Ok, let's staff a new rock opera!

[sunvalleylaw]

On the ES335 Thread, I was in my off topic way suggesting that the Hagstrom Viking looked like something out of a rock opera version of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. (I listened to Tommy in its entirety last night when the local station played it, and I guess it put me in the mood!). I know there are a few LOTR fans out there (Tone?) Here is my open mic task for any who want to play.

Staff the main characters of the series, and set them up with a guitar, bass or other instrument for the Rock Opera version. Make the guitar brand/model fit.

For instance:

Aragorn - 1960 Relic Stratocaster LTD (with Brazilian Rosewood Fingerboard)
Gandalf - PRS 513 Platinum metallic (5 single coils, 13 sounds)
Sauraman - S2170SE shred metal guitar - Black and grey NTF color with wizard neck
Sauron - Gibson SG, black and red
Elrond - Hagstrom Viking (just looks like it came from Rivendell)

(Repeated solo contests of varying styles among the above)

Frodo - mandolin
Sam - Fend P-Bass
Pippin - Telecaster
Meriadoc - Gibson LP
Gimli - Tama full drum kit with Zildjan high hats
Legolas - Martin D-18

Gollum - beat up banjo

Ok, how would you guys outfit the film? Who have I left out?

[Tone2TheBone]

What about Arwen on a Daisy Rock guitar? Nah maybe not. Hello Kitty perhaps! I think the Orcs would be sporting BC Rich Warlocks.

[sunvalleylaw]

Good one on the Orcs! Lady Arwen might need to play a guitar like that skinny shred girl someone posted about recently. I think it was an Ibanez.

[Spudman***]

The Trees would all play Ibanez Artwoods.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Rex of Griffins would play.....


...O never mind we are not even in Wales not to mention not in Middle Earth
& there are not Goth Elves nor Goth Dwarves nor Goth Tom Bombadil...

O! Tom would play a uke, but would promptly fall asleep because the uke was cut from a ..... snooooore......

Tom wake up and jam dood!

Gollum gets a banjo?!? What is this a swampy version of Deliverence?

But the burning eye question is:

What Would the Nazgul Play?

[sunvalleylaw]

Rex of Griffins would play.....


...O never mind we are not even in Wales not to mention not in Middle Earth
& there are not Goth Elves nor Goth Dwarves nor Goth Tom Bombadil...

O! Tom would play a uke, but would promptly fall asleep because the uke was cut from a ..... snooooore......

Tom wake up and jam dood!

Gollum gets a banjo?!? What is this a swampy version of Deliverence?

But the burning eye question is:

What Would the Nazgul Play?

Hey, thanks for playing! Yeah, the banjo thing was just a throw in. He does seem like a bit of a busker though.

I might rethink this, Maybe the goth shred Ibanezes should go to the Nazgul, and some other killer lead instrument should go to Sauraman. The wizards, lead elves, Main villains, and Aragorn should all get expressive lead instruments though.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Hey, thanks for playing! Yeah, the banjo thing was just a throw in. He does seem like a bit of a busker though.

I might rethink this, Maybe the goth shred Ibanezes should go to the Nazgul, and some other killer lead instrument should go to Sauraman. The wizards, lead elves, Main villains, and Aragorn should all get expressive lead instruments though.

I'll buy the goth shred Ibanezes (or maybe Shechters) for the Nazgul (the head Nazgul...does he have a name? should get a real killer Death metal Machine R03B help us out!) .

Don't forget the Spider n' the Oliphants (Basses!) & above all the Ring needs an axe.

One axe to rule them all & in the darkness...rock'em!

[Beavis & Butthead head banging continues for WAAAAY too long]

Will Frodo DARE throw the $150,000 LP into the fire of GIBSON!?!

Gasp No Frodo!

Yes Frodo you must!

--------------------------------

Sunvalley, I'm rolling on the floor with the thought of Gollum with a banjo.

After the evil GAS inducing LP is thrown into the GIBSON forge we cut to Bag End...where Frodo & Gollum are sitting on the porch in the lazy sunshine. Frodo with a pipe of Hobbiton's finest & Gollum with a wheat straw clenched in his gums & a sh!t-eating grin on his face & they launch into...

Dualing Banjos......


...cut to an incredible New Zealand Next Door To Down Under Sunset...

[sunvalleylaw]

Go tot! Spider gets a drop tuned 7 string.
Witch king of Angmar (lead Nazgul) gets the killer death metal machine.
Throwing the 150k Gibbie into the fire, now that is a great metaphor!

