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some appreciation - Adrian Belew


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I have recently learned about Adrian Belew and his amazing guitar sounds.... all started wile listening to Remain the Light by Talking Heads and the solo for "Born under Punches" at the time I thought it was all brian eno's work, then I came across a web page that it was just discussing radiohead and greenwood, o'brien, blah blah...but they mentioned the talking heads album as being a big influence during the recording of Hail to the Thief... and also mentioned the work of Adrian Belew, that was doing some session work for Talking heads for that album and tour...

listen to it:

Born under punches (and the beat goes on)

 

any similarities between this solo and jonny solo for Go To Sleep...

Now, I know that jonny uses a Max/MSP patch to get that effect, now how did Belew/Eno got this sound in 79? I can get something half way there with my PDS 1002.... but still far far from that!

 

check this video, specially the last 30 seconds.... how does he get these amazing sustain/feedback etc???

Psycho Killer Live

 

Anyway.... I will stop now...I just thought I would share with people...I havent been excited about "new" guitarist in a long time!

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1970s

? Adrian changes his name from Robert Steven to 'Adrian' - a name he'd always liked.

? Adrian is discovered by Frank Zappa while playing in a cover band named Sweetheart at the infamous Fanny's in Nashville. Frank gets Adrian's name from his chauffeur and later invites Adrian to Los Angeles to audition for his band.

? Adrian tours with Frank Zappa. while on tour, Adrian meets David Bowie. Bowie is so impressed with Adrian, he asks him to join his band. The Zappa tour comes to an end and Adrian records on the Bowie classics, Stage and Lodger.

1979

? While touring with Bowie, Adrian meets talking heads and performs on 'Remain In Light' and ' ...The Name Of This Band Is..." he later tours with them.

1980

? On the first day of the tour with Talking Heads, Adrian meets Robert Fripp. Fripp asks Adrian to join the soon to be reformed, King Crimson.

1981

? Adrian joins King Crimson.

? Adrian joins Talking Heads' Chris Franz and Tina Weymouth to record as Tom Tom Club. Adrian co-writes their hit "Genius Of Love" which appears on the self titled release, Tom Tom Club.

 

1982

? Adrian signs with Island Records and releases his debut solo record, 'The Lone Rhino' featuring the song and video, Big Electric Cat.

 

1983

? Adrian releases his second solo lp, Twang Bar King.

? Adrian produces The Raisins' debut album and appears on Laurie Anderson's "Mr. Heartbreak".

1984

? Adrian finishes his stint with King Crimson. Adrian records "Zoolook" with Jean-Michel Jarre and also produces The Elvis Brothers.

1985

? Adrian joins members of The Raisins to become The Bears. They tour the U.S. and end their tour with a sold out show at the Ritz in New York.

? Adrian later appears on Laurie Anderson's video, 'Home of the Brave' and on Paul Simon's Grammy winning, "Graceland".

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Here are some pictures of his rig, although there is no mention of the date. Nowadays he uses his Parker signature. His amplifiers are Johnson Milleniums.

 

http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/1248814880060652544Njwqqi

http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/1248817844060652544LdSSGL

 

A recent interview where he talks about his gear:

 

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/interviews/adrian_belew_my_approach_is_to_stretch_the_possibilities_of_guitar.html

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King Crimson's "Elephant Talk" is about the only bit of Belew I know, but it's awesome. The elephant sound, the insane funky strat rhythm part, one or other or possibly both of the amazing solos (and the solo sounds, which are equally weird and impressive)... any one of these would make him the man, but all together? :eek:. My mind, she is blowed :freak:

 

The album "Discipline" is high on my CD want list.

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Yeah...keep the info coming...

I found this picture of his stage rig for australian tour in 2006

BelewStageEffects.jpg

but still....what i really want to see is the rig from late 70s and early 80s... i saw a pic where you can see his strats have some extras switches... i wonder what it is!

 

 

Here are some pictures of his rig, although there is no mention of the date. Nowadays he uses his Parker signature. His amplifiers are Johnson Milleniums.


http://entertainment.webshots.com/photo/1248817844060652544LdSSGL

 

this is the pic i was talking about!

248817844LdSSGL_th.jpg

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I saw King Crimson at a bar near Detroit just after the Discipline album was relased. In-{censored}ing-credible to be soooo close to that group of rediculously talented musicians. I was like 3 people away from the front of the stage :eek:

 

And Lone Rhino, one of my favorites :thu:

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Usually, his strats and mustangs have the roland pickup and electronics installed.

 

 

Yep, this explains the extra switches. He probably also has a Fernandes Sustainer in the neck position.

 

By the way, can anyone recommend me some of his solo albums?

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Here's what I figured out.

 

Circa 79/80 rig

 

old strat (no MIDI stuff back then)

 

MXR Dynacomp

EH Big Muff w/ an MXR EQ used to boost the mids at 4k or so.

EH Echoflanger/Polychorus

 

These three are the key pedals for the live sound. He may have also had a memory man and a Roland Rack Chorus. The Foxxtone Octave Fuzz got added later.

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I have recently learned about Adrian Belew and his amazing guitar sounds.... all started wile listening to Remain the Light by Talking Heads and the solo for "Born under Punches" at the time I thought it was all brian eno's work, then I came across a web page that it was just discussing radiohead and greenwood, o'brien, blah blah...but they mentioned the talking heads album as being a big influence during the recording of Hail to the Thief... and also mentioned the work of Adrian Belew, that was doing some session work for Talking heads for that album and tour...

listen to it:



any similarities between this solo and jonny solo for Go To Sleep...

Now, I know that jonny uses a Max/MSP patch to get that effect, now how did Belew/Eno got this sound in 79? I can get something half way there with my PDS 1002.... but still far far from that!


check this video, specially the last 30 seconds.... how does he get these amazing sustain/feedback etc???



Anyway.... I will stop now...I just thought I would share with people...I havent been excited about "new" guitarist in a long time!

 

 

 

Pretty sure the Punches sound is a cranked Dynacomp and creative abuse of the polychorus. He also sounds like he's tapping (maybe with the pick?) at some points.

 

The live sustain is just the combination of the Dynacomp and a mid-boosted Big Muff.

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Pretty sure the Punches sound is a cranked Dynacomp and creative abuse of the polychorus. He also sounds like he's tapping (maybe with the pick?) at some points.

 

 

i dunno...it sounds more like some multiple digital delay with the hold function going on and off, plus some computer glitches (maybe eno)... i think it is definately a post production trick as they dont play the solo this way on the live version i saw!

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i dunno...it sounds more like some multiple digital delay with the hold function going on and off, plus some computer glitches (maybe eno)... i think it is definately a post production trick as they dont play the solo this way on the live version i saw!

 

 

Nah, you have to consider the time-frame -- no computers in the studio in 79 -- and Eno only had a couple of analog synths. He used the Roland 501 for echo, which doesn't really sound like that like. Definitely possible that its been treated by one of the analog synths. But like I say the Polychorus can get some wild sounds.

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Belew's delay in the late '70s was a Roland DC30 rackmount analog delay. Although he was a big EH fan I've never seen any indication he used a Memory Man. He did use an EH 16 Second Delay after they came out in '82. He has done tapping with both pick and fingers over the years. Some of the "Born Under Punches" noises sound like trem bar manipulation combined with rapid pull offs, tremolo picking, and pressing the strings against the pole pieces of his pickups to get those metallic high notes.

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