Fantastic & enlightening insight into Adrian’s mantra & process. I was studying guitar-making in ‘95 when I first heard Dummy. It completely & utterly blew me away. 28 years later it continues to do so and is still my favourite album by MILES! It is majestic… an absolute masterpiece. Brilliant video… really inspirational. Those Tru-bass strings sound killer… will be getting some of those.
All 4 Portishead albums (Roseland included) are simply a part of my life. They are building blocks within the framework of who and what I am. Nothing less. The idea of quietly sitting in on a session with Adrian and Jeff Beck just noodling about blows my mind. I'd love to hear what Adrian would do with Tal Wilkenfield...
Adrian is one of my favourite guitarists, very underrated. I love the fact that he doesn't care if something is expensive or cheap, it's all about the sound you get out of it.
Portishead is the perfect example of quality about quantity. Absolutely in the antipodes of how music industry works, as well and musicians and producers just flooding everything with mediocre products, thinking on social media numbers, on going viral,rather than music itself. Portishead makes good music , doesnt need any of the marketing bs to be on the top of all times greatests bands.
Hi Adrian if you read this it's Andy from our first band Eskimo Jo when we were at Northamton College. Like your stuff with Portishead better than The Army..lol. Well keep at it, it's great stuff.
What a legend! I envy him. His life is around and about music. Love Portishead sound. To me it's a cornerstone of British sound and music in general. Thanks for the video, @rotosound.
You blew us away and and stood there like nothing happened. I was 13 and couldn't believe it. Now I'm in my forties and look back on it and realized we'd had it right from the beginning. We should be angry.
He is great, and this was super insightful. Love what he said about "spy" sounds. Portishead's music was the first music that stopped me in my tracks...it was so enigmatic yet so beautiful. I discovered them late, in 2001 and the "thaw" after 9/11
Man, in the nineties I was so into trip-hop , acid jazz and the Bristol sound I almost packed up and moved to England. Utley was and is one of my guitar heroes. Love his work including stuff outside of Portishead. Love seeing more about his process.
If you go into a music shop to buy guitar strings, you are most commonly offered Ernie Ball or Gibson. They are both good choices. The reason I like Rotosound is the way they batch their string packs. If you want to get two different voices from the same instrument, get the Rotosound. You can get heavier bass strings with some of their packs, or if you want to stay high, spare thin strings in case they break.
I also love the black trubass strings but they sound amazing on that bass. Just a cheap bass but totally sounds deep and full. I had a set of these on a fretless and they lasted decades.
It's best not to learn the songs of your Heroes, they lose the Magic. And I got to the point when I figured out enough Alex Lifeson that it became apparent that he was only using the same 12 notes as everyone else, and got mad, I soon figured out the next step in the learning process and realized it was his Combinations of the Notes. And as I learned more Music I could see how unique he was. Then I realized what turned me on to Music was Geddy's Bass on Moving Pictures. I had no idea what a Bass was. Before the Internet we was real slow learners. I don't know any Hendrix but the Main Riffs you had to learn, mostly because he tunes Down to Eb and it feels odd on anything but a Strat, lots of Eb players I don't know much from, they are a inspiration more than a influence. 🍁
Live in Roseland is my favorite live concert, I think it is the most fantastic and unique live concert I've seen, blending all sorts of technologies like echoplex and synthesizers with a live orchestra it is always a joy to watch.
portishead is under appreciated imo. theres nothing else like them executed at that high of a level of production. the odd and even harmonics of their records are brilliant
201 million streams in spotify. combine that with other streaming platforms. it probably has like 500 million streams lol. nobody uses youtube to listen to music these days@@nicolasgeiser1556
i would like to add that marshal 100 watt amp heads with 4 12 cabs aka "stacks"were the loudest amps made at that time. jimi hendrix wanted something louder than what his usa supro combos could give him. marshal was the first to make a stack and jimi bought a few retail as soon as he heard about them because they were the LOUDEST thing on the market. :) . he then was sponsored by sunn who came out with their own head and cab units. i know marshal lovers will point out that it is "jimis"amp and that may be true but also the reason behind that initially was that they were insanely loud. the absolutely loudest guitar amp ever made at that time. so no one had ever heard someone play guitar that loud before. literally. :)
ignoring the bootleg 'reissue' on coloured vinyl in 2020, the last official reissue was 2017; you can probably got hold of a copy of one of those on discogs marketplace... before that 2014, 2012 & 2000 (then the originals from 1994).
