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Post by craydarr on Mar 1, 2020 8:50:26 GMT
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frozenhero
Administrator
Drop-D beautiful
Posts: 1,420
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Post by frozenhero on Mar 23, 2020 19:50:18 GMT
The thing about click tracks is a sore point. Even Ginger Baker couldn't play to a click track! And what's the point in using a click track live anyway? The drummer is supposed to provide the tempo - either him or the rhythm guitarist. I think playing to a click track really limits the band's freedom. Yes, John couldn't keep up the pace (at least on the first tour), but there wasn't really a need to play Down Down either.
"and he didn’t want to write sweet songs anymore; it was all about ROCK ROCK ROCK!"
Francis must've forgotten about songs like Familiar Blues, This is Me or even Mystery Island... and on his solo album there's some sweet songs too... Over and Out, and of course Without You (even if the composition dates back to the 80s, as does One by One from ISOTFC).
"I have a problem with drink, and I have a problem with society that thinks drink’s fine, and they tend to assume that drink is not a drug. "
That's a good line.
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mortified
Administrator
This is no' gettin' the bairn a shirt
Posts: 5,559
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Post by mortified on Mar 24, 2020 7:48:10 GMT
The thing about click tracks is a sore point. Even Ginger Baker couldn't play to a click track! And what's the point in using a click track live anyway? The drummer is supposed to provide the tempo - either him or the rhythm guitarist. I think playing to a click track really limits the band's freedom. Yes, John couldn't keep up the pace (at least on the first tour), but there wasn't really a need to play Down Down either. "and he didn’t want to write sweet songs anymore; it was all about ROCK ROCK ROCK!" Francis must've forgotten about songs like Familiar Blues, This is Me or even Mystery Island... and on his solo album there's some sweet songs too... Over and Out, and of course Without You (even if the composition dates back to the 80s, as does One by One from ISOTFC). "I have a problem with drink, and I have a problem with society that thinks drink’s fine, and they tend to assume that drink is not a drug. " That's a good line. Society has always thought that drink was fine; socially that is. This isn't a 20th or 21st century phenomenon. Pretty much everyone who drinks knows perfectly well that it isn't particularly good for them. Nothing really is if taken in large enough quantities. Not even oxygen! Alcohol is a drug. The more you drink, the more you want. Even after one glass. No sensational news there. I also agree with frozenhero that Rick's compositions in the last 20 or more years were quite varied; some of them almost subdued. We could all list probably a dozen that he wrote that were not " ROCK ROCK ROCK" That seems to be an unfair generalisation. However, also to be fair, we don't know what Rick kept bringing to the table that we didn't get to hear. But Quo to me were always that balance between outright rock combined with melody and a hook. Rick and/or Alan and/or Rhino tended to provide the one and Francis and Bob and/or Bernie, as a general rule, provided the other. That's what made Quo, eh, Quo. Or am I missing something? Lose that balance and you lose the essence of what makes the band popular. They become just another band. As for click tracks, whose fault is it that John and Alan weren't up to speed? If the problem was a lack of serious rehearsal, I'm afraid you have to lay that at the feet of those who wanted the reunion to go ahead as quickly as possible regardless. I can only assume that the lure of the $$ will have guided that decision. That might have also influenced the choices of venue. Quo could have easily filled large arenas on that first tour. Was it because they weren't available at short notice? Or was it a deliberate choice to play a small $hithole like the O2 Academy in Glasgow? No doubt I'd be told that they had to squeeze in making a bl00dy awful movie and keeping the summer and winter dates sacrosanct. Like I say, the lure of the $$. Just musing because I'm now in lockdown and I can
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col
High Flyer
All my Gods are leaving......
