melodica
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The melodica, also known as ‘blow-organ’ among
other names, is a free-reed polyphonic (meaning you can play chords) woodwind
instrument with a two or three octave piano keyboard on top, played by blowing
air through a mouthpiece. Popularized by the German Hohner company in the late
fifties, it is used widely throughout Asia as a music education tool.
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prime example
the story
How
fitting, that this seven minute anthem would be the last original song Oasis
played live in concert. Noel Gallagher said “The song is a bit of an epic. It’s
about when you’re young and you see people in groups and you think about what
they did for you and they did nothing. As a kid, you always believed the Sex
Pistols were going to conquer the world and kill everybody in the process.
Bands like The Clash just petered out. Punk rock was supposed to be the
revolution but what did it do? Fuck all. The Manchester thing was going to be
the greatest movement on earth but it was fuck all. When we started we decided
we weren’t going to do anything for anybody, we just thought we’d leave a bunch
of great songs.”
Guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs can be seen playing the melodica in the video clip. He also added mellotron and piano to some of the tracks of (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, as did Noel Gallagher - so we actually don’t know precisely who played the melodica part on the studio take of Champagne Supernova.
Guitarist Paul ‘Bonehead’ Arthurs can be seen playing the melodica in the video clip. He also added mellotron and piano to some of the tracks of (What’s The Story) Morning Glory?, as did Noel Gallagher - so we actually don’t know precisely who played the melodica part on the studio take of Champagne Supernova.
other examples
In London
in the sixties, producers who needed an instrument with a keyboard to beef up
their pop records called Nicky Hopkins. He played piano, organ, harpsichord,
mellotron, melodica and accordion on tracks by bands such as the Pretty Things,
the Who, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. Hopkins first worked with the Kinks on
their seminal album Face To Face,
adding piano and a melodica solo to their number one hit Sunny Afternoon. From
the same album, Session Man was partly inspired by Hopkins, according to
songwriter Ray Davies.
It’s Raining Again was one of the last successful singles by British poprock band Supertramp before songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and singer Roger Hogdson left the band. Written by Hogdson, the upbeat song features a melodica solo by Supertramp’s other co-founder, keyboard player and singer Rick Davies.
It’s Raining Again was one of the last successful singles by British poprock band Supertramp before songwriter, guitarist, keyboard player and singer Roger Hogdson left the band. Written by Hogdson, the upbeat song features a melodica solo by Supertramp’s other co-founder, keyboard player and singer Rick Davies.