Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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RockaPhillyClash wrote:
03 May 2021, 11:05pm
Personally, I think I an interesting documentary still to be made would be interviews with just the drummers, Terry, Rob, Topper & Pete - Not talking too much about their contribution or how they ended up in the drum chair, but rather offering up their their perspectives as to what was going on during their time with the band. Dudanski from the 101ers. Geir Waade from the SS. A clearer perspective might come from the periphery just beyond the spark
There aren't many music-y books (or articles, even) about The Clash for some reason, which leaves a lot of room for someone to pick up a brilliant idea like this and run with it.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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Inder wrote:
05 May 2021, 12:33pm
RockNRollWhore wrote:
30 Apr 2021, 1:27pm
The Call up is definitely a CR-78 for the drum intro. Was any of this ever documented?
I came across that sample (are they called samples?) in this



last year and couldn't believe I hadn't realized that was a synth thing. I then started hearing it in like a million songs afterwards (well, like four more).

There was a funny moment in a White Album deluxe thing promo session where a musician is told the flamenco intro to Bungalow Bill is a preloaded Mellotron sample. Imagine how many people have tried to work that out for themselves on guitar while it was literally someone in the studio pressing a key!
Yeah a lot of old school home organs had built in drum boxes. They would have pre set patterns like Rock, Waltz, Swing, Polka, etc..
And yeah the mellotron must have been baffling to people at the time. It’s like electronic, yet really earthy and warble sounding. Unique for sure.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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Macca showing off the mellotron is fun:




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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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RockNRollWhore wrote:
05 May 2021, 1:35pm

Yeah a lot of old school home organs had built in drum boxes. They would have pre set patterns like Rock, Waltz, Swing, Polka, etc..
And yeah the mellotron must have been baffling to people at the time. It’s like electronic, yet really earthy and warble sounding. Unique for sure.
I think the same synth is on a few other places on Sandinista! as well -- the singing da-da-da-daaa-das in Version City for ex.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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Do we know if the lead synth lines on Sean Flynn, Idle In Kangaroo Court & Cool Confusion are a guitar synth or a keyboard synth? I know Mick had used the Roland SPV & the GR707 guitar synths but the meter of those synth lines don't sound like something you'd play on guitar. The drones on STH, Atom Tan, Death Is A Star do sound like a guitar synth to me however, though I could be wrong there.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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KCportland wrote:
23 May 2021, 11:29pm
Do we know if the lead synth lines on Sean Flynn, Idle In Kangaroo Court & Cool Confusion are a guitar synth or a keyboard synth? I know Mick had used the Roland SPV & the GR707 guitar synths but the meter of those synth lines don't sound like something you'd play on guitar. The drones on STH, Atom Tan, Death Is A Star do sound like a guitar synth to me however, though I could be wrong there.
Would've been a combo of guitar, and from what I can tell, a saxophone, and possibly Tymon's violin. As well as some keyboard synth (believe it was mainly used on Overpowered by Funk, as well maybe the horn part during the "The beautiful people are ugly too" choruses in Fulham Connection.) It's using the SPV, Mick hadn't gotten the 707 by then, that came towards the start of TRAC/BAD. There is actually a setting on the SPV for woodwind/brass, so my guess is Mick and Gary Barnacle had fun with that and had used that for Sean Flynn. Kangaroo Court is definitely guitar synth. Some of the synthy noises in Cool Confusion were definitely from the Pearl Syncussion, though I've always wondered how Mick was able to get such an "underwater" sound for some of his noodley parts in it.

Something to add too, Mick is a genius for Death is a Star. For that, he essentially made a string arrangement by the guitar synth alone. Owning an SPV myself, I can recognize that sound from anywhere.
Last edited by River on 25 May 2021, 7:04pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

Post by Heston »

