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Post by riffraff on Jun 6, 2007 9:48:42 GMT -5
His deserving name was brought up on another thread and I thought it approprto begin a thread.
I always wondered how a studio album with him and Blue Cheer at the time (in the '80's ) would have sounded.
Anyone know what he is up to.? Was there talk of a second album by The Field?
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Post by FeedbackLourde on Jun 6, 2007 10:11:26 GMT -5
He's in Mother Ocean now. He came up and jammed with BC at the SF gig when they played Red House. Really nice interplay between him & Duck. Heard some demos for tunes that would've made another BC studio album as well as demos for the second Field album. The BC was a bit weird and not typical. The Field stuff was incredible, much better than the first Field album (Tony was more involved on the 2nd). I'll try to find out the status on this record....
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Post by blues man on Jun 6, 2007 15:47:36 GMT -5
Tony Rainier is no doubt an excellent guitarist however was not the right guy for BC,....the problem was when "The Beast" album came out at the time was right in the middle of the whole eighties metal scene and timing was off for BC at that time ,...although I think there are great select tracks on that album but Tony's style had too much of that Satriani eighties vibe going - once again great player but not right for BC ,....even Duck went through his metal phase until around the late nineties when he obtained that Leigh type of Psychedelic blues based rawness required for the BC style,....now the time is ripe for BC to blossom
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Post by poopypants on Jun 6, 2007 20:44:43 GMT -5
Perhaps, but I say, give the guy a break. Like Leigh (Although his style was harsher), Tony's tone was what was popular at the time. Blue Cheer was trying to reclaim their "Metal" heritage, so it made total sense. Also, I seriously doubt Blue Cheer would be where they are today had it not been for Tony. He will probably never get much credit for it, but he was a big part of re-establishing BC, and if that's he ever did in his musical career, he has my eternal thanks. I have heard alot of tunes that he did with BC that were not on the "Beast" album, and I have no doubt had he stayed with them, they would have gone onto greater musical heights. Unfortunately, the only musical legacy left behind from Tony's tenure with the band is the "Beast" album, but he was capable of a lot more.
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twfs
New Member
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Post by twfs on Jun 6, 2007 21:35:11 GMT -5
but Tony's style had too much of that Satriani eighties vibe going
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WOT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT??? Satch's first record wouldn't be out for some years and Tony had a blues based foundation to his playing! Tony did NOT USE Mylodian scales like Satch!
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Post by FeedbackLourde on Jun 6, 2007 21:45:08 GMT -5
Tony once sent me some stuff he did in the studio that has not yet been released. Lots of guitar instrumentals all in the vein of those infamous "Art Metal" axe-shredders. Really nice stuff the way he plays it. Beats Satch, Steve Vai, Eric Johnson, Tony MacAlpine, Yngwie, and Eddie Van Halen at their own "game of technicality" and makes them sound like total dogshit!
Also, Tony was a long-time BC fan way before he joined BC and contary to what some have posted, he did manage to capture some of the original vibe. Just check out his solo on "I Want You Once Again" (very Vincebus-like) or some of the live tapes that are floating around....
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Post by blues man on Jun 6, 2007 23:38:38 GMT -5
Once again , I think Tony is a great guitarist not disputing that whatsoever and yes he is blues based but to me too technical of a guitarist for BC,...still is a great player and there is some great guitar playing on The Beast album..but it's different from Leigh and Duck who are the perfect guitarists for BC,...I'm sure if he was still in the band now he might sound different then he did but I'm going on what he did from "The Beast" record in the mid eighties,...
and Leigh is a much better player than what people don't realize...I still wish he could've still been in the band for a third record I bet he would've smoked....when BC was formed he was still in his early stages of playing which is what attributed him to his unique style that he is so remembered for these days in which Duck captures so well - Duck is the man!
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Post by Chris Domino on Dec 16, 2007 17:22:13 GMT -5
I grew up with Tony Rainier, and played with him in several different bands. We both watched Blue Cheer go from a small town (Davis, CA) band called Oxford Circle, and watched them get signed. Tony's brother (who is now deceased) was a road manager for Blue Cheer, and we got to see their rise to stardom first hand. Some of the comments below are appropriate....such as the fact that he has a blues based background. But on the other hand, he is a very technically perfect player when necessary. And some of the other comments are right on the money also. When Tony and I were about 18 years old, I went to his house because he wanted to show me some new technique on guitar that he came up with. After he showed it to me, (even though I new he was far ahead of his time, guitar wise) I wondered how he could possibly use this new technique for any of the tunes we were writing at the time. Well, ten years later we saw a young Eddie Van Halen doing his famous 10-finger hammer-on technique. We looked at each other with our mouths open. This was the same thing Tony was doing at the age of 18...10 years before Eddie! As to what Tony is doing now...he's still actively playing. And playing far better than most any other guitarist.
