Members 2deaconblues Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Here's a little something new to add to this topic. On Isaak's website he has the video with commentary that you should check out. If you've never seen him interviewed, or saw his Showtime series, you don't know how funny he is. The commentary is great. My favorite quote is during a shot of him and the HOT chick he says, "see how she never really looks at me? She doesn't show any kind of affection for me? That wasn't acting, it came naturally to her. I have that effect - reverse chemistry." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 Great tone. My Fender Deluxe Player nails it without me even playing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by jerry_picker Strat, vintage style pups through a DR and you are 95% there. So, no Gretsch? Was that just the video... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by warriorpoet google "milf wiki" I say no more. I learnt it from the Urban Dictionary some time ago prompted by the usage on these forums. But only now, looking at the definition in Wikipedia, do I realize it originated from American Pie, the movie. A simple Google image search for the acronym will get you in the ballpark too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by RockNote So, no Gretsch? Was that just the video... In the recording and the time I saw it performed live, the lead guitar player used a Strat. Chris Isaak has a Gretsch as part of his signature look, and is a very capable rockabilly rhythm player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by jerry_picker In the recording and the time I saw it performed live, the lead guitar player used a Strat. Chris Isaak has a Gretsch as part of his signature look, and is a very capable rockabilly rhythm player. I have only had the opportunity to sit down with a Chris Isaak style Gretsch on one occasion. I seemed to me to have such a wondrous dreamy vibe about it, just as this song does. Now, I was starting to think I must have been tripping, if it was never really part of the song (just the video). I am relieved to hear that indeed it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frets99 Posted September 7, 2006 Share Posted September 7, 2006 At GC on Monday, this guy sits down with a Gretsch with filtertrons and a Fender Twin Reverb amp and starts playing SRV's Lenny. I was seriously drooling!! But I still have my Fender deluxe Player guitar..... Seriously made me sit down and play my strat looking for that dreamy tone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxhollow Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 I've always thought the world of that song and after reading the article on how it was recorded went back and listened to it again......listening for the things described in the article. Wow, it was like listening to it for the first time again. I think the recording job might be close to as good as the song is.....it all gets a big Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxhollow Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by 2deaconblues Here's a little something new to add to this topic. On Isaak's website he has the video with commentary that you should check out. If you've never seen him interviewed, or saw his Showtime series, you don't know how funny he is. The commentary is great. My favorite quote is during a shot of him and the HOT chick he says, "see how she never really looks at me? She doesn't show any kind of affection for me? That wasn't acting, it came naturally to her. I have that effect - reverse chemistry." Checked that out.....pretty funny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by hollowbox I've always thought the world of that song and after reading the article on how it was recorded went back and listened to it again......listening for the things described in the article. Wow, it was like listening to it for the first time again. I think the recording job might be close to as good as the song is.....it all gets a big Yeah, it makes me wonder just how important those very subtle details are to the success of a great song. Most people just know it sounds good, without really knowing why. I mean, what if they recorded the Strat solo parts straight from the DR through the SM-57 into the board with NO further tweaking, stereo chorusing, triple echo, 32-foot hall reverb modeling, etc., etc. ? I am a huge fan of the RCA Studio B analog vibe, even though it sounds old-fashioned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stratoskier Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Wicked Games definitely has one of most haunting guitar lines ever. I've always wondered about how that main lick was played. It can sound very nice any one of three ways: 1) All notes fretted (no open strings) with trem bar used for all the slides/bends. Like fret a B on g-string (4th fret), bend bar down; fret F# on b-string (7th fret) while raising the bar to pitch) 2) 1st note is an open B string, bend bar down, rest as above 3) No bar: fret a Bb( 3rd fret on g-string) and bend up to B before picking, gradual release down to Bb; fret 5th fret b-string and bend up to the F#; simultaneous bend release and slide down... Not describing it well, but maybe you get the idea. Most tabs show it as #2 (open B-string version), but with very precise intonation, I actually think #3 sounds the nicest. The one band I played this tune in, I actually mixed it up quite a bit. Just wondering --- anyone know how it was actually played? Bert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MONGOOZ Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by RockNote So, no Gretsch? Was that just the video... Chris doesn't play MOST of the lead stuff.......James Calvin Wilsey does......and i've seen them do the song live and Chris was using an ES-335........James was using a strat, and played the part nearly tone for tone just like the record...... ever notice how Chris Isaak looks A LOT like Duane Eddy did in 1958??? and the sound is similar too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by MONGOOZ ever notice