Fumblyfingers Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 In all my many years as a guitarist, it seems it is so seldom anyone brings up Tommy Bolin's name when discussing influential guitar players. While he did play with The James Gang and Deep Purple, it is his work on Billy Cobham's " Spectrum" album that was a big influence for me and all the guitar players in my area, at the time. Just wondered how many of you folks have heard that album and whether you also found his work on that rather good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stanner Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 luv tommy bolin-got both his solo albums-thought the JamesGang gig wasnt good. that spectrum album altered me back when it came out. wasnt he in DeepPurple for a minute too? s AMPSSOUNDBETTERLOUDER Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tone Taster Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Nothin' like listenin' to the teaser album. Love his work on poast toastee, too Lotta feel. Great sense of mixing the modal stuff w/the blues. Good phrasing too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 The mix on the album with Post Toastee (was it Private Eyes?) has I think, the hugest bottom end I`ve heard on anything ever. Love Shake the Devil too. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruupi Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I hear the name alot, but have never heard the music. I don't think he got any airplay in Dallas. My soundclick site: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=397188 My YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/gruupi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 I kept listenin to Spectrum for days when it first came out. I think that Bolin had a very original approach to the guitar. Too bad he hadn't time to develop it further. Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skipclone 1 Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 The First tune Jeff Beck played live last year was Stratus, from the Spectrum album-it was Bolin`s `breakthrough` performance for most. Gruupi, it`s highly recommended music-find some and listen. Same old surprises, brand new cliches- Skipsounds on Soundclick: www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandid=602491 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darklava Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 James Gang Bang was a great album.TB one of my fav's, The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Ellwood Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Oh for sure Tommy is a great player and has always been one of my favs! I play the Teaser album allot. Wish he would have had more time with us. http://www.thestringnetwork.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted February 5, 2006 Share Posted February 5, 2006 Aw yeah! Tommy Bolin was great. I loved pretty much all of the Teaser album, and Private eyes was outstanding too. I didn't hear the Cobham album much, just skipped over it somehow. What I did hear was state of the art fusion; no one has anything on his playing. yeah, wish he hadn't gotten on speedball. That was the same stuff that killed John Belushi, if I am not mistaken. Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fumblyfingers Posted February 5, 2006 Author Share Posted February 5, 2006 Yeah the Cobham " Spectrum" album is great. It is available for download on iTunes for around $9.99. What I dug so much is that he was such a rock player but he fit in so well with Cobham and I would suspect the high level of taleny on that album drove him to really strive to do well. The energy is awesome and he just wrings the notes outa his axe. Jan Hammer plays so guitar like as well, the interplay is great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarPlayerFL Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 The King of the Echoplex. His earlier recorded works are cool...later on, heroin took over and his playing suffered. A Jazz/Chord Melody Master-my former instructor www.robertconti.com (FKA GuitarPlayerSoCal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
picker Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Not to resurrect an old argument, but Bolin couldn't read music. I rememebr readina interview with him before he died, talking about the Cobham album, and he told Cobham sevral times he culdn't read music, and Cobham said that didn't matter if he could play. Obviously, he could.... Always remember that you are unique. Just like everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billster Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Just don't get him confused with Mark Bolan Buy my CD on CD Baby! Bill Hartzell - the website MySpace?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 An image is worth a thousand words... http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_jamesgang_rehearsal.jpg Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darklava Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Originally posted by Dreamer: An image is worth a thousand words... http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_jamesgang_rehearsal.jpg The good ol days...look a strat with a tele neck...like Jimi The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 There's more... http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_dp_bolin_les_paul.jpg http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_tommy_drjohn.jpg Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 With Dr. John: http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_tommy_drjohn.jpg Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 With Zephyr: http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_tommy_zephyr_1969.jpg Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_tommy_privateeyes_bio.jpg Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 With Deep Purple: http://www.tbolin.com/images/gallery/pic_dp_1.jpg Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tone Taster Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Dreamer, thank you so very very much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Ellwood Posted February 6, 2006 Share Posted February 6, 2006 Those are great Dreamer!! good job! I've got them saved now http://www.thestringnetwork.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kramer Ferrington III. Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Originally posted by Billster: Just don't get him confused with Mark Bolan How COULD one? One wrote "Children Of The Revolution", the other wrote "Telegram Sam"! **sheesh!** Band MySpace My snazzy t-shirt empire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Tommy's gear: http://www.angelfire.com/ny/bolinfan/images/strat/Mvc-001f.jpg The guitar and amplifier have been in the hands of private collectors for many years. The Hiwatt rig was purchased from Tommy's parents in 1977 by Willie Dixon. The Strat was given to guitar tech David Brown by Tommy's family following his funeral in December, 1976, and later sold to a collector in Colorado. The guitar is a black 1974 Stratocaster that David Brown remembers was purchased from Manny's Music in NYC using advance money from Columbia Records. Tommy sanded and oiled the 3 bolt maple neck. It has the famous fat headstock, bullet trussrod, chrome pickguard, and tremolo arm. The 100 watt Hiwatt amp is a DR-103, made in England in 1972. It has ENERGY stenciled in gold on top of the head. The two 4 x 12 cabinets are made by Sound City, and are equipped with 12 inch Dallas-Arbiter speakers. Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 http://www.angelfire.com/ny/bolinfan/images/tshirt2.jpg Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 http://www.tbolin.com/weeklypics/pic_tommy_and_bartle.jpg "Everyone knows about the two Fender Strats - the Sunburst and the wood finish one with a Telecaster neck. There's the Les Paul with Bigsby, and I've seen a live photo of the man with an Explorer, thought to be an Ibanez. A Gibson SG was used earlier on as well as a two Fender amp set up -probably Twins. He used the Sunburst Strat and the Les Paul when I saw him. Amps with at least Deep Purple were 3 X Hiwatt 100's and six SoundCity cabs. An Echoplex-of course phaser/flanger (Not sure but i dont think it was MXR or Electroharmonix) used in the James gang as well. Ernie ball super slinky strings (9's), Ernie ball pinky sliders (bottleneck). Not sure about the Distortion pedal - I've seen reference to a 'Sam Ash' fuzz pedal-but I don't know which period he used that in. I did read an article once which went into how he used his distortion pedal wah-wah (Crybaby I presume). He also used a Leslie rotating speaker cabinet in the studio on Stratus and on the Miami album (Spanish Lover). The article I read went into the fact that he set the tone on the pedal opposite to the way he had the tone on his amp but I'm not sure whether it was the amp which was brighter or the pedal - someone probably knows the article in question - it was in guitar world or guitar player several years ago". Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GuitarPlayerFL Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Go to youtube.com and search for "James Gang". You'll find a good 20+ minute streaming Flash video of Tommy on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert with the James Gang. Five songs or so are played. A Jazz/Chord Melody Master-my former instructor www.robertconti.com (FKA GuitarPlayerSoCal) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dreamer Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 double post Korg PA3X Pro 76 and Kronos 61, Roland G-70, Integra 7 and BK7-m, Casio PX-5S, Fender Stratocaster with Fralin pickups, Fender Stratocaster with Kinman pickups, 1965 Gibson SG Standard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Ellwood Posted February 7, 2006 Share Posted February 7, 2006 Dreamer you are quickly becomming our resident picture getting/posting expert!! nice job on getting all those pics!! We have Caevan as the official greeter/co-tube amp specialist, and YOU as picture researcher!! Thanks again! http://www.thestringnetwork.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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