My favorite band/group of all time. 🅿 The perfect moody dark blend of all the greatest genre's. I hope and dream we will get another PORTISHEAD album soon! Much respect Mr. Utley. and Thank you for the Video, Rotosound
Not sure what "spy sounds" are. I'm going with the music he heard in Bond movies growing up. Or that '60 general twangy but not surf guitar. Love Portishead and their "spy sounds"
during the height of the cold war there were tons of tv & movies (certainly in the uk, at least) based around the spy aesthetic, not just those earliest bond films. i'm not a musician so i find it hard to describe the sounds in any technical detail, but there was defiunitely a familiar vibe about them, plus i suppose one successful series or film might get aped by the next and the next to the point that it then becomes an expected blueprint, spy film by numbers. but yeah, jangly, cold, echoey but not upbeat & surfy. lots of space between, haunting, creepy & paranoid, but at times cool & suave (the bond effect). all quite bleak & war torn landscapes. somewhat industrial & metallic. does that help paint a picture?
What I respect most about Portishead and mr. Utley is that after more than a decade they manage to invent themselves and came with a solid third album. Maybe more solid than the others. And I am very very glad to see them live in Istanbul.
If they're goid enough for for Adrian Utley, theyre good enough for me. I need some new strings, so these will be my next purchase. Ive never tried Rotosounds before.
Wow that’s just the bass sound I’ve been trying to get myself on my recordings, the Mccartney/Kaye sound with pick. I think I’ve managed to get it but maybe I should get some flat wound strings too?
Have you tried a mute first? Not against flats though. Carol Kaye had a foam mute under the strings and played with a pick. Oh yeah she used roundwounds
ok, how do you get that bass sound? like what kind of bass guitar/string/amp combo gets you that sound? i love it, but i have no idea how to produce that. anyone?
Here's the signal chain for this video: Tru Bass 88 tapewound strings > vintage Commodore bass > Wallace amplifier > vintage dynamic mic > Zoom H6 recorder. No EQ or effects. Get some worn-in tapewound strings and mute as you pick.
For a real budget stick something under the strings near the bridge, or a bit of masking tape to dull the sound. Get flat wound RS strings, use a pick and study Carol Kaye.
Fantastic & enlightening insight into Adrian’s mantra & process. I was studying guitar-making in ‘95 when I first heard Dummy. It completely & utterly blew me away. 28 years later it continues to do so and is still my favourite album by MILES! It is majestic… an absolute masterpiece.
Brilliant video… really inspirational. Those Tru-bass strings sound killer… will be getting some of those.
My personal favourite is the live roseland ballroom album.
It is amazing how Portishead albums sound so fresh, decades later.
The fact that he still uses the present tense, "I'm in the band Portishead", gives me hope we'll eventually get a fourth album.
Well they do still play live, but I would give up hope on a fourth album.
I'm an Uber driver, and I often play Dummy while I work. Just like In Rainbows, any time I play it I get lots of compliments. It's a great album!
Nice! Hope to get you as an Uber driver in the future 😁Love Radiohead's In Rainbows too
Dummy and In Rainbows are absolutely in my Top 5 all time albums. That will likely never change.
The fuzzy, rubbery, old sound that resonates so well in a rainy night. All 3 Portishead albums are fantastic sonic experiences.
All 4 Portishead albums (Roseland included) are simply a part of my life. They are building blocks within the framework of who and what I am. Nothing less. The idea of quietly sitting in on a session with Adrian and Jeff Beck just noodling about blows my mind. I'd love to hear what Adrian would do with Tal Wilkenfield...
Adrian is one of my favourite guitarists, very underrated. I love the fact that he doesn't care if something is expensive or cheap, it's all about the sound you get out of it.
