That's a great performance!I wonder if the backline amps were property of the musicians or every venue provided a different backline.Because here the sound (with Fender amps) is amazing!Much better than the Brazil 1975 videos in which the band used those ENORMOUS Acoustic amps!Bill was really the king,and Mr Pickinbuddy an amazingly talented guitar player!
@clap67 Thanks Clap! The amps were always provided by the promoter. Our first preference in amps was ALWAYS Fender--ESPECIALLY the big 'Dual Showman' and 'Twin Reverb' amps. Interestingly enough, the worst sounding amps for this kind of music...were the Marshall amps!! They had no clarity, nor much tonal variation--just that one sound which they're famous for---which all the metal heads like....but which is useless in any other kind of music. Fender amps are STILL the hands-down BEST.
The strings I'd used all through the 70s were Fender 1550's and they were a "semi-round wound"!
Yes--have played numerous Gretsch guitars over the years, but I never owned one. The best sounding one I liked was my friend's late 60s White Falcon! Yup--I always did like the sound on those Ray Butts designed pickups. Just a couple of months ago I tried out an old 1956 Gretsch 6120 with the DeArmond pickups, and I thought they, too sounded fabulous!
Pickinbuddy, I hope I'm not repeating a question I may already asked but I don't think I asked this before but did you play in this concert using flatwound or roundwound strings?
Off topic but similar have you ever played a Gretsch guitar? I have one a 1964 Country Club and I have other vintage and reissue at one time.
Thanks for the info. Too bad Franny Beecher was not able to keep it but he told me, if I recall right, that since it was an endorsement guitar and the endorsement was from Haley not Franny that when Franny left the band the guitar had to go back to Haley. Wonder if I've seen this guitar at a vintage guitar shop we just don't know it was Franny's at one time. I played one at Guitar Center in Hollywood last year just like it. Wouldn't it be something if it was the one? I'd never know.
This is a pretty quick version. Still I thought it may be mimed - the first 20 seconds sounded that close to the original. It cooks and his vocals here are the same as on known version. I did the solo to this on my youtube. Check it out.
Also, The Polecats from England formed I think in 1979 and the Rockats about that time too which combined US and UK musicians. The UK welcomed the rockabilly revival that lasts to this day in the US and the UK. I think punk helped sustain the rockabilly lovers in the UK too.
By the way my comments about being embarrassed for playing for golden oldies refers to American musicians. I think in the UK the '50s rock artist from the USA were still considered royalty throughout the '60s and '70s and no one over in the UK would have an issue with playing for '50s icons. It was the UK that launched the rockabilly revival that crossed the Atlantic and back to the USA. The Stray Cats had to get their start in the UK since the US wasn't ready for that style yet.
Even Bill Haley's RECORD PRODUCERS here in the US didn't have a CLUE what to do with him!
They were oblivious to what was bubbling under in the way of rockabilly--they kept trying to push him in that soft Nashville "countrypolitan" lounge music direction--which did NOT work! Even using the upright bass was unthinkable to them!
Pickinbuddy, I have read that during the late '60s thru the mid '70s young hip musicians were embarrassed or ashamed of playing for '50s rock icons such as Bill Haley, Gene Vincent and the like. They were embarrassed that they were playing for the grandparents of rock n roll, for "golden oldies" but from what I recall what I read about you that you were a big fan of Haley and his music. Did you take flack from your contemporaries for being into that style of music and how did you deal with it?
In high school I was laughed at somewhat for being "country"...in my first year of college I used to get hee-hawed at! Then, as soon as Bob Dylan and the Byrds recorded those first country-rock lps, the SAME hippies who laughed at me were BEGGING me to teach them how to play country(!!!) In 1969 a professor told me that the most "culturally worthless music"...was the 1950s music! ONE year later--that reversed 180 degrees! I just hung in there...and became "vindicated!" I lead; not followed...
No--the guy you see closest to you is Ray Parsons, who played 2nd rhythm guitar. He had a thinline hollow body Mosrite, similar to an ES-300. The bass player is all the way over on the other side, next to the sax--he was playing a Fender Precision bass.
Pickinbuddy just curious about your guitar. That's not the same one that you used at the rock n roll revival show at Wembley in 1973 is it? The one at Wembley (spell?) was a Gibson ES-330 is it with P90s? What kind of strings flatwounds or rounds?
He was using a black Gibson ES-330 with the P-90s. The strings I used throughout my time with Bill were Fender 1550's which was a standard 'light' with a wound 3rd and were SEMI-round wounds! These were NOT extra-lights--they almost felt like medium gauge!
I switched to D'Addarios in the 80's because they were brighter and lasted longer. My guitar in this video is a mid 60's ES-335 with a Chet Atkins Bigsby--I still have it today.
