Halo Live

[livinluvin72]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd8KpOcJ5qw

Halo of Flies.
Dennis, since I never saw you guys play this live, I had a few questions if you’d be so kind.
• Does Glen start the song?
• Is that Glen’s guitar feeding back after the lyrics “She’d rather shoot me in my tracks”.
• Did Alice leave the stage after he sang the final lyrics to this song?
• Was that Neal screaming during the solo?
• Is there some kind of reverb on the drums during Neal’s solo? It sounds like Neal has twenty arms.
Alice always said he played like an octopus.
Thanks

[Dreary]

Michael starts the song then Glen joins in and layers an ascending riff.

Yes, Glen specialized in feedback while Michael favored a cleaner tone that cut through, which is true for most every song we did. They both play the riff following "She'd rather shoot me in my tracks" but Glen does the over-hanging note, although his ability to nail a feedback wasn't always successful.

Alice would leave the stage to get Kachina ready for "Is It My Body" or, later on, to change for the theatrical section of the set that began with "Dead Babies" and then, in later shows, "Gutter Cat vs. The Jets" and "Street Fight."

As for the scream, I'm not sure what you're calling the solo and which version of the song - studio or live, but generally the band would yell out to each other on stage but if it was a high scream, it was me. If you're talking about a live version, it could have been someone in the crowd.

The original recording was done in Chicago at Mid-Atlantic Studios, which was upstairs in a corporate building. We recorded the track without the drum solo (although the bass plays along so technically it's a duo) and then we moved the drums down to the tiled men's room in the lobby for the natural echo. The night watchman thought it was hilarious.

It was Bob Ezrin that described watching Neal play drums was like watching an octopus falling from a tree.

[patrick]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rKw2nfGHec

Hi Dennis,
I just came across this video of you and a tribute band playing HOF in someones living room as it looks.
Great to see a close-up of you playing the bass that way !!
Can you tell something about this ? How did they manage to get you to play this fantastic song with them ?
thx
Patrick
(sorry if this has been asked before, went through a quick search but didn't find anything

[Dreary]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rKw2nfGHec

Hi Dennis,
I just came across this video of you and a tribute band playing HOF in someones living room as it looks.
Great to see a close-up of you playing the bass that way !!
Can you tell something about this ? How did they manage to get you to play this fantastic song with them ?
thx
Patrick
(sorry if this has been asked before, went through a quick search but didn't find anything

This is the Pretties For You NYC band headed by Nick Didkovsky. Neal Smith and I had seen them perform the Pretties For You album in its entirety and we liked it a lot. This was the second time they performed it. Their third performance was in Dallas, which I also sat in for.

I think DVD's of the full set are available here. https://www.facebook.com/PFYNYC

[livinluvin72]

As for the scream, I'm not sure what you're calling the solo and which version of the song - studio or live, but generally the band would yell out to each other on stage but if it was a high scream, it was me. If you're talking about a live version, it could have been someone in the crowd.

AC Fan Livin Luvin follow up clarification: In my original post, I included a YouTube audio clip of you guys playing Halo of Flies live at The Hollywood Bowl in 1972. At around 8:05 it sounds like Neal screaming during his drum solo/duo with you.

I think this is the best version of this song that I ever heard you guys do. The studio cut sounds sterile in comparison. Bob Ezrin should touch it up in the studio and officially release it somehow. I think I've listened to this version over 100 times in my lifetime. Thanks

I inserted the clip again below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd8KpOcJ5qw

[jacknifejohnny]

Absolutely brilliant version, used to have this album, sadly lost it whilst moving house

[Dreary]

As for the scream, I'm not sure what you're calling the solo and which version of the song - studio or live, but generally the band would yell out to each other on stage but if it was a high scream, it was me. If you're talking about a live version, it could have been someone in the crowd.

AC Fan Livin Luvin follow up clarification: In my original post, I included a YouTube audio clip of you guys playing Halo of Flies live at The Hollywood Bowl in 1972. At around 8:05 it sounds like Neal screaming during his drum solo/duo with you.

I think this is the best version of this song that I ever heard you guys do. The studio cut sounds sterile in comparison. Bob Ezrin should touch it up in the studio and officially release it somehow. I think I've listened to this version over 100 times in my lifetime. Thanks

I inserted the clip again below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd8KpOcJ5qw

Oh! I obviously overlooked the link in your initial post.
It's hard to tell for sure but it sounds like Glen or me, however, we all yelled a lot on stage during those parts.