Hello Rocksmith fans!
This week we go back to the Blues for our third time with two familiar faces, and one new one!
Over the weekend we learned that Freddie King would return with Going Down (Getting Ready – 1971), then via Social Media we discovered @johnLeeHooker would return as well with San Francisco (a rendition of Frisco Blues) off his 1963 album, The Big Soul of John Lee Hooker. Today we can confirm (via Xbox NZ) that the third song comes from @shuggieotis, who played bass with Frank Zappa at the age of 18, on a little album called Hot Rats (Peaches en Regalia). Check out the Stax-styled blues groove on Bootie Cooler off his 1970 album Here Comes Shuggie Otis.
- Freddie King “Going Down”|Lead/Rhythm/Bass [E Standard] – [XB1] / Steam
- John Lee Hooker “San Francisco”|Lead/Rhythm/Bass [E Standard] – [XB1] / Steam
- Shuggie Otis “Bootie Cooler”|Lead/Rhythm/Bass [E Standard] – [XB1] / Steam
No tuning, just Blues…
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpnlFz4aSlU | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq-bt8lM2VA |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ydz-HTJy_-0 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzF3co9xwKU |
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRBQ7beW6R0 | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB7c3SL-In4 |
Are you happy with the returning artists and new addition to the library for Blues III? Or were you hoping for something else? Let us know!
I bought this last night, 1st pack that’s taken my fancy since Gary Moore dropped, it’s a good offering, not outstanding but the songs are catchy and fun to play and I can see them being of benefit to my playing. Money well spent IMO.
Really nothing special imo. Skipping this one. That last blues pack with Wes Montgomery is the one to learn. I liken this pack to a “facebook” like, sort of a detached nod of the head.
Definitely better than the last couple weeks. I don’t even check on fridays anymore… it used to be something that excited me but now I feel disappointed so often that I just don’t even really care anymore. It would be nice to get something not obscure. Like someone said in a comment on last weeks stuff… feels like a corporate homonculus (Artificial human) is running the show now.
Oh this just feels so right, and a long time coming. I like that they didn’t just go with the well known tracks we see on many blues compilations. Makes me feel like there is hope for the possible future inclusion of blues tracks like Qualify and Satisfy by Funkadelic or something from Taj Mahal (maybe even some of his tracks featuring Ry Cooder).
There’s a long list of blues guys and songs that it would be nice to see but Taj is definitely up on that list. Btw there is more than 3 blues blues guys called King (I’ve even got a 2 disc set called 4 kings, B.B., Albert, Freddie & Earl), there’s also Willie, Eddie, little Freddie (or was it Eddie) & of course Jimmy who used to be in Albert’s band and he called him his favorite grandson if I recall correctly. I’m sure there is probably more but, since you brought the Kings up in your other post and I never got back to you. Hope everything is good with you & the family btw.
Good point on the Kings correction. Typically we think of just the 3 Kings, or the big 3. (kind of like how tennis has the big 3) I do know of, but also forgot about Earl King, until you mentioned him. In fact I believe it was Guitar Player magazine that did an article on him many many years ago. Can’t say that I remember what I read about him and eventually listened to but I do recall the name and that the moment was my first introduction to him. As for the others, Sir you thoroughly stumped me. Thanks for the heads up.
Including these guys really would be a great move for Rocksmith. While we typically only think of B.B., Albert, and Freddie, Rocksmith would be a good place to introduce (or reintroduce) some of the other Kings. {Hope Ubisoft is listening in on this} The blues is really being left behind, in comparison to some other genres. How about some more of the genres that serve as a foundation to so many others.
Fam is doing great BTW. Thanks for asking. Getting pumped up for the Holidays. Hope you’re doing well also. Thanks for the education as well. Been in a throwback kind of mood lately. (early ZZ Top, Barrington Levy, EPMD, early OutKast and Goodie MoB, Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac, Parliament, Bebe and Cece Winans, G’n’R, N.W.A., with some growing curiosity toward Thin Lizzy early Heart, and 70s and early 80s era roots reggae. Strange mix I know, but I believe there’s room for a few Kings in there. Time to go diggin’ in the crates.
Is it though? There’s arguably four packs dedicated to the genre and several artist packs that are within the spectrum of Blues. Whereas there’s maybe two Jazz songs, one Black Metal song, no post-rock etc.
Ok I’m going to get a little opinionated here. I didn’t want to name names as I know some will misunderstand and take this as an attack on their style of music. That is not my intention.
I’m not saying the blues is the most under-represented genre. That award goes to gospel. I feel that the blues and classical music are the foundation for just about every other genre represented in Rocksmith. With that understanding, the blues is definitely underrepresented. (this includes anything with the word blues in the title. That is to say, lets beef up the blues numbers and include blues rock.) If you look at the DLC page on Ubisoft’s Rocksmith site, the number of pages showing music with the word “metal” attached to it is well beyond double digits. Even Pop has a surprisingly huge showing. Now I agree (if anyone wants to make the argument) that the list isn’t perfect. For example, I know we have more Motown than what the Motown List is showing. EWF is split between R&B and Funk. Bachsmith seems to me to be classical but it isn’t listed under classical. Even with these minor issues in mind, Ubisoft’s list isn’t so far off that what i’m saying is distant from reality.
