Over the past few years the negative stigma attached to guitars manufactured overseas has been altered greatly. Many builders from abroad have upped their games significantly, rising from mere copycats to top contenders. One such builder that consistently proves its commitment to quality is Eastman Guitars, and a shining example is the AR905SCE Uptown Deluxe.
The Uptown Deluxe is an upscale hollowbody with a carved maple back and sides displaying plenty of quality figure from Eastman’s private reserve wood stock. The solid carved spruce top with classic f-hole construction sports equally high quality, while the Venetian cutaway lends added class that hollowbody fans will truly love. The Uptown Deluxe, with its 16″ lower bout, is also expertly adorned with figured maple binding, a five-piece maple neck, and an ebony fingerboard, and is available in Sunburst and Blonde. The three-per-side headstock continues the traditional look, with the gold Schaller tuners with ebony buttons adding further elegance. The ebony theme continues to the hand-carved trapeze tailpiece, compensating bridge, and even the pickguard.
Electronics and controls are kept to a minimum. The Kent Armstrong floating pickup is the perfect choice, and the single Volume and Tone controls are cleverly located beneath the pickguard to help make this 25″-scale, 22-fret beauty an attractive option for any number of players.
As always, the proof is in the pudding, and this is where the pudding sometimes gets sticky for overseas manufacturers. With hollowbodies there is no place to skimp; for the Uptown Deluxe, skimping was never an option. From the moment the case is opened, the guitar’s quality is evident – the finish, the construction, and the playability are all exceptional. And the Uptown Deluxe sounds as great as it looks and feels. Though jazz players will relish in its classic warmth and depth, there are other possibilities as well. Strung with acoustic strings, for example, the Uptown Deluxe takes on a whole new spectrum that is just as pleasing. Such versatility underscores the fact that the Eastman Uptown Deluxe is comparable to some of the best hand-built hollowbodies on the market.
This article originally appeared in VG September 2013 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
Spontaneity is one of Robben Ford’s earmarks. So, recording nine backing tracks in one day, then adding vocals and finishing touches a week later (rarely attempted these days) played to his strength.
To say the 62-year-old’s credits are all over the map – from Charlie Musselwhite in ’71, then ricocheting from Joni Mitchell to George Harrison, the Yellowjackets, Miles Davis, kindred spirit Larry Carlton, his group the Blue Line, and even Kiss – is an understatement. But the blues is where Ford is really at home, although not necessarily bound by the idiom.
Whatever the surroundings, he injects a bluesy vibe, in his unaffected vocals and guitar playing, where he’s a true innovator, adding a more sophisticated harmonic sense and chord vocabulary without losing the genre’s essence.
This, his 10th solo project, is one of his best. Superb backing – solid rather than flashy, particularly from drummer Wes Little – is a big factor. It allows Ford to deliver some of his best songs to date, with plenty of the type of playing fans are more used to seeing him summon live.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s June ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
The latest model in Ernie Ball Music Man’s Steve Lukather signature series was designed to answer Lukather’s demand for an instrument that is simple yet versatile. The Luke3 (a.k.a. LIII), available in dual humbucker (HH) and humbucker-single-single (HSS) configurations, is a high-class workhorse that any serious player will appreciate for its playability and extensive tonal range.
Prior Luke, Luke2, and Luke BFR (Ball Family Reserve) models have avid fans, and Music Man knew better than to mess too much with basic specs and features. The LIII body is made of alder and maintains the original Luke’s shape with a deep cut on the lower bout for high-fret access, and a rear contour for comfort (though the LIII is slightly larger and weighs in at about 71/2 pounds). The “roasted” maple neck, finished with a gorgeous coffee-brown gun oil and mottled with birdseye, is hand-rubbed with a wax blend that walks the line between matte and glossy. The 22-fret fingerboard is rosewood with wide fretwire sunk low in the wood. The neck has a 12″ radius and Music Man’s soft V profile, which many players –especially those with smaller hands, like Lukather himself – find supremely comfortable. (Why more manufacturers can’t or won’t make a great slim neck like Music Man does is a head-scratcher.)
Schaller M6-IND locking tuners are split 4+2 in classic Music Man fashion. Just 57/8″ from nut to tip, the small headstock makes the neck appear shorter from playing position, but the scale length is a true 251/2″(same as a Fender Stratocaster). At the tail end is Music Man’s own floating tremolo in chrome.