River wrote:
25 May 2021, 7:03pm
KCportland wrote:
23 May 2021, 11:29pm
Do we know if the lead synth lines on Sean Flynn, Idle In Kangaroo Court & Cool Confusion are a guitar synth or a keyboard synth? I know Mick had used the Roland SPV & the GR707 guitar synths but the meter of those synth lines don't sound like something you'd play on guitar. The drones on STH, Atom Tan, Death Is A Star do sound like a guitar synth to me however, though I could be wrong there.
Would've been a combo of guitar, and from what I can tell, a saxophone, and possibly Tymon's violin. As well as some keyboard synth (believe it was mainly used on Overpowered by Funk, as well maybe the horn part during the "The beautiful people are ugly too" choruses in Fulham Connection.) It's using the SPV, Mick hadn't gotten the 707 by then, that came towards the start of TRAC/BAD. There is actually a setting on the SPV for woodwind/brass, so my guess is Mick and Gary Barnacle had fun with that and had used that for Sean Flynn. Kangaroo Court is definitely guitar synth. Some of the synthy noises in Cool Confusion were definitely from the Pearl Syncussion, though I've always wondered how Mick was able to get such an "underwater" sound for some of his noodley parts in it.

Something to add too, Mick is a genius for Death is a Star. For that, he essentially made a string arrangement by the guitar synth alone. Owning an SPV myself, I can recognize that sound from anywhere.
Informative stuff, cheers.
There's a tiny, tiny hopeful part of me that says you guys are running a Kaufmanesque long con on the board

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

Post by Heston »

For any nerds, more info on what I assume is the Roland SVP that Mick was using...

https://www.joness.com/gr300/sound-on-s ... vp-355.htm
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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

Post by River »

Heston wrote:
25 May 2021, 7:30pm
For any nerds, more info on what I assume is the Roland SVP that Mick was using...

https://www.joness.com/gr300/sound-on-s ... vp-355.htm
It’s a very odd synth to use. It’s a relatively early guitar synth so it’s tracking doesn’t act like you’d expect (or hope.) The 707 can track all 6 strings a the same time, making chords possible. Meanwhile, the SPV can’t and can only track one string at a time. It’s why live, when Mick used it, he’d mostly use it for droning low notes. His live sound during the Far East tour was full of it, using it for a bunch of guitar solos at that point. Very noticeable during London Calling as well, sort of hidden in the mix.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

Post by KCportland »

River wrote:
25 May 2021, 7:03pm
KCportland wrote:
23 May 2021, 11:29pm
Do we know if the lead synth lines on Sean Flynn, Idle In Kangaroo Court & Cool Confusion are a guitar synth or a keyboard synth? I know Mick had used the Roland SPV & the GR707 guitar synths but the meter of those synth lines don't sound like something you'd play on guitar. The drones on STH, Atom Tan, Death Is A Star do sound like a guitar synth to me however, though I could be wrong there.
Would've been a combo of guitar, and from what I can tell, a saxophone, and possibly Tymon's violin. As well as some keyboard synth (believe it was mainly used on Overpowered by Funk, as well maybe the horn part during the "The beautiful people are ugly too" choruses in Fulham Connection.) It's using the SPV, Mick hadn't gotten the 707 by then, that came towards the start of TRAC/BAD. There is actually a setting on the SPV for woodwind/brass, so my guess is Mick and Gary Barnacle had fun with that and had used that for Sean Flynn. Kangaroo Court is definitely guitar synth. Some of the synthy noises in Cool Confusion were definitely from the Pearl Syncussion, though I've always wondered how Mick was able to get such an "underwater" sound for some of his noodley parts in it.

Something to add too, Mick is a genius for Death is a Star. For that, he essentially made a string arrangement by the guitar synth alone. Owning an SPV myself, I can recognize that sound from anywhere.
Interesting! That makes sense though, the Cool Confusion synth parts definitely sound the least guitar synth-like to me so it stands to reason that could be the drum synth. Fulham really sounds like an old keyboard synth on a horn setting to me so I'd agree with you there as well. Didn't realize Mick was using the SPV that extensively back then though, would love to play around with one of those things.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

Post by River »

KCportland wrote:
25 May 2021, 9:30pm
River wrote:
25 May 2021, 7:03pm
KCportland wrote:
23 May 2021, 11:29pm
Do we know if the lead synth lines on Sean Flynn, Idle In Kangaroo Court & Cool Confusion are a guitar synth or a keyboard synth? I know Mick had used the Roland SPV & the GR707 guitar synths but the meter of those synth lines don't sound like something you'd play on guitar. The drones on STH, Atom Tan, Death Is A Star do sound like a guitar synth to me however, though I could be wrong there.
Would've been a combo of guitar, and from what I can tell, a saxophone, and possibly Tymon's violin. As well as some keyboard synth (believe it was mainly used on Overpowered by Funk, as well maybe the horn part during the "The beautiful people are ugly too" choruses in Fulham Connection.) It's using the SPV, Mick hadn't gotten the 707 by then, that came towards the start of TRAC/BAD. There is actually a setting on the SPV for woodwind/brass, so my guess is Mick and Gary Barnacle had fun with that and had used that for Sean Flynn. Kangaroo Court is definitely guitar synth. Some of the synthy noises in Cool Confusion were definitely from the Pearl Syncussion, though I've always wondered how Mick was able to get such an "underwater" sound for some of his noodley parts in it.

