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Harry Cody - Second Coming

Cody

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Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Im assuming you set the 50 watt Marshall and OD-1 the same way as the first album on "Second Coming?" I came across a live video around '92 with you using 5150's. How did you set those?

The 50w I used for Second Coming was modified by Tommy Folkesson for higher gain, so I didn't need an overdrive for that.

I just now checked my old road amp 5150 (my guitar tech marked my start point settings with paint), and I was a bit surprised to see that I used the Normal Gain input - I had forgotten that. I only used the lead channel. Pre Gain would be between 4 1/2 and 6 1/2, depending on what the room called for. Low and Mid on full, High on 2, Resonance on 9, Presence on 2. At least that's what the markings say. If the room was boomy, the Resonance would obviously come down, etc.

Keep in mind that my stage volume was usually tooth rattlingly loud.


Second, with your soloing I know you mentioned not knowing much theory. Your solos Sound constructive and very modal, rather than minor major pentatonic. What is your approach and how do you incorporate those mixolydian sounding tapping licks almost Steve via-ish? Are you playing the major over a minor, I could never understand how you did that. Ex: Shout it out, I don't care bout nothing, heartbreak blvd.

The reason some of those licks (it's not the main solos, but the little fills) are major, it's because the underlying chord right then is major. Shout It Out, for instance: the main key for the riff and chorus is F#min, and my first few licks are too. Then, the chord changes to Emaj for four bars before the verse, and I do a little mini solo run, also in Emaj. Same thing before the second verse. The main solo is all minor, in a few different keys.

Don't Care Bout Nothing: main key is Emin, as is most of the main solo. The little tapping licks in the 3rd pre-chorus (or verse B-half) are major, because the underlying chords right then are Dmaj and Amaj, respectively. Those two licks have a playful feel that I believe was inspired by having heard Vai's Attitude Song not long before.

Boy, that turned into a long post. I hope it helps!
 

Dave P

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Joined
Oct 13, 2001
Messages
976
PS, I liked your playing on Stu Hamm's Kings of Sleep album. I liked your tone a lot, much better than Buzzy's "80's LA studio guy" tone on the songs he played on.
 

fizzy

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Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
20
Wow, this thread still exists, even after 7 years!

Harry, I did a cover of "You and Me" take a look:


Last time you so kindly answered all my questions, I was still hopeful to become a Rockstar. Well, times have changed a lot - I even stopped playing guitar altogether to focus on composing music. But you know what? Last year a slowly picked it up again and it is your music in particular, I still have the urge to learn. I will never be as accomplished a guitar player as you are but it is still so much fun to try and play your stuff. Perhaps I can manage to play all of "Second Coming" one day, that would be amazing.

Let it be known, that even if you didn't get the appreciation in your heyday, you are still inspiring a lot of people!
 

StSpider

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Joined
Aug 24, 2002
Messages
2,148
Wow I had completely missed this thread... I've known that "Cody" is THE Harry Cody for years now but I never felt like dropping him my respects on an unrelated thread for fear of being corny... I guess this is the perfect place to do it!

I've been a fan ever since a highschool classmate dropped a CD full of 80s/90s music videos at my place, almost 20 years ago. There was a video of Heartbreak Blvd and the guitarist sure left an impression with the right mix of skill and showmanship. Turning the pick scrape into such a cool riff blew my 15 years old's mind! Also the video kickstarted my long standing obsession with DC Juniors :D

And let's not forget that you're always a really nice guy. It's really super cool that you write here, my best regards!

:dude:
 

fizzy

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Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
20
Wow I had completely missed this thread... I've known that "Cody" is THE Harry Cody for years now but I never felt like dropping him my respects on an unrelated thread for fear of being corny... I guess this is the perfect place to do it!

I've been a fan ever since a highschool classmate dropped a CD full of 80s/90s music videos at my place, almost 20 years ago. There was a video of Heartbreak Blvd and the guitarist sure left an impression with the right mix of skill and showmanship. Turning the pick scrape into such a cool riff blew my 15 years old's mind! Also the video kickstarted my long standing obsession with DC Juniors :D

And let's not forget that you're always a really nice guy. It's really super cool that you write here, my best regards!

:dude:

Can't agree more, if you examine his style closely, you'll find that he was quite innovative with his playing:dude:
 

Cody

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Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Fizzy and StSpider: Thank you for the kind words. I can't tell you how much it means to me.