But that’s where the LIII’s similarities to earlier Luke models end. Fundamental changes to the electronics set the LIII apart and above its older brothers.
While previous Luke guitars were outfitted with active EMG pickups, the LIII has passive DiMarzios and an active preamp. The HH model features DiMarzio’s custom Transition humbuckers (named for Lukather’s 2013 solo album). The HSS model features a Transition bridge pickup plus two custom single-coils. A five-way blade enables cuts on the HH (bridge/combo/neck in series in positions 1/3/5, and parallel outside/inside coils in positions 2/4) and Strat-style selections on the HSS.
Combining passive pickups with an active boost gives the LIII the best of both worlds. Played clean with no boost, the tones are natural and sweet. Up and down the neck, with a pick or snapping the strings with fingers, the sound is remarkably even. The low-end response on tightly voiced chords is never muddied, and strongly struck notes on unwound strings are clear but not cutting, as if the sharpest points are rounded off. Even bridge-only settings with the Tone knob full out are punchy without being abrasive.
The LIII’s preamp is activated by way of the push/push Volume pot and powered by a 9-volt battery that swings out from a small door in the back (the LIII was introduced with active boost on the tone pot rather than the Volume pot, not to mention an all-rosewood neck; Music Man made production changes in 2013 to reflect Lukather’s preferences). Kicking in the preamp boosts the output by up to 12 dB. However, it’s not the kind of abrupt, night-and-day surge that sends listeners to the back of the room. Rather, the change is to a bigger, broader sound rich in overtones. It’s dynamite for gain control, especially when paired with a low-watt amp on the cusp of being overdriven.
Should the preamp gain be too much or too little for the player’s tastes, its range can be adjusted with one of two trim pots accessed through a rear plate. The other trim adjusts the balance between single-coil and humbucker volumes so that there’s no disparity when pickup modes are switched.
One more noteworthy characteristic hidden in the Luke3’s wiring is the EQ on the volume pot. Normally, lowering a guitar’s volume has the secondary effect of rolling off highs and mids, but on the LIII, an active buffer maintains a constant high/low mix. That takes a little getting used to – we’re all accustomed to the imperfection on electrics – but it’s great to be able to adjust output without having to tweak the tone pot or use a volume pedal for consistent EQ.
The Luke3 comes in an excellent hardshell case and is currently available in Black or Bodhi Blue finish, both of which look sharp against the gun-oil neck.
This article originally appeared in VG September 2013 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
Joe Knaggs has devised a method to stain different finishes on solidbody guitars. Called double purfling, the finish involves splitting the guitar’s top into sections by inserting channels. For more, go to www.knaggsguitars.com.
Dean Zelinsky, CEO of Dean Zelinsky Private Label Guitars, has been granted a patent for a new guitar neck design that textures the backside.
The design is marketed as the Z-Glide Reduced Friction Neck, which Zelinksy says improves playability and feel while addressing the undesirable tacky neck feel when a sweaty palm meets a conventional neck. The Z-Glide is currently available on Zelinsky’s Private Label guitars, but its availability will soon expand.
“We recently developed the technology to put the Z-Glide on our set-neck single-cut guitars.” Zelinsky said. “The response to the feel and improved playability is so good, I can see a day where we no longer build guitars with conventional necks.” Learn more at www.deanzelinsky.com.
Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) has announced the upcoming retirement of CEO Larry Thomas.
Thomas was appointed to the FMIC Board of Directors in 2009 and became CEO on August 1, 2010. Interim COO Scott Gilbertson will assume the role of interim CEO until the company completes its search for a successor for Thomas, whose retirement takes effect May 31.
“I am extremely proud of the success we have achieved in my time at Fender,” said Thomas. “We did a lot in just a few years and I leave feeling like our table is set for the company’s future direction. This has truly been a wonderful life experience. FMIC is a wonderful company and Fender is a great brand, and I am very thankful to have played a part in the company’s history.”
In September, 2011, Thomas opened the doors to the 8,400-square-foot Fender Visitor Center, adjacent to the company’s factory in Corona, California. He played a key role in the management of the Fender Select series, the American Vintage series, the American Design Experience, and established FMIC’s first direct office in China.
