"I'm Absolutely Hank Marvin"/ Lap and Pedal Steel

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 11 Nov 2012 12:26 am

An unusual title, but a great tune. Written by Richard Hawley from the Coles Corner CD. I first heard it played by Derek Kerner at Shadowmania 2012. Lap and pedal steel guitars and guitar rhythm tracks played by me the Steelocaster, MSA Deluxe XL pedal steel, and Stratocaster 2002 respectively. The lap steel lead was routed through an Alesis Quadraverb GT with patch setting #51, "Walking on Air". Backing is courtesy of Andrew McGarrick who made a custom track for me. The score used for this recording is also credited to him.

http://soundcloud.com/kay-das/im-absolu ... k-marvin-1

or

http://dc625.4shared.com/download/adHjH ... Marvin.mp3

Enjoy!

kay

pic of the Steelocaster below.

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 11 Nov 2012 8:53 am

In the UK "Hank Marvin" is cockney rhyming slang for Starving so "I'm absolutely Hank Marvin" means I'm hungry. In fact there's a TV ad running at the moment where all the kids turning out of school at the end of the day are wearing black horn fimmed specticals and black wigs carrying Stratocasters until their mothers give them the snack food in question and they then return to their normal selves. Steve

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 11 Nov 2012 9:38 am

Stephen, that could only have come about after Hank Marvin's popularity, so it must be recent. It wasn't in use when I lived in England.
Here in the U.S. there's an expression "Starvin" like Marvin", and it's seen mostly on placards carried by the homeless.

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 11 Nov 2012 1:12 pm

Hank is a bit of an icon over here. I could tell you what “Cole's Corner” refers to but I think I've hijacked Kay's thread enough. Here's the ad. http://youtu.be/lcM3xOvb82o[url]

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 11 Nov 2012 5:25 pm

Hank Marvin is my biggest guitar hero and a folk hero now in the UK and many other parts of the world. I am active in the UK and Italian followings, having just performed at the Shadowmania festival organized by Bruce Welch, erstwhile rhythm guitarist of the Shads. Hank now lives in Australia. Curious that the Shads did not make it here in the US in the radio stations, though I know of many guitarists here who know of him and follow his music.

Yes, you had to be born within earshot of St Pauls to be a cockney, and thanks for reminding me of the cockney connection with "starvin' '"...

Here is a video of the Hank Martin version; the audio is badly out of sync.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q33CkHqbq5c

No worries about "hijacking"... I do not know much about Richard Hawley; he has a lap steel guitarist play with him in some of his country tunes..

Kay

Michael Shipman · Post by **Michael Shipman** » 12 Nov 2012 3:14 am

Hi Kay Das, Nearly but not quite if you meant the bells at St Pauls (cathedral.
Its Bow Bells from St Mary le Bow in Cheapside. Mind you that's only a short "ball of chalk" down the "frog and toad" to St Pauls!
My old stamping ground

.

Chuck S. Lettes · Post by **Chuck S. Lettes** » 12 Nov 2012 8:51 am

Hi Kay. Very pretty tune. I love the smooth vibrato and the vocal quality you always get on the steel. Hope to see you at a show down the road.
Chuck

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 12 Nov 2012 9:58 am

That tune has touches of "Maria Elena" about it.

I've been a fan of the Shadows ever since they started out as the Drifters. I don't know whether they've had a hit in the U.S. but they certainly toured the U.S. with Cliff Richard during the late 50s.

By the way, Cliff Richard is not a bad guitarist himself, although he rarely carries one onstage. On one occasion Hank Marvin was sick and Cliff stood in for him as lead guitarist.

Stephen Baker · Post by **Stephen Baker** » 12 Nov 2012 12:10 pm

Richard Hawley is a musician, singer & producer from Sheffield England. He is best known as the guitarist in the British band “Pulp”. He is very influenced by the music of the 50's & 60's. Recent projects have included producing and playing on Duane Eddy's last album and a rockabilly radio show on the BBC. The steel on some of his album tracks is almost certainly played by Richard himself, I know he has a few in his collection. Steve

Dick Chapple Sr · Post by **Dick Chapple Sr** » 15 Nov 2012 12:13 am

Wow I've never heard of the Shadows and Richard Hawley.
I've listened to that tune a bunch since last night and tonight. So tonight I tabbed that in C6th 6 string lap by using the free 6 string guitar tab that can be downloaded.

I'm very happy with it. Might need a little tweek here and there.
I will post it in hopes of seeing what improvements might come up. I tabbed note for note and only in 3 places I didn't use a triad as the middle note just wouldn't fit in on the c6th tuning .
First I'll figure out how to post it on here.
I will try to do it on Thursday.

Dick

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 15 Nov 2012 9:49 pm

Thanks to all for the appreciation.

I found the sequence on bars 34 to 39 quite tantalizing: the melody playing F major 7th followed by F minor major 7th triads while the rhythm guitar sequences Am - E chords. Some (regular) guitarists have found this disquieting, but I think it comes out well with the fluidity of the steel guitar.

Dick, tabbing the tune for steel will be a labor of love, wish you luck; will enable others to try this tune, which sits well on steel....maybe the next "Sleepwalk" ???

Here is Hank Marvin's original version ( the audio does not sync to the video, regrettably):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q33CkHqbq5c

If you wish to know more about a connection between the steel guitar and The Shadows:

http://www.mwe3.com/reviews/KayDas2012/

Kay

Dick Chapple Sr · Post by **Dick Chapple Sr** » 15 Nov 2012 11:05 pm

Kay:
Thanks so much for your link. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Boy have I missed out on some great stuff. I see you have five albums available on CD-R's. Is the 2nd shadows available too? the encore album?
If so I see that is 6 albums. do you offer a boxed set price or do you prefer to leave as is? Your interview replies regarding infuentials parallels mine exactly.
sincerely
Dick.

"Today as is so often the case anymore, I realized my body is older than I am."

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 17 Nov 2012 6:15 pm

Dick,

Good to hear from you. Please check your e-mail.

I have been lackadaisical in marketing "Encore" on cdbaby as it took some time to purchase the copyrights on the cover tunes. I have just completed the transactions and cdbaby should have "Shadows on Steel - Encore" up for sale in a week.

Kind regards, keep picking!

Kay

Kay Das · Post by **Kay Das** » 16 Jan 2013 8:42 pm

"Shadows on Steel -Encore" is now available on cdbaby, iTunes, Amazon , CD or individual track downloads.

Kay