AN IMAGINARY COMPILATION ALBUM : #357: UNCOMMON INSTRUMENTS (2)

RIPPING OFF THE IDEA FROM JONNY THE FRIENDLY LAWYER

JTFL, having offered up some ICAs featuring Trumpets, then went one better with an ICA  made up of ten tracks in which uncommon instruments were used – Steel Drums, Theremin, Oboe, Musical Saw, Harp, Xylophone, Melodica, Spoons, Harpsichord and Mellotron.

The task I set myself was to come up with ten completely different instruments.  I’ve managed it, and while there’s a few more familiar instruments involved, they are not heard on recordings on a very frequent basis.  Oh, and I only had to look one of them up.   Let’s starts with something Scottish……

SIDE A

1. Bagpipes

Sleep The Clock Around – Belle and Sebastian

The pipes drone their way in at the end of this, the second track of the band’s third album, The Boy With The Arab Strap.   Credit is given to Ian Mackay for this one and appears to be the only song on which the piper is credited anywhere on Discogs.

2. Banjo

Sing – Travis

I’m not a musician and haven’t ever paid much attention to the origins of any instruments.  I’ve always assumed the banjo came out of one of the states of America, but have now been educated and finally know that the modern take on it derives from African-style instruments brought to that part of the word by enslaved people.

Sing was the first single to be lifted from the album The Invisible Band and, in reaching #3 in May 2001 turned out to be the most successful 45 released by Travis.  The banjo is played by their guitarist, Andy Dunlop.

3. Chapman Stick

I Don’t Remember – Peter Gabriel

This is the one I had to look up.   I had come up with nine instruments, but reckoned that a glance at the credits on Peter Gabriel 3, released back in 1980, would throw something different up.  And so it proved.

The Chapman Stick was developed in the early 70s by jazz musician Emmett Chapman.  It has ten or twelve individually tuned strings and is used to play bass lines, melody lines, chords, or textures, and unlike the electric guitar, it is usually played by tapping or fretting the strings, rather than plucking them. (you can tell I’ve looked this up!!).  Tony Levin, a proliic session and touring musician, was one of the first to specialise in playing the Chapman Stick and it’s his work you’ll hear on I Don’t Remember.

4. Glockenspiel

No Surprises – Radiohead

A rather beautiful number from OK Computer (1997) which was later released as a single and reached #4 in January 1998.  The single was accompanied by a brilliant but scary video that I’m sure all of you have seen.  If not, then head over to YouTube or the likes.  The glockenspiel on this one is courtesy of Jonny Greenwood.

5. Trombone

Hyperactive – Thomas Dolby

It seems that Thomas Dolby wrote this with the intention of having Michael Jackson record it.  Having sent the ‘King of Pop’ a demo version but hearing nothing back, he decided to have a go at it himself, and in doing so kind of throws the kitchen sink at it, including a trombone solo from Peter Thoms

SIDE B

1. Accordion

This Is The Day – The The

An instrument that makes me think of France, as it seems to accompany any first sighting of the Eiffel Tower in any feature film or documentary.   It’s use on this, one of my favourite songs of all time, made it a certainty for the ICA.  It is played by the then 24-year-old and largely unknown Wix, but who has since become a bit of a legend as part of Paul McCartney‘s touring band since 1989.

2. Mandolin

When I’m Asleep –Butcher Boy

Yet another song in which the accordion introduces proceedings, this time thanks to Alison Eales.  But its inclusion on the ICA is thanks to Basil Pieroni’s contribution via mandolin.  It was either this or Losing My Religion, but I reckon you’re being treated to a better song.

3. Harmonica

For Once In My Life  – Stevie Wonder

I wasn’t sure about including the harmonica in the ICA as it is quite common, relatively speaking.  There are hundreds of examples out there, but I’ve settled on this rather fabulous upbeat pop single from 1968.  Stevie Wonder‘s take on it is quite different from the original, as it was written as, and subsequently recorded as, a slow ballad by a number of different performers.

4. Bassoon

Flaming Sword – Care

I knew this single from 1983 contained an unusual instrument, but I couldn’t have told you what was making the sound.   But I’ve just finished reading Revolutionary Spirit: A Post-Punk Exorcism, the very enjoyable memoir penned by Paul Simpson, who among other things was one-half of Care, and he mentions, on Page 205, that it is bassoon-laden.  He doesn’t say, however, who played it.

5. Clarinet

Say Hello Wave Goodbye – Soft Cell

Not the version you all are most familiar with, either through the 7″ or 12″ singles that have been featured on the blog on many previous occasions.  This is the b-side of the 7″.  It’s an instrumental version.  It’s rather wonderful, thanks  to the two Daves – Mr Ball or synths and drum machine and Mr Tofani on clarinet.

Bonus Song

Tindersticks – No More Affairs (instrumental)

In keeping with the closing track of the ICA, here’s the b-side of a 1994 single, in which the voice of Stuart Staples is replaced by the magnificent Terry Edwards on trumpet.

 

JC