And This Why The Car's Elliott Easton Is a Frickin' Genius

[toomanycats]

I've listened to quite a lot of isolated guitar tracks on YouTube. The EVH, Warren DeMartini/Robin Crosby, and Randy Rhoads uploads have generally been my favorites. Do you see a trend here? Yeah, they're all hard rock/metal players.

That's why it may be surprising that I'm singling out Elliott Easton of The Cars. I can remember that Mr. Eastman penned a column for one of the major guitar magazines back in the 80s. At the time I didn't take him seriously. I mean, c'mon, he wasn't exactly a rock/metal shredder guitar hero. To me he looked like a geek with a bad wig. His band was poppy top 40 chart fodder. So I didn't pay too much attention.

But over the years I've listened more closely to some of the earlier songs by The Cars, the more rocking stuff where the guitar is more prominent than in the synth heavy, MTV era incarnation of the band. My appreciation of the band grew.

When I heard the isolated track for "Bye Bye Love" it was a revelation. Elliott Easton is great. He is in fact a guitar genius. The isolated guitar track for this song is a four minute and nineteen second sonic collage of masterful arrangement, eargasmic vintage guitar tones, delicious tube amp timbre, impeccable feel, and supremely tasteful phrasing.

Yeah, listening to the isolated guitar track is an great exercise. The tones and arrangement ate classy, especially the tone on the solo! Very tasty,

It's an amazing peek into the creative process of making that song. It's so cool how you can hear the the bleed through of the other instruments on the bridge. It's not pristine at all. Many of the transitions between parts have abrupt jumps and momentary pauses. That' the way they did it, either overdubbing or actually splicing tape. Also the fact that this entire arrangement is printed to one track, not multiple tracks. Today you'd just have separate tracks for every different tone and part, as the number of available tracks is practically limitless. Space was precious back then as they probably only had 24 tracks to work with.

[Bubba Zanetti]

I've listened to quite a lot of isolated guitar tracks on YouTube. The EVH, Warren DeMartini/Robin Crosby, and Randy Rhoads uploads have generally been my favorites. Do you see a trend here? Yeah, they're all hard rock/metal players.

That's why it may be surprising that I'm singling out Elliott Easton of The Cars. I can remember that Mr. Eastman penned a column for one of the major guitar magazines back in the 80s. At the time I didn't take him seriously. I mean, c'mon, he wasn't exactly a rock/metal shredder guitar hero. To me he looked like a geek with a bad wig. His band was poppy top 40 chart fodder. So I didn't pay too much attention.

But over the years I've listened more closely to some of the earlier songs by The Cars, the more rocking stuff where the guitar is more prominent than in the synth heavy, MTV era incarnation of the band. My appreciation of the band grew.

When I heard the isolated track for "Bye Bye Love" it was a revelation. Elliott Easton is great. He is in fact a guitar genius. The isolated guitar track for this song is a four minute and nineteen second sonic collage of masterful arrangement, eargasmic vintage guitar tones, delicious tube amp timbre, impeccable feel, and supremely tasteful phrasing.

Yeah, listening to the isolated guitar track is an great exercise. The tones and arrangement ate classy, especially the tone on the solo! Very tasty,

It's an amazing peek into the creative process of making that song. It's so cool how you can hear the the bleed through of the other instruments on the bridge. It's not pristine at all. Many of the transitions between parts have abrupt jumps and momentary pauses. That' the way they did it, either overdubbing or actually splicing tape. Also the fact that this entire arrangement is printed to one track, not multiple tracks. Today you'd just have separate tracks for every different tone and part, as the number of available tracks is practically limitless. Space was precious back then as they probably only had 24 tracks to work with.

Good point on the preciousness of tape and track count. You bring up the awesomeness of listening to isolated guitar tracks with this thread...it’s like sitting next to the guitarist and you get to hear things like what can be found here @ 3:20...

[toomanycats]

Yeah, listening to the isolated guitar track is an great exercise. The tones and arrangement ate classy, especially the tone on the solo! Very tasty,

It's an amazing peek into the creative process of making that song. It's so cool how you can hear the the bleed through of the other instruments on the bridge. It's not pristine at all. Many of the transitions between parts have abrupt jumps and momentary pauses. That' the way they did it, either overdubbing or actually splicing tape. Also the fact that this entire arrangement is printed to one track, not multiple tracks. Today you'd just have separate tracks for every different tone and part, as the number of available tracks is practically limitless. Space was precious back then as they probably only had 24 tracks to work with.

