Any McGeoch fans here?

stonevibe

I just pledged and so can you.


https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/invisiblebritain/john-mcgeoch-the-light-pours-out-of-me

Offset

Great spot and PSA.  I was a massive JmcG fan and Magazine were (and still are) one of my fave bands.  He's one of the main reasons I've always wanted an SG-1000.

stonevibe

Yeah, I used to cover Shot By Both Sides and Spellbound in bands, as he is one of my guitar heroes. I totally get the SG-1000 lust!

Pabcrane

I particularly like his tenure as a Banshee - but all the Magazine and PiL et cetera stuff is fantastic as well. I'll have a look at the prospectus 

jeztone2

Loved the Banshees, Armoury Show & PIL eras. 

Funkfingers

Oh, yes.

Seziertisch

I’ve been on a deep dive into Juju the last few months, he had such a strong style. Loads to learn in terms of approaching the instrument. Simple yet complex in its own way.

Johnnyseven

Yep big fan of his Magazine and Banshees playing, not really explored the era of PiL he was playing with them - anything I should investigate? Any other stuff not Magazine and Banshees i'd be interested in checking out too.

KevS

Love Magazine although I discovered them in 1986 and the loved the Banshees..I love The Scream as well as the McGeoch Albums..His role was very different in each band as Dave Formula's Keyboards filled up so much space in Magazine....I connect the MXR 117 Flanger with his sound..I find the Electric Mistress Easier to use though..That Nails The Cure 17 Seconds sound..I have a 117 reissue,,it really nails those harmonics with a sort of hiccup sound on Happy House....I Also have the Electro Harmonix Walking on the Moon Flanger,,but I think the little Donner Jet Convolution Flanger does it better,but with a bigger volume drop..The Mistress is' also the sound on Sister Europe by the Psychedelic Furs...I love the first Magazine album,but especially love Secondhand Daylight..The CD reissue sounds cold,but the first Turquoise Label  Vinyl Copies sound lush and oxygenated..It is really Atmospheric..There is something Cinematic about the first 2 Magazine Albums..I like Correct Use of Soap and that's the one people seem to point out,,I love the 2 before it better though..Secondhand Daylight  always have a jump or sometimes two on side 1 unfortunately..Apparently the Canadian Copy doesn't..He used a Strat as well as an SG 1000 on some stuff..He preferred the 1000 over the 2000..Sorry for stating the obvious to some folk on the 117 etc..

Pabcrane

KevS said:

Love Magazine although I discovered them in 1986 and the loved the Banshees..I love The Scream as well as the McGeoch Albums..His role was very different in each band as Dave Formula's Keyboards filled up so much space in Magazine....I connect the MXR 117 Flanger with his sound..I find the Electric Mistress Easier to use though..That Nails The Cure 17 Seconds sound..I have a 117 reissue,,it really nails those harmonics with a sort of hiccup sound on Happy House....I Also have the Electro Harmonix Walking on the Moon Flanger,,but I think the little Donner Jet Convolution Flanger does it better,but with a bigger volume drop..The Mistress is' also the sound on Sister Europe by the Psychedelic Furs...I love the first Magazine album,but especially love Secondhand Daylight..The CD reissue sounds cold,but the first Turquoise Label  Vinyl Copies sound lush and oxygenated..It is really Atmospheric..There is something Cinematic about the first 2 Magazine Albums..I like Correct Use of Soap and that's the one people seem to point out,,I love the 2 before it better though..Secondhand Daylight  always have a jump or sometimes two on side 1 unfortunately..Apparently the Canadian Copy doesn't..He used a Strat as well as an SG 1000 on some stuff..He preferred the 1000 over the 2000..Sorry for stating the obvious to some folk on the 117 etc..

Kev, do you know if the Caline So What flanger is a copy of the 117? Or the Joyo Classic Flanger? Or are they BF-2 types?

HarrySeven

Yup! 

SPECTRUM001

Oh yes !

Amazing sound, dexterity and quality control. I always wanted to emulate John McGeogh, but haven’t a cat in hell’s chance.

One of the greats.

KevS

Pabcrane said:

KevS said:

Love Magazine although I discovered them in 1986 and the loved the Banshees..I love The Scream as well as the McGeoch Albums..His role was very different in each band as Dave Formula's Keyboards filled up so much space in Magazine....I connect the MXR 117 Flanger with his sound..I find the Electric Mistress Easier to use though..That Nails The Cure 17 Seconds sound..I have a 117 reissue,,it really nails those harmonics with a sort of hiccup sound on Happy House....I Also have the Electro Harmonix Walking on the Moon Flanger,,but I think the little Donner Jet Convolution Flanger does it better,but with a bigger volume drop..The Mistress is' also the sound on Sister Europe by the Psychedelic Furs...I love the first Magazine album,but especially love Secondhand Daylight..The CD reissue sounds cold,but the first Turquoise Label  Vinyl Copies sound lush and oxygenated..It is really Atmospheric..There is something Cinematic about the first 2 Magazine Albums..I like Correct Use of Soap and that's the one people seem to point out,,I love the 2 before it better though..Secondhand Daylight  always have a jump or sometimes two on side 1 unfortunately..Apparently the Canadian Copy doesn't..He used a Strat as well as an SG 1000 on some stuff..He preferred the 1000 over the 2000..Sorry for stating the obvious to some folk on the 117 etc..

