A look into the musical world of Trevor Rabin: composer, performer, and a man of many careers.
Introduction:
A series of essays wherein I explore the numerous musical identities of my favorite musician: from child prodigy to teen idol to guitar hero to singer/songwriter to award-winning in-demand film composer.
Featuring news/updates and commentary/analysis of Trevor's career and associated projects. Comments are disabled but please feel free to contact me at rabinesque.blog@gmail.com.
Spotted on Twitter: my thanks to the Westone Guitars account for retweeting my entry from 2014 on Trevor's endorsement of Westone-Alvarez - I appreciate it!
And for those who crave more technical details regarding Trevor's signature model, here is a thread at the Westone forums from 2011 where head designer Tom Presley answers questions about that guitar in its various permutations.
Spotted on Instagram: nice to see this previously unseen (at least to me) concert shot from the 9012Live tour, courtesy of the photographer, A.D. Ligammari II. And from Trevor's choice of guitar we know that they photographed the bromantic shenanigans during "City of Love."
Published today on the Guitar World website is an examination of Trevor's tone for "Owner of a Lonely Heart" which - for better or worse - has come to define his style of playing. But as it is such a key element of his reputation as a player it does deserve to be acknowledged and studied.
Of course over the years Trevor has explained the piece his own self, most notably in his instructional video for Star Licks.
This article is rather a more technical examination of his setup and effects, and specifically what was used for all the song's parts (of which there are many).
For those who might have occasion to travel to or within Japan and specifically to the Southern city of Kyoto, they've got a brand-new attraction which might prompt a pilgrimage for some of us Rabinites.
This month the newest location of the iconic Hard Rock Cafe franchise debuted in Kyoto, and in keeping with the city's traditional Imperial-era architecture, the restaurant blends in with the neighborhood so you might miss it if you're not looking.
The Hard Rock is so-named for the collection of rock n'roll memorabilia displayed at each location and Kyoto features of one of Trevor's guitars in their collection which appears to have been signed by Trevor and Jon and maybe Rick? The guitar in question is a Washburn Parallaxe, but not with the same color/finish as Trevor's signature model.
...but I wanted to provide some further detail as regards the photo. It was actually taken when Trevor opened for Steve Hillage in 1979 and then used as the sleeve image for the 1981 single release of "Take Me To A Party" from Wolf.
I believe the photographer was Ross Halfin, based on similar images I have seen published elsewhere over the years which led me to surmise they are from the same performance, such as this one:
And in fact the single version of "Party" has a different mix to the one on the album, which was typical of the time. That mix was then used for the CD version of Wolf which was first released in 2002. This is the original album version of the song.
As noted, there are a few other photos in circulation of Trevor performing during the tour, but what is especially interesting about that particular photo is the guitar. The type of finish on the Strat he is playing is usually referred to as a "natural."
The following contains my usual op-ed and analysis, so caveat lector if you're not particularly interested in such things or may take offense to my point of view. Also, this is a long entry with various photos/videos and so might be more of a strain on older/slower browsers.
Even as I did not attend a single ARW show this year (because they did not tour in Southern California this time) there is still so much to discuss, leastwise because they did play 55 dates total and it makes for lots of interesting details to ponder and comparisons to make. And I can do so because there is plenty of documentation out there to absorb. I am thankful for this consideration because, even as I understand why the tour didn't make it to my region, as someone who wants nothing more than to see at least one ARW show per year (although more than one would be nice) I was sort of dying inside.
(#fangirlproblems)
As we know, it really was a matter of two different tours: the dates in the UK, Europe and Japan were a continuation of last year's US tour as it was - for most performances - the exact same setlist. The North American tour later in the year could be considered a new(ish) tour with a few setlist changes and a beefed-up production design plus new venues and cities were visited. The primary difference, in my estimation, was touring under the new moniker and all which it implies. But I'm still not interested in engaging in the legitimacy debate so that's not happening.