Ana Popovic was but a toddler when she started to absorb major musical mojo through her father’s love of the blues, classic rock, and most importantly, thanks to the rec-room jams he would stage with buddies. By the time she was 14, the Serbia-born-and-raised Popovic was taking private lessons on classical guitar, but, “After a month I decided ‘This is not for me,’ and my parents realized I was going toward the blues – we listened to a lot of blues at home.”
So, she jumped ship, enrolling in lessons to learn rock guitar including the famous licks she’d heard around the house. “People in Serbia didn’t often get to hear that kind of music,” she said. “There’s a lot of Serbian music, so it was unusual for a kid to learn about Led Zeppelin, the Who, Deep Purple, or the blues – things every guitar player should know. So those were really good lessons.”
At 19, Popovic helped assemble a band that called itself Hush, which in short order transitioned from playing Friday nights only to weekends and, within a couple months, four nights per week. It was a great way to dip her toes in the water. “At first, I was singing mostly, and playing a couple of songs on guitar,” she said.
Hush released an album that mixed three original songs with blues covers, and while Popovic continually improved and even formally studied jazz guitar while the band maintained a heavy gig schedule, after a few years she was set to begin studying graphic design at a college in Holland. Though focused on classes, she formed another band that almost immediately scored a deal with the German label Ruf Records.
The path to fame has been a slow, steady climb for Popovic. In 2000, she contributed a rendition of “Belly Button Window” to the Jimi Hendrix tribute disc Blue Haze. The following year saw the release of her solo debut, Hush! (named in honor of her first band), which proved so successful it gave her the confidence to ditch those plans to become a graphic artist and try music as a career. From 2003 through 2011, she released four more albums, with two of them – 2007’s Still Making History and 2011’s Unconditional – reaching number one on Billboard’s Blues chart. Her latest, Can You Stand The Heat, was a rapid-riser on the charts from the day it was released in April, with a title track that went Top 5 among the Billboard Blues singles. Recorded with a new nine-piece band that includes John Williams on bass, Harold Smith on rhythm guitar, Frank Ray, Jr. on organ, Tony Coleman on drums, along with horn players and backing vocals, the disc was produced by Pete Matthews, and though it’s not the first album she recorded in Memphis, it is far and away the one most influenced by the city.
We caught up with Popovic during rehearsals with the new band as it readied for its inaugural gig, at the New Orleans Jazz Festival. After the event, the press positively glowed, with the local Times Picayune chiming in, “Almost every person in the tent was standing, applause… thundered for minutes after she left the stage.”
One would guess that your dad’s attitude toward you and your attraction to music had an effect on the way your two young children are being raised…
Oh, yes. I think parents should embrace and make it possible for their children to play an instrument, if that’s what the children want to do. I don’t think you should push a kid into it. My (five-year-old) son loves music and I think it should be around him, so I find a way to have him practice without him knowing he’s practicing! One day, I was jamming with my dad in the living room, and he dropped his computer and grabbed a guitar. That was a huge win (laughs)! But yeah, my dad never told me, ‘Go practice your guitar!’ He’d just take a guitar and start to play. Watching him, I was drawn to the instrument.
Your career began in earnest after you moved to Holland. What do you most recall about those early days touring with the Ana Popovic Band?
That was the first time I felt in charge of what the songs would sound like and how we’d approach the music. It was a fun, crazy time; I was a girl from Serbia playing guitar, leading a band, usually in a foreign country.
The first time I came to America, I couldn’t afford to travel with a four-piece band, so I was thrown into an extremely challenging situation being the only guitarist, but it was also very inspirational. I came out of that tour as a very good rhythm player because I worked on it so much as I sang and played. At first, I was like, “I can’t do this!” But American audiences are very supportive. They love to see you sweat, see you work hard, and when they notice you’re at the edge of your ability, they like you 10 times better! I really fell in love with them and that’s why I keep coming back. I loved performing in the trio, so I stayed in that format for quite some time. It gave me a lot of freedom – you can go in any direction.
Photo: Chuck Ryan.
