Bobby Baker - Printable Version
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Bobby Baker - D-man - 07-28-2004
I can't help but noticed how under appreciated he is as a guitar player. I mean, his slide playing is top notch, and solos on songs like Tiger the Lion rival those of David Gilmour and other such highly noted guitarists. I can never get over how good he is when I see the boys live.
- akoso - 07-28-2004
The only thing that always disappointed me about Bobby is he rarely improvises. When I go to a Hip concert, I can sing along with all of Gordie's lyrics and sing all of Bobby's solos, because they're straight off the album. I really think more effort should be put into songs like Nautical, where there's a lnog instrumental bit, to just improvise. Scrap whatever you wrote, just let Paul and Gord give Bobby the chords and the rhythym and let him be original.
- jen - 07-28-2004
Funny how you mentioned the David Gilmore reference...my husband and I were just talking about Rob's slide style being like Gilmore's :thumb:
- Stephen Dame - 07-28-2004
akoso Wrote:The only thing that always disappointed me about Bobby is he rarely improvises. When I go to a Hip concert, I can sing along with all of Gordie's lyrics and sing all of Bobby's solos, because they're straight off the album. I really think more effort should be put into songs like Nautical, where there's a lnog instrumental bit, to just improvise. Scrap whatever you wrote, just let Paul and Gord give Bobby the chords and the rhythym and let him be original.
It is rare, true, but when it happens it's well worth the wait.
Bobby is such a fine all around musician live. He's fun to watch, he's obviously entranced by the music, and his dependability and constant solid performance is an attribute not a short comming IMO.
Plus, there's only room for one demigod up there... one guy going off on his own whenever the hell he wants is probably enough.
- akoso - 07-28-2004
Stephen Dame Wrote:Bobby is such a fine all around musician live. He's fun to watch, he's obviously entranced by the music, and his dependability and constant solid performance is an attribute not a short comming IMO.I agree he's great and very dependable. But as I said in another thread, I'd love to have one or two songs per concert where Gordie just keeps quiet or dances or shoots people or wrestles with the mic or does whatever he wants to deal with his ADD and where Bobby gets to solo. Don't make the solo background music, turn his guitar up and let him change it up a bit. He's played the exact same solos for ssooo long that I don't see how he wouldn't get excited about trying to improvise something new.
Plus, there's only room for one demigod up there... one guy going off on his own whenever the hell he wants is probably enough.
- direwolf74 - 07-28-2004
akoso Wrote:The only thing that always disappointed me about Bobby is he rarely improvises. When I go to a Hip concert, I can sing along with all of Gordie's lyrics and sing all of Bobby's solos, because they're straight off the album. I really think more effort should be put into songs like Nautical, where there's a lnog instrumental bit, to just improvise. Scrap whatever you wrote, just let Paul and Gord give Bobby the chords and the rhythym and let him be original.
Are you sure you're talking about the Hip here?? He improvises quite a bit actually, especially during the outtro to Nautical Disaster. I've seen them 20 times so far, and not once have I seen him duplicate a solo from the albums. I've noticed on Little Bones he sticks fairly close to the recorded version (not sure why), but he definitely lets loose on tunes like Nautical, Three Pistols, Tiger the Lion, Meanstreak, Pigeon Camera, Blow at High Dough, Fire in the Hole, The Wherewithal, Locked, Gift Shop, and many others.
The thing about Nautical, and this has been mentioned by the band members themselves, is that it doesn't really have any kind of structure. It has no verse, no chorus, and no bridge. It all just comes out in one big gush, loosely framed by Gord Sinclair's circular bass line. There's no structured instrumental break where they can jam (ie..Hundredth Meridian, NOIS). As Downie puts it:
"I had to figure out where I was in the song and how to blurt this thing out. To this day if I get even remotely distracted, I'll forget the lyric. If I forget a line, I just can't pick it up again so the song might as well end. I find that very interesting. Maybe the song's haunted."
- bauer - 07-28-2004
I hope bobby gets to take off more too. at the show at the whiskey he was doing some awesome shit during gus. more extended jams in general would be great. 12 - 15 minute versions of songs is where it is at.
- direwolf74 - 07-28-2004
bauer Wrote:I hope bobby gets to take off more too. at the show at the whiskey he was doing some awesome shit during gus. more extended jams in general would be great. 12 - 15 minute versions of songs is where it is at.
Ahh, yes, I forgot to mention Gus. I was at the Whiskey too, and that particular solo wasn't anything like the album version. Very cool stuff!
- clarke - 07-28-2004
i totally agree the Baker is one of the most under rated guitar players out there...he has a style that is all his own...but i find he does do a lot of improv and also solos are different from the studio versions
- akoso - 07-28-2004
Well, maybe you guys are catching things that I'm not or maybe I'm just looking for even more variety. I often find he doesn't venture too far away from the album versions. Also, I think the fact that his solos aren't highlighted as Gordie is spouting poetry makes it tougher to appreciate as well.
I'm not saying Bobby should be compared to any greats like Page or Clapton, but the thing I love most about those guys isn't the stuff they play normally, it's their live performances where they know they have about 2 mins to do what they want and they just go off and you know what you're hearing probably sounds completely different than what was played the night before. I don't think Bobby really does that (or more properly isn't given the chance to do that).
- akoso - 07-28-2004
direwolf74 Wrote:The thing about Nautical, and this has been mentioned by the band members themselves, is that it doesn't really have any kind of structure. It has no verse, no chorus, and no bridge. It all just comes out in one big gush, loosely framed by Gord Sinclair's circular bass line. There's no structured instrumental break where they can jam (ie..Hundredth Meridian, NOIS).I know what you mean about the lack of structure(which is one of the reasons Nautical is my favourite song). But at the same time, it's such a basic chord progression (Em, D, G, D / Em, D, C, D) with such a steady beat that it's actually quite easy to solo over. Especially because, as you said, the bass line provides more of the framework and structure for the song than anything else. That's just my opinion anyway.
- NMAS - 07-28-2004
Rob is a good guitarist, that is all I can say. I don't think he is underated. If you want to here some great slide guitar and great guitar in general from a great newer band try Luther Dickinson and the North Mississippi Allstars. Great band, great players and great music. I think a lot of the Hip fans on this site would like them.
- mark - 07-28-2004
bobby needs a haircut,.
seriously, long hair is out.
:lol:
- akoso - 07-28-2004
mark Wrote:bobby needs a haircut,.Just try to picture Bobby sporting Gord Sinclair's cut. Ouch.
seriously, long hair is out.
- tigerthelion - 07-28-2004
I like guitar solos as much as the next guy but Robby isn't a Slash type player. He's good but he has his own style. He's not a take charge and stand alone in the spotlight kind of player.
A guitar solo is great but this band is more of a cohesive unit in my view. None of the musicians are exceptionally talented. They are all good, competent musicians and are about as tight as any band. It's just that separately they aren't superstars.