flutist. Ian Anderson was not bad. Gabriel, well...he put on a hell of a
show. Would these songs have benefited from a better flutist? Have you heard
the Genesis Revisited or Hackett's Tokyo Tapes stuff? Ian McD makes a HUGE
difference to the Genesis songs.
In 'ITWOP',
'Epitaph' and the 'Rain Song', the keyboard parts are not
difficult
and are played VERY well. Just because you're a great session
player doesn't
mean you have to race all over the damn instrument. As a
matter of
fact, the players most in demand are the ones who keep it simple
(Benmont
Tench, anyone?). On the other hand, the flute pieces you mentioned
are simple
(with the exception of 'Thick as a Brick') and are played poorly.
Don't confuse
good playing with difficult playing. Many of the best pieces
are simple
to play, but nonetheless deserve to be played well.
PS Did I mention that Ray Thomas is a bad flutist?
> --- In Mellotronists@y...,
Rick Blechta <rick@r...> wrote:
> "...most
rock players (especially) figure if that can make a bit of a
> whistle
and wiggle their fingers around a bit, they know what they're
> doing..."
>
> The point
is... A lot of our favorite tunes with flute wouldn't have
> been better
songs if played by a great flautist. Songs like "Timothy
> Leary",
"The Actor","Are You Sitting Comfortably","Thick as a
> Brick","Firth
of Fifth".... None of this material would have
> benefited
if a "great session Flautist" had been brought in. (IMHO).
>
> Would "ITWOP",
"Epitaph" or "The Rain Song" been better if a session
> keyboard
wizard was brought in?
>
> Clay