of the drum a mighty wallop, with the most awesome snare sound I've yet to hear...crisp, deep and resonant. Fill after fill with perfect timing electrifies the song until the final riff explodes, as Jimmy hits a switch and the guitar increases 10-fold in intensity and Bonzo does what seems like one continuous, roiling fill until the band reaches the point where it suddenly STOPS!

Leaving Jimmy to bend and sway as his fingers traverse the neck of his guitar, notes flying left and right until he slows into those familar notes that shift the band into Since I've Been Loving You. As the crowd howls in delight, especially the blues fans and guitar players amongst us, many of the crowd also begins to sit down, and Trudy is one of them, so I sit down with her. We still have some of our coke left and as we quench our thirst, I ask how she is liking the show so far. "Too much...it's far out", she replies. I put my arm around her as we settle in our chairs and watch the drama unfolding on stage. SIBLY is one of those moments where Jimmy trancends mere musicianship. He's not merely playing guitar, but making the guitar speak, as if the guitar itself had a soul. Or put another way, it's as if Jimmy and his Les Paul were fused into one, as if the guitar was just another extension of his body.

One thing I noticed with Jimmy Page, especially during SIBLY, is that he adjusted his tone and volume knobs on his guitar more than anybody I'd ever seen. Some guitarists I saw wouldn't touch their knobs once during an entire concert. Whereas Jimmy was constantly fiddling with the knobs, fipping the toggle switch...anything to create the variety of tones and sounds that emanated from his guitar. Considering the simplicity of his effects(compare his stage setup in 1973 to today's array of stompboxes taped down in front of every guitarists stage monitor), it's amazing the wide variety of sounds he got out of his guitar.

Again, just to listen is not enough, nor are pictures sufficient to suggest the total charasmatic effect that Jimmy playing the guitar on stage renders on you. And I fear my words fail to accurately portray the devastating impact of Pagey with a guitar. It goes beyond the way Jimmy moves and dances on stage, which is already beyond compare. Not Keith Richards, not Chuck Berry, not Richie Blackmore, not Mick Ralphs. Certainly not Clapton or Iommi, both of whom stand still as statues, making a guitar grimace once in a while. Pete Townshend is the only contemporary who comes close, and his vibe is more "athletic" with his jumps and windmills. Jimmy's vibe is more sinuous and sexy. His ability to dance and swagger and weave across the stage, while his slender frame is weighed down by some of the heaviest guitars in the business, the solid-body Les Paul and the Gibson doubleneck, is incredible enough. The fact that he often skitters across on one foot is miraculous and warrants comparison to James Brown. You think I'm kidding? Well, I'm not...if only someone would have filmed Jimmy at a 1973 concert, just focusing on his feet, you would be talking about his footwork with awe. To see it up close was breathtaking. But what truly made Jimmy a guitar god and sexually charasmatic to everyone in the arena no matter their sex or sexual orientation was the way he danced with his guitar while his feet were dancing upon the stage. Start with the fact that nobody wore his guitar slung as low as Jimmy. NOBODY. Most guitarists had their guitars strapped pretty high, which is the best position for clean, fast playing: Steve Howe, Richie Blackmore, Frank Zappa, the Grateful Dead guys...all guys who strapped it high. Keith Richards and Pete Townshend had theirs a little lower than that, but still nowhere near as low as Jimmy. And I'm sure Jimmy sacrificed some speed and accuracy having his guitar so low...that can't have been good for his wrist and shoulder. But I'll be damned if in 1973 I could tell for he sure sounded fast and accurate enough to me. And that was while he was doing electric gyrations across the stage. When he deigned to stand still like during Rain Song, he sounded as clean as his studio performances. But Jimmy wasn't built to stand still...he used his body to transmit to the audience every electric charge he was feeling through the music. Every whiplash chord, every sinewy solo, transmuted his body. At any given moment, he would swing his guitar away from his body, or hold it aloft with his right arm extended upwards to form a "V". He would be hunched over dramatically studiously focused on the fretboard, or gracefully arched back, back nearly parallel to the ground, while pulling of a solo. Or there were those tender moments, often during SIBLY, when he would pull the guitar up gently in a nearly vertical position, as if he were cradling a baby or a woman, and coax the most beautiful tones out of his instrument. It was a pas de deux between man and guitar and it was mesmerizing, both aurally and visually, beyond compare.

It was Godhead...sheer and utter GODHEAD! But while I was transfixed by the moans and groans emitting from Jimmy's guitar, my girlfriend Trudy was enraptured by something equally as powerful and potent: Robert Plant. Six feet of tanned, blond, British sex-on-two-legs. For while Page's guitar was emoting its way through SIBLY, so was Plant doing his moaning and groaning, while doing his mic stand parry-and-thrusting...sometimes hanging on and gripping the mic so tightly, you thought he would crush it. As Plant and Page engaged in their signature banter, with each seeking to echo and underscore what the other was doing, until both vocal and guitar lines were intertwined, the slow-burn drama of the song began to build towards that crucial hypnotic part right after the guitar solo. When I turned to look at Trudy, she had a look on her face that suggested she was transfixed. Not exactly a 1000 yard stare, she was keenly focused on Mr. Plant, a broad smile creasing her face until later in the song, she was just frozen in open-mouth wonderment. You know that scene in The Song Remains the Same movie, where that beautiful hooded girl breaks into a smile during SIBLY, overcome by the power of the song? That's what it was like watching Trudy during SIBLY. I can't say if it was the best SIBLY I ever saw...I tend to be partial to the SIBLY's where JPJ uses the Hammond B3 organ. But it was plenty emotional and definitely up there with the best.

Now came the Houses of the Holy trilogy of mood: the gloomy winter of No Quarter; summery surge of The Song Remains the Same; and pastoral spring of the Rain Song.

As Jones remained at the keyboards, the fog rolled in off the stage as Jones sounded the opening notes. It was incredible from this vantage point. It seemed at times as if the whole band would be swallowed up by the bank of fog, the stage lights giving it a haunting glow. I don't see how Jimmy could find his wahwah pedal in all that smoke. Speaking of Jimmy, this is one of those songs from Houses of the Holy that, while sounding perfectly okay on record, took on an extra depth, energy and power in concert. Jimmy's riff especially gained depth in concert. On the record, it's suitably fuzzy and kind of jazzy...but it lacks heft. The riff sounds thi and barely there. But not in concert. Once Jimmy stomps on his Crybaby, the riff CRUSHES your skull and you find yourself alone in the snowy, wintery night, chased by the dogs of doom. The sound of the song is MASSIVE...yet you look on stage, and there's ONLY THREE GUYS making this simultaneously huge, yet subtle and colourfully varied sound. No backing tapes or backup musicians a la the Who or Queen. No other 4-piece (which basically was a trio instrumentally, with a vocalist), could equal Zeppelin's sound in 1973. Black Sabbath? HA! Nice try, but ultimately a one-trick pony, and not helped at all by a shoddy muddy sound system.

To watch Led Zeppelin in concert was to be reminded once again of the mathematical trueism: the sum is greater than the parts. While each member of Led Zeppelin was spectacularly proficient on his individual instrument, it was the spontaneous combustion when they got together, the sum total of their talents, the off-the-charts group chemistry they had that made Led Zeppelin special.

Let's face it...Led Zeppelin was playing the same notes, the same blues scales as many other bands. But their talent and sheer force of personality made it appear to the audience that we were hearing these sounds for the first time. They sounded fresh and new the way Zeppelin played them, while Grand Funk, Deep Purple, Uriah Heap, and Sabbath sounded old and stodgy after awhile.

It was during No Quarter, as the lights turned blue and the band worked into the jam groove, that you noticed another singular element about Led Zeppelin...it wasn't so much notes they played, but colours and emotion. Bands like Emerson Lake and Palmer and Deep Purple would show off their instrumental chops and I wouldn't feel anything other than an overwhelming urge to chop off Keith Emerson's hands or knock Richie Blackmore's scowl off his face. With Zeppelin, their jams created a mood, an emotion tied to the song and to some distant yearning in the listener. Time stopped and you felt transported.

Jimmy remembered the second part of the solo, unlike San Francisco, and it was during the latter part of the song that we got the first taste of Jimmy's Theremin, accenting the howls of the dogs of doom. Followed by Jimmy going crazy on the wahwah. As was usual by now on the 73 tour, the song engendered a standing ovation. Trudy and I, along with most of the crowd, had spent SIBLY and No Quarter sitting down, but now were on our feet roaring. And as Jonesy took his bows, and moved to put his Fender bass back on, and Jimmy strapped on his iconic Gibson EDS-1275 12- and 6-string double-neck guitar...red body with black pickguard, thank you very much...I knew we wouldn't be sitting down soon. For by now I knew it was too early for Stairway to Heaven. Besides, with Jones on bass, that meant it was time for the rush of sound that was The Song Remains the Same.

