"Interstate Love Song" Guitar Cover

[DrewJD82]

Ted Greene has not entered the chat....



Great job, Drew. Fun song.

We whipped out Big Empty last rehearsal---which we haven't played in years. That's what
copious amounts of Christmas Pot will do. You suddenly remember something you haven't
remembered in years, and then forget it immediately after for an indefinite number of years.

Sounds like you are digging the Orville.

Man, for a while I was sick of "Big Empty", but when they opened with it in '07 it just totally changed my feelings on the song. First time I saw them in '97 they had a small stage come down from the rafters that mimic'd the Unplugged set and they did it acoustic, but the energy in that place when they opened with it....and Scott was on, it was so f*cking good. One of my best concert experiences was that song in particular, the Summer air at night, the crowd going apesh*t and the band just sounded so good. Opening with that song, man, you're either going to blow the doors off the place or f*ckin bomb. There's no middle ground with that song as an opener.

The more time I spend with it the more I'm digging it. I don't think this thing got played much. It feels pretty damn new and the condition it's in is fairly telling as well, especially the frets. My initial misgivings were mainly due to playing a guitar that hasn't been broken in yet. It's the only thing I've played since Friday, which is a good thing! Getting ready to drop the Aldrich into it; if I can get this thing to sound how I think it can, it'll be a keeper. I think. We'll see when the Edwards gets here.

 

[itchyfingers]

Shit yeah man, that sounded great! I love the first few STP albums. I am the current owner of a tweed that was Dean's bedroom amp for 25 years, probably wrote a lot of those hits on it. Hasn't brought me the same level of sucess tho...

 

[la szum]

s**t yeah man, that sounded great! I love the first few STP albums. I am the current owner of a tweed that was Dean's bedroom amp for 25 years, probably wrote a lot of those hits on it. Hasn't brought me the same level of sucess tho...

That's so cool!

People sleep on Robert and don't realize he was THE primary songwriter on the band's 1st 2 albums,
and in spite of being the bass player. Interstate Love Song is all Robert, including lyrics. Same with Plush.
Same with Creep.

He's a freaking beast! Weiland barely got a credit on the 1st album.

 

[TSJMajesty]

That's so cool!

People sleep on Robert and don't realize he was THE primary songwriter on the band's 1st 2 albums,
and in spite of being the bass player. Interstate Love Song is all Robert, including lyrics. Same with Plush.
Same with Creep.

He's a freaking beast! Weiland barely got a credit on the 1st album.

Wow! I never knew that.

 

[DrewJD82]

That's so cool!

People sleep on Robert and don't realize he was THE primary songwriter on the band's 1st 2 albums,
and in spite of being the bass player. Interstate Love Song is all Robert, including lyrics. Same with Plush.
Same with Creep.

He's a freaking beast! Weiland barely got a credit on the 1st album.

Indeed. I can't remember where I saw it, but he was talking about Interstate and said he had written it on a guitar as a bossa nova piece, which makes total sense with that verse.

 

[metropolis_4]

Hahaha yeah, once you start tossing numbers into chords I'm lost. I can't overstate how terrible I am with any kind of theory.

4 3 2 1 0
5 4 3 2 2
6 5 2 1 0
6 6 4 2 2
4 3 2 1 0 is how I've always done it.

I used to get my uncle to learn stuff and show me, with this one he started chuckling and said "Oh no, YOU'RE gonna learn it. You've been gettin' a free ride, buddy!" This one and the "Empire" riff were the two he did that with and I totally get why now, the different voicings were a b*tch to pick out with distortion. Hahahah and when I asked him if I got it right, "Does it sound right to you? You gonna start writing your own music and ask me if it sounds right every time? Trust your ear, because ya don't have anything else!"

I know Dean's doing something different during the chorus on the G#, he adds in a note for the 2nd half of the measure but f*ck it.

I’ve always loved this song! Great job.

I’m intrigued now on the theory… at first glance what you posted looks like (the song is in a sharp key think?)

C#m - G#maj7/B# - Bm7 - A#m7b5 - A7

That third chord @TSJMajesty Posted though looks like it’s probably a C#7/B

Now I’m gonna have to dig into this more

Edit: ah, we’re in E? In that case I think the third chord @TSJMajesty posted is probably correct and I’d call it a B6/9b5.

So the progression is vi - III - Vb5 - #IVb5 - IV

Cool how usually the #IVdim is used just as a passing chord, but they hang onto it for a full measure!

 

[DrewJD82]

I’ve always loved this song! Great job.

I’m intrigued now on the theory… at first glance what you posted looks like (the song is in a sharp key think?)

C#m - G#maj7/B# - Bm7 - A#m7b5 - A7

That third chord @TSJMajesty Posted though looks like it’s probably a C#7/B

Now I’m gonna have to dig into this more

Hahahah my theory stupidity only goes as far as saying “The key is generally indicated by the first chord” so yeah, C#m.

