@Winslow - yes, that was a BlowsMeAway mic and volume control.
@ToddG - That was the Cruncher. There are many reasons it might have been faced backwards, and I'm sure it was a conscious decision made by professionals.
@Bfrain and Rubben - I have to beg to differ with you guys. Charlie ain't lost nothin'. Go to one of his shows, listen to his recent albums - he is as good or better than ever. Charlie sounds .... like Charlie. He has never had a traditional blues tone, nor has he ever played traditional blues riffs like everyone else - that was evident from his very first album. In THIS case Charlie is working for Cyndi Lauper. I'm SURE he played as much as he did, under the vocals, because SHE wanted it that way, And if she didn't like his tone she might have asked for something different. Blues is in the eye (or ear) of the beholder. If she wants to call what she is doing blues, she can defend that statement - she is doing a bunch of blues standards with some of the best blues musicians in the world. But she is, after all, Cyndi Lauper. She has to be herself. I happened to enjoy what I heard. In the end, THE CROWD LOVED IT.
That's my opinion.
/Greg
http://www.blowsmeaway.com http://www.bluestateband.net http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/duracool/id343874731
From: <bfrain@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: June 23, 2010 3:25:23 PM PDT To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx, toddg <toddg@xxxxxxx> Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Re: Charlie- Good Morning America
i didn't care for any of it at all. lauper has a great pop voice, but like many pop artists who try, they really overdo the blues. charlie's tone and volume were poor at best..and, i hate to say it...here i go...he's one of my heroes, along with butterfield...but i feel he's lost a lot off his fastball...his playing is just too mellow for my personal taste. driving back from the texas coast yesterday i listened to 'louisianna fog'...now that's some harp! blazing. emotional. inventive. fitting and serving the song. give it a listen.
as always, that's MY opinion. your mileage will, no doubt, vary.