Smithereens 11: Guitarist Jim Babjak Breaks Down 11 Essential Smithereens Tracks
Smithereens lead guitarist Jim Babjak breaks down 11 essential Smithereens tracks.
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"House We Used To Live In"
From The Smithereens Live In Concert! (2008, eOne Entertainment)
A proper Smithereens live album was long overdue. After considering other possible venues, we chose to record three nights at the Court Tavern in New Brunswick, New Jersey. We charged only $5 for admission, the same price as when we used to play there in the early '80s. There's no doubt the Court Tavern was our Cavern Club, so it was a natural choice.
Kurt Reil from the House of Vibes brought in his portable studio equipment to record all three nights and later mixed the best performances in his studio.
"House We Used to Live In" always had an extended ending for live shows, but this particular night it clocked in much longer at 11 minutes. When I thought I was about to wrap up the jam at what is now the halfway point, Pat pulled out a harmonica. This surprise added a whole new dimension and I was thrilled when I heard the results. The chemistry between the four of us was really strong that night. Luckily, this spontaneous jam was captured on tape.
I used my 1952 reissue Telecaster through a I00-watt Marshall 800. I love this combination when I'm on the road because the Telecaster travels well and is versatile. I can get a nice crunch at top volume, and by using the different pickup positions and volume knob I can get exactly what I need. It's not a fussy guitar and I do beat the crap out of it.
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brofan
June 20, 2012 at 3:40pm
P.S. Saw you guys at Cabaret Metro in Chicago right after Green Thoughts came out in '88 I think? One of the best shows I've ever seen and I'll never forget you slinging sliders out into the audience and laughing your butt off during the White Castle Blues encore.
Yesterday I listened to a tape of the 5-6-88 show from the Bottom Line that was broadcast on WNEW....man, those were the days. Those first 2 records had more great tunes than most bands write over a career. You guys ruled - and still do. Thanks for all the great music over the years.
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brofan
June 20, 2012 at 3:33pm
Hey Jim, Carr Amps are built by Steve Carr by hand right here in Pittsboro, NC. From Wiki: "Founder Steve Carr said of the company: "We try to figure out the great things about forties, fifties, and sixties amps and throw in some new twists. But our amps don’t have a whole lot of knobs or switches. They’re super-useful but very simple."
Steve's Rambler amps have gotten rave reviews and Guitar Player said the Rambler's "layout and wiring are absolutely flawless." Jazz Times called the Carr Rambler's "top-notch craftsmanship, hand-wired electronics and thoughtful, well-researched design."
Also from Wiki: "The Carr amplifiers with 6L6 tubes are compared to classic Fender amps; the Slant 6V, which also has 12AX7 and 12AT7 tubes, was praised as "an amazingly useful and versatile amp" and was a "Guitar Player Editors' Pick" in 2009. The "exceptional" Vincent was praised for "its rich tone, variable power, and compact size."
I'm not a player but as a resident of Pittsboro I think it's awesome that a true craftsman like Steve Carr still takes the time and considerable effort to make the best possible product right here in the USA. Kudos to him.
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toothmonkey
June 20, 2012 at 1:08pm
Great story, Jim! I saw you guys at Abbey Road on the River in Kentucky (I think) in 2006 (I think). Anyway, it was great!













