Mellotronists

Hi all,

I had good fortune to spend a few minutes talking to Dave Cousins and John
Hawken last night prior to a gig and I asked about the trons. Dave said they
had the 2 M400's painted black during most of the mid 70's (one of which I
have) but then said they also had one of the big twin manuals one's as well.
John nodded and said "oh yes that was the really heavy one". I asked if it
was a MkV and Dave yes he thought so. This was a bit of a surprise but
unfortunately I didn't get the chance to ask any more. Does anyone know if
they did have a Mk V or MkII? If they did when did they use it? John is
using the Pinder samples on stage but he blends them with something else.

 

Cheers

John

----- Original Message -----

From: John Beresford

To: mellotronists@yahoogroups.com

Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 1:01 PM

Subject: [Mellotronists] Strawbs trons

John

I had good fortune to spend a few minutes talking to Dave Cousins and John Hawken last night prior to a gig and I asked about the trons. Dave said they had the 2 M400’s painted black during most of the mid 70’s (one of which I have) but then said they also had one of the big twin manuals one’s as well. John nodded and said “oh yes that was the really heavy one”. I asked if it was a MkV and Dave yes he thought so. This was a bit of a surprise but unfortunately I didn’t get the chance to ask any more. Does anyone know if they did have a Mk V or MkII? If they did when did they use it? John is using the Pinder samples on stage but he blends them with something else.

Good point: rear sleeve of 'Burning For You', you can see the MkV to the right of the pic. Now, this raises a pertinent question: I keep reading that 'there were only 35 MkVs ever built' or somesuch, so how is it that loads seem to be accounted for? Strawbs, Klaus Schulze, Tangs, Pinder had two... the list goes on. There must've been one in Sweden, as Anekdoten bought it in the early '90s, later selling it to Pär Lindh... Surely they didn't all go to high-profile users? Were there a lot more built than rumoured? BTW, Cousins must groan when anyone says 'Mellotron' to him - I spoke to him at a recent-ish gig, and asked him him about the 'Tron' on their last two albums. M-Tron, apparently.

Andy T.

The Kirby/Mealing albums DEEP CUTS/BURNING FOR YOU used the MKV and 
it's pictured on one of those albums...I forget which one-it's a live 
band shot   wonder where that MKV went?




--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "John Beresford" 
<j.k.beresford@...> wrote:
>
>  
> 
> Hi all,
> 
> I had good fortune to spend a few minutes talking to Dave Cousins 
and John
> Hawken last night prior to a gig and I asked about the trons. Dave 
said they
> had the 2 M400's painted black during most of the mid 70's (one of 
which I
> have) but then said they also had one of the big twin manuals one's 
as well.
> John nodded and said "oh yes that was the really heavy one". I 
asked if it
> was a MkV and Dave yes he thought so. This was a bit of a surprise 
but
> unfortunately I didn't get the chance to ask any more. Does anyone 
know if
> they did have a Mk V or MkII? If they did when did they use it? 
John is
> using the Pinder samples on stage but he blends them with something 
else.

> 
>  
> 
> Cheers
> 
> John
>

In a message dated 6/21/2006 10:21:41 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
andy.thompson@... writes:

I spoke to him at  a recent-ish gig, and asked him him about the 'Tron' on 
their last two albums.  M-Tron, apparently.


On the "live at NEARfest 2004"CD, Hawken played my Tron on Hero and  Heroine" 
however briefly. The St. John's Wood organ is good ole' 1562, You can  also 
see it on the cover. 
 
Also, I was with them on three dates here in the states. John Hawken was  
using the Mellotron Archives, "Pinder," CDROM. Of the three shows I attended, he  
played my Tron in two of them. If you would like to see for yourselves, go to 
_www.myspace.com/trondoc_ (http://www.myspace.com/trondoc) . Then click on  
videos and you can actually see John Hawken play a Mellotron live for the first 
 time in about 30 years. Watch the Hero and Heroine vidoe. I almost had to 
drug  him to get him to play it at all because he hadn't played one in so long a 
time.  He was always a gentleman. Dave Cousins seemed fascinated by my 
constant arm  twisting to get John to play it live. I have tons of video of him just 
fucking  around with it. All of the other band members wanted him to play it 
even more,  but he was uncomfortable with it as he had practiced without it 
and this tour  was their first in many years.
 
Frank II

I came across a pic last night on their web site (is this the same pic as on
the album?) of the Strawbs live at Drury Lane in 76 with the 2 keyboard
setups. On the right there is definitely a MKV. It has the correct profile.
The only pic I have of the wakeman double tron has more of an M400 profile
at the top with a squared off lower section and not the sharply angled lower
section the MkV has. 

 

Cheers

John

 

 

  _____  

From: John Beresford [mailto:j.k.beresford@...] 
Sent: 21 June 2006 13:01
To: 'mellotronists@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: Strawbs trons

 

 

Hi all,

I had good fortune to spend a few minutes talking to Dave Cousins and John
Hawken last night prior to a gig and I asked about the trons. Dave said they
had the 2 M400's painted black during most of the mid 70's (one of which I
have) but then said they also had one of the big twin manuals one's as well.
John nodded and said "oh yes that was the really heavy one". I asked if it
was a MkV and Dave yes he thought so. This was a bit of a surprise but
unfortunately I didn't get the chance to ask any more. Does anyone know if
they did have a Mk V or MkII? If they did when did they use it? John is
using the Pinder samples on stage but he blends them with something else.

 

Cheers

John

The Strawbs definitely had a MKV which John Hawken used and also  Robert 
Kilby.
 
Best,
 
Martin

STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
www.mellotronics.com

US East Coast  Agent - Jimmy Moore _JMoore6397_ (mailto:JMoore6397) @...
US West Coast Agent - Paul  Cox _pjc56@..._ 
(mailto:pjc56@...)

Ah, and do we know who has it now?

John

 

 

  _____  

From: TRONBROS@... [mailto:TRONBROS@...] 
Sent: 22 June 2006 12:29
To: j.k.beresford@...; mellotronists@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Mellotronists] RE: Strawbs trons

 

The Strawbs definitely had a MKV which John Hawken used and also Robert
Kilby.

 

Best,

 

Martin


STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
www.mellotronics.co.uk <http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/> 
www.mellotronics.com
US East Coast Agent - Jimmy Moore JMoore6397@...
US West Coast Agent - Paul Cox pjc56@...

In a message dated 24/06/2006 17:33:27 GMT Standard Time,  
chris.dale@... writes:

Seems like an entire subject within a subject.  Perhaps for extreme fanatics 
only? Any takers??  :)



Hopefully not!
 

STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
www.mellotronics.com

US East Coast  Agent - Jimmy Moore _JMoore6397_ (mailto:JMoore6397) @...
US West Coast Agent - Paul  Cox _pjc56@..._ 
(mailto:pjc56@...)