Robert was doing an introduction to the song, and I believe he mentioned Rolling Stone magazine sarcastically...which I think he also did at Kezar. It seems Rolling Stone compared Led Zeppelin unfavourably to Slade, which when you think about it sounds ludicrous. But then, that's where Rolling Stone's head was at at the time. I mean, Slade had some moments but to put them in the same league as Zeppelin was laughable.

So, 1-2-3-4-GO! And The Song Remains the Same blasts us in the face, Bonzo's galloping beats and JPJ's rubberband-man bouncing bass lines underpinning the chiming bells of Jimmy's 12-string guitar. It's such a warm, beautiful sound...those ringing, chiming bells; what a TONE!

Then again, there's the magical, indescribable sight of skinny Jimmy, huge doubleneck strapped to his thin frame, weaving and bobbing around the stage, somehow managing to avoid crashing into the drums or decapitating Plant with his guitar. The song is so joyous to hear and see performed, that I'm almost moved to tears of joy again. Trudy and I are boogieing on our seats, as is my BB. The smells of cannabis and hash are in the air, but whether it's because I've built up a resistance or what, I don't really feel affected by it. The groove of the song is IMMENSE and INFECTIOUS! And the camaraderie among the band is evident, with Robert, Jimmy, John and Bonzo exchanging winks and smiles like they were the coolest boy's club in the world. Watching them, I want in...I want to play guitar like Jimmy Page and start a band. That becomes fixed in my brain as the state of supreme happiness.

When Robert sings "California sunlight", I cannot help but beam with state pride...California's mentioned in a Led Zeppelin song! I also notice something else...I prefer Robert's vocals on this song in concert than the helium vocals on the record. The Song Remains the Same is hurtling along, pell-mell, taking the crowd along in its frenzy. Shit is flying through the air and we're all just along for the ride. The song at once sounds tight and together and about to come apart at the seams. It's like Bonzo said "alright, everybody go on the count of 3, and meet you at the finish!"

The song comes to its end so quickly that you barely get your breath back before the sweet, lilting sound of Jimmy on the 6-string rings in the opening of Rain Song, as the bright lights dim to blue. FYI, Jimmy looks gorgeously spectral in this light. Now, I knew Rain Song followed TSRTS, but Trudy didn't, so as I knew she liked the song, I couldn't wait to see her reaction when the song began. She gave my hand an extra tight squeeze, and as everybody was sitting down again, as I sat down she sat on my lap and gave me a hug and whispered "thank you" in my ear. Again, Robert's vocals were perfect...so tender and filled with sincere emotion. I know some people think he lost it after 1972, but on some songs he sang better than ever. Immigrant Song might have been beyond his reach at this point, but he nailed all the Houses of the Holy songs.

As Jimmy and Jones, who now was seated at his white Mellotron facing right towards Jimmy and Bonzo, began the langorous instrumental interlude after Robert's opening verses, Trudy turned to me and kissed me deeply...and we kept kissing...and kissing all the way through til when the song gets to the rocking middle part. Everybody who has been to a concert with their significant other has had a moment like that. It's a memory emblazoned on my brain and one I will never forget. Whenever I hear Rain Song, I think back to that kiss.

As Jimmy delicately finger picks the closing arpeggios, and Plant brings the song to a rousing finish with a final wail, we are on our feet again giving the band another well-deserved standing ovation. People, mostly the girls, are shouting endearments to the band, as piercing whistles echo through the arena and bics flicker and glow in the darkness. Jimmy takes a bow and nods to the audience before handing his doubleneck to Raymond, his Scottish guitar roadie. As Robert also acknowledges the crowd, and the multifaceted Jones once again switches instruments, Jimmy rolls up his right sleeve. For now it's time to really get to work.

As Jimmy straps on his trusty Les Paul, Robert gives an introduction about an oldie...then only a single spotlight on Jones as the doomladened notes of his bass sound the beginning of "Dazed and Confused", in 1973 still one of the most anticipated songs of the night. A whoosh of expectation rushes through the crowd, as Jimmy sounds the first opening squeal of his guitar, heralded by a flash of smoke and fire and deep dark red lights. As Jimmy manipulates the sound of his guitar via his wahwah and and bending the strings behind the tuning peg, the mood turns positively evil. Is this the SAME BAND that just moments ago had transported us to a serene English meadow?

Okay, I have to confess I didn't like the way Robert sang Dazed and Confused in 1973...and 75 as well. Too much unnecessary squealing and changing the lyrics. Saying "I wanna make love to you little girl 25...25...25" over and over was annoying. It's a hoary blues cliche. Wished he would've stayed with the original "will your tongue wag so much when I send you the bill".

But the opening verses pass quickly enough, and 1973 is the last year where Jimmy really hits the vibrato during the chorus riff. Now it's on through the new segment developed for 1973, the fast solo and riffing bit leading into the "San Francisco" segment. I looked over at Trudy and she was still hanging in there. The band was cooking until suddenly it stopped and Jimmy shifted gears and began picking out the most beautifully melancholy melody I've ever heard. The genius of this band to just nonchalantly spring into a riff that other bands would kill for. As we all know by now, that riff was later used as part of "Achilles Last Stand", which I suppose is one reason why Dazed was dropped after 1975...although the band could've just dropped the "San Francisco/Woodstock" segment.

But as much as I love "Achilles", I feel that riff was most effective in the live Dazed and Confused's. It

felt more naked and vulnerable...more haunting. As Jimmy played the riff, and Jones and Bonzo figured out when to come in with the beat, Robert sang the lyrics to "San Francisco", the Scott McKenzie song I barely remembered from Monterey Pop. Then as Jimmy leaned on his wahwah and played that phasing sawing riff, Robert added his spectral moans courtesy of his echoplex.

Before you knew it, Jimmy was headed towards his wall of amps, and the moment everybody was looking forward to was at hand...Jimmy had the cello bow in his hand.

At first, as Jimmy applied the heavily rosined bow strings to his guitar, Jones and Bonzo gave light accompaniment, but soon they stopped as the stage darkened with the lights only on Jimmy. Now the bow segment began in earnest, as the most unearthly, loud, resonating howl emerged from the depths of hell. Then, as he began the part where he slaps, or whips the bow against the pickups, and pointing the bow in the direction the sound was reflecting, people began to lose their minds. The lights flashed and changed colour with every slap of the bow...blue, red, yellow, green, orange...as Jimmy pointed left, right, front, back with his bow, bow strings shredding, directing the sound around the arena. Then, the coup des grâce..the lights begin flashing rapidfire as shapes flicker in the background as Jimmy whips his guitar mercilessly, bow strings breaking and flailing everywhere, people in the front row trying to grasp the falling strands. It is one of the most indelible concert moments I've ever seen and heard. By this time Jimmy seemed 10-feet tall, and held complete command of all of us. But he was just beginning.

As he began bowing a spooky, scary-movie motif, I looked at Trudy and saw that she was sitting down, holding her hands over her ears, even with her earplugs already in...this was too much for her to take at her first concert. But like a trouper, she endured it with no complaint, unlike some other girls I took to concerts. One thing people often forget about the bow segment, is that it wasn't just about Jimmy. Depending on how inspired he felt, Robert would also contribute to the sound-orgy by adding his echoplexed melismic moans and howls to Jimmy's bow screeches. With the lightshow getting weirder and weirder, with trippy shapes and shadows projected onto Jimmy Page, the mood of the whole piece attained a level of evil dread that Black Sabbath could only dream of reaching. Every time I saw Black Sabbath, I could never take their attempts to be dark and evil seriously...mainly because Ozzy was such a ridiculous frontman. He was like a hyperactive frog.

As the bow segment reached it's climax, and Jimmy unleashed the hounds of hell, the sound began to drive you mad...you can't imagine how loud and shrill it was. Nor the white noise harmonic overtones that added to the texture of the sound. By now, Jimmy was frantically rubbing his fingers up and down the strings from the neck of his guitar to the pickups, while sawing his bow, with barely any strings left. With his hand rubbing more violently, I feared he was going to slice his hand on the strings. Bonzo joined in the final unholy climax of noise, and as Jimmy threw the bow away, the band got ready to gallop into the marathon jam, with Bonzo, Jones, and Jimmy hitting a few preparatory power chords before launching into the first fast guitar solo section familiar from the album version. From here the song becomes KINETIC personified. Behind the drums, Bonzo is hammering away at a racehorse pace, head snapping at the beat, each strike of the kick drum knocking you for a loop. Meanwhile, Jones is rolling through that endlessly looping bassline at inhuman speed, using just his fingers...NO PICK! Then there's Jimmy, strafing the audience with blitzkrieg runs up and down the neck of his guitar...how his guitar is still in tune after the violent lovemaking he gave it during the bow segment is beyond me. And don't forget Robert...he's not taking a break during this jam, either. Whether engaging in call-and-responses with Jimmy, or boogieing along to the music, Robert was a lion on the prowl.

