John The Revelator

John the Revelator is a traditional gospel/blues song typically heard in a call and response format. The chorus refers to "John of Patmos" writing about the opening of the seven seals (which brings about an apocalypse) while the verses contain additional biblical references.

The first written version is said to have appeared in 1880. The African-American origins seem indisputable and are (as with our recent post of Fire The Next Time), unfortunately, not always referenced. Interpretations have been done by Blind Willie Johnson, Son House and more lately by John Mellencamp, Jack White, Depeche Mode, Gov't Mule, Larkin Poe and many others. A bit apocalyptic but hey it’s 2020

Janice plays all the percussion and Peter plays all the guitars so that left only the bowed bass for a RT. But as always the song was developed in BiaB from the get go .

As an arrangement/interpretation of a traditional tune we own all rights to it per PG Music’s policy for posting.

Thanks to Pg Music, Peter and also Ray for his thoughts on the percussion. Your time to listen and comment is both welcomed and appreciated. The Lyric is on SoundCloud.

Janice: Vocals, cajon and arrangement.
Peter: Guitars, arrangement, and counsel

Bud: Arrangement, lyric tweaking, vocal/cajon engineering, mix, mastering, etc.

Tech Stuff:

Vocals > Rodes NT1 > Scarlett 212 > Logic Pro X > Nectar 2

Bass: RT 2482 Acoustic Held > Neutron 3

Cajon > Rodes NT1 & MXL mics > Logic Pro X > CLA Drums (EQ, compression, reverb delay)
The "kick" is doubled and processed also with CLA Drums.

Handclap: One sample track and one J&B > EMT 140 Plate Reverb sim

Mastering: Logic Pro EQ > Ozone Dynamics > Ozone Imager > Ozone Maximizer > Ozone Tonal Balance > Ozone Loudness Meter

Lyric is on SC.

Love the arrangement of this old classic! Too cool for school.

Janice sounds great as per usual, but what I really love is what she is doing in the background! Just outstanding.

Peter as usual adds the perfect guitar parts for the song.

Great mix, Bud, man, that cajon sounds amazing! Listened through both the 'phones and the KRK's, perfect.

Enjoyed!

Janice, Bud and Peter...
Y'all really need to warn us before you post something like this!
Had I been driving while this came on, I'd have run my car in the ditch! Wow! Really, really dug the whole sound and Janice's vocals.
Thanks for posting it, I enjoyed listening to it.

Thanks Dave, Janice surprised Bud with the BGV's ... that kinda happened during the recording session. We are happy that you liked them. Thanks for the mix comment. I had originally recorded the cajon in stereo with an ambient mic and another to hopefully pick up most of the "kick" for a separate track. Peter felt the "kick" sounded a bit dry so I put some extra delay and reverb on it via CLA Drums. Ray listened and had some thoughtful observations including that it actually sounded more like a floor tom which I thought nailed it. I had not thought of that. And yep Peter certainly took it to another level IMO.

Thanks again!

J&B

I was VERY fortunate to hear this a little while back. It was fabulous then and has been taken stellar since then. A complete & very powerful package.
Congratulations...your little ensemble has achieved something to be very proud of.

WOW!

You three can put some dang fine music on the forum! This is a very pleasant surprise. Janice was born to sing the Blues and give it a vocal blessing. Peter always knows exactly what a song needs and gives it exactly that. Bud ... keep twisting those knobs and tweaking all else ... you da best!

That was truly inspirational ... and OUTSTANDING listen! WOW, again!

Best to all of you. Please be safe ...

Alan

Thanks for listening and commenting. It is appreciated. You be careful on the road now!

J&B

Thank you Ray. And we much appreciate you putting your ears on it early. During our correspondence you mentioned the tribal vibe of the percussion. That really stuck with us and we appreciated the insight.

J&B

Outstanding.

Grabbed me from the first note. That intro is so cool with that bluesy soulful, sultry singing followed by the heavy downbeat and then that huge sounding drum (cajon I assume, but not like any cajon I've ever heard). I should disclose I'm listening to it turned up, way up.

