Mellotronists

-----Original Message-----
From: Paul Tillotson [mailto:p.m.Tillotson@...]
Sent: 20 February 2003 07:30
To: Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com; tonkev66@...; chris.dale@...
Subject: [Mellotronists] Zombie Trons!...

which is more than I can say about the arrangement, performance and recording of the Mellotron parts on some of my other recent all time favorite tunes like Yes playing "America" which is actually Bill Bruford cause Rick had lost interest in that song by that point

That's in some recording history of the band, isn't it? I believe Rick does the bit near the beginning, but Bill plays the lumpy string chords towards the end. And it sounds like it.

or Alice Cooper's "Hello Hooray" which sounds like the player had oven mitts on while playing and was plugged into some random guitar amp in the back of the studio.

Well, that's Bob Ezrin for you...

; Anybody have any info on Rod Argent's 'Tron use?

To my knowledge, 4 albums: 'Nexus', 'Encore' (double live), 'Circus' and 'Counterpoints'. Surprisingly little on the live album, two tracks on 'Counterpoints' and most of the other two. Reviews forthcoming when I get round to it. :-)

Or Alice Cooper's?

I suffered under the delusion for some time that it was 'Tron strings on Alice's mighty 'Halo of Flies' from 'Killer', but upon a slightly closer listen, the strings were revealed to be real. Apart from 'Hello Hooray', there's a few bits on 'Unfinished Sweet', also from 'Billion $ Babies' - see my review for details.

Andy T.

M400 #1145

'The Ultimate Mellotron Recordings List (Possibly)'

http://freespace.virgin.net/andy.thompson/

>      -----Original Message-----
>      From: Paul Tillotson [mailto:p.m.Tillotson@...]
>
>       or Alice Cooper's "Hello Hooray" which sounds like the
>      player had oven mitts on while playing and was plugged into
>      some random guitar amp in the back of the studio.
>
>      Well, that's Bob Ezrin for you...
>
An interesting sidebar for everyone: Sadly, the mellotron used for this
recording was my FX Console. Alice was recording in Toronto at Nimbus 9
at the same time as Buzzy Linhart (remember him?). Buzzy hired me to
play on three or four tracks and towards the end of the session, Alice
wandered in (he was recording at night), saw the mellotron and asked
about it. I was all set to play when Ezrin walked in, heard what Alice
had to say about wanting to use it, turned to me and said, "I'd rather
one of our guys play it. Would you be willing to rent it to us? You
could pick it up tomorrow morning."

Needless to say, I wasn't happy, basically because I knew what a shnook
Ezrin was. Alice was very apologetic but the fact was, I was sent home.
When I picked up my mellotron with our road crew the next day (wanting
to make sure they didn't fuck it up overnight), the engineer pulled me
aside and said, "Listen to this." He played the 24 track with the
mellotron roughly in place in the mix and once by itself. "What the hell
did they do?" I asked. "That's Bobby. Fancies he's a bit of a keyboard
player."

If I remember rightly, they used a crapped out Twin Reverb that had sat
in the corner of the studio for years. Sounded to me like they used a
Radio Shack mic...

Rick (FX10030--still trying to live down the shame of it all)

> >      Well, that's Bob Ezrin for you...
> Needless to say, I wasn't happy, basically because I knew what a 
shnook Ezrin was.

It makes you wonder why Gabriel picked Ezrin to produce his 1st album.
I turned out fairly well after all.  It might have been a disaster if 
Fripp had produced it.

What if..... Turd Rundgren had produced it....  a scary thought!

In a message dated 2/20/03 8:48:14 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
rick@... writes:


> Rick (FX10030--still trying to live down the shame of it all) 
> 

Rick - Great story.  I'm familiar with that tune, always liked that there was 
'Tron in there.  Never knew it was yours.  

Ken M.

What if..... Turd Rundgren had produced it.... \ufffda scary thought! 

Just Listen to XTC's "Skylarkin" (Spelling?) I personally wouldn't classify that production as a turd.  He can be an a-hole but he is a very bright guy and "Something/Anything" rates very high on my personal "all-time" list.

Fritz

Wizard a True Star and the double Todd album are great too.
and Initiation and some early Utopia..... Lots of great material.
(He used Mellotron Flutes a fair bit)
Not always High Fidelity recordings, but great material none the less.

John Lennon called him "Turd Rundgren" and the name stuck.

He produced a lot of other artist's recordings over the years.
Some were a good match (Meatloaf)..... Some were a mismatch...
Hall and Oates, Psychedelic Furs)

I recall reading that Gabriel was considering "Turd" for his 1st album.
That would have been weird.   Maybe not?

Clay

----- Original Message -----
From: <FDoddy@...>
To: <clay123@...>; <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 2:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Re: Zombie Trons!...


> What if..... Turd Rundgren had produced it.... a scary thought!
>
> Just Listen to XTC's "Skylarkin" (Spelling?) I personally wouldn't
classify that production as a turd.  He can be an a-hole but he is a very
bright guy and "Something/Anything" rates very high on my personal
"all-time" list.
>
> Fritz

Never liked todd producing hall and oates.  it always sounded like bad todd

fd

Let's please not forget that he produced "Skylarking"
by XTC, which should be in anyone's fave catalog.
Amazing record that even Partridge likes.


--- Clay Eccles <clay123@...> wrote:
> Wizard a True Star and the double Todd album are
> great too.
> and Initiation and some early Utopia..... Lots of
> great material.
> (He used Mellotron Flutes a fair bit)
> Not always High Fidelity recordings, but great
> material none the less.
> 
> John Lennon called him "Turd Rundgren" and the name
> stuck.
> 
> He produced a lot of other artist's recordings over
> the years.
> Some were a good match (Meatloaf)..... Some were a
> mismatch...
> Hall and Oates, Psychedelic Furs)
> 
> I recall reading that Gabriel was considering "Turd"
> for his 1st album.
> That would have been weird.   Maybe not?
> 
> Clay
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <FDoddy@...>
> To: <clay123@...>;
> <Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, February 21, 2003 2:43 PM
> Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] Re: Zombie Trons!...
> 
> 
> > What if..... Turd Rundgren had produced it.... a
> scary thought!
> >
> > Just Listen to XTC's "Skylarkin" (Spelling?) I
> personally wouldn't
> classify that production as a turd.  He can be an
> a-hole but he is a very
> bright guy and "Something/Anything" rates very high
> on my personal
> "all-time" list.
> >
> > Fritz
> 
> 


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ooops. Sorry Fritz, I just saw this post, out of
synch.
m
--- fdoddy@... wrote:
> What if..... Turd Rundgren had produced it.... \ufffda
> scary thought! 
> 
> Just Listen to XTC's "Skylarkin" (Spelling?) I
> personally wouldn't classify that production as a
> turd.  He can be an a-hole but he is a very bright
> guy and "Something/Anything" rates very high on my
> personal "all-time" list.
> 
> Fritz  
> 


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