Good point on the preciousness of tape and track count. You bring up the awesomeness of listening to isolated guitar tracks with this thread...it’s like sitting next to the guitarist and you get to hear things like what can be found here @ 3:20...

Amazing how they even captured George belching at 3:20. That was tracked late in the evening and George had had some spicy hot bbq for dinner. That was his routine back in 1990, gym, bbq and a protein shake, tanning booth, then hit the studio.

[Bubba Zanetti]

It's an amazing peek into the creative process of making that song. It's so cool how you can hear the the bleed through of the other instruments on the bridge. It's not pristine at all. Many of the transitions between parts have abrupt jumps and momentary pauses. That' the way they did it, either overdubbing or actually splicing tape. Also the fact that this entire arrangement is printed to one track, not multiple tracks. Today you'd just have separate tracks for every different tone and part, as the number of available tracks is practically limitless. Space was precious back then as they probably only had 24 tracks to work with.

Good point on the preciousness of tape and track count. You bring up the awesomeness of listening to isolated guitar tracks with this thread...it’s like sitting next to the guitarist and you get to hear things like what can be found here @ 3:20...

Amazing how they even captured George belching at 3:20. That was tracked late in the evening and George had had some spicy hot bbq for dinner. That was his routine back in 1990, gym, bbq and a protein shake, tanning booth, then hit the studio.

Everything aside, there's always time for BBQ.

[fullonshred]

I've listened to quite a lot of isolated guitar tracks on YouTube. The EVH, Warren DeMartini/Robin Crosby, and Randy Rhoads uploads have generally been my favorites. Do you see a trend here? Yeah, they're all hard rock/metal players.

That's why it may be surprising that I'm singling out Elliott Easton of The Cars. I can remember that Mr. Eastman penned a column for one of the major guitar magazines back in the 80s. At the time I didn't take him seriously. I mean, c'mon, he wasn't exactly a rock/metal shredder guitar hero. To me he looked like a geek with a bad wig. His band was poppy top 40 chart fodder. So I didn't pay too much attention.

But over the years I've listened more closely to some of the earlier songs by The Cars, the more rocking stuff where the guitar is more prominent than in the synth heavy, MTV era incarnation of the band. My appreciation of the band grew.

When I heard the isolated track for "Bye Bye Love" it was a revelation. Elliott Easton is great. He is in fact a guitar genius. The isolated guitar track for this song is a four minute and nineteen second sonic collage of masterful arrangement, eargasmic vintage guitar tones, delicious tube amp timbre, impeccable feel, and supremely tasteful phrasing.

I felt the same way about Easton back then as you did. I still feel the same today. There wasn't anything at all in the iso track that screams or even hints genius to me. Very basic stuff and not particularly creative. I understand opinions vary, this one is mine. The only song by The Cars I ever thought had anything going for it was Candy-O. There may have been one other but I sure can't recall it at this moment.

[nomadh]

I did read once people who saw them back in the day said it was the most boring concert they ever saw, the band just stood there and played but did every hit exactly note for note like the radio.

This live performance from 1978 is pretty compelling. Great charisma and musicianship.

Just makes me realize I could have just been a singer back then and been dead of a social disease by the age of 30. Seems integrity saved my life

[nomadh]

Yeah, listening to the isolated guitar track is an great exercise. The tones and arrangement ate classy, especially the tone on the solo! Very tasty,

It's an amazing peek into the creative process of making that song. It's so cool how you can hear the the bleed through of the other instruments on the bridge. It's not pristine at all. Many of the transitions between parts have abrupt jumps and momentary pauses. That' the way they did it, either overdubbing or actually splicing tape. Also the fact that this entire arrangement is printed to one track, not multiple tracks. Today you'd just have separate tracks for every different tone and part, as the number of available tracks is practically limitless. Space was precious back then as they probably only had 24 tracks to work with.

