Maybe just time to get one more in before the year's end!

In the early 60s, I was thirteen and helping out in a local studio. In those
early days, we were recording straight onto a Ferrograph stereo
half-track machine, which cost about as much as a small house and
even though it was extremely basic by today's standards, those mixes
had a certain magic - a bit raw, but bright, clean and powerful. With this
song I've tried to capture something of that energy by keeping the track
count down and using only basic effects. The guitar solo was recorded
using my old Tele through an early Vox AC30 top boost with torn cones! Yes, it
sounds trashy, but it was the sound I wanted.

There's one RT in there RT362 Acoustic strumming, plus two tracks
of Telecaster and one of my Jazz bass. The drums are samples played
via the Drum Source sample player. Only two main vocal tracks this time around.

Wasn't That What You Wanted?
You said you wanted a diamond, you said you wanted a ring
You said you want to get married, you want to do the right thing
I bought a five carat diamond, I put it on your hand
Now I can't find you anywhere and I don't understand
No I just can't understand it - wasn't that what you wanted?

I worked hard to get that cash, I worked my fingers to the bone
I worked twenty-four-seven, just to bring the bacon home
I gave you all the money, to buy a plot of land
Now I can't find you anywhere and I don't understand
No I just can't understand it - wasn't that what you wanted?

You said you needed the car, to visit some old friend
You said she didn't live far, just a mile round the bend
So I gave you the car keys, I even filled up the tank
Now I can't find you anywhere and I don't understand
No I just can't understand it - wasn't that what you wanted?

Many thanks, as usual, to anyone who gives it a listen.
Cheers, ROG.

Yeah, I agree with your comment:

"even though it was extremely basic by today's standards, those mixes had a certain magic - a bit raw, but bright, clean and powerful."

Sometimes I think you can lose the feel of the music by trying to make it too perfect.

Sounds good to me Rog, lots of attitude happening with this one. Tele has just the right amount of dirt to make it sing.

Nice way to close out the year!

Hey Rog, reminds me of the bands down at the dance hall back in the sixties.
A great raw vibe.

Cheers

ROG,

LOVE the sound of this! The mix is excellent.

The drums sound really good. The guitars ALL sound great! - both the rhythm and leads!! Love them. Sweet lead, too - one of the best ever presented here...

And a fun song, to boot. Nice vocal.

There is something about it that reminds me of the Dire Straits debut. Not that it SOUNDS like Dire Straits, but it has that immediate appeal - you want to listen to each part as it is happening. A rare achievement...

(I thought the bass could use just a little more "oomph").

Loved it. Top-notch. Do MORE like this!!

fj

Wow, what treat to go with the morning coffee.

This thing just rocks!

Like fj mentioned the drums are tremendous and we're loving that tele and attitude vocals.

When it comes to our notion of good rock this what it's all about.

Hey, I (Bud) briefly worked in a Studio in the summer of '65 and I completely get what you are saying. You nailed that vibe.

Thanks for the memories and fun!

We love it.

J&B

EDIT: Back for another listen and Janice said the song gives her "happy feet!" If you were here you'd understand

What a cool song Rog. Excellent vocal and loved the guitar work. Well done

Rog

I agree with floyd:
"There is something about it that reminds me of the Dire Straits debut. Not that it SOUNDS like Dire Straits, but it has that immediate appeal - you want to listen to each part as it is happening."

Nice guitar playing throughout.
Sounds excellent.

Peter

Well, that was definitely what I wanted!
Felt like I was in the garage with you - love the whole thing but especially the intro and the attitude - punching out each word on that chorus line-sounded nice and snarly.
Excellent song.

Robert

Love that!
Sounds dire straits to me and great fun.
Thumbs up!
Cheers.

Hey ROG,

Great old retro sound! The drums remind a little bit of the Jefferson Airplane's "The Other Side Of This Life." I heard something somewhere between 'The Birds' and 'Jefferson Airplane'.

Glad you got this one. This is how you end the year and a good note! Everything about this shines ... excellent song and production.

Merry Christmas.

Alan

ROG, That highly compressed drum sound is killer and sets up the raw 60's vibe perfectly. Great guitar playing. Super stops. This thing ROCKS!!! Smokin Hot. Love it, Tom

This is great. Yeah it is kind of Dire Straits, but more ROG to me.



The guitar playing is great, and I love the mix, especially the drums.

Sounds like a lost Rolling Stones song, one of the rare times I wish the mix was not so good to get even more authentic feel Great rocking drums and strong vocals, universal message in the lyrics.

