Holy Crap... John Norum content.

[JohnSykes]

Yeah, it is a great album.

But imho "Another Destination" really is Norum's best work.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

That other dude was smoking on guitar too in Mirror Mirror. Who is that? Norum is great with that white strat. A big part of his tone in my opinion. I wish he would have gone back to it regardless of the amps he used/uses.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Up from the Ashes came out in 1991' i believe, it's one of my all-time favorite albums, wish people wrote songs like that still.

Hard to believe Don Dokken went from that to chicken commercials, they did a gig somewhere up north this year, Wisconsin, Detroit and nobody even showed up, maybe 20 people.

I saw them when they came around on that tour in 1991, killer show. But even back then they were playing clubs. That Dokken album really didn't sell that much from what I believe. However I liked it a lot but the whole genre was taking a nosedive right around late 1991-1992.

 

[snowdog]

I am a bit surprised that there are a lot of people chiming in about how great that Don Dokken album is. I guess most haven't heard much of Norum's solo albums, as pretty much any of them are better than this, in both the songs and the ripping guitar department.

 

[Chubtone]

Pretty sure he was using his channel switching JCM800's 2205's and 2210's, diode clipping all the way for Norum! I think he upgrades to KT88's in them though. One of my faves. He has the mojo.

Definitely used a Cameron modded Marshall on this record though. Mark was his guitar tech at the time. He went to the 2205 and 2210's later.

 

[Shark Diver]

Europe has some of my favorite recorded guitar tones. Amazing players, great vocals - really underrated.

 

[JohnSykes]

That other dude was smoking on guitar too in Mirror Mirror. Who is that? Norum is great with that white strat. A big part of his tone in my opinion. I wish he would have gone back to it regardless of the amps he used/uses.

Thats Billy White.

 

[Kapo_Polenton]

Holy shit his tone and chops on strange days are orgasmic. Killer voice too. Go back to the strats Norum!

 

[50MkII]

Hopefully, someday Mark will share some old war stories for us old farts that care about the old days.

I can certainly make an attempt at relaying a bit. I will try to recant what I can.

Lengthy post to follow.

Background. It was the John Norum "Another Destination" CD that connected me to Mark Cameron's amp work. I remember listening to the song "Half Way Home" after it being mentioned online as being likened to early VH tone and it being the start of it all. Listening to that song made me purchase Norum's CD purely from the tone of it with hopes of there being more to get out of it. From that, I continued to read about Mark's great amp mod work.

While at the 2011 LA Amp Show I had the privilege of having a couple extended conversations with Mark Cameron. I spent considerable time listening to and recording a few guitarists including Mark play through the production CCV's. Prior to that, I played the pre-production CCV at Tone Merchants. That is what initially peaked my interest in that amp. Mark spent some time talking with me about amp and gear related topics along the way in the Cameron Amplification room. Some of the conversation was personal in nature- I will omit those areas.

Being I was on another tone chase, I was out to find out how Norum produced that tone on that CD, specifically the above song. After several minutes of talking with Mark with other guitarists in the room playing through the CCV's we stepped outside the room in the hallway- it was just too loud in there to carry on a conversation. I brought up how I ran across the Norum CD and the above song in particular. Mark immediately sparked with excitement and some skepticism. I convinced him that I was not joking about liking the CD and Norum's guitar tone adding that I had the CD out in my car and was listening to it on my trip down to the Show (I still have it in my car). I remember him making the comment that he finally felt the internet had performed a good service by turning me on to this.

Mark asked me if I was interested in hearing some old-time stories mostly related to those Norum days. I could see the excitement and enthusiasm in Mark's eyes as I told him I was interested in him sharing these times with me. You could clearly see where he loved to reminisce about these days.

Mark stated that most of what Norum was doing that was used for the CD was just him noodling or jamming around (I can relate) on his guitar with nothing in particular/song(s) in mind. He made it sound like Norum's jamming was later put into the context of a song structure with lyrics, etc. for the CD as an afterword. Mark stated that the amp was not even set above "1" (yes, that is a "1" not "10") for the volume on recording that CD! He stated others were listening to Norum's playing through headphones, they asked Norum to listen to what the amp, etc. sounded like through the headphones and went with it- sort of a happenstance. Mark stated the amp was so low that you could hear someone walking through the room. Mark demonstrated this to me walking down the hallway of the hotel in front of the Cameron Amplification room at a moderate rate. Quite amazing. I do not think I had ever heard something like that before. Mark also stated that the drummer was way off in the distance in the Total Access Recording building (he recalled the name of the building it was recorded without difficulty or assistance. He also remembered the year, but with more hesitation.) in another room completely separate from the others where he played the drums.

