Tom Petersson channels Entwistle...

12bass · #1 07-07-2009, 02:33 AM

Tom's gnarly bass is up front and sounding a lot like he's channeling John Entwistle on the latest Cheap Trick release. I like how the bass is mixed to the right during the verses like it is a loud rhythm guitar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApBANSCr6iw

Don't hear any obvious 12-string on the new album, however....

monkeyhaiku · #2 07-07-2009, 04:02 PM

Jeez, that's just so effing cool. Tom has long been a favorite player of mine, and he seems to get better and better. Criminally underrated. As much as I love his 12-string sound, I'm always happy to hear him doing something Entwistle-y on a 4.

bottomend! · #3 07-08-2009, 02:17 AM

nice channel separation in the verse.

countrybassist · #4 07-08-2009, 07:06 AM

I've always liked Cheap Trick, although I've never thought if any of them as great musicians.

NS2A · #5 07-08-2009, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

Don't hear any obvious 12-string on the new album, however....

They've really (never?) used 12's on the albums. Petersson himself has stated so.

12bass · #6 07-08-2009, 08:10 AM

Not that frequently.... however, the 12-string has appeared on quite a few tracks since Heaven Tonight. IMO, the new album has fairly dense production (strings, keyboards, layering), so I can see how it may have been difficult to find space for it.

12bass · #7 07-08-2009, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by countrybassist

I've always liked Cheap Trick, although I've never thought if any of them as great musicians.

Perhaps not in the virtuosic sense, no. Their talent, particularly Petersson's, seems to be in playing in a manner which elevates the whole rather than to call attention to oneself. Dig his overdriven Entwistle "thing" though....

NS2A · #8 07-08-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 12bass

Not that frequently.... however, the 12-string has appeared on quite a few tracks since Heaven Tonight. IMO, the new album has fairly dense production (strings, keyboards, layering), so I can see how it may have been difficult to find space for it.

Up until Monster, not really. Just ask him. He's easily accessible. There's a lot of tracks on Monster that sound like a 12, but was a 4 with effects and whatnot. After that, I don't know as I've lost interest in them.

Of course Boudokan had the 12, but that album sounds terrible all around, especially the bass.

edbass · #9 07-08-2009, 08:43 AM

It's amazing the overdrive tone he gets out of those clean, "super high headroom" Reeves Amps. Obviously he doesn't use the big watt Reeves stuff.

Live his tone is killer regardless of what he uses, he really knows how to milk his rig for everything it's got.
Excellent player, and a perfect example of an amp (or "amps") in the role of a tone producer instead of just a tone re-producer.

optikhog · #10 07-08-2009, 08:50 AM

One of the few cool things about growing up near Rockford was that we got to see CT quite a bit. I must say, I've never questioned their musicality. Petersson has always been an underrated player but I agree with the statement above - he does keep getting better and better.

dalkowski · #11 07-08-2009, 08:52 AM

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1205531/

gweimer · #12 07-08-2009, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by countrybassist

I've always liked Cheap Trick, although I've never thought if any of them as great musicians.

Like optikhog, I got to see Cheap Trick a LOT before they released their first album. First of all, I can't see how anyone can think that Robin Zander's voice is anything but great. If you had the chance to watch Rick Nielsen up close, like I did, you'd find that he's one of the best rhythm guitarists around. I swear he knows every chord inversion in the book. During their club act, he never played a lead in 3 hours. All the breaks were him running chord variations around the main theme. I'll grant you that Petersson was more loud than anything, but he was always tastefully solid. It's nice to hear him open up a little more. He's using Reeves amps? Cool. We had one to play with at the Cincinnati GTG last year. I was very impressed.

Fishheadjoe · #13 07-08-2009, 09:12 AM

Me likey... alot!
Cool tune, actually kinda surprising it's as heavy as it is... hmmm, gonna have to consider picking up this new album. Anyone heard the whole thing? Are the rest of the songs comparable?
Fishheadjoe

12bass · #14 07-08-2009, 09:19 AM

Although there are a few more rockers, I'd say that SMOE doesn't represent the album as a whole. Lots of slower/mid-tempo, more-orchestrated tunes. Roger Manning Jr. from Jellyfish contributed keyboards, along with a whole bunch of other guest musicians. Don't want to feed anyone's expectations based on one track. FWIW, I think Rockford was a more straight-forward rock album, and pretty decent too....

chunkstyle · #15 07-08-2009, 12:14 PM

agreed that the one song doesn't really represent the whole album well, but WOW!! what tone! there's a couple other cuts with similar sounding bass. nothing has really sunk in that much yet.

to the original poster, thanks for the heads up. aw man i'm digging that bass sound!

Rob Martinez · #16 09-12-2009, 07:16 AM

Old thread, but just want to add that Tom Petersson is, to me, one of the greats in rock bassplaying.

And Cheap Trick one of the great rock bands.

As for their musicianship, they are top notch and first rate. I suppose if one wants to have a very narrow definition of what great musicianship is, you can find a way to exclude them. But you could do the same with any band. Were the Beatles virtuosos on their instruments or as singers? No. But they were amazing, had tons of natural, untrained talent, and I love listening to them.

Same with Cheap Trick.

Hamrhed · #17 09-12-2009, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Martinez

Old thread, but just want to add that Tom Petersson is, to me, one of the greats in rock bassplaying...

I agree w/ everything that you posted. Who cares how Tom is 'perceived' as a player... he flat out rocks on record and in concert. The new record is killer- I like it better than Rockford- and the last three have been stellar. Name a rock band from the 70's that still pumps out good recordings? There arent many- and Peterson with Bun are a big reason why CT are solid as ever

Rob Martinez · #18 09-12-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamrhed

I agree w/ everything that you posted. Who cares how Tom is 'perceived' as a player... he flat out rocks on record and in concert. The new record is killer- I like it better than Rockford- and the last three have been stellar. Name a rock band from the 70's that still pumps out good recordings? There arent many- and Peterson with Bun are a big reason why CT are solid as ever

Agreed! And I also love THE LATEST, it is a killer CD! Also, get the live Cheap Trick Sgt. Pepper's DVD, Tom's tone with his Gibson T-bird II is amazing, as is his playing. Also for the rest of the band!

Hamrhed · #19 09-12-2009, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rob Martinez

Tom's tone with his Gibson T-bird II is amazing, as is his playing

Best CT show I have been to was supporting Special one a few years back- in a club. Tom started out w/ a Hofner for a few songs but ended up going to the Tbird through Hiwatts

Sounded awesome

Also played a P bass for a few...

Ill have to check out the Sgt peppers DVD. I have the From Tokyo to you DVD but they actually dont show entire songs- too much dialog break-in.

Rob Martinez · #20 09-13-2009, 10:16 AM

That is so cool! I assume he played a Hofner Club bass? Excellent!!!