Playing The Bunnymen

[withahip]

Ok, blink, guitar player, Dave Smith, Jack T and anyone else who plays an instrument - have you done any covers solo or with a band of Bunnymen songs?

Right now I am working on a piano version of Empire State Halo. For a bass line rather than use the one from the album, I am trying channel Les and come up with something a bit in his vein. The song is in 12/8 time which isn't that bad as it follows Mac's melodic rhythm.
I am playing it on a full size weighted key Korg Triton - so once I have it down I intend to split up the board and Eno-ize the sounds with a bit of underlying vocal and sine sounds.

I know it is a bit much, but I thought this might be a nice expanding of topics here.
What are your experiences covering the band's tunes?

[fat cherry]

mirror, shades, tennis bat.

are you going to be on youtube?

[Mr. Brian]

I was in a garage band that did a cover of Do It Clean. This was around 1986 or so. In another band we did the opposite of what Mac does in Do It Clean and while playing our own song, the singer invoked Bunnymen lines in one part of the song.

[blinkilite]

never really been in a band. and my friends who were in one weren't into the bunnymen...

i've been able to figure out a few basslines (going up, do it clean, and some of all that jazz) but i haven't played for anyone other than my husband or my bass teacher. so i don't think i'm cover band material

maybe someday...

[withahip]

i know my details were pretty extreme - result of musician message boards -

Different thought - blink and anyone else - the joy of picking up a instrument after childhood.
Tell me blink - do you notice even more of an affinity of the bunny songs you've learned on bass.

A lot of folks seemed to have convinced themselves that playing an instrument is solely for children and paid musicians . Playing an instrument solely for enjoyment is one of the best an adult can give themselves. I hope that bit of positive outlook does not offend any English folks on this board.

[blinkilite]

blink and anyone else - the joy of picking up a instrument after childhood.
Tell me blink - do you notice even more of an affinity of the bunny songs you've learned on bass.

i don't know if i have more of an affinity for the songs, but i do notice that when i listen, i no longer listen as "passively" and i listen a lot to the different parts to try and hear what the bass is doing, to hopefully someday learn it.

i agree that playing an instrument as an adult is really fun, and i like it a lot. when in high school, i would toy around with the bass at a friend's house (it was his bass) ... since then i thought it would be fun to learn, but never got around to it (because i didn't have a bass). now recently i reconnected with an old musician friend, who teaches on the side... so the opportunity arose, and i decided to take it. that was 6 mos ago...

long story short... i really have enjoyed it, and will continue playing even if its only my own personal enjoyment and i never get to play in a "band" or anything.

[richie_d]

I was in a band, The Fever Trees, which consisted of myself singing and playing rhythm guitar, a lead guitarist and a drummer. We didn't have a bass player, not because we wanted to be like The White Stripes, but because we couldn't find one! The other two guys were really into classic metal like Iron Maiden, but we all enjoyed playing together.

We needed an extra song to fill our set list so I chose "Flowers". These two metallers really loved that track. The guitarist was amazed by Will's playing. We did the gig and quite a few people came up to us at the end to ask, "What was the pyschedlic tune you played?" It went down really with the crowd, who were mostly teens and probably had never heard of the bunnymen.

I also did a crappily-played version of "Marble Towers" for one of those tribute CDs under the name of Charlie Don't Surf. Plus an original tune called "Zanzibar" for another tribute CD.

Playing music is great fun at any age. It's never too late to learn and there's nothing like the satisfaction when you learn how to play a tune. Go out buy an acoustic guitar and get strumming. Or failing that, Guitar Hero is a heck of a good substitute!

[fat cherry]

A lot of folks seemed to have convinced themselves that playing an instrument is solely for children and paid musicians . Playing an instrument solely for enjoyment is one of the best an adult can give themselves. I hope that bit of positive outlook does not offend any English folks on this board.

not offended, just a bit disconcerted thats all. great tracts of this board seem to be dedicated to people slagging each other and their mothers but now we're being positive. thats good i believe.

As for playing instruments. I dont doubt you are correct but theres a bridge that has to be crossed when learning an instrument where you go from trying really hard to play the correct notes (in the correct order) to just being able to enjoy playing it, a confidence thing. so you've got to really want to do it. And I think thats more easily lost as you get older and other stuff gets in the way.

[Dave Smith]

I agree with FC.I started playing the acoustic guitar at the age of 13 at lunchtimes with my old English teacher.Most interesting tune was Campdown Races(do da do da) but it was a means to an end.The one thing I was grateful for was that he taught us how to pluck tunes first before learning chords.Thats the right way to do things.I used to ignore reading music and just memorised the notes and tunes.After ditching that through boredom my dad bought me an electric and 10 watt amp when I was fifteen and then I just learnt to play along to my favourite bands songs in the bedroom-Bunnymen,New Order,Smiths.Then I developed a real interest in effects from bands such as The House of Love,Chameleons etc.and its goes on to now when I've just had a Bigsby fitted to my pink Tele Thinline for £200!.Absolutely no way I'd have the time now though to start and learn properly.Life and commitments just suck you in.

In answer to the cover versions questions,yes.I've played Rescue,Do It Clean and Altamont which is such a great riff.First cover I ever played was The Sisters of Mercy version of Gimme Shelter at a school assembly!Fave cover tracks to play though are Ceremony and the Harrison song Its All Too Much-great juggernaut of a tune in G.

[Mr. Brian]

First cover I ever played was The Sisters of Mercy version of Gimme Shelter at a school assembly!Fave cover tracks to play though are Ceremony and the Harrison song Its All Too Much-great juggernaut of a tune in G.

Oh that reminds me. In that garage band I was in we did a cover of The Doors' Soul Kitchen Bunnymen-style, based on a cassette one of us had of them doing it live from one of those '85 shows.

[tonywojo]

Oh that reminds me. In that garage band I was in we did a cover of The Doors' Soul Kitchen Bunnymen-style, based on a cassette one of us had of them doing it live from one of those '85 shows.

THIS IS TURNING INTO A GEEKY WANNABEE THREAD.

[withahip]

THIS IS TURNING INTO A GEEKY WANNABEE THREAD.

Anything but. Well geeky, yes. Wannabe . . . no. Anytime I am at piano lessons, and this was more the case when I started out as an adult, I saw all these parents bringing their kids - and I thought it would be pretty cool if the parents would ask the same thing of themselves - 30 minutes a day of practice.

The crummiest part of starting an instrument as an adult is the first two or three years - not being a kid and trying to get your fingers or breathing to work the way it should - aside from frustrating, it can feel very embarrassing. But once you can sight read and play beginner level music with ease - it makes struggling through the harder stuff so much more bearable.

The trouble - as an adult, especially with kids - is finding time.

[Dave Smith]

THIS IS TURNING INTO A GEEKY WANNABEE THREAD.

What.Are you suggesting that I own a Red Fender Jag like Will's or a pink Fender Telecaster like Mac's??????

[Mr. Brian]

THIS IS TURNING INTO A GEEKY WANNABEE THREAD.

We are all such losers!

[withahip]

Why else would we be hanging out on a board with 12 people arguing the merits of Coldplay?