Kev, do you know if the Caline So What flanger is a copy of the 117? Or the Joyo Classic Flanger? Or are they BF-2 types?

Sorry I don't..

Bigsby

Yup, loved Magazine, and 'Spellbound' has remained one of my all-time favourite songs - both to hear and to play. 

I've long thought it a shame that by the end of the 70s, being original and creative as a guitarist just didn't get you catapulted up to the status of 'guitar hero'. To get noticed you had to be playing lots of notes really fast; a shame because IMO that's about the least interesting and expressive aspect of guitar playing. 

ewal

Fun facts - my barber seems to think I'm a Magazine officionado - I must've mentioned them once. He's always asking me opinions about line-ups, best album etc. But I only really listened to my big brother's copy of Play a few times... I just go along with it...

Alexlotl

Isn’t it Robin Simon (Ultravox!, John Foxx) on playing guitar on Play? Another underrated guitarist. 

I was late to Magazine, but am currently hooked, and love McGeoch’s playing. Spent a happy half hour yesterday trying to get that Rhythm of Cruelty tone with my ‘72 Tele Deluxe and a Mooer E-Lady.

The intro of that song is doing my nut - how does he do the flanger sweep during the second half of the riff? It’s either perfectly timed or someone is manually sweeping it. I know McGeoch had his MXR Flanger taped to his mic stand so he could adjust it mid-song, but this is mid-riff. 

KevS

Alexlotl said:

Isn’t it Robin Simon (Ultravox!, John Foxx) on playing guitar on Play? Another underrated guitarist. 

I was late to Magazine, but am currently hooked, and love McGeoch’s playing. Spent a happy half hour yesterday trying to get that Rhythm of Cruelty tone with my ‘72 Tele Deluxe and a Mooer E-Lady.

The intro of that song is doing my nut - how does he do the flanger sweep during the second half of the riff? It’s either perfectly timed or someone is manually sweeping it. I know McGeoch had his MXR Flanger taped to his mic stand so he could adjust it mid-song, but this is mid-riff. 

Yes,but Play is great..Stevie Shears with Ultravox was great too...Young Savage is a storming track..
Talking about John Foxx...One X Paul Fox was another great guitarist,who used a Flanger.
Babylon's Burning,,most obvious pick,but what a Riff...
Lot's of great guitarists in that era and later..

I think listening to Play,,Robin Simon did have speed and Technique..

Are you thinking of the note at the end of the line on Feed the Enemy,,Alexlotl..?

I bought a slightly rough copy of the First Ultravox LP out of the Bargain Bin for £2.00in a record shop..
When I got it home and held the sleeve open before getting the record out to go on the cleaning machine..
A piece of paper with all the John Foxx Era band with Stevie Shears autographs fell out..
As usual I find posting on here difficult,I have a Photo of it..

ewal

Yes - we were talking about Play during my last haircut, because he'd just ordered a Japanese release of it, which was in immaculate condition. We chatted about the different line-ups - well I smiled and pretended to know all this while he talked on. He's a bit of a record buying eccentric....

26.2

Great player! In a band I had from 2010-16 we did SBBS, Touch and Go and Because You’re Frightened at various times. Another band I was in did The Light Pours Out Of Me. I had 2 versions of the solo for SBBS depending on how confident I was feeling - the McGeoch version and my own easier version  

Secondhand Daylight is my favourite, although Play seems to be the one I play the most. Actually I think Robin Simon sounds better than JM on some songs. I saw them with JM a few times and was also due to see them in 1981 with Ben Mandelson, but they split before the tour. Had to wait until they played the Royal Festival Hall in 2010ish to see them again. Noko on guitar, who Howard worked with in Luxuria. 

26.2

Alexlotl said:

Isn’t it Robin Simon (Ultravox!, John Foxx) on playing guitar on Play? Another underrated guitarist. 

I was late to Magazine, but am currently hooked, and love McGeoch’s playing. Spent a happy half hour yesterday trying to get that Rhythm of Cruelty tone with my ‘72 Tele Deluxe and a Mooer E-Lady.

The intro of that song is doing my nut - how does he do the flanger sweep during the second half of the riff? It’s either perfectly timed or someone is manually sweeping it. I know McGeoch had his MXR Flanger taped to his mic stand so he could adjust it mid-song, but this is mid-riff. 

Done in the studio I presume, maybe after the part was recorded. 

Funkfingers

Sudden sonic changes like that are what would be expected if a solo were comped together from several takes.

One of my favourites occurs during Is This The Life by Cardiacs.