Something to add too, Mick is a genius for Death is a Star. For that, he essentially made a string arrangement by the guitar synth alone. Owning an SPV myself, I can recognize that sound from anywhere.
Interesting! That makes sense though, the Cool Confusion synth parts definitely sound the least guitar synth-like to me so it stands to reason that could be the drum synth. Fulham really sounds like an old keyboard synth on a horn setting to me so I'd agree with you there as well. Didn't realize Mick was using the SPV that extensively back then though, would love to play around with one of those things.
I've read that Car Jamming and Sean Flynn were worked on back when Radio Clash was done, in April 81. Of course those were most likely very rough and different versions but if it's true, Mick could've had that synth as early as then. I put it more towards around the bulk of the Rat Patrol recordings, which would put him getting it more around November/December of 81.

I had bought the SPV I have around 6 years ago for I think $1,000 from an Ebay seller in Japan. Once I got that, and then the Roland 301 about 2 years back, I fully realized how Mick sounded the way he did from 82 on. The chorus echo especially. It has a built in pre-amp that gives a sound like no other. Tons of people try to get Brian Setzer's sound as well and that 301 is always what stumps them.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

Post by KCportland »

River wrote:
25 May 2021, 11:06pm
KCportland wrote:
25 May 2021, 9:30pm
River wrote:
25 May 2021, 7:03pm
KCportland wrote:
23 May 2021, 11:29pm
Do we know if the lead synth lines on Sean Flynn, Idle In Kangaroo Court & Cool Confusion are a guitar synth or a keyboard synth? I know Mick had used the Roland SPV & the GR707 guitar synths but the meter of those synth lines don't sound like something you'd play on guitar. The drones on STH, Atom Tan, Death Is A Star do sound like a guitar synth to me however, though I could be wrong there.
Would've been a combo of guitar, and from what I can tell, a saxophone, and possibly Tymon's violin. As well as some keyboard synth (believe it was mainly used on Overpowered by Funk, as well maybe the horn part during the "The beautiful people are ugly too" choruses in Fulham Connection.) It's using the SPV, Mick hadn't gotten the 707 by then, that came towards the start of TRAC/BAD. There is actually a setting on the SPV for woodwind/brass, so my guess is Mick and Gary Barnacle had fun with that and had used that for Sean Flynn. Kangaroo Court is definitely guitar synth. Some of the synthy noises in Cool Confusion were definitely from the Pearl Syncussion, though I've always wondered how Mick was able to get such an "underwater" sound for some of his noodley parts in it.

Something to add too, Mick is a genius for Death is a Star. For that, he essentially made a string arrangement by the guitar synth alone. Owning an SPV myself, I can recognize that sound from anywhere.
Interesting! That makes sense though, the Cool Confusion synth parts definitely sound the least guitar synth-like to me so it stands to reason that could be the drum synth. Fulham really sounds like an old keyboard synth on a horn setting to me so I'd agree with you there as well. Didn't realize Mick was using the SPV that extensively back then though, would love to play around with one of those things.
I've read that Car Jamming and Sean Flynn were worked on back when Radio Clash was done, in April 81. Of course those were most likely very rough and different versions but if it's true, Mick could've had that synth as early as then. I put it more towards around the bulk of the Rat Patrol recordings, which would put him getting it more around November/December of 81.

I had bought the SPV I have around 6 years ago for I think $1,000 from an Ebay seller in Japan. Once I got that, and then the Roland 301 about 2 years back, I fully realized how Mick sounded the way he did from 82 on. The chorus echo especially. It has a built in pre-amp that gives a sound like no other. Tons of people try to get Brian Setzer's sound as well and that 301 is always what stumps them.
That Roland Chorus Echo is truly my dream piece of gear. It might as well be called the Mick Machine. So many of the sounds he got from 1980 and onward came out of that unit. I have a Boss RE-20 Space Echo pedal, which has a preamp built into it based on the 201's preamp, doesn't have the chorus built in though, nor does it have wow/flutter control to get those Sean Flynn sounds. I assume the 201 and 301 have similar preamps?

