for several years now, it has seemed as though the cowbell as a device of musical irony had long since played itself out.
i think it may have peaked with will ferrell's and christopher walken's now-legendary "more cowbell!" SNL skit, and by the time high school kids started posting thousands of videos of themselves imitating that skit for increasingly diminishing humor returns, the cowbell had become yesterday's catch-phrase: a "don't have a cow, man" of self-aware musical hipsterism. not even queens of the stone age's attempt to resuscitate the basic idea by substituting the cowbell with a wood block on "little sister" could save the cowbell's usefulness as anything but something to hang around a cow's neck.
that is, until "suicide in progress" was released to the salivating masses.
dale crover has long been a cowbell virtuoso, taking it to strange, new places unimagineable to the blue oyster cult. exhibit A, of course, is the cowbell on "let it all be," which acts as a counter-beat to the primary rhythm of the song's first half. when you remember that The Bootlicker debuted a good solid six months before the "more cowbell" skit, the melvins' cultural impact -- far beyond that whole inspiring kurt cobain to become a rockstar jimmyjazz we're all too familiar with -- cannot be denied.
i have my criticisms of Nude With Boots as a whole, to be sure. but the sassy, earnest-but-winking spurts of cowbell on "suicide in progress" -- especially when paired with the ribbon crasher -- have restored my faith in the cowbell's longevity. played out? sure. but now, much like roller skates and the skinny tie, the cowbell has now been imbued with a post-ironic sheen: "it's so uncool, it's cool -- just don't tell anyone."
all this raises the question: will the ribbon crasher follow the same trajectory as the cowbell?
DISCUSS.
Let's not forget the rhythm hand claps on that one ASA song.
We're just missing symbol catches in the "percussive tricks of the 70's" repertoire.
sidebar: for more cowbell virtuosity, perhaps the greatest ever, see Barrie Wilson of Procol Harum fame...the man was un-fucking-believeable! ("power failure", "bringing home the bacon", "simple sister", etc.)
What about the gong?
Quoteexhibit A, of course, is the cowbell on "let it all be," which acts as a counter-beat to the primary rhythm of the song's first half.
i thought that was a wood block or does it change to a wood block? i might be wrong so dont take this as me calling you out or anything. just trying to remember. shit you may have just listened to it for all i know.
Fu Manchu likes the cowbell.
as long as there's not a skit about ribbon crashers on SNL...god help us.
Does anyone even care about SNL anymore?
i watched the best of John Belushi DVD this weekend. does that count?
Quote from: Joey D. on July 29, 2008, 09:37:03 PM
Fu Manchu likes the cowbell.
Tell me abaad it! They have a handful of good songs but when I saw them live it was either 'generic stoner rock song' or 'generic stoner rock song with loud cowbell'.
the ribbon crasher is just too unknown to the public and even most melvins fans to be as famed as the cowbell. Dale does alot more with the irbbon crasher than what he does with the cow bell. I mean... who else fucking uses a ribbon crasher other than dale? I know I used to use one until..... Did I ever tell anyone that I gave him my ribbon crasher? Why? because Im an idiot. Do I regret it? Yes! Is my drumset just an ordinary drumset now? YES.
Quotewho else fucking uses a ribbon crasher other than dale?
Ches SMith uses one in Theory of Ruin
he so fucking awesome with them. great fucking drumming on those recordings.
Alex Newport of fudge tunnel sings/guit
http://www.myspace.com/theoryofruin
The track "Double Negative" amd "Profiteering" have it for sure.
Quote from: armofinfant on August 02, 2008, 12:33:02 PM
The track "Double Negative" amd "Profiteering" have it for sure.
Yeah, and they sound really good.
I know the drummer of Muse uses a Ribbon Crasher.
I'm surprised no one else has pointed this out but...
There's no cowbell in Suicide In Progress. There's a little tambourine. mabye that's what you were hearing?
Or have I just gone crazy and never noticed the cowbell part the millions of times I've listened to the song?
i hear me some cowbell on that there song.
in my opinion here what they play on that song:
(http://www.rhythmtech.com/images/products/mw/MW_LDS.jpg)
A lense drum... I know they use it but I'm not even sure how it sounds. Well there definitely is something that sounds like a cowbell to me.