Thanks for the info Pickinbuddy. Love your playing. When you were playing with Haley, just curious why you didn't go with a Les Paul Custom with Alnico V neck pickup and P90 bridge like Franny Beecher or a full hollow with P90s like an ES-295, rather than the ES-335. 335s are fine guitars but just curious why your choice of guitars for touring with Haley. You do get great tone from that 335, it's great just curious about guitar choices.
Well--I had my ES-335 since way before I joined Haley--I bought it in 1969. That was the only electric guitar I owned back then, and the new Les Pauls were expensive. The old Les Pauls were becoming even more expensive with all the vintage instrument collectors ruining everything, like they still do today.
A full hollow body guitar would've been more prone to feedback. The ES-335 is the best of both worlds. I never got feedback even playing through a stack of Marshalls or a Fender Dual Showman!
Not sure but I was reading up on a guy who played with Bill Haley, who was from New York originally and was a big fan of his and eventually got to play guitar for him. Not sure if that was John Kay or you. Is that you? If it was you, how did it feel as a fan to be able to play guitar not only for a legend in music but to a person you were a big fan of. By the way 335 guitars are great guitars. Feedback wise that's why Franny went to a Les Paul too becuase his Epiphone would feedback fierce.
Yeah--that was me; Johnny Kay was from that Chester/Wilmington area. It was a great experience alright, until Rudy died--then everything went downhill fast!
Yes, that Les Paul was impervious to feedback-they only thing Frannie didn't like about it was the weight. I don't know whatever became of that guitar--it supposedly stayed with the band, but I never saw any photo of Johnny Kay nor Nick Masters playing it...
Les Pauls are too heavy, I agree. Love those Les Paul Customs with Alnico single coil and P90 like Franny Beecher's. Also love Gretsch Duo Jets like Cliff Gallup from Gene Vincent but if I can have one I'd have the Les Paul. The Gretsch is light tho due to sound chambers. I asked Franny about the guitar once and he said he had to give it back to Haley when he left the band. So who knows what Haley did with it? I guess the Gibson endorsement deal was with Haley the individual musicians.
Les Pauls actually vary in weight. I have a 1952 Goldtop that's light (8lbs) and a 1969 LP Professional with the low impedance pickups that weighs 13lbs!! The Professional is my absolute favorite--those pickups have such a phenomenal frequency response! The only disadvantage is the need for an impedance matching transformer on the cable.
I FINALLY found out about what happened to the old Les Paul Custom from Johnny Kay: He said it was stolen from the equipment truck while they were on tour in Texas, back in the mid 60s!
I love this version of the Comets. I'm sure that if Bill had lived longer, he would have gotten back together with the Original Comets for a tour. Imagine that!!!
That would be great to imagine--but they would've certainly locked horns over how the money was going to be divided...especially if Patrick Malynn was still in the picture, mishandling things. One person who kept Malynn in line...was Rudy!
Great stuff!! The band sounds wonderful here. Much better than the UK band he had later.I met someone in Philly who knew Rudy.The guy said that Rudy was a sweet man, an a wonderful jazz player too.
That was very true-Rudy could do it ALL...Rock & Roll; traditional R&B; Jazz; Swing; Jump Blues; Country; Polka and ethnic; Symphonic--the ONLY style I never heard him play, interestingly enough, was "funk"! He was absolutely FIRST rate on Clarinet and Flute too! His own favorite Sax player was Coltrane! As for the UK band--that was Haley's conniving manager's doing. Once Rudy died, Patrick Malynn felt he owed NOTHING to the Comets and replaced everybody on the real band with his own local guys!
That's a great performance!I wonder if the backline amps were property of the musicians or every venue provided a different backline.Because here the sound (with Fender amps) is amazing!Much better than the Brazil 1975 videos in which the band used those ENORMOUS Acoustic amps!Bill was really the king,and Mr Pickinbuddy an amazingly talented guitar player!
clap67 1 year ago
@clap67 Thanks Clap! The amps were always provided by the promoter. Our first preference in amps was ALWAYS Fender--ESPECIALLY the big 'Dual Showman' and 'Twin Reverb' amps. Interestingly enough, the worst sounding amps for this kind of music...were the Marshall amps!! They had no clarity, nor much tonal variation--just that one sound which they're famous for---which all the metal heads like....but which is useless in any other kind of music. Fender amps are STILL the hands-down BEST.
Pickinbuddy 1 year ago
One of the best videos and performance by the KING
ginger1959able 1 year ago
Elvis went to watch bill on tour in germany theres a picture of elvis and bill together elvis wearing army no one uniform..
colinjohn1212 2 years ago
That's OK...
The strings I'd used all through the 70s were Fender 1550's and they were a "semi-round wound"!
