21st Century Schizoid Man

Gary Peters · From: United Kingdom

Hi All

Listening to our (in the UK) young guns posting up new (actually old) stuff inspired me to get my head down and do the same (but different). Keen to keep up with the young 'uns and their devotion to the country tradition, I decided to once again go back and revisit an old country favourite of mine 'Country Roads'. That was the day before yesterday, but then yesterday my usual schizoid personality led me into something less countryfied. Like my children, I love them both equally, but (like my children) they are very different from each other. Anyway, here they are...enjoy! Be interesting to see which gets the most plays ('most' being a relative term when it comes to my music of course). The second piece is intended to demonstrate the steel in an accompanying role (to my 6 string)...although there is a little solo excursion at the fade.

https://soundcloud.com/user-581188416/take-me-home-country-roads

https://soundcloud.com/user-581188416/drive

Thanks for listening

Gary
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Williams 700 Keyless U12

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Man, you gotta lotta kids. I like them all. This first track is the "respectable, tasteful" son. Never in trouble, very reserved and polished. Never even thought about going into the family art school business.

Gary Peters · From: United Kingdom

Thanks Tucker.

I assume you're talking about the 2nd piece!!

As for 'Country Roads', that was intended to be rather tasteless...especially in the present climate!!

Yours, as always

G
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Williams 700 Keyless U12

Bill McCloskey · Posted 10 Nov 2020 2:54 pm

I really liked both of those and had good time jamming along, especially on the second tune.

I was prepared to not like the first. I worked in a record store in Boulder, Colorado in the early 70's and I learned to hate both that song and John Denver in general. Of course that was my 20 year old, Miles Davis loving, snob that I was then (still are, except the 20 something).

But you won me over. Nicely arranged, played, performed, and recorded.

Gary Peters · From: United Kingdom

Thanks Bill

The Denver was a complete ruff n reddy improv, but I just wanted, once and for all, to learn the chords for the bridge (that tricky F chord), as I used to balls it up every night in my first ever country band back in the 80s, but was too much of a Miles Davis snob to admit it to the rest of the (far more country) band. I always hated that song (and John Denver's unnecessary fringe) but doing it again yesterday I grew to love it (and exorcised my unnecessarily embittered past).

That's country...I guess

G
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Williams 700 Keyless U12

Steven Pearce · From: Port Orchard Washington, USA

I too was in the â€˜Strongly dislikeâ€™ column, (hate is a rather strong word) ok hated John Denver, but your version is cool! Nice work Mister. The second song is great. It brought to mind a sort of Jeff Beck with Jan Hammer feel! Thanks.
Steve
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http://www.fentonstwang.com/fr_home.cfm

Gary Peters · From: United Kingdom

Thanks Steven...appreciated

Yes, you're right, hate speech should not be encouraged. Actually, I never hated John Denver, I only hated his fringe. Although if fringe maketh the man then, at the very least, he was deserving of some mild mockery. Anyway, I'm over it now.

Jeff Beck! Now there's a guitarist! And still strangely underrated. All in the hands with him...and how!

G
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Williams 700 Keyless U12

Joachim Kettner · From: Germany

Yes, Jeff Beck wore a fringe jacket on one of the Yardbirds lp covers. Charlie Rich's speech on John Denver's CHF introduction was very unfair and full of hate.
Gary now that I've heard your version, I'm begining to to like the song. It gives it it a different perspective.
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Fender Kingman, Sierra Crown D-10, Evans Amplifier, Soup Cube.

Gary Peters · From: United Kingdom

Thanks Joachim

I can see this fringe thing has struck a chord, and you've reminded me that I too have a very fine fringed suede jacket that I never wear...until now! Clearly, fringes are the future, and the new black.

Thinking of Jeff Beck, which I wasn't when I recorded Country Roads (strangely), I did play the guitar part with my fingers rather than a pick, so at least I have that in common with Jeff; that and a limited supply of scuzzy t-shirts.

I saw Jeff in the late 60s with Rod Stewart on vocals...class act. And again about 10 years ago...still very classy...but was wearing strange camouflaged boots that didn't contribute very much to the evening's entertainment...but I digress...

G
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Williams 700 Keyless U12

Bryan Staddon · From: Buffalo,New York,

Liked them both, nice job. Dug the clean soloing on the second one. I gotta admit though, I thought and hoped the second one was gonna be King Crimson on Steel.
I would love to hear that!
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You are me as I am you

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