As the band worked through the different changes, Jimmy, Bonham and Jones watching and listening to each other for the various cues, the incredible stamina of the band hit me with the force of a Bonham beat. Here we were, nearing the 90 minute mark, and while most bands would just be wrapping up their shows by now, Led Zeppelin were just getting started, savagely attacking their instruments with godlike intensity. The Rolling Stones would already be in their limos heading out of the Forum parking lot.

But Led Zeppelin asked no quarter...and they gave no quarter. When you entered a Led Zeppelin concert, you were entering a test of extreme stamina and emotions. Led Zeppelin was body music to the extreme, but it was also music for the head and psyche. After a Zeppelin concert, not only would your body feel pummeled, but your psyche, emotions and senses felt like they'd been put through the wringer. It was total immersion.

The boys were winging their way through the various twists and turns of the Dazed and Confused jam, Jimmy and Bonzo taking delight in prodding each other. My girlfriend had decided to take it all in sitting down...the storm of sound that is Dazed and Confused was a bit much for her. Baby steps I thought to myself...everything in good time. By now, sweat was flying off Jimmy's hair everytime he whipped around. I wouldn't be surprised if the people in the front row got sprinkled with a bit of holy sweat. As Jimmy navigated the twists and turns and dips and dives of the jam, he pulled out all the stops. Electro-stagger steps...laybacks...whirls and twirls...chicken dances. He was everything you want a guitar-hero to be...and his boundless energy was stunning to behold.

1973 was the last year I truly enjoyed Dazed and Confused from start to finish. In 1975, while I liked parts of Dazed, I found the energy of the piece as a whole, flagged at times...sometimes even coming to a complete halt. In 1973, the energy was NON-STOP! Like I said, it was a ocean of sound, a storm of sensory overload battering the senses. A complete contrast, say, to the jam in No Quarter. No Quarter was more a study in the use of space in a jam, Jonesey's piano, Jimmy's guitar, and Bonham's drums working off each other's tangents. Dazed and Confused was more about exploring every riff's possibility for themes and variations. That's why there's enough good riffs in Dazed and Confused to create 6 or 7 new songs.

Then, as if that wasn't enough, as the band comes to the end of the song, where any normal band would hurry to the finish, Led Zeppelin find one last spark of inspiration and take the audience on one last stratospheric jam...Bonzo and Jones engaging in a funky, bouncy round-and-round groove, while Jimmy goes in wahwah hyperspace. Just when you think the song couldn't last any longer, you're engrossed and groovin' to this spacey jam and you think to yourself that you wouldn't mind the jam going on for a while. Several minutes later, Bonzo's flying fists of fury are flailing around his kit at supersonic speed, and 30-some-odd minutes later, Dazed and Confused comes to an end. The band and audience both seem half- euphoric and half-exhausted. Jimmy smilingly accepts the hosannas of the rabid crowd. Again, the intensity and vibe of the crowd tonight seems 10 times the previous shows, which in turn seems to be inspiring the band to greater heights.

More Plantations follow, as Jimmy once again straps on the Gibson doubleneck, and Jones sits again at the Mellotron. I can't remember exactly when during the concert Plant made these remarks, but I know he mentioned Jimmy's hand injury and how he had been soaking it in a bucket of ice-cold water ever since the injury. He also said something to the effect of "you shouldn't be here tonight and we should be in England", in reference to the May 30 show being rescheduled for June 3.

Robert Plant's relaxed remarks and calm control of the stage revealed another reason why Plant was such a singular presence in the 70's. Apart from his sexual charisma and primal rock voice, it was refreshing to have a frontman from England that you could understand when he talked between songs. I couldn't understand half of what Mick Jagger or Ozzy Osbourne were talking about when they bantered between songs. Of course, it didn't help that they were yelling half the time. Which brings me to another plus about Plant...he wasn't a hype-meister who condescended to the crowd. Robert could talk and joke with the crowd with a quiet confidence, a relaxed nature that made a show feel intimate even though there were 18,000 other people in the room. And if he wanted quiet, he wasn't afraid to issue a curt "shut up a tic" to the crowd. Most frontmen so want to be liked that they're afraid of saying anything that would piss off the audience. But the quality I most admired in Robert was his refusal to be a hype-meister and phony. Mick Jagger and Ozzy Osbourne being two examples of the above. Mick and Ozzy found it necessary to constantly harangue the audience to make some noise and go crazy, always yelling, Yelling, YELLING at the audience. It's like they didn't trust the music to excite us, they had to whip us up in a frenzy like they were working a circus sideshow. It became annoying after a while. Sorry Mick and Ozzy, I don't always have to be jumping up and down and waving my hands in the air to have a good time. Sometimes I just want to be still and concentrate on the music. They are like the precursors to today's rap hype-men. Robert trusted Led Zeppelin's music to do the talking. He didn't need to scream the cliché "Are you ready to rock, Cleveland?" or the equally hoary "make some noise!"

Plus, the guy was gorgeous with the most amazing head of hair in rock history. I put it to you that no other rock frontman could have worn those flowery, feminine blouses that Plant wore, and still retain the masculine sexuality that Plant did. And Plant was sly enough, and confident enough in his masculinity, to allow the feminine, androgynous side to shine through, too. He was a sexual beacon for all.

But he wasn't the only one...and that is yet another reason Led Zeppelin had such a devastating impact on people, not just musically but sexually as well. For in addition to the blond Viking god, Robert, you had the yin to his yang, the dark, mysterious, ethereal Jimmy Page.

The next song showed this duality off to terrific effect. As Jimmy played one of the most instantly recognizable song intros ever, his guitar was momentarily drowned out by the huge roar of the crowd. Almost a year and a half since LZ IV's release and Stairway to Heaven had assumed anthem status. The blue lights sparkled off Jimmy's doubleneck, and reflected off the sweat on his face and in his hair. As Robert sang the opening lines, another roar erupted from the crowd, before everyone sat down to take in the song. This is where the band showed their understanding of pacing, as they knew after the half-hour of Dazed and Confused, the crowd would need a respite to regroup before building the audience's excitement back up again to carry over into Moby Dick. Stairway to Heaven was the perfect song choice.

Meanwhile Trudy had recovered from the Dazed and Confused onslaught, and liking Stairway to Heaven, her attention perked up...especially the way Robert Plant was glowing before her. Let me explain. While the majority of the stage was bathed in a cool blue light, golden spotlights shone on Robert from behind. So while his chest glistened with sweat in the mystic blue light, the spotlight behind him gave his hair a giant golden halo effect. I looked over at Trudy and once again, she had THAT LOOK. She had been zapped by the Golden God. And the effect was heightened by the fact that Robert stood mostly still while singing the first few verses of Stairway, so that when Robert looked our way, Trudy could imagine he was singing straight to her. Coupled with Jimmy standing to the side, blue light casting an ethereal shimmer on him, both Robert and Jimmy appeared to be a couple of Sylvan Sylphs, visiting our world to spread a little musical majick.

Bonzo soon added a little earthy reality as he came in with the beat, his snare sounding resoundingly through the Forum. Then, as the stage lights brightened to a white heat, it was time for Jimmy's fanfare, his doubleneck held aloft, vertically upright, fretboards parallel to his body. Then, THE SOLO! By now, it was de rigueur that every Stairway solo was different, which in my opinion, was a lot of pressure for Jimmy to put on himself. I mean, think of the strain and stress of having to come up with a different solo every night. But as I mentioned before, they asked no quarter, they gave no quarter. By the solo, most of us had risen to our feet again, and watched with elation as Jimmy tangoed with his doubleneck one last time for the night, wringing every last bit of emotion from the neck of his guitar. Come the final hard rocking part, and I think Plant stunned a few of us with the intensity of his attack on the final lyrics...he was holding nothing back. This was a band that still played Stairway to Heaven like they MEANT it. Needless to say, Plant's gentle reading of the final line triggered a massive wave of love as lighters were lit and more flowers thrown on stage and waves and waves of cheers descended upon the band as the lights hitting the mirror ball high above the arena threw 1000's of fractured shards of light spinning around the darkened Forum. Another memorable moment.

Now it was time for Bonham's showcase, Moby Dick, and it is a sign of the times that people still cheered a drum solo back then. But Trudy needed a pit stop, and as I had already seen 2 Moby Dick's this tour already(although I only remembered the Forum one), I didn't mind escorting her to the women's restroom and getting her a coke. Apparently we weren't the only ones making a pit stop at that time...as the line for the restrooms and snacks were huge. Judging by the length of the women's line, women have less of a tolerance for drum solos than men. The BB joined us, and while

waiting for Trudy to emerge from the bathroom,

we compared tonight's show so far with Bonzo's

Birthday show the previous Thursday while we hit

the men's room. I thought it was going even better

than Thursday's concert. He wasn't sure. We both

agreed the crowd seemed even more geeked up

than Thursday...more geeked up than any concert

crowd we had seen. FINALLY Trudy emerged from her restroom hell, and we headed to the snack bar line, where BB was already waiting for us, having gone ahead while I waited for Trudy. After nearly 20 minutes or so, we had drained our bladders and gotten some more coke to fill them up again. We were ready for the final stretch of the show..

