For the Love of PJ Harvey... Name that Machine!!!
I have been lucky enough to catch this wonderful woman 3 times in my life - Atlanta 1998, Top of the Pops 2001 and Los Angeles, 2007...The last solo tour was breathtaking...it certainly raised the bar for all of us musicians in the audience!
On her recent "White Chalk" solo tour, Polly's setup was quite sweet; I was charmed to see the Taurus pedals!! Anyway, this song, a very special favorite of mine called "My Beautiful Leah", left Maf & I speechless when we saw her at the Orpheum Theatre last year.....And here's where our game of "Name That Machine" comes in....what is the sequencer she is using and the tiny black box out of which she gets that astounding bass? She also used the same pieces on her "Is This Desire" tour...Anyone know? I'll send you a copy of my album of you tell us. Listen & watch! via missyhate on YouTube.
And just to make to feel a bit ligher on your feet, & perhaps less serious today, relax and watch Polly sing "Grow Grow Grow" with her Taurus Pedals & autoharp.....Well; I just automatically assume everyone loves her...via DerEmma on YouTube.

Well here are a few ideas - I think these may be correct:
the DR 202 , as Stefan stated in the comments(THANK YOU!!)....and the sequencer is the Yamaha QY20...
anybody own these or have differing suggestions? I have my mitts about to pounce on a DR202 if this is indeed the sausage..
thanks for the clues!!!


Reader Comments (8)
Damn. Tricky used the same thing on one of his tours. I dont know. Love Polly!!!!!!
Polly !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
i think it's the same thing i saw her
bassplayer using somewhere in the 90's.
(BBC television show) Playing the bassline of 'Down by the Water'
Back then it was a DR-202 DR. GROOVE like this one : http://www.synrise.de/thumbs/t_dr-202.jpg
REALLY? I shall research but that would totally make sense. WICKED. Wheeee!!!!!!
Do you know what sequencer she uses?
My guess is that it's one of the small Roland or Boss drum machines that have bass sounds onboard. They can also be ste up for simple sequences like the bass line to that song.
It sounds like it's running into an overdive pedal.
i just saw a Dr Groove 202 up for sale a few clicks later i ended up here:
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=nhdNfcAqyn4
this (dark) video is all DR 202 and sounds great. Maybe the thing comes with great distortion???
Hi Stefan..
nice noise indeed in that video! I'm getting my mitts on one. They do sound great & are so simple!
cheers!
tara