Seriously. I've always loved this song but until I saw this footage I didn't comprehend. To see him not just play these four instruments, but be freakin' BADASS at ALL of them! It's just a whole other level of talent.
@@willasacco9898 I am a multi-instrumentalist myself, but I'm only actually good at one, OK at a couple, and barely good enough to keep up on another couple (if we keep it simple), but this kind of cross-virtuosity is SOOOO beyond what I can do!
@@kevdmiller You are still ahead of most of us, believe me. How many people can play one instrument, let alone four. You have confidence and a great work ethic to get that far. Those are my thoughts as a non-musician music geek. Stay well✌️
I saw him in 74. Totally insane amount of energy from the whole group. Nobody then knew that he played so many instruments. We were blown away with the performance.
There are 2 studio versions. A short single, radio friendly version and the longer album version. This one is a monster. Rick Derringer is playing guitar here.
Nope, Ronnie Montrose played guitar on the studio version and Derringer was the producer. After Ronnie left to found Montrose with Sammy Hagar Rick stepped up to the plate and took over Edit: sorry, that was me being an idiot. I didn’t realise he was playing the live version until it started haha. It’s Derringer on this cut
The Old Grey Whistle Test is an absolute treasure trove of live performances from pretty much every artiste of the day. It's pure rock and roll history.
@@russellmorgan5611 I watched it in my teens, saw this the first time it was transmitted and SABH doing their set as mentioned by Paul though my fav was Next. I also got to see SAHB live about this time as well, the encore song was Faith Healer IIRC.
@@paulpuerling9504 - I'd watched that clip again only recently! 😀👍 My favourite _funny_ OGWT performance: The Damned 😂🙈 th-cam.com/video/YZ76LC_l8yk/w-d-xo.html
People say that you need 10000 hours of practice to master a subject but this... this goes beyond mastery, it's even more than instinctual. It's a fundamental understanding of how to manipulate sound.
While I was working in an L.A. Music repair shop, Edgar brought in one of his 2 stage keyboards with an intermittent problem (that one in the video might even be it). I helped figure out what the problem was and got a live solo performance of 'Frankenstein' while he tested it. I stood about foot and a 1/2 away with about six other peeps in a room the size of a large closet. Pretty cool stuff.
@@davorzmaj753 Maybe even better was when he high fived me after for solving the problem that had been plaguing him for months (intermittent problems are the worst.). The shop was a happy camp for the rest of the day to be sure.
The Old Grey Whistle Test got its name from a story concerning the Brill building in New York’s tin pan alley. If a songwriter heard one of the old janitors whistling a tune they had been working on, then they knew that song was going to be a hit. It had passed the ‘old greys’ whistle test.
Sometime in the late 70's/early 80's David Letterman had Edgar Winter on his show and David advised the audience that any opportunity to see Edgar in concert would include a long rendition of Frankenstein, and to use a watch to time the length. I later got to see Edgar with George Thorogood in a volleyball court behind a bar called Minder-Binder's in Tempe, and the Frankenstein that night was 19 minutes long. Thanks for the tip, Dave!
"You can never have too much percussion, y'all." I must say, as a drummer, it makes me so happy to hear non-drummers the caliber of Doug say this. 《 induces sniff & 1 tear 》💧
Yes, exactly. Somebody else commented that it was an ARP2600. Analogue synth controllers like this were pretty easy to hook up. Keith Emerson did similar with his ribbon controller and Moog modular.
I just watched Edgar play this with Ringo Starr & friends summer 2022. He can still rock! And it was awesome seeing Steve Lukather play the guitar riffs. Always loved this song.
Great to see this music being kept alive. Rick Derringer on guitar, who wrote Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo, which became a huge hit for brother Johnny Winter.
Oh, how I miss The Old Grey Whistle Test. I remember seeing that and going out the next day and getting the single (which I still have 51 years later).
The synth that Edgar is playing is an ARP 2600 - it has a rack-mount main electronics module, and a separate keyboard connected by a "curly-cord". It was not intended to be strapped on, but Edgar wanted stage freedom, so he mounted the strap himself ... just screwed it in! The keyboard weighed quite a bit - possibly as much as 20 pounds (I've never been able to find an official weight)! ... And Edgar played that sax lead - and the first timbale bit - with the keyboard still strapped on! The tapes that were "Frankensteined" together were from earlier live shows: Edgar recorded everything, and the band would just jam as an intro and warm-up. The "Double Drum Song" was one warm-up routine, and the main riff is another one: they were originally not specifically the same song! They needed one more song for their debut album, and Edgar just started putting bits of those recordings together! The name itself apparently came about because drummer Chuck Ruff walked in during Edgar's splicing madness and said something to the effect of "You're creating a Frankenstein's Monster!" It was only after the fact that the band learned the song as a single piece from the tapes rather than the usual other way around - and regular guitarist Ronnie Montrose couldn't make this gig, so the band's producer Rick Derringer filled in quite nicely!
