Title: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: StephenM on April 20, 2022, 12:18:17 PM
Post by: StephenM on April 20, 2022, 12:18:17 PM
I thought I was done with songs for either fest... but I got a very wild hair up me arse this morning and here we are.... maybe not so great but it does rock...kind of reminds me of Tull right out of the gate and that early Rush sound in that riff...
I used the Jay Turser Strat on this. It has 3 pickups and a 5 position switch. I tend to like the 3rd position...not even sure what pickup combo this is.... two tracks of that and 1 Shecter bass and 3 vocals... I probably should not have tried this but what the heckle... I never thought I would get that riff close but I'm quite happy with that. Drums are Alesis Nitro with me banging away...
total garage band goodness...LANDR-Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover)-Balanced-Medium.mp3
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: Pete C on April 20, 2022, 01:30:54 PM
Post by: Pete C on April 20, 2022, 01:30:54 PM
Uriah Heep were another band that passed me by - in 1972 I was more into the Glam Rock stuff transitioning into punk and new wave over the next few years so there's a lot of rock which I never discovered. This sounds cool and, as I've grown to love your style of playing and singing, I'm sure I'd prefer your version to the original.
Pete
Pete
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: Zoltan on April 21, 2022, 01:50:17 AM
Post by: Zoltan on April 21, 2022, 01:50:17 AM
Lately life's been anything but easy and i'm currently in a thoroughly sleep deprived state... Yet this kicks like a three-legged blonde air hostess after a one cosmopolitan too many.
I was never a fan of Uriah Heep, but they do have some classic songs. Some of the cover art was also cool, but i never really got into them. I did saw them live in 2000's. Around 2006 give, or take a year. They were playing as a support and in all honesty that's where they belonged that night. I know they have their hardcore fans and the guitarist is somewhat revered especially among those circles. As i wasn't already part of the "in crowd" i didn't really get that much out from the gig. The stuff the guitarist was doing while playing (occasionally doing things with his hands, picking imaginary things from the air) went over my head. The classics came and went, and so did i. I probably skipped some, if not most of the songs.
There was a slight Spinal Tap Stonehenge vibe to it all. Still it was probably light years better, or at least closer to original than the current Nazareth. I saw them live too and was wondering who were the original band members. The singer didn't sound right. The players felt different. The guitarist seemed to be having the time of his life. Turns out the bass player was the only original member of the band. That's all i have to say about that.
With this cover i'm sure it's all Stephen and there are no hangarounds. As a song Easy Livin' feels like a conformist version of Born to Be Wild. Perhaps there was some idea of naming the song as Born to be Mild?
Anyhow the thing i'm getting here is some comfort. The joy of playing and backing vocals that probably are in the original, but feel more pronounced in this version. Especially near the end it's the backing vocals that take the attention.
You've already got a lot of mileage out from that Jay Turser. With a few more songs under your belt with that guitar you'd be ready to apply as a Turser endorsee :)
Cool cover!
I was never a fan of Uriah Heep, but they do have some classic songs. Some of the cover art was also cool, but i never really got into them. I did saw them live in 2000's. Around 2006 give, or take a year. They were playing as a support and in all honesty that's where they belonged that night. I know they have their hardcore fans and the guitarist is somewhat revered especially among those circles. As i wasn't already part of the "in crowd" i didn't really get that much out from the gig. The stuff the guitarist was doing while playing (occasionally doing things with his hands, picking imaginary things from the air) went over my head. The classics came and went, and so did i. I probably skipped some, if not most of the songs.
There was a slight Spinal Tap Stonehenge vibe to it all. Still it was probably light years better, or at least closer to original than the current Nazareth. I saw them live too and was wondering who were the original band members. The singer didn't sound right. The players felt different. The guitarist seemed to be having the time of his life. Turns out the bass player was the only original member of the band. That's all i have to say about that.
With this cover i'm sure it's all Stephen and there are no hangarounds. As a song Easy Livin' feels like a conformist version of Born to Be Wild. Perhaps there was some idea of naming the song as Born to be Mild?
Anyhow the thing i'm getting here is some comfort. The joy of playing and backing vocals that probably are in the original, but feel more pronounced in this version. Especially near the end it's the backing vocals that take the attention.