First I wanted to include a few compendiums from various sources at different points during the year, to give everyone an idea of how both the performances and the staging evolved throughout the respective touring cycles. Of course those of us who have been assiduosly following along will have already watched these particular videos.
UK tour: Birmingham, England
Summer Festivals/European tour: Schio, Italy
Summer/Fall tour: Toronto, Canada
I find it easier to write about this if I break it down into subtopics so here we go; and I will continue to refer to the North American tour as "Summer/Fall."
Round the World
As someone who desires this ensemble to succeed and evolve, it was really nice to see the guys touring the world this year, with stops in Israel, the UK, Low Countries, Japan, Western Europe and North America. I can imagine many fans were grateful to have the opportunity to see them and I'm really looking forward to what could be considered a well-staged classic iteration of their performances with the release of the March 25th Manchester Apollo show on DVD.
Of those gigs elsewhere there are two I wanted to note in particular: one is the first show of the year at Menora Mivtachim Arena in Tel Aviv, the only arena ARW has played thus far and even though the gig was a bit fast-and-loose there was also a lot of energy which makes it a great show to watch, in my estimation. And the stop in Rome at Cavea Auditorium Parco della Musica was also a great performance in a beautiful setting. No offense meant to Merrie Ole but I really wish the Rome date could have been professionally filmed as well.
Territories
The Summer/Fall tour itinerary was interesting in that while there were new cities/venues included - and a three-date stint in Canada which was excellent news for fans above the lower 48 - more than a few of the exact same venues were played, and more than half the tour could be considered as being booked in the East Coast/Northeast region of North America. And I can certainly understand varying the particular regions in order to give more fans a chance to see the band, but given that there were many of the same types of bookings made - multiple dates in New Jersey, New York and Florida - it suggests to me that the East Coast is the true stronghold for the band as well as Larry Magid having a vast network of bookers and local promoters, and therefore we can expect for the life of this band that they will always have a larger presence in that area of the country. Which, if you're an East Coast-based fan, is good news for you!
Venues
As I noted, some of the same venues were visited this time around in the US, such as the Goodyear Theatre in Akron, the Count Basie Theatre in Red Hook, and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. But interestingly there seemed to be more of an emphasis on theatre type venues, with more than a few Performing Arts centers booked rather than casinos. And then there was a winery, which was incredibly picturesque (and the show I would have chosen to attend had I been able to afford to travel to NoCal - even as its' small stage precluded the use of their backdrop, projections, and custom lighting rig), as well as Wolf Trap in Virginia and Toronto's Massey Hall which are historic venues in their own right. So I would say this enterprise is moving up in the world a bit but I expect that their preferences are not going to change in terms of the type of venues/capacity they will play in the future, and also that they will continue to tour solely on their own with no support act rather than as part of a double bill or package tour.
Fashion Watch
It seemed The Boys were each mostly committed to a uniform this year, although Rick did add a couple capes to his repertoire and Lee opted for casual with a rotating selection of t-shirts. But is it just me, or are those skinny jeans beginning to appear more and more like a tribute to Chris' black spandex? (I kid because I love.) Trevor continued his strategy of switching it up most nights, although it was primarily the same pieces as last year. But I do have to thank Whomever/Whatever it was which convinced him not to wear the track pants again for Summer/Fall. That was indeed an aesthetic too far.
The Setlist
As I had previously reported, there were changes made to the setlist for Summer/Fall but they were not extensive. Originally for the three pieces which were removed - "I've Seen All Good People," "Changes" and "Long Distance Runaround/The Fish" - there were supposed to be three additions: "South Side of the Sky," "I Am Waiting" and "It Can Happen." However, the latter song was never performed although Rick noted it had been rehearsed, as well as soundchecked at least one venue (with thanks to Judy Davis for that bit of info). "The Meeting" was also removed but as that had occurred in the previous touring cycle I wasn't considering it as part of this overall revision. Then ten dates into the tour "Lift Me Up" was directly swapped out for "Changes" and that was the extent of said changes, which resulted in a shorter setlist overall with 12 songs (when compared to the previous cycle with potentially 15 songs performed, depending on how you count).