As we made our way back to our seats, we saw the last bit of Moby Dick, as Robert shouted "John Bonham! John Henry Bonham! 25 years old" while Bonham stood up and tipped his hand to the crowd. Of course, Bonham's drum solo was so loud, that even though we were in line outside, we could still HEAR Bonzo even if we couldn't SEE him.

Meanwhile, there had been a few sartorial changes while Bonzo was making like Animal from the Muppets. Somehow, the red flowers in Plant's pants now were attached to Bonham's drumkit, and Plant had planted new flowers in his crotch. And Jimmy had ditched his sweaty orange-red shirt in exchange for a black zippered windbreaker jacket, with the zipper undone nearly all the way.

Bonham went into the 1973-style intro for Heartbreaker, and as Jimmy's wondrous 1973 tone carved its way like a scythe across the Forum as those buzz-saw riffs strutted like a tiger in heat, the band's intent became clear. It now became clear why the band dumped the acoustic set for the 1973 US tour.

As the 1973 US tour would be their longest and largest yet...more cities, more dates, larger venues...the band probably realized that they would attract a lot of casual and first-time fans on this tour. With the increased focus on Public Relations, there would also be increased media scrutiny. It seems, if you look at the setlist, and the way certain songs were linked together, that the band wanted to streamline their set for maximum impact. No more long gaps tuning up, or setting up acoustic guitars and stools. They kept the marathons the hard core fans loved (Dazed and Confused and Moby Dick), while adding enough of the eclectic and soft material to make up for the loss of the acoustic set(Rain Song, No Quarter, OTHAFA). And look at all the linkages, which cut way down on song intro time, not to mention equipment changes:

1. Rock and Roll>Celebration Day>Black Dog

2. Misty Mountain Hop>Since I've Been Loving You

3. The Song Remains the Same>Rain Song

4. Heartbreaker>Whole Lotta Love

Another consideration that may have led to the dropping of the acoustic set, is the reality that the ability of mics to pick up acoustic guitars in an arena setting with high quality was hit-and-miss in the early 70's. The band might have said let's wait until microphone technology improves before dealing with the hassles of miking acoustic guitars in a humid basketball arena. Just a hunch.

Whatever the reason, the 1973 setlist was a model of pacing and variety delivered for maximum impact.

Right off the bat, three quick all-out hard rockers: R & R, Celebration Day, and Black Dog.

Then, two more rockers that are slightly more eclectic: OTHAFA and Misty Mtn Hop.

Then a long stretch of new songs and old showcasing a variety of moods and tempos and solo showcases: SIBLY, No Quarter, TSRTS, Rain Song, D & C, Stairway, and Moby Dick.

Finally, the ramp back up to high energy rockers to send the crowd out on a high: Heartbreaker, WLL, The Ocean, Communication Breakdown.

Back to Heartbreaker...Bonzo is a friggen' marvel in this song; more than 2 hours of playing and right after completing a huge drum solo that would have exhausted most men, and John Henry is STILL delivering crisp fill after fill and hitting the beat hard. Jimmy is moving and grooving as only he can, and as he tempts and teases us during the wicked guitar solo, leaning out over the lip of the stage as he bends the strings behind the nut, it's hard to believe that he just recently injured his hand. You'd never know it the way Jimmy is blazing on guitar tonight. After I saw the Bonzo Birthday Party concert, I made a mental comparison between that show and the 1972 shows, and for the most part I felt the songs played in 73 were just as good, if not better than the same songs played in 72. The two major exceptions were Heartbreaker and Whole Lotta Love. I thought both those songs were played better in 72 than 73. And while tonight's Heartbreaker was better than May 31, I still didn't like the way it cut off the end to go into Whole

Lotta Love.

Whole Lotta Love started more smoothly than on May 31, more crisp and immediately in the groove. Watching Jimmy take a turn at the backing vocals was always a treat. But the real treat lay ahead during the Theremin segment. 1973 is when the

Theremin segment came into its own. They ditched

the bongo and organ underpinnings from the

past, and finally got down and funky, with Bonham and Jones laying down a mean groove, while Page and Plant did battle with each other. Most of the time they would lead into the Theremin segment with a bit of The Crunge or some James Brown groove. But tonight they dove right into the Theremin segment, with Jones and Bonzo establishing the beat, as Plant asked where that confounding bridge was..."Has anybody seen the bridge?" But the main event occured when Jimmy cranked up his Theremin and Gizmotron, which I think were run through his Orange Amps. In one corner you had Plant at the left, his echoplexed orgasmic moans and cries of love whirling around the Forum as he pirouetted around the mic stand. Then in the right corner stood Jimmy, the Grand Wizard of Sound, directing with his elaborate hand movements bolts of whooshing and whirring sound to do battle with Plants orgiastic wails. It was like a Battle Royale...and once again, another indelible concert memory was imprinted on my psyche. There Jimmy was, hands arcing this way and that as he slid and stalked across the stage, his arms and hands directing the eerie electronic sounds this way and that. Truly remarkable...what a showman Jimmy is.

This theremin duel seemed to last a little longer than most...as if they were having one last bit of fun before the tour break. The crazy sounds were whirling around your head, buzzing your brain while Bonzo and Jones were making everybody get their groove on. After about 5 minutes of delirium, Jimmy cranked his guitar up again and launched into the famous WLL solo. One more verse and chorus and Plant unleashed one of his epic "Wanna whole lotta LOOOOOOOOOVE!"

Now the other night, they only did Boogie Mama, which kind of disappointed me, being used to the 25-minute Whole Lotta Loves with the wacky medleys. So right away I was stoked, as when Plant would normally begin his "Last night" spiel, he instead said "I'm going down", and the band followed suit, Jimmy nailing that staccato riff. YES! This what I wanted...something different and spontaneous. I was holding Trudy's hand and we were swinging our arms back and forth. A couple more verses and a guitar solo, then the band is crunching out the I'm A Man riff, then it's The Hunter...awesome, as this is one of my favourite parts of How Many More Times! Finally the band lets Robert tell us about his mama and his papa, too. This boy's reached the age of 24 and he wants to BOO-BOO-BOO-BOO-BOO-BOO-BOOGIE! When Jimmy starts that Boogie Mama riff, the anticipation and excitement builds until the whole band joins in and the Forum explodes with joy, as the infectious tune has the crowd happy and boogieing. Robert is shaking it one time for Elvis...well, actually he's shaking it a helluva lot more times than once. While Robert is shaking his bum, Jimmy is reeling off solo after solo, as once again the band's energy and stamina is a marvel. Just like that Robert intones "Woman...woman...woman", and we're back to finish Whole Lotta Love. "Waaaaayyyy down insiiiiide..." As Robert heads to the finale, I make sure Trudy can see as I don't want her to miss this...we have our arms around each other. The band hits those two power chords as Plant gathers himself for that epic "LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!"

Bonham starts his rat-a-tat fill as the lights briefly flash and dim until right at the moment Jimmy comes in with the WLL riff and BLAM BLAM BLAM! Three fireballs explode behind the stage, the heat of the fire warming our faces! Trudy freaks out at the explosions...she wasn't expecting THAT, hahaha. Oh, but there's more pyro to come...as Jimmy plays the wahwah variation of the riff, Bonzo's gong is prepared with the lighter fluid soaked wraps. All hell breaks loose then as Jones and Jimmy are slashing away at their instruments, Plant is howling above the din, and Bonzo bashes away at his Gong of Fire, flames surrounding Bonham as the whole thing becomes a sight-and-sound bonanza, crescendoing deliriously to the finish. The crowd is a sea of madness...we've been whipped into a frenzy and the band hasn't even left the stage before cries of "MORE!" ring out. Now some bands will only wait 30 seconds to a minute before coming back out for the encore. Led Zeppelin is different, natch. They make sure the audience is serious about wanting an encore, making us clap and scream and stomp deliriously for almost 5 minutes before the band makes it's way on stage. There's been more stuff thrown on stage in the interim.

Now, one way the 1973 Oceans were better than the 1972s, was that in 73 you got the Bonham spoken-word intro, which was always a treat. Bonham also sang harmony with Plant on the la la la part. The Ocean is a song for the fans, and the fans eat it up. It's snappy riff and monster beat lends itself to a happy vibe. It's a giant party in the Forum as people are clapping and dancing up a storm! Trudy and I have got our second wind and are dancing as energetically as we were earlier in the night, 2 and a half hours ago. Now, having had the Houses of the Holy album for 2 months, I had already memorized most of the lyrics, so I knew The Ocean by heart. On the May 31 show, I thought perhaps Plant switched lyrics during The Ocean, but I wasn't sure. So tonight as the band played The Ocean, I silently sang along and sure enough, Robert switched the 2nd and 3rd verses! Of course, I was later to discover he had a habit of transposing lyrics to other songs: Kashmir, TSRTS, No Quarter, Sick Again, Trampled Underfoot. The Ocean is such a killer song, though, I didn't really care about Robert's lyrical switch. Once again, as I watched Jimmy uncork another one of his rubberband-leg dances and the obvious relish with which the band was playing the tune, I think this is such a perfect encore song...one for the fans. In hindsight, I wish they hadn't dropped it from the set so quick...it would have made a better encore song in 1975 than Black Dog. Same in 77.

