Tusk - looking back 25 years later

[sparky]

This thread inspired me to listen to the whole record all the way through for the first time in forever. While some of LB's songs still annoy me, I like them much more than I used to. NTF has really grown on me. The live version still seems like a seizure but I love the studio version.
CM's songs ground the record for me. They are better than I remember. NMMC was never a fave and still isn't, but the others are all well crafted and some make me feel all fuzzy and happy inside. Pretty cool, after all these years.
Stevie did contribute some of her best material ever to this record. But, the best thing about her songs is her delivery. She hasn't used her voice with such finesse and grace since. I had forgotten how much power she could have when she used her voice so softly and gently. Evidently she has too. "Goodbye Baby" is the only return to that style since. Her vocal on "Sara" is transcendent. Damn that edit version though !

[snwriter]

The only song that I can't listen to (but do sometimes) is "Not That Funny," especially live and especially on the video.

The only BN era songs I don't enjoy besides that are "Love Shines," especially the "on and on it will always be rhythmn rhyme and harmony" part, the live "Stand Back" on the 25 years box set, "Empire State," "You and I," and sometimes "Family Man."

From, BTM I sometimes skip "Stand on the Rock."

On Time, I skip Dave Mason's songs and I find Chris' songs very bland except for "Nights in Estoril."

Pre BN--There are a few Bob Welch songs I don't love, but I listen to------the Chris songs are generally very good if not optimally produced.

Green era--I don't skip anything but I play the standout cuts like "Green Manalishi," "Another Woman" and "Man of the World" a lot more than some others.

The only Kirwan song I skip is "Dust"--It reminds me of "Dust in the Wind," that old Kansas hit that I hate. And I don't always play "Thoughts on a Grey Day."

[chiliD]

Originally posted by Johnny Stew


Sorry, Christy! *ducks*

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
Don't apologize, we all skip something, right?

I know WHY Chilid skips SOD...we had a discussion on the LB forum.

Yeah, it's been discussed, dealt with...along with admonished & repentant.

{sorry, can't hold the laughter back any longer}

[David]

Originally posted by sparky
NMMC was never a fave and still isn't

Sparky, have you heard the acoustic piano studio take of NMMC? You might like that much (or a little) better than the "Tusk" take. If you haven't heard it, you can download it from Tiff's excellent site Blue White Fire (www.bluewhitefire.com/downloads.htm). It's got an unidentified string & flute patch (very natural woodwindy-sounding) during the short instrumental bridge. Anyone know what that is? Unless it's actually acoustic, it's probably some sort of analog synth, like the ARP 2500/2600 or the Yamaha CS family (5/40/80). I guess it could have been something like the CS-80, which had string & flute voicings & which was real cutting edge during the years 1977 to 1980. A bunch of famous guys used it -- mostly for studio work -- including David Edelstein of Bob Welch's band, Steve Winwood, Tony Banks of Genesis, Kate Bush, Brian Eno, Peter Frampton, Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, Paul McCartney, Billy Payne, Stevie Wonder & Rick Wakeman.

[shackin'up]

Originally posted by David
Sparky, have you heard the acoustic piano studio take of NMMC? You might like that much (or a little) better than the "Tusk" take. If you haven't heard it, you can download it from Tiff's excellent site Blue White Fire (www.bluewhitefire.com/downloads.htm). It's got an unidentified string & flute patch (very natural woodwindy-sounding) during the short instrumental bridge. Anyone know what that is? Unless it's actually acoustic, it's probably some sort of analog synth, like the ARP 2500/2600 or the Yamaha CS family (5/40/80). I guess it could have been something like the CS-80, which had string & flute voicings & which was real cutting edge during the years 1977 to 1980. A bunch of famous guys used it -- mostly for studio work -- including David Edelstein of Bob Welch's band, Steve Winwood, Tony Banks of Genesis, Kate Bush, Brian Eno, Peter Frampton, Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, Paul McCartney, Billy Payne, Stevie Wonder & Rick Wakeman.

HOLY FRICKIN COW! That's an unbelievable version. so pure.
Come on Go there and listen! I've never heard this. Thanks for the link!!!

[sparky]

Originally posted by David
Sparky, have you heard the acoustic piano studio take of NMMC? You might like that much (or a little) better than the "Tusk" take.