You've already got a lot of mileage out from that Jay Turser. With a few more songs under your belt with that guitar you'd be ready to apply as a Turser endorsee :)
Cool cover!
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: StephenM on April 21, 2022, 05:01:10 AM
Post by: StephenM on April 21, 2022, 05:01:10 AM
I loved Nazareth. funny thing is I saw them in a large theater in Rhode Island around 1980 well beyond their hayday. Being they were very hard rock i was shocked when the band actually looked more like the Beach Boys (I guess they liked short hair and wearing tropical shirts?). Anyway, the absolutely smoked! They rocked the joint and I was totally into it. The sound was so much better to than those dang 10000 seat arenas I was used to...
I saw Uriah Heep open for April Wine around 1982 in Oakland, Ca. I didn't really know the band but I loved that organ sound and so I got some of their music and this was the one album (Demons and Wizards) I really liked. I now remember the thing with the picking things from the air with the guitarist now that you mention it.
I think I picked the song here because i thought I had no chance of doing it.... sometimes I like a good challenge and listening to it now it could be a bunch better, namely if I actually added that leslie organ it used that sounded so good...and did the mix better....
that lead riff thing doesn't sound hard but man it kicked my butt....I'm really not good a copying mostly because i don't like trying to learn things like that .... thanks for listening
I saw Uriah Heep open for April Wine around 1982 in Oakland, Ca. I didn't really know the band but I loved that organ sound and so I got some of their music and this was the one album (Demons and Wizards) I really liked. I now remember the thing with the picking things from the air with the guitarist now that you mention it.
I think I picked the song here because i thought I had no chance of doing it.... sometimes I like a good challenge and listening to it now it could be a bunch better, namely if I actually added that leslie organ it used that sounded so good...and did the mix better....
that lead riff thing doesn't sound hard but man it kicked my butt....I'm really not good a copying mostly because i don't like trying to learn things like that .... thanks for listening
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: Zoltan on April 21, 2022, 05:09:33 AM
Post by: Zoltan on April 21, 2022, 05:09:33 AM
Oh, this is a well done cover. It doesn't sound like you're struggling. It's perhaps a bit rushed sounding, but that goes with the territory (There's usually no point to spend months with a cover that's meant to be happening here and now :)). Like you said "total Garage band goodness".
And cool to hear those reminiscences. You've seen both bands a LOT closer to their heyday. I'm sure Nazareth was great those days. And more than likely Uriah Heep in the 80's was a totally different experience than seeing them several decades later :D
And cool to hear those reminiscences. You've seen both bands a LOT closer to their heyday. I'm sure Nazareth was great those days. And more than likely Uriah Heep in the 80's was a totally different experience than seeing them several decades later :D
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: TPB on April 21, 2022, 07:28:28 AM
Post by: TPB on April 21, 2022, 07:28:28 AM
Man this has brought back memories this use to be one of our party songs back in the day
Well covered brother
Tim
Well covered brother
Tim
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: ODH on April 21, 2022, 10:16:05 AM
Post by: ODH on April 21, 2022, 10:16:05 AM
I'm very fond of their song Gypsy (which was on compilation cassette I had back in the day), but apart from that one I confess I don't really know a lot about Uriah Heep.
I did enjoy listening to this one though. You obviously had a lot of fun with it and that comes across.
Good job
:)
I did enjoy listening to this one though. You obviously had a lot of fun with it and that comes across.
Good job
:)
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: Rene Asologuitar on April 21, 2022, 08:00:29 PM
Post by: Rene Asologuitar on April 21, 2022, 08:00:29 PM
Quote from: StephenM on April 20, 2022, 12:18:17 PM
******************
Hi Stephen,
Our work is never done!
I love this cover. Definitely rocks!!!
Your version is nicely recorded, and the vocals is great.
Thanks for sharing your talent.
Rene
Title: Re: Easy Livin (Uriah Heep cover for 72 fest)
Post by: Pipes on April 22, 2022, 02:02:14 AM
Post by: Pipes on April 22, 2022, 02:02:14 AM
Always loved a bit of Heep.
July morning what a gem.
Enjoyed your rockin' version of Easy Livin' Nice one Sir.
Nick
July morning what a gem.
Enjoyed your rockin' version of Easy Livin' Nice one Sir.
Nick