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Post by FeedbackLourde on Dec 16, 2007 22:20:31 GMT -5
I agree with you Chris. Tony once sent me some tapes of him messing around in the studio and yeah, he really is a technical, amazing player. Free form-jazzy stuff. Hell, Steve Vai & Satriani got nothing on him (I say this because the tapes were in that vein). I also like the stuff he did on the second, unreleased Field album. He is more active on that one. We kinda lost touch a few years back but I'd like to say hello. If he is back in cyberland, please ask him to drop me a line at superjudge555@yahoo.com .
Thanks,
FBL
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Post by riffraff on Dec 22, 2007 14:45:08 GMT -5
Tell us more about the 2nd unreleased Field album. Does it have a title? Why not released? etc....etc...
Thanks!
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Post by FeedbackLourde on Jan 5, 2008 11:31:49 GMT -5
RiffRaff,
I corresponded with Paul Lamb (the mastermind behind the Field) for awhile. He sent me a 4-song sampler of the second Field record. I haven't listened to it in awhile but I recall it sounding like the first one except the songs were longer and had more complex arrangements, this supposedly being the result of more involvement on Tony's part as the first album was pretty much written when Tony joined. I'm not 100% certain of these facts nor do I know why the album hasn't come out yet as it's been awhile since I wrote to Paul. Maybe Tony can set the record straight. I can tell you that I personally liked these songs a bit more than the stuff on the first album.
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Post by wholelottashakin on Jan 6, 2008 17:20:03 GMT -5
So, here is what I recall of meeting both Tony and Dickie one night long ago. Turns out it was the first time the two of them met one another also  Okay, here goes my one and only contribution to the 'let's talk about the members of the band' thread Around 1972, two friends of mine, Animal Bob and Michael, were playing a gig in Davis, CA. They invited me to come most especially 'cause they were adding a new guitarist named Tony Rainier. Tony 'accidentally' joined the band thusly ... he was visiting from LA, where he was in a band, the name I don't remember. His manager got pushy, telling Tony he 'better not or else' join another band, which Tony said he had no intention of doing - until the guy started throwing around his weight. Apparently Tony doesn't like being told what to do. What I remember of the gig is that Tony was a really good guitarist even then and that he was a complete gear head. Michael was great on harmonica and Animal Bob ... dunno ... Bob, you still out there? Also a sorta short guy with hair looking like a lion came to the gig to support his friends, the before mentioned Animal Bob and Michael. His name, I was to learn, was Dickie Peterson (formerly)of Blue Cheer. About him I remember that he was completely supportive of the musicians on stage and sort of deflected the attention of those who recognized him in an off hand way mostly by just focusing on the band on stage and just being a very cool guy. He was funny as hell and gave so generously of himself after the gig, talking to the musicians about their craft and letting them learn from his experience. Dickie did not perform that night. It turns out I waited more than 30 years for the pleasure of hearing him and BLUE CHEER, last year in Santa Cruz. It was the first time Tony and Dickie met, I know 'cause I was standing there when Animal Bob did the Tony this is Dickie, Dickie this is Tony thing. How their paths twined and entwined after that I have no idea. Anyone got any pieces to fit the puzzle? |
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Post by Eric Albronda on Jan 6, 2008 18:43:01 GMT -5
As most of you know --Tony's older brother Larry and Tony were raised in Davis California .
