SEE ME, FEEL ME: Who're Tempo Mapping Rock Operas? My Favorite Weirdo Blog!Tempo maps, Video, bpm Graphs, special interview with Jim Deluva
The finale song of the most famous rock opera in history, TOMMY by the Who, called SEE ME, FEEL ME. Just back from his recording session with [name withheld until album release].
James Manningsan instructor at the St. James-Spencer Charter School had the recently interviewed a man who is known by “Jim Deluva,” and those of you who know who Jim *really* is, you can pass it on. I cannot. One is not even permitted to meet that of a Deluva unless they have two (“2″) musical appearances on certified platinum recordings. Since one could read everything about every song in the rock opera Tommy online and not be finished in 15 years, we feel blessed that Jim sat down OFF the record with Professor Manningsan for questions about the masterpiece in which Deluva added the last of the “ear candy” (see, Quincy Jones’ definition of ear candy)
The Who – TOMMY – see me, feel me THE FOLLOWING INTERVIEW HAS BEEN APPROVED BY JIM DELUVA AS ON THE RECORD FACT. The rest of the interview will stay in the St. James-Spencer file, as one never knows with Jim!
Professor Manningsan: Thank you for coming in, Jim. Glad to see you are back from Ireland. Now, let’s get to your work on The Who’s See me, Feel Me, okay?
Jim Deluva: That’s why I’m here, Manningsan! My you aged a lot since I last saw you.
From The Who – TOMMY – see me, feel me Manningsan: I am letting the gray in my hair grow out, but I appreciate your notice thereof. Now Jim, why did the Tommy Finale See me, Feel Me need ear candy?
Deluva: Well, James, let’s remember, when, that of a Roger Daltrey was singing in two styles, one being the soft ‘Behind Blue Eyes’ quiet at the microphone style. But then there was, and James, there still is, the “full-Testosterone” microphone lasso-slinging style.
Manningsan: That is such a good point, Jim. Are you saying that Roger’s delivery changed when he picked up a microphone and went into a Butch Cassidy take-no-prisoners mic lasso?
Deluva: Oh yeah. Simply put, the lyric is clearer and easier to understand when Daltrey was in full Western-United States cowboy mode. Professor, just think about part two of Behind Blue Eyes! The line “And if you SWALLOW anything evil, put your FINGERS DOWN MY THROAT.” I know first hand that not only Pete Townshend, Keith Moon, John Entwhistle and the crew wept in the studio when Roger belted that out the first take. Sure, Nigel Whittingham did get slammed in the face with the mic, and to this day speaks with a lisp due to Roger’s pure force of manhood, but I’ll tell ya James, Nigel insists now as always: the contribution to music history was worth a simple lisp..
Manningsan: So you are suggesting that part two of See Me Feel Me featured the Daltrey Mic-lasso?
Deluva: Oh yeah. Understatement, James. At the finale “heal me,” Roger picked up the up the mic from the stand and launched into the now legendary, “LISTENING TO YOU, I GET THE MUSIC, GAZING AT YOU, I GET THE HEAT,” well, are you surprised that Pete Townshend tried to hold back tears? he did, but by the time Roger crooned “RIGHT BEHIND YOU, I GET OPINIONS, FROM YOU, I GET THE STORY,” well, it wasn’t only Pete crying in tears of artistic joy. I’ll tell you something I never told anyone else – I was wearing my glasses even during the re-mix because of the beauty of Roger’s voice and the creative genius of Pete’s tempo acceleration mid-finale. [Deluva takes a tissue]. I’m not crying – there’s something in my eye.
Manningsan: What type of ear candy did you use on the final remix?
Deluva: [laughing beneath tears]: Well, the song was a fascinating harmonic innovation by Pete – as was he rest of the opera. Here, we had the key of A major borrow the 7 of 4, in other words, the 7 being C natural of D major, the 4 of A major, straight in to a very sweet C major chord. I did not have to add much. There was a track of my playing a tenor saxophone, simply using a D major Dorian-mode scale. Also, on the returns to the A major chord, I played a riff that on can hear on the left side that was an ostinato b natural, c#, e, f#, down to c# and finally b natural. By doing this, professor Manningsan, the C major was literally and aurally called for as b being such a string leading tone for a thick C major 9th chord. Oops. I do not think that Pete ever told people about his use of the second of the scale to produce the sweet tension he was able to.
Manningsan: Are the tempo maps included exact, upon your information and belief?
Deluva: Scary correct! It is about time people got hip to the speed of music, and James, well, I’ve seen you go from studio janitor to tempo mapping pioneer. I thank you for the framed maps you gave me, and I will be sure to pass them on to the band, including Kenny Jones in honor of Mr. Moon.
Manningsan: Jim, it’s great to know you’ll be at an undisclosed studio location all year co-producing the first album of new material by, well, I am not going to say now – perhaps when I get permission to so disclose…
Deluva: Don’t say it!
Manningsan: I was not going to slip up. Hope to see you soon.<a href=”http://picasaweb.google.com/meanspeed
The Who – TOMMY – see me, feel me via bp60.com
