Subject: Re: 4/94 YEM---->Col. Bruce Hampton
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 1998 07:49:44 -0800 (PST)
From: Charlie Dirksen
To: dan@netspace.org
****
4/23/94 Fox Theater, Atlanta, GA
Soundboards of this show are available (even though many are likely
slightly sped-up, like my first set; second set sounds ok, though).
Opening segment is fine.. the pre-Nirvana segment, which begins at
about 1:25, contains some typically airy, enchanting and spacey
sounds.. but there's no Vibration of Life attempt. Nirvana at 2:44.
Quite a nice segment.. visions of incense-bearing trees.. Mike's solo
section at 3:29 isn't at all profound; Mike sounds like he's
apologizing for not coming in immediately at its start (descends a
scale here and there rather dryly). The first shot at the Note is
sustained quite well by Trey.. second shot at the Note is jammed
around just fine.
"Boy" at 6:10 after a fair scream. Good WUDMTF segment (fairly
active). Another volunteer to do the trampolines.. Trey's laughing at
the guy who volunteered to do the routine. =^] Trey doesn't sound so
confident that person can do it, and Mike's bass makes it clear that
the person screwed up.. Fish says "Soooo close, soo close!" Page also
made a "nice try" remark. Not much of a tramps jam segment, fwiw..
Page was probably more interested in watching the guest tramps jumper
than in playing (sure sounds like it).
The jam segment begins at 10:14 or so, with Trey almost immediately
chording "Rock and Roll Hootchie Coo," which the band jams on at 10:45
or so for a little bit.. yeah! =^] Nice Rock and Roll Hootchie Coo
jam at this time.. they are still playing it at 11:30, before
exploding back into a more typical YEM groove at 11:40. Very nice
soloing from Trey.. he's very active. I've been told that Col. Bruce
Hampton played in this version.. but where? Sounds like Trey here..
Around 12:15 the jam gets very quiet and Trey begins noodling
preciously, accompanied only by Fish... (this is pretty typical for
1994 YEMs). Just Trey noodling quickly around 13:15.. not really a
YEM one can dance to, unfortunately (danceable YEMs are the only YEMs
that REALLY appeal to me...).
Around 13:50, everyone quietly comes back in (Trey locks into a
reasonably catchy theme, albeit briefly). Mike and Page start
mimicking this one lick that Trey teased around 14:05, and that's all
she wrote.. this catchy theme is taken for strong over the next
minute. =^] A very excellent groove develops, and by 15 minutes,
everyone is complementing each other quite well!
By 15:18 the jam is Absolut YEM, with Trey soloing magnificently and
dramatically..
B&D at 15:53 with PAGE making noise on the keys at the beginning!! Or
is this Colonel Bruce!? Page hasn't quit.. Page is wigging out! (or
Bruce..?!?) Mike is just tooling around.. Fish lets out a few
screams.. Nuts! At 16:50 it is Page and someone else on the keys.. I
don't think Page is hitting all this by himself. What the - (?)
[Editor's Note: someone named Curtis emailed me to explain that Col.
Bruce Hampton, whom I have never seen, plays the womandolin. Without
listening to this YEM again, it is nevertheless pretty clear that he's
playing at around this point in it.]
Around 17:30 Page or someone starts going BONZO on the womandolin (or
whatever.. I think), just tearing the damn thing UP.. Trey starts
screaming.. Nothing at 18:15.. I think I actually hear some "Boo-ing"
from the aud (seriously!). Nothing still at 18:35.
At 18:40 the closing segment quietly begins, but without the precise
closing WUDMTF vocals.. very quiet opening.. Fish starts singing "Who
By Fire" within twenty seconds... Who by Avalanche.. who by
Powder..who for his greed, who for his hunger, And Who, who shall I
say, is calling? i wanna know.. Who by (?). who by water.. who in the
sunshine, who in the nighttime, who by high ordeal, who by common
trial, who your merry merry month of may, who by very slow decay, and
who, who shall i say is calling.. **I WANT TO KNOW!!!!** who in her ?
slip, who by barbituate, who in his realms of love, who by something
blunt, and who by avalanche, and who by powder, who for his greed, who
for his hunger, and who, who shall I say is calling.. Ends at 22:11
with a low groan from Fish. Anyone know who "wrote" this tune? I
WANT TO KNOW!!!! =^O
Well, I thought the "Who By Fire" was much more interesting than the
YEM, fwiw, although Page's screwing around in what should have been
the B&D segment was something. Would someone tell me what happened?
Sounds like maybe Col Bruce might have started banging on the keys.. I
dunno. And I mean BANGING on the keys.. this keyboard work wasn't
exactly 'professional.' And I hear Trey on guitar for this YEM... I
don't know ARU from a whole in the wall, really, so I don't know what
exactly Col. Bruce plays.
Also, fwiw, there really isn't a segue (->) into "Who By Fire." In
fact, there's quite a few seconds of absolutely nothing before it
comes in.
I think this version deserves a B on the jam segment and subsequent
Page (?) insanity alone.. I probably shouldn't rate it, though (but
then again, it didn't stray sooo far from YEM to warrant the 'ole
"N/R," imo). But then again, the WHO BY FIRE is pretty damn cool, and
definitely unusual. N/R rating seems only fair, although this is not
a YEM I am especially fond of.. I'd still recommend it, I think.
(pretty tepid recommendation, though, to be sure)
two cents
dirk420