This absolutely LIVE performance is off-the-chain! My 1st-ever concert was this exact group of 4 guys...during this time frame. The Old Grey Whistle Test was a great programme...Germany's The Beat Club is another.
Speaking of Edgars keyboard, I saw them play this song on Ringo's All-Star Tour in '08. After he put the keyboard on, he said (I'm paraphrasing here) I came up with this design, so I guess you could say I invented the first strap on (sexual innuendo). After a hardy laugh, they preceded to play a smok'in version of Frankenstein. A damn good show all in all. Edgar's brother Johnny was a star in his own right. One hell of a guitarist. RIP Johnny
I guarantee that his keyboard weighed 50 lbs +. There are some good interviews with Edgar, where he talks about the synth and the creation of this song. He's a musical force, for sure.
I sat in a small teaching with Edgar Winter and his wife. Edgar was one of the x that were set to open the hard Rock Cafe in Orlando. After watching him rehearse with a guitar player who was clueless.... I got up the nerve to tell him that I just brought a brand new Carvin and when he goes back after the break I would love to play Frankenstein with him... I told him I've been playing at my whole life and at that point had a good 20 plus years of playing under my belt... And now I'm sitting in the room with Mr Frankenstein.... He said sure Mark go grab your guitar and Let's Jam. That was probably the most exciting musical moment by playing career until Rick Derringer one of my guitar heroes walked in... Everyone tells me I should have got right up on that stage plugged in and told Rick Edgar just said I could jam with you guys.... Of course I didn't do that or I'd be writing a different story..... The moral is... Always take advantage of a great opportunity... Because you may not get a second chance
I've seen Edgar live five times. Frankenstein is still a work in progress. Over the five times I've seen him, the time for this song ranged from 9 minutes to almost 20. Always adding or changing stuff every time.
Great Video and this was definitely the live version to check out - Keep the content coming Doug! Not sure if anyone commented about it but the Synth he's using is an Arp2600, it's a full semi-modular synth but he took the keyboard and added straps to make him more mobile just like you mentioned
"They should have hired me to play the little bicycle horn"! 🤣 Were you even around in 1973? This was such a huge hit for them. Rocked me all year long!
Your knowledge and breakdown of this instrumental is FANTASTIC and the best I’ve ever heard… ever! 🙌🏻🔥. I’ve watched a ton of reactions over the years to this and not one of them had the info you did… phenomenal! Thank you so much!
Developed live, originally called “The Double Drum Solo.” This performance is a recreation of the original long studio version. It was cut down to 4:45 for the album and 3:28 for the single. The master tape had so many splices, someone said it looked like Frankenstein … and so, history.
Despite knowing many of Edgar Winter's songs, I'm sort of just discovering the band. Your reaction is appreciated. While listening, I noticed proof of your time in Murphy. I walked past there many times on my way to Malott, Hoch, Wescoe and others.
I saw this performance on its original broadcast and loved it immediately. The Old Grey Whistle Test had the advantage of usually being the last show before the station closed for the night, so if a band felt like stretching out they didn't have to worry about being cut off.
The Old Grey Whistle Test with Whispering Bob Harris...superb....many legendary (always live) performances on TOGWT...Little Feat's 'Rock'n' Roll Doctor is a personal fav...nice one Doug :)
One memorable moment on OGWT was John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett destroying their kit before the end of the show. th-cam.com/video/3V_32BS-ALw/w-d-xo.html
Best music programme ever. It was such a refreshing change from the anodyne garbage on Top of the Pops. Jools Holland's show these days isn't a patch on TOGWT. I discovered so many great bands via Whisperin' Bob and Annie N.
Some time around '91 or '92, I went to a club in L.A. to see a bunch of bands play. There were 4 or 5 acts that night, no big bands, just up and comers. One of the bands had 2 drummers, one at a sit down set and one standing up like Edgar, but with a lot more drums both vertical and horizontal. Every other song in their set, the 2 drummers traded places. It was a great night for percussion.
I suddenly respect Edgar Winter loads more than I did 15 minutes ago. That was Friggin' awesome! Rock on! I must subscribe to your channel, I tell ya! Thanks, guy.
This was from the Old Grey Whistle Test (OGWT 1971 to 1988) which gave a platform for many ground-breaking artists from the UK and afar. Everyone played live - no exceptions. I could list many great performances from the their, but I'll let you discover them for yourself.
That is just the keyboard section of the ARP 2600 synthesizer connected via cable. It's the synth that he kneels at to make those noises. You could do the same thing with a Moog modular synth.
Very cool Doug! I was lucky to see Edgar play Frankenstein live once with his group White Trash and a couple of times with Ringo's All Starr Band. Magic! A friend of mine blew a speaker playing Frankenstein during the synth solo of the album version.
It’s been 5 months since you reacted to this song, so maybe time for another live performance from Edgar but this time w/his brother Johnny on blues guitar, check out Tobacco Road if you can. Edgar does vocal scatting that sounds a lot like the riff on the sax! Incredible talent, both of them.