I think "South Side" and "I Am Waiting" were great additions in terms of nods to both Classic Yes and YesWest, even as both eras are represented overall. Now there is an equal amount of material in the setlist and it would seem to me they will strike this same balance in the future. "It Can Happen" would have also been an refreshing choice and now I can't help but wonder if it partly had to do with providing something interesting for Rick to play as regards the various textures the song employs. I still believe "Hearts" would be a great choice for next year. As I don't expect the set will get any longer, I would be willing to swap out either "Hold On" or "And You and I" for it. But of course these decisions aren't up to me (or anyone else other than Jon, Rick and Trevor). As for replacing "Lift Me Up" with "Changes" although I was disappointed that Trevor was down to one song - and that is a consideration specific to those of us who were there to hear Trevor sing as well as play, and I am aware that is fewer people than those attending the show in total - I do believe perhaps the primary reason had to do with Trevor's comfort level in performance. It seems, when comparing the two, that he displayed more ease when it came to singing "Changes" versus "Lift Me Up" and given that this wasn't a one-off decision (i.e. it wasn't added on the fly at one particular show but rather was a permanent substitution) it would seem it was given ongoing consideration during those first two weeks of the tour and was an inevitable adjustment. And for those of us who pay attention to setlist statistics, the change occurred at almost exactly the same point as on last year's US tour, meaning that it was a previously agreed-upon intersection for making a change. As well as "Changes" being a signature song for Trevor in terms of both playing and singing, in the end it was the right choice, in my opinion.
As the show employed a static setlist for almost the whole of the tour, it's an interesting consideration for those fans who attended multiple shows - because fans being fans, they want to be supportive and also have that experience more than once - as to what is rewarding about such an endeavor. Good friend of the blog Cee attended three shows on this tour and she notes: "...even though the set list is the same, I find the vibe and energy are different at each show depending on the audience, and that makes them all unique."
And I would agree with this as it mirrors my experience last year in terms of the difference between the Los Angeles and Anaheim crowds and vibe in the venues.
One thing which strikes me about the Summer/Fall setlist is how it really seemed to be divided into two distinct acts (regardless of the intervals they did have at a few dates), as the first half is more YesWest-heavy and upbeat, whereas the second set has more of an epic feel to it. And that is definitely fitting for the ebb-and-flow of a progressive rock show, but the sense of two distinct moods is palpable to me now.
A post shared by Yes featuring ARW (@yesfeaturingarw) on
One of the very best changes in my opinion was updating the lighting for the Summer/Fall tour, although this was actually enacted with the staging of the Manchester Apollo show for filming purposes, as I had previously reported. From all the photos and video I have seen - when compared with the shows I attended last year - the new lighting makes a world of difference in terms of the presentation and impact, and an engaging production is always a plus in the contemporary concert market. As well it was nice to see the use of projections throughout the tour, as this is a particularly Yes-ish type of production value. I will also say that bringing Chris Fudurich onboard as the Front of House mixer was helpful in terms of achieving a better balance of sound even as there continued to be complaints from some attendees regarding the lack of bass in the overall mix - but as the guys from Progressive Palaver noted (and I agree with this) it really did seem to depend on where you were sitting as to how dynamic and full the mix sounded.
Although dynamic production values are something we expect from any version of Yes - and even progressive rock in general - and even more specifically from tours in the 21st Century, it's not always necessary. One consideration which comes to mind when I view the It Bites concert video It Happened One Night is it features a show with a very basic presentation - not much at all in the way of lighting or staging - but what it does have are four gentlemen who are consummate professionals (with a matching palette in stage attire), great songs, and spot-on intense and upbeat performances to an appreciative crowd. The stripped-down staging of it is something you don't notice unless you've watched it multiple times (as I have of late).
