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Conference mr1pst::music

Title:MUSIC V4
Notice:New Noters please read Note 1.*, Mod = someone else
Moderator:KDX200::COOPER
Created:Wed Oct 09 1991
Last Modified:Tue Mar 12 1996
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:762
Total number of notes:18706

618.0. "Traffic" by NWD002::TUTAK_PE (Must be da pretzels) Wed Mar 16 1994 03:44

    
    I read in the paper the other day that Steve Winwood is reforming
    Traffic. 
    
    Now, Traffic was an extreme favorite of mine from about '67 to '73, and
    I still play the hell out of the Mr. Fantasy/Second/Last Exit and John
    Barleycorn albums. I was fortunate enough to see them at the Fillmore
    East on the first 'reformed' tour to support the Barleycorn album 
    (one of the best shows I'd ever seen--Mott the Hoople opened and
    Fairport Convention was the second act).
    
    But come on. What could this version sound like ? Winwood's writing
    style has changed so much, as well as Dave Mason's. Jim Capaldi is
    still plugging away at it, but he was just relied upon for percussion,
    and not vocalizing and writing as he has been doing for the past 15
    years or so. (Is he stil drumming at all ?) And Chris Wood is pushing up 
    the daisies.
    
    I was sorely disappointed in the Procol Harum reunion album, because I
    was expecting another Salty Dog or Shine On Brightly. My fault. But
    they -did- sound something like they used to, which was a bit of a
    consolation.
    
    Traffic had such a unique, beautiful sound. I'm afraid the only vestige
    of that would be Winwood's voice. I'm not averse to change, but I think
    this is one coffin that should be left undisturbed.
    
    Peter 
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618.1OCTAVE::VIGNEAULTJava-ManWed Mar 16 1994 14:4312
    
    I heard the other day that Chevrolet was coming out with a new 
    version of the Impala, a car that's been out of production for 
    several years now.   Will it resemble the old version ?  Perhaps,
    but it will also be radically different.   My point is that Traffic,
    if reformed, does not have to resemble its previous incarnation at
    all.  I don't know what Winwood's goal is, to echo the old days, or 
    to get the core of musicians back together and see what they can 
    come up with as a joint effort.  Not that I don't agree that some 
    stones are better left unturned.
    
    Lv
618.2NWD002::TUTAK_PEMust be da pretzelsThu Mar 17 1994 03:569
    
    I accept your point. It's the reason that I would probably be curious
    as to what the collaboration sounded like. Maybe it's just that Traffic's 
    sound was so unique, and the name of the band became synonomous with that 
    sound, at least to me.
    
    Peter
    
    
618.3ROCKER::KNOXRock'n'Roll RefugeeThu Mar 17 1994 14:3520
    
    Is Dave Mason going to be a part of the "new" Traffic???
    
    If so, that would be a long awaited reunion that I'd be willing
    to pay the outrageous $$$ they charge these days. 
    
    I didn't know that Chris Wood was playing that "great gig in 
    the sky". In my previous existance as a sax player (before I 
    realized that Bass was the one true instrumnet ;^) I would 
    practice to Traffic albums ad nauseum, trying to cop his chops
    (the one long growling note at the end of "Low Sparks of High
    Heeled Boys" being one of my favs...) I don't think Traffic 
    could be the same without him, but they could still be great
    without being the "same". Even if they had stayed together all
    these years, I doubt they would sound the same today as they did 
    on say, "Welcome to the Canteen"...
    
    /Billy_K
    
    
618.4CADSYS::FENNELLFirst time in a limousine? Dr?Thu Mar 17 1994 14:511
The new traffic will be just as ugly as the new Chevy Impala.
618.5USPMLO::DESROCHERSMine's made outta unobtainium!Thu Mar 17 1994 15:0710
    
    	Note 146.* has some of this info.
    
    	I've heard that Mason is not on the new CD.  Oh well, that's
    	what would make it interesting, for me anyway.
    
    	Now, how about Blind Faith?  ;^)
    
    	Tom
    
618.6Do you mean "New" Traffic or "Classic" Traffic? :-)TAMRC::LAURENTHal Laurent @ COPThu Mar 17 1994 15:1919
re: .3
    
>    Is Dave Mason going to be a part of the "new" Traffic???
> ...    
>    Even if they had stayed together all
>    these years, I doubt they would sound the same today as they did 
>    on say, "Welcome to the Canteen"...
    
In my opinion, even "Welcome to the Canteen" sounded a lot different
then some of the earlier Traffic stuff.  Among other things, Traffic's
sound changed tremendously when Dave Mason left the group.

