Zane King Rock & Blues Steel Guitar

Zane King · Post by **Zane King** » 29 Jun 2013 7:34 am

As most of you know by now, I am a risk taker when it comes to anything related to my steel guitar. Maybe it is more than risk and I'm just a complete rebel but don't get me wrong I LOVE the traditional side of this instrument. That said, I'm still intrigued by the capability of the pedal steel when it comes to Rock & Blues music. I don't believe we have even seen the half of what can be done by taking the instrument in that direction. That said, I am still very much pursuing this possibility within my own musical journey.

The following link is my latest attempt with my Jackson 12 string and a Roland Cube 80. Again, this is intended to be just a jam session of experimentation. I'm not trying to create a hit song here. I'm attempting to develop my style and technique in this musical arena. Also, give the whole thing a listen. It took me about a minute into this video to really catch the groove.

Zane King "The BLUES THANG" You Tube Video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9YCmsgE ... e=youtu.be

Sonny Jenkins · Post by **Sonny Jenkins** » 29 Jun 2013 8:02 am

Shades of rock and roll,,,,and maybe some Stevie Ray and Robert Randolph thrown in,,,,,,If,,,,I said IF,,the PSG has any limits,,,Zane will find them,,,on either end of the spectrum. Whether one "likes" these avenues or not,,,,at least you show that they ARE there!!!!

Wally Taylor · Post by **Wally Taylor** » 29 Jun 2013 9:34 am

Yeah, what Sonny said!

Mark van Allen · Post by **Mark van Allen** » 29 Jun 2013 10:01 am

Love it, Zane! The only disagreement I have with you would be that I don't think we've seen 1/10 of the surface scratched with what steel can do outside the traditional country realm. Keep on smokin'!

Steve Lipsey · Post by **Steve Lipsey** » 29 Jun 2013 4:18 pm

Wow! Eddie van Halen better move over and get out of your way!

Michael Strauss · Post by **Michael Strauss** » 29 Jun 2013 8:57 pm

Wow! Now that's what I'm talking about. A great clip to play to people who don't understand the infinite possibilities a pedal steel it's capable of. Thank you, great job.

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 30 Jun 2013 9:18 am

Robert Randolph go home, you've been "whupped"!!! .....JH in C.

Scott Duckworth · Post by **Scott Duckworth** » 30 Jun 2013 10:01 am

And they just thought steel was for country, swing, or Hawaiian...

Zane King · Post by **Zane King** » 30 Jun 2013 3:12 pm

Thanks for listening and contributing!

Mark Van Allen - You are likely right about the 1/10th. As I have stated many times here, our instrument is still in its infancy. The expression that it affords us players seems to be significantly more than other instruments. In many ways, I'm a more studied and accomplished pianist. However, I can't even begin to express my musical soul on those 88 hammers like I can with my musical bicycle!

Thanks fellows for all the names mentioned in your response. I am acquainted with Robert Randolph. I hope to record and jam with him someday. That would be adventure.

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 1 Jul 2013 12:59 am

Just Brilliant Zane.

I see you are using the bar almost like a pencil to point to the strings.

What was your settings on the Cube?
Have you spoken to Randolph's team yet?

Zane King · Post by **Zane King** » 1 Jul 2013 9:05 am

Jan, I use the classic amp setting most of the time. It's all just a matter of how you dial in the gain and the volume on the distorted channel. It's a balancing act for sure!

As for RR, I haven't spoke to his camp recently. We have met and he certainly seems to appreciate my approach to the steel guitar. We have talked about several thoughts and ideas. I'm more acquainted with Lonnie Bennett. My hope is that Lonnie or someone might let RR see this video so that he can see some of my latest efforts in that style. Personally, I think it would be fantastic for RR and I to jam together. Players tend to feed from one another on that kind of thing. I believe without a doubt Robert would bring me up a level or two. Only then to likely rip something off that would leave me speechless! He is a real performer!

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 1 Jul 2013 12:10 pm

Thankz Zane, you are truly an inzpiration to all zteelerz.

Hope your planz work out.

Zane King · Post by **Zane King** » 5 Jul 2013 10:00 am

I wish there was more interest in this style of steel guitar playing. Does anyone know of a forum/website kind of thing where slide playing and steel guitar played in more of rock/blues style is promoted? While this Forum here is obviously wonderful it is also very obvious that this place exists for the more traditional roots of our instrument. I know there are exceptions here, of course. That said, I just wish I could find a site where more extreme playing on steel guitars and slides is being promoted. Any thoughts or ideas?

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 5 Jul 2013 11:03 am

you should start a site yourself, zane.

call it Steel Inzanity

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 5 Jul 2013 11:26 am

Zane,
I seems to me that there is a shortage of the kind of websites that play pedal-steel-rock.
I am sure you are fully acquainted with Robert's music, but I found this web with two video clips.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1034959

Here is a web that discusses some pedal steel music. Just basic stuff.

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/archiv ... 15706.html

And then something about Hal Merrill.

http://www.halmerrill.com/bio/

And girl singers from Germany.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTvBD8x3_-A

Let's hope this genre will expand.

Zane King · Post by **Zane King** » 5 Jul 2013 12:35 pm

Chris, that is perfect!!!! I do get a lot of milage with my name. I think that would just be over the top cool! I also like your suggestion but goodness gracious I don't need one more thing to be in charge of these days! That said, I have had some discussions with a lot of folks about this subject. For me, there has to be a better way to get exposure via You Tube/Vevo. Still, a website that was ran like a social forum has to have some value, but I'm sure no authority on that topic.