The Game
It was revealed in PROG's coverage of the 2016 tour that Rick and Trevor were playing a game (which dated back to their first experiences performing together) every night with "Changes" in that Trevor would find a way to include a word of Rick's choosing in such a way that the audience wouldn't notice - and thus his very noticeable seeming flub in the Union-era Denver concert footage was finally explained. But as "Changes" was not performed at the first nine shows it fell to "Rhythm of Love" to be the song for the game - I believe the word Rick gave Trevor in Saratoga was "crabs" - and while I get that they want to have fun and avoid tedium, look guys: don't mess with my favorite of the setlist. When "Changes" returned then so did the traditional iteration of the game but it doesn't appear they played it at every gig, unless Trevor was entirely stealthy on some nights.
The Guitars
Given that Trevor has a previously-stated preference for playing very few guitars onstage, it's not a surprise that he hadn't really changed it up much for Summer/Fall (there having been only a few changes to the setlist, so no need to change out guitars, necessarily). As usual Trevor plays the Strat on most of the material, busting out his custom Pantera for "Changes" (and previously "Lift Me Up") and "I Am Waiting" and using his signature model on "Awaken." However, he did bring along his candy apple red Strat to use for "South Side of the Sky." I imagined this was for the same reason as his choice of guitar on "Awaken" - because the song utilizes a specific tuning and therefore it's easier to use another guitar. But it was a change which also occurred mid-tour in Kettering. Prior to this Trevor was using the Strat on "South Side" so that may discount my theory altogether.
When I first saw/heard clips from Stockton and Saratoga, the detail which struck me immediately was the lack of solo spots for Lou and Lee. As "The Fish" had been deleted from the setlist I could understand why but I originally (erroneously) believed that Lou still had his drum solo, but then I watched the Saratoga show and saw that wasn't the case. (And in relation to a comment I made last year, "Lift Me Up" sounded far better without that drum solo intro.)
I felt it was a bad decision, and I'm glad they rectified this six gigs in. It appears it may have been first performed as a substitute for the walkabout as they weren't able to enact it in Littleton (a situation which would come up several times during the course of the tour). Instead they played an extended jam within "Owner of a Lonely Heart" which included solos from Lou and Lee and this was the way in which I truly felt the song was made newly dynamic, as well as a more organic way to include a solo spot within the show. And then choosing to continue it was a great decision! The walkabout is fine but I feel it's a bit played out and therefore what I've been calling the "bass battle" was a nice addition to this section of the show. Adding a bit of comedy - something natural to Rick and Lee from their time together in English Rock Ensemble - is fun for everyone.
Old vs. New
So now that the US has two tours to compare, are they equally enjoyable? Of course most fans would reply: "Yes!" and I would be apt to agree but I'd give the edge to Summer/Fall if only for the fact that this year's version of ARW is relaxed, honed and completely in tune as an ensemble. And I understand that it's a process and a continual evolution, but I think it's reasonable to opine that some markets deserved better than a band attempting to find their way to that professionalism, consistency, and entertainment which everyone paid to see at every performance on every tour. Thankfully, some of those areas were lucky enough to have another chance this year and from the reactions I've read, were wholly gratified by the second time.
My dear friend fiendish_thingy has attended gigs for both tours and she commented: "...this year it was obvious that they were 100% focused, back to playing like they could in their prime and everything fine-tuned. The effect was less cute and more powerful. It wasn't like they weren't having fun but they were having fun because they knew they sounded so good..."
The Merch
I have an upcoming Collector's Corner entry regarding this year's merchandise but I did want to acknowledge that different merchandise was being sold on the Summer/Fall tour reflective of the name change; but also they were indeed poaching the classic Yes bubble logo design which is - according to fandom research - jointly-owned by Roger Dean and Steve Howe. As we know, things are not always what they seem in Yesland but it appears - thanks to anecdotal evidence from various individuals - that ARW's management did not have permission to sell merchandise bearing the classic logo and had to pull the two t-shirts which featured it from their inventory in the last two weeks of the tour. Fans are of course free to speculate as to why a band would produce their own bootleg merchandise.
Also: the merchandise sold in Japan was, in my opinion, far superior in design and variety to anything which was sold in any other region.