Interested to hear your thoughts after you do some digging! I’ll probably only understand a 1/6th of it, but still interested!

 

[metropolis_4]

Hahahah my theory stupidity only goes as far as saying “The key is generally indicated by the first chord” so yeah, C#m.

Interested to hear your thoughts after you do some digging! I’ll probably only understand a 1/6th of it, but still interested!

I got it I think.

That 4th chord was throwing me off. At first I assumed it was a diminished chord because it's so common to walk up IV - #IVdim - V, but I realized it's actually a secondary dominant! And I think the chord @TSJMajesty posted for the third chord is the correct voicing, but it's actually a B major, not a C# major with a B root.

Play these chords as the verse and you'll hear it: C#m - G# - B - F# - A

So this is my take on the actual chords (key is E major):

C#m - G#maj7/B# - B6/9b5 - F#9/A# - A

C#m  G#maj7/B#  B6/9b5  F#9/A#  A
4    3          X       X       0
5    4          2       2       2
6    5          1       1       2
6    6          3       2       2
4    3          2       1       0
X    X          X       X       X

And that little turn is E - F#m7add11

E  F#m7add11
0  0
0  0
1  2
2  2
2  0
0  2

 

[DrewJD82]

I got it I think.

That 4th chord was throwing me off. At first I assumed it was a diminished chord because it's so common to walk up IV - #IVdim - V, but I realized it's actually a secondary dominant! And I think the chord @TSJMajesty posted for the third chord is the correct voicing, but it's actually a B major, not a C# major with a B root.

Play these chords as the verse and you'll hear it: C#m - G# - B - F# - A

So this is my take on the actual chords (key is E major):

C#m - G#maj7/B# - B6/9b5 - F#9/A# - A

C#m  G#maj7/B#  B6/9b5  F#9/A#  A
4    3          X(2)    X(1)    0
5    4          2       2       2
6    5          1       1       2
6    6          3       2       2
4    3          2       1       0

And that little turn is E - F#m7add11

E  F#m7add11
0  0
0  0
1  2
2  2
2  0
0  2

Snap! I was close! Now I have to unlearn 25 years of playing that song to play it right. Thanks for doing that, man!

 

[metropolis_4]

Snap! I was close! Now I have to unlearn 25 years of playing that song to play it right. Thanks for doing that, man!

Haha, I've been there. I've even had times where I say "screw it, I'm just gonna keep playing it wrong"

 

[DrewJD82]

Haha, I've been there. I've even had times where I say "screw it, I'm just gonna keep playing it wrong"

That’s most likely what I’ll end up doing, I’m generally singing and playing that song at the same time, too many years of muscle memory between my voice and hands to start introducing 2 different notes. Though I’ll probably add that F# in that turn around, since there’s no singing going on there.

 

[la szum]

Haha, I've been there. I've even had times where I say "screw it, I'm just gonna keep playing it wrong"

35+ years and counting!

Even in our DNA it is the mutations that result in our individuality. Playing wrong is natural,
and supported by science. Be You!

 

[TSJMajesty]

35+ years and counting!

Even in our DNA it is the mutations that result in our individuality. Playing wrong is natural,
and supported by science. Be You!

Damn, it's tough to change!

 

[la szum]

Damn, it's tough to change!

It is! One of the reasons I love playing with the guys in the band is we end up talking about
things like this. We did that last night, and it was like in accepting who we are we enjoyed each
other's company even more.

Weird!

 

[TSJMajesty]

It is! One of the reasons I love playing with the guys in the band is we end up talking about
things like this. We did that last night, and it was like in accepting who we are we enjoyed each
other's company even more.

Weird!

I've always loved learning. One of my girlfriends back in high school accused me of reading encyclopedias. And yeah, I would do that from time to time, just not the way she was implying, as in, from cover-to-cover.

Which is probably why I'm so digging improving myself as a guitar player these days. I don't know why I never really applied myself like I'm doing now, a long time ago, when it would've been much easier.

But I'm breaking some bad habits, and learning new ones, but it has become painfully obvious I never bothered with actually picking my notes, preferring instead, mostly legato-type playing.

But dammit if I ain't struggling like an absolute beginner, trying to control my picking on the lower strings.

 

[DrewJD82]

I've always loved learning. One of my girlfriends back in high school accused me of reading encyclopedias. And yeah, I would do that from time to time, just not the way she was implying, as in, from cover-to-cover.

Which is probably why I'm so digging improving myself as a guitar player these days. I don't know why I never really applied myself like I'm doing now, a long time ago, when it would've been much easier.

But I'm breaking some bad habits, and learning new ones, but it has become painfully obvious I never bothered with actually picking my notes, preferring instead, mostly legato-type playing.

But dammit if I ain't struggling like an absolute beginner, trying to control my picking on the lower strings.

