Trower & Bruce

uwe · January 21, 2010, 05:52:02 AM

Much as I generally have issues with Moore, the BBM stuff is his best work since perhaps Thin Lizzy.

rockinrayduke · January 21, 2010, 06:23:26 AM

Jack was using the VX series paper cone cabs. I have a 15" VX cab that has absolutely zero personality. Give me an aluminum cone anyday.

PhilT · January 21, 2010, 06:26:12 AM

I did like the BBM album, but at first I thought it must be joke, with Gary Moore ripping off every Clapton lick he could find and Bruce "recycling" swathes of Disraeli Gears. Or maybe it was a gentle dig at Clapton, just reminding him the wasn't the only guitarist who could front a Cream reunion.

A while ago I dug up some West Bruce & Laing, and there I find Bruce's busy-ness irritating.

Freuds_Cat · January 21, 2010, 07:13:28 AM

I have the BBM album and Seven Moons Live. I too have a hard time accepting Gary Moore. 7 Moons live has some really good high points but is not as consistent as the BLT album. I believe BLT did another album called Truce but I have never seen it let alone hear it.

gweimer · January 21, 2010, 07:49:40 AM

I'm going to have to dig out my BLT album. I recall not caring for it so much, but it may be that it was no WB&L to me back then. "Out in the Fields" is one of Jack's better songs with them and he redid it on Shadows in the Air (Vernon Reid handled the guitar on that one).

uwe · January 21, 2010, 08:14:14 AM

Quote from: PhilT on January 21, 2010, 06:26:12 AM
I did like the BBM album, but at first I thought it must be joke, with Gary Moore ripping off every Clapton lick he could find and Bruce "recycling" swathes of Disraeli Gears. Or maybe it was a gentle dig at Clapton, just reminding him the wasn't the only guitarist who could front a Cream reunion.

A while ago I dug up some West Bruce & Laing, and there I find Bruce's busy-ness irritating.

Let's face it: Anybody attempting to play like Bruce in an audition or studio session today would unceremoniously get kicked out! People love his legend and perhaps enjoy his dexterity, but nobody - except a few bass nerds - wants to actually hear music with a busy, lyrical, sometimes-off-tangent and very seldom repetetive, yet still all-in-all samey sounding (Bruce approaches every song similarly - at least live) bass like that. Too bad, really.

I hear a lot of Bruce in Geezer Butler btw - the Cream influence on early Sabbath is often overlooked. Take away the doom stuff and speed the music up a little ...

gweimer · January 21, 2010, 08:49:18 AM

Wasn't BBM formed out of the first failed Cream reunion attempt?

Dave W · January 21, 2010, 09:33:21 AM

Quote from: uwe on January 21, 2010, 08:14:14 AM
Let's face it: Anybody attempting to play like Bruce in an audition or studio session today would unceremoniously get kicked out! People love his legend and perhaps enjoy his dexterity, but nobody - except a few bass nerds - wants to actually hear music with a busy, lyrical, sometimes-off-tangent and very seldom repetetive, yet still all-in-all samey sounding (Bruce approaches every song similarly - at least live) bass like that. Too bad, really.

That's what makes him legendary.

gweimer · January 21, 2010, 11:21:47 AM

There is a part in SITSOM where they talk about James Jamerson telling Jack Bruce how to play for a Stevie Wonder session.

Barklessdog · January 21, 2010, 12:28:57 PM

Quotebut nobody - except a few bass nerds - wants to actually hear music with a busy, lyrical, sometimes-off-tangent and very seldom repetetive, yet still all-in-all samey sounding (Bruce approaches every song similarly - at least live) bass like that. Too bad, really.

Thats what I like about him & Entwistle- I believe you share a bit of that style as well- which is a good thing in my opinion.

Its so boring with bassist riding the root.

uwe · January 21, 2010, 01:03:46 PM

Quote from: gweimer on January 21, 2010, 08:49:18 AM
Wasn't BBM formed out of the first failed Cream reunion attempt?

This is their White Room homage, right?

Nice song though, I got to get that album after all. Gary Moore's even here still obnoxious, though tamed down guitar playing will forever remind me of the kid you didn't like in school snapping his fingers to get attention from the teacher and beaming "... but I know the ans-wer!". Joey Ramone's prescription for these people was "Beat on the brat with a baseball bat, oh yeah ...! IIRC.

Freuds_Cat · January 21, 2010, 03:46:05 PM

I went and saw Gary Moore at the Hammersmith Odean/Apollo in the early 90's because I figured I must be missing something and live I would get it. The show was utterly predictable and boring to the point that (honestly) I nearly fell asleep. Great chops but .....yawn.

Uwe, your description of Bruces playing is spot on. And in the same way as you couldn't do anything in a studio for years that remotely allowed the description "Classic Rock" without feeling the wrath of a producer ("Too classic rock", Classic rock doesn't sell") Jack Bruces bass lines are (to me at least) inspired and brilliantly supportive of the vocal melody while nailing the rhythm section aspect as well.

Classic Rock, Jack Bruce.........whats not to like?

Basvarken · January 21, 2010, 03:58:17 PM

Couldn't Jack Bruce at least have tried to memorize the words?
He's reading all the time from the sheet on the standard in front of him! Now that's a capital sin if you ask me.
Even an autocue wouldn't have been as annoying...

And I second what Uwe said about Gary Moore. I have the same feeling about his part in Thin Lizzy at that video that was shot live in Australia.
Obnoxious that's the word, indeed.

PhilT · January 21, 2010, 06:44:54 PM

I saw Gary Moore a few years ago in Birmingham. BB King was the support and by the time he'd played 3 bars out of 10 songs and talked for the rest I was in a pretty bad mood - ok, I know he's old, but still, it wasn't billed as "A conversation with ...". Then there was Gary Moore and he played all his boring balads, which just rounded off a perfect ... ly dreadful night.

I have the same problem with Jeff Beck, and I usually get flamed to death for this, but I've seen him twice and he just stands there, no interaction with the audience, or even acknowledgement that they're there, and it's all very clever technically, but there's no guts to it. Hi Ho Silver Lining would have been a relief.

gweimer · January 22, 2010, 05:45:40 AM

The one time I saw Jeff Beck was in a version of the Jeff Beck Band that preceded BBA. Bogert and Appice were already in the band, which also included Max Middleton and a singer named Kim Milford (later went on to acting). Beck was pretty funny. During the drum solo, he was sitting on his amps, riding like a cowboy. He got pissed at his guitar, and heaved it right off the stage. As it was bouncing to the side, the roadie came racing out with another.