Pole Position: A Song History
"Pole Position" is printed in three parts in Butch Ross's A Long Way From Shady Grove, an 86-page Fingers Of Steel book of tablature and notation transcribed from his CD of the same name: Ross's own part, Quintin Stephens's part and the electric dulcimer solos, all in DAD tuning.[1] The listing names writers for several pieces in the book but attaches no composer credit to this one.[1] On the album, which Ross released in 2009, Stephens plays dulcimer on the track and takes the first and third solos on what the credits call a "Dulcicaster."[2] Ross's track credits list him on dulcimer, electric dulcimer and bass, and note that the recording includes a sample of "The Killer Inside Me" by MC 900 Ft. Jesus.[3]
Édouard Manet, The Races, lithograph, 1865. Horses rather than race cars, shown in fun; it has no connection to the tune.
In his note on the track, Ross recalls that he had nearly given up on the piece before asking Stephens to join in, and that the finished recording brought to mind a 1980s video game he had much enjoyed, which he calls Outrun, though its name came back to him only after the record was pressed.[3] He ends the note by observing that "every one remembers the game 'Pole Position,' not so much the other one."[3] A sought-after festival instructor and performer at home and overseas, Ross has stretched the mountain dulcimer across repertoire as far apart as Bach, the Beatles and Radiohead.[4]
Sources
- Fingers Of Steel: "Butch Ross, A Long Way From Shady Grove".
- Butch Ross: "A Long Way From Shady Grove".
- Butch Ross: "Pole Position".
- DulcimerDownloads: "Butch Ross".
- Image: Édouard Manet, The Races, lithograph, 1865. The Cleveland Museum of Art.