Paul Dean: Lead Loverboy (Guitar Player, March 1983)
But Paul Dean's talents--both in and outside of the band--run deeper than being just a hot lead guitarist: He writes, sings, produces, arranges and at various times in his career has worked as a drummer and a bassist. But that's not all. Long interested in building solidbody electrics, Paul has just signed an agreement with Hondo to manafacture Paul Dean models of his own design.
Despite his abilities, success didn't come easily. At 37, Paul has kicked around in various Canadian rock bands for almost 15 years. He's come close to making it more than once, only to have to start over in a seemingly endless struggle.
Born on February 19, 1946, Paul grew up on his parents' summer resort at Lake Windermere in the interior of British Columbia. "Being in the mountains, we had only one radio station--it played country music." Paul recalls. "The first thing that turned me on to guitar was hearing Luther Perkins and Johnny Cash." After much pestering, Paul's parents gave him a Sears acoustic for his fourteenth birthday.
Self-taught out of necessity, guitar teachers were scarce in the interior of British Columbia--Paul learned as much as he could from books. "After I saw a chord chart in a Nick Manoloff book, the fingerboard all of a sudden made sense to me." he remembers. But it wasn't until he heard the Ventures' album, Walk Don't Run, that he wanted to play the electric guitar. Wearing the record out, Paul eventually learned every part by ear.
In the early 60's, after playing in various local groups, Dean moved to Vancouver and joined an R & B band. He recalls: "The first time I played with these guys, I plugged in this Kay reverb unit and started to wail away while they were trying to tell me that they didn't play surf music. I was in the band a year before I knew what R & B actually meant." During the next few years, Paul was with several moderately successful groups including Great Canadian River Race and Scrubbaloe Caine--which usually dissolved due to money or personality problems.
The low point in Dean's career came in the mid '70s after he got kicked out of Streetheart, a band he considered to be his life. "that was a serious time for me," Paul remembers, "I left my girlfriend of eight years sitting in Edmonton to be in that group. I was very depressed. And to make matters worse, I got food poisoning and nearly died."
Never giving up, after regaining his health, Dean assembled the players that would eventually be Loverboy: singer Mike Reno, bassist Scott Smith, drummer Matt Frenette, and keyboardist Doug Johnson.
Surprisingly, they were passed up by some 25 US record companies before signing with CBS Records International. A testament to the group's hard work and musical skill--not to mention the lack of foresight of 25 record companies--both their Loverboy and Get Lucky LPs have sold in the millions.
Frustrated by guitars that played out of tune and didn't have the right sound, Paul constructed what he affectionately refers to as his "Dean Machine." Realizing its commercial potential, he contracted Attila Balogh of Vancouver's Odyssey Guitars {15 Bowser Avenue, North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V7P 3H1} to build 50 Paul Dean models to be sold on a limited basis. But before the instruments had a chance to become well publicized, Hondo Guitars became interested and Paul signed a contract to produce two models on a large scale: The Hondo Paul Dean II will have two pickups, while the Paul Dean III will be equipped with three pickups and a vibrato bar. Both will sport several unique features of Paul's own design as he explains in the following interview.
Regarding the group's future plans, Paul says, "Right now we have only one goal, and that's to make our next album as good as-- or better than--the previous two."
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How did you learn to improvise rock and roll?
I can remember that the leader of one of the first bands I was in turned to me and said, "Take a solo." I didn't even know what he meant. I guess I learned by copping licks from Clapton on the Fresh Cream album {RSO, 1-3009}. Of course, I knew all of the Ventures stuff too. But mostly I learned just by doing it.
Besides Clapton, who were some of your other influences?
My biggest influences were guys you've never heard of. James Harmata, a guitarist in a band I used to be in, taught me so much about feels and how to play rhythm. That was where Streetheart and Loverboy format came from. Clyde Harvey, a keyboard player, showed me how to write and arrange songs. As for guitar players, Tom Scholz, Brian May, early Jeff Beck, BB King and Jimmy Nolan, James Brown's guitarist, all had an effect on me.
