Music videos that feature Thunderbirds

[TBird1958]

 A picture of "The Cream" here in Seattle at the Eagles auditorium - Clapton with a Firebird. 

[TBird1958]

 Brian Wheat and Tesla - Non Reverse fun here!

[uwe]

 A picture of "The Cream" here in Seattle at the Eagles auditorium - Clapton with a Firebird. 

Hmmmpff, that's "Thunderbird guitar" young man!

[uwe]

The late Horst Stachelhaus of Birth Control speedily a-funkin' on a Bicentennial. Unfortunately you hardly see him (a short glimpse at 01:33 and one from behind at 03:02), but you sure can HEAR him throughout.

[Granny Gremlin]

An appropriate name for a prog rock group ... especially one that sounds and looks like it's fronted by Eric Idle after coming back from an ashram.

That said, even I have to concede that is some solid playing all around; I'm not one for the unified synched up turn around bits, but I'd grab a beer and stay for the next song easily.

[uwe]

Birth Control started out in the early 70ies as sort of Germany's answer to Deep Purple. They soon had a dance floor rock hit with Gamma Ray sung by their drummer (who later became their lead vocalist + added percussionist, he's the "Eric Idle" in the above vid).



That keyboard riff and hypnotic groove would make an unlikely reappearance decades later ...



Personally, I always thought early Birth Control had something of a Rare Earth feel (the guys who covered "Get Ready" and other Motown hits in groove rock versions), very apparent here:



Birth Control had continuous line-up changes - bassists, guitarists and keyboard players came and went. The line-up doing Skateboard Sue was already several generations removed from the one doing Gamma Ray above. Over time, the rootsy approach took a backseat and the band became more and more progish and jazzy. That keyboarder in the Skateboard Sue performance - Zeus B Held - would however make a name for himself in the 80ies - after having moved to England and turned producer there. One of his productions was:



Still a danceable keyboard line, some things sure stuck!

[gearHed289]

The late Horst Stachelhaus of Birth Control speedily a-funkin' on a Bicentennial. Unfortunately you hardly see him (a short glimpse at 01:33 and one from behind at 03:02), but you sure can HEAR him throughout.

Dig it. Also, the mustaches are as impressive as the Gibsons.

[uwe]

 

Birth Control looked eternally unfashionable!


More glimpses of the Bird, here at 01:44:



With in effect two drummers, there was always something going on percussion-wise in their music. First Bernd Noske (their original drummer turned singer) duels with Manni von Bohr (the "sitting" drummer), then around 3:38 Bernd walks down the multi-level stage for some vibraphone/keyboard interplay with Zeus B Held. That is actually quite impressive - and precise. (Hey, even middle-aged Canadian punk drummers-turned-bassists seem to dig it, what greater accolade could there be?!)

And all the while Horst Stachelhaus' natural Bicentennial very prominent and busy in the mix. That gig is from 1977, he can't have had the Bicentennial for long then and was obviously endeared by it. He had a penchant for maho neck-thru basses, the successor to the Bird would be an Ovation Magnum I.



Stachelhaus was editor-in-chief of German muso mag Fachblatt, so getting his hands on new musical product was no issue for him.

[Granny Gremlin]

Birth Control started out in the early 70ies as sort of Germany's answer to Deep Purple. They soon had a dance floor rock hit with Gamma Ray sung by their drummer (who later became their lead vocalist + added percussionist, he's the "Eric Idle" in the above vid).

I like them a little more already ;P

(OHMNO made me sing half the record we're about to release - grab yer earplugs).

[uwe]

We will want audible proof of that, Jake. 

You second coming of Gordon Lightfoot!





Still impressive.

[Granny Gremlin]

We will want audible proof of that, Jake. 

April 1st - no foolin

[uwe]

You on drums, bass and vocals? THE JAKE EXPERIENCE IMMERSION !!!

[slinkp]

I can't find a clip, but I just started watching the Summer of Soul documentary, and about 8 minutes in the Chambers Brothers come on with a beautiful non-reverse IV.

[Granny Gremlin]

You on drums, bass and vocals? THE JAKE EXPERIENCE IMMERSION !!!

LOL, but bass only on 1 track cuz we wrote it on the spot when doing vocals and the bassist wasn't there due to covid.

[godofthunder]

  Love Johnny Winter! Back to Thunderbirds a few clips from last week's Who's That show, first one in 9 months.