The Ocean is so infectious and sweeps you up into

its party wake so easily that it's over much too

quickly. And just like that the band is off again,

while this crowd is not going to settle for one

encore. I'm still kind of hoping, since this is the last night of the leg, that we'll get a blow-out of the likes of the June 25, 1972 show, with multiple

encores. But as the setlist was exactly the same on

May 31 and June 2, and so far tonight as well, I

wasn't getting my hopes up.

A few more minutes of hooting and hollering and back come the guys for a second encore. I listened to my "Three Days After" bootleg so many times in the 70's and 80's, that I can still recall exactly what Robert said before the starting the song: "This is something we don't seem to have trouble with...". And Jimmy warms up the Les Paul, then rockets into Communication Breakdown, an early precursor to speed metal, and already faster and heavier than Black Sabbath's Paranoid. The song unleashes a flurry of headbanging in the Forum, your humble narrator included. Until after the solo, when the band switches gears effortlessly from metal to funk, as the band extrapolates on the O'Jays "It's Your Thing" groove, with Jimmy weaving an incredible snake-like riff in and around the beat. What a conjurer of riffs...what a snakecharmer Jimmy is!

The band quickly ramps back to finish Communication Breakdown after the funky interlude. And afterwards, I'm expecting the band to take their bows again and say their goodbyes and disappear off stage. But WAIT! They're making no move to leave the stage...are we, the final night's audience, who have already proven to be one of the loudest and intense, going to get a special treat? YOU BETCHA! I have to bite my lip to contain my excitement as Jonesy sits behind his Hammond B3 organ. Robert then says, "We'd like to say something else." Jones then starts playing his organ solo,  and I am so beside myself, I'm practically levitating. For while she knew Rain Song would be played, as I told her, I also said they had not played Thank You. But knowing that Jones organ solo lead into Thank You, I began to get goose bumps from excitement. Since Trudy didn't know this, I decided not to tell her so it would be a surprise. As Jones executed a sweet gospel-inflected solo, leading to the final fade into silence, as Jimmy prepared to enter, I was literally bursting. Then came those delicate opening chords to Thank You, before Jones and Bonzo entered and Jimmy cranked the volume on his guitar and the riff exploded as a cheer went up. I looked at Trudy and she looked so happy and so awestruck at the same time...we immediately began to kiss, standing on our seats in the middle of the crowd with the song enveloping us. Now, if you've heard the Three Days After boot, you know that after the initial cheer when Thank You begins, 30 seconds later an even larger cheer occurs. Something obviously happened. But what? That is what people have been asking me for years...and I tell 'em, I don't have a clue. For while that was going on, Trudy and I had locked lips and were holding our bodies tight against each other as we let the warm sound of the song cocoon us. So I don't know what caused that sudden crowd eruption...maybe a stage diver? Someone threw a giant joint on stage? A streaker? Maybe Silver Rider climbed up on stage and gave Jimmy a kiss?

All I know is that once again, I was in a state of absolute bliss, such extreme happiness, that I thoought I was having an out of body experience. Here I was, 11 years old, with a sweet girlfriend, whose tongue was doing loop-de-loos in my mouth...AND I already had 5 LED ZEPPELIN concerts under my belt. I knew that no matter what darkness the future held for me, the memory of this night would sustain me through any tough times.

And it did...and still does to this day.

Frankly, Thank You was a blur that night...was it as good as 72 or earlier versions? I don't know. It sounded pretty good to Trudy and me that night! All I know is that we got to hear one of the last Thank Yous ever...definitely the LAST THANK YOU IN L.A.!

Again, Thank You seemed such a perfect encore song, you wonder why it wasn't played as an encore all the time. Thank You over, we held out hope for another encore, so after the band bowed and said good night and goodbye, we stuck around just in case. But really, how could the band top that...Thank You was the perfect song to go out on.

We waited for the house lights to come up, so we weren't stumbling in the dark. Now it's one thing to leave the Forum from the stands, whereby you exit through the concourse and soon you're outside in the fresh air. But on the floor, once the lights come up, you're hit in the face with the craziness...all around you on the floor are hats, glasses, various shoes, ticket stubs, t-shirts left behind, a tambourine, trash of all shapes and sizes, spilled coke and beer. The detritus left behind at a concert is truly staggering. As we left our seats and headed for the tunnel that led out to the parking lot, I noticed a group of fans lingering at the front of the stage talking to the security guys...perhaps trying to talk their way backstage. Today, people try to get the roadies to hand them a setlist or a stray drumstick, but Zeppelin never used printed setlists.

Walking through the spilled drinks on the floor was one thing, but when we hit the tunnel...PEEUW! As loud shouts of "ZEPPELIN!" and "Fuck Yeah!" and "ROCK AND ROLL!" and "WOO HOO!" sounded through the corridor,  the overwhelming stench of stale beer and sweat hit us in the narrow tunnel. What a blessed relief to finally make it outside in the crisp June night air.

After orienting ourselves, we found BB's Chevy Malibu, and joined the line of cars exiting the parking lot. Sure, it's a bit of a wait...but totally worth it. I feel sorry for those that left early to beat the traffic and missed Thank You.

Trudy and I are still in a state of bliss...we fairly floated out of the Forum. In my excited state and the glow of L-O-V-E suffusing me, I declare that that was the best concert I've ever seen. Trudy is too overwhelmed by it all to say much. The BB decides to treat us to a post-show nosh, and we hit the classic A-Frame IHOP down the street from the Forum on Manchester. While Trudy and I peruse the menu, BB makes a call to Trudy's mom to let her know the situation...we're having a post-show meal and then we'll head home. Trudy and I decide to share an order of strawberry pancakes with whip cream. And hot chocolate. They taste pretty good...but then, pretty much all food tastes good after midnight when you've been at a concert all night. Trudy can't wait to tell her friends and sister about the concert...she's finally in a state where she can talk about the show. She thought it was wild and made me promise to take her to see Zeppelin again the next time they played LA. She didn't care for Dazed and Confused though...that was too much for her. She said she literally got scared during the bow segment...it was hurting her ears and freaked her out. The BB said he thought the show was better than May 31, but that the 72 Forum was best overall...he missed the acoustic set.

Our hunger sated, we headed home, south on the 405, Trudy asleep with her head on my lap, as BB drove. I ruminated over all my favourite bands and concerts I had seen...the Stones, Dylan, Beatles, Pink Floyd, Marvin Gaye, David Bowie, Jethro Tull, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Yes, ELP, Elvis Presley, Roberta Flack, Joni Mitchell. It was now 1973...ten years from when the Beatles burst on the scene. A full decade. And in 1973, Led Zeppelin seemed to be the supreme summation of all the influences that came before that led to the developing of hard rock and also represent the possibilities for hard rock to transcend its influences and barriers. No other band did what they did...with the variety and power that they did it with. Not that other bands weren't good...the Stones, Floyd, Yes, Jethro Tull...all had something to recommend them. But when I measured them against Led Zeppelin, they all came up short...and I'm not just referring to the length of their concerts.

Seeing Led Zeppelin confirmed to me that while my eclectic taste would allow me to listen to and love a wide range of bands...even bands with no guitars and drum machines...it would always be hard rock, or at least Zeppelin-style hard rock that would be my primary taste. And it would be the electric guitar that represented the sound of rock and roll. And Jimmy Page was THE MAN in 1973, when it came to the electric guitar.

1973 was the year Led Zeppelin ascended Mount Olympus. Houses of the Holy returned them to #1 on the Billboard chart. Their 1973 European and US tours were mega-successful. They broke the Beatles long-standing attendance record and caused hysteria with nearly every concert. Word-of-mouth spread like wildfire. They could even afford to hire their own plane...the Starship. If in 1971, Stairway to Heaven made them superstars, by the end of the 73 tour Led Zeppelin had gone from superstars to rock gods.

In a rare case of the reality not only matching, but exceeding the marketing hype, Led Zeppelin in concert delivered the goods, and then some.

Led Zeppelin: The effect truly was SHATTERING.

Postscript...one of the after-effects of the concert was that Trudy became obsessed with Robert Plant...and with long, blond hair. I didn't have blond hair. Shortly after my birthday, she left me for some surfer with blond locks.