Good point on the preciousness of tape and track count. You bring up the awesomeness of listening to isolated guitar tracks with this thread...it’s like sitting next to the guitarist and you get to hear things like what can be found here @ 3:20...

Thats my kind of genius

[Lefty Leo]

I know Elliot. He is a regular on a lefty forum I participate in.

What lefty forum?

Inquiring minds want to know.

[tobijohn]

I know Elliot. He is a regular on a lefty forum I participate in.

What lefty forum?

Inquiring minds want to know.

leftyfrets.com

[Gergo]

I know Elliot. He is a regular on a lefty forum I participate in.

Can you tell me what the left-handed forum your in is? I am left handed, but I taught myself to play guitar right handed, so my options in choosing guitars would be better. Still, I do feel a connection with lefty players, since I am lefty in everything else. Don't know how welcome I would be there, but I would still like to check it out.

Wait...never mind. The answer is right above

[Gergo]

I've listened to quite a lot of isolated guitar tracks on YouTube. The EVH, Warren DeMartini/Robin Crosby, and Randy Rhoads uploads have generally been my favorites. Do you see a trend here? Yeah, they're all hard rock/metal players.

That's why it may be surprising that I'm singling out Elliott Easton of The Cars. I can remember that Mr. Eastman penned a column for one of the major guitar magazines back in the 80s. At the time I didn't take him seriously. I mean, c'mon, he wasn't exactly a rock/metal shredder guitar hero. To me he looked like a geek with a bad wig. His band was poppy top 40 chart fodder. So I didn't pay too much attention.

But over the years I've listened more closely to some of the earlier songs by The Cars, the more rocking stuff where the guitar is more prominent than in the synth heavy, MTV era incarnation of the band. My appreciation of the band grew.

When I heard the isolated track for "Bye Bye Love" it was a revelation. Elliott Easton is great. He is in fact a guitar genius. The isolated guitar track for this song is a four minute and nineteen second sonic collage of masterful arrangement, eargasmic vintage guitar tones, delicious tube amp timbre, impeccable feel, and supremely tasteful phrasing.

Yeah, listening to the isolated guitar track is an great exercise. The tones and arrangement ate classy, especially the tone on the solo! Very tasty,

It's an amazing peek into the creative process of making that song. It's so cool how you can hear the the bleed through of the other instruments on the bridge. It's not pristine at all. Many of the transitions between parts have abrupt jumps and momentary pauses. That' the way they did it, either overdubbing or actually splicing tape. Also the fact that this entire arrangement is printed to one track, not multiple tracks. Today you'd just have separate tracks for every different tone and part, as the number of available tracks is practically limitless. Space was precious back then as they probably only had 24 tracks to work with.

Yup. Sounds like a good fashioned tape splicing job. I used to work in a studio as a high school kid and they taught me that. It is just so dinosaur and far removed from todays technology. Amazing what they had to resort to doing back then.

[Gergo]

Always been into Elliott Easton. He was underrated. He always had really nice phrasing and his solos were very well thought out.

[tonebender]

A very good sample of how to play your part in the band and get out the way the rest of the time. Less is more approach. Some very tasty licks. I wore than album out when it hit the streets. I traveled between Norfolk and Danville each weekend and it was on the play list along with Van Halen's first, Frampton Comes Alive, Boston's first, Outlaws, Skynyrd, Blackfoot, Joe Walsh and a few others. That would get me the 225 miles. I'd put the Cars first effort in my top 10 or 12 favorite records. I was a guitar band man and did not see this record as pop, funny how we all see things differently. I see that perspective if you preferred hard rock over say, southern rock.

[JeffBeck]

@toomanycats I don't think I ever knew he played on that! Thanks for telling me - I knew there was a reason I always liked that song. I think he actually is still playing that same strat these days. Jesus. Cy is even in the video! How did I miss this for decades?

He plays on Tina's entire Private Dancer album. That's about as iconic 80s as it gets.

Indeed. Maybe that's why I was (and remain) such a fan of Private Dancer. I honestly had no idea he played on any of it - I suppose I just assumed it was all studio musicians from the first time I ever heard it and never bothered to research it at all. I'm glad you clued me in. It makes me strangely happy to know of the Fixx connection to this album.