The Loudini Rock and Roll Circus

On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we're all about that bass as we talk about the most soulful, most groovin' and most funky bass lines of the 1980s

 

Topics Discussed:

 

What we did this week:

Loudini: The tools that musician's need to get hired (not what you think), 10 artists that ruined pop music, Diver Down retrospective, Ken Tamplin Lip syncing scandal, The Assent (2019 movie), Kate Hudson, voices carry, and new album? The making of Tommy Boy, Princes most covered song, the Exorcist is getting ANOTHER sequel, Tiger Lilies, Heroin, The History of the Music Video (polyphonic), The making of "Here Comes The Sun" (you can't unhear this), Eat The Cat,

 

Lily: Alliance Rock Fest, best of pittsburgh party, Zebra, Rob Zombie & Alice Cooper, Beetlejuice

 

Best Bass Lines of the 1980s

 

Another One Bites The Dust; Queen(John Deacon)

 

Super Freak; Rik James(Oscar Alston)

 

Hold Me Now; Thompson Twins(Tom Bailey)

 

Hungry Like The Wolf; Duran Duran(John Taylor)

 

Too Shy; Kajagoogoo (Nick Beggs)

 

Billie Jean; Michael Jackson (Louis Johnson)

 

Smooth Criminal; Michael Jackson

 

Papa Don't Preach; Madonna (robert salamone)

 

Easy Lover; Phillip Bailey & Phil Collins(Nathan East)

 

I Feel For You; Chaka Khan(Reggie Griffin)

 

Let's Dance; Davie Bowie(Charmine Rojas)

 

Twight Light Zone; Golden Earing

 

Phantom of the Opera; Iron Maiden

 

Ace of Spades; Motorhead(Lemmy)

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: Castle Rat; Fresh Fur

Lily V: In Theory

On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we dig deep into the history of distortion and the electric guitar and how is shaped the sound of rock music.

 

 

Topics Discussed:

What we did this week:

Loudini: Twan Moore & the Train, Black Snake Moan, Are meet and greets worth it? Perry & Dave, The VMA's are still a thing, why that's bad, How D2C is poised to destroy streaming, The tools that musician's need to get hired (not what you think), What Rick Beato (and others) don't understand about today's "charts". Why no bands on "the charts". Robert Epstein explains our "Google-fied" world.

Mr. Pittsburgh: Selling guitar to the Wolf, What happened to The Donnas?

 

 

The History or Distortion:

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-evolution-of-distortion-how-advances-in-gear-paved-the-way-for-heavy-music

 

https://thejhsshow.com/articles/what-you-need-to-know-about-overdrive-pedals

 

 

 

The history of distortion is deeply intertwined with the development of the electric guitar, as the two evolved together to shape the sound of modern music. Here’s an overview:

 

### **Early Days: Accidental Origins (1940s-1950s)**

Distortion originally came about as a mistake. In the 1940s and early 1950s, guitarists accidentally discovered that pushing tube amplifiers beyond their normal limits created a gritty, overdriven sound. This was typically caused by damaged speaker cones or malfunctioning amp circuits. Guitarists like Willie Johnson of Howlin' Wolf and bluesmen such as Elmore James and Muddy Waters were among the early users of this overdriven tone, which gave their sound more power and raw emotion.

 

### **First Deliberate Use: 1950s-1960s**

By the late 1950s, guitarists started to intentionally seek out distorted sounds. Link Wray, known for his 1958 instrumental "Rumble," achieved distortion by poking holes in his amplifier's speaker cone. This gave the song a unique, menacing tone that laid the foundation for rock and roll’s aggressive edge.

 

In 1961, the first commercially available distortion device, the Maestro Fuzz-Tone pedal (FZ-1), was created by Gibson, famously used in The Rolling Stones' 1965 hit "(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction." This marked a pivotal moment in the history of guitar distortion, as fuzz became a sought-after effect in rock music.

