Accordian on Tusk live performances

andymaycen · #1 09-22-2005, 02:48 PM

This is a bit of a goofy question....but does anyone know why they (or Chris) chose to use an accordian on the live performances of Tusk. It doesn't come close to being a good substitute for all the brass. Why didn't Chris just use synthesizers or other keyboard like the group did on SYW tour? Anyone have any insight into this? Okay discuss....

Thanks!

macfan 57 · #2 09-22-2005, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andymaycen

This is a bit of a goofy question....but does anyone know why they (or Chris) chose to use an accordian on the live performances of Tusk. It doesn't come close to being a good substitute for all the brass. Why didn't Chris just use synthesizers or other keyboard like the group did on SYW tour? Anyone have any insight into this? Okay discuss....

Thanks!

Mick said in his book that he wanted to get a local brass band in each city they were playing in to play on Tusk. That wasn't feasible so Chris played accordian on Tusk. I think in some interview, she mentioned that an accordian was just laying around the studio while they were rehearsing. She kind of played around with it & that's how it started. I LOVE Tusk live with her playing the riff on accordian. I like the live versions from the Tusk & Mirage tours alot better than the album version with the USC marching band. I have no idea how it sounded on the SYW tour. I don't care to hear any version of Tusk without Chris playing accordian.

David · #3 09-22-2005, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macfan 57

Mick said in his book that he wanted to get a local brass band in each city they were playing in to play on Tusk. That wasn't feasible so Chris played accordian on Tusk. I think in some interview, she mentioned that an accordian was just laying around the studio while they were rehearsing. She kind of played around with it & that's how it started. I LOVE Tusk live with her playing the riff on accordian. I like the live versions from the Tusk & Mirage tours alot better than the album version with the USC marching band. I have no idea how it sounded on the SYW tour. I don't care to hear any version of Tusk without Chris playing accordian.

Not only that, but Christine's keyboard tech, Jeff, played the brass parts on an Oberheim on the Tusk & Mirage tours anyway (although the actual sound of the patch didn't really simulate a real brass band). Plus, they piped in the Dodger Stadium low-end conversational rumble (the stuff that sounds like everyone talking under water or in an echo chamber) on the old tours as well as the recent tours.

Jeff also used a similar patch (maybe the same one) on "Hold Me" in 1982, I guess in an attempt to give the song some foundation. It neither helped nor hindered the live performance of "Hold Me."

Christine with her accordeon (which she also played on "When the Sun Goes Down" at Cal Expo in 1990) was one of the visual highlights of Fleetwood Mac's live shows.

chiliD · #4 09-22-2005, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andymaycen

Why didn't Chris just use synthesizers or other keyboard like the group did on SYW tour?

For the most part, the keyboard technology in 1979, although advanced for the time, was still primitive. Your question equates to if you were living in 1932, driving a Ford Model "A" and wonder why there weren't any DeLoreans on the road.

DavidMn · #5 09-22-2005, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chiliD

For the most part, the keyboard technology in 1979, although advanced for the time, was still primitive. Your question equates to if you were living in 1932, driving a Ford Model "A" and wonder why there weren't any DeLoreans on the road.

I like that comparison.

SteveMacD · #6 09-22-2005, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Plus, they piped in the Dodger Stadium low-end conversational rumble (the stuff that sounds like everyone talking under water or in an echo chamber) on the old tours as well as the recent tours.

Am I the only fan who thinks this is totally cheesy? I love the energy of this song live, but the "rumble" really annoys the piss out of me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Christine with her accordeon (which she also played on "When the Sun Goes Down" at Cal Expo in 1990) was one of the visual highlights of Fleetwood Mac's live shows.

I wish they would have done this when I got to see them.

Richard B · #7 09-22-2005, 07:10 PM

Considering I used to play the accordian, I loved it when she busted one out for Tusk. It's a fun instrument and Christine looks cool and sexy when she plays it and it's nice to see her come out from behind the keyboards and move a bit.

SteveMacD...I actually dig the rumble intro...adds to the fun.

andymaycen · #8 09-22-2005, 08:29 PM

I too think she looks great playing that instrument as well as the photos I have seen of her playing guitar. Maybe the recordings of Tusk live that I have heard weren't that great. I didn't want to give the impression that it was a poor choice for that song...I just found it an unusual choice. Thanks for answering my question.

AliceLover · #9 09-22-2005, 08:45 PM

[QUOTE=David]Not only that, but Christine's keyboard tech, Jeff, played the brass parts on an Oberheim on the Tusk & Mirage tours anyway (although the actual sound of the patch didn't really simulate a real brass band). Plus, they piped in the Dodger Stadium low-end conversational rumble (the stuff that sounds like everyone talking under water or in an echo chamber) on the old tours as well as the recent tours.

Jeff also used a similar patch (maybe the same one) on "Hold Me" in 1982, I guess in an attempt to give the song some foundation. It neither helped nor hindered the live performance of "Hold Me."

Christine with her accordeon (which she also played on "When the Sun Goes Down" at Cal Expo in 1990) was one of the visual highlights of Fleetwood Mac's live shows.[/QUOTE]

Ive been meaning to trade for that dvd.

**jbrownsjr** · #10 09-23-2005, 11:22 AM

[QUOTE=AliceLover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by David

Not only that, but Christine's keyboard tech, Jeff, played the brass parts on an Oberheim on the Tusk & Mirage tours anyway (although the actual sound of the patch didn't really simulate a real brass band). Plus, they piped in the Dodger Stadium low-end conversational rumble (the stuff that sounds like everyone talking under water or in an echo chamber) on the old tours as well as the recent tours.

Jeff also used a similar patch (maybe the same one) on "Hold Me" in 1982, I guess in an attempt to give the song some foundation. It neither helped nor hindered the live performance of "Hold Me."

Christine with her accordeon (which she also played on "When the Sun Goes Down" at Cal Expo in 1990) was one of the visual highlights of Fleetwood Mac's live shows.[/QUOTE]

Ive been meaning to trade for that dvd.

i would love to buy this from anyone...

anyone???

Alexbt · #11 09-28-2005, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andymaycen

This is a bit of a goofy question....but does anyone know why they (or Chris) chose to use an accordian on the live performances of Tusk. It doesn't come close to being a good substitute for all the brass. Why didn't Chris just use synthesizers or other keyboard like the group did on SYW tour? Anyone have any insight into this? Okay discuss....

Thanks!

I think I can answer that completely.
It has already been said that it was not a substitute at all for the brass. I can't really tell if it's on the studio version. I think I hear a bit of it. It was just something for her to play because she didn't have a clue what instrument she was going to use. Being an unusual song, it was a cool choice.

As for the SYW tour, the parts being played were a combination of real samples from The Dance, and what Brett was playing on the Korg Triton. He was not playing the accordion part at all, which bugged me.
I haven't watched Live in Boston in a while, but I'm pretty sure it's on there anyways, because you can hear Chris shouting "Tusk" as the samples included her voice. (I don't think this was on purpose, but an accident or side effect of using samples from The Dance)

**mylittledemon** · #12 10-01-2005, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andymaycen

This is a bit of a goofy question....but does anyone know why they (or Chris) chose to use an accordian on the live performances of Tusk. It doesn't come close to being a good substitute for all the brass. Why didn't Chris just use synthesizers or other keyboard like the group did on SYW tour? Anyone have any insight into this? Okay discuss....

Thanks!

I really like the squeezebox on TUSK. It adds something strangely fitting to the song.