No, I haven't. But I will in the next few minutes. The thing that kills it for me is that underwater vibrato quality to the keys. It always had a tinge of David Gates to me - blech !
All over the download. Thanks for the info.

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by shackin'up
HOLY FRICKIN COW! That's an unbelievable version. so pure.
Come on Go there and listen! I've never heard this. Thanks for the link!!!

I LOVE her

[Cristian]

Originally posted by wondergirl9847
Don't apologize, we all skip something, right?

Not in Tusk!

Well... of course "Family Man" is always a skipper for me when I hear Tango; and "Caroline" too... and the album often ends up with "When I See You Again". And I often find myself not listening to "Oh Diane" or "Empire State"... or "Hard Feelings" on Behind The Mask; or "I Got It In For You" in Time; or any of Mick's spoken tracks ("These Strange Times", "Lizard People"). The Mrs. Scarrot poem... well I can handle it. But not that much.

And that would be about it, with Fleetwood Mac. Excluding solo carrers, that is. Another huge difference.


Song of the moment - Somebody


P.S. OMG, that version of "Never Make Me Cry" is astonishing. Thanks to Tiff for posting and to David for the link!

[sparky]

WOW. Kudos to Tiff and thanks David for the link. That blows the album version all the way to the moon. It almost sounds like there are some extra transitional chords in there, and beautiful ones at that.

[golden braid]

Originally posted by sparky
WOW. Kudos to Tiff and thanks David for the link. That blows the album version all the way to the moon. It almost sounds like there are some extra transitional chords in there, and beautiful ones at that.

I agree. This version is beautiful. I don't understand why they didn't pick it for the album.

[David]

Speaking of Christine, occasionally you can find a Yamaha CP-30 on eBay that's in great condition. The CP-30 is the electronic piano that Chris played on the Tusk, Mirage & '84 solo tours, as well as on the "Tusk" & "Mirage" albums (on tracks like "Over & Over," "Think About Me," "Sisters of the Moon," "Angel," "Honey Hi," "Never Forget" & "Straight Back"). For you demo collectors, she also played it on the Mac demos for "Beauty & the Beast" & "If You Were My Love." The CP-30 is a heavy mother, but any of you keyboardists out there who want to emulate Christine's sound on those classic Mac tracks may want to check out the CP-30 auctions on ebay, including this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=38091

$295 is a little steep -- you can still find them for around $150 or $200 -- but isn't bad for this baby. Beware of the instrument's weight, however. It's about 125 pounds. It's a fantastic piece of gear -- I own two of them myself! I don't move them around much, but nothing else beats them when you want to play something like "Angel."

[shackin'up]

Originally posted by golden braid
I agree. This version is beautiful. I don't understand why they didn't pick it for the album.

It's a friggin' anthem. I never gave this song songbird-quality. But in this version it has. I'm really impressed and yes, this one should have been on the album.

gerald

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by shackin'up
It's a friggin' anthem. I never gave this song songbird-quality. But in this version it has. I'm really impressed and yes, this one should have been on the album.

gerald

As much as I love LB, this alt take is an example of his over production quality!!!! SOTM is another IMO. Having said that, CM must have been satisfied with the album cut because she allowed it. So, LB is just one factor in the equation, etc.

[shackin'up]

Originally posted by strandinthewind
As much as I love LB, this alt take is an example of his over production quality!!!! SOTM is another IMO. Having said that, CM must have been satisfied with the album cut because she allowed it. So, LB is just one factor in the equation, etc.

Don't know strand, çause this "stripped downversion" sounds very lindsey-tuskera to me. I can imagine they did both because they wanted some pop-productions on it, too. Would be a nice question to chris and lindsey: which one did you want on the album, and which one do you prefer? (not necessarily the same answer.)



gerald

[strandinthewind]

Originally posted by shackin'up
Don't know strand, çause this "stripped downversion" sounds very lindsey-tuskera to me. I can imagine they did both because they wanted some pop-productions on it, too. Would be a nice question to chris and lindsey: which one did you want on the album, and which one do you prefer? (not necessarily the same answer.)



gerald

I reread my post and I think I was unclear I meant to say this alt take is much better to me than the album cut. The album cut, while good if not great as well, is just too produced for me when compared to this alt take.