Black Jetta's

[TaySte_2000]

I don't suppose I could ask for a push in the right direction on how to play this line maybe a chord sequence or something



Still shocking that is a bass line I can't even begin to imagine how it came about.

[JohnDavisNYC]

what album is this on? i was going to buy it on itunes, but couldn't find it.... sounds right up my alley (sounds like a synth but it is really just palm muted pick... YETH!!! )

i too would like to hop on the transcription party boat.

*loads up the cooler with bacardi breezers and starts paddling with my ripper*

john

[TaySte_2000]

It's from

Ima Robot - Ima Robot

Track 12 - What are we made from

It's one of those old school hidden tracks about 8 mins into the song or something

It's also apparently on the Public Access EP track 2 but I don't have this, need to find it.

John you'll love the track

[TaySte_2000]

Also I'm wondering on Monument for the Masses how much is you? Songwriting, bass playing etc etc

[JohnDavisNYC]

cool. i have two sessions today (11am to 4pm vocal session, then 6pm to midnight jazz organ quintet session...) so i won't have any time to listen to anything but the stuff i am tracking, but will buy it tomorrow ... day off to work on web stuff and transcribe.

cheers,
john

[jmjbassplayer]

Black Jettas is in F...hard to pick out all the notes unless you have one of those phrase trainers, I think. But once you see where all the notes are, it's not that hard. It's all about some intense right-hand precision, disco string jumping, and careful left-hand muting as well. I recorded the body of that song in my home studio, then we took it into the real spot to O/D some drums back in '02. That song, while still only being the "hidden track" on the album, is one of Ima Robot's most popular songs, live and otherwise. We always used to close the show and destroy the stage with it.

I co-wrote and played on Monument, but left before it was done because I thought the production was terrible and doing the music a profound and cheesy commercial disservice. I was very strongly at odds with the label, the very jive charlatan of a producer that was foisted upon us, and my band mates about the creative direction. Regardless, I love those guys deeply and still check in often. My feelings were borne out by the fact that the album tanked and sold maybe 6K copies at the most, while album #1 did ten times that number and counting.

Best,
JMJ

[Rob Mancini]

Does it seem to you that the music industry is its own worst enemy these days? I find so many of their decisions these days to be ludicrous and counter-productive, then they blame their woes on the consumers for downloading. I believe their woes are directly related to the fact that most people in charge of the music business these days have no idea how to make music. They need to give the industry back to the musicians.

[TaySte_2000]

I wanted to bump this because I got Monument for the Masses, I had to download it as I've not been able to find a copy over here yet but I will at some point.

I really dig the album, your bass playing on it is superb and the tone is really nice, not as cool and as unqiue as the first album but it fits very well. I do understand what you mean about the cheesy approach it sounds very much like an alterntive band made mainstream. It's a shame this album didn't do better some of the songs are fantastic and Creeps Me Out is still the best video I've seen in years.

Can you remember what gear you used for this album?

Thanks

[jmjbassplayer]

Tayste, I totally agree. I felt shackled and unable to get my sound the way I wanted it, a very rare occurrence for me, and ironic that it happened with my own band. Some frank background:

The producer was a guy called David Bendeth whose taste and approach left a lot to be desired. He didn't understand our references, spent too much time trying to psychoanalyze people (while in fact antagonizing them - namely our drummer and keyboardist), and manipulative attempts to drive a wedge between band members. On top of that, he left most of the actual work to his engineers. The rest of the band and our management capitulated to Virgin's demand that we go with this guy, since for some reason they felt safe with him because he had a hit record with a new metal band. I protested strongly, but everyone else got their way. After we were done with basics, I began my retreat and eventual exit from one of LA's great bands. A real drag, in fact. Could have been great, but it was profoundly the wrong approach for an Ima Robot record. We lost the plot. Lesson learned, I hope. I feel that redemption is coming in the form of a new Ima Robot record that my boys are cooking up, though. That band is by no means done with a potentially great career.

Anyway, I used my T-Bird on a lot of it, and my modded Geddy on some, as well as Hofner Club, American P-Bass, some stuff like that. Creeps Me Out is that T-Bird tone of mine that you can still hear, but it's missing some hair because it's just a Radial JDI and SVT-CL into 810AV. In other words, I'm missing the Marshall Plexi into Fender Tonemaster 2 x 12 being blown out by a Tube Screamer. That little outro part of the song is a jazz bass.

JMJ

[JimmyM]

I just went to his website, and I see he's produced acts like Paramore, Vertical Horizon, and Breaking Benjamin, all of which have a fairly stock hard-rock metallish sound. It's IMHO a completely wrong approach for a band like Ima Robot. I can almost understand their logic for wanting him because he had hits and he can make a typical rock band sound good in the studio, but I'm with you...that kind of approach is death for a decidedly atypical band like Ima Robot. He filled too many holes in the music and took out a lot of the quirkiness that made the first album special. For example, could you imagine "Dynomite" with guitars stepping all over your badass bassline during the verses? I couldn't. The fact that it's only bass and drums there is what makes it cool. If it were me producing, I probably would have just gotten out of your way and let the band be what they are, and just make sure the music stuck to the tape while making an occasional suggestion here and there.

Quite honestly, I think they should hire you to produce the next album and forget all this nonsense about trying to get a hit record with a hit record producer who doesn't understand them. I think their chances for a hit record would be much greater if they just let themselves be themselves. They certainly couldn't do any worse than 6000 copies, that's for sure.

I know I don't have to tell you that, but from a listener's standpoint, I couldn't agree with you more, and I really hope it's just a sophomore jinx, because that first album is really great compared to "Monument."

[jmjbassplayer]

Thanks - I feel you on all of that, for sure.

[tomhanzo]

dude that is really you playing that? wow Justin you never stop amazing me. that is insane how fast and right on.

[jmjbassplayer]

Oh you talking about Jettas? Yes indeed. One thing I am good at is that precision picking stuff. That's double tracked as well, by the way. That's how it has a doubling sound.

[tomhanzo]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

Oh you talking about Jettas? Yes indeed. One thing I am good at is that precision picking stuff. That's double tracked as well, by the way. That's how it has a doubling sound.

o ok lol but still very impressive.

[Peter_00]

I finally knuckled down and learned this. It's so good, JMJ is a master of the palm muting.

(I did a lazy version by recording two tracks and bumping one forward by a few milliseconds and then panning hard left and right. Eq and compress to taste.)

Respect!

[jmjbassplayer]

Cheers Peter.