Sunday, December 7, 2008

the dedicated Electric Slide Guitar

used on "Midnight Kisses" (Electric CD)
This is a mutt-guitar I picked up from Guitar Center for $150.  raised the action as high as I could, but some Baritone gauge strings on it and it sounds great.  This is the guitar used on Midnight Kisses [electric CD obviously].

The pedalboard for the Electric CD


Pedal board used on "Gossip" Electric CD
Here's my pedalboard and the one used for the Electric CD.
The sub-expression pedal is for the Eventide Mod Factor [top left], and the Boss F5-SU is a dedicated tap tempo button for the Eventide Time Factor [center of the board].  That is by far the best delay I've ever used! I do like the TC Electronic Nova Delay [right next to the Time Factor], but the Eventide is better.  The gold footpedal [bottom left] goes to the Bogner Shiva amp.

signal chain:
Ernie Ball volume pedal - Petersen Strobe Tuner - Fulltone Clyde Deluxe - Fulltone ultimate octave - Fulltone Full Drive - Fulltone OCD - Xotic effect AC Booster - Keeley Compressor - Fulltone Fat Boost2 - Fulltone deja vibe - Fulltone supa-trem - TC Nova Delay - Eventide Time Factor - Eventide Modfactor - to amp(s).  Wired with George L cables. 

the reason for Angelyne...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e9/Angelyne.jpg
I've been asked lately: "who is Angelyne? Why write a song about her? is she real?"

the proof lies above.  I can't tell you how many times I was forced to look at this sign crawling along in traffic on Sunset Blvd.  note the phone number on the bottom left of the sign...hmmm..

here's a brief bio lifted  from Wikipedia:

Angelyne drives a pink Corvette which bears the shortened name "ANGLYNE" on its license plate, and has a pink maltese named Buddha.[1]
She began to gain local attention in the early 1980s when a series of
billboards popped up around the city featuring her in various poses.[1] Around this time, she made her first appearance on national television as a guest on the late night talk show Thicke of the Night hosted by Alan Thicke, and featuring a young Arsenio Hall.


Although it has been claimed that billboard companies or a wealthy
husband pays for her billboards, Angelyne, who is single, credits
"investors" for financing the outdoor advertising.[1]Barbie, stating that "Kids think I'm a Barbie doll"[1] and, in one billboard, "Barbie wishes she were me."[2] Angelyne has not given her age or birthdate in interviews, although the IMDB lists 1958 (in Idaho) without providing a source.
Angelyne compares herself to

and here is my favorite one...ahh Los Angeles...

Angelyne was one of the candidates in the 2003 California recall election, finishing 28th in a field of 135 candidates (garnering 2,533 votes).[1] Her slogan during the campaign was "We’ve had Gray, we’ve had Brown, now it’s time for some blond and pink."[1] She was also a candidate for Hollywood city council in 2002 if it were to secede from Los Angeles.

here's the lyrics to "Angelyne"

Verse 1
Because you've got a new pink corvette 
You tooling all around sunset
Like a renegade concubine with a
Big blonde bee-hive in overdrive

I can't believe 
I can't even conceive 
Of a billboard queen 
In the driver's seat..
Angelyne 

Verse 2
Because you barely fit inside a corset
You’re every sugar daddy's luncheonette
You feed them poses and do a routine like those
Glossy centerfolds in my closet magazines

Oh, come clean, Angelyne
You’re just a another wanna-be porn queen
With those Egyptian eyes
And your air-brushed thighs
Angelyne

Solo:

Verse 3
Never judge a cover by its book
But the pages on the inside can be overlooked
You're like a cartoon but too obscene
You'd make Malibu Barbie blush at the knees

Oh come clean
Angelyne
And let reality intervene
You’re just a billboard queen in the driver's seat
With those Egyptian eyes
And those air-brushed thighs
There you go again
Your name is up in lights...
Angelyne

Words and Music by Bryan Clark
© 2007 Rainfeather Music ASCAP

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Here it is! the Cover of the CD!

The Cover for the CD!Here's the cover of the CD! Email me for reserving your copy - I'm taking pre-orders now. The CD will be out September 20th.

Sunday, August 3, 2008

my main squeeze



This is my first REAL guitar. It is my main electric guitar that is on all my CDs. It's a 1961 Fender Custom Esquire neck and a '61 re-issue tele body done sometime in the 80's. I bought it in 1988, used , back home in Dallas at Charley's Guitar Shop. The headstock had already been cracked from the 6th to the 1st string dead-center in the tuner holes. So the top part of the guitar had been snapped-off like a lego block. Every 5 or 6 years I have to have it reset. I had Rene Martinez (SRV's tech) put bass frets on it like Stevie and they have been on it ever since. It was gently used and had all of the paint on it and the full compliment of the double binding (my favorite!) - but over the years and a few radical gigs with lighter fluid, I burned the top right forearm part of the binding off and then spent a week sanding it and re coating it polyurethane. Now it's more comfortable than ever and I don't have a line running across my forearm anymore. Other tweaks: I put on black chrome knobs - stock ESP Guitar knobs they put on all their metal guitars. This required me to sand down the diameter of the pot posts by hand to get the new knobs to fit. I also put on the Danny Gatton Brass bridge [they slant] and this guitar plays absolutely intune. I have to remind myself not to compensate for it when I playing. I switched out the proper mint-green 3 ply pickguard (which I still have) for the black 'mother of toillet-seat' 3 ply guard. For some reason, it just looks better. I use 10-46 guage nickel wound strings.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

the big 3

These are the main guitars I used on the "Gossip" Acoustic CD (L to R):
Tooter Meredith resonator guitar, Collings D1A, Circa (John Slobod) D-28 Madagascar Rosewood (John Slobod). All the dobro tracks were done on the Meredith, and 98% of the guitar tracks were done on the D1A. I used the Circa guitar for "Nights Like These".

more guitars used on "Gossip..."


This Collings D2HA was used on the Acoustic CD.
I used it on the solo to "Midnight Kisses". This guitar is amazing - i would've liked to put it on more of the CD but it late coming from Collings. It is a custom build with: no headstock inlay, no fretboard inlay, herringbone with tortoise binding (a mix between the d1a and the d2ha). I love this one and its LOUD!

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

The "Gossip" about "Gossip" and Down in FLames


I'm starting this thread to document aspects of the new CD "Gossip, Inspiration, and Slander".
I'll write about the equipment used, guitars, studios, helping hands, and other things that go into making a record.

this 3/4 size guitar is what I used on the track "Down in Flames" (on the electric CD), I used a Rode NT1-A, and the K2. Tuned to Open D with John Pearse Phosphor Bronze Medium Guage strings. Glass Slide.