Anyone want to talk about The Meters?!

[tedmanzie]

i found this snippet:

“The neck on the P bass is a ’63 and the body had a fretless neck on it when I bought it in 1970. The Meters didn’t like the fretless concept, and I was ordered to get rid of it or ‘they would break it,’ in the words of Art Neville. Basically, I really liked the tone of that particular bass and the CBS pickups more than I liked the sound of the original P basses. The CBS basses seemed to have a lot more punch to them. So instead of looking for another bass, I went looking for a neck to put on that bass.”

but i think the first meters was late 60s so presumably he had others first.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='ead' timestamp='1351858602' post='1856215']
A few on Amazon for not too much dosh - In fact one less now as after reading this thread again I've invested in "Sneaking Sally..."
[/quote]

Good call, I just snaffled one too.

[The fasting showman]

[quote name='The fasting showman' timestamp='1351858759' post='1856222']
I think, and I could be wrong, that it's a type 1 tele bass on the early Meters stuff. But yeah in essence a P bass in all but name.

I remember seeing a late 60s mixing console and the panpots were a three way switch, left , right or both hence the drastic panning of the era.

But yeah, 2 mics on a kit sound great, kick and overhead!
[/quote]
I'd add to this that I don't think whatever bass he used had any bearing on how good George Porter sounded in that band playing that material. I think i've seen pics of the P-bass mentioned by ted used fairly recently (last 10yrs), I think he'd sound good with anything!

[The fasting showman]

I remember also when I skim read the Guy Pratt book that around the time he worked with Zigaboo Modeliste on a Robbie Robertson album (mid '90s?), said Meters drummer had been working in a shoe shop.
To think of all the times that his kick drum has been sampled...

[yorks5stringer]

"Just Kissed my Baby" is another top track and worth listening too: play that with my band as well as "Cissy Strutt"!

PS When you look at the credits for Sneakin Sally, it lists The Meters, Lowell George and "Neville Brothers" !

Edited November 2, 2012 by yorks5stringer

[risingson]

Absolutely love The Meters and GPJ, one of the very, very few bands I'd describe as 'underrated' maybe.

[Buzzy]

great to see people talking about The Meters, I was lucky enough to see them supporting The Stones at Earls Court in 76.
Soul Island is a great track that never seems to get a mention.

[casapete]

[quote name='Buzzy' timestamp='1351937667' post='1857024']
great to see people talking about The Meters, I was lucky enough to see them supporting The Stones at Earls Court in 76.
Soul Island is a great track that never seems to get a mention.
[/quote]

Me too!
First time I encountered them - despite sound not being great in the cavernous Earls Court, they were groovy as f*ck!

[mxm]

Meters are awesome.

Check out GPJ on Harry Connick Jr's 'She' album.