The Smiley Smile Message Board

I've been trying to find a video of the Boys performing "GOK" onstage anytime from, say, 1991 on where we can clearly see which synth Meros was using for the French horn intro. There is footage from '80s shows, but he was using different (analog) synths in the early '80s, and for this purpose I'm just interested in the '90s-era digital synths used by him. During that era (and indeed up until at least 1999, which is the last time I saw him with the group), his onstage keyboard rig comprised a Yamaha DX7 atop the Hammond B-3, a Korg M1 atop the Roland D50, and some model of Ensoniq off by itself. The closest I've come timeline-wise is the July 4th, 1990 Cape Cod show, but his rig was configured differently at that show (three tiers facing the drums: two synths atop the Hammond B-3, then two others to his left...for the "GOK" intro at this show, he played the lower keyboard to his left...possibly the D50 ?). The July 4th '95 Philly show footage does not provide a closeup of him during this intro, so it's of no use, and "GOK" wasn't performed at the May '98 Toyota Kentucky Horse Park show. Maybe there's video from another show out there which provides the answer? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I am sorry to say I can't help you with that but would you care to list the analog synths he used on stage or even which were played on the records? Big Oberheim fan and I think they used it (OB-8 ) on the '85 album.

Meros' onstage keyboard lineup circa 1980 did indeed include an Oberheim...it consisted of an ARP Pro Soloist on top of the Hammond B-3, a Mini-Moog on top of a Hohner clavinet...and an Oberheim (not sure which model). At some point in '83, a Yamaha DX7 replaced the Mini-Moog. But getting back to the Oberheim, Phil Sehnale originally played one when he was with the Boys in '78 and early '79, and he plays it on the "Light Album" as well ("Love Surrounds Me", for instance). I believe he can be seen in the "Midnight Special" appearance from when they hosted in early '79. There's an Oberheim on "Baby Blue" (played by Dennis, I believe) and Brian's "Night Blooming Jasmine" (played by Shenale). OH...and also the '78 version of "California Feelin'" (Shenale again).

Great info as usual, thank you c-man!

Every time I hear the alphanumeric "DX7" a part of me dies inside.

The least organic-sounding, nastiest keyboard ever made, and I thought so from the minute it came out.  It made everything sound like a bell or sheet metal.

Oberheim was a great keyboard. Excellent, warm sound.

I'm sure you have seen this but he is playing the intro right-hand only here and I would say the top keyboard facing the drums. He then uses both hands on the lower keyboard when Carl starts singing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9xTufc7as4

OK, so that would mean the DX7...also note how he plays the bottom one to his left (the D50) for the flute sounds between verses and the flute flourish toward the end, and the top one to his left (the M1) during the middle eight...plus the B-3 for basic chordal padding in the verses. Thanks for the link!

I never have figured out what he used the Ensoniq for, or the Oberheim before that...

Seems like about '83 when the BB sound got very keyboard heavy and would stay that way for the rest of Carl's life.  I was never sure why the guy who left the BB to be more Rock and Roll was ok with the keyboard heavy sound.

He probably wanted them to be "contemporary"-sounding. Which meant more synths. Prior to that, the Hammond was a mainstay of their onstage sound, but the digital synths began to really cloud everyone's vision from about '83 on (except AC/DC, of course ;) ).

I know it's walking on eggshells in a way, but I could never embrace Carl's solo efforts because of the sounds, and it's odd because I love early 80's synths like the Oberheim and Juno and all of those pre-FM DX7 types, but at the same time it just doesn't sound "rock and roll" or for that matter even R&B which is where Carl was always leaning. Take even a left-field hit like Nena "99 Luft Balloons" and that synth bass line is terrific, fat as hell and straight from an Oberheim. Same with even the oft-maligned Eddie Van Halen synth parts on 1984...they're still great keyboard sounds, all kinds of character. Yet Carl's solo album just sounds too overdone with synth-y sounds that detract from it.

Great info, especially on the "new" video clip that shows the boards in action. Weird setup, using that many keys on one 3-minute song, but whatever works!

I was curious for a part like GOK's horn, did they ever use an EWI for that or other horn lines? Those were all the rage in the 80's, for better or worse, just can't recall if they ever used one on stage.

Not GOK, but an example of Mike Meros' abilities:

http://youtu.be/rj7TkCp1I7A

Ah, so the now-omnipresent Korg Triton made its way into Mr. Meros' ensemble by 2000...interesting! From the looks of things, it replaced the insidious DX7. I was just thinking about this "mystical" GV intro and wondering which synth he used for it, so thanks for posting!