Gettin' my Blues on - listeners and critiques wanted! (Tom Waits content)

[Samnite]

A buddy of mine and I have been working on a cover of Tom Waits's "Hang On St. Christopher," from Frank's Wild Years. Tom's version is pretty much a straight blues progression, but of course, with Tom Waits and Marc Ribot in the same room, things get weird. Awesome, of course, but unusual.

 

Now, we can't get all Tom Waits on this song, so we decided to approach it as a straight blues number...with a few quirks. In particular, since we don't have a drum set currently available, we totally winged the percussion. In several separate takes, we used a shaker, a tambourine, and hand claps. We also recorded my buddy doing a snare train with drumsticks on a table top, high ride-sounds by whacking beer bottles with drum sticks, and a "bass drum" which was actually me pounding on a briefcase with a wrench.

 

I'm mostly happy with the outcome. There's one section I need to fix - the second "solo" where we hung on E, but I thought we were going back into A, and that whole solo section is pretty weak. But that's an easy fix.

 

So let me know what you think. Feel free to rip it to shreds if you feel necessary. I can take it.

 

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=742236&content=music

 

It's obviously the first song.

 

Technical stuff:

 

- bass guitar is a G&L L-2000 through a Peavey TNT amp.

- slide guitar: 1960's Valco/Supro lap steel through a Traynor YCV40WR.

- rhythm track: G&L ASAT Special through a Fender Prosonic 210.

- lead guitar: Fender Hwy 1 strat (modified with a SD Lil 59, and SD Vintage Strats) through a Traynor YCV40WR.

[ThisIsOurMusic]

i love tom waits, and i think this is a much more approachable cover, a lot of people have trouble getting into tom waits. i would however suggest that the singer stop trying so hard, his voice just sounds kinda forced no offense. but overall pretty great.

[Samnite]

No offense taken. I appreciate you taking the time to listen. I'm a HORRIBLE singer, and he's somewhat better, so he tends to get vox duties.

[Electric Blues]

Agree with the singer sounding forced but think it adds to the overall effect of the song.
Congratulations man, I really liked it!!!
:thu:

[mistersully]

i really dug it .. the percussion was cool... gave it a nice raw vibe

 

i'd raise the vocals in the mix just a touch... same goes for the second solo

[Samnite]

i really dug it .. the percussion was cool... gave it a nice raw vibe i'd raise the vocals in the mix just a touch... same goes for the second solo

I actually hated the second solo so much that I volume enveloped it almost out of existence. I may rerecord something over that space, and just get rid of the previous version altogether.

[klinefelter]

I liked it until the singing started.

 

It kind of reminded me of the more acoustic/bluesy stuff that Black Rebel Motorcycle Club does (except for the vox, of course).

[ebidis]

Very cool. Don't change a thing.

[Samnite]

I liked it until the singing started. It kind of reminded me of the more acoustic/bluesy stuff that Black Rebel Motorcycle club does (except for the vox, of course).

Thanks for the listen.

And get us a singer!

[Samnite]

Very cool. Don't change a thing.

Thanks, dude. I appreciate it. And I think you're about 5 miles from me. I live in Roebuck Springs, just down the road from you.

[aenemated]

wow, i really dig what you guys did with it - this is one of my favorite tom tracks.

the percussion and slide do a lot to give it that waits vibe.

very well done.

if ya ever do another and want some tom-ish vocals, hit me up. i can usually nail it decently; thanks to the years of booze and cigarettes.

[Samnite]

wow, i really dig what you guys did with it - this is one of my favorite tom tracks. the percussion and slide do a lot to give it that waits vibe. very well done. if ya ever do another and want some tom-ish vocals, hit me up. i can usually nail it decently; thanks to the years of booze and cigarettes.

Thanks, man. That's a hell of a cool offer. As it happens, I also want to do a cover of "Yesterday Is Here." Want to sing?

[Fuelish]

So let me know what you think. Feel free to rip it to shreds if you feel necessary. I can take it.

Sounds great, although I have some slight reservations about the vocals ....just a lil too "smooth", for me, to be singing a Mr Waits song Not bad, mind you, just not what I'm used to, ya understand. The music itself was a very well done interpretation, imho - percussion sounded great, especially after reading how y'all did it .
In all fairness, he's a tough act to cover, as he is truly one of a kind
I truly believe him to be America's greatest living storyteller !!!

[trill]

Not bad at all, but needs more whiskey.

[Fuelish]

Not bad at all, but needs more whiskey.

