Entertainment For Lively Minds
The Joy Of The Pedal Steel
Posted by David Wright on 24 September 2010 - 7:23am.
A long long time ago, in stadium far away in Sheffield, I was slightly disturbed when I saw Dire Straits onstage with a new member, the pedal steel guitarist Paul Franklin.
What was Knopfler thinking of, I thought at the time, but now know he was absolutely spot on his choice of player. Paul certainly added something to the tired Straits song Walk Of Life, while lost classic On Every Street, sounds beautiful in its final coda section as the pedal steel soars like a bird above the rest of the band.
In recent years I've come to love the sound of this instrument, but need some help from the massive as I dont really know where I should be looking for further records of choice featuring this lovely instrument?
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the rather wonderful BJ COLE
I'll second that
Good call just beat me to it.
Ta
That's a beautiful sound!
Ta
That's a beautiful sound!
BJ
I saw Los Pistoleros at Crouch End's Kalamazoo Club earlier this year. I was sitting as close to BJ Cole as I am to my computer screen and was able to marvel at the technique as well as wondering what all the bits did.
Omnipresent
is the word for BJ Cole. Ever since I started loving music, when there is a pedal steel to be played he seemed to be the go to man - over to you Wikipedia:
He played with Marc Bolan / T.Rex on their 1974 album Zinc Alloy and the Hidden Riders of Tomorrow, as well as with Elton John on his albums Tumbleweed Connection and Madman Across The Water, specifically on the songs "Country Comfort" and "Tiny Dancer". For a few select appearances in 1998, Cole joined R.E.M. for live performances of the latter's "Daysleeper", "Country Feedback", "Man on the Moon", and a cover of Iggy Pop's "The Passenger", which closed out the band's appearance on Later with Jools Holland. He has also worked with Cat Stevens, Kevin Ayers, Richard Ashcroft, The Verve, Luke Vibert, Graham Coxon, Roger Waters, Juno Reactor, Rockin Dave Taylor, Depeche Mode, Doll by Doll, Devon Sproule, Björk, Chumbawamba, David Gilmour, Hanson, Ian Siegal, Jah Wobble, The Stranglers, Sting, Icebreaker and Brian Joseph Friel. Cole features on the track "Then I Close My Eyes" on David Gilmour's 2006 album On An Island. He also appears on The Moody Blues' 1981 album Long Distance Voyager playing on the track "In My World".
Cole also appeared (as 'Manley Footwear') in the Hank Wangford band. When The Verve's lead guitarist Nick McCabe left in the summer of 1998, Cole took over from him for the live dates
BJ Cole is to the pedal steel as...
... Ken Morse is to the rostrum camera.
Funny but...
I smiled at that but, as I understand it, that's not strictly true. When you see Ken Morse credited, the work may have actually been done by an assistant or underling. I'm sure that is not the case for the work of BJ Cole.
This forum is probably the only place that I would be happy to post that without running for cover afterwards!
Luke Vibert
His album with BJ Cole is excellent. It's called 'Stop the Panic'
Variety
I love it too. There are many guises too - for seriously fiery pickin' try James Burton & Ralph Mooney's Corn Pickin' and Slick Slidin' - instrumental and seriously twangy. One of my favourite steel breaks is on "Six feet of snow" by Little Feat with (I think) Red Rhodes demonstrating perfect timing and feel. Daniel Lanois started out on steel apparently and there are some nice ambienty instrumentals on "Shine". In the country world of course it is everywhere but "Think' about you" by Trisha Yearwood or "Wild angels" by Martina Mcbride have fine modern coutry steel - Franklin is presnt of course, being the #1 steel session player.
EDIT - it might be Sneaky Pete not Red Rhodes!
If you want rock or country
If you want rock or country styles then, as others have pointed out, BJ Cole is as good a starting point as you can get and you may get to see him live as well (I think I must have seen him play with more bands than any other musician).
You should not forget to go down the avenue marked 'Hawaii' either.
BJ Cole
by some considerable distance.
I believe he released an album in recent months, a track from which was included on a Word CD late last year - Cristo Redentor. It's beautiful.
If you can find them, the early albums from the Hank Wangford Band feature him too.
David Lindley plays anything with strings on and is a mighty fine pedalist. Check out anything and everything by him.