***
As always to everyone who has requested and followed the Tour Reports, I thank you for your patronage Even as it's a lot of work to produce them, I love the process of finding everything I can related to each gig and I hope you've enjoyed the journey too. I suggest, if you're interested, to go back and check the entries because I've updated nearly all of them from this year in some way as more material is made available.
To everyone who attended a show (or shows) this year: I hate you. Just kidding! 55 down, none to go, another tour and no more shows...but for everyone who continues to support Our Guys, I hope it was a blast and here's to next year and whatever musical adventure we will all embark upon with Jon, Rick, Trevor, Lou and Lee.
With many many thanks to Yesfans member yesheadjon for posting this video earlier in the year - for those who have yet to see it, here's a bit of an Xmas gift as this is apparently the first time YesWest performed in 1994 as part of a concert for the opening of the FIFA World Cup titled Soccer Rocks the Globe on June 16th at Chicago's UIC Pavilion. The event was simulcast worldwide on both television and radio.
Also with thanks to nzyesfan for receiving clarification that the audio itself isn't exactly live, but it's nice to see another promotional appearance from that era, and unique in that it was almost entirely devoted to promoting the release of Talk in their choice of songs to perform. Interesting to note as well that Trevor uses his signature model Alvarez for this show - before its' current makeover which we've seen on the ARW tours.
On this day back in 2004 the Prince's Trust concert Produced by Trevor Horn was held at London's Wembley Arena as a salute to the esteemed Mr. Horn featuring a slate of artists he'd worked with over the years including Grace Jones, ABC, Seal, Pet Shop Boys and those ensembles he was personally involved with: The Buggles, Art of Noise, and Yes.
This event marked the first of the YesWest semi-reunions in that Trevor joined Alan and Chris along with Steve Howe and Geoff Downes to perform one of the biggest hits of Horn's production career, "Owner of a Lonely Heart" along with "Cinema" from 90125.
Trevor was famously attired in the black-and-green shirt but instead of wielding his signature Strat he was playing a candy apple red model, and he sang lead on "Owner," one of the handful of times he has ever done so. A DVD of the event footage was released in 2005. It's interesting to note - in light of the recent R&RHoF Induction Ceremony - that Trevor and Steve have shared the stage at one-off appearances more times than one would assume.
Trevor hitting the road again gave us, as fans, the joy of fulfillment to witness him performing (which we'd all been longing for, of course) but also to see him play the guitars we know and love. Here is the line-up of those faithful few on the 2016 ARW tour.
and a Line 6 Variax acoustic
(likely the 700 series, which has been discontinued)
(Photo credit:Todd Petersen)
And as pictured here (with thanks to fellow Rabid Rabinite Kim Conlin McCall), we can see Trevor also continues to use his favorite soft red Sharkfin Goldprint plectrums.
Although Trevor's choices primarily reflected what he used on the Eighty Dates tour - his Pantera rather than his Strat for "Changes" for example - one difference was choosing to play his TR signature guitar for "Awaken" rather than the Pantera as he had previously, which might indicate a special tuning strictly for that song.
As long-time fans are aware, Trevor is much more than your average guitar hero, but I do believe it is a distinct and integral part of his identity as a musician and recent publicity has reflected this view.
It was interesting to note in advance coverage regarding the official debut of ARW how many publications relied on the photos initially supplied by their social media rep - all of which came from the Eighty Dates tourbook (to emphasize how this venture was, literally, a re-Union). But I noticed some time back that a different photo of Trevor was also being widely used in articles and how similar it is to the other photo. So it could be said those pants and that stance, beloved axe in hand, are essential components of the essence of Trevor Rabin, rock god and therefore very useful and resonant visual shorthand to remind us all why we'd missed our guitar hero and can rejoice in his return to the stage.
Trevor confirmed he is not using his Washburn signature model on the current tour but we will likely hear it on new material in the future. And speaking of guitars, he also relates the familiar tale concerning the tragic injury to his Strat.