Fizzy, nice playing on "You And Me" - once again, you've clearly put effort into figuring out how I played it, and you're pulling it off with attitude! Thumbs up!
Very cool guitar and tone, too - makes me want to crank my amp up and scare the neighbors.

:yah
 

fizzy

New member
Joined
Sep 30, 2010
Messages
20
Thanks Harry!

Someone just recently uploaded a live video from the Second Coming tour to Youtube - that inspired me to play those songs again, as I could actually SEE what you are doing :D

Did I play the song as you recorded it? I am a perfectionist, hence the curiosity :p

Thanks for the compliment on the tone and guitar - EVH usually produces quality gear!

Regarding the praise. Well, I have come across this interview from you: http://the-revenge-of-riff-raff.blogspot.de/2014/12/interview-harry-cody-shotgun-messiah.html and it actually made me quite sad to read. In there you talk about the stuff an aspiring 16yr old doesn't want to hear and is totally oblivious to, as he is completely blinded by the glamour alone. So much talent, yet so little recognition and by the sounds of it some pretty rough years. Baring that in mind and the fact that you followed your heart and pursued your dream is reason enough to be praised for I think.
 

Cody

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Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Thanks Harry!

Someone just recently uploaded a live video from the Second Coming tour to Youtube - that inspired me to play those songs again, as I could actually SEE what you are doing :D

Did I play the song as you recorded it? I am a perfectionist, hence the curiosity :p

You're close. There are some notes in the melody riff that you do differently, but it's close.

Regarding the praise. Well, I have come across this interview from you: http://the-revenge-of-riff-raff.blogspot.de/2014/12/interview-harry-cody-shotgun-messiah.html and it actually made me quite sad to read. In there you talk about the stuff an aspiring 16yr old doesn't want to hear and is totally oblivious to, as he is completely blinded by the glamour alone. So much talent, yet so little recognition and by the sounds of it some pretty rough years. Baring that in mind and the fact that you followed your heart and pursued your dream is reason enough to be praised for I think.

Don't feel bad for me! I've been on a grand adventure, and while some of it was rough, I got to see and do things that made it all worth it.

In the mid/late '80s, in the build-up to us getting signed, my motto was: when opportunity knocks, have your bags packed and be ready to go. Opportunity isn't going to wait around for you to fix your weak points - it'll move on to someone else. The downside is that some people are the full package, but in their case opportunity just never knocks. I grew up with people every bit as talented as me... but most of them never caught a break like I did. You have to be good, and then you have to get lucky on top of that.

As far as I'm concerned, I got very lucky. I got to move clear across the planet, tour, record, live a lifestyle that is very different from a small-town-Sweden idea of a "normal" life. My wife would agree with you that maybe I "deserved" more recognition, but in life we don't get what we deserve - we get what we get. I got plenty.

:hank
 

fizzy

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Sep 30, 2010
Messages
20
As far as I'm concerned, I got very lucky. I got to move clear across the planet, tour, record, live a lifestyle that is very different from a small-town-Sweden idea of a "normal" life. My wife would agree with you that maybe I "deserved" more recognition, but in life we don't get what we deserve - we get what we get. I got plenty.

:hank

This actually made me feel good, knowing that you can see it this way Harry! :)
 

Bauding

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
4
You're close. There are some notes in the melody riff that you do differently, but it's close.



Don't feel bad for me! I've been on a grand adventure, and while some of it was rough, I got to see and do things that made it all worth it.

In the mid/late '80s, in the build-up to us getting signed, my motto was: when opportunity knocks, have your bags packed and be ready to go. Opportunity isn't going to wait around for you to fix your weak points - it'll move on to someone else. The downside is that some people are the full package, but in their case opportunity just never knocks. I grew up with people every bit as talented as me... but most of them never caught a break like I did. You have to be good, and then you have to get lucky on top of that.

As far as I'm concerned, I got very lucky. I got to move clear across the planet, tour, record, live a lifestyle that is very different from a small-town-Sweden idea of a "normal" life. My wife would agree with you that maybe I "deserved" more recognition, but in life we don't get what we deserve - we get what we get. I got plenty.

:hank

Fan vad roligt att se ett livstecken från dig! Finns det ny musik att höra någonstans? Undrar ett gammalt fan från Göteborg :)
Stämmer in i hyllningskören såklart och hoppas att du har ett strålande liv!
Cheers
Johan
 

Arthur Shilo

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Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
1
You're close. There are some notes in the melody riff that you do differently, but it's close.