The fact is that the person listening to the song doesn't know how much a piece of gear costs - just whether it sounds right on the record
I hope he and the rest of the band make another album - “Third” is a masterpiece.
I think Third is Adrian’s masterpiece. A monolith of pain, anguish, and uncertainty without equal.
Portishead is the perfect example of quality about quantity. Absolutely in the antipodes of how music industry works, as well and musicians and producers just flooding everything with mediocre products, thinking on social media numbers, on going viral,rather than music itself.
Portishead makes good music , doesnt need any of the marketing bs to be on the top of all times greatests bands.
Amazing sound and playing with that Commodore bass
portishead is one of the best things that ever happened. thanks for the sounds
"I'm not gonna be slappin the bass" wise words.
Hi Adrian if you read this it's Andy from our first band Eskimo Jo when we were at Northamton College. Like your stuff with Portishead better than The Army..lol. Well keep at it, it's great stuff.
Great interview, thx Rotosound! And that Glory Box solo... that's so modest, yet stylish and tasty!
What a legend! I envy him. His life is around and about music. Love Portishead sound. To me it's a cornerstone of British sound and music in general. Thanks for the video, @rotosound.
You blew us away and and stood there like nothing happened.
I was 13 and couldn't believe it. Now I'm in my forties and look back on it and realized we'd had it right from the beginning. We should be angry.
Such an underrated musician
what a legend, thkns for the music adrain
He is great, and this was super insightful. Love what he said about "spy" sounds. Portishead's music was the first music that stopped me in my tracks...it was so enigmatic yet so beautiful. I discovered them late, in 2001 and the "thaw" after 9/11
That was great i loved that. he's such a legend, Portishead one of my all time favourites.
Man, in the nineties I was so into trip-hop , acid jazz and the Bristol sound I almost packed up and moved to England. Utley was and is one of my guitar heroes. Love his work including stuff outside of Portishead. Love seeing more about his process.
Great musician, lovely chap.
the master speaking. what adrian created is absolute masterpieces and deeply inspirational... gorgeous musician and my favorite producer
Unique beings creating unique sounds. Few things I love more than this.
Wish this was about an hour longer...
A highly interesting interview with a man I deeply appreciate!
Living legend right there.
mega - what a sound on Dummy. Hadn't realised he played with jeff beck - great stuff!
"I'd ripped all the frets out of my Fender Precision copy, and that was the sound of Dummy" What a quote!!! Love Portishead
If you go into a music shop to buy guitar strings, you are most commonly offered Ernie Ball or Gibson. They are both good choices. The reason I like Rotosound is the way they batch their string packs. If you want to get two different voices from the same instrument, get the Rotosound. You can get heavier bass strings with some of their packs, or if you want to stay high, spare thin strings in case they break.
HAVING THIS GUY PRODUCING OUR NEXT ALBUM WOULD BE A DREAM
why don't you contact him then ...he's still in OC...
@@Dave-el6rh WELL THE MONEY IS THE MAIN PROBLEM HERE ......
Love Portishead! More please
such a class act Adrian ....Portishead, ---------> 100 percent "pure class" in music
You are a hero for music
Portishead were truly one of kind, I always loved that Adrian's guitar had that same edginess as Beth Gibbon's voice.
I've never tried flat wounds but I'm sold. Funny how much we're creatures of habit.
Adrian's the best.
One of the greatest bands of any generation ever.
Absolutely without equal, sonically ❤
Portishead reached the timeless category
When I understood the major role that guitar players had in Enigma, Portishead and Massive Attack, I began rating Mr. Utley to the max 🙂
superb little piece!! more more more!
I also love the black trubass strings but they sound amazing on that bass. Just a cheap bass but totally sounds deep and full.
I had a set of these on a fretless and they lasted decades.
Great to see the our generation series back 😊
Thanks James! You're episode is here: ua-cam.com/video/5S8RIrI4lvs/v-deo.htmlsi=mrwzSfomMEVkB9Uw
It's best not to learn the songs of your Heroes, they lose the Magic. And I got to the point when I figured out enough Alex Lifeson that it became apparent that he was only using the same 12 notes as everyone else, and got mad, I soon figured out the next step in the learning process and realized it was his Combinations of the Notes. And as I learned more Music I could see how unique he was. Then I realized what turned me on to Music was Geddy's Bass on Moving Pictures. I had no idea what a Bass was. Before the Internet we was real slow learners.