As spotted on Instagram yesterday...
A few inferences could be made from the post I have embedded:
- Line 6 is creating a Variax modeling based on the Strat, and not only recreating the sound of the guitar, but the original styling of it as well - though with a few differences as long-time fans can immediately spot. Does this mean we'll see a Trevor Rabin Stratocaster Variax model in the coming year? It would certainly be a cool (and coveted) collectible for many Rabinites.
- This is noted as a "Helix hang" so it could be that Trevor will be using the master processor/controller on the upcoming tour. And/or perhaps some of his classic tones will be added to their effects library.
- Possibly the Strat has been given a face lift of sorts before she hits the road! Or a replica has been created so as not to put the original at risk due to the rigours of traveling...none of us are as young as we used to be, after all. (Actually, the restoration had been mostly accomplished prior to this, if you examine the Strat in the portrait photo of Trevor from the Jacaranda booklet, it's primarily the same.)
A continuing series wherein I indulge my love of yammering on about permutations of Trevor's body of work in performance.
Every so often I encounter opinions regarding Trevor's playing which I find thought-provoking, and having discovered one particular proclamation during all the years of my continuing search for stuff, I've given it Serious Consideration...
Which, in fact, is the best available version of "Solly's Beard?"
This of course raises the consideration of conclusive statements - how can anyone, even an avid fan, be in a position to ponder and therefore assign that particular value judgment? What kind of critical assessment credentials would one need to possess? Granted, I have many live recordings in my collection which allow me to discern degrees of excellence in Trevor's performances during the YesWest era, but I find such a proclamation to be a slippery slope indeed if for no other reason than one's opinion is simply that.
But it's a good excuse to write about this particular composition as it is - in the opinion of many - one of the classics of Trevor's oeuvre. Thus I listened to numerous versions of "Solly's Beard" from every tour in which it was performed (as an example of the depth and breadth of my research, I heard the first time it was played on tour in 1984 and one of the last times it was played in 1992) and I will discuss the manner in which the composition developed over time as well as choose the performance I believe is the best. I will assert, however, that it's difficult to quantify such a judgment because as a performance piece "Solly's Beard" was meant to evolve and progress and was subject to the external influences of live performance: the mood of the performer, the mood of the crowd, considerations of technicality and pacing and equipment functionality, what Trevor had for lunch that day...anything at all which might affect the way he played the piece on any given night. Even as many iterations might sound largely the same, each one was strictly meant to reflect a particularly unique moment in time. And to keep it interesting for Trevor as a performer meant that changes - whether subtle or obvious - were incorporated over time.
"Solly's Beard" was, as long-time fans know, quickly developed as a setpiece by Trevor for the first YesWest tour in 1984, as an interesting acoustic change of pace, whereas all the other solo spots are performed with the musician's primary instrument (and in combinations, thus we have "Si/Solly's Beard" with Tony and Trevor, and what came to be known as "Whitefish" which is Chris and Alan's solo section). The original body of the piece remained mostly unchanged - save for the vagaries of performance - from 1984 through 1988, on two tours (9012Live and The BIG Tour). This was likely a concession to the length and pacing of the show overall. For the club tour of 1989 and the Around the World in Eighty Dates tour of 1991-92, the piece became longer and incorporated a few different genre nods, as by 1991 Trevor was performing it on a different guitar than previous, a white Yairi DY-88.
Trevor performing "Solly's Beard" on the The BIG Tour, 1988.
But that was the last time Trevor was to play the ode to his dog, as during the Talk tour of 1994 he decided on performing a piano piece instead, playing a long solo specifically for keyboards which then segued into "And You and I," transposing the introduction for that song to keys.
