Talk To Ya Later

JAFO92
Posts
4629
Joined
3/21/2016
Location
BFE, TX US
When I was a senior in HS, the Tubes had just put out the 'Completion Backward Principle' album and me and a friend who were in a garage band were in love with the tune 'Talk To Ya Later'. Just a fun tune with a catchy riff and badass guitar work all over it, especially the final solo/ending. (No, none of us could ever figure out the scale at the end. ) What we didnt know back then was that the amazing guitar work was done by Steve Lukather from Toto and he was brought in and that song was a one-off deal. (the only tune they ever put out that charted)

The solo itself looking thru 2019 eyes/ears isnt just too over the top, but 38 or so years ago we all thought it was the shit. Came across this video of someone covering it quite well.

https://youtu.be/TDGeEWCIVoI

From his website:

David Foster was producing the record, and he said, “I need you to co-write a song with Fee [Waybill, Tubes singer].” I had never met Fee, and some of the other guys in the band were pissed off that they brought in a ringer. I didn’t know until I got there that there was any bad vibe at all.

So it was me, [drummer] Prairie Prince, Foster, and Fee. I came up with the opening riff, and we ran with it and came up with the song. It was written and recorded in less than an hour. I overdubbed a bunch of guitars on it, and I also played bass, because the Tubes’ bass player refused to play on the track. He said, “It’s not a Tubes song. It wasn’t written by us.” And it was their first hit!

For the solo at the end, there was one track left, and I had to do the thing in one pass. At the very end of it, it’s a little flat, but they wouldn’t let me fix it. There were certain imperfections on records back then. All the records of my childhood have things like the tambourine being way on top of the beat or something. But there’s a charm to the strings being out of tune, or the horns being a little off. It’s a vibe. Nobody cares. The standard for that is a lot different now.



Original tune:

https://youtu.be/__-ksc83EwE

There really were some under-rated gems recorded back in the day. And Lukather did it in one pass. Amazing.
1
|
BMSOBx2
Posts
2088
Joined
2/18/2017
Location
Antioch, CA US
5/7/2019 1:21pm Edited Date/Time 5/7/2019 1:55pm
Love the tubes. Since they were a Bay Area band I had the unique opportunity to see them play Live numerous times. Probably the best concert I ever went to was a Halloween show with the full tubes ensamble. Astounding show. Full Chorus Line of Vegas showgirls doing a bump and grind behind the band, a barely clad woman swinging over the stage on a red velvet swing by her heels. Mondo bondage, don't touch me there, White Punks on dope, Quay Lewd, I fully expected someone to come out on stage, turn on the lights, put an end to the show & say "we can't have this here". it was so over-the-top.
1
JAFO92
Posts
4629
Joined
3/21/2016
Location
BFE, TX US
5/7/2019 1:58pm
Thats cool you got to see the full band like that. Like the B52s, The Tubes were innovative and didnt follow the current trends. That album in '81 had lots of unique and catchy stuff on it. Sushi Girl, Mr Hate, Attack of the 50 Woman, on and on.

Fee Waybill cracks me up !

BMSOBx2
Posts
2088
Joined
2/18/2017
Location
Antioch, CA US
5/7/2019 2:02pm
It was pure theater. They were damn good musicians too.
1

The Shop

Sully
Posts
7699
Joined
8/24/2006
Location
JP
5/7/2019 4:26pm
Steve Lukather was a badass. About 12+ years ago, he did a TV show with an incredible Japanese guitarist named Char that was really good.

JAFO92
Posts
4629
Joined
3/21/2016
Location
BFE, TX US
5/7/2019 7:21pm
^ That was cool AF, thanks. Lukather is a bad mofo on the 6 string.
1
Falcon
Posts
10887
Joined
11/16/2011
Location
Menifee, CA US
5/8/2019 11:47am
I never knew that! Now I know why that song stands out from the other Tubes songs I like. (WPOD is fantastic, though.)
1
Ted722
Posts
4495
Joined
9/21/2011
Location
Sacramento, CA US
5/8/2019 3:05pm
Saw The Tubes in '82 after a game at Spartan Stadium in San Jose. Unforgettable. Good lead-in for this White Punk going into his high school years!
1
Tiki
Posts
10373
Joined
8/1/2006
Location
Corona, CA US
Fantasy
499th
5/8/2019 7:14pm
The Tubes were the Soundtrack for my Senior Year in High School.










So? What do you want from Life?
1
tunedlength
Posts
2750
Joined
12/9/2006
Location
Ontario, CA US
5/8/2019 8:07pm
Miss-understood song lyrics-
When I first heard this song I thought they were saying "Talk to ya lady"
Foghorn
Posts
927
Joined
1/26/2013
Location
CA
5/9/2019 1:08pm
Saw them back in the early 80's when they were touring with Bowie and Peter Gabriel. Great show.

Post a reply to: Talk To Ya Later

The Latest