The Steel Guitar Forum

After talking with several people, I am starting to put together a database of people that would attend and or play a steel show with other than the old standards so to speak.

Let me try and explain. We would like to develop a new type of steel show, which can show off the versatile Pedal Steel Guitar and attract new players young and old.

Now by Gone Wild, I am talking stuff people that do not know Old Country could recognize, and could imagine themselves playing it on a steel rather than a 6 string.

It could be anything from Tom Petty to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Metallica, etc. etc.

Now I'm not talking just throwing a bunch of distortion, crazy noises or just tearing up the strings, but actually playing the songs on the steel like the lead guitar player would.

A good example would be Robert Randolph, Zane King, Joe Wright, Bryan Hall, Mickey Adams, and many others.

I know there is going to be a lot of controversy because this is not what the steel has always represented or was necessarily intended for, but I think the instrument really has no boundaries.

So let's see what kind of response we can get here. If you would be interested and not offended to attend a show like this then let us know. I think with a lot of effort we could bring the steel from the back of the stage to the front.

Then when we get them to the show, there is always some room for some of the traditional stuff to introduce them to an era they might not know as well.

Thoughts?

I like that description much better than the alternate one suggested by the title.

Scary.


KP

Ya I changed it. Wasn't sure what to title it.

Yes, I'd be very interested in that.

I would too.

Now I'm not talking just throwing a bunch of distortion, crazy noises or just tearing up the strings, but actually playing the songs on the steel like the lead guitar player would.

But the guitar player would throw on a bunch of distortion, crazy noises, and tear up the strings, so what is the steel left with? Not saying I couldn't be interested, but I don't think steel would necessarily lend itself easily to playing Metallica, Skynyrd or the like, as an instrumental. If it drew a rock crowd, they would probably think it was lame, so there goes your fan base. Neither country nor rock audiences would like it.

Barry, I don't think he meant to say there would be no use of distortion or other effects. I think all he meant was that "just" turning on a distortion box without having a credible ability to play the genre wouldn't be enough to cut it.

Yes, Jim exactly.

Barry, yes you would need the distortion and all that, but I was saying actually playing a recognizable song and not just crazy sounds to be different.

I think it would be great. How about opening it up even further and do ska, reggae, classical, indian ragas, and yes even the dreaded hip hop.

That would be great. We have a very popular hip hop group in Philadelphia that features steel guitar, believe it or not.

lets make it happen brother!I got the southern rock
covered!

That's right up my alley. It's the kind of stuff I regularly do at the regional steel club shows. Not only would I support the shows, I'd enjoy playing them as well.

I'm in. I got here via a weird route - my six=string slide guitar just wouldn't.... well, it just wouldn't. I spent a fair amount of time learning the same structural licks that you have to play on guitar in a bar band. Only to find/remember that I was sick and tired of playing in a bar band!:lol:

You have to get Zane King and Dave Easley on board, you just... have to! I also wish there was a branch of this forum pertaining to this:
http://bb.steelguitarforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=208507

WE ARE NOT ALONE...

Count me in, depending on where it's held and how much it would cost to fly there and attend. (Money is an issue these days.)

That would save steel players a lot of money ! No need for a $300. vol. pedal. No need for a high dollar reverb or delay. Just buy yourself a pawn shop $50.00 amp and a distortion and have at it ? No one will know the diff.
I know I will get hate mail for this. LOL

i would love to see some other stuff that you dont normally see ,that has featured the pedal steel
like the grateful dead,jackson brown,elton john,flying burito brothers,commander coty,new riders of the purple sage......ect just to name a few and done instrumental!

Mike!!!! Way to go! I have been knee deep in conversations this week about this subject. There is something cooking here for sure. Email me privately at zaneking@me.com.

Now as for my opinion for all....Steel Guitar is not a genre but a musical instrument that rivals the versatile uses of drums, electric guitars, pianos, etc. I think most of us on this Forum clearly understand that. However, the world at large does not. We MUST push the envelope here! We will be criticized going forward. Bring it. That debate would only propel the overall campaign forward.

Let me tell what is exciting! It's not the many greats who will contribute to this effort that will benefit but the many many players from all parts of life and the world who will sit down at the instrument and see no boundaries or limits. It will be those players who will astound all of us. Still lots of work to be done! I'm ready!!!! Inspired!

Let's leap forward here!

No need for a high dollar reverb or delay. Just buy yourself a pawn shop $50.00 amp and a distortion and have at it ?

A good example of uncharted territory with the steel would be Mike Daly's new album of classic rock tunes on the steel: Chicago, Edgar Winters, Zeppelin, Beck, Allman Bros. All great tunes beautifully done on steel, but certainly not standards on our instrument.

But, as Mike said about his album, "The public is not clamoring for something like this." Do not expect a large turnout. But do it because it would be great. I can't attend (far side of the planet and too poor). I would buy the video, though!

Cheers,

Doug

It sounds, on the surface at least, like a good idea. But, I do think you're fighting an uphill battle as I feel you'd really need players who are already famous in younger generation audiences. Other than Robert Randolph, I can't think of any players who might have a large enough following of young people to attract a good-sized younger crowd. Younger people simply tend to relate more to other younger people, and I don't think they'd be impressed by (or comfortable around) a bunch of middle-aged players, regardless of their skills, who've accomplished little or nothing in the youth music genres.

Hey, I'm all for giving pedal steel a "shot in the arm"! But right now, I think all you have is one "needle", and that's RR.

Look, I'm kinda an old dude m'self, but if there's one thing that pedal steel doesn't need, it more older players. We're already fighting that stereotype.

Maybe some of the existing larger steel shows, eg: Dallas, St Louis etc need to drop some of the artists who persist in playing the same old dreary country or gospel standards year in year out, and encourage artists who play some newer stuff and other genres - even if they aren't necessarily "name" players...
For example, I attend Dallas fairly regularly but I don't even bother going to sit and listen to a guy who I know is going to repeat what he played for the last 5 years ...even if he is a wonderful player !!

Come on lads, lets innovate and push the boundaries with this wonderful instrument we have.....

Great Response so far. Let's keep it coming. This is an uphill battle but there are many out there, they just need discovered. I'm in for the long haul so God willing I'll keep trying. There are many that are stuck on the way it should be, but I myself think what it 'Could Be'.

So with that said, I will keep this going and work to make it happen, you have to appreciate that the younger generation need to have a future as well and mine is in the steel guitar. So if it takes 20 years so be it.

This American Made Instrument has no Boundries.............

Bryan, I'm very impressed. cheers!! You win.