A Hammond Organ player reacts: Ken Hensley
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- čas přidán 6. 01. 2024
- / @nickfoleyuk I was sent this video recently by a friend who said why did you never really get into Uriah Heep? Obviously I didn't have a suitable answer for that and for my sins will need to go back and revisit the catalogue to repent.
Anyway, here are my thoughts to this particular video clip, lovely Hammond B3 on the stage too and the organ sound front and centre, beautiful!
Original Recording: • Ken Hensley - Live in ...
I do not claim any ownership of copyright of the original footage I am simple reacting to it. - Hudba
I love that dirty, grinding Hammond sound with audible slow Leslie horn rotation, which Ken Hensley produced, in Live 73. Circle Of Hands live version is great example of what i mean.
I always pushed the mic closer towards my horn rotor---attached to an EV driver (with a Pyle 15" for the bottom end as I could run a MiniMoog through that if I wanted to) so that I got a lot of grind and swish. To me, that is just as much of a Hammond's sound as the percussion and key click.
Perfect
Buen comentario de esa tecnica..ayer escuche ese tema del 73 en vivo..
'Circle Of Hands' from 'Live Jan '73' is so buttery smooth. I'm a Bass Player of 37+ yrs. Heep is my go-to for Bass Inspiration. Hensley is a great songwriter and a wonderful person to talk to.
Yes I’m the same Gary Thain, John Wetton and Trevor Bolder all great bass Players. Gary was a genius. Heep we’re never quite the same without him!
Check Deep Purple's "Kentucky Woman" and "Rat Bat Blue" to hear the Hammond B3 maestro Jon Lord tearing through the soundscape. He fed his Hammond through a Marshall guitar amp to cope with Ritchie Blackmore's guitar live on stage. The roar was phenomenal.
Played both of those in cover bands. "Rat Bat Blue" was definitely off of the well-beaten Purple path and their version of "Kentucky Woman" is killer !!! I have a Leslie Combo Pre-amp built into the back of my C3 that is wired in between the pre-amp and the amplifier; it's volume is controlled by a rotary knob on a panel in the front next to the Leslie half-moon, where I can turn the Combo up to full distortion but keep the Master volume low (if I want to). The organ's circuitry has also been modified to allow for a push/pull pot on that same little front panel so that I can increase the percussion until you feel the punch in your chest. Both mods were done by my great friend and incredible organist Dennis "Torpedo" Toerpe, who has built many Hammonds. Guitarists fear me :-)
I was privileged to meet Ken in 2002. I talked his head off for 10 minutes. He really was a gentleman and never once looked bored!
Lol
I've had the privilege to see both Ken Hensley & Jon Lord from front of stage . It was a life changing experience . You have to hear a Leslie played in anger straight out of Jon Lords keyboard . Another interesting technique he used was to lift up the entire keyboard stand and smash it down to the ground . This violent action causes the reverb springs to sound like lightening . It was fantastic .
Ken always had a nice nasty, spitting Hammond sound; the tone always influenced me to play in a more visceral fashion. Uriah Heep's song "Easy Livin" was a staple to learn for cover bands, and you might really like their "Circle of Hands" as Ken once again leads it all off with great Hammond tone. Cheers and Happy New Year, Nick !!!
Too right bro: czcams.com/video/ybzH6n81oCk/video.htmlsi=3SSk3RlatpDu5ncr
Circle of Hands and Gypsy from live'73 album are my favorite examples of Hensley's Hammond sound. Deep and dirty.
@@awaken77 Dang !!! I forgot Gypsy !!!
@@nickfoleyuk Great job !!! So much fun to play !!!
Thanks for the video! I always wonder why people only mention Lord and Emerson when it comes to rock organ playing, but never Mr. Hensley. Uriah Heep was a awesome band with plenty of great songs and Hammond playing. To me, "July Morning" is their masterpiece where Ken shows his true talent. Sadly, most people remember them only for that boring Lady in Black. Other mentionable songs with lots of Hammond are Circle of Hands (already mentioned), Sunrise, Do you Know, Time to Live, A Year or a Day, Lucy Blues (nice solo), I'll keep on Trying, etc... Their first album was a main reason, why I got so mesmerized by the sound of the Hammond and I why I wanted one so badly! Another rock organist I deeply appreciate is David Stone, who played with Rainbow around 1977.
July Morning actually is quite easy to play. My favourite is Easy Living.
‘Gypsy’, the opening track of their debut album has some fierce Hammond playing on it😉👍
The Best!
@@nickfoleyukKen passed away on the 4th of October 2020 at Age 75.
