Sneaky Pete self titled LP

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 8 Dec 2011 5:10 pm

I have a topic going over in Pedal Steel re: guitar tone from a pedal steel. http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=216633

I'm curious about a couple of cuts on the album that must surely be standard lead guitar solos even though there are no credits listed on the jacket for lead guitar only say "Guitar" solo played on steel by Sneaky Pete. While I have no doubt that some of his playing was very guitar like, I've always wondered how on earth that sound could be pulled out of a pedal steel.

The LP is Shiloh records 1979. I hate to even bring this up since Pete has left us, but I have always been curious about those solos. The solo right after the modulation in Sleepy Lagoon and a couple places in OK Stomp. If any of you have the LP I would appreciate your giving it a listen and tell me what you think. Can't find anything on www.youtube.com and I don't have any way to post the audio here.

www.allmusic.com credits Bobby Cockran for guitar on the LP, but no credits for him on the album cover or liner.

Maybe some of you have an inside track or knew Pete and the circumstances around the recording.

Let it be known that no one in the steel guitar world was a greater influence on me than Pete. His style from tear jerking pretty stuff, screaming rock riffs and even Hawaiian dreamy tunes along with his genius in using electronics, there was no one and may never be anyone else like Sneaky Pete.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 9 Dec 2011 6:18 am

I have the Cd release, and there are credits, did you say that on the vinyl there are no musicians listed? There's no mention of B. Cochran, but Albert Lee and Bob Metzger are listed (lead guitars). Earnest Bovine on keyboards etc...

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 9 Dec 2011 6:52 am

On this LP, Earnest, Albert and Bob are not listed anywhere on the jacket.

I shoulda looked a little closer. I meant there were no lead guitar credits listed for OK Stomp and Sleepy Lagoon.

Bobby Cochran and Greg Harris are listed under other songs with rhythm guitar, except for Greg's acoustic lead on Cannonball Rag.

Could be an unintentional omission. It may have been one of them on those 2 songs but no credits for lead guitar. Under Sleepy Lagoon credits, just says "Guitar" solo played on steel by Sneaky Pete. Those parts sound like standard 6 string electric guitar to me, not steel, even Pete's. That is what I was questioning.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 9 Dec 2011 7:06 am

Jerry the Cd is named "The Legend And The Legacy".
I includes Sleepy Lagoon and Oklahoma Stomp.
My opinion on the former is that the part you're meaning is played on standard electric with a vibrato. One can hear Sneaky playing backup.
http://www.starclustermusic.de/artists/ ... pk9401.htm

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 9 Dec 2011 7:14 am

Just found out that the "Legend" is not a re- but a regular release includig a few tracks from his self- title record.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 9 Dec 2011 7:17 am

What you have must be a different disc. This one does not have all the tunes listed on the Legacy recording.

The Sleepy Lagoon track may be the same recording however, but I'm not hearing any tremolo if that's what you mean. Just rich, clean guitar.

Thanks, Joachim. I agree with your assessment of that tune.

Jack Stanton · Post by **Jack Stanton** » 9 Dec 2011 8:09 am

I remember reading somwhere that the "guitar" solo on Sleepy Lagoon was indeed Sneaky.Don't know if that can ever be comfirmed, but if it is, it's one of the most impressive things I've ever heard on the steel guitar!

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 9 Dec 2011 8:29 am

Yeah, me too Jack. I spent years and nearly went nuts trying to figure out how he could do that on steel.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 9 Dec 2011 8:50 am

Jerry, If you have the old Steel Guitarist magazine issue that has the article on Sneaky in it he talks about his guitar sound. I remember it had something with using the tip of the bar.

Russ

Brint Hannay · Post by **Brint Hannay** » 9 Dec 2011 11:44 am

I have a Rhino reissue of the Shiloh LP, on which the liner notes are not identical to those you show on the original cover. They don't even list the songs on the cover anywhere, but they have "All 'Lead Instruments' played on steel guitar by SNEAKY PETE KLEINOW" as if to say that it applies to the entire album, though in your photo that language seems to be applied specifically to the track California and You.

My own opinions after listening closely are that it is barely conceivable, but seems very unlikely, that the "guitar" solo on Sleepy Lagoon was played on steel by Pete--if so, it is an astounding feat. It is remarkable that someone went out of their way to specifically say so in the credits, so... On Oklahoma Stomp I hear two "guitar" solos. The first one you can clearly hear what I'd call strings against fretboard articulation, that sort-of slap--no way it's steel. The second one, the very twangy one, could well be done on steel.

It's always a shame when record covers botch (or omit) the credits. I hope somehow someone can set the record straight about these recordings, but it seems like a long shot.

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 9 Dec 2011 1:06 pm

Thanks Brint. Seems at least you and Joachim would agree with me that it's highly unlikely that those are steel solos. So now I can feel better about not being able to recreate them on pedal steel.

The "all lead instruments" tag is listed under Bad Seed as well. The "guitar" solo tag listed on Sleepy Lagoon and Pete's Beat the Heat composition.

It's not a big deal to me, it is something that I have wondered about all these years and like I stated, bewildered that the tone and technique could be from steel guitar. Even Pete was human.

As stated earlier, no intention to take anything away from Sneaky Pete, he'll always be one of my biggest steel guitar heroes and one of the major reasons I took up the instrument to begin with. In retrospect, I guess I should have raised the issue while Pete was still alive to confirm or deny.