Possibly my favorite Traffic album (it's hard to decide), "John Barleycorn
Must Die", actually started out as a Steve Winwood solo album (I think
during a period when the band had broken up, but I'm not sure).  Winwood
ended up getting Capaldi and Wood to play on it and it turned into a
Traffic album.

-Hal
618.7Dave with Fleetwood MacCOMET::LEVETTThu Mar 17 1994 18:406
    Re: Dave Mason
    
    As reported earlier, Dave Mason has joined the Fleetwood Mac lineup
    along with Delany & Bonnie's daughter.  No?
    
    _stew-
618.8Who Sings Feeling Alright?TKOVOA::TANAKA_TOSWed May 25 1994 11:0411
    Hi,
    
    I happened to buy a new album of Traffic. This is my first experience
    of the band. I like it a lot except sound production.(It's a bit too
    modern to me.) Anyway, I bought the best album and was hooked by
    Feeling Alright. But I don't distinguish who sings this song? Steeve
    Winwood? Or Dave Maison?
    
    Ciao,
    
    Toshiaki Tanaka
618.9TAMRC::LAURENTHal Laurent @ COPWed May 25 1994 13:169
re: .8

>    Anyway, I bought the best album and was hooked by
>    Feeling Alright. But I don't distinguish who sings this song? Steeve
>    Winwood? Or Dave Maison?
    
Dave Mason both wrote and sung the song.

-Hal
618.10Far From HomeTECRUS::ROSTFrom the dance hall to hellWed May 25 1994 16:1833
    For those who haven't actually *heard * the new album yet, it's a
    two-man effort.  Capaldi drums throughout and sings a few backups. 
    Winwood does all the rest except got Uillean pipes on one tune and
    rhythm guitar on another.
    
    It sounds somehwat like recent Winwood solo stuff except that the songs
    are stretched out longer and Capaldi's lyrics are a lot different than
    those of Will Jennings, Winwood's other writing partner.  The bass is
    all keyboard and there isn't a *lot* of guitar, but there is plenty of
    B3 work here and Winwood's singing is still breathtaking (for me).
    
    It isn't as "loose" sounding as earlier Traffic, but don't forget that
    "John Barleycorn Must Die" was also mostly Winwood anyway (check out the
    credits sometime).  Not to speak ill of the dead, but Chris Wood was
    not a world-class woodwind player and Dave Mason always seemed like a
    writer using Traffic as his backing band rather than an integral member
    (he never appeared in the US with the band, for instance).  The other
    thing to remember is that the last Traffic release was twenty years ago,
    so it's no surprise it sounds different.  
    
    The road band could be very interesting.  Looks like the lineup
    consists of some of Winwood's Nashville session buddies plus Rosko Gee
    (who was the bassist in the last incarnation of the band back in 1974
    and has since worked with various space-rock outfits like Can and Stomu
    Yamashta).  Considering that half of the band that supported "Low Spark",
    "Fantasy Factory" and "On The Road" was session players from Muscle
    Shoals,  this band *could* be smoking.
    
    Anyway, diehard fans will want the new album for completeness, those
    who liked the last few Winwood albums will probably like it and those
    who are expecting "Glad, Pt. 2" may want to skip this one.
    
    							Brian
618.11IMTDEV::MCLAUGHLINCThu May 26 1994 00:4210
    
     Saw the show at Fiddler's Green last night. They only played a couple
    songs off the new album, but they came off quite nice. Stevie asked if
    we minded if they played some new ones and thanked us for our consent.
    The rest of the show was very nostalgic because I think they knew what
    was expected. It's a tight show and Capaldi is very competent with the
    backing percussion next to the drummer which suprised me because I 
    thought he just slung a tambourine. Now for Steely Dan in September!
    
     Chris
618.12IMTDEV::MCLAUGHLINCThu May 26 1994 00:535
    
    Oh yeah, Stevie still has that voice that won't quit and he'll treat
    you to some very tasty guitar licks.
    
     Chris
618.13LEDS::BURATIhuman crumple zoneMon Jun 20 1994 15:1010
    RE: new Traffic

    Got this one for Father's Day and I'm not at all disappointed. After
    what Winwood Capaldi contributed to the Curtis Mayfield tribute, I
    wasn't expecting a whole lot. So in fact I was pleasingly surprised. It
    is, as Brian said a few back, a lot like Winwood's more recent outings
    but what the heck, there's not much in this world better than his voice
    laid over his keyboards now is there. I suppose that if I had to say
    anything negative it would be that his material hasn't been exactly
    loaded with hooks lately. This seems to remain true.