I was fortunate to see them live in 1974, and then Edgar Winter was 3rd billing in a concert my son took me to in 2017 (with Deep Purple and Alice Cooper). He's amazing live!
The Winters....the Beaumont TX rockers, besides the big bopper, and Janice Joplin in the nearby town ot Port Arthur TX. Those were rocking times....the rest of the country didn't even know about it at the time I was up the road in Houston.
The OGWT was filmed in a BBC studio in west London, with no audience. As you watch all these videos bear in mind they are being watched by half a dozen old guys in cardigans.
If you like the 'double drum duet' you have to check out Phil Collins & Chester Thompson in Genesis live, before the start of Los Endos. It was a staple up until last year's final Genesis tour.
th-cam.com/video/3pS_eQT0Uz8/w-d-xo.html&feature=emb_logo Not just inside the Genesis tent, but with his own 'big band' again with Chester Thompson. The track is 'And so to F', a piece he composed for the 'other' band he occasionally played in, 'Brand X' th-cam.com/video/3Ko7Dza3W-c/w-d-xo.html
Doug if you liked this one you have to check out the YT video titled Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter Tobacco Road Live. You won't believe Edgars singing , sax playing and keyboard playing as well as Johnny's guitar work Very cool video.
Had this one on a 45. For all you young en's that means a 45 RPM Record that is 60% smaller than a full size LP and has one song on each side. At the time 45's sold for $0.60 to $0.90, a much cheaper alternative to an album for $5.60. (smiles)
Almost always had one track pr. side, but there are exceptions with two or more tracks on at least one of the sides. (and then you got the Ep the size of a '45... )
I read that Edgar frankensteined that keyboard with his own ideas so that he could wear it with the shoulder strap. He says the record company was ecstatic about it. So were the audiences!
Gregg Bissonette covers this on his debut with his bro Matt on bass and Doug Bossi and George Bernhardt on the guitars. Great Version! I love the live Edgar Winter Group version of course. Always fun to watch!
About the keyboard, your observation is kinda right. But it wasn't a dedicated remote keyboard, these indeed came up in latest 70s and early 80s (Moog Liberation, Sequential Remote, Roland SH-101, Yamaha KX1 etc.). Edgar famously used the Keyboard of the ARP 2600. That was ARPs' bigger Model (compared to the Odyssey, smaller than the huge modular 2500), a half modular design. You can see the device standing behind him which was the synthesizer. Being half modular it came in a case and the keyboard was connected by a ribbon cable. And that's the thing he's wearing. The later Remote Keyboards or Keytars usually did not have their own sound engines but played other synths via MIDI. And that was invented 11 years later.
My first guitar teacher and guitar Idol (John Andrews- Buffalo, NY) used to play this in his 4 piece metal band in the early 80's. No keyboards, he did it all on guitar and nailed it note for note. That's one reason I got him to be my first guitar teacher.
This was the first concert I ever wen to at 16. I saw them in Richmond VA in 1973. WOW. After the gig Edger came out and asked if we would mind his brother Johnny came out and jammed for a while. I got in trouble because we stayed until after 2:00 am for them to finish. (edgar started @ 8:00pm) They played straight through!!! Those were the days.
As far as I understand, the Whistle Test was aired very late at night just before broadcasting ended for the day, which meant that the last act on the show could potentially overrun, and play a longer piece than was usual. This resulted in some wonderful live performances being recorded, this one included
Edgar Winter was perhaps the first to use the synth in that way. To be precise, he uses an ARP 2600 that has a standard, cable connected but separate keyboard.
Exactly this - he’s attached a strap to the ARP keyboard, which is conveniently separate from the main synth electronics. Jo Zawinul also took advantage of this separation, but in a different way - he would sometimes turn the keyboard round and play it “backwards” to get new melodic ideas from familiar fingerings.
The synth he was playing, was the famous ARP 2600. The "Thunder" effect was him playing around with the "White noise" or the "Pink noise" sound generator. The middle part of the song, was Edgar just tweeking around with the "Filter" section of the synth, making it "self oscillate" sometimes (of course, an "ADSR" and some " LFO Modulation" were used too). I think "sample and hold", might have been involved also. Sounded very cool back in the day, but very easy to create.
Basically, Edgar Winter was one of the first artists to us a strapped keyboard. He wanted to be out in front, and not hidden behind a keyboard setup, so he developed a way to attach a guitar strap to keyboards.
Bill Sager. You may already know this. Apparently Gary Wright - he of "Dream Weaver" fame, went on the road with a "no guitar band" using these strap keyboards and a drummer. Stay safe and well.
Edgar is playing all the instruments! He te- recorded Frankenstein and issued it as Fankenstiin '84.; It first debuted on MTV in 1984:Halloween eve. He also played all on it too.