What a captivating and haunting spiritual. That genre of the blues doesn't get nearly the attention as our more familiar 12 bar. Can't you just hear this being performed in a country chapel, encouraging communion and urging the Holy Spirit to have its way?
I have been immersed in The Revelation for a couple of years, now, to the point of transcribing it for a standalone handout, sans commentary. Listened to it on tape and have yet to tire of it.

Hi Team!
This tune gave me goosebumps. Sooo good! One of the best tunes to my taste that I have heard by you. Janice vocals shine, those oohs, harmonies! Peter's guitar meant to be! Bud excellent showcase of your magic. Really like this one. Thank you for sharing!

Misha.

Tremendous! Excellent throughout! Janices vocals… What can you say? Beautiful! I especially liked the way you took it out at the end with a combination of voice and guitar licks.. very nice!

Janice, Bud & Peter.
Beyond outstanding! The arrangement shows a goose-bumps good understanding of less-is-more
in this genre. Janice sings this ( and those amazing bgv`s) so well- its hard to imagine anyone shading her feel and phrasing.
I thought the deep bass drum was a bodhran it has that kind of oomph.
Definitely one of your best.

Robert

Thanks All. We had a large time putting this together.

Best to both of you also!

J&B

I've said it before and I'll say it again, the lady can sing!


This is so well done, you three. You nailed the vibe and the density of the music keeps the listener fully engaged the entire time.

Standing ovation.



p.s. I won't be surprised when you announce this will be featured in a film or tv show.

Thanks Frank. I used two mics on the cajon with one set to focus on Janice’s “bass drum” sound. I then used Waves CLA Drums to fatten up the sound with EQ, compression, reverb and a tad of delay. So her cajon whack sounds big Thanks also for the comments on her vocals.

J&B

As a huge blues fan, I've heard a buncha versions of this. The lead vox as always were great but the background vox gave me the shivers (in a good way). I imagine this took some work to get just right. Congrats to the whole team, not easy for grey folk to do roots music this well, but you did.

Thanks Ed. I (Bud) grew up in rural Ga and and heard a lot of “small church gospel” - both African-American and white. After dinner on Sundays I’d walk along dirt roads, across fields, etc., and even at mid afternoon some of those churches would be rocking’!

Glad you liked it.

J&B

GOOSEBUMPS.

Just when it seems like y'all could not raise the bar ANY higher... stratosphere.

Every aspect of this done to perfection.

Y'all are up there with the best at making a PD song your own.

Killer vocal. Period.

Super percussion. The cajon and claps - so cool...

Peter's guitar is excellent.

The sparse use of tracks is done perfectly.

Mix... impeccable.

Music. As good as it gets.

fj

This is awesome!

Will be great inspiration for a crazy book I am working on right now!!

What a great sound! Combining gospel and "I Love Rocknroll", very haunting, several centuries of music presented so well. Janice's vocals, the backing vocals and the Peter's guitar make this near divine experience.

Janne

Hi Janice and Bud, and Peter,

When listening to the song all kind of thoughts entered my head.
From threatening movies dealing with slavery, the gospelchoirs marching in streets, to even a Dutch band, in the 70's, calling themself by this name, and so on...
I can't surpass all those beautiful compliments you received on this song, so I suffice with saying it is a very, very strong, beautiful song. Of course Janice vocals are at her best (again). so pleasant listening to. But I must not forget Bud and Peter! Without them Janice would have been the only star...

Hans

Thanks Misha. Those are very supportive comments that mean a lot to us. Put a big smile on Janice’s face This was a fun project that came together quicker than most. BTW, your latest project is stellar!

J&B

Hi Bud, Janice and Peter
Terrific arrangement and wonderful performances. Just great.
Regards,
Leon

Thank you very much. And we appreciate you mentioning the outro! It was a bit of a spontaneous thing.