 

### **The Rise of Fuzz and Overdrive (1960s-1970s)**

The 1960s saw distortion evolve further with the fuzz effect. Artists like Jimi Hendrix and Keith Richards popularized fuzz pedals, using them to achieve a thick, saturated tone. Hendrix, especially, made innovative use of distortion in tracks like “Purple Haze,” helping to push the boundaries of what was possible with the electric guitar.

 

Around the same time, the concept of overdrive became more refined. Instead of extreme fuzz, overdrive pedals like the Ibanez Tube Screamer simulated the natural distortion that tube amps produced when cranked to high volumes. This allowed guitarists to achieve warm, harmonically rich distortion at lower volumes, making it more versatile for different styles of playing.

 

### **Heavy Metal and High-Gain Amplifiers (1970s-1980s)**

In the 1970s and 1980s, distortion became even heavier as bands like Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, and later Metallica pushed the limits of gain. Marshall amplifiers, known for their high-gain tone, became the go-to choice for hard rock and metal bands, allowing for more sustained and aggressive sounds. Guitarists like Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) and Eddie Van Halen were known for their iconic distorted tones, which relied heavily on both amp overdrive and distortion pedals.

 

### **The Modern Era: Digital Distortion (1990s-Present)**

In the 1990s, digital technology revolutionized distortion. Digital pedals and multi-effects units began to emulate the classic sounds of tube amps and analog pedals with greater precision. This era also saw the rise of more extreme metal genres that demanded even more distortion and gain, pushing pedal manufacturers to create high-gain stompboxes like the Boss Metal Zone.

 

Today, digital amplifiers and software (e.g., Line 6 Helix, Kemper Profiling Amp) allow guitarists to access a wide range of distortion tones, from vintage fuzz to modern high-gain sounds, all in one device. Players can easily shape their sound using a combination of analog and digital tools, blending the warmth of traditional

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: The Damn Truth; Love Out Of Luck

Mr Pittsburgh: The Warning; Six Feet Deep

On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we return to our exploration of all things RUSH. On this edition we explore the follow up to their magnum opus Moving Pictures, Signals

 

Topics Covered:

 

What We Did This Week:

 

Loudini: Alien Romulus, A Quiet Place; Day One, Freeway, Perfect Stranger,  Rock & Metal have nothing to offer, Did Rita Coolidge write the outro to Layla? Why is gibson destroying guitars? The Texan Woodstock, Some things that you may not know about The Song Remains The Same; Jay Lo & Dave Grohl's "disappointing" behavior, Oasis reuniting (new album?), Happy Birthday Joe Perry,

Mr. Pittsburgh: Emily Armstrong with Linkin Park, Dave Grohl,  RIP James Earl Jones, Tiktok

 

RUSH; Signals Album

 

Track Breakdown

Subdivisions

Chemistry

The Weapon

Losing It

The Analog Kid

Digital Man

New World Man

Countdown

 

Production Notes

Gear Used

Reception

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: Descartes A Kant; Woman Sobbing https://www.descartesakant.com/

Mr. Pittsburgh: Linkin Park; The Emptiness Machine

Tired of the alorhythm picking your music for you? Are you bored with just listening to random singles from yester-year that your streaming service thinks that you should like? We are too!

On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus Podcast we share our picks for great road trip albums

 

Topics Covered:

What we did this week:

Loudini: Longlegs, Oasis reuniting, Dolly Parton retiring? A visit from "the Hawk", Zeena Schreck interview, Frankie Valli needs to retire, Robin Williams; Thief?, New Francis Ford Coppola flick looks wild & trailer woopsie, is Corey Feldman for real?, Bernie Sanders says "it's all rigged"

Mr. Pittsburgh:

Lily:

 

Albums for your fall/holiday road trips:

Lucinda Williams; Car Wheels On A Gravel Road

Tom Waits; Night Hawks At The Diner

Tears for Fears; Elemental

Marc Cohn; Marc Cohn

Extreme: Pornografitti

Oh Brother! Where Art Thou?

