Re: TENOR GUY
Posted by Scott Gleeson on March 7, 2007, 2:23 pm, in reply to "
Re: TENOR GUITAR"
Fascinating thoughts about being the tenor guy. Interesting movie by Roman Polanski I think called “the Apartment” which he stars in where he rents an apartment and starts transforming into the previous tenant (a woman who committed suicide). Something about how we change to fulfill others expectations. If I were to sum up the big difference between the KT now and when you were in it last, it would be that – you were really lighting up that side of the stage with a Nick-like let’s go we’re having a great time energy, while I don’t think Rick is even interested in doing that, let alone trying. And that’s not intended as a dis on Rick at all, just an observation that he is focusing on other things. I wonder to what extent Roger felt himself “doing” Nick at all. Vocally, for me your “discomfort” with the tenor range also was more of a match with Nick – he always seemed to be straining for those harmonies, but somehow that added to the excitement (watching him on one of the new dvds where they to a killer rendition of roving gambler/This Train, it looks like Nick is just about to bust his larynx). Bob Shane seemed to have a very flexible range, seemed to have no problem hitting the high notes when he took the harmony. So, what’s the question? I’d love to hear more about the issue of conjuring up the KT spirit. Nick’s harmonies often struck me as just perfect and unique – did you discover anything special and characteristic about them? Did you ever talk to George and Bill about the “role playing” question? I notice that now even more than when you were in the group, it seems there is a kind of formula in the instrumentation – even though Bill is a fine banjo picker (and played that role earlier), he’s always rhythm guitar. Is there a deliberate effort to step into the historic roles, and play them to some extent? I wondered maybe it is also a personal thing related to the sense of history – I know George claims to have really idolized the KT, as did Stewart. On one interview I saw when Bill & Rick were still in the Limeliters, they said they were more Limeliters guys than KT guys in terms of influences (that’s how I took it).
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