So over the years you put together your own system of playing.
Right. I think that I know three positions for soloing. In the key of A I might do some licks around the open fifth string, and on the G String around the 2nd fret. Then I'd probably move up to the standard A chord at the 5th fret, top four strings {sings A C# E A}. In that positon I like to bend the D on the third string. 7th fret, up to E, and the G on the second string, 8th fret up to A. Then I'll play with my 1st finger on the A at the 10th fret second string, and work around that. There I would bend the A and the B on the second string, as well as the E on the first string up to high G. I like to bend the fifth up to the flatted seventh a lot. I just play out of the blues scale.
For the solo on "Take Me To The Top," why did you play some notes that are outside of the blues scale?
Originally, Doug played a sax solo on that, but he wasn't in tune so we didn't use it. As it turned out, I ended up playing the solo and I copied some of his ideas. I wouldn't ordinarily play something that had ninths and stuff like that in it.
Do you think your technique has changed much over the years?
It probably changed the most during the first couple of years I was playing. After that it stayed pretty much the same. In the last few years, I think I've gotten cleaner and a little bit more in tune. A while ago we toured with ZZ Top and I realized that although our styles are different, Billy Gibbons and I really think alike: We play strong rhythm and simple solos. It's funny because when we toured with Neal Schon and Journey, my style sort of changed. I started playing faster and using more notes. Neal really has technique that's beyond belief. But right now I'm slowing down and just trying to play with taste.
So your playing is constantly improving?
My understanding of guitar is getting better, so my sound is improving. And my tuning is improving because I'm learning how to make fretboards properly. Tuning is a very important aspect of my sound. My rhythm playing has improved, too.
What kind of rhythm chords work best?
I usually just play chords that have a root, a fifth, and a root, from low to high. If we get too far away from that sound, people raise their eyebrows and think that something sounds weird. I'm really comfortable with those, because there are a lot of variations you can do--and those are different feels, rhythms, and spaces that you can use. Muting the strings with my right hand has a lot to do with getting different sounds with that type of chord.
How do you view your role in Loverboy?
In addition to being the band's lead guitarist, I'm an arranger. The guitar is the foundation of the band; everything centers around it. Of course, it doesn't really sound like that on tape. It sounds like everyone's following the drums.
Are you impressed by new wave?
The Motels were a big influence on me, and the Cars had a major influence on my first album. We've gotten away from them now. The Pistols are kind of neat, but they're more punk than new wave. I'm interested in new wave; it tends to borrow a lot of stuff from reggae. "DOA" and "It's Your Life" are in that style--kind of Cars-like.
What do the labels new wave and punk mean to you?
New wave is clean and produced, while the attitude with punk is, "I'm going to play any way I want, and the worse the better." Plus new wave is usually either positive and happy, or else really outside and bizarre.
What was your biggest break?
Meeting Mike. He's such a valuable part of the band.. It would be impossible to find another person who I could write tunes with like "Turn Me Loose" and "When It's Over."
How does the writing work between you and Mike? Does he play any instruments?
He plays guitar, bass, and drums, but not as well as the other guys in the band. When it comes down to writing, we do everything together. For instance, he wrote the bass line to "Turn Me Loose," as well as some of the lyrics. Nothing really gets written down. We just memorize everything. If I'm writing a song, I need to have the tape recorder on. That's the way I construct all of my stuff.
Do you use formulas to write tunes?
Yeah, I write in a few styles, just like Rod Stewart. I hate to say formula because it sounds bad, but that's what it basically is.
Is it harder for Canadians to make it in the rock world?
If you write good songs, and have a good management, record company, band and a lot of luck, it's no different from being Martians. The only thing that's weird is that you get checked at the border when you go into the States.
What do you do to warm up before going on stage?
I just play for about an hour-and-a-half. I'll make sure that my guitar's in tune, then I'll practice chords and leads. I like to be fairly limber in my hands so can grab the right barre chord.
Do you feel comfortable wearing your guitar as low as you do in concert?
