Geezer at Cal Jam: What Kinda Bass?

hotrodjohn · #1 01-02-2011, 11:57 PM

Just came across these youtube vids of the Cal Jam 1974. Brings back fond memories. Does anyone know what kind of bass Geezer is playing? Thanks, and I hope you enjoy these vids as much as I do, what with Sabbath, Purple, ELP - jeez, what great stuff...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CK7Sm...eature=related

the byronic man · #2 01-03-2011, 12:00 AM

hard to tell. all i know is i wish i could've been there. Sabbath, The Eagles, ELP at their peak. wow wow wow.

JimmyM · #3 01-03-2011, 03:02 AM

it's a john birch custom model.

PhR · #4 01-03-2011, 05:37 AM

JimK · #5 01-03-2011, 06:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the byronic man

hard to tell. all i know is i wish i could've been there. Sabbath, The Eagles, ELP at their peak. wow wow wow.

Earth, Wind & Fire, too! Verdine takes a nice solo...the whole performance was over-the-top.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWV0_r6K_hc

IIRC, Rare Earth opened the show with a nice performance...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MuYg5gMiszk

Black Oak Arkansas was also on the bill.
"When Electricity Came To Arkansas"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c57ny...eature=related
...another bass solo approx. 2 minutes in.

loendmaestro · #6 01-03-2011, 08:31 AM

And the sticker says "cocaine".

Ahhhhh, the 70's.

Qvist · #7 01-03-2011, 11:42 AM

Damn, Verdine White... Born to entertain!! That **** is GROOVY!

vegas532 · #8 01-03-2011, 12:23 PM

There is some debate between this being a Birch or a Jaydee, actually. I say it's a Birch, however, a cohort of mine who is a major Sabbath dork says differently.

PhR · #9 01-03-2011, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vegas532

There is some debate between this being a Birch or a Jaydee, actually. I say it's a Birch, however, a cohort of mine who is a major Sabbath dork says differently.

Was Jaydee doing basses as early as 1973? Geezer had at least one Jaydee which he used on ´"Never Say Die" tour in 1978, a striped short scale model.
http://www.jaydeeguitars.com/gb.php

JimmyM · #10 01-03-2011, 01:35 PM

jaydee was an employee of john birch. his name is john diggins, and he started making guitars and basses under the jaydee name in 1977. this cocaine bass is a john birch.

Din Of Win · #11 01-03-2011, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loendmaestro

And the sticker says "cocaine".

Ahhhhh, the 70's.

haha... was this bass used for 'Snowblind'?

The Lurker · #12 01-03-2011, 09:18 PM

You know, I just can't get my head around Sabbath and the Eagles being on the same stage.

It just doesn't compute.

JimmyM · #13 01-03-2011, 11:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Lurker

You know, I just can't get my head around Sabbath and the Eagles being on the same stage.

It just doesn't compute.

that's because back then, music fans weren't such narrow-minded a-holes where they divided up into factions of factions of factions and only listened to that kind of music and nothing else. people appreciated good music no matter what it was and didn't throw shoes at the performers and beat the crap out of everyone around them to enjoy a show.

JimK · #14 01-04-2011, 04:14 AM

True dat. Look at Woodstock...Sha Na Na preceeded Hendrix's Monday morning sonic theatre!

I have a book that lists every Fillmore East show...Bill Graham was the master at pairing up some very unlikely groups.
How about Miles Davis (his Free Jazz electric bands) & Laura Nyro?
There may have been a led Zeppelin pairing with Woody Herman's Thundering Herd...Led Zep with a Jazz Big Band on the same bill.
Years ago, locally, there was a Uriah Heep concert with Earth, Wind & Fire as the "opening act". I was a long-hair Hard Rock guy...still, EW&F blew me away!

IIRC, Black Sabbath was on some weird bills at the Fillmore, too...I will try to look those up when I have the book in front of me.

JimK · #15 01-04-2011, 09:03 AM

Link to Fillmore East shows-
http://www.fillmore-east.com/showlist.html

How about Rashaan Roland Kirk, Santana, & Tower Of Power?
Traffic & The Staple Singers?
Led Zeppelin, Woody Herman, & Delaney, Bonnie & Friends?
Mott The Hoople & Mandrill?
Steppenwolf & Buddy Rich?
Canned Heat, Santana, 3 Dog Night, & Sha Na Na?
Small Faces & Black Sabbath?

hotrodjohn · #16 01-04-2011, 06:25 PM

I tend to agree - but i saw a show at the palladium in nyc in the 70's that had Rush warming up for Bob Seger. I have to admit, as open minded musically as i tried to be, i had to walk out during Seger's set. It just couldn't compare to Rush.

kosmicwizard · #17 01-04-2011, 06:33 PM

The Tea Party opened for Def Leppard and IMO blew them off the stage as well. I kinda smile when the openers are better than the headliners. Cheers.

Deep Rich Tones · #18 01-04-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kosmicwizard

The Tea Party opened for Def Leppard and IMO blew them off the stage as well. I kinda smile when the openers are better than the headliners. Cheers.

I felt the same way when I saw Tesla open for Leppard in the late 80's... and I didn't think the Lep boys were bad.

Greevus · #19 01-04-2011, 11:46 PM

Damn I love Geezer and Cocaine.

elgecko · #20 01-05-2011, 12:01 AM

The flying piano!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSm5IQFaTZA