Throughout your career, you’ve received recognition for your jazz playing as well as your blues efforts. The mix of styles seems innate in you…
I started listening to blues probably [at a younger age than] a lot of American kids did. I remember, clearly, singing along or dancing to old blues records that my dad would play, so I learned a lot about many musical styles. And I was always searching for the edges, so if you ask me to choose between Elmore James and Robben Ford, I couldn’t because though they’re completely different, I think they’re equally good. I like Chicago blues, I love Delta stuff… even when John Scofield makes a blues record, though it’s very jazzy and very fusion, I tend to hear the blue notes in what he plays. I’m not into cover bands, but if I would have to be in one, I’d do a Steely Dan band. I really hear blues in their music, and I did “Night By Night” on one of my records because I thought it was extremely bluesy.
So, beyond being comfortable in jazz or blues, do you consciously try to do some of both on every album?
Every record needs to be different – I’m not going do the same type of record just because the last one did well on the charts. Everybody keeps asking, “Are you going to do a follow up to Unconditonal because it did so well?” But I say, “No! I did Unconditional, now I’ve got to focus on another side of me and my music.”
There was a time when I was really touching the jazzy side, inspired by Ronnie Earl, who’s a great example of a blues man who was appreciated by jazz musicians, as well. He could go through the changes and do them in a bluesy way. I studied jazz because I thought everything Ronnie did was cool. T-Bone Walker was cool, Scofield was extremely cool – guys who know what’s going on in the changes, but who can also play really laid-back and simplify if they want their playing to go with a more-bluesy side.
I’ve tried to give all of my records some jazzy stuff – a jazzy standard or ballad.
How do you describe your new album, Can You Stand the Heat?
It’s real soul, with a real Stax sound – Isaac Hayes, Albert King and Albert Collins, War – those kind of acts. I’m loving it.
How did its sound and feel come about?
Tony Coleman – who’s the co-producer and was B.B. King’s drummer for decades – and I both felt what Albert King did back in the day could still be extremely hip. He had the blues going on – so groovy, but always with this funky rhythm section; you can’t help dancing when you listen to those records, like New Orleans Heat, which is wonderful and had some very funky, soulful stuff going on – the horns doing funk on the edge of blues and Albert playing straight blues, you know?
Tony and I thought, “Where is that nowadays on the blues scene?” The blues is African-American music that emerged in Chicago and Texas and on the West Coast, but all of it has that basic groove. These days, people mix it with a lot of styles, but fundamental blues, which is supposed to be really groovy, is all but gone. When Albert Collins was doing that back in the day, he’d tell a story and the band would lay way back but still groove so hard you couldn’t stop moving! Same with Albert King.
Memphis is a place where people still play like that. Step away from Beale Street and look for some juke joint where there’s local stuff happening, and you’ll find people who play so differently from anything else on the scene. They sound like War and other African-American bands back in the day. We wanted that sound, so we came to Memphis. It’s a groovy city, it’s got soul. It’s not particularly pretty, but it’s very inspirational (laughs) and I love it! Worst shopping on this side of the ocean, but good grooves!
Did you move there for the purpose of immersing yourself in the city’s musical culture?
Yeah, that’s one of the reasons, for sure. But I started making this record a year ago and I wanted to stretch it out. I’m a big fan of not simply running into the studio, recording, and getting out. I think it’s great to have the option to record some songs then come back a couple of months later and record a couple more. So I found it handy to live in Memphis versus staying in hotels and rushing through the process.
If a fan tells you they especially like your straight-forward blues, which songs on the album do you suggest they listen to first?
“Hot Southern Night” is a duet with Lucky Peterson, and “Blues For Mrs. Pauline” is one of my favorites – those are as deep as I got into blues this time – telling a story and playing slow, with a great groove. “Can’t You See What You’re Doing To Me” is an Albert King take – a straight-up shuffle, obviously, with plenty of guitar. And I tried another instrumental with slide and a War-type groove to it.
If a jazz-guitar fan asks, which tracks would you refer them to?
I would think “Mo’ Than Love” is the one. I didn’t have a whole lot of jazz on this album, but there are two versions; one is with Tommy Sims, which is more like Marvin Gaye kind of thing that closes the song, and one that’s more jazzy.
Photo: Cheryl Gorski.
But again, the emphasis is on funk…
Yes, and we wanted an old-school, back-in-the-day funk, because there are a whole lot of options for that. So “Can You Stand the Heat” and “Well Enough Alone” are extremely funky – “Cocaine”-like funk – and “Rain Fall Down” is a take on a tune the Stones did with a pop/rock approach, but I thought the funk was so groovy on its own that it can be so easily put in that Southern/Memphis kind of groove. It’s a wonderful version of the song, and completely different. “Object of Obsession” is very groovy. “Boys Night Out” is really fast – James -Brown-fast funk – that’s fun and a very popular message among males! We’ve been getting a lot of positive response on that.
