The Underrated B-52’s

[Mileslong 4728]

 

I’ve been listening to a lot of them lately trying to learn a couple of their tunes on the guitar and it’s made me appreciate them even more.

A lot of people think of them at worst a novelty band and at best a party band. Once you start trying to learn some of their music you learn quickly it’s way more complicate than you think it might be.

They have some badass musicians, Rick Wilson was a very underrated guitarist who was very innovative. He has some of the strangest tunings, see below.

Once he passed away their drummer, Keith Strickland, became their lead guitar player and he can play any instrument and is awesome in his own right. He along with Fred Schneider write their tunes and arranges everything.

When Strickland moved to guitar, they grabbed one of the most badass drummers around in Sterling Campbell who played with Duran Duran and David Bowie.

Here is Wilson’s tunings, he basically pulls the G and usually tunes the bottom two both be B.

DADxBB

EADxBB

EBDxBB

BADxG#C#

CFxxFF

And here a sample showing their skills, great tune “Pump” from the album Funplex. This entire concert is on YouTube, it’s great.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 26, 2018 by Mileslong

[phdhorn 6224]

I dunno, they're talented and deserve all the kudos, but I think of Rick Wilson as the Ian Curtis of the B-52's.  It was he who really defined the originality of the band, and once he was gone, they carried on in his tradition. Point:  B52's would never have made it out of Athens without Rick Wilson's pioneering sounds.

Edited June 26, 2018 by phdhorn

[Deej 76858]

Wilson is reported to have once stated "I just tune the strings till I hear something I like, and then something comes out...No, I don't write anything down I have no idea how the tunings go." 

 

I wish that worked for me. 
 

[Mileslong 4728]

Wilson also had an odd collection of guitars

1965-66 Mosrite Mark II "The Ventures Model", blue (german carve body/short scale, as pictured in the B-52's debut album)

1965-67 Mosrite Mark II/V "The Ventures Model", Dark Green/Black/Refin.? (german carve body/short scale, as seen in a live performance of "Rock Lobster" in '78)

1966-1967 Mosrite Mark V, Blue (Tuned to CFxxFF)

1965-68 Mosrite Joe Maphis Dual Neck 6/12 String Guitar

1966-68 Mosrite Mark V, Sunburst (Tuned in Drop D or DADxBB; used for Strobe Light, possibly with lighter strings)

1975 Mosrite Ventures (or Mark I,) Sunburst (Commonly tuned to DADxBB, sometimes tuned to BADxG#C#)

1960s Silvertone 1448 (Ricky's first electric guitar)

1970s Epiphone Crestwood with Humbuckers (Used for 6060-842 and also played by Kate in 52 Girls)

He also sometimes played Stratocasters and Telecasters.

[Buzzrock 14935]

[Gil Bang 25984]

I know one thing: they sound better live than on their records, and I like their records. Amazing live sound.

[Onboard 2.0 9083]

Nothing underrated about the B-52's.

[Mileslong 4728]

14 hours ago, Gil Bang said:

I know one thing: they sound better live than on their records, and I like their records. Amazing live sound.

totally agree, their recordings are over produced imo...

[Litig8r 414]

Two points.  I was looking up the tabs for Rock Lobster and read where he removed the bottom three strings.  Second we took my then 16 year old daughter to see them when the played a show after a ATL braves games.  The looks on her face were like, "Dad your kidding right".  "These folks are weird".  Priceless