Bands that Use Touring Musicians (Hidden or Upfront)

FelineGuitars · May 2014

The trouble with Queen using Spike Edney to cover piano parts so Freddie could spend more time at the front of the stage was that Spike used to overplay and put Cockney/Chas and Dave style "pub piano" into songs that didn't have or need piano in them - and totlly ruin clasic songs.

Seriously you expected him to be singing "knees up muvver Brahn" in the background too

This was only on the 1984-86 era but it was awful.

Monkeybone · May 2014

mike_l said:

Monkeybone said:

I'm pretty sure I remember Ozzy Osbourne saying he often has a keyboard player in the wings because it doesn't look very rock to have keys onstage (or words to that effect).

I thought Ozzy's keys player was put at the back to one side of the drummer?

I could be wrong (it wouldn't be the first time....)

Just watched some YouTube vids of Ozzy live at Budokan (Mr Crowley and No More Tears), couldn't spot a keyboarder onstage (although that could have changed with recent tours I guess).

Islandape · May 2014

Phil_aka_Pip said:

I believe I've seen The Who, and The Rolling Stones televised/filmed live, with shadowy guitar players behind the scenes. If you don't know it's happening, you're being fooled. if you do, it kinda spoils it.

And presumably you won't get fooled again B-)

ICBM · May 2014

No, you just end up wondering who's next…

Disappointed to find some bands I really like on the list.

Then again, I don't mind if bands play more stripped-down arrangements live. Having done some recording, I know full well that there are things you do in the studio that are unnecessarily (and pointlessly, in my opinion) difficult to reproduce live. I don't want a live performance to be a duplicate of the record, I want it to be *live*.

richardhomer · May 2014

Saw The Police on their reunion tour. They were annoyingly good. Bought the subsequent live DVD and was intrigued to hear Andy Summers seemed to be playing both the main and harmony riffs simultaneously on Message In A Bottle.... I presume it was an overdub rather than a hidden guitarist (I'd have clocked that at the gig).

To a degree I can understanding fixing a bum note on a live album but adding a part, when there's only three of them? Not exactly hard to spot....

chrispy108 · May 2014

Fraid not @richardhomer:

Wiki: "They updated them, and wrote out all of the backing parts so the three of them can play them; though some backup instrumentals and vocals (either pre-recorded or performed by off-stage musicians) were used

Background vocals not performed by Summers or Copeland were noticeable in several songs, for example, "Roxanne" and "Every Breath You Take"; An example of other background instrumental is a harmony guitar riff behind the one Summers played in "Message in a Bottle".

richardhomer · May 2014

chrispy108;240138" said:
Fraid not @richardhomer:

Wiki: "They updated them, and wrote out all of the backing parts so the three of them can play them; though some backup instrumentals and vocals (either pre-recorded or performed by off-stage musicians) were used

Background vocals not performed by Summers or Copeland were noticeable in several songs, for example, "Roxanne" and "Every Breath You Take"; An example of other background instrumental is a harmony guitar riff behind the one Summers played in "Message in a Bottle".

Thanks for the info. To be fair, the mix in the venue I saw them in was awful - and we were right at the back. Can't blame my lack of perception on anything else. I was stone-cold sober....

ElectroDan · May 2014

Watched Toto a few years back and they had Tony Spinner as an extra guitarist/vocalist, and John Jessel an extra keys player. Tony Spinner was visable on stage but Jessel was half hidden.

d8m · May 2014

I wonder what it feels like to be a touring guitarist playing hidden at the side of the stage with a crowd of thousands around the corner.

They cant see you, you cant see them.

not_the_dj · May 2014

d8m said:

I wonder what it feels like to be a touring guitarist playing hidden at the side of the stage with a crowd of thousands around the corner.

They cant see you, you cant see them.

Not quite the same thing, but a bass player I know did a run at one of the theatre's in Birmingham. Rather than being in an orchestra pit they were in a seperate room, with a video feed to the stage that only the conductor could see. They couldn't even hear the audience applause.