She came back to me two weeks later because he was a lousy kisser.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

[kerlonsale]

Best serato dj controller

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In short, it’s on this list for good reason! With help from its built-in drum machine and 16-step sequencer, the DJ-505 is arguably the best in this price bracket with regards to performance / ‘on the fly’ remixing capabilities.Īnd as with all three of the Roland controllers in the series, the inclusion of the classic drum machine samples from the acid house era is a great selling point. It’s the perfect step up from the DJ-202 in the beginner price bracket if you want something more substantial and professional-looking.Īlso, it’s nearly half the price of Roland’s flagship DJ-808 in the upper price bracket, yet still has a lot of the same functionality. Size: Width 530mm x Depth 402mm x Height 73mm.Īt under $700, the DJ-505 is a fantastic option for any aspiring electronic music DJ/producer with a preference for using Serato, and would perhaps also suit a musician that fancies getting a capable DJ controller.

BEST SERATO DJ CONTROLLER PLUS

External output to connect turntables or CDJs – plus all professional inputs & outputs that you wouldn’t get from a lower price bracket.

Classic 16-step sequencer that can trigger either TR drum sounds or the Serato Sampler new features include nudge (TR-S), step-roll, and instrument/sample mute.

TR kits contain eight sounds–Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Closed Hat, Open Hat, Tom, Rim, Clap, and Ride–that can be played on the performance pads and triggered from the sequencer.

Comes with built-in drum machine, includes samples from Roland’s classic TR-606, TR707, TR-808 and TR-909 drum machines models as popularized in the 80s with acid house.

8 multi-function performance pads for each channel with Hot Cue, Roll, Slicer, TR, Pattern and Sampler modes.

Large low-latency jog wheels optimized for scratching.

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Comes with a Serato Tool Kit license (includes Serato Flip, Pitch ‘N Time plugin plus Serato DJ FX packs).

2-channel mixer, 4-deck capability with Serato DJ Pro.

BEST SERATO DJ CONTROLLER PRO

As with the other rekordbox controllers in the series, it’s designed to mimic a club-style layout, thus providing a smoother learning curve if and when you use pro gear in a venue. The DDJ-800 is basically a more lightweight and compact version of the DDJ-1000 (in the upper price bracket to this one). The DDJ-800 also has a ‘microphone feedback reducer’ that activates within rekordbox, which would be handy if you have two microphones plugged in at once, or if you have MCs walking in front of the speakers, for example. There are also ‘jog adjust’ knobs that allow you to customize the resistance on each jog wheel –- same as you’d get on CDJs. The high-quality aluminium jog wheels have built-in LCD screens, minimizing the need to constantly look at your laptop. Size: Width 632mm x Depth 334mm x Height 70mm.External output to connect turntables or CDJs includes all professional inputs & outputs that you wouldn’t get from a lower price bracket.¼-inch and 1/8-inch headphone output jacks on the front.Built-in ‘Beat FX’ taken from Pioneer’s DJM (pro) club mixers.‘Jog adjust’ knob to customize the jog wheel resistance, for preference and optimized scratching.8 multi-colour rubber performance pads for each channel to trigger hot cues, Pad FX, Beat Jump, Sampler, Keyboard Mode, Beat Loop and Key Shift.High-definition LCD screens built into jog wheel displays (settings are customizable within rekordbox to show preferred data).3-band EQ as standard, with filter and gain knobs on each channel.Layout designed to emulate Pioneer’s CDJ media players and DJM (mixer) club setup.2-channel mixer, 4-deck capability within rekordbox.

[rastronomicals]

4:25 AM EDT July 4, 2024:

Can - "Yoo Doo Right (3p Mix)" From the album Sacrilege (1997)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

Not sure how this entered my music collection, but it's definitely the first Can record I ever had, which is weird, considering how it's not really a Can record. It's a drum and bass record or a progressive or ambient house record, if not quite a Fancy-Restaurant-Music record.

In the liner notes, Brian Eno (somewhat clumsily) says that "any attempt to do anything rhythmic against Jaki [Liebezeit, Can drummer] is an insult to his beautiful, spare playing, and just fills up the gaps he so gracefully left. Turning things into loops destroys the delicate balance [Can] always kept between the mechanical and the human."

Not sure that Mr. Eno nails it, but he's in the neighborhood. The thing is that remixers (endlessly, and as Eno recognizes, loopingly) rely on the drum breaks from '60's and '70's soul and funk music, while Jaki Liebezeit sounds nothing at all like that. He's toms, not snares, and he's beat-behind, not beat-forward. So this record recorded from pieces and bits sounds nothing like the band that inspired it. You might think that machines like samplers and TR-808s would be an excellent way to mimic the beats of a drummer who so publicly expressed his admiration for the music of the machine, but no: they don't get it done.

It's nice to upon occasion to listen (especially while mobile) to stuff that drops the bass in the same fashion as so much of the annoying and graceless music you hear on the streets. And the artifacts of the Can songs left in the remixes remind me as I listen that whoa, it's so much better. But I'd really just rather listen to Ege Bamyasi

File under: Krautrock with the Krautrock removed

[mainscube]

Best serato dj controller

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Dedicated Serato DJ controls allow quick creation and triggering of hot cues, loops, and samples, plus switching between four decks with the Deck Select button. Scratch and cue with confidence using the DJ-202’s large, low-latency platters, which are the absolute best in its class. The DJ-202’s expanded TR sounds include Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Closed Hat, Open Hat, Tom, Rim, Clap, and Ride, providing a wide range of options to create layered drum sounds and evolving sequences. Using Roland’s patented ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) technology, the DJ-202 faithfully recreates the original sound of these machines, giving you the tools to create rhythm tracks using the same sound palette as the world’s foremost musical icons. The Roland Drum Machine Legacy in a DJ Controllerįrom the TR-909’s unmistakable hi-hats to the foundation-shaking boom of the TR-808, Roland TR drum machines have defined the sound of entire genres of modern music, from hip-hop, house, techno, and electro in the ’80s and ’90s right up to the trap music sound of today. And with 24-bit/48 kHz fidelity and Roland’s high-resolution audio hardware, your performances will sound amazing on any sound system. The intuitive layout of the DJ-202 and its plug-and-play connectivity will have you DJing in no time at all. Its compact, lightweight design and easy-grab handles allow DJs the portability they need for all types of events-mobile applications, house parties, club rocking, beat battles, and more. The DJ-202 is a two-channel, four-deck controller that’s powered via USB and capable of being transported and set up with minimal effort. Use Serato DJ to organize and build music libraries or integrate songs from iTunes-just drag a track to the deck, set and trigger cues, loops, and samples, and apply basic FX.

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Serato DJ Lite included free Serato DJ Pro upgrade available (U.S.

Connect straight to your speakers or amplifier via RCA stereo outputs.

Compact, rugged, and lightweight design with easy-grab handles for optimal portability.

24-bit/48 kHz audio fidelity with high-resolution digital-to-analog converters.

Mic input with gate, hi-pass, reverb, and echo FX.

MIDI output for synchronizing external devices with tracks in Serato DJ.

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Eight dedicated pads with Hot Cue, Loop, Sequencer, and Sampler modes for controlling Serato DJ software.

Onboard sequencer that controls Serato DJ’s sampler for on-the-fly beat creation.

Eight sounds in each TR kit: Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Closed Hat, Open Hat, Tom, Rim, Clap, and Ride.

Built-in drum kits from Roland’s legendary TR-909, TR-808, TR-707, and TR-606, realized with advanced ACB (Analog Circuit Behavior) technology.

Large platters with the lowest available latency, optimized for scratching.

Two-channel, four-deck controller for Serato DJ Lite (free Serato DJ Pro upgrade available in U.S.

With its large, low-latency platters, dedicated pad and transport controls, onboard sequencer, and mic input with professional vocal FX, the DJ-202 packs in the most features of any controller in its class. comes with a free upgrade to Serato DJ Pro and preserves the concept of the flagship DJ-808 and streamlined DJ-505, allowing unparalleled flexibility to DJ, remix, and produce beats on the fly while performing live or creating in the studio.

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The Roland DJ-202 is a forward-thinking Serato DJ controller that gives DJs the features and layout of a full-size professional controller in a rugged and portable unit. DJ-202 MIXPACK Where to Buy Mix, Scratch, Sequence.