I think the Ents should get Alpenhorns they can blow as they stride on.
Lord Denothor gets some sad *** wailing guitar of trajedy. No, a Nero type fiddle. Boromir, of course, gets a horn.
Theoden needs some kind of large, bold trumpet.

Wormtongue gets something annoying. Maybe something Zydeco? Nah.

[tot_Ou_tard]

Wormtongue gets something annoying. Maybe something Zydeco? Nah.

One of those paper party favor kazooish thingies that unroll like a lizard tongue.

He crouches next to Theoden & keeps blowing that thing in his ear

phhht *unfurl* brrrraaattttt

There's a little feather at the end & when it unfurls the feather flutters & tickles Theoden's ear canal.

phhht *unfurl* bbbBBBRRRrrrrrraaattttt #flutter# *tickle*

Galadriel gets a beautiful white harp & makes spellbinding othwerworldly music with it.

Who plays the Cowbell?

I changed my mind about Tom he needs to play an Alembic hippie sandwich.

This'un might do:





[link to info on "Tom's guitar": http://www.alembic.com/info/fc_scottlaw.html ]

Back to the Nazgul. All 9 strings (there are 9 Nazgul after all) should be huge gauged strings tuned down to Double D. (That's an octave below the D below the low E )

[sunvalleylaw]

All right tot! I like it. Cowbell should be some random side character from the Rohan horseman, like Ceorl. He is so serious (most of the horseman are) and he could be taking himself very seriously as he worked the bell either as a scene fades in or out. LOL!

Maybe we should have a Monty Python cameo with coconut shell halves!

[Tone2TheBone]

LMAO you guys crack me up.

[pie_man_25]

The Trees would all play Ibanez Artwoods.

and they would all be playing the trees by Rush,

Ps. what is a rock opera?

[pie_man_25]

Rex of Griffins would play.....


...O never mind we are not even in Wales not to mention not in Middle Earth
& there are not Goth Elves nor Goth Dwarves nor Goth Tom Bombadil...

O! Tom would play a uke, but would promptly fall asleep because the uke was cut from a ..... snooooore......

Tom wake up and jam dood!

Gollum gets a banjo?!? What is this a swampy version of Deliverence?

But the burning eye question is:

What Would the Nazgul Play?

I know what they'd play! a black SG without a pickguard, I think it would work nicely!

[sunvalleylaw]

and they would all be playing the trees by Rush,

Ps. what is a rock opera?

"Tommy" by the Who was arguably the first in 1969 or so.

[tot_Ou_tard]

All right tot! I like it. Cowbell should be some random side character from the Rohan horseman, like Ceorl. He is so serious (most of the horseman are) and he could taking himself very seriously as he worked the bell either as a scene fades in or out. LOL!

Maybe we should have a Money Python cameo with coconut shell halves!

Sunvalley, you've killed me with that one....Ceorl?!? You've completely outnerded me on that one.

But, I *LOVE* the idea of a serious horseman fretting over the important issue of how & when to use a cowbell.


Really, pure genius...I grasping at my gut as we speak.

[sunvalleylaw]

tot, glad you liked it. Heh, heh . . . I do have my moments.

Thanks for playing guys!

Pie, beyond telling you the name of a rock opera, the idea is an entire story told through rock music from start to finish.

[tot_Ou_tard]

tot, glad you liked it. Heh, heh . . . I do have my moments.

He's gotta have his timing totally off.

Gandalf's there confronting Theoden. Ceorl's seen in the corner his eyes dashing from his cowbell to Theoden to Gandlf & back to his cowbell.

Just as the the most dramatic moment approaches (help me here Sun...) he excitedly

DING

rings the cowbell a quarter note too early stepping on the most important line (help Sun...). All those assembled

*GLARE*

hostily at Ceorl who sheepishly does a who me look & quietly tinkles his bell trying to gain favor again.

[sunvalleylaw]

LOL, ROF!! Ok, I will try to fill in the blanks later. Have to do some actual work today first, dang it!

[tot_Ou_tard]

I know what they'd play! a black SG without a pickguard, I think it would work nicely!

Can anybody write the music for this thing?? Lyrics??

It's such a killer idea.

It's gotta be done as a cross between an uber-serious Wagner style shred opera & a completely wacko, tongue-in-check Spinal Tap inspired farce.

Speaking of Lord of the Ring farces, when I was a pre-teen & first read the trilogy I happened across a spoof of Tolkeins work. I hadn't thought about that until I started typing this.

I cannot recall the title. It was hilarious. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?