Jan, thanks for links! All cool stuff. Robert certainly is an ambassador for the future and expansion of steel guitar enthusiast. It's good to have him here as a member of this Forum. He loves steel guitar and greatly respects the history of the instrument. There are others out there too. Many others! That said, I still don't see much infrastructure being built in order to promote this side of our beloved instrument. If anything, I think there is likely more being done to hurt that development than anything. That's not to say it is intentional. It is just the mere fact that for decades the pedal steel (lap steels not included in this conversation) has been looked at as almost exclusively as a Country Music instrument. That's okay of course. I say put a pedal steel in every band! Require it!

That all said, I just know there is more. Much more! My goal with this video link above and all of this conversation is to simply keep the firing burning and to start fires where possible.

I think the more I type this message the more convinced I become bOb that we need a spot on this Forum for this type of thing. Likely it already exists and I'm just stuck in a rut coming to the Steel Players topics every time I open up this website. Please advise me.

Jan Viljoen · Post by **Jan Viljoen** » 6 Jul 2013 1:47 am

Zane,

When I got up this morning, I wondered what the reaction on this thread would be.

But you nailed it!!

Every band of any kind should have a (pedal) steel in it.

Surely, now the games have begun.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 6 Jul 2013 6:48 am

Zane, You would really be great at tapping on your fretboard steel. A little compression, maybe some distortion and something to mute the strings over the low strings while you're tapping and you should be good to go.
Here's some some songs with tapping, guitar style and steel: http://thetapper.bandcamp.com.
It should be fun for you since you are an expert at your positions and right hand. With tapping, you also don't have to drag that bar around:0)
Precise pedal and knee bends while tapping is really nice too.
I was Robert Randolph's guitar tech in 2002 and was hoping he might start tapping. He did tap some with two bars though; which is hard to keep in tune, especially at speeds He is an amazing steeler and so are Chuck and Derrick Campbell (pedal and lap players respectively) from the "Sacred Steel" vein. Check them out of they're in your neighborhood, for an uplifting take on the "twang".

Wally Moyers · Post by **Wally Moyers** » 6 Jul 2013 7:48 am

Zane King wrote:I wish there was more interest in this style of steel guitar playing. Does anyone know of a forum/website kind of thing where slide playing and steel guitar played in more of rock/blues style is promoted? While this Forum here is obviously wonderful it is also very obvious that this place exists for the more traditional roots of our instrument. I know there are exceptions here, of course. That said, I just wish I could find a site where more extreme playing on steel guitars and slides is being promoted. Any thoughts or ideas?

Zane, I'm very interested in this kind of playing! It would be cool if b0b would consider adding a subject to the index for this kind of playing... It could really spark some interesting ideas..

Zane King · Post by **Zane King** » 6 Jul 2013 11:53 am

Wally M. - thanks for your comment here. I believe there is indeed merit for this on the Forum. After my reply above, I did search for this kind of topic here on the Forum. Certainly, there have been some threads (and good ones) that talk about this more aggressive approach to pedal steel. That said, likely there is some need for there to be online community where this can be discussed and promoted. I do think it would indeed be some great dialogue and eventually it could help the growth overall of the instrument. Still, I don't have time to try and re-event the wheel so my hope here that bOb will consider a whole section dedicated to this conversation. I haven't asked him yet. I'm sure it has been discussed before. Does anyone know if this has ever been brought up to make a whole section of the Forum that would be dedicated to the more (rock I will call it) side of the pedal steel?

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 6 Jul 2013 12:22 pm

There is not a "Western Swing" section on the forum etc. It would be extremely difficult to have a forum section devoted to a style of music. Where are the lines drawn and who would judge?

Zane King · Post by **Zane King** » 6 Jul 2013 12:31 pm

I don't really disagree with you Chris. Yet I don't want to see us give up either. I don't know the answer exactly but I do know there is something to this. Even your Tapper is a product of the pedal steel to some degree. In the right arena of promotion that could really take off. Keep pushing!!

Wally Moyers · Post by **Wally Moyers** » 6 Jul 2013 3:19 pm

Instead of rock, I would suggest "out of the box" type section. It could be jazz, rock, blues, western swing, anything that pushes the current limits of traditional steel styles.. In the 80s I did some shows with "Asleep At The Wheel" when Wally Murphy was playing with them. He did some great out of the box playing that had the crowd on their feet... Anything new and innovative would be great to hear...

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 6 Jul 2013 5:52 pm

Wally, I saw/heard the Wheel with Wally Murphy several times and he was one of the best steel players they ever had in their lineup. He sure would tear up that Dekley. John Ely was totally outstanding too and I feel he is the best living Hawaiian player there is today. Go hear him at the Hawaiian show in Joliet this year. John is fantastic and a really nice person too.
It's a strange time in the music world these days and the youngsters like to get their stuff for free. (did I just say youngsters?).
Thanks for your encouraging word's Zane. Keep on pushing it too.

Chris Templeton · Post by **Chris Templeton** » 7 Jul 2013 4:49 pm

Zane, I noticed on a guitar forum that they have a section called:"Technique, Style, & Genre". This might be the kind of thing that might be good for another forum section.

The Steel Guitar Forum

Zane King Rock & Blues Steel Guitar

Zane King Rock & Blues Steel Guitar

Zane's Blues

Zane's rock and blues.