Don't feel bad for me! I've been on a grand adventure, and while some of it was rough, I got to see and do things that made it all worth it.

In the mid/late '80s, in the build-up to us getting signed, my motto was: when opportunity knocks, have your bags packed and be ready to go. Opportunity isn't going to wait around for you to fix your weak points - it'll move on to someone else. The downside is that some people are the full package, but in their case opportunity just never knocks. I grew up with people every bit as talented as me... but most of them never caught a break like I did. You have to be good, and then you have to get lucky on top of that.

As far as I'm concerned, I got very lucky. I got to move clear across the planet, tour, record, live a lifestyle that is very different from a small-town-Sweden idea of a "normal" life. My wife would agree with you that maybe I "deserved" more recognition, but in life we don't get what we deserve - we get what we get. I got plenty.

:hank

Hi, Cody. How are you doing?:eek:la
Writing to you from far away Ukraine.
Just today i've stumbled upon this thread and omg its so old...
To be honest, i was sitting at the office, doing my regular work and then, for some reason i just took a brake and thought about 80s...
I mean, yeah, i'm not American and i'm not too old to really remember 80s and what was happening in the metal scene back then :biggrin:
But i really love 80s music, especially Glam Metal, how they call it...

I started thinking about all the great guitar players from that time and of course, naturally, i thought about Harry K Cody...
I did not have much info about his recent activities, so i started surfing the web and i found this thread.
And my God, Harry, it really is you)))

I really love your guitar work on SM albums, you are one of the best in the business:dude:

Yeah, i will not be original by saying that its sad that such a talent did not get all the deserved recognition... But i'm happy you're doing okay and look at things in such a philosophical way. You are awesome:wail

Do not want to bother you too much, but i'm really keen to know more about you. How are you doing these days? What are you into now? Are you still involved in making music or you do some other business?
 

Cody

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Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Fan vad roligt att se ett livstecken från dig! Finns det ny musik att höra någonstans? Undrar ett gammalt fan från Göteborg :)
Stämmer in i hyllningskören såklart och hoppas att du har ett strålande liv!
Cheers
Johan
Tjena, och tack!

Visst har jag spelat in grejer, men branschen har forandrats sa mycket att jag inte har nagot logiskt utlopp for dem. Jag vore tvungen att ge bort musiken gratis, vilket jag inte har varit pigg pa - hittills, i alla fall. Vi far se vad som hander i framtiden.

Fan vad manga kul konserter jag har sett i Goteborg! Minnen...
 

Bauding

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Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
4
Tjena, och tack!

Visst har jag spelat in grejer, men branschen har forandrats sa mycket att jag inte har nagot logiskt utlopp for dem. Jag vore tvungen att ge bort musiken gratis, vilket jag inte har varit pigg pa - hittills, i alla fall. Vi far se vad som hander i framtiden.

Fan vad manga kul konserter jag har sett i Goteborg! Minnen...

Jag hör dig och som du skriver är talang en liten del av vägen till ekonomisk framgång i den branschen. Var själv aktiv och släppte plattor mellan 95-2000 men valde att ha kvar musiken som passion istället.

Jag har en idé :) har bra vänner i bandet Evergrey som jag vet är stora fans av ditt spel.
Hade det vart intressant med gästsolo på kommande platta? I så fall kan jag föreslå det. Hade vart grymt i mitt tycke!
 

Cody

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Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Jag hör dig och som du skriver är talang en liten del av vägen till ekonomisk framgång i den branschen. Var själv aktiv och släppte plattor mellan 95-2000 men valde att ha kvar musiken som passion istället.

Jag har en idé :) har bra vänner i bandet Evergrey som jag vet är stora fans av ditt spel.
Hade det vart intressant med gästsolo på kommande platta? I så fall kan jag föreslå det. Hade vart grymt i mitt tycke!
Jag blev nyfiken pa dig, och rotade runt lite pa natet - var ditt band Eleven Pictures? Lyssnade pa Flowerland - good stuff!

Lyssnade aven pa Evergrey - tungt, dramatiskt; hog kvalitet. De har ett varumarke att tanka pa, sa det ar langt ifran garanterat att det ar I deras intresse att ha mig som gast, aven om de ar fans. Det sagt, sa vore det just den sortens anbud som jag skulle finna lockande i nulaget.
 

Bauding

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Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
4
Jag blev nyfiken pa dig, och rotade runt lite pa natet - var ditt band Eleven Pictures? Lyssnade pa Flowerland - good stuff!