I can’t sit on the toilet and not read something, so in the pre-smartphone days I’d grab ANYTHING to bring in there; a phone book, encyclopedia, the back of a tampon box, whatever. I probably learned more about biology/anatomy from taking dumps than I did in school.

But yeah, reading has always been a big thing for me. My best friend’s dad loves bringing this story up, but we had a graduation party for my buddy and the house was crammed full of people, we were all drinking because his parents are the cool parents and didn’t mind, I sat on the couch and read this WWII book all day long. If I start reading something that grabs my attention, I HAVE to finish it. Even if it turns into a sh*tty book.

 

[la szum]

Did it all start in the morning as a kid with Cereal Boxes?

Come on, we all learned about Thiamine and Riboflavin early on, didn't we?

 

[la szum]

I will always learn something. If not kill me now!

That said, there are challenges when playing with others that, in my experience, always arise.
Someone is more invested than others. Someone is naturally proficient at something than
someone else is. Someone simply has more time available to invest in growth and learning.
Pushing too hard in a band setting just brings in tension and makes for a bad hang. If I have
learned one thing in life, it is that.

Let's face it, some people are just swamped with the daily demands and rigors of life that they have
zero time (let alone energy) to do anything but get through the day. I used to have my nose in
the air a bit when I was younger and assumed that everyone had equal opportunity and access to get
better. That was a huge lie I believed. Because we clearly don't.

There have been times in my life when I was able to progress faster in various pursuits, due to the
available time I had, and other times when I simply treaded water and stayed stagnant---and even
that was a win!

There is this saying in Buddhism that if you have ANY leisure in this lifetime it was earned in a previous
lifetime, and it is wise not to waste it in this one. That the leisure should be spent on worthwhile pursuits
and not simply self-indulgence, because it could take many more lifetimes to get to the place in a single
existence where you have time available to pursue anything worthwhile. That resonates with me. Time to
grow really is a blessing earned.

 

[DrewJD82]

I will always learn something. If not kill me now!

That said, there are challenges when playing with others that, in my experience, always arise.
Someone is more invested than others. Someone is naturally proficient at something than
someone else is. Someone simply has more time available to invest in growth and learning.
Pushing too hard in a band setting just brings in tension and makes for a bad hang. If I have
learned one thing in life, it is that.

Let's face it, some people are just swamped with the daily demands and rigors of life that they have
zero time (let alone energy) to do anything but get through the day. I used to have my nose in
the air a bit when I was younger and assumed that everyone had equal opportunity and access to get
better. That was a huge lie I believed. Because we clearly don't.

There have been times in my life when I was able to progress faster in various pursuits, due to the
available time I had, and other times when I simply treaded water and stayed stagnant---and even
that was a win!

There is this saying in Buddhism that if you have ANY leisure in this lifetime it was earned in a previous
lifetime, and it is wise not to waste it in this one. That the leisure should be spent on worthwhile pursuits
and not simply self-indulgence, because it could take many more lifetimes to get to the place in a single
existence where you have time available to pursue anything worthwhile. That resonates with me. Time to
grow really is a blessing earned.

I love that last bit!

And yeah, I've absolutely been the "I'm putting this much time in, why aren't you?" guy before, I was pretty tough on my band members in the prog metal band, but it also brought good results and I wasn't a dick about it, just didn't really let things slide for too long. Sometimes working through something slowly with someone instead of pragmatically expecting them to get it on their own helps.

And now I'm often coming home and hitting the couch pretty hard and I'm lucky if I make it to the studio at all. I still play every night, but I don't get a whole lot of work done in here, which is exactly why I was hoping we'd have some interest in the challenge!

 

[la szum]

Appreciate the work you put in, Drew, so we can put in some work.

Bands are so tricky. It is fun to be competitive and challenge one another. Seems us guys enjoy
that aspect of it, but then it goes too far and someone had a rough day or week and when pushed
tells everyone to "Go fuck themselves!"

I have been inspired in bands, and had some of my highest moments in life. You know those ones
where the Universe smells perfectly divine!? And then the next week can be an utter collapse and
total shitshow. I think this is why some of us who are not always the most emotionally stable or
buoyant can go off the rails in bands. The range of experiences and emotions is so diverse and intense
that if you can't handle the ride you are probably going to flip out.

I recall EVH mentioning once in an interview (years ago in one of the mags) that he knew players better
than he was when Van Halen was coming up, but they couldn't get along with anyone. Being a "good
hang" is an essential in a band. When I was getting called to back up some singer-songwriter types
I made sure I learned from my past lessons. I didn't ask for anything. "Hey that outro, can I take a longer
solo there?" Never said it. Just kept my mouth shut and focused on why I was there: to make someone
else shine.

The oddest thing is I started having more and more fun. Part of it was relief in it not being about me and
what "I" wanted. Weird how we think we can generate our own ultimate state of happiness, and it is usually
when we are not even thinking about ourselves that we get the closest to "that."