Well, it doesn't exactly allow for great technique, but it does feel right. I like to get real violent during a show, and if I wear my guitar up I just can't move right--I feel restricted.
How likely are you to deviate from a recorded solo in front of a live audience?
I won't play something entirely different, but my solos do change with time. If I had to play the solo on "Turn Me Loose" note-for-note, forget it.
How do you approach recording?
The way we learn new tunes is by having me run through by myself in the studio. I'll kind of sing to myself and get the feel so that all of the parts go with the same foot tap. Then everybody comes in and plays along. Our drummer matt just reads my mind; he knows exactly the feel I want. But when we record, we put the whole band down at once. First we concentrate on getting the drums perfect, then go back and do the bass. If Scott makes a couple of blunders, we go back and touch that up. The solos are left live, but I'll go back and work on the rhythm tracks. Usually I don't like to work on the sound at the session because I'll burn everybody out. For instance, "Turn Me Loose" took hours to get right. We were having problems because there was a lot of hum in the studio. I found that the only way to get rid of it was play while standing on a four foot stool; the hum disappeared when I was in that position. It must have been quite a picture.
Which of your own solos do you like the best?
I like both of the ones on "Turn Me Loose" pretty much. The one on "Lady Of The 80's" is good, too--it's my longest. I guess I like all of them. Our next album is going to have more lead than the last two.
Do you go to much trouble to keep your solos short?
By and large I find that guitar solos are boring. I don't think that our audience is into solos that much. Right now I'm into writing, producing and performing. Occasionally I like to stretch out, but I'm more into sound and rhythm. I like to keep things simple rather than waste time blowing my brains out. But I do like to really wail once or twice a night.
How much preparation do you do before going into the studio?
Usually the tune's down pat, but we might need a new intro or want to change the tempo. Doug is usually the last in, and he works his parts around and focuses on the guitar. But the last time we went into the studio, we had nothing. We blew a lot of money; it was really dumb. Now we've got the tunes down. If we had rehearsed, we could have done the same thing in a week instead of a month. I learned a lot from that experience.
Do you do much overdubbing?
The first album was overdub city. There were six keyboards on every track, and "Teenage Overdose," "Always On My Mind," and "The Kid is Hot" had six or seven guitars apiece. On the second album I overdubbed the rhythm track on "Lucky Ones," and the guitar solo on "Jump." Everything else used only one guitar. I prefer to record live in the studio because things are clean and you can hear the expression of things.
How did you get the hollow, echoey effect on the solo intro to "Always On My Mind"?
I have this '75 Les Paul with ceramic pick-ups--it's an anniversary copy of the '55 flat-top with the wraparound bridge. I used it with my 50-watt Hi-watt that I've had for five or six years. I'm on the neck pick-up, and I've got the tone off, with full bass, no treble, and the volume up all the way. I have a Boss graphic equalizer that I use to punch it up at 800 cycles. You put this combination together, and you get that smooth Brian May sound. I also triple-tracked it.
What about the raspy sound on "Take Me To The Top"?
On that I used a guitar that was one of the first prototypes to my Dean Machine; it's got Seymour Duncan Vintage Staggered Strat Pick-ups. I used a Marshall amp with the preamp taken out and replaced with a Roland Chorus Echo.
Where does your distortion come from?
From my Hi-watt amp. I had the two preamps ganged, and that made it sound like God. It drives either two or three cabinets that use Celestion 12s. I had those enclosures built to copy Marshal bottoms because it was cheaper than buying them. Onstage I have a monitor to the left of my mike--that's what I play to all night.
What do you use as a practice amp?
A Panasonic cassette recorder. I patch my guitar in, and it sounds great.
Is there anything special about your strings?
If I can't get Fender Bullets, then I use nickel-plated singles; it doesn't matter. From high to low, I use a .013, .013, .016--all plain-- and a .030, .040, and a .050 wound.
I don't believe you use a .013 for a high E. Your bends sound effortless.