Graceland; Paul Simon

Fleetwood Mac; Rumours

John Hammond (jr); Wicked Grin

Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers; Greatest Hits

High Infidelity; REO Speewagon

RUSH; Moving Pictures

Aerosmith; Get A Grip

Appetite for Destruction; Guns & Roses

AC/DC; Highway To Hell/ Back in Black

Led Zeppelin; Physical Grafitti

 

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: Texas Hippie Coalition;

Lily: October Noir, Windows

Mr. Pittsburgh:

Have you been thinking that gender bending is a phenomenon of the millennial and gen z generations? Oh what short memories we have!

Rock artists have been playing with gender practically since the beginning of rock history.

So gather the family for this awkward, fun and often hilarious look at how rockers have pushed the boundaries of gender over the decades.

 

Topics Discussed:

 

What we did this week:

Loudini: Baghead, Jack Russell, Phil Donahue, Greg Kihn,  Loudini interviews Greg Kihn

Randall Smith fired from Mesa-Boogie? COuld AI end up improving music?, Mark Hamill is insane, Acolyte cancelled,

Mr. Pittsburgh:

Lily:

 

Rock's Gender Benders

Gender Bending Artists

David Bowie

Prince

Michael Jackson

Elton John

Grace Jones

Annie Lennox

Gender bending songs

Lola

Dude Looks Like A Lady

Walk on the Wild Side

Lady Stardust

Jet

https://www.cracked.com/blog/5-unexpected-true-stories-behind-famous-gender-bending-songs

 

Gender bending scenes, movements, genres

70's Glam

80's androgynous  new wave acts

80s Glam (hair) Metal

 

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: Geese; 2122

Mr Pittsburgh: Corey Glover's Universe; I am

Lily: All I Know; Playin' with Fire

The electric guitar and rock and roll go together like chocolate and peanut butter.... so much so, that many of the most important moments in rock history are also some of the most important in the history of the electric guitar.

On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus Podcast we discuss 10 important and defining moments in the history of the electric guitar

 

Topics Discussed:

 

What we did this week:

Loudini: The Blue Rose, Starve Acre, What the artists really thought of we are the world, Sincerity vs Irony in modern media,  The Van Halen album we never go to hear, RAYGUN & breakdancing in the Olympics,  is tone chasing a waste of time? Gibson's Junior Strategy, Milli Vanilli biopic,  How Prince set up the studio, Marcus King covering Workin' Man Blues, Make Weird Music

Mr. Pittsburgh: Boondock Saints, TikTok

 

10 defining Electric guitar moments

Charlie Christian w/ his Gibson ES 150

Les Paul's "log"

Muddy Waters

The Telecaster

Buddy Holly on Ed Sullivan with Strat

Johnny B. Goode, Mabeline etc... Chuck Berry

Hendrix... Monterey and Woodstock

Beatles on Ed Sullivan

Dylan goes electric

Van Halen I

 

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/the-50-greatest-moments-in-electric-guitar-history

 

 

New & Notable:

Mr. Pittsburgh:

Loudini: Andy Wood; Would?

While there are many guitar models out there associated with rock and roll there are two primary models that seem to have been in a foot race for dominance from day one. Since he 1950s The Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul have both captured the immaginations of guitarists around the world as well as the hosts of your favorite podcast! On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we bring you the story of how these two behemouths of rock fought for dominance in the hearts and hands of guitarists for the last 72 years and how they inspired each of us as well!

 

#lespaul

#stratocaster

#gibsonguitars

#fenderguitars

 

Topics DIscussed:

 

What we did this week:

Loudini: I saw the TV Glow, Under Paris, Horrorstor, the story of Dire Straits' Money for Nothing, Neal Schon & Jonathan Cain kiss and make up, Brian Jones' release from The Rolling Stones, why smart people believe stupid shit, Solid Gold, why don't marty's parents remember him?, anthony bourdain & robin williams, Loudini's quote of the week, guitar tip

Mr. Pittsburgh: Sorcerer, dog bites dog, tiktok

 

Les Pauls and Strats and our journey with both

 

Reference:

https://medium.com/@richwhite08/fender-stratocaster-vs-gibson-les-paul-an-in-depth-comparison-2abf2d8c35d7

 

Most famous Stratocaster Players

Most Famous Les Paul Players

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: Eve Of Uprise; One Left Standing

Mr. Pittsburgh: JD and the RetroRyders; What To Do?