Paul Franklin played on Knoplers Notting Hillbillies album from the early '90's.
Lindley
I wholeheartedly agree David Lindley is a fab player but I have never seen him play pedal steel (though doubtless he can) - he generally plays lap steel.
Twang
You may be right.
Though I'm sure - but can't check here at work - there are a number of you tube vids of him playing 'Mercury Blues' on a pedal steel.
I've been wrong before. Just ask Mrs Beezer. She'll happily give you chapter and v. on my wrongness.
Quick suggestion.
To hear 'Cristo Redentor' being done really well on less exotic kit, check out Harvey Mandel's excellent 1968 album of the same name, which also includes his superb version of 'Wade In The Water'. Highly recommended.
Thank Vulpes
I'll check it out
*NB - Captcha word is 'ofuku'. Charming*
R.E.M. did an incredible performance of 'Country Feedback'...
with B.J. Cole around the time of Automatic for the People. I can't find it on You Tube and to be honest I can't remember what it was from... maybe a Later with Jools special?
I'm sure someone will know... it was truly special.
It was a Later REM special
They launched the rather misnamed Up album on the show with a few old songs thrown in. That song was the highlight.
BJ
I was in at Maida Vale with BJ some years back recording a session for Mark Lamarr. He was backing up a very talented singer and while the rest of the band took a break at soundcheck and disappeared to the cafe he sat back and played Clair De Lune on his pedal steel.
My gob was smacked.
Has anyone ever tried to play a pedal steel?
I've heard it said that they're fiendishly complex and near-on impossible to learn once you're past your teenage years, a bit like the squeezy-under-your-arms celtic bagpipe thingies.
Pedal Steel
If I had my time again, I'd give it a go, as I find it the most gloriously plaintive, lonesome sound in music.
I suspect though that one's fifties are a little late to master the co-ordination of hands, knees and feet necessary :-(
Is David Rothon still around here? He was our pedal steel expert.
Yes
I can play it a bit. It's really difficult.
Nick Zala explains how to do it
My favourite pedal steel player, he once hung a sign over his amp which read "I'm NOT B.J. Cole", so inextricably linked is one name with the other. If you can find The Deadstring Brothers' "I'm Not A Stealer" online, there's a tasty bit of soloing in there.
http://www.pedal-steel.co.uk/pedal-steel-guitar.php
That's a very instructive page -
it packs a lot of info into a short space. After reading the last sentence, I found myself idly wondering if John Prescott plays pedal steel.
That's a fine explanation.
And I retract my comments about pedal steels being difficult to play. They're obviously really, really, really difficult to play.
I have tried a couple of times
There's something about the task of using your feet and knees for some of the gliding that is like rubbing your stomach and patting your head at the same time. I really enjoyed "having a go" but couldn't justify spending the money on one.
I'm sure anyone could learn the basic knack with enough practice.
Red Rhodes would be my pick of pedal steel players - Velvet Hammer is a great album. I can't access youtube from here - I'll add a link later. (Of course, the others named are great too, you can always rely on the Massive for info)
Nobody's mentioned "Sneaky Pete" Kleinow yet
so I will. To my great discredit I've never checked out much by him apart from what I'm about to mention, but that point where he enters on Joni Mitchell's "California" is truly sublime to my ears - one of my favourite moments in music.
Take it Easy
in Jackson Browne's own version features Sneaky Pete - well worth checking out - fantastic.
Yes...Sneaky Pete!
I'm going back to the 70's now(forgive my memory if I'm incorrect) so when anyone says *pedal steel*, I always think of Sneaky Pete and Buddy Cage, who played with The Flying Burrito Brothers and The New Riders Of The Purple Sage respectively.
I do
I've been playing regular guitar for almost 30 years, and a few years ago I scratched a long-time itch and bought a pedal steel. Here are a few random thoughts, mainly aimed at other musos, as this is a truly fascinating instrument:
> Playing the typical 'crying' I-IV change is very easy; the pedals are there to do it for you, and it feels and sounds wonderful
> Playing single note lines is fiendishly hard. After playing six string for so long I have a fretboard road-map seared into my brain, and can get by pretty well. On the pedal steel, not only is the road-map bigger (I have a 10-string but 14-string guitars are not uncommon)but it changes completely with each pedal/knee lever and combination of the two. I refuse to believe that any pedal steel player can fully visualise the road-map of the neck while playing at speed and pumping pedals. All the great steel players are playing by ear, which makes their talent even scarier.