A lot of guitarists hate the RE-20 because of the preamp, since most keep it at the end of their chain after distortions/overdrives. But the reason Mick's tone was so brilliant was that he was plugged straight into the 301 and just used the gain on his Mesa Boogie. If I ever have a spare 3 grand around I'm buying one :lol:
Last edited by KCportland on 25 May 2021, 11:45pm, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

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Accidental post

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Re: Synths/Drum Machines used by the Clash

Post by River »

KCportland wrote:
25 May 2021, 11:36pm
River wrote:
25 May 2021, 11:06pm
KCportland wrote:
25 May 2021, 9:30pm
River wrote:
25 May 2021, 7:03pm
KCportland wrote:
23 May 2021, 11:29pm
Do we know if the lead synth lines on Sean Flynn, Idle In Kangaroo Court & Cool Confusion are a guitar synth or a keyboard synth? I know Mick had used the Roland SPV & the GR707 guitar synths but the meter of those synth lines don't sound like something you'd play on guitar. The drones on STH, Atom Tan, Death Is A Star do sound like a guitar synth to me however, though I could be wrong there.
Would've been a combo of guitar, and from what I can tell, a saxophone, and possibly Tymon's violin. As well as some keyboard synth (believe it was mainly used on Overpowered by Funk, as well maybe the horn part during the "The beautiful people are ugly too" choruses in Fulham Connection.) It's using the SPV, Mick hadn't gotten the 707 by then, that came towards the start of TRAC/BAD. There is actually a setting on the SPV for woodwind/brass, so my guess is Mick and Gary Barnacle had fun with that and had used that for Sean Flynn. Kangaroo Court is definitely guitar synth. Some of the synthy noises in Cool Confusion were definitely from the Pearl Syncussion, though I've always wondered how Mick was able to get such an "underwater" sound for some of his noodley parts in it.

Something to add too, Mick is a genius for Death is a Star. For that, he essentially made a string arrangement by the guitar synth alone. Owning an SPV myself, I can recognize that sound from anywhere.
Interesting! That makes sense though, the Cool Confusion synth parts definitely sound the least guitar synth-like to me so it stands to reason that could be the drum synth. Fulham really sounds like an old keyboard synth on a horn setting to me so I'd agree with you there as well. Didn't realize Mick was using the SPV that extensively back then though, would love to play around with one of those things.
I've read that Car Jamming and Sean Flynn were worked on back when Radio Clash was done, in April 81. Of course those were most likely very rough and different versions but if it's true, Mick could've had that synth as early as then. I put it more towards around the bulk of the Rat Patrol recordings, which would put him getting it more around November/December of 81.

I had bought the SPV I have around 6 years ago for I think $1,000 from an Ebay seller in Japan. Once I got that, and then the Roland 301 about 2 years back, I fully realized how Mick sounded the way he did from 82 on. The chorus echo especially. It has a built in pre-amp that gives a sound like no other. Tons of people try to get Brian Setzer's sound as well and that 301 is always what stumps them.
That Roland Chorus Echo is truly my dream piece of gear. It might as well be called the Mick Machine. So many of the sounds he got from 1980 and onward came out of that unit. I have a Boss RE-20 Space Echo pedal, which has a preamp built into it based on the 201's preamp, doesn't have the chorus built in though, nor does it have wow/flutter control to get those Sean Flynn sounds. I assume the 201 and 301 have similar preamps?

A lot of guitarists hate the RE-20 because of the preamp, since most keep it at the end of their chain after distortions/overdrives. But the reason Mick's tone was so brilliant was that he was plugged straight into the 301 and just used the gain on his Mesa Boogie. If I ever have a spare 3 grand around I'm buying one :lol:
The 301 I got for $1,500. I do own a Mesa as well, it’s just a
studio 22 instead of a Mark II. Same thing kind of, just less power. Anyways, The 301 preamp is definitely different. I have a (mostly busted) 201 as well and the sound is nowhere close to what a 301 offers. Mick sounds the way he does because of it.

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