"You Just Do It": Talking Heads' Tina Weymouth on the Secret of Great Basslines | Bacon's Archive
Tony Bacon interviewed Tina Weymouth in London toward the end of 1988 when Tom Tom Club were in town. He wanted to know about her bass playing, primarily in Talking Heads—their final album, Naked, had come out earlier that year—as she'd always seemed to him a fine and underrated bassist, from that perfectly simple intro to "Psycho Killer" to the spacier realms of "I Zimbra" or the worldly charm of "Totally Nude." She began their conversation with an ominous evaluation of her own instrument.
Recreating the Beach Boys' Hairpin Piano From "Pet Sounds"
When the Beach Boys recorded Pet Sounds in 1966, the effects at their disposal were limited. So, Brian Wilson and company had to get creative. In the tune "You Still Believe In Me," Brian Wilson & lyricist Tony Asher employed an unconventional tool to create the iconic opening piano melody.
Coming Soon: Bootsy Collins' Studio Tour
All roads of funk lead back to Bootsy Collins. He wrote some of James Brown's best known and most sampled basslines while still a teenager. Became a driving force in George Clinton's Parliament-Funkadelic revolution and led Bootsy's Rubber Band to insane heights. We took the road to Bootsy's home studio to hear from him how he does it, and can't wait to show you. Stay tuned and sign up so you don't miss out.
The Guitarists & Gear of Folk Rock
The folk rock movement generally refers to the development and evolution of the American folk music revival in the mid 1960s. The revival began in the '40s and over a few decades, transformed into something else, as technological advancements made new and more exciting musical instruments, like electric guitars and amps, more readily available. We're exploring the go-to gear of artists like Neil Young, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, and more.
The Story Behind George Harrison's Rosewood Telecaster
Fifty years back, on January 30, 1969, George Harrison stepped on to the roof of his group's Apple headquarters in London and plugged in a Fender Telecaster. Famously, it would be The Beatles' last ever public performance. Not quite so famously, his guitar was an unusual model, a new Rosewood Telecaster that he'd recently received from Fender.
Wilco's Jeff Tweedy Takes Us Through His Career Through Gear
It is no secret that indie rock legend Jeff Tweedy knows gear. Having spent the majority of his life on the road touring and in the studio making records first with Uncle Tupelo and then later Wilco, Tweedy is a musician who has used just about everything. But where did it all start?
Quirky Sounds That Make the Song, From The Supremes to Billie Eilish
Throughout the decades, artists have included unique instruments and found sounds in their records to create memorable tunes. Earworms aren’t always a killer chorus or a rocking riff. Sometimes records depend on the strategic deployment of an unusual sound. You hear it and think: What’s that? And it sticks in your mind. Next time the song comes on, you’re listening out for that sound. Whatever it is.
