Pedal Steel

[DevO]

I've been recently obsessed with the PEDAL STEEL and I need to hear more of it! I've been trying to find a certain sound the past few weeks but I can't seem to find it. I'm hoping some of you can help.. I've been listening to the Iron & Wine / Calexico EP "In The Reins" a lot and I love the pedal steel on the title track "He Lays In The Reins". I want to find more of that eerie, haunting, noir-sounding pedal steel!

Can I find more of this sound on Calexico albums? I have Feast of Wire it doesn't seem to have what I'm looking for. I searched out the Calexico's pedal steel player -- Paul Niehaus. I found that he was in a band called Lambchop, though I haven't followed up on that yet.

Gordon Stone? I've always loved his pedal steel section on the studio version of Roggae. (At least I think it was him).

Most of the pedal steel stuff I hear is in the bluegrass camp (rightly so). I guess the stuff I want to hear is more "alt country" ish.

[Dr_Evil_Mouse]

Aye, no doubt. I remember some quote from Jerry Garcia to the effect that if he'd had another lifetime to figure out another instrument, it would have been that. As it was, he did pretty well with it (e.g. what he did with it with CSNY, like "Teach Your Children").

[DevO]

Good call. What other projects or releases does Jerry play pedal steel on? Any of those Side Trip albums?

Who are the masters of the pedal steel?? (Or lap steel for that matter)

[zero]

John Fahey might be what you're looking for. I've just been getting into him but I'm fairly certain he's a heavy musician's musician sort of player, I've been dying to talk to Kevin Breit about him because I would see him likely being a big influence (someone like Harry Manx too). On one hand Fahey is more of a Bill Frisell, sonic experimentalist type but he also plays lap and pedal steel in maybe the style you're looking for. The albums I can recommend are The Yellow Princess and Let Go both of which I think are on Vanguard. There is also a tribute album to Fahey (RIP) called I Am The Resurrection which I haven't heard but would suspect is very good.

[afro poppa]

Not nesecarily "alt country"...actually I know it isn't but anything by Robert Randolph is simply amazing. Download a live Robert Randolph and the Family Band concert and you won't be dissapointed.

[afro poppa]

And on the note of the lap steel, I am pretty sure Xavier Rudd uses it a lot on most of his tracks...

[AdamH]

You're looking for Daniel Lanois' recent album Belladonna.

[secondtube]

Ben Keith did all my favorite Pedal Steel work, including the stuff on Neil's new album.

Of course, he was never really highly regarded as a top pedal steel player, but never-the-less, he is my favorite.

[Jaimoe]

Check out innovative country guitar whiz/singer-songwriter Junior Brown. He plays a combo Telecaster/lap steel that he calls a guit-steel guitar. Brown doesn't have a bad album. He's more of a throwback to 60's country, but his guitar style varies from Roy Buchanan to James Burton to Merle Haggard to Speedy West to even Jimi Hendrix!

Edited February 27, 2006 by Guest

[DevO]

Wow, thanks for the responses! I'm on it right away thanks to the wonders of modern technology. Just giving "The Yellow Princess" my first listen right now, and I've got a 2-disc anthology of John Fahey on the way, called "Return of the Repressed". It looks like he's got quite a huge catalogue. Here's some info on Fahey for those reading along:

Fahey "was the first to demonstrate that the finger-picking techniques of traditional country and blues steel-string guitar could be used to express a world of non-traditional musical ideas -- harmonies and melodies you'd associate with Bartok, Charles Ives, or maybe the music of India." ... Fahey's early albums for Takoma in the mid-'60s laid out much of the territory he would explore. His instrumentals, filtering numerous genres of music into his own style, evoked haunting and open spaces. At times they could be soothing and plaintive; at other times they were disquieting, even dissonant. ... He also employed odd guitar tunings that continue to exert an overlooked influence on contemporary musicians to this day. ... For a time he ran the Takoma label, where he was instrumental in starting the career of Leo Kottke (who owes much of his stylistic inspiration to Fahey), as well as promoting lesser-known talents like Robbie Basho. He was a catalyst in other subtle ways, helping to form Canned Heat by introducing Al Wilson (who played on a Fahey album in 1965) to Bob Hite. ... the mid-'90s found him living in poverty in Oregon, where he paid his rent by pawning his guitar and reselling rare classical records. ... he died following sextuple-bypass surgery at the age of 61. The Fahey discography is dauntingly large and diverse; the neophyte is advised to start with the two-disc Return of the Repressed.

I've also got that Lanois album on the way. I just read a review of it from allmusic.com and you're right, it does look like the kind of thing that I am craving!

It's a refreshing splash in the face to hear Daniel Lanois' pedal steel playing dance around a bed of guitar feedback ... The vulnerable, contemplative side that was such a critical element to his work with Brian Eno is more than evident, and his slide guitar playing also highlights just how important his contributions were to the notable releases of Eno's solo catalog. The interplay between musicians on the full ensemble tracks is focused and meticulous, with each member knowing exactly when to play and more importantly, when not to.

I'll check out more Ben Keith soon.

Afro, I know Robert Randolph rips, but not quite in the way I have in mind right now. He's kinda like the Jimi Hendrix of the lap steel, whereas I'm looking more for the, ermm.. (can't really think of someone!)