J&B

Wow. That’s much appreciated Robert. Thanks for mentioning the arrangement. It progressively got simpler I (Bud) thought about playing bass but then we would’ve been bereft of any RT’s. Janice much appreciated your comments on the vocals.

Thanks!

J&B

Wow! Very moving. Wonderfully played and sung. I've never heard it before. I like it. So, Johnny Cash never did a version on his American Recordings?

I don't understand this:

As an arrangement/interpretation of a traditional tune we own all rights to it per PG Music’s policy for posting.

What is PG's policy for posting?

Hi Janice, Bud and Peter
The roots of blues are here in this song and they reach our heart.
Kudos to you. Christian

Thanks for listening and commenting. We're glad you liked it. Sometimes the fewer the tracks the harder it is to nail the vibe...but we do try!

J&B

Wow just loved this. Super vocal. I did not know this song. Awesome introduction to the song. Loved Peters guitar. Thanks for including the recording equipment. I have been spending way more time learing the recording aspect to the songs then actually playing. Such a clean well balanced production.

WOW WOW WOW !! Janice, is simply astonishing. LOVE this to bits. I'm afraid that I've not been a fan of blues, but wow, this is mindblowing. Mix is amazing. Just wow ! Brilliant on guitar as always Peter

Simply top notch. Everything in this track just oozes presence and power. Janice's vocals sit perfectly in the soundstage - powerful, yet filled with subtle nuances, and you can hear every one. The kick drum sound is killer. Peter's guitar work blends perfectly, and adds color and spirit. Everything already said about the mixing, mastering - spot on. It doesn't get any better than this.

Thanks for all the kind comments regarding my part in this project.

Janice certainly excelled and those backing vocals are sublime.

Always a pleasure to be invited in on one of these tracks by Bud & Janice(and ensuring I can do justice to the vocal always keeps me on my toes). Bud always makes me sound good!

Peter

Hey, thanks for all of that and it means a lot to us especially given that you are familiar with the song. And you are right it did take some attention. The fewer the tracks the harder for me!

J&B

Oooooooo! That acapella opening is so captivating. Janice always sings well, but she is really in her element here. The interpretation and production is simply an outstanding piece of work.

Awe inspiring. Did I mention that I liked this?

Sometimes I (Bud) in the midst of my pessimism regarding my productions get a glimpse that I might be doing something right. Confirmation like this is overwhelming. Thank you. And lil sis said thank you so much big brother!

J&B

Do you have any more like this one?

I enjoyed that, a very clean recording, enjoyed the harmonies and the how the low end was noticeable

Wow.

This is a great.

The sparse arrangement really lets the talent shine through, but all the elements are balanced and serve the song.

Polished and raw at the same time.

Love the cajon. It's amazing what can be done with that box. A number of years ago, my son was playing his cajon at youth conference. The sound guy miked it up and did some magic with the EQ - it got a nice low thump and crisp snap of the snares. Almost a full drum kit sound.

Wow. Always thought I loved this song, but now... you guys, your version, requires a whole new word. SO excellent. All the guitars, voices and percussion are so emotional. Thanks for doing this and sharing it. You guys are inspirational.

Thanks David glad to offer some inspiration.

J&B

Hi there J&B + Peter.

Well first of all, it sounds fabulous.

I could write reams of superlatives about the usual things - Janice's superb vocal,
Peters clever guitar work, the excellent mix, but what impressed me most of all about
this track was the arrangement.

I mentioned how professional your arrangement was in my last review, but even since then
I'm amazed at how your skills have developed and matured. Too many productions fail because
the backing doesn't change at all throughout the song and the interest wanes, but this song
has textures. It's the attention to detail, all the little bits which appear and then are
gone again, the various mood changes, all these things take time and effort, but are what
ultimately make the track professional, as well as enthralling.

Yes, it all sounds fabulous.

ROG.

Hello Janice and Bud,

Superb composition. The solo voice is superb as well as the choirs. It's really professional. The guitar is really in its place and intervenes just when it is needed. Very very good job.

