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Topic: "Hot Burritos"- new book release |
Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2008 5:27 am |
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I got a nice surprise in the mail yesterday - a hot-off-the-press copy of "Hot Burritos - The True Story of the Flying Burrito Brothers" by John Einarson (who wrote "Desperados", a great country-rock history) with Chris Hillman. Reading it, it's definitely an Einarson book with input by Hillman more than anything else.
There are some nice quotes about Sneaky, from Einarson, Michael Vosse (The A&R guy for A&M at the time) and several others like Jim Bickhart, who says the key ingredient and the main man in the "Gilded Palace of Sin" sessions was Sneaky and not Gram Parsons - both from a playing and personal standpoint. One fitting description: "He was taking the steel guitar out of the box it had been stuck in all these years in country music and turning it into this versatile instrument using all these rock sounds.", and Buddy Emmons' "There was no one else like him". The tone that is set about the whole first album and the "style" of the playing centers on Sneaky more than anyone else. With his Steel HOF induction last year it's a fitting follow-up.
That presentation of Sneaky's personal and musical influence is pretty typical of the whole tone - Pete was the innovator and the mature, steadying personality as well, and the guy nobody argued with, ever. It's almost sad that Hillman is the only one that seems to diss Pete's playing at times - you get the impression he wanted a more "straight" steel, while everyone else from the other band members to record management to other musicians thought Sneaky was the piece of the puzzle that made the whole concept work from the start - more than Gram's personality or songwriting. Gram's concept of "Cosmic American Music" - a kind of melding of country and R&B - *was* historic, but it's the first time I've read someone essentially saying it was Sneaky that made it happen.
There's also some nice material about Al Perkins, and quite a bit of little-known lore about the forming of Manassas with Stephen Stills. The later "2nd generation" Burritos are presented as a better stage band but Hillman again goes negative, even slamming Gene Parsons as not being a "real" Byrd. There are a couple minor errors - like the current owner of the Burritos' name (it's John Beland, oddly) but mostly it's a fascinating read, full of nice tributes to Sneaky - but presents Hillman as an almost bitter, "sour grapes" guy who seems to have negative things to say about Gram, Michael Clarke, Chris Ethridge, Sneaky - reading it, you almost wish he hadn't been anything but an historical source for the book his tone is so continually negative - and counter to almost everyone else. It's kind of weird, really, since he was the one who had the most commercial success with The Desert Rose Band.
Still - it's a fun book...and I got no sleep, 'cause I could not put it down and read the whole thing last night! It's a Hal Leonard production I pre-ordered though Sierra Records - www.sierra-records.com. They have tons of country rock CD's, videos, books and such.
Now my coffee is ready! 
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2008 6:12 am
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| Ordered. Thanks for the heads up Jim |
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Joe Shelby
From:
Walnut Creek, California, USA
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Posted 25 Nov 2008 9:39 pm
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Haven't read it yet and certainly want to.
Re Sneaky and his bandmates' attitude towards him musically, Gram had also said in print (sorry I can't
reference anything specific, articles, other interviews) that Sneaky was not his ideal of what he
wanted as a steel player for the Burritos sound. Apparently, his ideal was to have Tom Brumley.
Chris has often been less than charitable towards his
fellow players (or musicians in other bands) for a long time.
Maybe the sour grapes comes from years of being the
strong supporting vocalist/player in all the great
bands he's been in. His contibutions to any or all of
those bands are undeniable. Nonetheless, he's been front and center with the Desert Rose Band...
Sneaky being the key ingredient in the feel and sound
of Gilded Palace of Sin is an acknowledgement a long
time coming. |
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Jonathan Shacklock
From:
London, UK
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Posted 27 Nov 2008 6:30 am
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| I can't wait to read this! I really enjoyed "Twenty Thousand Roads: The Ballad of Gram Parsons and His Cosmic American Music" by David N. Meyer, a writer who really understands the music. Lots of good stuff on pedal steel, but it left you wanting to know a lot more about Sneaky. |
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Henry Nagle
From:
Santa Rosa, California
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Posted 27 Nov 2008 9:06 am
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I think I'll find that book. In my opinion, that first album is the best work of any of those players. That album really has an amazing sound and feel. It's a little sloppy and the feel is a little too laid back for mainstream, but it really works- and it sounds like a band.
If Sneaky's contribution was the most important, it was mostly because he would have been impossible to replace. There wasn't another player alive who would have made those sounds. His sensibility was different. That said, I think it's important not to under-acknowledge the roles of the other members. I would hate to sacrifice any of the chemistry of that album. And the songs are great!
I often get the impression that Hillman and Parsons didn't want to play country/rock, that they actually just wanted to play straight country, more or less. When I listen to GP's solo albums, they sound like country albums to me, whereas The Gilded Palace Of Sin is a true melding of genres, performed in it's own style. I think Sneaky can take a lot of credit for that. |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2008 9:22 am
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Agreed - I think another oft-overlooked, but essential element in the unique sound of the first album is Chris Ethridge. He co-wrote some of the more memorable songs, and his R&B bass playing, which sounded NOTHING like a typical country I/V bass player, really blended well with Sneaky. The mix of drummers used also made a difference, as songs were stylistically etched in a way by the "lock" - or looseness - of the bass/drums combination.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Henry Nagle
From:
Santa Rosa, California
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Posted 27 Nov 2008 9:48 am
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Mmhhmm. Well said. Especially with regard to Ethridge. I was trying to figure out how to express a similar sentiment, but you have taken that burden from my shoulders!
Ordered the book, by the way. |
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Eric Jaeger
From:
Oakland, California, USA
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Posted 27 Nov 2008 9:56 am
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| Henry Nagle wrote: |
I often get the impression that Hillman and Parsons didn't want to play country/rock, that they actually just wanted to play straight country, more or less. When I listen to GP's solo albums, they sound like country albums to me, whereas The Gilded Palace Of Sin is a true melding of genres, performed in it's own style. I think Sneaky can take a lot of credit for that. |
I think that's exactly right. Despite Gram's bit about "Cosmic American Music" when he covered country material it was as if he was trying to do it completely straight. And both he and Hillman rapped Sneaky and Chris Ethridge as not being "real country players". To me, in both cases that was a real asset, and where a lot of the uniqueness of the FBB came from.
I think that actually shows up more in their R&B covers like "Do Right Woman" and "Dark End of the Street". They don't sound like vanilla anything -- country, rock, or R&B.
And when the FBB tried country-style material like "Christine's Tune" (aka Devil in Disguise) as soon as Sneaky's steel kicked in you *knew* this wasn't "country". And that's probably what bugged Gram and Chris.
Gram's solo albums are pretty standard country fare except for one factor -- Emmylou. For which I will forgive Gram anything 
-eric |
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Henry Nagle
From:
Santa Rosa, California
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Posted 27 Nov 2008 10:26 am
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| She is an angel! She can even make Bob Dylan sound sweet! |
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