[fantasticvewor]

Saskatoon rag player piano

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The titles of these rolls indicate the mood of music which one would play to match the action projected on the screen. The Picturolls were cut with a unique combination of long and short holes in the paper to make the piano and the organ pipes perform better together. were made specifically for the fotoplayer. Though any piano roll could be used on the fotoplayer, the Picturoll made by the Film Music Co. With the flick of a lever the mood can be changed from an exciting chase to a mushy love scene. Not only does this keep a constant flow of music without interruption, but it also allows the operator to change the music to suit the scene instantly. Dual Roll PlayerĪ unique feature of the fotoplayer is the dual roll player. Larger model fotoplayers used two side chests that contained a wider array of pipes and sound effects. Concealed under the lid or behind the pipes are the crash cymbal, wind siren, bird whistle, thunder, and police siren. Visible are the organ pipes, snare and bass drums, ride cymbal, castanets, cowbell, wood block, tambourine, and chime. The side chest houses most of the organ pipes and sound effects. The pedals at the floor are used for thunder, bass drum/cymbal, soft piano, sustain, snare drum, and police siren. The triangle, castanets, tambourine, wood block, snare drum and cowbell are also controlled from telegraph type keys in this same location. Some switches also control the xylophone and mandolin sounds while push buttons control sound effects such as sleigh bells, door bell, car horn, and bird whistle.

#Saskatoon rag player piano series#

Just above the keyboard there is a series of switches that can turn on and off the tremolo effect and various organ pipes ranging from bass flute to violin. From top to bottom there are pull cords that control gun shot, wind siren, ride and crash cymbals, train whistle, chime, tom-tom, and bass drum. The piano console houses the piano, sleigh bells, xylophone, claxon horn, siren, triangle and a variety of organ pipes. It was meticulously restored by Joe Rinaudo in 1976…after being shipped back to California. and shipped to a theater in Saskatchewan Canada. This machine was originally built in 1926 in Van Nuys Calif. When sound films came into being in the late 1920’s, the fotoplayer became passé. Of the thousands of American fotoplayers made during their heyday, sadly less than 50 survive, and of those only 12 are known to be in playing condition. Pedals, levers, switches, buttons, and pull cords were all used to turn on the xylophone, beat a drum, ring a bell, create the sound of thunder, or chirp like a bird. The fotoplayer used a fascinating combination of piano, organ pipes, drums, and various sound effects designed to narrate the action of any silent film. Fotoplayers were in expensive to operate because you didn’t have to be a musician to play them as they were also playable by way of player piano rolls. These machines appeared around 1912 and were used in medium sized theaters. The fotoplayer (“foto” from photoplay and “player” from player piano) is a wonderful contraption that was built to provide music and sound effects for silent movies. So what exactly is an American Fotoplayer ? Joe Rinaudo, founder of the Silent Cinema Society, has a passion for antique phonographs, hand crank motion picture projectors, and mechanical musical instruments. Among these, his most prized possession is the American Fotoplayer. Joe Rinaudo discusses the American Fotoplayer: Undertale - Bonetrousle/Papyrus, Megalovania, Death By GlamourPlug your ears! Joe Rinaudo demonstrates his American Fotoplayer on Huell Howser’s California Gold: Touhou - Beloved Tomboyish Girl, Night Of Nights Sword Art Online - Courage, Crossing Field, Ignite, Lizbeth Theme Steven Universe - Theme, Stronger Than You, Connie's Theme, Death Rag Kuroshisuji (Black Butler) - Alois Trancy Theme, Monochrome No Kiss, Shiver Kingdom Hearts - Xion's Theme, Dearly Beloved Five Nights at Freddy's - Break My Mind, Just Gold, Good Ending, Survive The Night Ed Sheeran - I See Fire, The A Team, Thinking Out Loud Attack On Titan - Theme, Jiyuu No Tsubasa (Opening 2), The Reluctant Hero ★ Left/Right hand coloring (not all songs yet) ★ Step forward and backward for easier learning ★ 226 songs to select from, and more is coming

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This app is ported from Windows Phone to a Universal app, and has 500.000+ downloads on Windows Phone. NOTE! This is not a piano to play on - this feature may come later.

#Saskatoon rag player piano how to#

Listen to beautiful piano tunes, and learn how to play them.

[tmbgareok]

Listening closely to old live recordings from the tape machine days, you can tell that the tape tracks were regularly updated/resequenced/re-recorded throughout the years. Did this happen every tour, to try and gel the sound of the earlier stuff with the current stuff? (The way Youth Culture Killed My Dog sounded on the Flood tour stands out.) Or was there another reasoning that bore the necessity? And did both Johns participate in re-creating the tapes? Thanks!

JF: we played a LOT of shows from ‘85-’92. Until 1990 the rhythm tracks were made on a 4 track TEAC, then they were mixed from drum machines and midi sound modules through a board and into the multi track directly. 

In 83, 84, 85 many of the tapes were made with a pretty wide open combination of a micro-Moog for bass and often kick or snare sounds, sometimes real snares or high hats, shakers, tambourines, drum sticks on various objects and some tracks even have kick drums created by JL thumping his thumb on a sm57. Because we aware and concerned that the track could easily overwhelm the amount of sound we were making we had kind of a “Dogma”-like set of limits on how much we put on it. Typically it would be 1. kick drum 2. snare and toms 3. hi hat and other cymbals 4. bass. maybe a special sound.

Starting in ‘84 we would make “show tapes” from the multi-tracks. For an interval we used a Marantz portable (but “pro”) cassette deck for playback, but in 85 or so we moved to a two track TASCAM 7″ open reel which was a big step up sound wise. These tapes would get played five to seven nights a week, often twice a night while we rehearsed, which we did constantly. Because we listened to them so much, we found they needed tweaks to be improved especially to keep volumes consistent between songs, and  because we played them so much, they actually wore out pretty quickly.We also got drum machines and created improved programmed versions of the the tracks. The first was a grey market Yamaha RX-15 drum machine which was the sound of about 2/3 of the Pink album. It if very crisp and percussive, and not particularly realistic with a very limited set of sounds. When we set out to tour behind Lincoln, we once again improved the tracks by using the Alesis HR16 drum machine, which actually had sampled drum sounds and a much larger variety of sounds and a far more natural tone.

When we started touring nationally in 86-87 we played many nights of the year, but we still actively restructured the show–usually between sound check and show, where I would re-splicing the sequence.

The final evolution in playback was moving to an Otari 8 track machine for the Flood tour (which pretty much all of 1990) Any of the old tracks were again retracked, often using the Roland R8 drum machine which was kind of the last of the big drum machine libraries (some very very familiar sounds from big budget dance tracks–anything new jack swing styled tracks of the moment C+C Music Factory, etc.) The sound was much crisper while still often realistic, and the Otari tape recorder we had for playback was eight individual tracks with every element available to be custom contoured to the venue we were playing in, so no more out of control bass or kick drum sounds, or muffled hi hats. We could also “hide” count offs just to our monitors. while some songs had bass or drum lead ins, there were still plenty of four count hi hats patterns kicking off songs, but by just putting them on an isolated track that was only played through our monitor wedge there was bit of slickness there.

We did one final tape-based tour in 1992 in the US but hadn’t had enough time to really address making the show fresh, and it sudden’y felt like we were doing the same show as the previous tour for the first time, so then we “experimented” with a live band and never returned.

[thesunlounge]

Reviews 292: Quiroga

For whatever reason, I feel a close kinship to the far-out sonics emanating from Napoli and among the many eclectic and adventurous artists working there, I am particularly zoned in on the productions of Walter Del Vecchio, otherwise known as Quiroga. With his label Really Swing and alongside a collection of like minded musicians and producers that includes the 291out collective, Dario Bass, Bop Singlayer, and Edizioni Mondo main-man L.U.C.A., Quiroga has created a wonderfully weird and completely unique universe, which, to paraphrase and expand on what I said in my review of Cups and Balls, mixes live instrumentation and sampling to explore the outer realms of library music, Italo funk, soul, chill-out, ambient, drone, and jazz fusion. And on Passages, the long-awaited full length from the artist released through Hell Yeah Recordings, all of these styles (and more) have been deftly woven into an immersive journey of paradise balearica. Riffed out expanses of stoner prog give way to laid back stretches of sun-kissed jazz, with sea foam pads washing over e-piano starscapes and cinematic orchestrations wrapping the heart in golden threads. Energetic house jammers break into funky keyboard freakouts, exotica textures morph and mutate through fourth world jungles, instrumental hip-hop burners sparkle with aquatic chill-out energy, and shimmering new age electronics ripple through interstellar oceans as the spirit is transported to some faraway dreamworld, one where all worries, anxieties, and fears melt away into a fantastical coalescence of Caribbean beaches, Hollywood sunsets, Mediterranean breezes, and Afro-cosmic jungles.

