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jeremyb wrote:Interesting how many effects he adds in...

Jeremy
notice how he immediately EQs back in the "Fizz" that the silly modelling critics always want to get rid of - and gets rid of the lows...
Funny how guitarists think sometimes.

One comment on this vid: this was made after the mix was completed so it does not represent the process by which the decisions were made.....its unlikely he started in solo mode - he more likely did most of that work "in the track: and only used solo sparingly. Solo is an evil trap!

Not fashionable, but I really like the sound of the echoplex into a dirty amp. The bit where he is playing Bolero especially.

Aquila Rossa wrote:Not fashionable, but I really like the sound of the echoplex into a dirty amp. The bit where he is playing Bolero especially.

One of my favourite albums is James Gang 'Bang' featuring Tommy Bolin. Stumbled upon the CD in a second-hand record store years ago and have played it to death.

On the initial pressings of James Gang Rides Again, a 1:25 electric rendition of Maurice Ravel's "Boléro" is interpolated into the song "The Bomber." Ravel's estate threatened suit against both the James Gang and ABC Records for its unauthorized use.[3] As a result, the track was edited, and the "Boléro" section was removed on most subsequent pressings of the album. The edited song's running time on such pressings is 5:39. Some late 70's LP pressings included "Boléro" by mistake, and the most recent CD re-issue of Rides Again contains the full version of "The Bomber," with the "Boléro" section restored.

Must be why I have never heard that Bolero section before. Gotta love YT.

I like the slide bit too. Good tones. Bass player reminds me of Geezer a bit there. Like that style.

One of my favourite albums is James Gang 'Bang' featuring Tommy Bolin

Molly. Last two minutes of Alexis? Awesome

Molly wrote:

Aquila Rossa wrote:Not fashionable, but I really like the sound of the echoplex into a dirty amp. The bit where he is playing Bolero especially.

One of my favourite albums is James Gang 'Bang' featuring Tommy Bolin. Stumbled upon the CD in a second-hand record store years ago and have played it to death.

Tommy Bolin is on Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" . Mighty fine fusion.

foal30 wrote:

Molly wrote:

Aquila Rossa wrote:Not fashionable, but I really like the sound of the echoplex into a dirty amp. The bit where he is playing Bolero especially.

One of my favourite albums is James Gang 'Bang' featuring Tommy Bolin. Stumbled upon the CD in a second-hand record store years ago and have played it to death.

Tommy Bolin is on Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" . Mighty fine fusion.

Mighty fine player though fusion isn't my thing.

Molly, apart from Bolin himself, what do you hear in most of his lead tones in Bang and Miami? Univibe or a phaser? Bit of wah and echo there. Not sure if fuzz though. Maybe.

edit:

Looked up this site that goes by photos of his gear. Fuzz was used:

Energy/James Gang:
Fender Strat, Marshall stack, Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face, Cry Baby wah wah, Maestro Echoplex plus a Phase pedal make unknown

http://www.angelfire.com/ny/bolinfan/gear.html


edit: Marshall can be quite thin and treble focused, but thickens up with the fuzzface. Might have to get a fuzz pedal soon. Always liked his lead tone.

I am not a huge fan of the early 70s California sound, but there are some parts in the songs that are just epic, especially the hard rock crescendo outro thing that was common and usually has awesome guitar work. Not technically awesome by today's standards, but a feel and free flowing improv thing I like a lot. Laid back, but full on at the same time.

p.s. Anybody new to James Gang. Clip in this thread so far is Joe Walsh. Bolin is here with typical lead tone at 3m1s:

Absolutely loving this. I loved the last Daft Punk album Random Access because they decided to use real instruments rather than synths yet still get their signature sound.

Got this cranked in the office https://youtu.be/IPZpp40Ixkg

A rather pleasant bit of acoustic and minimalist performance

Viv was a pretty big part of my entry into the guitar world so its great hearing him still killing it .... the solo is 100% the Viv I love. His tone is pretty damn close to what I have and is near perfection to me (songs pretty although the chorus is a bit week)

Only clicked on this because the band name was so hilarious!

I wan suuuuuuu break freeeeeee.... love these guys!