TheVinylPress.com

[Whart]

This recording has long been a favorite, both for the music and the sonics. Guy Van Duser, who teaches at the Berklee School, is a master guitarist with a bent for jazz and swing, and a talent for fingerpicking. Guy shares some of his insights into the recording, as well as his work with Chet Atkins, who was one of his early inspirations. Get Yourself a New Broom- Chatting with Guy Van Duser

[beowulf]

I haven't posted in here before, but I just wanted to say that I enjoy the articles quite a bit and thanks for sharing!

[Whart]

Thank you, Beowulf. It is very gratifying to do this and I appreciate the support. As the site has evolved, it has become even more a process of discovery for me- learning more about the music itself, as well as the performers. It's also about striking the right balance between the obscure and the well-known, and getting as much direct information as I can from the people involved, where I can. That often takes time, and involves another balancing act- constantly updating content versus deeper, more involved articles with interviews, research and care in the writing. The process only makes me admire even more the professional writers who make a living writing.

[Whart]

Prompted by my recent discussion with Guy Van Duser (earlier article), I dug into a pile of old Chet Atkins records that I had accumulated (along with the Sessions record that I bought as a result of Guy's comments). That led to a piece, The Many Sides of Chet Atkins.
In addition, I have posted a piece about Garnet Mimms, a woefully under-recognized soul/gospel singer with a gorgeous voice, and a quick look at some Michigan rock from the '60s, courtesy of a compilation on Seeds & Stems records. Enjoy~

[Whart]

I knew a little about Canned Heat, and liked some of their hits back in the day. I also knew they had some involvement in helping to locate some of the legendary bluesmen during the era of "rediscovery" in the early-mid '60s. I decided to dig a little deeper, and the result is now on the site: a multi-part series of articles that includes an overview of the band, a review of four of the "classic" line-up albums (on Liberty Records), an extensive interview with Skip Taylor, their longtime manager (Skip first heard the band at the same 'frat party' where The Doors were playing, and signed The Doors to Elektra); also included is a 'Sidebar' on the Blues Rediscovery Era and the involvement of certain Canned Heat members in helping to locate such mythic figures as Son House and Skip James. I really enjoyed working on this series, and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Time to boogie!

[cmarin]

Originally Posted by Whart

I knew a little about Canned Heat, and liked some of their hits back in the day. I also knew they had some involvement in helping to locate some of the legendary bluesmen during the era of "rediscovery" in the early-mid '60s. I decided to dig a little deeper, and the result is now on the site: a multi-part series of articles that includes an overview of the band, a review of four of the "classic" line-up albums (on Liberty Records), an extensive interview with Skip Taylor, their longtime manager (Skip first heard the band at the same 'frat party' where The Doors were playing, and signed The Doors to Elektra); also included is a 'Sidebar' on the Blues Rediscovery Era and the involvement of certain Canned Heat members in helping to locate such mythic figures as Son House and Skip James. I really enjoyed working on this series, and hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it! Time to boogie!

Bill, I just subscribed to your blog. A very enjoyable and informative read.

Currently going over your record cleaning and related posts. Very informative. Thanks

[Whart]

Many thanks, cmarin. I'm following my bliss or whatever the term is; and in the process, hoping to document, in a small way, some of the legacy of the great contributors to our musical heritage, in addition to helping vinyl users on the practical stuff. I'm learning a hell of a lot along the way, and it is a great outlet for me creatively since I like to write, and enjoy the interviews. Sometimes, it is like putting together a puzzle, and thankfully, there are others, with far more knowledge than me (e.g. some of the blues scholars), who have been very generous with their knowledge and time.
PS: Love Texas!

[W9TR]

Hi Bill,
I've been spending some time on your site while I'm listening, and having a blast.
I even dug out a copy of the Boston album my neighbor gave me. It was the Allen Zentz version. Hadn't heard it in, oh, 35 years. Ahhh, the three B's Boston, Beer, and ....

I really liked the article about 914 studios and Brooks Arthur. It is always amazing to me how these studios in unlikely places ebb and flow with great artists and engineers.

If you're into recording studio history, have you heard of Pachyderm? Located in Cannon Falls, MN, it's the studio where Nirvana recorded In Utero, their last album. It has been in and out of business over the past 20 years and would make a great story. Some info on the web, including old web pages still up, for how long, who knows.

Tom

[Whart]

Hey, Tom. No I haven't but I'll look for that page you mentioned. I'll have to pull out that Nirvana album, i haven't listened to any of their material in quite some time. Someone could do a nice book on "lost studios" (if it hasn't been done already). I'm glad to see that there has been a resurgence-- to some degree- in actual studios (as opposed to Pro-Tools equipped rooms that aren't necessarily suited for sound).
Thanks for the kind words. I took a little break from the writing, but am now back. The hard part isn't filling up pages, it's finding stuff that I'm inspired to write about, and getting folks to respond to some of my offbeat topics. Brooks was a real gentleman, and though he has been in the industry for a long, long time, is still working pretty much full time! I hope to meet him at some point if our schedules permit. Stay warm...

[W9TR]

Thanks Bill, When you listen to In Utero, listen for the drum sound. The room at Pachyderm was apparently known for its great drum sound and of course the Neve board. What got me started on the whole Pachyderm thing was another more offbeat album "For All I Care" by The Bad Plus. Their covers of Lithium and Comfortably Numb are really unique and in the latter case very evocative and spooky. It was recorded at Pachyderm and sounds fantastic.
Tom