johnraymondwebster, Author at John Raymond Webster

Mike Dores visits the Blue Spoon

johnraymondwebster2023-09-02T02:55:52+00:00

MIKE & JOHN:

Well, well, well… after years of study, practice, and solo experiments… I am beginning to invite other musicians to come to the Blue Spoon recording studio and see what we can create. One of my first guests is Mike Dores. I’ve been playing music with Mike for over 20 years for fun.

So, as an experiment…

We recorded a cover of the song Different Drummer live in the Blue Spoon. Mike played my Taylor acoustic guitar and sang the song. I played my Fender Stratocaster.

Mike’s vocal was recorded with a Sure 57 mic through a Bose P.A. I played my Strat through thr0ugh a Harmonizer on a peddle board into a classic Peavy 50 Watt tube amp.

I recorded a mono track in LUNA using an LE condenser mike in the center of the studio. We had never practiced this song before. We did one run through, and then recorded the second time we played it straight through.

I mixed the track to clean it up, then added tracks of bass and drums. I played the bass direct into my Apollo interface through the Ampeg Bass Amp plugin in LUNA.

I played the drums on my midi controller keyboard with a drum kit in the EZ Drummer plugin in LUNA I mixed the new tracks and used some processing plugins and some effects bus tracks on them.

Finally, I mastered the mixed tracks and exported them to a final stereo track. Here it is:

Mike Dores visits the Blue Spoonjohnraymondwebster2023-09-02T02:55:52+00:00

Jeff Beck Tribute

johnraymondwebster2023-09-02T02:16:18+00:00

R.I.P. Jeff Beck

Jeff Beck’s passing has touched me deeply. I loved Jeff’s masterful guitar music, magical fingers, and soulful creativity. Jeff was truly one of kind and a major idol of mine.

In his honor I am made this post. If features 2 tributes to Jeff. A video of me and my class mates in Jeff McErlain’s Advanced Rock and Blues workshop performing Freeway Jam on the Crown Of The Continent Guitar Festival stage, and an original demo of my song Woody The Wise / Jeff Beck that I recorded in Garage Band on my iPad while on the road and added some Jeff Beck inspired guitar to.

Jeff Beck’s Freeway Jam

Me and my mates in Jeff McErlain’s Advanced Rock and Blues Guitar Workshop performing Freeway Jam on the Crown Guitar stage in Montana.

Woody The Wise / Jeff Beck

My original demo recorded in Garage Band on an iPad while on the road. I added the guitar track playing my strat and using the whammy bar after hearing of Jeff Beck’s passing. So sad. R.I. P. Jeff. I love you.

Jeff Beck Tributejohnraymondwebster2023-09-02T02:16:18+00:00

Smoking Wood Peckers

johnraymondwebster2023-09-02T02:14:51+00:00

IN MEMORY OF PAUL HOLCOMB

Paul was the drummer in the Smoking Wood Peckers band and a surfer. Rodney was a friend I surfed and played music with. In this post I combine two stories about them that cross over.

Paul Holcomb

Rodney Millican

When I was growing up I had a best friend named Rodney. We were surf buddies and both played music. I bought a new Jacobs surfboard and Rodney bought one too. We both had them custom made to our specs and they had creative applications of the Jacobs logo. Old school longboards. Mine had three wood stringers and Rod’s was a nose rider.

I sold my Jacob eventually as I had moved from California and wasn’t surfing anymore. Then one day I moved back to Oceanside. Rod still had his Jacobs and sold it to me as he wasn’t surfing any more.

I road Rod’s board now and then until I moved to Montana. I donated the board to the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, California. They were delighted to get it as it had become a classic and was in good condition. It also featured a rare surf license sticker on the underside that was once required by law in Newport Beach.

One day Rod strolled into the Surf Museum and was surprised to find his Jacob on display. He asked me about it and sent me some photos they took of him at the Museum.

I had taken a bunch of photos when I donated the board and put together this short video. The soundtrack features the Smoking Wood Peckers live at one of the Blue Jam Festivals, recorded and mixed by Eric Schwartz, second guitarist in the band.

You’ve heard of how musicians sometimes have moments when everything comes together and the magic happens. This was one of those moments for me. The band, Herb French, Eric Schwartz, David Klatt, Paul Holcomb and me were in sync and Paul locked in his drumming with me on lead guitar and we riffed back and forth together. I will never forget it! It was a special moment for me.

Paul was an amazing drummer, a beautiful soul, a great surfer, and a dear friend.

California Surf Museum and Rodney’s Jacobs surfboard video.

Europa

Europa (full song) performed live by the Smoking Wood Peckers. This song was such a special moment for me… not just one special moment within a song which happened frequently… but with this one the whole song was special from beginning to end!

Pay attention to Paul’s drumming throughout the song and you will hear how he makes subtle changes or dramatic changes as the song morphs that perfectly fit the song. This song epitomizes the level of tightness we had achieved from over twenty years of playing together.