I don't know any Hendrix but the Main Riffs you had to learn, mostly because he tunes Down to Eb and it feels odd on anything but a Strat, lots of Eb players I don't know much from, they are a inspiration more than a influence. 🍁
Live in Roseland is my favorite live concert, I think it is the most fantastic and unique live concert I've seen, blending all sorts of technologies like echoplex and synthesizers with a live orchestra it is always a joy to watch.
one string he plays you know is adrian, one the greatest guitar players and musicians
portishead is under appreciated imo. theres nothing else like them executed at that high of a level of production. the odd and even harmonics of their records are brilliant
I was so hoping he would play just one tiny bit of a Portishead riff 🙏
this is amazing. thank you!
Beautiful portrait of him! The Portishead concert at Roseland got me into trip hop and the guitar parts are a big reason for this.
This man's voice brings me all the way back to Sonic State.
Man, what a ride!
Thank you for Your music!!! love and respect from Romania!
Cheers
What a rad player!
I remember Adrian when we were at Northampton Art college together in 1976, he was slim and had long hair back then.
We were all slim back then. 😁
Such a fantastic interview with a phenomenal, incredibly influential band. Love it!
Underrated guitar player.
Adrian always finds parts that are sonically interesting without getting in the way of the song
32 M view - Portishead - Glory Box... so is not so underrated, i think
@@nicolasgeiser1556 It is the norm for a compliment, 'they're underrated' even if they're widely known.
201 million streams in spotify. combine that with other streaming platforms. it probably has like 500 million streams lol. nobody uses youtube to listen to music these days@@nicolasgeiser1556
i would like to add that marshal 100 watt amp heads with 4 12 cabs aka "stacks"were the loudest amps made at that time. jimi hendrix wanted something louder than what his usa supro combos could give him. marshal was the first to make a stack and jimi bought a few retail as soon as he heard about them because they were the LOUDEST thing on the market. :) . he then was sponsored by sunn who came out with their own head and cab units. i know marshal lovers will point out that it is "jimis"amp and that may be true but also the reason behind that initially was that they were insanely loud. the absolutely loudest guitar amp ever made at that time. so no one had ever heard someone play guitar that loud before. literally. :)
We were there watching him when they played in Ottawa Canada like 23 years ago. Brilliant thank you!
I just worry your female singer smokes too much.
At the Congress Centre, right? I was there too! In my top three best concerts. Surprised by how powerful Beth’s voice could get.
An absolute hero.
Utley Brilliant!
waayyyyyyyy!!!
As a record collector certain finds give me a massive dopamine boost. Dummy was one of them. Come on UHQR we need a Dummy reissue!
ignoring the bootleg 'reissue' on coloured vinyl in 2020, the last official reissue was 2017; you can probably got hold of a copy of one of those on discogs marketplace... before that 2014, 2012 & 2000 (then the originals from 1994).
My favorite band/group of all time. 🅿 The perfect moody dark blend of all the greatest genre's. I hope and dream we will get another PORTISHEAD album soon! Much respect Mr. Utley. and Thank you for the Video, Rotosound
Thanks for your comment! Indeed, much respect to Mr Utley and thanks for all the music 🎶
One of the inspiring producers of our time.
Great Artist 🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶
Good interview🙏👍
bass looks like an Aria variant from early 1970s, had a couple and they were deceptively decent
Please make more portishead
Great Video :) Awesome Production and Fantastic Lighting :) I’ve Played Rotosound flats on my p-bass for years!!!
Cheers Grant! The lighting was mostly the natural light coming in from the windows. Adrian's studio has a wonderful vibe
Amazing footage
Thank you so much!
Please??!! 🙏 May we have another Portishead album?
Would have liked him to have gone through a few of his guitar tones and effects
Just got a short scale bass, and I bet those 88's would be brilliant on it. Hmm.
My guitar hero!
