Alembic Guitars Club
Alembic products => Showcase => Artists and Their Alembics => Topic started by: jazzyvee on April 05, 2016, 11:23:17 PM
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And playing a Fender Jazz bass
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Oh man, it's so good to see George Duke (I'm a big fan, going back to his days with Don Ellis, Zappa and Jean-Luc Ponty). But I must admit my spine cringed involuntarily when I saw his Yamaha CP-70 piano. It's two parts: the keyboard part, and an actual baby grand cast-iron soundboard. I grunt every time I see one. Can't help it.
I played for about ten years with a blind keyboardist who gigged with one - and a Hammond B3 (w/Leslie). Those things are insanely heavy. I cannot remember how many times we broke the springs on my old '67 Ford 1/2 ton pickup, before I finally bought a 1 ton step-van with a lift gate (that broke the second time we used it). I was using an SVT at the time, of course. Heavy wasn't just an adjective back then.
I don't want to derail your lovely thread about Stanley Clarke, so please return the topic to a locked upright position after this inadvertent segue to a related topic:
I think Stanley had his Alembic set up for piccolo in that video, if I'm not mistaken. 1988 was right around the time he switched to the Carl Thompson for that. It wasn't until a few years ago that I read that Carl Thompson didn't build all of them (according to the late Ed Roman's rant on ghost-built guitars: (http://edromanguitars.com/rants/ghost.htm))
quote:Carl Thompson used Ron Blake to Ghostbuild hundreds of basses including one for Les Claypool, Stanley Clarke and Jeff Berlin. In fact Ron Blake built most of the Carl Thompson custom basses for over 15 years.
While you're there, check out this rather astonishing sentence:
quote:Alembic - Bruce Becvar Ghostbuilt Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones Alembic Omega Bass.
Ed's dead, so there's no way to verify that, but Alembic could.
As for the arguments on that page about Slash's ghost-built Les Pauls, this is one of the rare occasions when everybody's right. (http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/The_Legend_of_Slashs_Appetite_for_Destruction_Les_Paul)
Well, thank God that digression is over, because I'll talk (and write) about Stanley Clarke all day. He came along at a pivotal moment in my evolution as a bassist. I'm not a fan, this is deeper than that. I play absolutely nothing like him, but he's the one that showed me that was possible, with his musical freedom and humor.
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/227753.jpg)
I'm talking about this Stanley. Look at that right hand. I came from string bass, too, from the time I had to stretch tippy-toe for that damned F.
Maestro Clarke came along in 1974, when I was 17. I was trying to decide on doing the academic route of classical string bass, or being a rock star with my buds. Hmmm, what to do. My hair was down nearly to my waist, I lived about thirty miles from Hollywood and the siren calls of fame beckoned.
On the other hand, I love string bass and classical music with a passion. And in general the parts are easy to learn and the whole vibe is on playing together, more so than any other kind of music.
This was such a huge deal to me at the time, because I simply had no idea that you could do both.
Then this happened.
(http://alembic.com/club/messages/411/227754.jpg)
The first thing I saw was that right hand, and I knew - before I'd even unwrapped the album - that it was going to change my life. In all honesty, I've never even attempted to play a single Stanley Clarke lick, out of sheer respect. That's not what that album meant to me. It was simply that he came from the same core as me - playing together - but unleashed as freedom and humor. I laugh out loud at Lopsy Lou, every time.
And Life Suite is well-named.
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No problem with the diversion Ed, I am often educated many times by this and other digressions on postings.
The main reason I posted this is to highlight the misnomer that the tone is all in the fingers not the bass as I read so many times on other forums. He sounds totally different on the fender bass than he does on his alembics even though his phrasing and note choices are there as recognisable characteristics of his style. Like you he was the driver for me taking the alembic bass. Unlike you I do play some of his music on my gigs and try to capture as much of his tone and technique to make the tracks sound authentic whilst not being too close that no-one hears me. :-)
The first album that I really did it for me in a big way was Romantic Warrior.
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Just to sidetrack back to the derail for a moment - I feel you, Forest; I roadied for one band that toted a B3 & 2 Leslies, and another that hauled a spinet. It was my job to get them on & off stage.
I've had 2 back surgeries so far.......
Peter
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I wonder how true the comment that Stanley is thinking about a Schools Days reunion tour is. I'd definitely go to see that if it happens.
Keith
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I directly confronted Ed about that ghost-building bit (meaning face-to-face in Las Vegas), and his response was, Yeah, I know that was a BecVar bass, but people think it's an Alembic. And I was like, so how is that even remotely close to 'ghost-building?' It's a BecVar bass with a BecVar logo. Some other choice words were exchanged, and even he got my dad to raise his voice (if you know Ron, you will know how truly RARE an event that is). After that encouter, I consider a very large grain of salt whenever I read something Ed wrote.
As for the all in the fingers I will pass along what Stan has always said about his Alembics: it's half him and half the bass. I have always thought it was a little too generous in our direction, but I do know there are things that he does musically that would not be heard without his Alembic, so it does play a role.
It's a very rare performance with the Signature model - cool find, Vince.
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This may seem a weird observation, but what the heck... just a random thought from someone who'll never be able to play anything like Stanley. What I admire most is how utterly relaxed, and comfortable he is on stage with that bass. I really do need to remind myself to work on that part too...
