Tusk Tour: 1979-1980

[David]

Originally Posted by Sarah

...but we aren't talking about the tour.

I'm trying to think of something to say about the tusk tour that I haven't said already at some point. I need some inspiration.

I took Baton Rouge 1978 MP3s with me to the gym the other day. The playing (the attack, the licks, the riffs, the vamps, the tramps & the champs), the mixing & the generally dry signals on all the mics (maybe that's just because of the soundboard) all remind me of the first leg of the tusk tour -- shows like St. Louis, Rochester, Providence, the Garden.

Makes sense, because only a smidgin over one year separated these tour legs. In fact, in many ways specific to sonics & performance, the 1978 tour is closer to the tusk tour than to the rumours tour proper (1977). Even Stevie's & Lindsey's voices are indistinguishable from August 1978 to October 1979. The big difference is -- as you all know by now -- that Christine's chunky, legato-free Hohner was replaced by the sustain-heavy Yamaha CP, which brought an entirely different ambience to songs like Rhiannon & Dreams. In fact, this is one of the rare examples where the keyboardist's actual riffs are dictated by the type of instrument: Chris played Dreams verses with a different riff in 1978 (on the Hohner) & in 1979 (on the Yamaha).

I also believe that Christine's personality changed around this time. She grew harsher, more anxiety-ridden, more prone to sudden fits of violence & disquietude.