Another "Halo Of Flies" question

[tuneylune]

Hi Mr Dunaway,

I have a friend who loves 80's "Hair Metal" and likes the Alice material from that time, mainly the CONSTRICTOR and TRASH albums . After my telling him for a couple of years he do himself a favor and look into the ACG albums, He bought KILLER and while we were discussing it. He said how "HOF" had really knocked him out.

The question I have is the Moog beeps that start 35 seconds into the song. My buddy said it made him think of flies buzzing around. After listening to it for almost 50 years, it seemed to Me the Moog made a cool song even more so.

Of course, it could be how one person interprets the song. Were the beeps there for a specific reason or just added to ramp up the song?

Thank You for any answer You can bring.

TL

[Dreary]

Thanks for getting your buddy to look back to the original albums. The re-issues of Killer and School's Out sound great, especially the bass.

As for the Moog, I wrote about it but I'm not sure that it made the final edit in my book.
The Moog arrived at the studio, we opened the box, and I looked at the instructions thinking there's no way we can learn how it works on a looming studio deadline. Bob Ezrin, however, plugged it in and quickly found that sound that is on Halo.

I think the part was added to boost the rolling section that lifts out of the staggered intro. I don't recall the intention to find a sound that simulated flies but we did think like that so I can't rule it out. I'm pretty sure that the part came about because that's the song we had just recorded when the Moog arrived, and excited spontaneity kicked in.

[tuneylune]

Thanks for getting your buddy to look back to the original albums. The re-issues of Killer and School's Out sound great, especially the bass.

As for the Moog, I wrote about it but I'm not sure that it made the final edit in my book.
The Moog arrived at the studio, we opened the box, and I looked at the instructions thinking there's no way we can learn how it works on a looming studio deadline. Bob Ezrin, however, plugged it in and quickly found that sound that is on Halo.

I think the part was added to boost the rolling section that lifts out of the staggered intro. I don't recall the intention to find a sound that simulated flies but we did think like that so I can't rule it out. I'm pretty sure that the part came about because that's the song we had just recorded when the Moog arrived, and excited spontaneity kicked in.

Thanks for the answers-I could see what He meant mentioning that, but didn't recall reading about it anywhere.

Thanks again and have a good day.
TL

[Babysquid]

One thing that I have to remind myself of is that although many of us these days think of the equipment you used as vintage and classic, to you guys at the time it was the vanguard of technology. From listening to Killer I’m guessing that you used the Moog to process some of Glen and Michael’s guitars on Halo and the title track?

[Dreary]

One thing that I have to remind myself of is that although many of us these days think of the equipment you used as vintage and classic, to you guys at the time it was the vanguard of technology. From listening to Killer I’m guessing that you used the Moog to process some of Glen and Michael’s guitars on Halo and the title track?

I don't think we processed any guitars with the Moog. It was used minimally on the album. The intro part on "Halo" and the very end of "Killer" was about it. The guitar tones were all done via various amps and pedals and through a Hammond Leslie cabinet. Glen and Michael doubled most everything they recorded (except soloing) giving Ezrin the option to use in the mix as needed. Sometimes the original guitar track was dominant with the doubled track underneath. The doubled tracks weren't always used but they were recorded just in case we needed them during the mixes.

[Devon]

On the subject of the Moog, the late Brian Nelson suggested that the horn section on the last part of "Under My Wheels" was a Moog as well. Does this sound accurate? I was shocked at that because it really does sound like a horns section!

[Dreary]

On the subject of the Moog, the late Brian Nelson suggested that the horn section on the last part of "Under My Wheels" was a Moog as well. Does this sound accurate? I was shocked at that because it really does sound like a horns section!

I'm pretty sure it was real horns but I wasn't at that particular session.

[Babysquid]

On the subject of the Moog, the late Brian Nelson suggested that the horn section on the last part of "Under My Wheels" was a Moog as well. Does this sound accurate? I was shocked at that because it really does sound like a horns section!

I’d be very surprised if it turned out that they were the Moog. Early synths sounded great but they were never very convincing at impersonating genuine brass or strings. A lot of people equate synthesisers with keyboard instruments whose main purposes are to recreate the sounds of other instruments. While later sample based technology allowed for this to be done quite effectively this was never the case with the analog, pre polyphony Minimoog.

[Dreary]

I thought the track for "Under My Wheels" sounded strong on its own and I was against adding horns. Since the song was chosen as a single, and radio stations were playing songs by other groups that had added horns (The Doors, The Stones), it likely helped get airplay. The horns soon won me over.

[revinkevin]

I thought the track for "Under My Wheels" sounded strong on its own and I was against adding horns. Since the song was chosen as a single, and radio stations were playing songs by other groups that had added horns (The Doors, The Stones), it likely helped get airplay. The horns soon won me over.

Did you ever worry that too many tricks in the recording studio would ruin the live performance, like not having horns on stage for Under My Wheels ? Did you record songs for an album knowing that it probably wouldn’t be played live or did you ever think how are we going to pull this song on stage ?

[Dreary]

My personal belief is that songs can be performed live without the extra instruments. "Under My Wheels" has always been fine without it. "Luney Tune" would have been fine as well.
Some songs like "Ballad of Dwight Fry" had the best of both worlds thanks to Michael switching from keys to guitar during live performances.
We added Bob Dolan and Mick Mashbir to cover extra studio overdubs in live shows.
Deciding to drop a song from a live show because we didn't feel that we could do the recording justice is backwards thinking in my opinion. I think recordings are supposed to support live shows, however, many think the opposite.