....and ciggies....or somethin'

[Samnite]

....and ciggies....or somethin'

Hm. As it happens, there were copious amounts of both involved in the recording. Next time, I'll just punch him in the throat before we go live.

Thanks for listening!

[Puckman]

A buddy of mine and I have been working on a cover of Tom Waits's "Hang On St. Christopher," from Frank's Wild Years . Tom's version is pretty much a straight blues progression, but of course, with Tom Waits and Marc Ribot in the same room, things get weird. Awesome, of course, but unusual. Now, we can't get all Tom Waits on this song, so we decided to approach it as a straight blues number...with a few quirks. In particular, since we don't have a drum set currently available, we totally winged the percussion. In several separate takes, we used a shaker, a tambourine, and hand claps. We also recorded my buddy doing a snare train with drumsticks on a table top, high ride-sounds by whacking beer bottles with drum sticks, and a "bass drum" which was actually me pounding on a briefcase with a wrench. I'm mostly happy with the outcome. There's one section I need to fix - the second "solo" where we hung on E, but I thought we were going back into A, and that whole solo section is pretty weak. But that's an easy fix. So let me know what you think. Feel free to rip it to shreds if you feel necessary. I can take it. http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=742236&content=music It's obviously the first song. Technical stuff: - bass guitar is a G&L L-2000 through a Peavey TNT amp. - slide guitar: 1960's Valco/Supro lap steel through a Traynor YCV40WR. - rhythm track: G&L ASAT Special through a Fender Prosonic 210. - lead guitar: Fender Hwy 1 strat (modified with a SD Lil 59, and SD Vintage Strats) through a Traynor YCV40WR.

That was VERY cool! And I really enjoyed the percussion stuff. That worked out perfectly!

[trill]

You know, I've been listening to some of Waits' earlier stuff (Closing Time, specifically), and if your friend can't quite cop the super-gruff vocals, you might be better served by slowing it down a little, letting him just sing comfortably, and using the guitars to give the track its nastiness.

[Samnite]

You know, I've been listening to some of Waits' earlier stuff (Closing Time, specifically), and if your friend can't quite cop the super-gruff vocals, you might be better served by slowing it down a little, letting him just sing comfortably, and using the guitars to give the track its nastiness.

I think it must be my studio setup somehow. He's actually quite a good singer. I've heard him perform live, and he can really nail a lot of vocal sounds. Naturally, he has a very Roy Orbison like voice that comes across well in live situations. I've just never been able to capture it in my recording space.

[fretmonster]

Yo Tom, you old talented Sum a bitch!!! That there is one of the best clips I've ever heard around these parts. And dude, wanna loan me that "{censored}ty" voice? You could sing circles around the other Tom guarandamnteed.


Saw Reece Witherspoon on Regis the other day and she was talking about how as a teenager at talent camp, she was told to stick to acting and stay away from singing. So what does she win an Oscar for? "I walk the line". Well that gave me a little hope anyway.

[vanderwaal]

this rocks man. one of my favorite tom waits tunes. i might steal your arrangement for my band to cover. us covering you covering tom. i dig it.

[Samnite]

Yo Tom, you old talented Sum a bitch!!! That there is one of the best clips I've ever heard around these parts. And dude, wanna loan me that "{censored}ty" voice? You could sing circles around the other Tom guarandamnteed. Saw Reece Witherspoon on Regis the other day and she was talking about how as a teenager at talent camp, she was told to stick to acting and stay away from singing. So what does she win an Oscar for? "I walk the line". Well that gave me a little hope anyway.

Yeah, that's encouraging, huh? Sort of like what the director wrote at Fred Astaire's first audition: "Can't sing. Can't act. Balding. Can dance a little."

I appreciate the kind words, man. I keep plugging away, y'know?

this rocks man. one of my favorite tom waits tunes. i might steal your arrangement for my band to cover. us covering you covering tom. i dig it.

That would be incredibly cool. If you do it, and then perform/record it that way, you MUST let me hear it.

[aenemated]

Thanks, man. That's a hell of a cool offer. As it happens, I also want to do a cover of "Yesterday Is Here." Want to sing?

i actually used to have a recording of me covering that with my acoustic; but cannot find it for the life of me.

i'm down!

[Samnite]

i actually used to have a recording of me covering that with my acoustic; but cannot find it for the life of me. i'm down!

PM sent!

[mike003]

Singer was straining somewhat, but overall I liked it alot. Tom Waits is great. Sounds like he smoked a carton of Camels, drank a bottle of cheap whiskey, and gargled with broken glass.