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Keyboards on J. Geils Band album Freeze Frame


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I could not find a thread on this, so I wanted to start one. I've been listening to some of my old albums on vinyl and Freeze Frame is one I bought when it was a new album. I am very familiar with and have played the "hits" on the album with cover bands (Centerfold and Freeze Frame). However, this album is a treasure trove of synth goodness!

 

The second side has songs that I recall devouring and loving back in the day, but they weren't really hits. Flamethrower and River Blindness in particular. I need to do some research to see what synths were used on this album as these songs are really thick with thick funky goodness.

 

I'd enjoy any commentary from the forum on this album! Thanks.

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I know there's been discussion of the Centerfold intro sound, which is probably searchable. Short version: it's a layer of two harmonica tracks playing the line in octaves, plus at least two synth tracks. I never could nail the sound to my satisfaction, so I ended up sampling it instead.
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I acquired one of Seth's keyboard mixers through a connection to the band. He had labels on some of the channels including "CS-80" and "Profit" (SIC)

 

IIRC wasn't there a sax on the Centerfold intro as well?

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I've had the pleasure of playing with Seth several times in a 2 keyboardist setup. When this question came up here a while back I emailed him to ask, and indeed the CS-80 was used on Centerfold.
Moog The One, VV 64 EP, Wurlies 200A 140 7300, Forte 7, Mojo 61, OB-6, Prophet 6, Polaris, Hammond A100, Farfisa VIP, ,Young Chang 6', Voyager, E7 Clav, Midiboard, Linnstrument, Seaboard
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I've had the pleasure of playing with Seth several times in a 2 keyboardist setup. When this question came up here a while back I emailed him to ask, and indeed the CS-80 was used on Centerfold.

 

 

That is very cool :thu:

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Here is some footage. Notice he has four cut down 122 Cabinets. Phil, Sal said Seth told him they had these four Leslie's but were painted with white lead paint and turns out it's dangerous. Sal had at least one Leslie in storage that Seth used. I like his little lick at the 4:40 mark.

 

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvM8WV2V998

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I believe the drum machine on River Blindness is a CR-78. At 2:51 you can hear it clearly. The kick drum is live.

Definitely CS-80 for the pads and resonant synth parts, that squelchy Yamaha filter has an unmistakable sound.

Some of the non-Hammond organs like in Centerfold or Freeze Frame are from a Prophet-5 or CS-80.

The solo on Love Stinks was played on a CS-80.

The synth on Insane Insane Again is a CS-80 playing with the ribbon controller for the pitch swoops.

Listen to that CS-80 in the intro.

Thats the last song I mentioned, some nice synth on here.

Yamaha MX49, Casio SK1/WK-7600, Korg Minilogue, Alesis SR-16, Casio CT-X3000, FL Studio, many VSTs, percussion, woodwinds, strings, and sound effects.
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Here is some footage. Notice he has four cut down 122 Cabinets. Phil, Sal said Seth told him they had these four Leslie's but were painted with white lead paint and turns out it's dangerous. Sal had at least one Leslie in storage that Seth used. I like his little lick at the 4:40 mark.

 

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvM8WV2V998

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Some music I've recorded and played over the years with a few different bands

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Some of the non-Hammond organs like in Centerfold or Freeze Frame are from a Prophet-5 or CS-80.

 

Interesting. We don't do a lot of early 80s stuff that has non-b3 organ sounds, I would have figured it was all DX7 :) I normally just play b3 on it with more higher drawbars out than I normally do, doesn't sound exactly spot onbut nobody complains...one we do like that is I Hate Myself for Loving You, kind of has that same-sounding non-hammond "organ" going on.

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I think Come Back is also a CS-80. Interesting fact: live, Seth played the horns on Freeze Frame on CS live, I think?

Heres a concert with CS-80 doing the synths on Come Back.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5UJoNIw7Qbc

Also I hear him playing a Hammond and a CS Hammond sound too.

Yamaha MX49, Casio SK1/WK-7600, Korg Minilogue, Alesis SR-16, Casio CT-X3000, FL Studio, many VSTs, percussion, woodwinds, strings, and sound effects.
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