Hired musicians for recording bands

[cozmic]

Hi all, haven't been here in a while.

I remember buying back in the day the Maze album "Can't Stop The Love" and noticed in the credits that bass-dawg Randy Jackson [[Narada Michael Walden, Journey, Idols) was hired for some tracks on the project. Frankie Beverly produced the album and did he choose Randy for those tracks because of his particular sound, and was Maze's own bass man, Robin Duhe, technically unable to play them?

Same thing for the group Mystic Merlin. Nathan East was hired for some tracks on the "Full Moon" album including the solid opening jam "Mister Magician." Producer Alan Abrahams chose Nate's sound instead of the one from Mystic Merlin-bassist Clyde Bullard.

I can understand that cats are being hired for solo projects of singers, but hiring a musician for a band which already have someone playing that same instrument, seems somewhat odd. I can understand though that producers might look for a certain sound or skills and ability of a cat who can technically lay down those specific written bass-tabs, guitar/keys-chords, horn-riffs, etc, but still though.

[ralpht]

Cozmic,
Unfortunately, some very good stage musicians just don't do all that well in a recording studio. A sad but true fact.

[cozmic]

Cozmic,
Unfortunately, some very good stage musicians just don't do all that well in a recording studio. A sad but true fact.

Hi Ralph, ah okay i see. Thanks for the insight and clarification from your point of experience.

[chidrummer]

True dat, Godfather

Being a great Studio Rat requires a slightly different skill set than being a great Road Warrior doesn't it?

Another thought, Cozmic. Sometimes people want to record something immediately and a member of the band might not be available, so you call in the hired gun [[even though you could put the missing part on later in most cases). No slight against the band musician, just a songwriter who's on a tear to get something down.

[cozmic]

Hey chidrummer, good analogy and thanks for explaining. That all makes sense.


On a side note and speaking of live music. I still remember when you posted a few years back your review about The Jackson's Triumph Tour-night which you attended. That was a trip to read and some quotes cracked me up lol. Great added pix as well and i printed-out that topic. Tried to find the url of that thread sometime ago, but i guess the internet history files haven't archived it.

[jsmith]

A huge number of recordings by 1960's UK 'beat bands' -- pop groups who usually cut covers of US hits and went on to get the big UK sales [[if the song became popular here that is) -- just featured the group's lead singer. All the musicians & the backing singers on the tracks were laid down by studio based session guys / gals.
This way, a track could be cut in about 30 minutes and not take all day thus wasting valuable studio time.
UK group the Love Affair had a No.1 pop hit here with their cover of Robert Knight's "Everlasting Love" and only the group's lead singer was actually on their recording.
The group went on to have four more UK Top 20 pop hits & I think the rest of the group may have played on some of the later tracks [[they got a lot of flack over "Everlasting Love")

[ceasar]

I have to go along with what Ralph had to say on this.
We had musicians that we thought would be the bomb.
Turns out, they were top notch studio musicians,
But, stage wise they just weren't happening.
And vice versa.
And believe me,we have some great musicians here in Philly.
Ceasar
The
Original
Tymes

[ralpht]

Thanks for making my point, Ceasar. You are so right. it can work both ways.

[cozmic]

Excellent insights Jsmith and Ceasar. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

[StuBass1]

Just ask The Wrecking Crew who played the "ghost" instruments for tons of bands back in the 60's and 70's including Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Mamas & Papas, The Grass Roots, The Monkees [[Mickey Dolenz didn't even know how to set up his drum kit in those days), and many many more. As legend has it...members of The Association walked into the studio during a Wrecking Crew session for them and asked the musicians to sign an affidavit stating that they would not divulge that it was them and not The Association playing on their records. The musicians laughed at them and told them they'd sign nothing of the sort. They then played the track. Bassist Joe Osborn and Larry Knechtel recalled telling a fan what records they played on and the amazed fan told Joe...Hey, you're in all of my favorite bands!

[cozmic]

Thanks StuBass1 for your feedback! I remember ordering once a 45 of the Wrecking Crew, but thinking i had purchased a single of the 80's funk group, the Wreckin' Crew, lol.

[bankhousedave]

Stu:

There was an identical set up in the UK. That's what makes the Milli Vanilli thing so absurd. I remember Mickie Most taling about an animals track and saying Alan Price was the 'best organist of all time in any genre'. You and I both know what claptrap that is. I immediately though of E Power Biggs, who could play the entire Bach organ canon, even before I moved on to the great jazz and funk players. But the real joke was that Most knew that none of the animals apart from Eric Burdon was even on the record.