What ever happened to Joe Macre - Crack the Sky?

BuffaloBass · #1 01-31-2007, 08:59 AM

Weird. My kid bro out in AZ sends me a Crack the Sky CD. I remember auditioning for a band, older guys, I was 17, that had me cover two tunes of theirs.

ANYWAY, I realized just yesterday that it might have been my first exposure to slap bass ( 1977 ), as I was pretty " myopic" in the music I listened to back then.

Dang, in Mr. MCGraw and Flashlight, I believe Joe in 1978 gives rock and roll, its first taste of slap. And does it well!

And then I realized what gripped me about Crack in 1978. Macre's bass lines, and the deep pocket groove he holds with Joey D'Amico. Pretty flippin' "avant guard" back then. For rock and roll.

Joey still around?

BTW, dont y'all miss the old skool days, when the lyrics went like , " SHe showed me her Xray, He turned his flashlight on." Now its ' I stuck my @ in her @". I mean, man, we're going BACKWARDS in some ways.

PhR · #2 01-31-2007, 09:45 AM

I've been wondering about this too at times. Joe Macre plays some great bass on the first four Crack The Sky albums (counting "Live Sky"). Dunno if he slapped, he was a pick player as far as I know but certainly did play with an attack that sounded like slapping at times. He used a Precision, a Rickenbacker and I remember someone writing on a Crack The Sky guestbook that he had an Alembic during "Live Sky".

I was also intrigued by the "synthesized bass" on "Safety In Numbers" album. Did he play the bass through an analog synth or used an Electro-Harmonix Microsynth pedal? "Lighten Up, McGraw" has a line in the chorus where this "synthesized" sound can be heard.

BuffaloBass · #3 01-31-2007, 08:18 PM

Interesting, the song after Mr. McGraw, ( ? ) he goes to a picked trebly, hint of tube fuzz Squire-esque sound. I did like that sound as well. I might have thought the sound in his "slappier" tunes, i.e. Flashlight, was jazz bass, but I'm no sonic pro, Pbass , could be. Nice sound. Both ways ! The bassline in Flashlight just moves me. I CAN FEEL THAT!

Joe at his best , to me anyway. That cat had some CHOPS man!

cuppajoemusic · #4 03-22-2009, 02:31 PM

Hi Guys, a friend sent me this link, so I thought I'd folow up. Thanks for the kind words. I'm still around and have been playing bass since CTS disbanded in 1979.
Joey D (original drummer) and myself agreed to do some reunion shows last year and decided to stay. I became an audio engineer in 1984, working in post production. Started my own music company composing for national ads (Hyundai, Ford, McDonalds etc.).
John Palumbo asked me to produce and engineer the latest project "The Sale" which came out Jan 2008. I did that as well as played bass and am now mixing the live DVD "All Access", to be released June 2009. I am also producing/engineering the mew CD project "Machine 2012", which should be out in August.
The bass on the Safety in Numbers LP (3rd LP) was an Alembic. 1st two LP's were a Rick 4001. The Sale has my '57 P Bass and the new Cd will have my custom DT, the '57 and a new PJ.
Thanks Again,
Joe

BuffaloBass · #5 03-23-2009, 05:12 AM

Joe, so glad to hear you're alive and well and still at the art. Awesome! You left an indelible impression on me back in 1978 when these "old guys" ( maybe 30) turned me onto CTS by making me cop your lines. It was like a new dawn.

THNX! Peace and blessings on at ya!

RickC · #6 01-07-2012, 10:16 AM

Did a quick search on Joe after listening to some early Crack discs this weekend. What a band, and what a player! The bass tone on the first record is heavenly - Rick sizzle but with a huge pillowy low end. And the lines are wonderful; lots of great counterpoint, always doing something clever and colorful but still so tightly locked with the tunes.

I just discovered the 2009 reunion DVD so I'll be checking that out.

Joe is a bass player's bass player

cuppajoemusic · #7 01-17-2013, 12:35 PM

Hey, thanks guys. Moved back to Ohio from Texas. Playing Bass more than ever. Looking for a touring gig. Any acts interested?
Joe

drpepper · #8 01-17-2013, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cuppajoemusic

Hey, thanks guys. Moved back to Ohio from Texas. Playing Bass more than ever. Looking for a touring gig. Any acts interested?
Joe

I certainly hope so

I also spent my early teens dropping the needle and trying play along with you on Hold On, She's a Dance, Lighten Up, McGraw and Ice.

I didn't really know what "Dis band has come all the way down from an acid trip just to play for you" meant.

cuppajoemusic · #9 03-22-2013, 07:09 AM

Looking for tours or tours or temp replacement replacement gigs.
Joe Macre

BlueTalon · #10 04-09-2013, 11:40 PM

Oh man! One of my favorite bass players showing up on TalkBass! (I don't know why that should surprise me, but it did.)

You were one of my formative influences, along with Geddy Lee and Mars Cowling. I only saw Crack The Sky once, around '98-99, and I was really disappointed when I didn't get to see you play (Carry Zeigler was on bass). Earlier this year I heard about your concert DVD from a few years ago, got my hands on it, and have been enjoying watching & listening to you play ever since.

zon6c-f · #11 04-10-2013, 08:15 AM

I saw C T S in 1976 [?] at Alex Cooley's Electric Ball Room..or Agora Atlanta.
'Beware of the Ice' was their radio hit.

You probably don't remember, but you [ Joe] and I chatted briefly, as I had access .
Anyhow..I don't recall what bass you used live, but I do recall your rig was S V T. During tha little spot in 'Beware.. ' you hit a treble booster; first time I had ever seen that done live..with electric bass.

Anyhow.. 'Beware of the Ice' is still a wonderful tune.. ahead of its time. C T S should have been greater appreciated.

Glad you are with us..'still alive and well'...

jumbodbassman · #12 04-10-2013, 08:39 AM

Such a wonderful band. I had THE PLEASURE of seeing CTS at a private benefit in someone's basement in Wayne NJ several years ago. with the original rhytmn section for the first time in many years.
Joe Macre was amazing and i was sitting 10 feet infront on him. They sold cd's of the show and when i open it up there is a picture of me and my bud Richie on the inner sleeve. He use a white p bass with black pickguard and maple neck with some sort of active circit (3 knobs...) and a hofner for some beatle tunes.

cuppajoemusic · #13 04-23-2013, 11:58 AM

Hey Guys, thanks for the kind words.
The 1st record was a Ric 4001, 2nd & 3rd were Alembics. Still use the Ric and 57 Precision.
The new band is King Friday. On the road end of May in Baltimore. Lancaster Pa. in June......Good Players. Come see us!
JM