One of those songs that tells a story so clearly. And I so appreciate the lengthy shots so we can really watch them playing the instruments, rather than a bunch of rapid and badly judged jump cuts.
I saw Edgar so this live in like late 72 or early 73. Rick Derringer was the guitarist. Amazing stuff. Edgar is the greatest multi-instrument guy in rock.
Sorry, but Montrose was on the studio. For the live version, that's Rick Derringer on guitar - who was a wall known musician, who scored a major hit as a solo artist with "Rock and Roll Hootchie Coo"
Also "Hang On Sloopy", as lead singer of the McCoys. It's rumored that he took his stage name from the picture of the Deringer single shot pistol that Bang Records had on their label. (His birth name was Rick D. Zehringer)
Hi Doug, loved this and I remember that episode of the OGWT! The group Argent did “ music from the spheres” on one episode. That would be an interesting one for you to review ( and a fab talented group too)
Guitarist on this live track is actually Rick Derringer. Ronnie Montrose played guitar on the studio version.
I saw Rick in a little arena in Asbury Park back in 1977 opening for Heart.
Saw them in concert with Rick, fantastic!
Saw Edgar with Ringo Starr’s all star band back in October. Great version of Frankenstein. He still has it and he’s in his 70’s
I can only guess; on another planet: If Edgar hadn't done this, Mr Zappa would've(ha-ha).
You are correct!
Can we just take a moment to appreciate the sheer talent of Edgar Winter? He's a multi-instrumentalist virtuoso.
he had to compete with Johnny...lol...and he did just that
Seriously. I've always loved this song but until I saw this footage I didn't comprehend. To see him not just play these four instruments, but be freakin' BADASS at ALL of them! It's just a whole other level of talent.
@@kevdmiller Pure genius - Most of us don’t possess it, but we can appreciate it on pieces like this.
@@willasacco9898 I am a multi-instrumentalist myself, but I'm only actually good at one, OK at a couple, and barely good enough to keep up on another couple (if we keep it simple), but this kind of cross-virtuosity is SOOOO beyond what I can do!
@@kevdmiller You are still ahead of most of us, believe me. How many people can play one instrument, let alone four. You have confidence and a great work ethic to get that far. Those are my thoughts as a non-musician music geek. Stay well✌️
I saw Edgar Winter perform this in 2022 when he was touring with Ringo Starr. He was still amazing. God, we are all so old but we had amazing music.
I saw him in 74. Totally insane amount of energy from the whole group. Nobody then knew that he played so many instruments. We were blown away with the performance.
There are 2 studio versions. A short single, radio friendly version and the longer album version.
This one is a monster. Rick Derringer is playing guitar here.
Check out the cover of this song by Overkill.
@@metalmark1214 yuck
Yes! I remember hearing it on the radio. The ‘70s were a glorious time for rock and FM radio.
@@ZalMoxis Same thing I say about most prog, 🤣
Nope, Ronnie Montrose played guitar on the studio version and Derringer was the producer. After Ronnie left to found Montrose with Sammy Hagar Rick stepped up to the plate and took over
Edit: sorry, that was me being an idiot. I didn’t realise he was playing the live version until it started haha. It’s Derringer on this cut
Edgar Winter on triple duty & the incomparable & underrated Rick Derringer on lead guitar. Saw Rick many times👍
The Old Grey Whistle Test is an absolute treasure trove of live performances from pretty much every artiste of the day. It's pure rock and roll history.
Meat Loaf's live "Paradise by the Dashboard Light" on this show is a performance to marvel at and treasure!!! It's on TH-cam!!
@@fiddleandfart My fav is SAHB doing "Give My Compliments to the Chef"
When that show turned up i thought all my birthdays had come at once. Opened up the soundtrack to my life. Thank you BBC.
@@russellmorgan5611 I watched it in my teens, saw this the first time it was transmitted and SABH doing their set as mentioned by Paul though my fav was Next. I also got to see SAHB live about this time as well, the encore song was Faith Healer IIRC.
@@paulpuerling9504 - I'd watched that clip again only recently! 😀👍 My favourite _funny_ OGWT performance: The Damned 😂🙈 th-cam.com/video/YZ76LC_l8yk/w-d-xo.html
The synth being used is an ARP 2600, and was chosen because of the separate keyboard from the main unit.
People say that you need 10000 hours of practice to master a subject but this... this goes beyond mastery, it's even more than instinctual. It's a fundamental understanding of how to manipulate sound.
I had seen Edgars Group live in concert twice. (1973, 1974) I also saw his brother one time in Texas. So much talent between the two it is amazing.
While I was working in an L.A. Music repair shop, Edgar brought in one of his 2 stage keyboards with an intermittent problem (that one in the video might even be it). I helped figure out what the problem was and got a live solo performance of 'Frankenstein' while he tested it. I stood about foot and a 1/2 away with about six other peeps in a room the size of a large closet. Pretty cool stuff.
Wow, that's a memory to treasure, for sure!
