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Modern "Country"

#161
Hi,

Wow! I'm surprised this thread still has legs.

I have been playing country music in bands since the early 80s when I got out of the Air Force band. I've played country tunes from the late 40s to what's currently on the charts. I can appreciate most of it. I wear boots and jeans and Scully shirts. Once in a while I even wear a hat when the gig demands it. I dress for the show. I play what the crowd or what the client wants. I play what I love on my own time, usually in much smaller venues and private parties. Hey, it's music. Like food or anything else, sometimes you have to take what you can get and enjoy it. There's no use getting worked up over the small stuff (and most stuff is small stuff). Enjoy playing music! It certainly beats driving a truck. (Disclaimer: I've driven an 18 wheeler professionally for numerous years in my youth. You guys are great!)

I am enjoying this discussion. I've just had a few glasses of champagne here in my room in Vegas and I'm waxing philosophical. :)

I'm uploading a few pictures now. We're in town for our Gilley's gig. Happy 4th to everyone!

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#163
I am glad someone mentioned Eagles earlier, in the late 70's and through the 80's I wore their stuff out on my turntable. For me, at the time, they were the closest thing to country I purposely listened to. As to the current modern stuff, the only thing hard to do, as far as covers, is recreating the many layers this music has. Very hard to pull off with a 3 piece which I prefer for cover gigs and money split. Luckily my originals has two guitars, madolin/banjo and 3 singers. This stuff is also really fantastic if you are a pocket player, some great rhythm lockups while allowing for some melodic lines.
 
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#165
"Country" has sorta' become a catch-all label for music that doesn't fit neatly into any previously established genre'. I wouldn't walk across the street to be *entertained* by a lot of what I hear on "Country" radio. That said, there's some younger artists on those same airwaves who's music I find fascinating, whether I think it qualifies as "Country" music or not. As far as gigging goes... I don't have to love it to play it - I just love playing.
 
#166
10cc said:
Those guys SUCK! Half of those guys had a great thrash band in the eighties. Now they just suck.
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That's cool, everyone is entitled to an opinion. They are coming up good though, just got signed onto Zac Brown's label. Of course, I would wager they will go much, much farther playing this style than thrash no doubt - thrash would keep them living in a van instead of a greyhound RV.
 
#167
Modern Country is the latest "cross over music" ie people who used to listen to rock now listen to country - think Bon Jovi and the success he's had with his countrified songs. Modern Country lets those who listened to rock in the 70's & 80's still feel young and "hip" even though they never listen to newer rock on the radio. Modern Country - songs that you can sing along to with mindless lyrics about trucks - come to think about it lyrics about trucks are preferable to lyrics about "*****" and "hoes"...
 
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#168
Hi

EdwardofHuncote said:
"Country" has sorta' become a catch-all label for music that doesn't fit neatly into any previously established genre'.... <snip>... there's some younger artists on those same airwaves who's music I find fascinating, whether I think it qualifies as "Country" music or not. As far as gigging goes... I don't have to love it to play it - I just love playing.
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I agree with the "catch-all" aspect of country music. I played in bands with Monty Byrom in high school and college. I knew then he was a very talented guy and just might make it. He was really into rock music of the day, mid-70s.

This is his hit from the mid-80s...



When I saw him at our 20 year high school reunion I was surprised that he said he was playing country music now. This was his big hit in the mid-90s...



Monty is still writing his same stuff but it's almost as if the genres have changed and not really his style of music. His current project is called 'Zen Road Pilots' and he's still touring quite often. I'm hoping that we can put something together for our 40 year class reunion. Somewhere I've got a picture of Monty and me at our 35 year reunion. We performed a Merle Haggard song with me playing ukelele. It was epic. ;)

EDIT: Here it is. Merle Haggard would be spinning in his grave, that is, if he weren't still alive.

cliff-monty-sm_zps4e943fc2.jpg


I also agree with the "I just love playing" part. ;)

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#170
buldog5151bass said:
Hicktown, .
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Not disputing your global point, but actually, if you listen very closely, Tully is not totally mimicking the guitar line completely on that song. He's playing a bouncy syncopated groove on the root and then doubling the minor 3rd/major 3rd in the middle and the minor 3rd and 4th at the end of the phrase. There is a lot of hidden detail in Tully's playing, even when he's playing something with more of a rock feel.
 
#173
Question for you all. How do you cover all the parts in the more complex song arrangements, since many of these tunes have 3+ guitars, fiddle, etc.? The band I am presently in has 1.5 guitars (vocalist plays some acoustic, sax and flute) and no keys. I try to get creative - on some songs with simple bass lines I to play partial chords on the high strings - even considering getting an octave pedal. Thanks.
 
#174
TuneIn said:
joebar,
yeah,it just didn't mix well for me, the guitars were too metal for Dave's vox IMO. Definitely an interesting listen though. So, you liked it?
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i thought it was great.
nothing out there like it.
you gotta remember- those guys in pantera could play anything and had some country roots as well.
I loved the attitude of all of them.
rex has some of his best playing on that record and some of the grooves were just badass.
if somebody was to play one of those tracks on a country station, I bet it would get a lot of attention-if nothing else...for being different.
 
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#175
The touring cats don't play the lines exactly like the studio cats who cut them in Nashville. Even the aforementioned Tully Kennedy, who both records and tours with Aldean, doesn't play the lines exactly like he cut them when he's on stage. I was always meticulous with trying to replicate a line as close as possible when playing rock music (to the extent that it's possible with the available guitarists in a project), but I've always been less concerned with mimicry when playing country.

Don't feel bad about having 1.5 guitarists. A lot of nationals have fiddle, steel, banjo, and keyboards all over their records, but then they have four or five piece bands behind them on tour with tour two guitarists and maybe a keyboardist; so they're not totally replicating the stuff they cut either.
 
#176
Hi,

buldog5151bass said:
Question for you all. How do you cover all the parts in the more complex song arrangements, since many of these tunes have 3+ guitars, fiddle, etc.? The band I am presently in has 1.5 guitars (vocalist plays some acoustic, sax and flute) and no keys. I try to get creative - on some songs with simple bass lines I to play partial chords on the high strings - even considering getting an octave pedal. Thanks.
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We have a 4 piece rhythm section (git, bass, drums, keys) with a fiddle/mando/2nd guitar utility guy. We just try to cover all the signature hooks and riffs. You can't cover everything so we just do what we can with what we have. As long as everyone is playing tight and clean and hits the signature lines, then it will sound pretty full during live performances. It really helps to have all the vocal parts covered too, two and three part harmonies. Vocal harmonies add so much. That's what the audience really appreciates. It's a little boring to hear one person singing by themself all night long.

I don't do anything special with my bass parts. I'm just a parrot, trying my best to lift all the notes from the recording. Even then, because I sing too I sometimes have to simplify the bass part. I am not a monster player by any means. But people listen to my singing more than my playing. So, there ya go. ;)

Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
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#178
Yeah, I'll second this question. My current cover band is looking to add some more modern country, but my guitarist always freaks out anytime a song is suggested that has keys/fiddle/complex multiple guitars. Very similar situation - our vocalist can muddle through some simple rhythm guitar parts, but that's about it.

A few of the examples here seem to suggest that people generally have success with playing a simpler version, and crowds remain happy. I've also thought that lead guitar can mimic some fiddle parts too, have others done that before?

buldog5151bass said:
Question for you all. How do you cover all the parts in the more complex song arrangements, since many of these tunes have 3+ guitars, fiddle, etc.? The band I am presently in has 1.5 guitars (vocalist plays some acoustic, sax and flute) and no keys. I try to get creative - on some songs with simple bass lines I to play partial chords on the high strings - even considering getting an octave pedal. Thanks.
Click to expand...
 
#179
I'm a little confused as to why we are so hung up on genres, it really boils down to three types of music: Good, Bad, and Weird. There's good country, rock, metal, hip-hop, etc.; as well as bad in each genre. There's hip-hop, country, and rock songs that are packaged crap sold to people that only care what label is put on it so they can fit in at the club.

People forget (unfortunately I keep getting reminded) that old country had the same problems. Go peruse the vinyl section at Goodwill and you will see so much pop trash from the 50's that aged poorly, just like what is being pushed out now. Some of it had great players and production (just like now) but it was written with the express point of being a radio hit (just like now). People be people, no matter the era.

/rant
 
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#180
FatBoutedGirls said:
I'm a little confused as to why we are so hung up on genres, it really boils down to three types of music: Good, Bad, and Weird. There's good country, rock, metal, hip-hop, etc.; as well as bad in each genre. There's hip-hop, country, and rock songs that are packaged crap sold to people that only care what label is put on it so they can fit in at the club.

People forget (unfortunately I keep getting reminded) that old country had the same problems. Go peruse the vinyl section at Goodwill and you will see so much pop trash from the 50's that aged poorly, just like what is being pushed out now. Some of it had great players and production (just like now) but it was written with the express point of being a radio hit (just like now). People be people, no matter the era.

/rant
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I agree with everything you said, but think the reason we put into a classification instead of just "good, bad and weird" is because my idea of good may be no where near yours. Generally speaking, there are few of us that actually like all types of music, some say they do but I would wager that most do not. I consider myself really open minded and listen to a great deal of music spanning many genres, but I can't listen to Rap. I just cannot relate to it on any level whether that be the instrumentation or cultural significance. So therefore, it you said come see this concert with me the music is great and I got there and had to endure 2 hours of rap........Well, let's just say I could have avoided it right from the get go with a little musical classification up front.
 
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