Whoa! Strat78! How did I miss this?

[efraser68]

I have never seen anyone play that song until right now. Right now. And so... now I know. Now I know.

SNAKES ALIVE.

The part right before the Rock Lobster interlude... it's the most aggressive thing ever.

...and I have never heard of the 'Rock Lobster' interlude, nice

[Strat78]

On Fire definitely has that turbo charged surf music vibe. I'll try the rock lobster riff before the solo next time to see if it fits.

[vanhalen5150]

Are you going to TAB out the Rock Lobster riff for us?

[jnew]

I love Rock Lobster. Was the first song I cranked my car stereo to after I installed some clean, higher power stuff. And talk about clean. I don't know what guitar and amp was used but it's some clean and wicked stuff. Sounds like a Fender amp cranked clean into a 15" speaker or something.

Sounds like that song could be played with like 3 strings too.

[plexified]

Phil ,
Stellar , my friend , its so cool to see the actual notes and positions when right . You gotta take your hats off to that . Next , to business , you have a bomb in your practice area , are you clear on the understanding on what this means to insurance claims and genuine detailed geeks looking in . Its a bomb @! Plus that shit sounded right on . How can we be sure that was not a lip synch ? I say that to kick you in the nuts fun , but all in all great tone and chops bro. I caught a few tones I never heard , but saw in that clip if it makes sense and that was what was so cool for me . Your tone is always snot on .

[Strat78]

its so cool to see the actual notes and positions when right . .

Thanks David. I remember when I saw Ed play this in person back in 78 I was puzzled because for the main riff his hand just stayed down by the nut in a fixed position. Up till then, I played it with a hammer on up at the 5th fret position (like Doug Steel et all still plays it), but could never get that snappiness to the riff to sound right. Well, there is no hammer on (maybe the rest of the world will received the memo now), it's the open G with the muted low E string and the E on the D string jammed in-between kind like Hang'm High more than anything. Even though I feel I've got it down somewhat, there is still a mystery to this song that intrigues me to no end. The bloom never goes off this song. Now if I would only get off the damn chair and jump around like a damn fool!

[fivecoyote]

I've been playing it your old way man, and you're right it NEVER sounded right. Never YT'd it, tx much for the insight. Playing is killer as usual (sorry if that sounds like I take it for granted, just expected!), and I gotta say you're setup with the Destroyer and Super 70s sounds ridiculously right on there. I could never bond with those 70s -- they push it right to the edge and easily go over, but you're on that edge...like Ed was...though I thought I heard him go over it a few times on 1 and WACF....

Nice. Wow. I wanna go play now.

[Tone Slinger]

Phil, another riff that is essentially the same notes as ON FIRE is ATOMIC PUNK. That riff 'almost' has a sound like he slid into a note (e to the g note). That riff always reminds me of early Sabbath ( Faries wear boots). How do u play that riff ( Atomic Punk) ?

[Strat78]

Phil, another riff that is essentially the same notes as ON FIRE is ATOMIC PUNK. That riff 'almost' has a sound like he slid into a note (e to the g note). That riff always reminds me of early Sabbath ( Faries wear boots). How do u play that riff ( Atomic Punk) ?

Check this vid around 2:00 you can see he is playing at 7th fret with hammer ons on the A string. I think he is tucking a muted low E string after the first hammer down.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=c8Xxx8hq3Bs

[Tone Slinger]

Cool ! I don't know why I didn't think to pull that footage up. I hate to say it, but as far as Ed's current Take on his classic riffs, I don't consider them the 'same' as how he played them back in the day. It goes beyond the notes on the fretboard and the amp/s & guitars being used.........Ed just doesnt play the same as he used to imo, he has lost a certain amount of swing, rhythm and overall 'INTUITIVE Musicality' in his playing.

[jnew]

Yes. By comparison, he sure has but he's still playing well.

[rgalpin]

re: Atomic Punk

I think he is tucking a muted low E string after the first hammer down.

a-ha! the missing link right there. w/o that low E before the fretted G at the 10th fret on the A - it's all Rock Lobsterish zig zagging back and forth between the 7th 9th and 10th. just doesn't get any traction like it does when you go down low for that E chug before the wicked vibrato on the G note 10th fret...

[Strat78]

traction

That it! That's the word I was trying to find to describe the On Fire lick with the low E! This is even more important for grounding that Atomic lick, otherwise it's just hanging out there precariously.

[rgalpin]

aka: gription

[echoplexi1974]

Great tone Phil! Killer playing as well!