“Can’t You See What You’re Doing To Me” is in the top 10 on Billboard’s Blues Charts.
Yes, which is great. USA Today chose that song for its “Pick of the Week,” and it landed on Billboard just a week after it was released.
Which guitars and amps are you playing these days?
I’ve got my ’64 reissue Strat and a ’57 reissue that’s on the cover of the album. I’ve had that guitar since my Belgrade days. I did a couple of takes with my old Marshall – the original 50-watt from back in the day. And I play a lot through my Mesa Boogie Mark IV. I did a couple of tracks with a blackface Super Reverb, and a Deluxe, which is a great overall amp for when you want a back-in-the-day sound.
How hard do you run it?
Oh, pretty hard. They’re tiny, so for stage, unfortunately, it’s impossible to use Deluxes. But they’re wonderful amps, and whenever I get a chance in the studio, I use one.
How about effects?
I still have my original Tube Screamer, which I love. I’ve got a Vox (847) wah with the Union Jack graphics. They’re the best – their sound is awesome. It’s very bluesy and doesn’t have the scream that the regular one has – it’s more subtle, has a bigger “loop” and a more-diverse sound. I have a Line 6 Delay and an old Boss Chorus – two knobs, the light-blue original – and a tuner.
Jim Hamilton, who builds Hamiltone guitars including one famously played by Stevie Ray Vaughan, recently made a prototype for you, right?
Yes, it has the classic double-cutaway body, their signature headstock shape but with a rosewood overlay and the mother-of-pearl Hamiltone logo, and a standard Strat (251/2″) scale, which is unusual for Jim – the guitar he made for Stevie Ray had a longer (26.188″) scale, which Strat players sometimes don’t like. It has a curly maple neck, a 3/8″ curly-maple top, their hand-wound pickups, a vintage tone capacitor, and we’re working on a custom color and neck shape.
I am also talking with a European guitar company called Fame, which makes affordable hand-made custom guitars. We’re working on a signature model that should be out late autumn this year.
Fender, Mesa Boogie, and DR Strings have all been supporting me for a very long time. I’m not big into endorsement, but get a lot of things sent to me. Usually, when I compare them to what I already play, I send them back! I just don’t stash equipment; I don’t like having guitar or amps sitting in my closet – they should be played.
Did Jim Hamilton do one of his trademark inlays of your name on the fretboard?
He is ready to do it and it’ll be a nice touch.
You once again have a rhythm guitarist onstage. Does it feel like you get to relax a little compared to all those years you performed as a trio?
Yes, and almost every second I have to remind myself to just cool it. I’m so used to playing rhythm guitar that I have to sing with my hands on the guitar – I need to have that touch with the neck. I’ve been doing it for so long that I’m not able to just hold the mic. So I’m going to keep doing my rhythm thing and then have the other guitarist do another type of rhythm. We’re doing old-school funk and blues, and there’s never enough rhythm in that, so that’s no problem with two guitar players.
But yes, with this band and what we play, I have to leave space for the horns and listen and watch for what other people are playing.
It’s a very exciting time. We’re bringing very high-end musicianship, and even though I’m leading the band, they’ll definitely get do their thing! It’s all very inspirational – a new approach to my songs. I’m really looking forward to it.
This article originally appeared in VG August 2013 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
With the elimination of its Korean-made Pro Series and the introduction of the Juke Joint Series, Memphis-based St. Blues can boast an entire lineup made in the good ol’ U.S. of A. St. Blues’ initial offerings in the Juke Joint Series include the Bluesmaster and Mississippi Bluesmaster guitars, along with the Legendary Bass. With their stripped-down layouts – i.e., no pickguards, no bindings, ultra-thin satin finishes, earthy color palettes, and minimal chrome hardware – all three Juke Joint instruments exude a vibe that’s cool and natural while also being visually appealing and comfortable to play.
The Tele-inspired Bluesmaster features St. Blues’ proprietary bell-shaped alder body, a 251/2″-scale bolt-on maple neck with a classic C profile, Wilkinson vintage-style tuners, a Wilkinson box-style Tele bridge with compensated brass saddles, a rear-mounted three-way lever switch, rear-mounted push/pull Volume and Tone knobs, and a pair of individually tapped Ken Armstrong single-coil pickups.