Everybody has the same reaction. I can bend because I use high frets and three fingers to push with. The .013 gives me a fat sound, and it's stronger. When I play rhythm I jump around and hit the strings pretty hard. Sometimes my right hand bleeds because I miss and hit the bridge--the Pete Townshend syndrome.
What kind of pick do you use?
A Jim Dunlop 60 mm--they don't break. And it's soft enough so that it doesn't hurt the strings.
Where do you set the controls on your guitar?
I set the treble up all of the way, although I sometimes cut it back to play rhythm parts. Generally, it's wide open and I alter my tone by muting the strings. I use the bridge pickup.
What kinds of guitars do you own?
I have two Les pauls, four or five Paul Dean model prototypes, my Strat, a Chiquita travel guitar that Billy Gibbons gave me, an old Framus 12-string that has only six strings on it, and a bass that I built that may make it into production with Hondo.
How did you get interested in building?
I knew a guy who made a bass, and I guess that I got the idea from him. The first instrument I ever built was a 6-string bass I made in high school work shop. Then I had this old Les Paul--I think it was the '58 double cutaway with the little round horns. I picked it up for $125.00 because the neck was broken. Ifixed it and traded it to a guy for a '64 Strat, which I ended up totally smashing onstage trying to imitate Townshend.
What did you do to fix it?
I was really broke at the time, and even though I had another guitar--a custom one that I wasn't crazy about--I wanted the Strat back so I decided to fix it myself. I glued the neck back together--it broke at the 10th fret--using LePage's Bondfast and three drumsticks fro splints. I held the whole thing together with an elastic bandage. Believe it or not, it turned out great even though it was missing a few chunks of wood.
Why did it sound good?
Because the neck had been glued and filled in places with plastic wood, it had a particular resonance that was unbelievable. Shortly after that I left the guitar in a hot car trunk and the glue softened, which made the neck go for a total shit. Then I put on a new Tele neck, but it sounded worse than ever. I tried everything to make it better. I took the finish off and shaved it down. I even soaked it in a the bathtub and put it in the oven. I ended up making a new neck with a joint in the same spot as the original break.
Did you ever do anything else to the neck?
Yes, and I've never revealed this before. I put a couple of hollow grooves under the fingerboard to help the resonance--they weaken the structure and allow it to vibrate in a certain way. Actually there are three grooves; one for the truss rod and two resonance slots.
What happened to that body?
I had to reinforce it because it was totally wrecked; I used either fir or pine. Then I mounted a different bridge in the wrong place, so I had to fill in the holes and start over. Finally I got the whole thing back together, but it still sounded awful, it had a great sustain, but no real tone. So I took a screwdriver and hammer and chiseled out a bunch of wood underneath the pickguard. But I carved away too much so I filled up the cavity with plastic wood--it turned out to be right on. That guitar had a totally unique sound. I used some of those ideas on my Paul Dean guitar, including the neck slots, the body cavity under the pickguard, and a three-piece hard rock maple neck that resonates like the one I patched together.
What other special features does the Paul Dean model have?
Well, the headstock is angled back about ten degrees, which increases the sustain incredibly. It also eliminates the need for a string tree, and that's good because they mess up your tuning. The body is about one-and-a-half inches thick; it's quite a heavy guitar, although it doesn't weigh as much as some Les Pauls. And the pickguard is unique. The one on the prototype I've given Hondo is made of the same material that Anvil cases are covered with--it's soft and doesn't scratch. The guitar also uses Gotoh tuners, a Leo Quan Badass bridge, and two DiMarzio Super II pickups.
How refined are your woodworking abilities?
I'm a hacker; I don't consider myself to be a craftsman. I can make a neck fit, but when it comes to finishing, forget it. I can sand stuff, but I have no expertise with spraying and buffing. But I do have a good ear. If Hondo uses different materials, I'll have tune the body all over again.
Do you ever think you'll give up performing to design and build full time?
I have a big love for putzing around in the guitar factory. It's my hobby--what I do to relax. When I'm 50 it's going to be a lot easier designing guitars than jumping around onstage like a 17-year-old.