In the beginning, the groovy part, you can hear it simply go "clunk clunk" several times. For example at 00:11, and so on. It's kinda hard to describe. Anyways, there's also a consistent use of the cowbell (or whatever) from 00:45 to 00:55 as far as I can tell. I might be wrong though, but that's what I hear.. It's actually the first thing I noticed about the studio version since I never heard that in the live versions.
i might be wrong but watch Coady here hitting that mounted percussion
http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=n_jY69uk_vg
Actually Armofinfant is correct. I somehow managed to watch Trevor Dunn's Trio Convulsant open for the Melvin's in '04 for the POTRE tour and sure enough that drummer had a ribbon crasher.(he's the same dude in all those Alex Newport bands).
Dale and that guy are the only two drummers I've ever seen use one. I only remember Dale using it on "THE BLOAT"
Check out Revolve dude! :love: :love: :love: :love:
Quotea ribbon crasher.(he's the same dude in all those Alex Newport bands).
Dale and that guy are the only two drummers I've ever seen use one. I only remember Dale using it on "THE BLOAT"
what about Let it all Be? i wanna say that Dale uses the crashers a lot.
Quote from: Dead Guy Ale on October 01, 2008, 05:24:14 PM
Dale and that guy are the only two drummers I've ever seen use one. I only remember Dale using it on "THE BLOAT"
The Bloat, Revolve, Let it all be, Anaconda, The fool, Tipping the lion, Buck owens, Zodiac...
I wouldn't even start counting, he uses it all the time!
I love that thing. I don't even have a drum set but I sure have a ribbon crasher.
Key word *Remember*
This was 4 years ago. I was hammered. Give me farking break here.
i just wanted to make a fomal announcement that i bought a set of ribbon crashers today at guitar center for $14.00. Mount for $16.00. i'm gonna wrap it and open it this thursday monring and pretend who ever got them for me "shouldn't have."
Yeah I have a drumkit but NO RIBBON CRASHER OR COWBELL! I'm not an amazing drummer anyway. I'm good and all, but I'm totally self taught. Could be better. I wanna find a teacher. On another topic, does anyone else not like Guitar Center? I don't like being forced to go there usually.
on topic I definitely hear the cowbell.
I have to give the award for best use of a cowbell to "Interpol" by Pong.
Quote from: rehabdoll0 on December 22, 2008, 01:59:34 PM
Yeah I have a drumkit but NO RIBBON CRASHER OR COWBELL! I'm not an amazing drummer anyway. I'm good and all, but I'm totally self taught. Could be better. I wanna find a teacher. On another topic, does anyone else not like Guitar Center? I don't like being forced to go there usually.
on topic I definitely hear the cowbell.
i don't like GC . I worked there for maybe 2 months in 2005 , summer. I asked the GM about a new GC opening up in the same city as this legendary mom and pop type music store. I said what do you think will happen to Marshall Music? he said"hopefully close down". it wasn't long after that I was out of there. but on the other hand I have a ROUTE that i work for my job and there's a GC on it. so i kill time in there. Plus i've got friends that work there and always get me way under the retail price.
but no, i don't like GC.
Quote from: Armofinfant on December 22, 2008, 02:03:39 PM
Quote from: rehabdoll0 on December 22, 2008, 01:59:34 PM
Yeah I have a drumkit but NO RIBBON CRASHER OR COWBELL! I'm not an amazing drummer anyway. I'm good and all, but I'm totally self taught. Could be better. I wanna find a teacher. On another topic, does anyone else not like Guitar Center? I don't like being forced to go there usually.
on topic I definitely hear the cowbell.
i don't like GC . I worked there for maybe 2 months in 2005 , summer. I asked the GM about a new GC opening up in the same city as this legendary mom and pop type music store. I said what do you think will happen to Marshall Music? he said"hopefully close down". it wasn't long after that I was out of there. but on the other hand I have a ROUTE that i work for my job and there's a GC on it. so i kill time in there. Plus i've got friends that work there and always get me way under the retail price.
but no, i don't like GC.