Quiroga - Passages (Hell Yeah Recordings, 2019) Passages starts with “Got Your Love,” which originally opened the B-side of Quiroga’s Vol 8 on Really Swing. Interstellar transmissions flitter while tribal machine toms interact with gurgling vocalisms. Aquatic squelches filter and flow as the drums pull away, leaving smeared out keys to hover, and as the rhythms drop back in, the vibe is like a dopamine kissed hip-hop instrumental, with cut-up breaks lead by jazzwise snares and claps rocketing around the spectrum. Voices diffuse in and out over layers of ambiance, resulting in a narcotic call and response of soulful cut-ups and spiritual falsettos. Synthesizer leads continue morphing joyously as the tripped out rhythms pull in and out, sometimes sucking the air away while ping-ponging electro oscillations fire amidst delirium voice layers. “Martinica Feelings” also comes from Vol 8 and features Luca ‘Presence’ Carini and Vincenzo ‘Warren’ Ciorra of the ever amazing 291out. Carini’s bass moves through romantic motions, sometimes pulsing low, other times slapping and quacking through zany prog ascents, while slow motion funk drums crush the air. Ciorra’s wah guitar traces hallucinogenic curlicues as pianos bang out midnight chords, and at some point, a delay soaked six string casts ethereal moonspells. Later, after a smashing drum and blazing synth passage, we break into a classical jazz guitar solo, all clean glassy perfection snaking amidst jangling tambourines and sensual bass slides. Harmonious mermaid choirs coo in the background while layered riffs execute magical conversations across the spectrum and there are these passages of beatless wonderment, with one seeing everything wash away as aqueous synth waves blow across the void, while another features gorgeous guitar webs floating above hand percussion vibrance.

At the start of “The Zoist,” synthetic wind blasts carry cyborg computations, equatorial arps flutter, and fat bottomed bass squelches ride on a lo-fi machine groove, with snare and kick cracking through spacey reverberation. Pads generate a calming glow and cut-up chime strands are threaded into the percussive panorama while Dario Basslino’s electric piano smears into starlight overhead. And as hissing voices raise hair on the back of the neck, the robo-basslines journey further and further into future funk fireworks. There’s a false ending that sets white noise whooshes and sunset pianos afloat amidst an ambient paradise, one that perhaps recalls film scores from the Golden Era of Hollywood. Then, as the drums work back in, conga accents and mechanized clicks mutate things into a low slung tropical house jam, wherein greasy basslines wiggle and slide, shakers push the body towards hypnosis, and pianos dance on sunbeams...the whole thing coming together and radiating that deeper than deep Moodymann glow. The B-side opens with “North Hollywood Witches” and its clippy kicks and snares stoking an ecstatic groove, with brass chords flashing and lowdown funk basslines slithering beneath the blaring flamboyance. Smoother than silk keyboard solos flow up and down the scale and cymbals and cowbells progress into strange electro patterns while the kick drum pulsates nervously. Wavering synth chords intertwine and the drums move into an irresistible swing, all setting the stage for what is surely the best synth solo all year…this monstrous and magnificent lead ripping through the cosmos and smothered in galactic delay, shredding ever towards the center of the universe and dripping layers of rainbow psychedelia over the stuttering machine funk jam out.

“Non dire notte” was released on Quiroga and Hell Yeah’s first collaboration, the Viaggio a Tulum EP, and again features Carini and Ciorra of 291out. Colorful tom fills and cymbal patterns set the stage, while a fuzzed out bass guitar drops weirdo doom riffs. Horror movie themes rain down from a stormy sky and huge tom fills push thunderous bursts of air before it all reduces to a haze of euphoric voices. The drums smash back in as Carini drops sludge funk bass sorcery and Ciorra’s guitars morph through delirious vibrato fx, coming out the other side like some sort of space age liquid.  At some point, things take a turn, with everything fading away in favor of a mutant acid lines and cymbals that blur into granular static. Then, as the sinister rhythm section returns to stomp druggily through lands of shadow, harmonious voices are reduced to a feverish fog, freakedelic guitar licks disperse into phaserwave hallucinations, and Goblin-style synths climb ever higher towards a blood red moon. The first LP ends with the fittingly titled “Africa Addio (Ode to Fourth World),” wherein woodwinds from various cultural traditions bleat and scat over a hand percussion panorama. The ethno-groove is given further shape by shining mallet tones until an unexpected breakdown, and once the propulsive drum energies re-emerge, a contrabass slips and slides through freeform motions while brass synthesizers cast spells of exotica. Electric pianos are used for percussive effect and dance along mesmerically with the spiritual percussion groove and throughout the track, I detect touches of Finis Africæ, though as if merging with a wilder sensibility recalling Art Ensemble of Chicago or even Sun Ra. In other words, it’s music for interplanetary jungle treks and astral adventures into the rainforests of the Congo.

“Città di Mare” first showed up on Quirago’s Cups and Balls, and here appears in edited form. The original introduction of pot-soaked drumming and 80’s prog sequencing is excised and Quiroga drops us straight away into world where soft waves of fusion synthesis create ethereal dreamscapes above a massive downbeat shuffle, here sourced by Aniello Gentile. Electric piano lullabies, again from Bassolino, drift peacefully overhead and low slung bass guitars dance around the fretboard as the groove progresses further and further into smokey lounge territory. A deeply emotional synth solo soars above expressive tom fills and vibrant cymbal and shaker patterns, with everything awash in vibes of mysterious twilight. It’s almost as if the synthesizer solo is trying to mimic the paradise scats of a 50’s jazz diva, with the track evoking some fantasy rememberance of 1940’s era big city nightclubs. The e-piano sometimes works itself into hallucinogenic vibrato waves, while at other times it backs down into sultry blues fantasias surrounded by narcotizing synth swells. And completing the classical jazz vibe, the song softly fades away on brush stroke snare rolls, cymbal taps, and pianos that seem too disperse into vapor. “Luzhin Defence” marries woodwind synthesis and kosmische sequencing to create a new age starscape, one where galactic wisps generate underwater ripples. Existence itself slowly modulates through layers of aqueous fog and at some point, sequences constructed from glowing crystals dance through the mix. It’s as if Quiroga is scoring a 90’s RPG, specifically an exploration of some faraway gemstone cavern, with synthesizers sounding like plucked strands of glass, cushiony basslines dancing, and french horns bluring into cloudform majesty amidst a hypnagogic tapestry of Reich-ian minimalism.

In C-side closer “Amori Proibiti,” echoing e-piano chords are awash in AOR melancholia and synthesizers trail laser liquids. The drums smash on a perfect downtempo groove, with subdued yet funked out basslines following in support. Occasionally, the electronics oscillate out of control and blast the mix with starshine tracers while elsewhere, increasingly romantic piano excursions see high notes blurring into midnight panoramas. Finger rolling conga rhythms join in as the drums pick up energy and after a vocal bass synth sings soft fusion harmonies, the rhythms reduce to a hand drum whisper while at the same time, strings swell amidst alien textures, resulting in a stretch of synthesized symphonic majesty. Later, after the mix squelches into silence, the beats crack back in, now surrounded by interstellar cloudforms…these deeply affecting synth layers evoking some orchestra of the cosmos. Side D opens with “Chiaia Sunset” and its new age arpeggiations cycling amidst wisps of galactic light. A bouncy house rhythm enters…airy and hypnotic…with claps cracking, rattling cymbal patterns tickling the mind, and basslines moving with emotional funk fluidity. The vibe continues growing impossibly hopeful, resulting in stretches of pure ocean dance mesmerism, wherein drunken synths whoosh across the spectrum, further enchanting the spirit. Then comes a piano solo that is so perfect as to almost defy description…a simple yet timeless ivory led dream exploration that I can only compare to Cantoma’s “Sea of Blue” (which is about as high praise as I can possibly give). It’s so easy to close your eyes and sway along to the sunset incantations and tropical house vibrations, especially as the pianos back into radiant chord themes while increasingly trancey electronics add touches of cosmic ecstasy. 

“Viaggio a Tulum” introduced me to Quiroga’s weird and wonderful world, as the track was first released by Hell Yeah back in 2017. We cruise on a hip-hop kissed house beat, with slapback snares carried by kicks, woodblocks, shakers, and cut-up tambourines. Oceanic synths cycle through each ear and a voice repeats “good”, bringing a perfect touch of summer anthem magic while squelching leads dance over sequential bubble clouds. Oscillations soar overhead and laser blasts mutate as a polysynth dazzles with neon melodics, which move in counterpoint to the booty shaking bass progressions. The stereo field is alight with pointillist keyboard patterns that circle toward the stars and all the while, string synth orchestrations bathe the body in spiritual warmth. The drums wash out at some point, leaving behind shakers and rimshots, and after whooshing blasts of sonic shimmer obscures all vision, we drop into funky fried fusion brilliace, with e-pianos dancing like Herbie Hancock, bass notes sliding into subsonic growls, and angel voices swelling into ethereal dissonance. And like in “Got Your Love,” Quiroga crafts a soulful call and response, with voices sourced from who knows where repurposed into a vibrant and jammed out vocal house climax. Closer “Bava” also comes from the Viaggio a Tulum EP and two years later, the track is a mysterious and otherworldly as ever. It’s like exploring an underwater cavern, wherein everything is smothered in hiss. Rhythmic clacks smear into drone psychosis and feedback voices scream as alien sonics bubble in from the depths, with Quiroga reveling in pure abstraction and making the enigmatic choice to conclude his epic journey of fusion kissed balearica with a futuristic experiment in musique concrète.

(images from my personal copy)