RocknRollDave · May 2014

chrispy108 said:

Fraid not @richardhomer:

Wiki: "They updated them, and wrote out all of the backing parts so the three of them can play them; though some backup instrumentals and vocals (either pre-recorded or performed by off-stage musicians) were used

Background vocals not performed by Summers or Copeland were noticeable in several songs, for example, "Roxanne" and "Every Breath You Take"; An example of other background instrumental is a harmony guitar riff behind the one Summers played in "Message in a Bottle".

Got the DVD/ CD of the reunion and have never noticed a second guitar on it.
I'm watching Message In A Bottle from a Tokyo gig on the same tour...there's only one guitar on this, definitely.

Danny1969 · May 2014

I've done a few gigs where our guy played the keys from the FOH position cos he had to mix the gig as well. In an old band I was in the guy doing FOH used to sing high harmonies from his position

richardhomer · May 2014

RocknRollDave;240377" said:
Got the DVD/ CD of the reunion and have never noticed a second guitar on it.

I'm watching Message In A Bottle from a Tokyo gig on the same tour...there's only one guitar on this, definitely.

Just dug out the 'Certifiable' DVD. The main riff at the beginning definitely has a harmony part - admitted mixed slightly lower. Later in the song it seems to disappear, or is dropped even lower in mix. Great though Andy Summers is, he's definitely not covering both parts at the same time....

RocknRollDave · May 2014

I disagree, I think it's just modulation to fatten up the sound. If you compare left and right side, they sound identical to me except one is a "dry" signal and one "wet". You would have to be a ridiculously tight guitarist to play that riff bang on in time with Andy Summers, harmony or not...

BUT maybe I am wrong....let's put it out there, what do people think?

Danny1969 · May 2014

There's a harmony on that, mainly on the roots

Danny1969 · May 2014

But not necessary another guitarist, either harmonizer or added in post

meltedbuzzbox · May 2014

Danny1969 said:

But not necessary another guitarist, either harmonizer or added in post

I dont think thats another guitarist. Sounds like a harmonizer/whammy pedal set to 4ths or something.

Cirrus · May 2014

Listening to that recording, yeah there's definitely a harmony to the riff - riff left, harmony right. But then in the chorus the right hand side guitar dominates. Then at the end when the riff comes back there's left and right guitars but both are playing the riff, no harmony at that point.

Both guitar tracks never play a different rhythm to each other, especially in the post chorus "message in a boooootle" bit where there's some quite tight intricate rhythm playing going on.

If you told me there was a second guitarist on stage there playing the right guitar I'd believe you but wonder why Summers dropped out in the chorus.

If you told me the recording had been overdubber with the second guitar I'd believe that too.

If you told me it was a harmoniser effect into a different amp, and the stereo spread was created by clever use of chorus, I'd believe that too. Especially since when I slipped the left earphone off and just listened to the right, the harmony guitar does have a slightly artificial quality to it - the root notes sound strong but te 5th and 9th sound a little synthetic.

Samgb · May 2014

I dont have a problem with an extra guitarist or some keyboards in there. Although i also am happy for stripped down live versions of songs.

I do think though that there comes a point at which Critical Mass is reached and the chemistry of the band starts to suffer. For example, i wish the Stones would just let Keith and Ronnie sing backups you know? Thats part of the band's charm or it always has been for me. Theres about 10 people on stage now and theyre just a bloody rabble. Ramshackle as hell. It happens to loads of bands that. Guns N Roses in the 90s as well - all of a sudden theres a piano player, two girl backup singers, some horns and it just isnt as tight and as unified as it should be. See also Pink Floyd post Waters era.

Is there a formula for this phenomenon of making your band worse? When No of Hired Hands > Originals Members = Shite

RocknRollDave · May 2014

^ Problem with the Stones is that the non-members are by far and away the best musicians/ singers on-stage.

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Become a Subscriber!

Bands that Use Touring Musicians (Hidden or Upfront)

Comments