MLT Club Member Tomás F. Calvo
MLT Club MemberForum Replies Created
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There’s so much creativity and originality in all of their songs. I’d love to hear where the new album takes us!
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Jung, though to really address your question, back in the day a “good” guitar was expensive, unlike today where machines make most of the parts. Many of those “cheap” guitars back then were “guaranteed not to crack” and most likely did soon enough. With their grueling schedule in Germany, The Beatles certainly needed better guitars. England had a ban on imports from the US back then, so Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Rickenbacker were not available in stores. John got his Rickenbacker in Hamburg, while George got his Gretsch (his first “good” guitar) from a guy who had bought it in NY.
What is interesting is a price comparison. George paid about £75 for his Gretsch, used from a cab driver. The average yearly pay was £800. A loaf of white bread was about 4p. The average house price was £2,670. Exchange rate was $2.8 USD for each £1.
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Jung, what a question. I think I can spend 2 decades answering this. This year alone, I bought 3 guitars (naughty boy, it’s just GAS). I’ve been gravitating to the acoustics lately. There are a ton of options. I visit a big store every now and then, to see what’s new, and I have to say that the new guitars coming out of China are very cheap and surprisingly good. Though there are caveats.
Acoustics
You’ve got steel strings and nylon strings. Then you have the option amplification with a variety of mics (piezo, etc.). Body shapes of all types. Solid wood or laminated (probably the biggest difference) One of the guitars I got this year I picked up at Goodwill for $120. I know a bit of what I’m looking at, but it’s a great sounding guitar. A vintage “Harmony” 1970 made in the USA all solid wood (Spruce top and Mahogany back). Most acoustic guitars these days are laminated and that takes a hit on the sound. The back not so much, but the top to me has to be solid, and preferably spruce. The key for any guitar is a good setup.
Epiphone came out with a line of “Masterbilt” (no, I didn’t misspell it) which seem very nice. I just bought one, should get it this week. All solid woods, spruce top and rosewood back. For me rosewood sounds better than mahogany or maple. Maple is a much brighter sound, while rosewood give a warm balanced sound. Mahogany is warm, but not as balanced, You can get one of these for about $400 used. $700 new. I’ll let you know when I get it.
I picked up a nylon electro-acoustic for a friend at Guitar center last year, can’t remember the brand now, but I remember been impressed at the sound (checked quite a few first, though) for the $250 cost.
As for electrics, I’ll leave that for another day.
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Well, I guess Mr. Lightfoot, didn’t make it to Argentina. Had to move to LA to find out. ?
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That’s great John! I usually reserve the best songs for those I don’t want to answer ?
Way back in 2006 I set my ringtone to “Starting Over” and at a deli in LA I had a guy come over from 3 tables away, I thought he was mad, but he was a Lennon fan and we ended up having a great conversation.
What would be very cool, was if we had the MLT songs and then an interruption from the Twins, something like “Are you going to answer?”, or a back and forth between the Twins over the song. They are very funny, and that would be something. Really would be something.
Another interesting idea are the system sounds for the computer. Having all the default computer sounds be the Twins would be fun (when you connect a USB, an error, etc.) I have a Beatles package now, but an MLT package of sounds would be great.
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I had never heard of Gordon Lightfoot until I heard the song “Heart Songs” by Weezer. If the Twins are looking to sixtyfy some good songs, there might be something here. “If You Could Read My Mind” is a beautiful, heartfelt song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DK–A-IaZnA
Then there’s the Barenaked Ladies that I always thought had a Beatles vibe to them.
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Welcome Lance, I’m in Chapel Hill, NC, so not to far. Seems we’re building a contingent of MLT fans in this neck of the woods!
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Speaking of Ringo…
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Oh, Billboard is a joke. A shill of the corrupt music industry to promote their illegitimate plundering of musicians. I’m glad MLT have made a stand and refuse to bow to those gangsters. Billboard 200 is not Rock, but overall sales, though the way they count album “sales” is laughable. Playing Burl Ives at the mall counts as album sales. Ridiculous but true. The Beatles are charting because Sony earns the money, the moment Paul gets the rights back, I’m sure they’ll disappear from the charts.
Now that’s closer to strongly “agitating”. Otherwise I think what I was doing is just poking and pestering you ?
I’ve seen the Stones charting constantly, sometimes with more albums than the Beatles, hence “taking a break”. However, I do think that it’s quite something that 50 years on they have 4 albums (could consider 6) charting, even in a Christmas season, while none of their albums are Christmas albums.
That Rockwell album is Lana Del Rey’s latest, she’s had a tough time with the industry, but I’ve never been touched by her music.
I have been touched by the love and care of animals, though. I spent a lot of time as a kid on a farm with horses and all types of animals (no roos). I just love it and I’m glad you can enjoy it too.
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This has been one of the busiest Christmas seasons for me. So I’m a bit out of the loop. Out of curiosity, I went to take a look at the Billboard 200 (top albums). Unsurprisingly it’s mostly Christmas albums.
Now I think this is anecdotal as the charts are completely manipulated these days, but:
- The Beatles have 4 albums charting: Abbey Road (at #29), 1 (charting for 400 weeks), Sgt. Pepper, White Album. Plus a John Lennon compilation and McCartney II also charting.
- Frank Sinatra charting with 3 albums, including a Christmas album. Drake also with 3 albums (totally manipulated IMHO).
- With 2 albums: Elvis, Queen, Eagles, and several more.
The Rolling Stones apparently are taking a break, they’re not charting at all right now.
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I’m over the moon about one Christmas gift I got from my wife (and it’s not a guitar!):
Thought that someone here would appreciate my excitement!
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I just came across a duo I used to love, well still do, Indigo Girls. They did a song for the Philadelphia movie with Tom Hanks. “I Don’t Wanna Talk About It” is a great song and so is the movie. It’s not 60s, but has that 60s folk groove of Joan Baez.
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Yes Jung, Sweet Lorraine was a strong consideration that didn’t make it to my list because of my aunt, and though I listened to it a lot, I didn’t think I’d want to take it to a deserted island where the playlist was so limited.
I felt like I couldn’t repeat artists on the “Rest of the Field” for varieties sake. Every time I think of another song, I want to edit into the list, such as “A Whiter Shade of Pale” by Procol Harum and “No Matter What” by Badfinger
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About the “White Album” cover, if I remember correctly, Paul said that they were trying to be as different as possible to Sgt. Pepper and John was starting on his “white” period. The numbering was the out-of-the-box innovation, which only they could pull off.
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Mike, There’s a discussion about the Duo Jet and tons of details from Angelo in this thread:
