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We're an American Band

Rockitman

By Rockitman
in The Keyboard Corner

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zxcvbnm098

zxcvbnm098

Posted
Posted

I asked Don Brewer about that sound many years ago, and he told me it was a synth that Todd Rundgren dialed in. He didn't remember what the exact instrument was. I think he told me Todd played it as well. Todd of course produced the record.

 

I always thought it sounded like a Vox organ, which is what I expected him to say it was.

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Sven Golly

Sven Golly

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I hope I'm misreading your post, but just in case, you might want to take a closer listen to the song; there's Hammond organ and Clavinet all over that track.

 

That being said, the part you specifically mention is, I believe, a Hohner Clavinet (at least that's the sound I've always used to cover that part). I've also never played it as a single note; octaves at the very least, with the odd 5th thrown in for good measure.

 

GFR was a trio before Craig Frost joined, so it's also clav playing the rhythmic parts during the guitar solo.

 

Here's a bit of fun, a not-live video of them in the studio, miming the tune before they end up riding motorcycles through a field. ;)

 

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwsgznR_T-g

 

...and here's them live in '74, where that part isn't played at all (starts at 28:30)

 

[video:youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRb8yjIEL6g&t=28m33s

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Sven Golly

Sven Golly

Posted
Posted
I asked Don Brewer about that sound many years ago, and he told me it was a synth that Todd Rundgren dialed in. He didn't remember what the exact instrument was. I think he told me Todd played it as well. Todd of course produced the record.

 

That's interesting, I'd never heard that before... but it wouldn't surprise me if Todd did something like that, the crafty bastard. ;)

 

That being said, doesn't sound much like a synth to me, unless it's doubling the clav or the Hammond...

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Sven Golly

Sven Golly

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Okay, so just for shits'n'giggles, I grabbed my copy of "A Wizard A True Star - Todd Rundgren In The Studio" off the bookshelf and looked this up. The most notable quote about this is on p.98:

 

Craig Frost recalls Rundgren emphasizing his rhythm work on the keyboards. "I'd use the Clavinet the way you'd use a rhythm guitar," says Frost. "I played the riff on 'We're An American Band' on the Clavinet, matched up tight with Mark's guitar line. In most Grand Funk songs, I had my left hand on the Clavinet and my right hand on the Hammond B3 organ or maybe the Wurlitzer electric piano, but never a Rhodes."

 

Frost took notably few solos, and saw his role as a rhythmic link between Farner's guitar, Brewer's beat, and Mel Schacher's bass. "Rhythm is just where I seem to shine," says Frost, "and I remember Todd really liked some of my little things, like the pumping Hammond on 'American Band.' And sometimes he had a few ideas of his own, and they were usually very good ideas!"

 

So that doesn't necessarily mean there wasn't something else on the track, but it's not specifically mentioned.

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zxcvbnm098

zxcvbnm098

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Sven, great minds think alike. I pulled down the same book and read the same passage before posting. It's a GREAT read btw...I'm an enormous fan of Todd's.

And you're right...still doesn't sound like a synth to me either, but Don did tell me that. But hey, he's a drummer. But a lawyer as well.

 

As an interesting side note, during the hiatus of GF during the 80's he went to law school and got his JD. A very savvy chap.....

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J. Dan

J. Dan

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It's basically a single note repeated. Is it an organ?

 

Cowbell

 

*spits coffee*

 

+1

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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HammondDave

HammondDave

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Any band that has two B3's and a Mellotron on stage is alright with me.

 

Saw Grand Funk at the West Palm Beach Festival in 1969. They were the other hit of that festival, along with King Crimson.

'55 and '59 B3's; Leslies 147, 122, 21H; MODX 7+; NUMA Piano X 88; Motif XS7; Mellotrons M300 and M400’s; Wurlitzer 206; Gibson G101; Vox Continental; Mojo 61; Launchkey 88 Mk III; Korg Module; B3X; Model D6; Moog Model D

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Sven Golly

Sven Golly

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I play piano on that song, always have and nobody complains so I keep doing it :)

 

That's because you're probably not in the mix, if you're like 90% of keyboardists out there. ;)

 

Try changing to a bagpipe sound, see if anyone notices. ;)

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Stokely

Stokely

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I play piano on that song, always have and nobody complains so I keep doing it :)

 

That's because you're probably not in the mix, if you're like 90% of keyboardists out there. ;)

 

Try changing to a bagpipe sound, see if anyone notices. ;)

 

Unfortunately I am all too aware of this. The best is when I get *blamed* for everyone (once in a great while) wanting to hear me and they can't, as if I can control what goes into everyone's monitor...sure, let me just turn up and overdrive the main board after we've had a soundcheck to set levels.....to the song at hand I've been meaning to try organ like the original.

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CEB

CEB

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I hear that a lot. But I am always in the mix. Whether I should be is another question. :D

 

I heard some facebook videos from the recent gigs with the 10 piece band and I'm screaming out front. Sound guys maybe be running the Hammond a little too hot but the sound guys we have seem to be keyboard fans.

 

I'm worried about the pop band. Some of my patches, though they sound like the original recordings, may be way too fuzzy to be heard live. Stuff like Yamaha's Power Chordz patch.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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Brettymike

Brettymike

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I play piano on that song, always have and nobody complains so I keep doing it :)

 

That's because you're probably not in the mix, if you're like 90% of keyboardists out there. ;)

 

Try changing to a bagpipe sound, see if anyone notices. ;)

 

So right. And the song in question here is a percussion and guitar driven song , and that organ sound is almost an after thought at the bottom of the pile.

If it wasn't played , hardly anyone (other than keyboardists) would notice.

 

Brett

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Brettymike

Brettymike

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Max Carl - of GFR ,used to be in 38 Special band .

I wonder if he still sings this most wonderful ballad he wrote and performed (awesome song for keys) . He's got a great voice indeed >

Edit: - Yes he does! , but the song arrangement has gone backwards , slowed down too much , and big lush keyboard pads missing.

 

Brett

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Threadslayer

Threadslayer

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That's because you're probably not in the mix, if you're like 90% of keyboardists out there. ;)

 

Try changing to a bagpipe sound, see if anyone notices. ;)

That is so depressingly TRUE. One night at a gig this asshole local keyboard player showed up and sat on the dance floor right in front of me wincing and shaking his head every so often at supposed clams. Just for the hell of it I started really landing on some dissonance and he never even flinched.

Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect.

-Mark Twain

 

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