> Learning the pedal steel is made more difficult because there are no great instructional materials out there (I have much of the stuff that does exist). Most are very amateurish, assume you are a rank beginner and simply show licks. There is a real market for a good pedal steel guide aimed at competent six string guitarists. Also, much of the learning material uses the hokiest country songs and gospel songs imaginable and is taught by men wearing big hats.
> There is no such thing as a standard pedal steel guitar (I'm talking E9 pedal steel here). There are usually three standard pedals and two knee levers, but they can be set up in mirror image of each other. The other pedals and levers (and there can be many) can be set up however you want in terms of raising and lowering strings, and most pro steel guitarists will have their own trick bag of changes. This means that you may hear something someone else plays that is impossible for you to play, regardless of talent.
I've been very busy in my life lately, and the pedal steel gets a bit neglected, but every time I jump on I end up sitting there for hours. I consider it a long term project for my retirement.
Nice one
I too am a long term guitarist and I can play slide and a bit of lap steel or square neck dobro but the few times I played a pedal steel I was totally lost. I'd love to have time to really give it a try, but as you say, this is probably a retirement project!
A Massive Thanks
Thanks for the detailed account of the pedal steel, I knew it must be quite a hard instrument to play, but it seems far far harder than I could have possiby imagined. In my ignorance, I didn't even realise about the knee levers! I'm going to have a listen to some of the players mentioned on this thread on Spotify tonight over a pint of Black Sheep. Thanks for all the pointers.
Lest we forget
The recently departed Ben Keith:
Ben Keith
Worth a mention even if it were for Old Man alone.
http://open.spotify.com/track/2pokfHNFBVLRofSS5svdok
Also
See the Sky About to Rain:
http://open.spotify.com/track/0nHbaREo51MDn9vUOLLytj
Lloyd Maines
Lloyd Maines - Lubbuck luminary and father of Dixie Chick Natalie - is another fantastic pedal steel player.
Listen to Wilco's Dash 7 (from A.M) or Richard Bruckner's Devotion & Doubt album for proof.
Further records of choice....
The excellent mister Hogan (as in Heroes) used to run a fabulous little low-key Steel Guitar festival late in August or thereabouts in a small school just outside Newbury each year, and a mate (a Dobro player who'd bought a pedal steel and couldn't at first figure out what the doo-lally he was supposed to do with it) and I used to drive up for the Saturday session each summer. Guest of honour each time we went was a steel player (not always pedal) of some renown. The best year I can remember (1995) was when BJ turned up (he was there most times) with his Transparent Music Ensemble. I shelled out for their current CD at the time, called The Heart Of The Moment. I can thoroughly recommend it. That's all folks.
how about
some Red Rhodes
Josh Rouse
has some lovely stuff on his records. Try this at 2' 31". Gorgeous.
Nesmith
you've just reminded me how wonderful those early Nesmith albums were - I still remember the day the first 3 albums arrived by post from, I think, Cob Records in Porthmadoc, in about 1975. Will play them this weekend. Thanks.
Thanks for all the pointers
I think Paul Franklin should appear on this clip! It's where the pedal steel started for me!
Bender guitars
Reading this thread, I was reminded of something I saw a while ago which allowed you to install gizmos onto a guitar which enabled the bending of single or multiple strings via gizmos attached to necks, bodies, bridges and allsorts. A quick Google and.. They're out there. I bet Idiotbear's already got a load of these.
http://www.benderguitars.com/images/gallery/mfields/
they're great fun
But it's really easy to over-use them. Great for country picking
I just sold one
A downside is they weigh a ton and if you're not careful you can be well out of tune by accidentally pulling down on the neck. Hombre is right though, great fun.
I have a Hipshot
B and A Bender that I had attached to one of my strats for a while. Doesn't need routing and weighs a fraction of a Parsons/White B Bender. It's been sitting in my draw for a decade. I should buy a cheap tele and whack it on, as they are great fun to use.
Speedy West
Think you'll find they all worship at the Altar of Speedy, Check out his stuff with Jimmy Bryant.
