A TBF Era Questions I've Always Had...

[Tomulator]

Never heard any details on this...always wanted to know!

During the reunion and subsequent TBF rehearsals (recall the band was rehearsing like mad men for weeks and weeks prior to actually going in to the studio to record TBF), especially at the beginning before they may have had the new album completely written, did the band ever jam on some of the "old material"? If so, what songs and how were they arranged? Were the keys dropped for SP and, if so, by HOW MUCH?

I ask these questions because so much was made out of SP not being able to tour, and HH even made some comments that he "knew" that SP would never tour...I wonder HOW the band was planning on pulling off a tour? What was the plan? They must've felt confident to some extent that SP could sing the material to some acceptable degree...right???

Anyone have any "insider" info they can share on this topic?

[Memorex]

Maybe that's when Neal and Jon concocted Tapegate but couldn't use it till years later.

[scarab]

would love to see the hidden footage played briefly during the BTM video.
I believe he could sing at least at a level he did on his solo tour, which I was able to see twice early.

If his new album does eventually drop, I hope he does a few songs live, even if acoustically.

[tj]

I don't know if there is footage, but one way to find out the register would be to compare the keys of the TBF songs to Frontiers, Escape, etc. If TBF is lower key, it would give you a pretty good idea of the answer to what key. That assumes that they didn't speed up the recordings on the final mixes/masters to match the keys of the earlier works.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Herbie mentioned this briefly in the Castles Burning interview. That is the only documentation that I know of.

[Art Vandelay]

I remember reading way back (it may have been in Billboard magazine) that when they first got together, they jammed and 'test drove' some of their old stuff just to make sure that they still had it before committing to writing a new album. Can't remember if they mentioned any songs, but I kinda remember Separate Ways being mentioned.

[scarab]

still wonder why the US got the throw away song Baby Im A leaving you.
And Japan got the great rocker, which was really needed, I can see it you your eyes.

But the real shame is I guarantee Still she cries would have done very well.

[tater1977]

Neal in one interview stated to the interviewer,
paraphrasing here ... 'Man you should see the out takes of us in the studio,
it's like we never quit playing together.'
I doubt we'll ever see/hear these too.

[JRNYMAN]

I remember reading that it was';t so much his ability to hit the notes, it was his stamina. He could only pull off 5 or 6 songs and that was it, he was through for the day. That being the case, I don't know how they were going to possibly tour. Maybe with practice and vocal/breathing coaching, he could've increased his stamina to the point of being able to perform for 70 mins. or so but that would have then required days off in between performances. So......

[Monker]

Herbie mentioned this briefly in the Castles Burning interview. That is the only documentation that I know of.

He did not talk about his voice during TBF rehearsals. He did talk about his voice during the Bill Graham tribute. He said he told Neal and Jonathan that he would have to drop it down by a half register. That equals four "steps", half an octave.

He did not believe Perry would tour...it seems mostly due to the Bill Graham tribute, and I would guess the ROR tour. Also, by the end of the FTLOSM tour, his voice was going...the story was he had chronic bronchitis. When you read that interview, Herbie critiqued ALL of them very heavily, except Gregg and I do not recall Steve Smith being mentioned at all. The bottom line is that he felt Perry's voice went through some sort of natural change in his 40's and he could never get that younger voice back.

Also, I will add that time has shown that his voice only gets worse over time. The Eels performances should prove that to any reasonable person. If he dropped a half octave back during the Bill Graham tribute, IMO, it would be down an entire octave today, at least....and it would still be raspy.

That is why I do not believe he would perform live at all. If he has an album come out, he'll release it without a tour, and no live appearances on the various morning and evening talk shows, or other live appearances.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Herbie mentioned this briefly in the Castles Burning interview. That is the only documentation that I know of.

He did not talk about his voice during TBF rehearsals. He did talk about his voice during the Bill Graham tribute. He said he told Neal and Jonathan that he would have to drop it down by a half register. That equals four "steps", half an octave.

Sigh. You are so annoying.

In the Castles Burning interview, Herbie mentioned the TBF rehearsal saying that Perry "got to the rehearsal and impressed all those guys singing the old material. They had some fun, and that was it. Never touched it, never went there again."



http://web.archive.org/web/200206101953 ... age11.html

[scarab]

I wonder why Hebert was there for rehearsals when he was replaced as their manager.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I wonder why Hebert was there for rehearsals when he was replaced as their manager.

Prolly just heard it from Neal.