In my considered opinion "Solly's Beard" is not merely a solo which could be played on either acoustic or electric - Trevor was very specific in expression and tonality in regards to the instrument he chose. The piece was an exercise in the fusion of classical and jazz styles for acoustic guitar, quoting a number of influences, though at that particular time I maintain his primary influence was that of John McLaughlin. I've heard early renditions of the piece (from the first month of the '84 tour) and it was thoroughly focused on a jazz/classical fusion even when compared to versions later on in the tour. In 2012 I experienced a thrill of warm nostalgia to actually view up close the Martin acoustic guitar he originally used for the piece - as Trevor was departing his appearance at the Guitar Center in Sherman Oaks he kindly took the time to show it to those of us still chatting in the parking lot (he had brought it in for repair at an earlier date). He made special note of its provenance for the fans gathered before him, and we appreciated learning about its' particular role in YesWest history. Trevor also kept the stool he sat on to play "Solly's Beard" - any photo or footage you see of Trevor in The Jacaranda Room likely includes that very piece of furniture, such as this shot of the Maestro and his drumming BFF Lou Molino.
Having listened to a number of live recordings from 1984-85 and 1987-88, it allows me to state that the officially-released versions are sufficient in terms of hearing an example which Trevor would likely consider the "classic" style in which the piece was meant to be heard, with the version on the reissue of Live In L.A. possessing the best sound quality and therefore the best of officially-sourced audio from that period.
During the club tour of '89 Trevor took the piece to a whole other level, becoming a bit more indulgent because - after all - he could, teasing other songs in the midst of it. During the Toronto performance, for example, he included a bit of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love." This practice would be the precursor to his inclusion of "Dueling Banjos" during the '91 performances. Reportedly, when Trevor and Shelley became naturalized U.S. citizens in May of 1991, he even incorporated a bit of "The Star-Spangled Banner" into the piece. I believe Trevor also lengthened the piece to include elements which would allow further engagement with the audience, to get them cheering and clapping along, and as you can see with his performance in Denver on the Eighty Dates tour that's exactly how they responded.
There is also now a version on Union Live from 1991 which reflects the changes he incorporated, as the piece is nearly two minutes longer than previous versions; I believe it represents the pinnacle of the evolution of the piece and as such, is to my mind the best. I appreciate the genre-hopping and touches of humor he incorporates into the montage of references - as he moves from classical to jazz to country to funk to shred to classical to bluegrass. There is less of an emphasis on speed and more nuance in Trevor's playing overall, which illustrates the general development of his taste and abilities in constant reassessment and striving for excellence. But by the time the Eighty Dates tour reached Japan, Trevor's performance circled back to its' origins in that those versions represented a more "classic" iteration, longer than previous but with less stylistic variations.
But in the end my opinion is only my opinion, and thus I've included clips of some of those performances so you, dear readers, can judge for yourselves...
As we know, Trevor now has a relationship with Washburn Guitars and today on social media he recommended another of their line:
I recently got from Washburn the Washburn J-7. As crazy as it sounds, it is already my preference to the Gibson 400. For anyone with a passion for the 400,...do yourselves a favour and check the Washburn first.
Trevor compared it with the Gibsons in his collection, such as his Barney Kessel model which he used on Jacaranda, providing a great jazz mood on several tracks (or "that" kind of thing, as he puts it). The J7 is a single cutaway jazz guitar in a similar style as the Gibsons and you can learn more about it here: http://www.washburn.com/products/electric/J7VNK.html
As a byproduct of Trevor's recently-increased social media presence (i.e. spending more time on Facebook to interact with fans), he decided - after crowdsourcing suggestions - to create a Soundcloud account in order to share items from the vaults. And the first of these is the original mix of "Never Let Go" which was the end credits song for The Guardian, featuring Bryan Adams (and also vocalizing by Liz Constantine). This mix is substantially different from the one which ended up in the film and on the score release, in that there is more guitar from Trevor as well as a repeating refrain of the title which is sung by him.
Also on the account is a shredding sample of the signature Washburn model - his new baby - and I'd just like to note that I've had that sample available here on the blog since January:
http://rabinesque.blogspot.com/2014/01/the-pxm-tr2.html
It definitely rips!
There is a link to Trevor's Soundcloud page in the "Neato Stuff" sidebar on the front page. I know we're all looking forward to hearing more of the lost treasures!