Larry was in High School with Yoder , Keylor , Whaley -great friend to Whaley. Larry went to Viet Nam and was listening to summertime blues out in the killing fields --with necklace's of cut off ears for trophy's and as wild as can be ---when he returned he became a roadie for Blue Cheer all the while tony was learning his licks very quietly in the background . A mutual set of friends were shared between Dickie and Tony and a mix of Davis and Transplanted San Francisco folks Living in Healdsburg and also connected strongly to Army Street Studios which Jim Keylor built in his basement with the Help of Jack May, Dick Peddicord , Charlie Isabela, and Jim Alsivor, from the Ronnie Montrose
Band-----Dickie and Myself along with Dickie's wife Marilyn were all working as Councilors at Walden House in San Francisco, Dickie having completed the program . Between 1977 and 1982 as I said Army Street Studios was happening and Tony and Dickie and myself were assembled to help Dick Peddicord record some of his songs --Girl from London and Child of the darkness being two of many. the Band with Tony Dickie and Michael Fleck
was formed by Dickie and myself while i was still working at Walden house and Dickie had just left to form another touring Blue Cheer -----So really Tony came into the picture from Army Street Studios and mutual friends of his Brother Larry and Jim Keylor--Oxford Circle fame . Larry died a tragic death and many of his brothers friends just took Tony in as a member of the rather large extended family. After the tour with Dickie, Tony and Micheal Fleck. Tony was a natural because he had learned all of the Blue Cheer songs note for note and really was grooming himself it seemed to eventually Join up with Dickie which he did --he also supplied the young energy that Dickie needed at the time -
as Dickie was having a difficult time as he was going through a divorce --he had a young
daughter and was floundering for a time ------Tony had hooked up with Caroline Chadwick a British friend of mine who came to the States to live and I introduced her to this Blue Cheer family . Caroline has come into some money and bought a house on the water in Corta Madera , in Marin County. Tony moved in and Paul has just done some time in CRC in California and when released he was in a real funk and had no self confidence at all as far as playing drums ---realizing that if Paul did not find something soon he would have been violated and returned to the black hell he came out of ---
Caroline and Tony Loved Whaley ( whats not to like?) and insisted he move in with them and for 6 months Tony and Caroline Gave Paul a new life and some of the most astounding support I have ever seen anybody give to someone who needed it bad----
Tony had grown up under the Shadow of his brother Larry and thus also Whaley as they were best of friends-----Caroline also with a heart of Gold was the type of person that would have helped Paul just because she knew he was respected as one of the best Drummers around anywhere and a special person to say the least -----Paul a real charmer and solid loyal friend-----So I saw in that six months Paul change from hardly being able to hold his drum sticks to laughing once again and the magic only he has had returned to his drumming -----what a real phenomena happened and Tony gave all of himself in return for nada-----just because the spirit of Larry was with us all.
The rest you know----------
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Post by rowenafaire on Jan 7, 2008 0:31:28 GMT -5
i am merry confused now--the only timespan you mentioned, eric, was 77-82 (army st) - i seem to remember paul was by his account in england at the time, and that it was there (blighty) that he and dickie remet-up, but it sounds like he was in CRC (don't know what that is? prison? rehab???) and corte madera at the time. i don't mean to contradict, but clarify maybe? so was it tony rainier who brought dickie and paul back together?
thass the trouble with memories, innit? rashomon revisited? or maybe you can untangle the thread a little bit for us? much appreciated...!
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Post by Eric Albronda on Jan 7, 2008 8:01:48 GMT -5
At that time yes Tony did rehabilitate Paul with Caroline's Help so that he was able to do a set of gigs with Tony and Dickie as Blue Cheer 1985. Exact date I do not remember but Myself and others strongly encouraged Dickie to remove himself from the slow fade and get out of Sonoma County, Cotati, Russian River and get to Germany where again he started up another form of Blue Cheer . Played with the Hank Davidson Band ( Motor Cycle Band record and get stuck in legal wrangles with German Manager. I believe that Dickie about 1987-1988 went to Germany and at some point convinced Paul to come to Germany to record . About this time I was building my own business and had little to do with the operations of Blue Cheer except to offer advice to Dickie when he called -----CRC is California's answer to a state run rehab alternative to hard time .They demand a commitment of 18 months and a tail of 5 years I believe of Probation. This is why when Paul left for Germany, Europe it was difficult for him to return to the US because he was not legally permitted to leave the US. another interesting situation from Paul's history
at CRC was how many musicians have made claim to have played with Paul or Blue Cheer because he met 100's of them at that time and carried his celebrity status with him.
Yes the dates blur sometimes for me and the memory markers fade so perhaps Didi
or others connected to Blue Cheer in Europe can better fill in the gaps----here is where my direct involvement with Blue Cheer stops.
Eric
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