@@davorzmaj753 Maybe even better was when he high fived me after for solving the problem that had been plaguing him for months (intermittent problems are the worst.). The shop was a happy camp for the rest of the day to be sure.
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly 50 years since “Frankenstein” hit the charts. I remember it well. One of the highlights of 1973.
The Old Grey Whistle Test got its name from a story concerning the Brill building in New York’s tin pan alley. If a songwriter heard one of the old janitors whistling a tune they had been working on, then they knew that song was going to be a hit. It had passed the ‘old greys’ whistle test.
I’ve been a fan of TOGWT for years and did not know this piece of cool trivia-thanks!
Cool story.
Is that where the expression comes from?! Had no idea. Amazing!!
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Grey_Whistle_Test
I always wondered what the name meant.
Sometime in the late 70's/early 80's David Letterman had Edgar Winter on his show and David advised the audience that any opportunity to see Edgar in concert would include a long rendition of Frankenstein, and to use a watch to time the length. I later got to see Edgar with George Thorogood in a volleyball court behind a bar called Minder-Binder's in Tempe, and the Frankenstein that night was 19 minutes long. Thanks for the tip, Dave!
Holy wave-of-nostalgia, Batman! Minder Binders? I used to go there in the '70's. Haven't thought of that place in decades.
"You can never have too much percussion, y'all."
I must say, as a drummer, it makes me so happy to hear non-drummers the caliber of Doug say this. 《 induces sniff & 1 tear 》💧
I see what you did there. You might also say that dear ol' Doug has put you in the Driver's Seat.
@@bobthebear1246 Well, I guess it's true as the saying goes..."A band is only as good as its drummer."
More cowbell😁👆
@@bobthebear1246 *lol*
Ditto! Put that on a shirt and sell it! I'll buy two!
black lights would go on during the keyboard solo, revealing his painted hands!
It’s Dan Hartman, of "I Can Dream About You" fame, on bass. He sang lead vocals on this album's other hit, "Free Ride." Truly an all-star lineup!
I came here to say exactly this!
Surely instant replay 🙂 (certainly on this side of the pond) with Vinnie Vincent on guitar 😯
Wow I absolutely did not know that. Very cool
Poor guy had died from a brain tumour already in '94! 😔
Rick Derringer played guitar on this live performance. He’s well known for his big hit, “Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo”
Doug, you don't know how true that statement about R2D2 being in the band was. Arp 2600 is literally the same synth used to create his voice.
Yes, British TV is more important than most realize. - “Mayflower” direct descendant
Same here, from the Holbrook family line 😁
3:33 the keyboard is the controller for the synth. The actual electronics are behind him in those big stacks.
Yes, exactly. Somebody else commented that it was an ARP2600. Analogue synth controllers like this were pretty easy to hook up. Keith Emerson did similar with his ribbon controller and Moog modular.
I just watched Edgar play this with Ringo Starr & friends summer 2022. He can still rock! And it was awesome seeing Steve Lukather play the guitar riffs. Always loved this song.
Hi Doug. Ah the Arp 2600. An econic synth up there with the Moog model d. You nailed it. R2D2's voicing was created on the 2600.
Great to see this music being kept alive. Rick Derringer on guitar, who wrote Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo, which became a huge hit for brother Johnny Winter.
He also produced Weird Al yankovic's first album
Huge hit for Rick Derringer. Minor hit for Johnny Winter... ;)
Love
Thanks @norab9126
Today's my Birthday and you just made it alot better! Will continue to watch your entertaining show!
At the very end is Mr Bob Harris who is still broadcasting on the BBC. Keep rockin' through 2023 Doug!
Oh, how I miss The Old Grey Whistle Test. I remember seeing that and going out the next day and getting the single (which I still have 51 years later).
The synth that Edgar is playing is an ARP 2600 - it has a rack-mount main electronics module, and a separate keyboard connected by a "curly-cord". It was not intended to be strapped on, but Edgar wanted stage freedom, so he mounted the strap himself ... just screwed it in! The keyboard weighed quite a bit - possibly as much as 20 pounds (I've never been able to find an official weight)! ... And Edgar played that sax lead - and the first timbale bit - with the keyboard still strapped on!
The tapes that were "Frankensteined" together were from earlier live shows: Edgar recorded everything, and the band would just jam as an intro and warm-up. The "Double Drum Song" was one warm-up routine, and the main riff is another one: they were originally not specifically the same song! They needed one more song for their debut album, and Edgar just started putting bits of those recordings together! The name itself apparently came about because drummer Chuck Ruff walked in during Edgar's splicing madness and said something to the effect of "You're creating a Frankenstein's Monster!"
It was only after the fact that the band learned the song as a single piece from the tapes rather than the usual other way around - and regular guitarist Ronnie Montrose couldn't make this gig, so the band's producer Rick Derringer filled in quite nicely!
I had forgotten what an absolutely awesome track this was. Thank you Doug for resurrecting it into my consciousness after 50 years.