Taking the “three” packs (as this week gives us Blues Pack “III”) and the collection of artists you hinted at, the numbers are still amazingly low for blues, compared to pop, rock, and metal.
Again, I’m not saying blues is the only underrepresented genre. Timing is what brings this up now. I’ll probably make the same argument whenever/if-ever we get a Jazz pack, classical pack, and reggae pack. I’ve made the argument frequently for Hip Hop as there are unrecognized instrumentalists in the genre. (Organized Noise, The Roots, and musicians who have performed in support of DJ Quik, A Tribe Called Quest, and Dr. Dre.) Again, gospel is completely absent, which I also believe is wrong. Jazz hasn’t received much love either, and there have been a few of us who have commented on that multiple times over the years.
If the letter you posted from Ubisoft a few weeks back is to be believed, we should already start seeing more love going out to a wider array of styles. For this week (timing again) that isn’t the argument. We got a good blues pack, and it’s about time because this week’s genre is not well represented, when compared to some others that we see frequently.
Btw do you know a cat called Saul Williams & have you checked out the album “The Inevitable Rise & Fall of Niggy Tardust”? Trent of NIN produced it and the base of all the music is either used/repurposed or unreleased tracks from the Fragile album. Very interesting and unique. I actually think since the industrial guys (the old school ones anyway) learned how to create and build all sorts of crazy sounds, plus their instruments that hip- hop guys should be hiring thing them to create original stuff for them instead of paying for samples. Just me though.
I actually saw him live, opened up for Les Claypool and his Fancy Band. Great stuff
I could go off on this. I am therefore staying out. Some valid points to both sides. Mostly cause I want more Blues (way more than anyone else wants) & Black Metal & I am going to be way to opinionated about jazz (I want exactly what I want and don’t care unless you find a nice surprise after that), so except for mentioning we need to fill out or expand some other things like Industrial and some really fantastic sub genres & influential artists , or what about flamenco/classical guitar tracks? We have none (don’t mention bachsmith tracks that’s not what I meant, the guitar style, not the orchestral genre). There are some really fantastic pieces and nothing is going to make you better than that at whatever you want to play regardless of style don’t take my word for it a ton of people will back me up including Keith Richards (I had to pick at least one example I’m guessing at widest respect to the cross section of people here & and anyone who is a big metal fan doesn’t have to be sold on that since that’s the other side of where the technical aspects come from that aren’t orchestral), just keep requesting things and let’s keep are fingers crossed for the dlc to keep rolling.
Btw anyone else betting next week is our Christmas pack? Isn’t that about right timing wise? There are a few good blues covers of merry Christmas baby or if I’m really dreaming one of my favorite Slim Harpo songs is Blues Hangover (it contains a line which is much better in full context but ,”..I ain’t got change for a grasshopper, that’s two crickets”. Brilliant) but in one verse all he gets is a slice jelly cake and Santa done ate that too. Ok in fairness my idea of Christmas movies are the first two Die Hards, Lethal Weapon, the Ref & Bad Santa, ect., so I can appreciate things that aren’t songs like white Christmas, Bing is just no fun.
The “In Session” album Albert made with SRV is my favorite SRV album btw. Not sure if that ever made it vinyl (it’s not in my collection), I have the Cd/DVD one so I can watch them to. Very cool. I’ve been going back through stuff a bit lately to. Mostly 50’s-90’s material of various genre and artists. I like this guitarist from Mali called Ali Farka Toure and his son Vieux is really good to and came across this live version of a track he wrote for his father after he died called missing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsE6G3bm7xc
I really like that. It’s sort of the sound of the root of Zeppelin/Skynyrd track (simple man), but back from the source. I really like that version. But I could go down the musical rabbit hole with you very easy, I won’t.
However I will relate a story that’s happened yesterday. It had been fairly chilly, dark and rainy all day. I stop what I’m doing skim some things and see a post for a new Hendrix album with over 2 dozen new tracks (live of course) and you can listen to one. A version of ez rider. I hit play, it starts and have this moment, turn my head and I see this
image1.jpeg
I think Jimi said “Hi”.
Oh damn. Did not know that wouldn’t work. Out across my valley, out side my window is a plateau. It had suddenly lightened outside and a rainbow the exact width and in line with the plateau ha down appeared. Like the rainbow bridge itself.
Very nice. I’d love to get some Frank Zappa some day!
& Beefheart. I’ve made requests of both. I think at this point Joe’s Garage for Frank & Bat-chain puller for Don are the two most likely to pop into and then just stay for the rest of the day in my brain. Add a pack of Tom Waits actually and the 3 weeks of December would be perfect for me. Definitely dreamin’ there.
As a long time futurama fan this is as good a time as any to say, “Shut up and take my money!”
I hope this also bodes well for the next 4 release weeks we have for the rest of the year.
Shuggie Otis is a pleasant surprise. I’d like to see Strawberry Letter #23 one of these days.