Yeah I definitely sit around and fuck around with everything there sometimes... but otherwise I dislike the store alot. It's like the shitty Wal-Mart of the music business. They pretty much only stock what is really popular which sucks because by the time you realize they don't have what you want, every other music store in a 25 mile radius has closed down due to lack of business. That and the employees like, nag the hell out of you.
That's awesome though... friend discount. But I just bought a Les Paul in August so I can't really get anything else for awhile. I want a Jackson.
Quote from: Armofinfant on December 22, 2008, 02:03:39 PM
Quote from: rehabdoll0 on December 22, 2008, 01:59:34 PM
Yeah I have a drumkit but NO RIBBON CRASHER OR COWBELL! I'm not an amazing drummer anyway. I'm good and all, but I'm totally self taught. Could be better. I wanna find a teacher. On another topic, does anyone else not like Guitar Center? I don't like being forced to go there usually.
on topic I definitely hear the cowbell.
i don't like GC . I worked there for maybe 2 months in 2005 , summer. I asked the GM about a new GC opening up in the same city as this legendary mom and pop type music store. I said what do you think will happen to Marshall Music? he said"hopefully close down". it wasn't long after that I was out of there. but on the other hand I have a ROUTE that i work for my job and there's a GC on it. so i kill time in there. Plus i've got friends that work there and always get me way under the retail price.
but no, i don't like GC.
I think Armo should get us all discounts from GC! Thanks Armo, you're the best.
Quote from: erin on December 22, 2008, 01:59:34 PM
Yeah I have a drumkit but NO RIBBON CRASHER
Ha, I have a Ribbon Crasher but no drum kit :lol:
I've got drumsets, cowbells, tambourines, China cymbals, a woodblock (an actual wooden woodblock), but I've never even heard of a ribbon crasher until Hew Time came out. I saw Dale using it on the YouTube video of Let It All Be, on German TV. Very awesome video, if you haven't seen it. It features Sir DSS and a very terrifying Kevin Rutmanis. It also provides a great view into Dale's kit and you can watch the interplay of cowbell vs ribbon crasher. So the word of the day is......ribbon crasher! I'll just add that to the front end of my wish list (which is long, when you play several instruments). Spare some change, maaaaan? [-o<
Quote from: meezer on May 03, 2014, 08:02:18 AM
I've got drumsets, cowbells, tambourines, China cymbals, a woodblock (an actual wooden woodblock), but I've never even heard of a ribbon crasher until Hew Time came out. I saw Dale using it on the YouTube video of Let It All Be, on German TV. Very awesome video, if you haven't seen it. It features Sir DSS and a very terrifying Kevin Rutmanis. It also provides a great view into Dale's kit and you can watch the interplay of cowbell vs ribbon crasher. So the word of the day is......ribbon crasher! I'll just add that to the front end of my wish list (which is long, when you play several instruments). Spare some change, maaaaan? [-o<
ribbon crasher rules,but just the way Crover uses to play it
Ribbon crashers are awesome! I got into them because of Dale, of course. I actually own 4:
-Rhythm Tech 11" crasher
-Rhythm Tech 15" crasher
(http://c1.zzounds.com/media/quality,85/RT_RC11_clipped-c4a26cd1d00085da5d5cdcb0776c1928.jpg)
-the current Pete Engelhart ribbon crasher-Dale has been using this crasher since around 2009/2010. It's more compact and loud as hell.
(http://s2.lonestarpercussion.com/resize/images/product-image/Gon-Bops-BPECRASH-alt1.jpg)
-Pearl Anarchy Crasher-this is my least favorite out of the four
(http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/18/001/269/491/DV016_Jpg_Large_500367_R.jpg)
Well, it would be better if those images were smaller, but you get the idea. :P
Quote from: Metalhead Cow on May 03, 2014, 04:12:26 PM
Well, it would be better if those images were smaller, but you get the idea. :P
:lol:
You can see it clearly in this video. It's been posted before, but it should probably be re-watched at least once a month.
Dale Crover - (the) Melvins - Captain Pungent/Berthas/National Hamster (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OimrYt_3bvs#ws)