Kindly regard

Dero13
alias JaniJackFlash

Janne, thanks for listening and taking the time to write such nice comments. We all much appreciate it!

J&B

Hans, we deeply appreciate you taking the time to make this very thoughtful response.

And Janice says thank you!!

J&B

J&B (and Peter),

Really, really cool take on this. Terrific listen, outstanding production. The clapping in the background, accentuated with Janice’s terrific harmonies, give this such depth and richness. Peter slays the solos. Slick stuff!

My best to you all,

Deej

Thanks Leon!

J&B

Dang, Y'all. Love the simple, groovy and gritty backing. Luscious bass and handclaps, guitar chords and fills. Janice carries this old gospel thing with a reverence and grace. The background vocals take the whole vocal treatment into the fields. Sweat.

A special note on Peter's part: As much as I love it when a lead line provides a different take on a different melodic idea, I love it when a guitar player just takes the melody on. When Peter's part came in, my goose-bumps got goose-bumps.

My favorite from the three of you.

Thanks! Cash may have done a version as I vaguely recall. We’ll check it out.

Above the forum heading are PG Music’s rules for posting that state in part that you must own all rights to the posted song.

If you produce a unique version of a public domain song you own all rights And may copyright it. But some folks think it’s just a cover and that you don’t own it. That’s why we make that statement - so folks will not think we are posting a cover.

J&B

Thank you. And, yes, these songs are blues roots!

J&B

hi J&B Peter great job I agree Janice can sing anything I can hear a spiritual fire behind this indeed great mix love it thanks for sharing Eric

Thanks Scott. Yeah digging into the production thing can surely cut into music time! But although often frustrating it is fun. We appreciate your comments.

J&B



Thanks1

Welcome to the blues

J&B

I really enjoyed this. A great arrangement and performance by the group. A wonderful collaboration.

Ed, those are very generous, supportive and most appreciated comments. Thank you for mentioning so many things we hoped to achieve. Made our evening!

J&B

Thanks for mentioning both the intro and the production! It’s most appreciated.

J&B

Man, that's a great rendition.
Couldn't help singing along, hope you don't mind.
Enjoyed that !

Thanks!

J&B

[quote=dcuny]


Polished and raw ... that is an excellent description of our objective. Thank you!

Thanks for the cajon thoughts. I used two mics to try and isolate the “kick.” You mentioned the snare sound your son got. Janice didn’t play a snare part this time but it does work well. There are some loose wires in the box that you can adjust for the snare sounds.

We do appreciate your supportive observations!

J&B

Hi Bud&Janice and Peter:)) !

This is one of your best
productions !
What a wonderful co-op !
Can it become any better ?
I am full of admiration !

Cheers
Dani

Given your musical chops and knowledge of the tune your comments are most appreciated.

Thanks for the support!!

J&B

SO SOULFUL!!!! SO Authentic and organic sounding........love that you combined a live hand clap......I immediately wondered where you got the claps. Janice absolutely knocks this out of the park, and Peter's guitar is dark and sweet!! LOVE IT!!! Take care. Greg

Rog, your thoughtful comments are greatly appreciated. Thank you for mentioning the arrangement. We listened to a lot of versions early on trying to decide where to take it. Knowing your expertise in performance and production makes your review even more special!

J&B

WONDERFUL!!!

Thanks for listening and the nice comments!

J&B

Thanks Deej, we all three had a blast with this!

J&B




Thank you so much for your thoughts on the vocals! And your mention of Peter’s guitar is greatly appreciated as we felt the same way. And your continued support is appreciated as always.

J&B




Thanks Eric. Spiritual Fire is a great way to describe what we had hoped for!

J&B

Thanks Charlie!

J&B



No problem at all Glad you liked it!

J&B



Thank you Dani!

J&B

Authentic and organic are a good description of our hopes for it.

Thank you for saying all of that!

J&B



Thanks!

J&B