how Chris Isaak looks A LOT like Duane Eddy did in 1958??? and the sound is similar too To be honest I don't know much about Duane Eddy. When I first saw Chris Isaak he struck me as looking very 50's. I thought it was kinda clich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members rambleon223 Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 I always thought that was a great song but never realized that was the name of the song. I had no idea which one you guys were talking about until I hit the link to the vid + commentary. I wish I had written that one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by stratoskier Wicked Games definitely has one of most haunting guitar lines ever. I've always wondered about how that main lick was played. It can sound very nice any one of three ways:1) All notes fretted (no open strings) with trem bar used for all the slides/bends. Like fret a B on g-string (4th fret), bend bar down; fret F# on b-string (7th fret) while raising the bar to pitch)2) 1st note is an open B string, bend bar down, rest as above3) No bar: fret a Bb( 3rd fret on g-string) and bend up to B before picking, gradual release down to Bb; fret 5th fret b-string and bend up to the F#; simultaneous bend release and slide down...Not describing it well, but maybe you get the idea. Most tabs show it as #2 (open B-string version), but with very precise intonation, I actually think #3 sounds the nicest. The one band I played this tune in, I actually mixed it up quite a bit.Just wondering --- anyone know how it was actually played?Bert That figure gets played a couple times in the song. I'm not really sure it is played exactly the same each time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Great song, but Helena really made the vid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2deaconblues Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by MONGOOZ Chris doesn't play MOST of the lead stuff.......James Calvin Wilsey does......and i've seen them do the song live and Chris was using an ES-335........James was using a strat, and played the part nearly tone for tone just like the record...... And how about this acoustic version from MTV Unplugged. Very cool. No studio trickery here. Just great playing and songwriting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxhollow Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by jerry_picker Yeah, it makes me wonder just how important those very subtle details are to the success of a great song. Most people just know it sounds good, without really knowing why. I mean, what if they recorded the Strat solo parts straight from the DR through the SM-57 into the board with NO further tweaking, stereo chorusing, triple echo, 32-foot hall reverb modeling, etc., etc. ? I am a huge fan of the RCA Studio B analog vibe, even though it sounds old-fashioned. I think as an amateur recordist I find the recording part to be really interesting.....What they did to get that signature sound etc...etc......but in the end no amount of recording genius is going to make a bad song good. This one is all about a great song.....it would still be a great song no matter what they did to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxhollow Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by 2deaconblues And how about this acoustic version from MTV Unplugged. Very cool. No studio trickery here. Just great playing and songwriting. That is superb!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by 2deaconblues And how about this acoustic version from MTV Unplugged. Very cool. No studio trickery here. Just great playing and songwriting. God that hurts! As does the studio recording. I don't buy the no trickery though - it is electrified after all. And the dude's got that spacey reverb thing going on. But the fact that they can convey such vexed emotions with such intensity by means so simple - that is impressive! Also, I think CI has one of the very best male singing voices today. I should add that I rarely listen to music like this, so I may well be a little ignorant as regards this genre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 46&2 Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 I'm going to see him tomorrow night. Sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jerry_picker Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by 46&2 I'm going to see him tomorrow night. Sweet. Take note of what the lead guitarist is playing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orourke Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Just as an interesting side note, the band H.I.M. (who generally creep me out) do a pretty decent harder rock version of Wicked Game. It just goes to show, you can still write a three chord song (Bm, A & E) that's brilliant and can be done in a number of different ways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 2deaconblues Posted September 7, 2006 Members Share Posted September 7, 2006 Originally posted by RockNote God that hurts! As does the studio recording. I don't buy the no trickery though - it is electrified after all. And the dude's got that spacey reverb thing going on. Yeah, I'm with you on that. I'm definitely hearing either tremolo (from an effect, not whammy bar), or heavy reverb... but still, damn! BTW, I play this with my band and I use my Dano Tunamelt tremolo on the lead line and chorus as well as upping the reverb. But when I'm messing around at home, I love the way it sounds on acoustic with the tremolo pedal. This song always sounds great. I repeat: songwriting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BlackCat Posted September 8, 2006 Members Share Posted September 8, 2006 I hesitate to change the subject after all this civilized on-topic discussion but what the hell. Remember The Chris Isaak Show that was on Showtime some years back? It was about the adventures of the band. (looked like the same crew in that unplugged video).I was watching the show and my now ex-wife walked up and said Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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