In earlier days, not everything was listed on jackets, sometimes none of the musicians were credited, so I would not be surprised at any omissions on this recording or even print could be misplaced or erroneously credited by mistake.

Russ, yes I have the SG mag you reference. I have read the interview many times. I'm familiar with Pete's multi-faceted playing ability. His style and sound is guitar like at times, agreed. It's just that those tunes I referenced do not sound like they could be done on the pedal steel....but I've been wrong many times before.

I think I should probably delete the cover photos from the topic for legal reasons though.

ebb · Post by **ebb** » 9 Dec 2011 4:17 pm

My own opinions after listening closely are that it is barely conceivable, but seems very unlikely, that the "guitar" solo on Sleepy Lagoon was played on steel by Pete--if so, it is an astounding feat

and so it is an astounding feat which i heard him do live many times using the neck pickup and a modified picking technique

if you would like to hear more examples of this check out http://www.amazon.com/Meet-Sneaky-Pete- ... B00005Y8TU

ditto for "beat the heat"
maybe you should play a fender with his b6 tuning and i will send you the tab for both tunes that i transcribed

on "oklahoma stomp" the guitar solo at 1:47 is an actual guitar although i would guess it is greg harris over albert lee. maybe bovine knows

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 9 Dec 2011 9:46 pm

I found Bobby Cochran's website:
http://www.bobbycochran.com/opening_page.htm
I have asked him the question we're discussing here. Hopefully he replies!

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 10 Dec 2011 1:33 am

It was indeed played by Pete - on steel. I've seen him do it many times. He said he developed that technique when he played in bands with no lead guitar to give some variety to the solos. He simply ommitted any audible sliding and skillfully concealed pedal motion with muting. Another part of the equation was he just listened to what good guitar players sound like and played guitar licks instead of steel licks. Plus - his unique Strat-like tones added to the illusion. Like everything else he did he made it look real easy. He copied no one. I miss him.

Brian Herder · Post by **Brian Herder** » 11 Dec 2011 7:14 pm

I love his version of Sleepy Lagoon on that record! What a unique, amazing talent.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 20 Mar 2012 11:11 am

I've just received an e- mail from Bobby Cochran.
Allthough it's most probably been answered already.

Hello Mr. Cochran,
There is forum for pedal steel players on the internet. We are currently discussing a track called "Sleepy Lagoon" from Sneaky Pete's self- titled album. The credits are listing you as the rhythm guitar player on this track. The actual question is: is the solo after the modulation played on steel or standard electric guitar? Could you maybe shed a little light on how it really is?
We would really appreciate your reply.
Regards,
Joachim Kettner

SEND ME AN MP3 OF THE TRACK AND i WILL SEE WHAT I CAN REMEMBER

Here's the MP3, hope it works!

Brian Herder · Post by **Brian Herder** » 20 Mar 2012 11:36 am

The credits list Pete as playing the "guitar" solo. The quotation marks imply that it is not guitar. It was played on steel.

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 19 Dec 2012 1:33 pm

Finally a reply from Bobby Cochran (btw he's a nephew of the late, great Eddie Cochran):

In my opinion it is all steel guitar on the leads. Hope this helps. Sorry for the delay, I did not see this email. I sometimes get hundreds a day and simply overlooked it.

Dale Kath · Post by **Dale Kath** » 10 Jan 2013 5:40 pm

Does anyone know if Sneaky Pete used his classic tuning when he made this album?

Jerry Overstreet · Post by **Jerry Overstreet** » 10 Jan 2013 8:04 pm

http://b0b.com/tunings/stars.html#b6pk

I don't really know for sure, but in a 1979 interview in the old Steel Guitarist magazine, he talks about his upcoming album mentioned in this thread, and the copedent as listed in that article is almost the same as the one in b0b's link.

The article shows pedals 1&2 reversed, but that could be an error I guess.

Anyway, given that data I would say the tuning for the recording was the same as the one shown on the copedent chart in that link.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 11 Jan 2013 9:39 am

Sleepy Lagoon was the best song on that album IMO. I wore that record out back in the day! Yes, the credits list Pete on the "Guitar" solo.

Here's my version of Sleepy Lagoon on 10-string, E13 tuning ---> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11GvfD93l44

Joachim Kettner · Post by **Joachim Kettner** » 11 Jan 2013 1:29 pm

That was very nice Doug!
Also on the "Guilded Palace Of Sin" album, some of his playing sounds very similar to an electric guitar, although I can't think of an example at the the moment.

I should listen to it again!

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 12 Jan 2013 11:24 am

Thanks Joachim, I've been hooked on Sleepy Lagoon since I heard Sneaky Pete's great version.

Storm Rosson · Post by **Storm Rosson** » 12 Jan 2013 2:01 pm

I mentioned Pete playing guitar sounding lines in a past post , listen to Blackbirds (Beatles) duet he does on Suite Steel album, I would swear that Pete is playing the guitar fingerpicking chords behind Buddy or whoever is doing their lead solo in the duet. Anyone know for sure anything about that? Thx.....Stormy

ebb · Post by **ebb** » 12 Jan 2013 2:18 pm

pete is doing both solo and accompaniment on blackbird

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Sneaky Pete self titled LP

Sneaky Pete self titled LP

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