The Bluesmaster was tested with a’65 reissue Fender Twin Reverb combo with an Ibanez TS9 overdrive pedal. Coming through the Twin, the Bluesmaster sports an old-school Tele sound with a nice and punchy bottom end, crisp snappy highs, and, with the pickups in tapped mode, pulled-back mids. The Bluesmaster’s untapped mode yields a hotter, rounded sound with thicker and more aggressive mids. The Kent Armstrong pickups are well-balanced, too. A throaty and relatively hot neck pickup keeps up with the bridge pickup, resulting in thicker sound in the middle position.
After many requests, St. Blues has returned to a more substantial tap percentage: about 40 percent, compared with the 30 percent found on their Pro Series and more in line with their 1980s models. The ability to individually tap the pickups allows the middle position to be tailored by tapping only one of the pickups or using them as a bit of a solo boost by going from the more laid-back tapped sound to the hotter untapped sound.
As versatile as the Bluesmaster is, the Juke Joint Series isn’t all about single-coils. At first glance, the Mississippi Bluesmaster looks like a humbucker version of the Bluesmaster, but closer inspection reveals a different creature more akin to a Les Paul Special. The Mississippi Bluesmaster features a mahogany body, a shorter 243/4″-scale mahogany neck with a Pau Ferro fretboard, dual Kent Armstrong humbuckers that can be individually split (P-90s that can be tapped are also available), a Wilkinson hardtail bridge, and Wilkinson vintage-style tuners. Played through the same setup as the Bluesmaster, the Kent Armstrong humbuckers produce a thick and crunchy overdrive with a moderately hot output and good note separation. The mahogany components, shorter scale length, and moderate-output humbuckers really focus the midrange for an articulate sound, whether played clean or dirty. The ability to split the pickups independently gives the guitar a wider tone range, adding a bit of bite in the bridge and neck positions and even some jangle in the middle position.
Far from jangly, the Juke Joint Series Legendary Bass features a P-style solid alder body, a 34″-scale bolt-on maple neck with maple fingerboard, open vintage-style tuners, body-mounted Kent Armstrong pickups, rear-mounted controls, and a nice and heavy cast tailpiece. The pickup layout is a standard PJ setup with a humbucking P-style unit toward the neck and a single-coil J-style pickup at the bridge. Each pickup has its own Volume control while sharing a passive master Tone control. The neck’s substantial U profile is comfortable and balanced with a vintage ’50s feel. Through an Ampeg B200R 1×15, the P-style pickup produces that classic round thumpy, throaty P-bass sound, while the J-style pickup can be dialed in for single-coil definition and attack.
The St. Blues Juke Joint Series’ super-thin satin finishes and super-tight “neck notch” neck joints produce a ton of natural resonance that is felt and heard in all three instruments. Although the series has a “back to the basics” feel, attention to detail is clearly not stripped down – all three instruments sport nicely finished, polished, and leveled frets, meticulous finishes, neatly cut and finished bone nuts, and pro setups. In short, the St. Blues Juke Joint Series offers American-made custom-shop quality; classy, no-frills design; excellent playability; and great versatility at reasonable prices.
This article originally appeared in VG September 2013 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
Little Feat, barefooted with guitarists Lowell George (center) and Paul Barrère (right front). Little Feat: courtesy Warner Brothers Records.
Little Feat’s run of records for Warner Bros. from 1971 to 1990 was no little feat. The band suffered the effects of too many genius musicians, personnel changes, drugs, and alcohol. In effect, too much of the bad old ’70s in general.
The band’s music remains legendary, however. This 13-CD box set explains why.
The collection includes Little Feat’s 11 Warner Bros. studio albums, from the band’s eponymous 1971 debut through 1990’s Representing the Mambo. It also includes the stellar 1978 live album Waiting for Columbus in expanded form. Finally, there are selections from the 2000 box set, Hotcakes and Outtakes, including studio alternates, rarities, and previously unreleased tracks. The whole thing is packaged in a stylish clamshell case.
Little Feat was always first and foremost a band. While the members may not have been unified off stage, they came together in the studio and in concert to craft tight, virtuosic, and jubilant music. And they explored myriad styles – R&B, country, blues, and rock.