Yes--have played numerous Gretsch guitars over the years, but I never owned one. The best sounding one I liked was my friend's late 60s White Falcon! Yup--I always did like the sound on those Ray Butts designed pickups. Just a couple of months ago I tried out an old 1956 Gretsch 6120 with the DeArmond pickups, and I thought they, too sounded fabulous!
Pickinbuddy 2 years ago
Pickinbuddy, I hope I'm not repeating a question I may already asked but I don't think I asked this before but did you play in this concert using flatwound or roundwound strings?
Off topic but similar have you ever played a Gretsch guitar? I have one a 1964 Country Club and I have other vintage and reissue at one time.
gretscher 2 years ago
Bill Haley's most loyal fans were always in Germany!
Pickinbuddy 2 years ago
i love the solo
andrez1979 3 years ago
Thanks for the info. Too bad Franny Beecher was not able to keep it but he told me, if I recall right, that since it was an endorsement guitar and the endorsement was from Haley not Franny that when Franny left the band the guitar had to go back to Haley. Wonder if I've seen this guitar at a vintage guitar shop we just don't know it was Franny's at one time. I played one at Guitar Center in Hollywood last year just like it. Wouldn't it be something if it was the one? I'd never know.
gretscher 2 years ago
Hi George!
No it wasn't mimed at all--I'm the guitar player on this clip--and I sure remember exactly how we sounded...even back then!
BT
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
This is a pretty quick version. Still I thought it may be mimed - the first 20 seconds sounded that close to the original. It cooks and his vocals here are the same as on known version. I did the solo to this on my youtube. Check it out.
genericgeorge 3 years ago
Quite fantastic! I saw Bill & His Comets on May 14, 1974 in Belgium!!!
surfrider1962 3 years ago
Also, The Polecats from England formed I think in 1979 and the Rockats about that time too which combined US and UK musicians. The UK welcomed the rockabilly revival that lasts to this day in the US and the UK. I think punk helped sustain the rockabilly lovers in the UK too.
gretscher 3 years ago
By the way my comments about being embarrassed for playing for golden oldies refers to American musicians. I think in the UK the '50s rock artist from the USA were still considered royalty throughout the '60s and '70s and no one over in the UK would have an issue with playing for '50s icons. It was the UK that launched the rockabilly revival that crossed the Atlantic and back to the USA. The Stray Cats had to get their start in the UK since the US wasn't ready for that style yet.
gretscher 3 years ago
Even Bill Haley's RECORD PRODUCERS here in the US didn't have a CLUE what to do with him!
They were oblivious to what was bubbling under in the way of rockabilly--they kept trying to push him in that soft Nashville "countrypolitan" lounge music direction--which did NOT work! Even using the upright bass was unthinkable to them!
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Pickinbuddy, I have read that during the late '60s thru the mid '70s young hip musicians were embarrassed or ashamed of playing for '50s rock icons such as Bill Haley, Gene Vincent and the like. They were embarrassed that they were playing for the grandparents of rock n roll, for "golden oldies" but from what I recall what I read about you that you were a big fan of Haley and his music. Did you take flack from your contemporaries for being into that style of music and how did you deal with it?
gretscher 3 years ago
In high school I was laughed at somewhat for being "country"...in my first year of college I used to get hee-hawed at! Then, as soon as Bob Dylan and the Byrds recorded those first country-rock lps, the SAME hippies who laughed at me were BEGGING me to teach them how to play country(!!!) In 1969 a professor told me that the most "culturally worthless music"...was the 1950s music! ONE year later--that reversed 180 degrees! I just hung in there...and became "vindicated!" I lead; not followed...
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Do I see this right, does the guy playing the bass have a hollow body or semi-hollow Mosrite bass guitar? Very cool, if so.
gretscher 3 years ago
No--the guy you see closest to you is Ray Parsons, who played 2nd rhythm guitar. He had a thinline hollow body Mosrite, similar to an ES-300. The bass player is all the way over on the other side, next to the sax--he was playing a Fender Precision bass.
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Oops--I made a typo error here: That Moserite thinline is similar to the Gibson ES-330, not the ES-300!
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Pickinbuddy just curious about your guitar. That's not the same one that you used at the rock n roll revival show at Wembley in 1973 is it? The one at Wembley (spell?) was a Gibson ES-330 is it with P90s? What kind of strings flatwounds or rounds?
gretscher 3 years ago
That wasn't me at Wembley--it was Johnny Kay.
He was using a black Gibson ES-330 with the P-90s. The strings I used throughout my time with Bill were Fender 1550's which was a standard 'light' with a wound 3rd and were SEMI-round wounds! These were NOT extra-lights--they almost felt like medium gauge!
I switched to D'Addarios in the 80's because they were brighter and lasted longer. My guitar in this video is a mid 60's ES-335 with a Chet Atkins Bigsby--I still have it today.
Thanks!