Enjoyed the video and your commentary. I love Jon Lord and Deep Purple, never really heard much Uriah Heep. Back in the days of 8 track tapes a friend of mine gave me his Uriah Heep Greatest Hits 8 track and that was the first time I remember hearing them. They were never popular on the rock radio stations that I listened to, interesting to "discover" them some 50 years later 😎 😍 🎵.
Great!
Nick, thanks for doing this. I have been a Ken Hensley fan since the early days of Uriah Heep, probably since the "Look At Yourself" album. Ken was a great songwriter and the classic line-up that included David Byron on vocals and stalwart Mick Box on lead guitar, Lee Kerslake on drums and Gary Thain on bass, gave the best possible presentation of his songwriting. I was a bit surprised that you said that you sort of overlooked Ken through the years. Ken's best days were with Uriah Heep (I don't think he ever admitted that), although I still followed him up until his death in November of 2020. He never enjoyed the success he did with Uriah Heep, at least not here across the pond. Anyhow, I really enjoyed your commentary on Ken.
Thanks mate
I appreciate your words about Ken.. To say his best days were with Heep, means although his worsest days, if it comes to his health in these old times. I would have loved to see one of his concerts...in younger or in his older days and have a conversation .
@susannepotens5895 I meant to say that Ken's best days were with Uriah Heep in the best possible way. Ken was an incredible songwriter, and surely, he carried the heavy load for the band for many years. I'm sure he was under incredible pressure in those days. So many great songs came from Ken for many years. Many fans think of the songs Gypsy and July Morning as the best of Ken's Hammond playing, but albums such as Sweet Freedom, Wonderworld, and Return to Fantasy, and others, consistently featured Ken's signature Hammond sound. He is sorely missed.
Yes , thank you for your ansver. In Germany we would say about his way of playing his Hammond, " Die Hammond rotzt den Sound raus" means something like : His Hammond spit it out in a heavy way
Came to hear Ken. Stayed for all of the interruptions.
Thank you!
Ken was always very friendly about telling about his rig. After all, we were no threat to him!
I have emails here that he sent me long ago about his tone.
A lot of it is with the Leslies on slow for the growl. He doesn't use the fast on every song.
His sound was straight stock at that time. I do know that at one time he had a Marshall hooked up also but he doesn't use any junk attachments.
I play with a C3 which is a B3 and 2 Leslies and have no trouble getting that sound for over 20 years with his advice and the drawbar settings he told me to use.
You have to remember he played at full volume all the time. That's when the Hammond really gives you the goosebumps! Thank you for featuring him here!
Lin
Cheers Lin
Thanks!
Mixed well.
Among many things, Ken was a really good slide guitar player.
I'd love to hear your reaction to the last couple Uriah Heep releases. Phil Lanzon's organ is often at the forefront.
Give Uriah Heep's Live January 1973 a complete listen. You will not be disappointed.
12:12 Hi Nick! I think it was either a 122 or a 147 Leslie that Ken had used with power amp cranked up high. But I’m not sure
Cheers!
@@nickfoleyuk Cheers to you too. Happy new Year
@@tieukhavu8832 you too
@@nickfoleyuk🤘🏻
@@nickfoleyuk And I think the Marshall was for Ken‘s electric guitar
What happened to Ken's Hammond rig!
Oh so glad you'd been talking about Ken Hensley. I'm really found of his Hammond sound. He's not the most skilled player, he knew that and was always surprised when in the early 70's he was put in the same league as Lord, Emerson, Wakeman. But but for me, his way of playing, his Hammond sound is what I'm looking for, no one was like him at that time. The concert you'd been watching is, in my opinion, not what he did the best. Nor the song nor the playing. His solo I love the more, are furious and I give you 2 exemples (apart Gypsy you mentionned) Love machine, solo at 2'19 czcams.com/video/g9eIg6By5lU/video.html and with Therion, Tuna 1613, solo at 3'27 czcams.com/video/IXAYHE7ABHI/video.html . It's so heavy.. I become crazy when listen to it. Can't help it haha Thanks so much Mr. Foley
Thank you
Check Salisbury out from 1970
Yeah usually its all guitars blasting!
Agreed
Thats not uriah heep. Its an all star band with Ken.
No, it's Live Fire. Ken Hensley fronted band. Released a few albums as Ken Hensley and Live Fire.
Love the Hammond sound
Sadly we don't here it these days anymore.
The music was much better then with more talent.
URIAH HEEP British 2:03 😢
B 3
Them both should be knighted.