The Use of Flute or Flute-like Instruments in Rock

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by Tom H, Jul 10, 2018.

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  1. Tom H

    Tom H Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kapolei, Hawaii
    I really appreciate rock music that incorporates a flute (or flute-like instrument). Some examples include: "Undun" by The Guess Who, "Take the Highway" by Marshall Tucker Band, and "Lowdown" by Boz Scaggs. Aside from Jethro Tull, what are other bands (and/or albums) that feature a lot of great flute playing in rock music?
     
  2. ToneLa

    ToneLa Forum Resident

    "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" by the Smiths has an absolutely gorgeous, tiny flute phrase at the most important lyric, it's an emulated flute but it's beautiful and evocative
     
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  3. JamesRR

    JamesRR Trashcan Dream

    Location:
    NYC
    Daniel by Elton John. The flute sound was achieved on a mellotron.
     
  4. lightbulb

    lightbulb Not the Brightest of the Bunch

    Location:
    Smogville CA USA
    In his solo work away from Genesis, some of Steve Hackett’s earlier songs had flute, played by his brother John Hackett.

    Check out Steve Hackett’s excellent album:
    “The Voyage Of the Acolyte”
    Very early Genesis worthy....

    Then also “Spectral Mornings”
    Then “Please Don’t Touch”
     
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  5. Michael P

    Michael P Forum Resident

    Location:
    Parma, Ohio
    Just about anything by The Moody Blues.
     
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  6. micksmuse

    micksmuse Forum Resident

    Location:
    san diego
    the amazing SEATRAIN and BLUES PROJECT "flute thing"
     
    funknik, seed_drill, JackS and 3 others like this.
  7. Archtop

    Archtop Soft Dead Crimson Cow

    Location:
    Greater Boston, MA
    Napoleon Murphy Brock used the flute on occasion in the late '73-'74 Mothers. Check out his solo in 5 in the middle of the two versions of Dupree's Paradise from The Roxy Performances. Quite the homage to Roland Kirk (and before someone says Ian Anderson, he too adopted the style that Roland Kirk developed around 1960):

     
  8. Suncola

    Suncola Possibilities

    Location:
    NW Indiana U.S.A.
    "Empty Sky", too, featuring the real thing.

    Is it a recorder Brian uses on "Ruby Tuesday"? I reckon that's "flute-like". In any case it really makes the bridge for me.
     
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  9. robertk

    robertk Forum Resident

    Location:
    Ecuador
  10. davmar77

    davmar77 I'd rather be drummin'...

    Location:
    clifton park,ny
    Ian McDonald with king crimson
     
  11. Zoot Marimba

    Zoot Marimba And I’m The Critic Of The Group

    Location:
    Savannah, Georgia
    It is. This is how awesome Brian Jones was: he could make that crappy toy your music teacher made you play in elementary school sound good.
     
    funknik, mooseman, Suncola and 2 others like this.
  12. BiffJackson

    BiffJackson Senior Member

    Location:
    Northampton, MA
    Great flute solo.

     
  13. The Lone Cadaver

    The Lone Cadaver Bass & Keys Cadaver

    Location:
    Bronx
    Peter Gabriel with Genesis
     
  14. Diamond Star Halo

    Diamond Star Halo Forum Resident

    Location:
    Vancouver
    Strawberry Fields Forever uses the flute setting on the mellotron.
     
  15. Who'sTommy

    Who'sTommy Forum Resident

    Location:
    The Netherlands
    Golden Earring has some songs that feature flute playing by Barry Hay (e.g. "Back Home").
     
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  16. BiffJackson

    BiffJackson Senior Member

    Location:
    Northampton, MA
    I'm not sure what category this falls under. It's not rock, I guess, but it's not jazz either. Wonderful version.

     
  17. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    I always liked that short flute solo near the end of side one of Zappa's Lumpy Gravy where the flutist is gasping for air by the end.
     
    Curious Breeze likes this.
  18. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
  19. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Nico - Chelsea Girls
     
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  20. Rfreeman

    Rfreeman Senior Member

    Location:
    Lawrenceville, NJ
    Beatles - Fool on the Hill
     
  21. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    the troggs - wild thing
    i always found it funny that the original hit was a flute solo and then the song became the guitar lead break song lol (and i am a guitarist ... and yes our band played wild thing once as a request ... somewhat under duress ... i did do a lead break, and smashed my guitar .... then i screamed into the mic for about a minute and blacked out from lack of oxygen ..... oh those were the days, i miss them so much hahaha)
     
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  22. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    Recorder on “Ruby Tuesday”
    Both recorder and flutes used on “Fool on the Hill”.
    Moody Blues one of the earliest bands to incorporate flute as instrument in a rock band format.
    Traffic and Jethro Tull major users also.
    Manfred Mann also. Played by Klaus Vormann.
     
    Willow Farmer, Suncola and lightbulb like this.
  23. Dylancat

    Dylancat Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cincinnati, OH
    That is an ocarina.
     
  24. BiffJackson

    BiffJackson Senior Member

    Location:
    Northampton, MA
    There are lovely bamboo flutes throughout it.

     
    Rick H. likes this.
  25. mark winstanley

    mark winstanley Certified dinosaur, who likes physical product

    cheers. ... is that flute-like lol
     
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