BT
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Thanks for the info Pickinbuddy. Love your playing. When you were playing with Haley, just curious why you didn't go with a Les Paul Custom with Alnico V neck pickup and P90 bridge like Franny Beecher or a full hollow with P90s like an ES-295, rather than the ES-335. 335s are fine guitars but just curious why your choice of guitars for touring with Haley. You do get great tone from that 335, it's great just curious about guitar choices.
gretscher 3 years ago
Well--I had my ES-335 since way before I joined Haley--I bought it in 1969. That was the only electric guitar I owned back then, and the new Les Pauls were expensive. The old Les Pauls were becoming even more expensive with all the vintage instrument collectors ruining everything, like they still do today.
A full hollow body guitar would've been more prone to feedback. The ES-335 is the best of both worlds. I never got feedback even playing through a stack of Marshalls or a Fender Dual Showman!
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Not sure but I was reading up on a guy who played with Bill Haley, who was from New York originally and was a big fan of his and eventually got to play guitar for him. Not sure if that was John Kay or you. Is that you? If it was you, how did it feel as a fan to be able to play guitar not only for a legend in music but to a person you were a big fan of. By the way 335 guitars are great guitars. Feedback wise that's why Franny went to a Les Paul too becuase his Epiphone would feedback fierce.
gretscher 3 years ago
Yeah--that was me; Johnny Kay was from that Chester/Wilmington area. It was a great experience alright, until Rudy died--then everything went downhill fast!
Yes, that Les Paul was impervious to feedback-they only thing Frannie didn't like about it was the weight. I don't know whatever became of that guitar--it supposedly stayed with the band, but I never saw any photo of Johnny Kay nor Nick Masters playing it...
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Les Pauls are too heavy, I agree. Love those Les Paul Customs with Alnico single coil and P90 like Franny Beecher's. Also love Gretsch Duo Jets like Cliff Gallup from Gene Vincent but if I can have one I'd have the Les Paul. The Gretsch is light tho due to sound chambers. I asked Franny about the guitar once and he said he had to give it back to Haley when he left the band. So who knows what Haley did with it? I guess the Gibson endorsement deal was with Haley the individual musicians.
gretscher 3 years ago
Les Pauls actually vary in weight. I have a 1952 Goldtop that's light (8lbs) and a 1969 LP Professional with the low impedance pickups that weighs 13lbs!! The Professional is my absolute favorite--those pickups have such a phenomenal frequency response! The only disadvantage is the need for an impedance matching transformer on the cable.
Pickinbuddy 3 years ago
Hi Gretscher!
I FINALLY found out about what happened to the old Les Paul Custom from Johnny Kay: He said it was stolen from the equipment truck while they were on tour in Texas, back in the mid 60s!
Pickinbuddy 2 years ago
very cool!
wildjive2006 4 years ago
I consider Bill Haley the "Father" of Rock and Roll, I mean is not this song the "National Anthem" of Rock and Roll? Danny O'Donnell
88Rocker 4 years ago
I love this version of the Comets. I'm sure that if Bill had lived longer, he would have gotten back together with the Original Comets for a tour. Imagine that!!!
samventura 4 years ago
That would be great to imagine--but they would've certainly locked horns over how the money was going to be divided...especially if Patrick Malynn was still in the picture, mishandling things. One person who kept Malynn in line...was Rudy!
Pickinbuddy 4 years ago
Great stuff!! The band sounds wonderful here. Much better than the UK band he had later.I met someone in Philly who knew Rudy.The guy said that Rudy was a sweet man, an a wonderful jazz player too.
samventura 4 years ago
That was very true-Rudy could do it ALL...Rock & Roll; traditional R&B; Jazz; Swing; Jump Blues; Country; Polka and ethnic; Symphonic--the ONLY style I never heard him play, interestingly enough, was "funk"! He was absolutely FIRST rate on Clarinet and Flute too! His own favorite Sax player was Coltrane! As for the UK band--that was Haley's conniving manager's doing. Once Rudy died, Patrick Malynn felt he owed NOTHING to the Comets and replaced everybody on the real band with his own local guys!
Pickinbuddy 4 years ago
bill never got over it when Rudi died, even though he took him for a mug for most of their career.
acejiver 4 years ago
It's been said that Bill began to die, once Rudy did. He died 5 days to the day they buried Rudy!
Pickinbuddy 4 years ago
Let me correct that-Bill died 5 YEARS to the DAY they buried Rudy.
Pickinbuddy 4 years ago
I never knew this was filmed!
saskabush2006 4 years ago
great bill haley ,sounds top class ,great solo by bill turner
elvischevy 4 years ago
One of the best live perfomances. Wish I coulda been there!
1272E49 4 years ago
would be great to see the whole of this haley concert.once again haley delivers.thanks for the posting.
Haleyzz 4 years ago