As this collection shows once again, the band featured an embarrassment of stellar guitarists. First and
foremost, of course, was founder, songwriter, and visionary Lowell George. An alumnus of Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, George was a natural musician and multi-instrumentalist. As his playing with Little Feat developed, his slide work became perhaps his forte.
Ironically, though, on the band’s debut, George injured a hand while building a model airplane (another one of his several skills). Maestro-abouttown Ry Cooder stepped in to play acoustic slide on what became George’s best known song, “Willin’.” By the time of the second album, 1972’s Sailin’ Shoes, George’s hand was mended and he cut “Willin’” again, this time in a rollicking full-band version.
It was also in 1972 that guitarist Paul Barrère joined Little Feat, first appearing on Dixie Chicken, the 1973 album many consider its best all-around work.
Through all the ups and downs, Barrère remains a cornerstone of the band today, possibly the longest-term member. Through the remainder of the ’70s, Little Feat with George, Barrère, and new bassist Kenny Gradney recorded its most famous albums and songs. These included “Dixie Chicken,” “Oh Atlanta,” and “Down On The Farm.”
George died of a sudden heart attack in 1979, and the band pulled the plug for the next nine years. The group reunited in ’88 with guitarists Fred Tackett and Craig Lee Fuller, one of the founding members of Pure Prairie League. Together, they released two final Warner records, 1988’s Let It Roll and 1990’s Representing the Mambo.
What this box set does not include is George’s sole solo album, 1979’s Thanks, I’ll Eat It Here. The LP was much anticipated, but ultimately fell flat; released just before George’s death, the guitarist wasn’t able to promote or tour behind it.
If you’re a Feat fan, you undoubtedly have well-worn vinyl copies of these LPs. But this swank box set at a budget price requires no justification. It’s a worthy celebration of a great band.
This article originally appeared in VG‘s June ’14 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.
Guitar Legend Neal Schon Teams Up with Marco Mendoza and Deen Castronovo for Smoking New Fusion and Blues-Inspired Hard Rock Album
(New York, NY) – Guitar legend Neal Schön has joined forces with bassist Marco Mendoza (Black Star Riders, Ted Nugent, Whitesnake, Thin Lizzy) and drummer Deen Castronovo (Journey, Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai, Hardline) to create a unique body of work with jazz and blues-inspired virtuosic hard rock playing, entitled SO U. The new album featuresSchön, Mendoza and Castronovo splitting vocal and writing duties, with many of the tracks also co-written by Night Ranger/Damn Yankee’s songwriter, singer and bassist Jack Blades. Please see below for the track listing and click here to access the album cover for SO U. Of SO U, Neal Schön commented, “This is a great new record that features all three of us – Deen, Marco and myself – sharing lead vocals. Enjoy!”
Best known as founding member and lead guitarist of Journey, Neal Schön has enjoyed a remarkable career as one of rock n’ roll’s top virtuosos, with a hand in creating some of the most popular songs of all time. Beginning his career more than 35 years ago in the San Francisco Bay area, the 15-year-old guitar prodigy left home to join Santana. Schön moved on in 1973 to form Journey. With Journey and other projects, he has earned 19 Top 40 singles and 25 platinum and gold albums, was awarded the prestigious “Legend Of Live Award” at the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards, received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005 and was individually inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall Of Fame in 2013. As the only member to record on all of Journey’s albums, Schön continues with the band today in its latest incarnation.
In addition to 6 solo albums and 14 studio albums with Journey, Neal Schön has also performed with Joe Cocker, Sammy Hagar, Paul Rodgers, Larry Graham, Betty Davis, Michael Bolton, fusion legend Jan Hammer, Hardline and supergroup Bad English, as well as a variety of side projects. His latest instrumental solo album, THE CALLING, released in 2012 via Frontiers Records, won rave reviews from fans and the media alike, with Vintage Guitar declaring “THE CALLING is a fine piece of work demonstrating that Schön still has it going on – and then some…The songs are strong and his guitar tones are absolutely luxurious.” In demand as one of the leading guitarists of his generation, Schön also worked with Gibson to manufacture his own limited edition “Neal Schön Signature Model Custom Les Paul” guitar, but now uses custom PRS Neal Schon LTD Private Stock guitars, made especially for Neal by Paul Reed Smith.
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