Posts: 302
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Post by col on Mar 24, 2020 9:24:08 GMT
The thing about click tracks is a sore point. Even Ginger Baker couldn't play to a click track! And what's the point in using a click track live anyway? The drummer is supposed to provide the tempo - either him or the rhythm guitarist. I think playing to a click track really limits the band's freedom. Yes, John couldn't keep up the pace (at least on the first tour), but there wasn't really a need to play Down Down either. "and he didn’t want to write sweet songs anymore; it was all about ROCK ROCK ROCK!" Francis must've forgotten about songs like Familiar Blues, This is Me or even Mystery Island... and on his solo album there's some sweet songs too... Over and Out, and of course Without You (even if the composition dates back to the 80s, as does One by One from ISOTFC). "I have a problem with drink, and I have a problem with society that thinks drink’s fine, and they tend to assume that drink is not a drug. " That's a good line. Society has always thought that drink was fine; socially that is. This isn't a 20th or 21st century phenomenon. Pretty much everyone who drinks knows perfectly well that it isn't particularly good for them. Nothing really is if taken in large enough quantities. Not even oxygen! Alcohol is a drug. The more you drink, the more you want. Even after one glass. No sensational news there. I also agree with frozenhero that Rick's compositions in the last 20 or more years were quite varied; some of them almost subdued. We could all list probably a dozen that he wrote that were not " ROCK ROCK ROCK" That seems to be an unfair generalisation. However, also to be fair, we don't know what Rick kept bringing to the table that we didn't get to hear. But Quo to me were always that balance between outright rock combined with melody and a hook. Rick and/or Alan and/or Rhino tended to provide the one and Francis and Bob and/or Bernie, as a general rule, provided the other. That's what made Quo, eh, Quo. Or am I missing something? Lose that balance and you lose the essence of what makes the band popular. They become just another band. As for click tracks, whose fault is it that John and Alan weren't up to speed? If the problem was a lack of serious rehearsal, I'm afraid you have to lay that at the feet of those who wanted the reunion to go ahead as quickly as possible regardless. I can only assume that the lure of the $$ will have guided that decision. That might have also influenced the choices of venue. Quo could have easily filled large arenas on that first tour. Was it because they weren't available at short notice? Or was it a deliberate choice to play a small $hithole like the O2 Academy in Glasgow? No doubt I'd be told that they had to squeeze in making a bl00dy awful movie and keeping the summer and winter dates sacrosanct. Like I say, the lure of the $$. Just musing because I'm now in lockdown and I can I've never heard you militant.
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mortified
Administrator
This is no' gettin' the bairn a shirt
Posts: 5,559
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Post by mortified on Mar 24, 2020 9:46:22 GMT
Society has always thought that drink was fine; socially that is. This isn't a 20th or 21st century phenomenon. Pretty much everyone who drinks knows perfectly well that it isn't particularly good for them. Nothing really is if taken in large enough quantities. Not even oxygen! Alcohol is a drug. The more you drink, the more you want. Even after one glass. No sensational news there. I also agree with frozenhero that Rick's compositions in the last 20 or more years were quite varied; some of them almost subdued. We could all list probably a dozen that he wrote that were not " ROCK ROCK ROCK" That seems to be an unfair generalisation. However, also to be fair, we don't know what Rick kept bringing to the table that we didn't get to hear. But Quo to me were always that balance between outright rock combined with melody and a hook. Rick and/or Alan and/or Rhino tended to provide the one and Francis and Bob and/or Bernie, as a general rule, provided the other. That's what made Quo, eh, Quo. Or am I missing something? Lose that balance and you lose the essence of what makes the band popular. They become just another band. As for click tracks, whose fault is it that John and Alan weren't up to speed? If the problem was a lack of serious rehearsal, I'm afraid you have to lay that at the feet of those who wanted the reunion to go ahead as quickly as possible regardless. I can only assume that the lure of the $$ will have guided that decision. That might have also influenced the choices of venue. Quo could have easily filled large arenas on that first tour. Was it because they weren't available at short notice? Or was it a deliberate choice to play a small $hithole like the O2 Academy in Glasgow? No doubt I'd be told that they had to squeeze in making a bl00dy awful movie and keeping the summer and winter dates sacrosanct. Like I say, the lure of the $$. Just musing because I'm now in lockdown and I can I've never heard you militant. That takes me back. I'm sure that was the name of a publication you used to have thrust upon you in the mid 70's when you worked in the Civil Service like I did. "Here, have a copy of The Militant" Little Red Rob Hood used to say
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Post by I Ain't Complaining on Mar 24, 2020 16:22:45 GMT
I agree with you mortified about Rick writing a variety of songs. IMO he always did. Francis seems to get 'an agenda' and then uses it in every interview during a 'round' of interviews for a project. One of the problems, not just with interviews but documentaries etc etc. is that there's no one there to butt in and refute the point that has been made. So the person gets away with it. I know that certain things get peer reviewed, but even that is done afterwards and most people don't see it. There are a few things that I've heard Francis say recently, and I've thought, you used to say something different/the opposite about that. Two examples are, who's idea it was to sue Radio 1; I've read that it was the band's idea, but now he blames it on David Walker and says he was against it. And he always used to say that they were happy to go on first at Live Aid and get it out of the way and no one thought how great it would be; and recently I heard him say that in the back of his mind he knew they would get a load of press coverage! Funny how sometimes his story changes with hindsight! On the 2 weeks rehearsal for the first FF Reunion. I'm sure he said at the time that Alan thought they only needed 2 weeks practice so that was when he flew over. I'm not sure he would have said this about Alan at the time if it wasn't true. I've never heard Alan refute it. The click track is a funny one. On one hand it should mean that you always play at the same tempo. But there were times (big festivals etc) where they would play a bit faster; Knebworth and Radio 1 Party in the Park (Live Alive Quo) for example. Does the click track mean that you can't do that any more?
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