Lyssnade aven pa Evergrey - tungt, dramatiskt; hog kvalitet. De har ett varumarke att tanka pa, sa det ar langt ifran garanterat att det ar I deras intresse att ha mig som gast, aven om de ar fans. Det sagt, sa vore det just den sortens anbud som jag skulle finna lockande i nulaget.

Stort tack!
cool, jag kollar med dem. Hade ju vart grymt roligt!
Du når mig på baudingdesign@gmail.com
/johan
 

Bauding

New member
Joined
Mar 31, 2017
Messages
4
Stort tack!
cool, jag kollar med dem. Hade ju vart grymt roligt!
Du når mig på baudingdesign@gmail.com
/johan

Hej igen,
har nu pratat med Henrik Danhage, grym gitarrist, som också gick bananas på Kingpin och Shotgun när det begav sig.
Han pratar gärna vidare för att se om ni kan få till något. Maila gärna på min gmail så kan man ta det vidare därifrån?

Allt det bästa
johan
 

Decky

New member
Joined
Apr 8, 2017
Messages
2
Wow... it's has only taken me 10 years to find anything recent about Harry Cody and here it is. Harry thank you for the music. It's a shame there isn't more. You are pretty good at being under the radar... no photos or videos in recent times. Yourself and Geoff Tyson of the band T-Ride are 2 of my biggest influences. I believe you may have played a few shows on the same bill as them? I was lucky enough to come across Geoff on facebook and he was kind to make video lessons and tabs of the T-Ride songs that are just to damn hard to pick up by ear. Hope you are doing well...

PS.

Please upload some videos

Love from Ireland
 

Cody

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Hi, Cody. How are you doing?:eek:la
Writing to you from far away Ukraine.
Just today i've stumbled upon this thread and omg its so old...
To be honest, i was sitting at the office, doing my regular work and then, for some reason i just took a brake and thought about 80s...
I mean, yeah, i'm not American and i'm not too old to really remember 80s and what was happening in the metal scene back then :biggrin:
But i really love 80s music, especially Glam Metal, how they call it...

I started thinking about all the great guitar players from that time and of course, naturally, i thought about Harry K Cody...
I did not have much info about his recent activities, so i started surfing the web and i found this thread.
And my God, Harry, it really is you)))

I really love your guitar work on SM albums, you are one of the best in the business:dude:

Yeah, i will not be original by saying that its sad that such a talent did not get all the deserved recognition... But i'm happy you're doing okay and look at things in such a philosophical way. You are awesome:wail

Do not want to bother you too much, but i'm really keen to know more about you. How are you doing these days? What are you into now? Are you still involved in making music or you do some other business?
Greetings to Ukraine, and my apologies - for some reason I didn't see your post until today!

Thank you for the kind words! Yes, there really were a lot of great guitarists in the '80s pushing the boundaries of what was "allowed" in the context of rock - a fun time of exploration. I'm honored that you count me among the good ones.

I've got a nice life in SoCal. I've been making music for commercials and radio stations for the past 20 or so years. I'm currently thinking about what I'd like to do next.

Cheers,
Harry
 

Cody

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Wow... it's has only taken me 10 years to find anything recent about Harry Cody and here it is. Harry thank you for the music. It's a shame there isn't more. You are pretty good at being under the radar... no photos or videos in recent times. Yourself and Geoff Tyson of the band T-Ride are 2 of my biggest influences. I believe you may have played a few shows on the same bill as them? I was lucky enough to come across Geoff on facebook and he was kind to make video lessons and tabs of the T-Ride songs that are just to damn hard to pick up by ear. Hope you are doing well...

PS.

Please upload some videos

Love from Ireland
Greetings to Ireland! I can't believe I've never gotten around to visiting - I'm a huge fan of Thin Lizzy and Rory Gallagher, so there are a couple of statues I need my picture taken with... not to mention just taking in the atmosphere.

Thank you for the kind words! I do remember Geoff - we toured a bit with T-Ride; great individual musicians, great music, great band. They were running an advanced show on a budget - they had computerized sound changes and, iirc, sampled backing vocals in addition to them singing live. If something went wrong and the computer fritzed, they would just keep playing and singing as one of the most accomplished, kick-ass power trios you ever heard. They deserved to be heard by more people - too common a story.

I'm still thinking about the videos thing - one of these days! :yah
 

Cody

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Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
4,494
Here's a recent photo of me - photo by metal photog extraordinaire Stephanie Cabral:

normal_Cody_Burst.jpg
 
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