Mark stated he thought Kelly was a "great singer". As he discussed his stories during these days with me, which also included some sidebar stories as well, I asked Mark what amps Norum was using on the "Another Destination" CD. (Prior to that, I was led to believe the CCV could nail that tone, but after playing the pre-production and productions CCV's my ears told me otherwise.) Mark continued to share some additional stories. I enjoyed each one he was telling. One included Michael Schenker owning a JCM800 2205 (Mark called it the amp no one likes. I confirmed the model by the positioning of the inputs and shared that I once owned a vertical input JCM800 2204 custom white tolex.) and I believe he stated was either purchased by, sold, or similar to/from Brad. If this is the case, maybe Brad can provide more information.

I wanted to be polite and let my appreciation for Mark sharing these stories with me, so I allowed him to carry on until I could find the right timing to follow up with him on the amps used. Eventually, the time did present itself and I asked Mark what amp was used on that CD. Mark stated it was his Aldrich mod amp that was used on that CD. Mark also stated that Norum used TWO amps for that CD. Yes, 2 amps not 1. I believe I am correct in saying that Mark told me that one was primarily used for rhythm and other for lead work. However, I could not get Mark to tell me which was used on the former and latter. The only other amp brought up in that span of the conversation was the 2205 mentioned above. In the end, what I was left with after that conversation was not knowing what the other amp was, which was used for lead and rhythm parts, and what songs if each was not solely dedicated to one task or the other.

Mark stated that Norum made a big "no-no" on that CD. One day Norum asked Mark for some ideas for a song he could use for the CD. The two went off that evening separately. The next morning, before Mark could get back to him with an idea, Norum had lifted from an early VH bootleg, "Bullethead" that would become "Half Way Home".

He also told me that the first track, "Inside", was actually the last track recorded for that CD.

Mark stated that John did not like that CD.

I will make sure to make a note to follow up with Mark to find out what the other amp was used, what amp(s) were used for certain tasks, and any setup information he will provide for Norum's setup when I see him at Lonni's upcoming satellite NAMM show in January.


Liner notes to John Norum "Another Destination".

 

[JohnSykes]

Man, that was great, thanks so much for sharing!

 

[JohnSykes]

 

[Isaac]

I am a bit surprised that there are a lot of people chiming in about how great that Don Dokken album is. I guess most haven't heard much of Norum's solo albums, as pretty much any of them are better than this, in both the songs and the ripping guitar department.

I completely agree. The Dokken album was good, but his solo stuff is on another level! Much rawer and heavier IMO. Closer to Blue Murder. He had fucking Glenn Hughes sing on most of Face The Truth! Norum holds his own in the vocal department too. The album with Kelly Keeling smoked too, as did every Norum release.

I think his most interesting solos as far as note choice and phrasing were in the Europe to Total Control era.

 

[steve_k]

I thought the Ocean mod was made for Norum, or what one of the Aldrich amps with a twist became known as.

Referring to the comment about the amp being on 1, I can relate to. The master on the Ocean I had was off or on basically with not much in between. It was a 50w JMP. Can't remember who I sold it to. Eben, I think. I wouldn't mind having that amp back.

Steve

 

[50MkII]

I thought the Ocean mod was made for Norum, or what one of the Aldrich amps with a twist became known as.

Referring to the comment about the amp being on 1, I can relate to. The master on the Ocean I had was off or on basically with not much in between. It was a 50w JMP. Can't remember who I sold it to. Eben, I think. I wouldn't mind having that amp back.

Steve

I specifically brought up the Ocean mod in response to Mark stating there were 2 amps used on that CD, to find out which other one was used, and he shook his head in the negative. Not to say Mark did not make one for Norum.

 

[Capulin Overdrive]

I thought the Ocean mod was made for Norum, or what one of the Aldrich amps with a twist became known as.

Referring to the comment about the amp being on 1, I can relate to. The master on the Ocean I had was off or on basically with not much in between. It was a 50w JMP. Can't remember who I sold it to. Eben, I think. I wouldn't mind having that amp back.

Steve

I thought there was a Norum connection to the Ocean mods, but then somebody over in the Cam forum said no, and that it was Aldrich who coined the Ocean name?

The story i had been made to beleave about the Ocean was that it was based on Something Mark had done for Norum?


Anyways, thanks for sharing that info MK50 II!

 

[zz666]

 

[MrDan666]

 

[50MkII]

To update, for those following the thread. I did not get a chance to speak with Mark C at the AAACGC Ayres Hotel NAMM Show as intended as he was not present. I am hoping that I can get my Norum tone chasing questions answered sometime in the near future if not by myself, someone else.

 

[pstar]

Up from the Ashes came out in 1991' i believe, it's one of my all-time favorite albums, wish people wrote songs like that still.

Hard to believe Don Dokken went from that to chicken commercials, they did a gig somewhere up north this year, Wisconsin, Detroit and nobody even showed up, maybe 20 people.

I saw them when they came around on that tour in 1991, killer show. But even back then they were playing clubs. That Dokken album really didn't sell that much from what I believe. However I liked it a lot but the whole genre was taking a nosedive right around late 1991-1992.

Got that right ! grunge was being pushed big time and all the promoters/record companies were dropping the hard rock acts. It killed us, we were voted best new heavy metal band. Wish we had did our releases a couple years sooner. Wrong timing for our music.