Cool video! Anyone know the the exact name of the vintage acoustic in the background in the middle? Thanks
Legend
Not sure what "spy sounds" are.
I'm going with the music he heard in Bond movies growing up.
Or that '60 general twangy but not surf guitar.
Love Portishead and their "spy sounds"
during the height of the cold war there were tons of tv & movies (certainly in the uk, at least) based around the spy aesthetic, not just those earliest bond films. i'm not a musician so i find it hard to describe the sounds in any technical detail, but there was defiunitely a familiar vibe about them, plus i suppose one successful series or film might get aped by the next and the next to the point that it then becomes an expected blueprint, spy film by numbers. but yeah, jangly, cold, echoey but not upbeat & surfy. lots of space between, haunting, creepy & paranoid, but at times cool & suave (the bond effect). all quite bleak & war torn landscapes. somewhat industrial & metallic. does that help paint a picture?
I love Portishead's Dummy album, and I love how UK folks say things like "utter shite"
Man, I wish they'd played a few more live shows.
What I respect most about Portishead and mr. Utley is that after more than a decade they manage to invent themselves and came with a solid third album. Maybe more solid than the others.
And I am very very glad to see them live in Istanbul.
Quit talking and make a 4th Portishead album already! 😂👍🏻
They owe you nothing
That was great!
commodore was an Aria parent brand offshoot for a sales catalogue . I think the aria parent was called matsuoka
Thanks for the insightful information
@@rotosound_ukMatsumoku was the manufacturer...they did indeed make the Aria brand, as well as Epiphone from '69-'86
I play 20 chords. I barely know Portishead. I absolutely enjoyed this - everything about it. Thanks
Portishead has the best discography in music. Easily.
most awesome! P=❤
A true top quality artist/producer of my generation 👏
If they're goid enough for for Adrian Utley, theyre good enough for me.
I need some new strings, so these will be my next purchase. Ive never tried Rotosounds before.
Nice one! Give them a spin - you'll never go back
WILL WE PLEASE GET THAT FOURTH ALBUM BEFORE ONE OF YOU GUYS.... I'm not even gonna say it. Give us one more album pleaaase.
Wow that’s just the bass sound I’ve been trying to get myself on my recordings, the Mccartney/Kaye sound with pick. I think I’ve managed to get it but maybe I should get some flat wound strings too?
You should give them a go - strings have a huge effect on the sound
Have you tried a mute first? Not against flats though. Carol Kaye had a foam mute under the strings and played with a pick. Oh yeah she used roundwounds
New song!
What a great video, thanks a lot for that! Did anyone catch the bass amp he's playing through? Sounds phenomenal!
Michelle Grant from France ? Does anybody know this artist or bass player? Interested to explore!
I believe that Adrian is referring to Michel Legrand
Gold
I think he underestimates its own work or is very humble.
Dummy is one of a kind trip hop album like The Mezzanine.
ok, how do you get that bass sound? like what kind of bass guitar/string/amp combo gets you that sound? i love it, but i have no idea how to produce that. anyone?
Here's the signal chain for this video: Tru Bass 88 tapewound strings > vintage Commodore bass > Wallace amplifier > vintage dynamic mic > Zoom H6 recorder. No EQ or effects. Get some worn-in tapewound strings and mute as you pick.
@@rotosound_uk awesome, thanks for the quick and thorough info!
For a real budget stick something under the strings near the bridge, or a bit of masking tape to dull the sound. Get flat wound RS strings, use a pick and study Carol Kaye.
Slapaa da bass 😭😭
Hold your groove together with Rotosound strings! The Who, The Who sellout lp.
No Jimi used Fender Rocke n Roller 10, 12, 15, 26, 32, 38
This photo shows Jimi with his Rotosound strings: www.rotosound.com/blog/portfolio-item/jimi-hendrix-noel-redding-at-the-purley-orchid-ballroom/
@@rotosound_uk look again. They are for Noel’s bass.
They are bass strings.
legened
💜💜💜💜
💗💗💗💗💗💗💗
Jimi Hendrix NEVER used VOX. Marshall, Sound City, Sunn and Fender. He also used Fender strings...