Janne

sounds authentic

love it, gritty goodness

awesome guitar sound and licks

enjoyed the heck out of this

Kenny

Cool tune ROG!! Like the retro feel, particularly the drums. With your background story, you reminded me how much I miss the old tape machines. New digital stuff is so powerful, convenient, and easy with tons of advantages but music just sounds better when you're watching the reels spin and the tape go by the heads. Great sound on this-your mixes are always fantastic! Enjoyed!! Merry Xmas! Take care. Greg

Hi Dave.
You're absolutely right about making it too perfect. These days everything is edited to
the point where all the life has gone out of it, then it's copied up and used throughout the song.
I remember the days when you had to play the song right through and suffer the wrath of the
engineer if you needed any punch-ins! Then again, maybe I'm just getting old.
Anyway, many thanks for the listen and review. Much appreciated.
ROG.

Hi Optimus.
Pleased that it gave you some good memories. I was probably playing in one of those bands!
Many thanks.
ROG.

Hi Floyd.
You know I always value your opinion, so really pleased that you liked this one.
I'd be happy to attempt some more like this one - it's good fun getting back to basics again.
Oh, and I'll be careful with the bass next time!
Many thanks, ROG.

Hi there J&B.
Glad you liked this one - always appreciate a review from you.
At the moment I'm enjoying getting back to basics with the recording and the next one should be even more minimalist. Maybe I'm just trying to recapture my youth, but I really do like the way those early recordings had a sort of magic.
So, many thanks for the listen and comments.
Cheers,
ROG.

Hi Scott.
Many thanks for the listen and positive review.
Cheers, ROG.

Many thanks, Peter. Appreciate all the nice comments.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi Robert.
Love the "garage" comment. Yes, that's exactly what I was after.
Many thanks for the review.
Cheers,
ROG.

Hi Rich.
Thanks for the listen and the kind words.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi Alan and many thanks for the review.
I've always been a fan of Jefferson Airplane, right through from the early blues days to Starship's rock ballads! Glad you liked this one and hope you had a good Xmas.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi Tom.
Drum tracks have such a huge dynamic range that back in the tape days we always had to wind up the compressor and then we'd still have the VUs banging on the end stops! Old habits die hard.
Hey, glad you liked it - I had a lot of fun putting it together.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi David.
Hey, that's a really nice thing to say. Pleased you liked it and many thanks for the review.
Cheers, ROG.

ROG, great retro vibe on this! It's mid 60's Stones all the way to me! Pure ole rock and roll! Nice little sole in the middle! Thanks, Torrey

Hi Janne.
What a super complement. Many thanks.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi Kenny.
Always value your opinion, so really pleased you liked it.
Thanks for the listen and review.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi Greg.
Yeah, the tape machines had a certain magic - until they went wrong! I remember re-winding a full spool of two inch tape when the motion sensing and brakes failed and the feed reel nearly broke the sound barrier.
But yes, things just did sound better.
Many thanks for the kind comments.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi Torrey.
Many thanks for the listen and review. Much appreciate the positive comments.
Cheers, ROG.

ROG,

I apologise for taking a while to get this.

This whole presentation sparkles and gleams with professionalism. The sound is amazing. The mix, your playing, your arranging, everything, is spot on and to my ears, each component piggy-backed on every other component and created a really satisfying aural journey.

Really enjoyable music!

All the best for 2018,
Noel

Thanks, Noel.
Hope you had a good Christmas and New Year.
Always like to get a review from you, so many thanks for that.
All the best to you too for 2018.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi Rog,

I don't usually reply to the songs on the forum, because I am not a musician, I hear songs, if you know what I mean, but this song is so brilliant you could place it in the hit parade.

All the very best.

George

George, what can I say?
That's one of the nicest reviews I've ever had.
The fact that you don't comment often makes it even more special.
Thank you SO much.
Cheers, ROG.

Basic recording techniques still produce that rawness that modern producers layer a hundred tracks trying to capture. And.. you just showed 'em how to do it..

Great way to end the year. Enjoyed my listen.

Charlie

Hi Charlie.
It's great to have access to all the modern recording systems with unlimited tracks
and every conceivable effect, but yes, it's still necessary to get back to basics
for the raw power that the early recordings possessed.
Many thanks for this listen and review.
Cheers, ROG.

Hi, ROG !

...and a most Happy Year
to you !!!!

Am a little late to the party
but this tune is a true ROCKER
and those always get me going !!!
I like it !

Cheers
Dani

Dani, many thanks for looking in on this one.
Glad I managed to rock you into 2018.
Thanks for the kind review - much appreciated.
All the best to you for the new year.
Cheers, ROG.

I'm very late to this 60's party but I'm glad that I did. Everything that I wanted to say already has been said.

Super song that sounds like it could have come from the Stones first album!

A super live feel to this.

This is a keeper.

Hi Mario.
I know that this song is a world away from the excellent music you produce,
so I'm flattered that you gave it a listen and even more that you liked it.
Many thanks for the review - much appreciated.
Cheers, ROG.