Two Voices: Part 3 Queen

The legendary story of Bohemian Rhapsody as told by Brian May to Guitar World magazine: Since ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was done on 16-track, we had to do a lot of bouncing as we went along; the tape got very thin. We held the tape up to the light one day—we’d been wondering where all the top end was going—and what we discovered was virtually a transparent piece of tape. All the oxide had been rubbed off. It was time to hurriedly make a copy and get on with it.” They did so many overdubs of guitar and vocal harmonies that they almost destroyed the tape! I've also heard that Freddie had the whole song charted out as to who would sing which parts. Rhapsody is certainly an epic. But my favorite Queen song is the Prophet Song. Way. More. Epic.

In the acappella section (3:24-5:50) Mercury is harmonizing with himself via a tape delay. He sang into a 2" Studer reel-to-reel and heard what he sang a moment ago in his headphones. These days there are much simpler ways to get that sound, but that was some innovative technique in 1974.

Two Voices: Part 2 CSN

If David Crosby had stayed with the Byrds, if Graham Nash had stayed with the Hollies, and if Stephen Stills' band Buffalo Springfield had stayed together, these three men would still be individually famous. By their solo merits they belong in the Rock and Roll hall of fame, but as a super group they belong in the pantheon of musical gods.

Perhaps no other group of men have ever sounded so well together. Perhaps none ever will. CSN and CSNY have had a profound effect upon me personally, and the way I write songs. Giving maybe the best advice any songwriter could get David Crosby once said "we write a lot of our songs just right out of what goes on to us and about the people we love and stuff, because thats what you have to write about if you want it to mean anything." Thanks Dave.

If you are unfamiliar with CSN check out Just a Song Before I Go and Find the Cost of Freedom. 4 Way Street is one of the best live albums ever made, it should be on your shelf next to Frampton Comes Alive.

Two Voices: Part 1 Alice In Chains

Sometimes the world is a harsh, discordant, cacophony of random noise. I received a phone call like that today. That got me thinking about harmonies; the sound of two or more voices together, not doubling the same note, but creating beautiful chords. Todays example is Jerry Cantrell and Layne Staley of Seattle grunge originals - Alice in Chains.

AIC's sound mixes acoustic and distorted electric tones into a dark, melodic, minor-key soup. At the center of that soup was the harmonized vocals of Jerry and Layne. Lyrically, this song perfectly fits my current hope. "You've got me wrong" Todays catastrophe will prove to be just a misunderstanding "that don't last forever." In ten years time we'll look back at this and laugh, after all, "something's gotta turn out right."

Breakup Mixtape

The Opening Act

This May, my brother and I will drive up to Portland for a Coheed & Cambria concert. He has seen CoCa like 12 times but this will be my first time. The opening band is called Circa Survive, and to get ready for this show I've been listening to their debut album Juturna.

Usually I sit politely through opening acts waiting for the headliners to get on stage, but I am really digging "Circ de Sadness" as I originally mis-heard their name. My favorite lyric on this record is "it's a surprise, you haven't caught on yet, it's nothing personal, you're an embarrassment" I'm looking forward to seeing these guys and hearing these songs live. They have two other LP's I need to check out between now and May 7th.