Is this country music? re:Will Van Horn

Jonathan Lam · Post by **Jonathan Lam** » 15 Oct 2018 6:54 pm

Not sure how I feel about this EP from young pedal steeler and fellow forum member, Will Van Horn.
Seems like he's taking the pedal steel a little too far out and using it in a pretty weird way.
Does anyone else feel like he's almost taking the trope of using pedal steel and making it gimmicky by doing these covers?

I would prefer(and I bet a lot of others would too, IMO) if he played Heartaches by the numbers in all twelve keys and then released backing tracks for it instead, or maybe played steel guitar rag for 20 minutes unaccompanied.
just my thoughts.

https://willvanhorn.bandcamp.com/releases

Ross Koeberl · Post by **Ross Koeberl** » 15 Oct 2018 7:33 pm

This post got me to actually laugh out loud! Lovely stuff as always by Will, Iâ€™ve shown his cover of Aphex Twin on Youtube to about a billion people, so Iâ€™m glad to have another show up on this EP. And big props for the Mulatu Astatke cover at the end. I love all those Ethiopiques records but didnâ€™t recognize the title, so once it started playing I nearly lost it I was so excited. Truly a great record that lets the steel really stretch its legs in what many other players may consider unfamiliar territory. Itâ€™s also really encouraging for young steeler like myself who likes picking along to electronic and world records like the ones he has selected here (and who can only hear Heartaches so many times)

Jon Light · Post by **Jon Light** » 16 Oct 2018 3:38 am

SeÃ±or Lam -- you are going to molder in heck, you heck raiser, you.
Nice work, Will!

Ken Boi · Post by **Ken Boi** » 16 Oct 2018 4:48 am

Not exactly sure what the OP is going for here? It can be argued that the link provided has samples of non-traditional PSG songs. Some I like. Overall I think Will's use of the Pedal Steel is totally legit. It all comes down to whether you like the music or not. There should never be limits on what a musical instrument should be allowed to create.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 16 Oct 2018 5:20 am

This is so minimalist I had to listen twice. Not enough disco.

Ken Boi wrote:There should never be limits on what a musical instrument should be allowed to create.

(Ken may have missed this post by one month when he joined the Forum.
Jonny has a thing about Will ever since he was kicked out of Will's band practice--oh heck, you can read about it here.
Don't get confused by the thread's title; Jonathan will use any opportunity to slander Will and derail his career.)

Ken Boi · Post by **Ken Boi** » 16 Oct 2018 5:43 am

Charlie McDonald wrote:
Ken Boi wrote:There should never be limits on what a musical instrument should be allowed to create.
(Ken may have missed this post by one month when he joined the Forum.
Jonny has a thing about Will ever since he was kicked out of Will's band practice--oh heck, you can read about it here.
Don't get confused by the thread's title; Jonathan will use any opportunity to slander Will and derail his career.)

Ha! Thanks for the enlightenment. Kind of funny actually.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 16 Oct 2018 6:14 am

Great make-out music!

(Disclaimer: I don't actually know either of these guys.)

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 16 Oct 2018 7:32 am

I like it!

Lots of effects.
Erv

Tom Spaulding · Post by **Tom Spaulding** » 16 Oct 2018 11:12 am

Just bought it, listening now. Love it!

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 16 Oct 2018 11:43 am

Charlie that link was hysterical. I don't know who is pulling who's legs or this is all legit, but great playing on that track.

edited: after re-reading and checking out people's websites, I figured it out.

Jonathan Lam · Post by **Jonathan Lam** » 16 Oct 2018 6:08 pm

If this is what young players are doing then I hope pedal steel dies YESTERDAY.
How can this be the future of pedal steel if he doesnâ€™t even acknowledge the Past??
Give me buck Owens not Mulato Astatke.
The father of HONKY TONK not the father of Ethiopian jazz.
We need the young players to read this and make a decision for themselves that will van horn music may have forever tarnished the country music reputation of pedal steel guitar and must be stopped.
How do I make a polll?

Paul Stauskas · Post by **Paul Stauskas** » 16 Oct 2018 7:58 pm

Jonathan Lam wrote:If this is what young players are doing then I hope pedal steel dies YESTERDAY.
How can this be the future of pedal steel if he doesnâ€™t even acknowledge the Past??
Give me buck Owens not Mulato Astatke.
The father of HONKY TONK not the father of Ethiopian jazz.
We need the young players to read this and make a decision for themselves that will van horn music may have forever tarnished the country music reputation of pedal steel guitar and must be stopped.
How do I make a polll?

Why I even heard that they had a player from China at the CMHOF. How could that boy know about "country music?" If you ask me, he should stick to playing his guqin!

Ban Will and ban Jonny. RICH HINMAN FOREVER!

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 17 Oct 2018 6:50 pm

Gorgeous. I donâ€™t care what kinda country you play.

Jeff Evans · Post by **Jeff Evans** » 17 Oct 2018 8:55 pm

How did bone-dry irony arise, Lazarus-like, from the forgotten Catacombs of Banishment?

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 18 Oct 2018 7:13 am

Jeff Evans wrote:How did bone-dry irony arise, Lazarus-like, from the forgotten Catacombs of Banishment?

It skipped a generation. But theyâ€™ll get over it.

I know...too dry.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 18 Oct 2018 7:32 am

It was a time.... Is someone suggesting we send Jonny Lam there, to dnt undrstnd?
(Excuse me, Jonathan, for getting personal with your name, and I don't even know you, but I feel like I do after your posts.)

Will Van Horn, on the other hand....

Fred Treece · Post by **Fred Treece** » 18 Oct 2018 9:12 am

Charlie McDonald wrote:It was a time.... Is someone suggesting we send Jonny Lam there, to dnt undrstnd?

I donâ€™t know about that, but it seems Jonathan would like to send Will to Honky Tonk Prison.

Rob Segal · Post by **Rob Segal** » 18 Oct 2018 1:34 pm

Love it.

David Mitchell · Post by **David Mitchell** » 18 Oct 2018 3:06 pm

Is Will one of them Nashville Super Pickers?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBv4HnWj2l8

I think Will is creative and a genuine artist. Something I haven't heard much of in the steel world lately.

Russ Tkac · Post by **Russ Tkac** » 18 Oct 2018 3:50 pm

How much does the CD weigh with the artwork in and out of the sleeve?

R. E. Miller · Post by **R. E. Miller** » 18 Oct 2018 7:21 pm

Jonathan Lam wrote:If this is what young players are doing then I hope pedal steel dies YESTERDAY.

First post here ever, so maybe I'm missing a sarcasm icon or something but...erm..really?

Certainly not gonna whip out my King Crimson impressions in front of this crowd.

New here and already trolled...so ashamed.

Jonathan Lam · Post by **Jonathan Lam** » 19 Oct 2018 10:16 am

How do I make a poll?

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 19 Oct 2018 10:27 am

Welcome, R.E. As Zappa said to auditioning Ian Underwood, 'Whip it out.'

Keith Bolog · Post by **Keith Bolog** » 19 Oct 2018 10:34 am

Jonathan Lam wrote:If this is what young players are doing then I hope pedal steel dies YESTERDAY.

Its refreshing to have the steel featured, because Its NOT what youngsters are doing - tuned into FM radio top 40 'country' lately? Once in a while there is an afterthought pedal steel gliss in the background of distorted guitars, hick-hop, and angry girl singers.

It already died.

Dave Campbell · Post by **Dave Campbell** » 19 Oct 2018 2:11 pm

i'm really enjoying this album. a great concept that is really well executed.

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