Me: "This guy, slandering a good song."
Also Me: "JFC, it has been 50 years!"
This absolutely LIVE performance is off-the-chain! My 1st-ever concert was this exact group of 4 guys...during this time frame.
The Old Grey Whistle Test was a great programme...Germany's The Beat Club is another.
Saw Edgar doing this at Tahoe, was sitting with my arm on the stage dead center watching him play on the keyboard he wore around his neck
Speaking of Edgars keyboard, I saw them play this song on Ringo's All-Star Tour in '08. After he put the keyboard on, he said (I'm paraphrasing here) I came up with this design, so I guess you could say I invented the first strap on (sexual innuendo). After a hardy laugh, they preceded to play a smok'in version of Frankenstein. A damn good show all in all. Edgar's brother Johnny was a star in his own right. One hell of a guitarist. RIP Johnny
I guarantee that his keyboard weighed 50 lbs +. There are some good interviews with Edgar, where he talks about the synth and the creation of this song. He's a musical force, for sure.
😊 no, it’s just the keyboard to the ARP 2600, connected by a long cable, under 10:pounds. The 2600 probably around 25 to 30
I sat in a small teaching with Edgar Winter and his wife. Edgar was one of the x that were set to open the hard Rock Cafe in Orlando. After watching him rehearse with a guitar player who was clueless.... I got up the nerve to tell him that I just brought a brand new Carvin and when he goes back after the break I would love to play Frankenstein with him... I told him I've been playing at my whole life and at that point had a good 20 plus years of playing under my belt... And now I'm sitting in the room with Mr Frankenstein.... He said sure Mark go grab your guitar and Let's Jam. That was probably the most exciting musical moment by playing career until Rick Derringer one of my guitar heroes walked in... Everyone tells me I should have got right up on that stage plugged in and told Rick Edgar just said I could jam with you guys.... Of course I didn't do that or I'd be writing a different story..... The moral is... Always take advantage of a great opportunity... Because you may not get a second chance
That’s exactly what you should have done.
I've seen Edgar live five times. Frankenstein is still a work in progress. Over the five times I've seen him, the time for this song ranged from 9 minutes to almost 20. Always adding or changing stuff every time.
Edgar is an inventor, AND HE PLAYS EVERY DAMN INSTRUMENT YOU CAN COME UP WITH!
Great Video and this was definitely the live version to check out - Keep the content coming Doug!
Not sure if anyone commented about it but the Synth he's using is an Arp2600, it's a full semi-modular synth but he took the keyboard and added straps to make him more mobile just like you mentioned
Funny you should mention R2-D2. Ben Burtt created the robots "voice" using sn ARP-2600 synth just like the one Edgar is using.
"They should have hired me to play the little bicycle horn"! 🤣 Were you even around in 1973? This was such a huge hit for them. Rocked me all year long!
Your knowledge and breakdown of this instrumental is FANTASTIC and the best I’ve ever heard… ever! 🙌🏻🔥. I’ve watched a ton of reactions over the years to this and not one of them had the info you did… phenomenal! Thank you so much!
Developed live, originally called “The Double Drum Solo.” This performance is a recreation of the original long studio version. It was cut down to 4:45 for the album and 3:28 for the single. The master tape had so many splices, someone said it looked like Frankenstein … and so, history.
Edgar was so amazing. So friggin talented, wow!
Correct version as well! Love this even before it going live!
Always love hearing this and I appreciate your comments. I have been playing since 1966 and learn something when I listen to you.
One of the best things about that performance is that you can see that they are all just having a BLAST! I think that comes through in what we hear.
Despite knowing many of Edgar Winter's songs, I'm sort of just discovering the band. Your reaction is appreciated. While listening, I noticed proof of your time in Murphy. I walked past there many times on my way to Malott, Hoch, Wescoe and others.
I saw this performance on its original broadcast and loved it immediately. The Old Grey Whistle Test had the advantage of usually being the last show before the station closed for the night, so if a band felt like stretching out they didn't have to worry about being cut off.
TOBACCO ROAD IS AN AMAZING SONG WILL TAKE YOUR BREATH AWAY
The Old Grey Whistle Test with Whispering Bob Harris...superb....many legendary (always live) performances on TOGWT...Little Feat's 'Rock'n' Roll Doctor is a personal fav...nice one Doug :)
One memorable moment on OGWT was John Otway & Wild Willy Barrett destroying their kit before the end of the show. th-cam.com/video/3V_32BS-ALw/w-d-xo.html
Best music programme ever. It was such a refreshing change from the anodyne garbage on Top of the Pops. Jools Holland's show these days isn't a patch on TOGWT. I discovered so many great bands via Whisperin' Bob and Annie N.
Love Little Feat!
Some time around '91 or '92, I went to a club in L.A. to see a bunch of bands play. There were 4 or 5 acts that night, no big bands, just up and comers. One of the bands had 2 drummers, one at a sit down set and one standing up like Edgar, but with a lot more drums both vertical and horizontal. Every other song in their set, the 2 drummers traded places. It was a great night for percussion.