The past couple days brought some welcome updates from Trevor on his Facebook and Twitter accounts:
thought I'd through up some shots from sessions of the new album.
Lou and I putting down the basic tracks.
No... http://t.co/ouBEp5vewe
— Trevor Rabin (@Rabin_News) September 15, 2014
...with some great shots of Trevor and Lou working on tracks during prior sessions at The Jacaranda Room. In a separate post he noted:
There will be some surprise guests on the album, however, i'm not ready to "do" this yet. Lou Molino is already kicking butt on the album, as I know Ryan will do so soon. There is one more drummer who will be playing on the album aside from other musicians, but I can't say yet.
Trevor also noted an upcoming collaboration with guitarist Jason Becker, which was a fitting reminder in regards to the increased attention on social media of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis via the ALS Association's Ice Bucket Challenge.
(Update to the Update):
In a comment posted today on his Facebook page, Trevor stated:
I'm looking at finishing the album by middle to late 2015. I wish it could be earlier, but other projects will slow it down a bit. But this is very much a HUGE passion for me. I think all artists say that the current work is their best. But I really feel this extremely and genuinely the case.
Trevor also noted that the bass he was pictured with is a Wilkins, and here's a photo from when he first received it, to my knowledge:
And this particular photo is proof enough that the inner Rock Star is ready to emerge (it's nice that the drum corner has a photo of Ryan).
Note: this post is image-heavy (for those of you with slower browsers).
This year saw the release of Trevor's new signature model guitar from Washburn, the PXM-TR2/TR20. It is part of Washburn's Parallaxe series of electric guitars, built for the modern shredder. But as long-time fans know, over 20 years ago Trevor also had a signature model which was manufactured by Westone-Alvarez, and he endorsed both the Pantera electric as well as the Yairi acoustic beginning in 1986. Jon Anderson also had an endorsement deal for the Yairi acoustic, beginning in 1979, and I would posit that is how Trevor came to be introduced to the brand, but that's just my speculation.
There are plenty of resources online for information regarding the Westone-Alvarez models which Trevor utilized and endorsed, including The Westone Forums site where there are more than a few Rabin Rabinite fanboys available for such discussion. And of course the Star Licks video which is all about guitars and gear, technique and tenacity (and Trevor is wearing one of his greatest outfits ever); a must-have for any fan's collection, readily available on DVD from various sellers on eBay.
In the video (produced in 1992), Trevor proclaims his deep and abiding love for his "baby" of the moment:
Here is a look at the signature model and its variants as featured in one of the Westone brochures, I believe this was from 1991 or '92:
From the fan/collector's perspective, what I desire is to pay visual tribute with the various endorsement ads which feature Trevor - he also officially endorsed D'Addario strings and Ampeg amps - starting with the three main ads for Westone-Alvarez.
In this ad Trevor is pictured with the Westone Pantera.
1986
This ad was photographed on the set of the video shoot for "Something To Hold On To."
1989
This ad is for the signature model with one of Trevor's most iconic photographs in the minds of most fans:
1993
Here's another ad noting Trevor as an official endorser.
1992
There were also three ads for Yairi, the first two are standard advertising format for the brand, there are also other versions with different guitarists pictured.
This week Washburn put together a new endorsement ad of sorts for Trevor's signature model, and here is the image (courtesy of their Facebook page):
I apologize for the previous confusion on my part as there are two versions, one American and one for the rest of the world, and the model numbers reflect that difference. And I understand the use of that particular photo as it shows off the body of the guitar nicely, but I'm more partial to this shot and the Maestro's grin which is always a pleasure to view.
“Love the guitar VERY VERY much. It feels very organic, like i've played it for years. I'm in the saddle with it. Genuinely love it.”
This week Washburn has officially listed Trevor's signature model for purchase, stating it will be available as of April, although there appears to be a slight change in the model number, it is now the PXMTR20.
http://www.washburn.com/products/electric/PXMTR20.html