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Mica, I recall reading a interveiw with Stanley (in Guitar PlayerIIRC) way back when in which he related playing a gig with a Gibson and someone (Rick? Ron?) came up to him & handed him an Alembic with words along the lines of You're playing is amazing but your sound isn't; try this. He said it was the first time he heard what he was trying to play.
Peter
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Yup - that's exactly right, Peter. Rick brought the bass out to Stan to try.
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Peter and Mica...I love stories like that.
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As far as the BecVar bass even the Led Zeppelin website says quite clearly it isn't an Alembic and tells how he obtained it. Here is a link (http://www.led-zeppelin.org/studio-and-live-gear/81-reference/studio-and-live-gear/john-paul-jones-gear/860-becvar-series-i-triple-omega-bass) to the full article.
While he might be an icon my general opinion of Ed Roman was his biggest interest was the promotion of Ed Roman. If it took highly opinionated statements to do that he did (I would use other terms but wish to avoid a defamation lawsuit).
Keith
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I once visited Ed's store while I was in Vegas for a legal seminar. He had a Bond Electraglide which got us talking about them. (I've been collecting Bond's for years, including two prototypes, and am very familiar with the company's history). Ed, not realizing I knew about Bonds, lectured me with a completely bogus story about how the company was run by Mic Jaggar's brother and financed by Jaggar. The closest he was to being correct is that, perhaps, Mic and his brother once went to a James Bond movie.
The next time I was in Vegas, Ed had closed his store to the public and you had to make an appointment to view the inventory. As I recall, you had to pay him $100 for the privilege! If you bought something, the $100 went towards the purchase price. If you didn't buy anything, you were out $100. I didn't go.
But I still enjoy reading his rants every now and then.
Bill, tgo
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Mick Jagger's brother was involved with another innovative UK builder, Staccato (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staccato_(music_company) target=_blank), who pioneered the use of magnesium as an alternative to aluminium. And probably best remembered for the eye-catching and extremely loud Staccato drum kits.
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... actually the Staccato guitars were manufactured in California.
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Mica, Forrest, and anyone else interested,
I worked with Carl Thompson about 8 years ago on a video series project so he could clear up several stories as well as share his experiences. One of which is the Ed Roman - Ron Blake comments on being responsible for Carl's instruments and building them which of course put in Ed's written context, isn't true. So Carl clears that up throughout the video on the folks that helped and worked for him over the years.
If you have the time here is the link to those videos I put together for Carl:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqJkX76GtME65V7bcLg-LkA (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqJkX76GtME65V7bcLg-LkA)
Lots of great stories including the 1st piccolo bass for Stanley (part 5 or 6), the 1st 6 string bass for Anthony Jackson (parts 4 & 5), Les Claypool's rainbow bass, 1st and 2nd parts.
Sorry to derail the thread but after reading about your meeting with Ed Roman I thought it may be good to share here.
-Brian
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Well, let's see, Mick Jones played a Bond for a while. Mick Jagger's brother was involved in Staccato guitars which started in England. Bonds were built in Scotland. Mick Jones and Jaggar both are Mick's and Scotland is sort of England. I guess that was close enough for Mr. Roman.
hehehehe
Bill, tgo
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I'd like to apologize for my rather stupid comment, especially because this thread is about Stanley Clarke, and I really feel bad about derailing it.
I hadn't read Ed Roman's rants in about twenty years, and then only because a fellow repairman who also despised a certain model of a certain brand of guitar thought it was funny that a dealer refused to carry them, and even wrote rants about them. (Obviously, I don't want to risk another derail by going into any more detail than that. )
Since Stanley Clarke virtually invented the piccolo electric bass (Ron Carter developed the piccolo upright), which requires modifying a standard bass, my question should have been:
Does anyone else think that Stanley was using an Alembic SC as a piccolo, or could it have been an octave pedal?
There was no need for me to drag Carl Thompson, Ed Roman or anybody else into it, and I sincerely apologize if I caused offense.
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No offense taken ever, you are the man Forrest! Keep doing what you do, I enjoy reading your posts. Digressions usually lead to interesting or useful info as Jazzy pointed out. By the way that Alembic SC sans Series electronics in that video sounds great!
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Stanley used to have his bass tuned to Tenor (A, D, G, C)...
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Yes, I've checked and he is indeed playing a fourth above.
(Message edited by mario farufyno on April 13, 2016)
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Seeing the clip of Stanley and George brought back memories of my first introduction to 87 4431. I was in the 2nd row at a Clarke Duke Project concert and Stanley was roaming through the audience, in a way similar to the way he was roaming in the "Wild Dogs" clip. He was playing 87 4431. Stood on the seat in front of me and my date (now wife) and just tore into a ridiculous solo. Since this wasn't his usual short scale Alembic, but a long scale Omega Series I, I took note of it. Many years later when he was selling off a lot of his equipment, I bought 87-4431.
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Wow that's a great story and it must be so rewarding thing to be able to seal that connection of the experience of the gig, your wife and the bass.
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This may seem a weird observation, but what the heck... just a random thought from someone who'll never be able to play anything like Stanley. What I admire most is how utterly relaxed, and comfortable he is on stage with that bass. I really do need to remind myself to work on that part too...
I've noticed the same when viewing old footage of John Entwistle playing with The Who. Much of the time looks beyond relaxed and sometimes downright bored onstage, even while playing intricate bass lines!
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Great story, James.