I suddenly respect Edgar Winter loads more than I did 15 minutes ago.
That was Friggin' awesome! Rock on!
I must subscribe to your channel, I tell ya! Thanks, guy.
Both Edgar and his brother Johnny were musical geniuses.
Yes, they absolutely were.
This was from the Old Grey Whistle Test (OGWT 1971 to 1988) which gave a platform for many ground-breaking artists from the UK and afar. Everyone played live - no exceptions. I could list many great performances from the their, but I'll let you discover them for yourself.
@B WJ Yes, the performance by AC/DC on Rock Goes to College is unmissable.
Some early OGWT sessions were mimed - look at the Bowie performance of "Oh! You Pretty Things"
Really enjoy you Doug. You are a really bright person. Thanks
That is just the keyboard section of the ARP 2600 synthesizer connected via cable. It's the synth that he kneels at to make those noises. You could do the same thing with a Moog modular synth.
I was lucky enough to see this on TOGWT when it was first shown , still one of the best Live performances they ever did show
Always loved this, and the Old Grey Whistle test set is burned into my memory, phenomenal talents 🎉
Very cool Doug! I was lucky to see Edgar play Frankenstein live once with his group White Trash and a couple of times with Ringo's All Starr Band. Magic! A friend of mine blew a speaker playing Frankenstein during the synth solo of the album version.
It’s been 5 months since you reacted to this song, so maybe time for another live performance from Edgar but this time w/his brother Johnny on blues guitar, check out Tobacco Road if you can. Edgar does vocal scatting that sounds a lot like the riff on the sax! Incredible talent, both of them.
I was fortunate to see them live in 1974, and then Edgar Winter was 3rd billing in a concert my son took me to in 2017 (with Deep Purple and Alice Cooper). He's amazing live!
I've heard this riff so many time, but had no idea where it was from OR that it was from the freakin' 1970s. Astonishing. Thank you for sharing.
The Winters....the Beaumont TX rockers, besides the big bopper, and Janice Joplin in the nearby town ot Port Arthur TX. Those were rocking times....the rest of the country didn't even know about it at the time I was up the road in Houston.
The OGWT was filmed in a BBC studio in west London, with no audience. As you watch all these videos bear in mind they are being watched by half a dozen old guys in cardigans.
If you like the 'double drum duet' you have to check out Phil Collins & Chester Thompson in Genesis live, before the start of Los Endos. It was a staple up until last year's final Genesis tour.
I agree!
th-cam.com/video/3pS_eQT0Uz8/w-d-xo.html&feature=emb_logo
Not just inside the Genesis tent, but with his own 'big band' again with Chester Thompson. The track is 'And so to F', a piece he composed for the 'other' band he occasionally played in, 'Brand X'
th-cam.com/video/3Ko7Dza3W-c/w-d-xo.html
Doug if you liked this one you have to check out the YT video titled Johnny Winter and Edgar Winter Tobacco Road Live. You won't believe Edgars singing , sax playing and keyboard playing as well as Johnny's guitar work Very cool video.
Edgar on the synth with the thunder sounds was the creation of Frankenstein
Interesting you mentioned R2D2. That synth ( an Arp 2600) was indeed used to create the R2D2 sounds for the original Star Wars trilogy.
Had this one on a 45.
For all you young en's that means a 45 RPM Record that is 60% smaller than a full size LP and has one song on each side. At the time 45's sold for $0.60 to $0.90, a much cheaper alternative to an album for $5.60. (smiles)
You mean the original CD!
Wuz looking for it, must be gone now. I think it had "FREE RIDE" on the "B" side.
Almost always had one track pr. side, but there are exceptions with two or more tracks on at least one of the sides.
(and then you got the Ep the size of a '45... )
I love your musical/technical knowledge, it makes your reaction special!
I read that Edgar frankensteined that keyboard with his own ideas so that he could wear it with the shoulder strap. He says the record company was ecstatic about it. So were the audiences!
Gregg Bissonette covers this on his debut with his bro Matt on bass and Doug Bossi and George Bernhardt on the guitars. Great Version! I love the live Edgar Winter Group version of course. Always fun to watch!
About the keyboard, your observation is kinda right. But it wasn't a dedicated remote keyboard, these indeed came up in latest 70s and early 80s (Moog Liberation, Sequential Remote, Roland SH-101, Yamaha KX1 etc.). Edgar famously used the Keyboard of the ARP 2600. That was ARPs' bigger Model (compared to the Odyssey, smaller than the huge modular 2500), a half modular design. You can see the device standing behind him which was the synthesizer. Being half modular it came in a case and the keyboard was connected by a ribbon cable. And that's the thing he's wearing. The later Remote Keyboards or Keytars usually did not have their own sound engines but played other synths via MIDI. And that was invented 11 years later.
