March 2022
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 27, No. 03
Live meetings are Cancelled due to CoronaVirus.
However, we will be having on-line Zoom meetings.
We will send details under a separate e-mail,
and an announcement on the Facebook group page.
We expect it to be scheduled for
Sunday March 6th 2022 at 5pm. If you want the
zoom meeting details, please e-mail us
at isgorlando@gmail.com
Hopefully we will soon be meeting in person again.
Please stay tuned for more info.
Any Details not in this newsletter are at:
If you wish to join our Facebook group, please check us out at
https://www.facebook.com/groups/831814850193553/
WebChatter
by CyberToad
We are asking members to renew their dues for 2022. It costs only $5 per year,
and it helps us to defray costs for the zoom meetings.
We have 2 methods of payment. Either paypal to our treasurer Asli Goncer's
paypal account. The paypal access is at aslivision@gmail.com
or you can mail a $5 check to
Asli Goncer
2849 Babylon Court
Oviedo, FL 32765
Either way, we appreciate your continued support.
Richard Gilewitz RichardGilewitz.com is going to be holding 2 workshops on
February 27th (Sunday) at Fodor's grove. For details please check out
http://www.cffolk.org/concerts/fodors_grove/feb_2022/EOMFeb2022workshop_720_fodorsRev2.jpg
Rumble
By Jackie Mason
Some songs seem to have a life of their own. I’ve written about a couple of them. The Irish traditional song ”Danny Boy” has had an interesting journey. Leonard Cohen’s “Halleluja” is another song that has a fascinating backdrop. Link Wray’s instrumental “Rumble” is another example.
This unusual four chord wonder, “written in 1957-1958 has the distinction of being the only instrumental song ever banned for radio play in the U.S.” It might have been the title that made people squirm in their seats. The dictionary definition of rumble is “a street fight especially among gangs.” No, it was more than the title. It was that menacing guitar sound and it’s rhythm. Here Link explains his approach to creating that most unique of sounds.
“…Onstage [at Fredericksburg], I’d been playing it real loud through these small, 60-watt Sears and Roebuck amplifiers, and the kids were hollering and screaming for it. But in the studio, the sound was too clean, too country. So I started experimenting, and I punched holes in the speakers with a pencil, trying to recreate that dirty, fuzzy sound I was getting onstage. And on the third take, there it was, just like magic.”
What Wray had done in his frustration was “invent” a new sound, a sound that would later become known as “fuzztone guitar.” There was also some novel use of reverberation on the track as well. Meanwhile, the song they had recorded on their demo was then using the name “Oddball.” And they began shopping it around to record labels, but there were no takers. Capitol and Decca Records both turned down “Oddball.”
This excellent article tells in detail the compelling history of this song.
https://www.pophistorydig.com/topics/tag/rumble-song-history/
The song would be picked up by Archie Bleyer of Cadence Records. He hated the song and it’s sound but his step daughter and her teen friends loved it because it reminded them of the Broadway Show “West Side Story” which had opened in 1957. It had a street fight scene between two gangs. There was a musical piece in it titled “The Rumble.” So that’s why “Oddball” became “Rumble” Well, no, not quite, because there’s another story surrounding that title. It was one of The Everly Brothers who suggested the name. It’s apparent to me that it’s important to create a myth around a song. The subsequent record would become a hit and sell between one and four million records. I’m not sure how much Link made. He did buy a house for his mother and I’m happy for that. I thought his name sounded really cool. He dressed cool too, all black. He had some decent stage moves. He deserved success. “Fred Lincoln Wray was born in Dunn, North Carolina in 1929. According to some accounts his parents were semi-literate and engaged in street preaching from time to time. Wray was also reported to be part Shawnee Indian.” Any of the above could have been enough to keep him off the radio in the segregated south of the 1950’s.
I’ve heard a similar story about a musician poking holes in a speaker to create a “fuzz tone” sound. In fact, I wrote about this right here! It was Dave Davies of the Kinks slicing the speaker of the little green amp with a knife or was it older brother Ray sticking a knitting needle in the speaker and creating that dirty guitar sound for “You Really Got Me.” More myth and legend to plough through!
Link Wray’s “Rumble” has been influencing guitarists for over 60 years. Amongst them The Kinks, Pete Townshend of The Who, Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin, Robbie Robertson from The Band. The following article talks about it’s impact on our culture. https://norselandsrock.com/rumble-link-wray/ In the 2009 music documentary “It Might Get Loud” Jimmy Page describes his first impressions on hearing it. Scroll to the bottom of the above article/link. And now there’s a musical documentary called “Rumble The Indians Who Rocked The World.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0GyA2yWHw4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYTju54WI8g
It’s one of the best documentaries that I’ve seen. Well that’s it for this month. From the tower of song be safe.
ISG Bulletin Board
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association,
Local 389. You are invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the
interests of the professional musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more
information. You may reach them by phone at: 407-894-8666.
Why isn't your gig or live stream announced here? Members in good standing call SusieCool
with your appearance schedule! 407-760-2153 or e-mail her the details at isgorlando@gmail.com
If you are interested in open mics in the Central Florida area, SusieCool has compiled a list.
Steve Hodak hosts several newly listed open mics on the East coast.
https://sites.google.com/site/susiecoolsongs/Home/open-mic-directory-central-florida
SusieCool is the admin for a Facebook group called "Orlando Creative Music Network"
where we give out info on songwriter meetings, playing circles, open mics, workshops and concerts.
We have a Facebook page for this group if you want to join.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/274152179716552/
No Critique scores for February, since no live meeting.
New members and guests are always welcome!
© 2022 ISG