Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

On which R.E.M. CD would I get my fill of Rickenbacker 12 string?

What other artists (besides the Beatles and Byrds & Hollies) feature Rickenbacker 12 string stuff?

R.E.M.'s LP titled 'Reckoning' is a good start.

Also check out '65-'66 WHO, The Church, Let's Active, early Smithereens, XTC, The Long Ryders......

The Flamin' Groovies, The Raspberrys, The Barracudas, The Plimsouls....

Murmur is also a good REM CD for the chime.

Mike Rutherford played a 12-string Rick on the early Genesis stuff.

Karl doing a little band name dropping. I know very few people who know of Let's Active. I opened for them in Berkely CA way back in 1988. Mitch and I jammed during warm-up. He is quite talented. I'm not sure which cd would be the best to hear his Ric, but Big Plans for Everybody was my favorite. I agree about Reckoning (Mitch produced). A lot of jangly stuff on there.

Great bands, all of them! The Cypress album from Let's Active is still a favourite of mine. Every Dog Has His Day is also good.

What about The Byrds? 12 strings for me means Roger McGuinn. Steve, Murmur is one of my favorite R.E.M. albums...
Jere, I hate doing this but...try listening to Rockfour (my band) - our guitarist plays a Rick 12 on most of our songs.

All of Let's Active is groundbreaking --- Easter helped create, and was greatly responsible for the creation of REMs sound.

For REM 12 string stuff, just start with Murmur and Reckoning, as well as Fables of the Reconstruction. I don't own a 12 string, and actually so much of the early REM material was overdubbed with tons and tons of guitar tracks to get the signature jangly sound.

I've always wanted to start an REM trib band, and then I'd have an excuse to get my 1st 12er!!

"...The Waters Part When Our Eyes See Together..." -- Mitch Easter.

By the way, Rick -- if you could provide some accounting of your gig with Let's Active I would really appreciate it. What was it like? What is Mitch Easter like? What type of gear did he have? Did you get to talk with him at all? What about?

He's really one of my top music gods!

REM bypass all the LPs and go straight for the EP, Chronic Town. They never equalled it and it also has plenty of jangle.

Also, selected cuts on the Replacements Let It Be.

Here's a great more recent interview with the master, Mitch Easter. A must read for all !!

http://www.appelstein.com/cif/mitch.html

Glenn -- I agree that Chronic Town is great place to start. Jere - it's part of the Dead Letter Office CD.

Check out "Green Grow the Rushes" and "Kohoutec" on REM's Fables of the Reconstruction. There is some really lovely stuff on there. It seems to me that Peter Buck is switching back and forth between his RIC 360 and his Fender Telecaster on the whole album. One of my favorite jangle albums of all time.

Fables is great, although I didn't realize Peter Buck used much Ric 12-string, I thought he pretty much stuck to his 360JG. I wish this were all documented somewhere !

I agree with those who say "Murmur" and "Reckoning". Another band to look into was The Smiths. "Hatful of Hollow" has excellent Rick 6 and 12 string on it. One of the best British alternative bans from the 80's.

"William, It Was Really Nothing" and "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" shine with 12 string along with other guitars.

Johnny Marr is well known for his early jangle work. Though he's changed over the years. Playing all sort of guitars.

I love playing all posted stuff on my 330/12