My first guitar teacher and guitar Idol (John Andrews- Buffalo, NY) used to play this in his 4 piece metal band in the early 80's. No keyboards, he did it all on guitar and nailed it note for note. That's one reason I got him to be my first guitar teacher.
Saw him in Tahoe in the late 80s still working that keyboard - awesome show with him about 10 feet from my seat
This was the first concert I ever wen to at 16. I saw them in Richmond VA in 1973. WOW. After the gig Edger came out and asked if we would mind his brother Johnny came out and jammed for a while. I got in trouble because we stayed until after 2:00 am for them to finish. (edgar started @ 8:00pm) They played straight through!!! Those were the days.
This is one of the best live performances of rock music ever!
Got to see Edgar Winter do this with Ringo Starr All Star Band May 2022. Edgar “killed” it. Thanks Doug for all that you do.
The ARP 2600 synth that he uses, was also used to make R2D2's voice. So you we're right about R2 being in the group.
As far as I understand, the Whistle Test was aired very late at night just before broadcasting ended for the day, which meant that the last act on the show could potentially overrun, and play a longer piece than was usual. This resulted in some wonderful live performances being recorded, this one included
The late Dan Hartman on bass, who later went on to have disco hits!
One unique fact is that Edgar and his late brother blues Guitarist Johnny Winter were both born albino.
Took me back 50 years. What a wonderful trip.
Edgar Winter was perhaps the first to use the synth in that way. To be precise, he uses an ARP 2600 that has a standard, cable connected but separate keyboard.
Exactly this - he’s attached a strap to the ARP keyboard, which is conveniently separate from the main synth electronics. Jo Zawinul also took advantage of this separation, but in a different way - he would sometimes turn the keyboard round and play it “backwards” to get new melodic ideas from familiar fingerings.
The synth he was playing, was the famous ARP 2600. The "Thunder" effect was him playing around with the "White noise" or the "Pink noise" sound generator. The middle part of the song, was Edgar just tweeking around with the "Filter" section of the synth, making it "self oscillate" sometimes (of course, an "ADSR" and some " LFO Modulation" were used too). I think "sample and hold", might have been involved also. Sounded very cool back in the day, but very easy to create.
Basically, Edgar Winter was one of the first artists to us a strapped keyboard. He wanted to be out in front, and not hidden behind a keyboard setup, so he developed a way to attach a guitar strap to keyboards.
Bill Sager. You may already know this. Apparently Gary Wright - he of "Dream Weaver" fame, went on the road with a "no guitar band" using these strap keyboards and a drummer. Stay safe and well.
2:15 Rick Derringer is playing guitar. Ronnie Montrose played on the studio version. Derringer was the producer of the studio track.
Good call on R2D2. It is in fact an ARP 2600, the same used to make the sounds of R2D2!
i got to see both Rick and Ronnie. Ronnie was in a club and I sat at a table right next to the stage. I will never forget how mesmerizing it was.
That entire album (ahem 8-track in my collection) is just brilliant. "Autumn" might be a nice listen for you. And of course "Free Ride".
Edgar is playing all the instruments! He te- recorded Frankenstein and issued it as Fankenstiin '84.;
It first debuted on MTV in 1984:Halloween eve. He also played all on it too.
What a year when two killer instrumentals got on AM Radio, Frankenstein and Hocus Pocus. I started buying albums at this point (8th Grade).
OMG 😱, I feel so old, I loved this song as a kid back in the 80s. Haven't heard it in sooooooo long!
I saw them in 1973 and they did it exactly this way. It was so awesome for me when I found this video rekindling my memory!
One of those songs that tells a story so clearly. And I so appreciate the lengthy shots so we can really watch them playing the instruments, rather than a bunch of rapid and badly judged jump cuts.
I got to see Edgar Winter Group in concert. The concert was amazing.
"Thunder Machine" is an Arp 2600
Cowbell and bicycle horn ❤ it
I saw Edgar so this live in like late 72 or early 73. Rick Derringer was the guitarist. Amazing stuff. Edgar is the greatest multi-instrument guy in rock.
Edgar didn't want to sit in the background behind his keyboard, so he screwed a strap onto his synthesizer and became the frontman.
I watched this whole live session with the "stank face" - I was amazed. Absolutely mindblown
Never saw or heard the Live version...AWESOME!
Sorry, but Montrose was on the studio. For the live version, that's Rick Derringer on guitar - who was a wall known musician, who scored a major hit as a solo artist with "Rock and Roll Hootchie Coo"
Also "Hang On Sloopy", as lead singer of the McCoys. It's rumored that he took his stage name from the picture of the Deringer single shot pistol that Bang Records had on their label. (His birth name was Rick D. Zehringer)
I am at a complete loss of words every time I listen to this cut!!!
Hi Doug, loved this and I remember that episode of the OGWT!
The group Argent did “ music from the spheres” on one episode. That would be an interesting one for you to review ( and a fab talented group too)