On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we do something a litlle different and combine two of our series. First of all our RUSH series (The Rockin RUSH Circus) and our series entitled The Gear That Made Rock. So... this weeks is The Guitars of RUSH!

 

Topics Discussed:

What we did this week:

Loudini: Incidents Around The House; Maxxine, Billy Idol @ The Hoover Dam, Does Album artwork still matter in 2024? Did Jar Jar destroy Star Wars & Lucas Film? Joe B on John Mayhall and the RRHF, VH's 1984 tour,  Aerosmith Retires, Harrison Ford in the MCU???, Eurythmics Retrospective, Rick Beato steps in doo doo, Sammy Hagar interviews Extreme, Real Reason Jimmy Page left the Black Crows tour,  Pretty Reckless Live in Spain(Witches Burn) Stevie Ray Vaugh plays Comfortably Numb, Snuffaluppagus

Mr. Pittsburgh

 

The Guitars of RUSH

 

https://rush.fandom.com/wiki/Alex_Lifeson_equipment#Rush

 

https://rush.fandom.com/wiki/Geddy_Lee_equipment

 

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: Austin Gold; The Wire Defines

Mr Pittsburgh: Roses Undread; Brand New Me

How many times have you heard "Every Breath You Take" played at a wedding? Did you know that that song is not romantic at all? It's actually about stalking someone. On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we discuss this and many other classic rock songs that most people don't know are way darker that they ever thought.

 

Topics Discussed:

 

What we did this week:

Loudini: Arcadian, The Watchers, Last Man Standing, The Making of The Thing, Quinten Tarantino on Dirty Harry, The current guitar market, How Christopher Lloyd became Jim and Doc, The most famous musician on the planet, when Prince met "shinehead", how george martin saved Every Breath You Take, cancelling people is always bad (jack black, mark hamill etc...), Have you tried "A Brain"?, Iron Man is Dr. Doom,

Mr. Pittsurgh:

Lily:

 

Dark Songs:

https://loudwire.com/disturbing-songs-that-people-love/

 

Hell is for Children

 

Chop Suey

 

Du Hast

 

A Skeleton in the Closet

 

Santa Monica

 

Every Breath You Take

 

Like a Prayer

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: Crobot; Obsidian

Mr. Pittsburgh: Royale Lynn; Death Wish

Lily: Gavin Evick; Young Wild & Free

We know that all rock stars are fake... or are they? As it turns out rock stars are a lot like you and me... they are complicated! On this week's Loudini Rock & Roll Circus we attempt do discover the real people behind some of the greatest music ever made.

 

Topics discussed:

What we did this week:

Loudini: did grunge kill metal? is John 5 faking it with Motley Crue?, Loudini almost dies, Loudini Leaves TikTok & X,  David Lee Roth covers Baker Street, Joe Bonamassa & Train cover Hold On Loosely, "What Happened To Music" by Jon Blackstone , The Willows, For Sale,  Night Sky, Gary Moore Underrated?, That Aged Great

Mr. Pittsburgh: goes to the ER. Joe Bonamassa' Amos,

 

Rock stars:

Eddie Van Halen

David Bowie

Prince

Ozzy Osbourne

Bruce Springsteen

Chuck Berry 

https://youtu.be/qzXf2u9LNYc?si=_VHbI85PRTw6mQ5Z

Jimi Hendrix

Bono

Dave Grohl

Kurt Cobain

 

New & Notable:

Loudini: The Southern River Band;  Vice City III

Mr. Pittsburgh: The Pines; That's Alright