Edited February 27, 2006 by Guest

[Esau]

Good call. What other projects or releases does Jerry play pedal steel on?

Jerry also plays pedal steel on this album: Jefferson Airplane - 'Volunteers'

[DevO]

I was just reading about Ben Keith over here and read about this album, To A Wild Rose.

Inevitably, Keith would turn his attention toward recording his own albums. The first, 1984's To A Wild Rose (En Pointe), featured his steel along with the guitar of J.J. Cale and Paul Butterfield's harmonica (it would be the legendary bluesman's last recording).

Sounds interesting. Has anyone ever heard his solo stuff?

diggin' deep!

[MarcO]

Pedal steel features prominently on the Brian Eno (w/ Dan Lanois) album "Apollo: Atmospheres & Soundtracks", which is a fine album.

For some delicious Garcia pedal steel playing, albeit fleeting, try David Crosby's solo album "If I Could Only Remember My Name". That's just a great album, period, full of amazing players but point being Garcia plays that "liquid" pedal steel style on a few great tracks.

Edited February 27, 2006 by Guest
i hurt my thumb and can't type bitches!

[Jaimoe]

Check out Sneaky Pete Kleinow. He played with The Flying Burrito Brothers, Gram Parsons, Chris Hillman and even Frank Zappa.

http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=ADFEAEE57E1DDD4BAC7220C093294DCD8B79CD0BDF4FF6AE162F5E58DDBC3D068E027BFD6FF2DB96D7A727F535ADE02CA3450DD3CAE81AFDDC6C3D3987ECA4704943&sql=11:z18e4j670way~T1

[zero]

What a powerhouse of information this community is. Too bad we're all just a bunch of 'jamband' hacks, eh?

[Rossolee]

Here is a few more links that might help...

http://www.campbellbrothers.com/

http://www.calvincooke.net/

http://www.leeboys.com/

http://www.well.com/user/wellvis/steel.html

http://www.buddycage.net/

http://www.mnblues.com/profile/roulette.html

[Velvet]

One of the extreme pedal steel heavyweights is Buddy Emmons. Not so much 'alt' but a fine fine player. He did an album with Lenny Breau called Minors Aloud (Flying Fish Records) that is hard to find - I picked it up (vinyl only) off the net for about $50.

[Velvet]

Ps. I got a really nice '72 Sho-Bud single neck model, and yes, the pedal steel is the slide rule of musical instruments.

[deranger]

Anyone know of anyone who's got a Pedal Steel for sale? I've been in the market for one for awhile, looking at a Carter Starter, or something similar for beginners (which I am).

So anyone know of a Pedal Steel for sale?

PM me if any info.

[Tooly]

one of the kids in my woodshop class in high school made one, if you're gifted in carpentry and basic guitar electronics, just find some plans and make it yourself

Edited February 27, 2006 by Guest

[TheGoodRev]

Saw this thread the other day but didn't have time to post.

I had the good fortune of seeing Bob Egan perform a solo set on Saturday night here in the Hammer. He played with Wilco in the 90's, on the road and on the Being There and Summerteeth records. He's now playing with Blue Rodeo. He only played one song on the steel during his set, he mostly played Dobro and standard acoustic, but shit was he ever good. I didn't even expect it. He had his Dobro running through a number of effects, including a Boss DD-4, and he was looping multiple rhythm parts and playing over them, it was pretty wild. He had loads of stories, one of which involving his only meeting with Johnny Cash, and how Johnny convinced him to sell his business and go on the road full-time with Wilco.

Anyway, the next band was the Kensington Hillbillies, an alt-country deal from Toronto, and Bob sat and played steel with them for their whole set. They were pretty awesome too. Last, two friends of mine had the deadlining set (i.e. the 1:00am set after the early headliner), and they asked Bob to play a couple tunes with them too and he did! Super nice guy, but most of all, a true professional and wicked player who played two and a half of the three sets on the night with no rehearsal for the second two.

I admit I haven't heard those two Wilco records so I don't know how prominent the steel playing is, but he has released two solo records (a self-titled and The Promise) that I'm sure contain a fair bit of steel.

I, too, have been badly wanting to pick up steel guitar. I've played guitar for the better half of my life and play in a number of open tunings, I figure I'd be a quick study. Anybody have any idea what a single-neck steel costs these days?

[can-o-phish]

Aye, no doubt. I remember some quote from Jerry Garcia to the effect that if he'd had another lifetime to figure out another instrument, it would have been that. As it was, he did pretty well with it (e.g. what he did with it with CSNY, like "Teach Your Children").

Actually, this is still regarded by many as the best recorded and performed pedal steel pieces of music. To put it simply, "Jerry nailed it!"

[deranger]

Rev - the Carter Starter is considered a good beginners Pedal Steel - It's a single neck, 3 pedals and I think 4 knee levers. I've talked to several guys at Long and McQuaid and it retails through them at about $1000.00 - $1200 approx. I'm still looking for one used, or something simliar (single neck) for under $1000.

[Velvet]

My Sho-Bud is single neck, 3 pedals and one knee lever. Mint condition, birdseye maple.

Hold on to your hats - I got it for $275.

[TheGoodRev]

Whoa. Where'd you get'er Velvet? And, uh, in what decade ?