Before Speedy
There was the brilliant Leon McAuliffe from the Texas playboys
Conundrum
I've been offered a pedal steel but at the moment it's a toss up between that and this:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Music-instruments/Instruments/Guitar-bass/Guita...
I know that there's a few guitarists on this site so what do you reckon on this amp? It sounds delicious and will be about 700 quid.
You can't go wrong with the Fender valve amps
pretty sure you could get a deluxe, hot rod deluxe or Blues DeVille at a better price (depending on your location).
Don't ignore the Peavey Classic amps (30w or 50w) either - they're great.
Blues Junior
I've got a tweed blues junior and I think it is great - easily loud enough for pub gigs, big warm throaty sound and not too heavy.
I've got a Peavey 20
Two friends have had problems with the Peavey 30 overheating. The 20 runs pretty hot, but (touch wood) hasn't failed me yet, whereas both 30s have packed in during gigs.
The Blues DeVille is a cracker too, but I fairly recently went back to a 65 Twin - huge clean sound, great reverb and vibrato.
Buddy Emmons was a Master
Also check out Jon Graboff (also plays excellent Guitar, lap steel, mandolin etc.) !
Please watch the incomparable Junior Brown on Guit-Steel
Country, Western Swing, Blues, Jazz and all points West !
Good call!
I heart Junior Brown.
Brilliant knowing lyrics, a marvellous singer and inspired guitar player.
Check out Highway Patrol
Not a pedal steel though
It's a lap steel stuck to a telecaster. You're right though, he's terrific.
yeah, I know it's a lap steel
He clearly has no pedals/knee-levers but he slants the bar and gets all kind of steel sounds ( a bit like the 'back' neck on a double necked steel). His harmonics are a thing of beauty.
Agree
He's amazing. As a fan you've probably seen this but for those who haven't - he detunes and tunes up strings mid solo like a madman. Never seen anyone do this.
That's my favourite, right there
I've got a star on my car
And one on my chest
A gun on my hip
And the right to arrest.
What a great sound. What a great hat. All is suddenly well here.
What A Talent!
That solo is brilliant, what a player, never heard anything like that before! Thanks for posting.
Outstanding, marines!
Out! Fucking! Standing!
I liked it so much I ordered it. Hot dang.
Lucky bloke
You are so lucky Foxy. That "Guit with it" album is utterly brilliant. It features Jimmy Vaughan on a song called "My wife think's you're dead". It features a duet with his wife, who is called Tanya Rae (on rhythm guitar in this clip). He does "Sugarfoot Rag" and drops in Jimi Hendrix licks. He has a drummer who only plays a snare drum. He is Nick Lowe's favourite guitarist. His previous album features a track called "My baby don't dance to nothin' but Ernest Tubb". He plays proper country music, not sub stadium rock Springsteen-lite. I love Junior Brown.
More here:
http://www.juniorbrown.com/biography.php
And typically brilliant video, funny, stylish, knowing, and a great song (and no Autotune as far as I can hear)
Putting The Steely In Dan
The Most Sublime Of The Dan, Steely From 1.45 - well played Skunk Sir!
BJ again, this time accompanying Devon Sproule
Greg Leisz
If you want to hear pedal steel guitar that will melt your heart then this is the man for you. I went to see Ray Lamontagne live in concert a while back. I'm sure Ray was good but I was utterly transfixed by the beautiful sounds eminating from the pedal steel guitar.
Turns out a friend of mine had the same experience a short time later. There must be something in it!
seconded
Greg Leisz is fantastic, check out his work with Matthew Sweet, and even better, see if you can find the studio version of Trouble by Jon Brion. Lovely stuff.
Last night on Jools Holland...
....Lamontagne played "Old Before Your Time" from his latest album. Greg Liesz (who it seems can play anything) is on banjo.
Dunno where
Bruce Kaphan fits into the heirarchy, but I love the American Music Club records he played on.
Gill and Krauss and steel..
Lovely..
Slider by Bruce Kaphan
Is a really beautiful ambient, slightly jazzy instrumental pedal steel based album.
Part of it is put to good use here...
Al Perkins
comes well recommended and has toured here with Kevin Montgomery.
Bruce Kaphan..
is wonderful..formerly of American Music Club
'Evil' Graham Lee
A huge impact on The Triffids' sound. What a great neglected band.