Leon Russell/Beach Boys comment

[TdHabib]

At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony that aired tonight, Elton John was going through a long list of the people Leon played on and included the comment "all of the Beach Boys records---including Pet Sounds." I'm a huge Leon Russell and Elton John fan, really; but that made me laugh. Just thought I'd share it with everyone. From a scroll through c-man's great website, I know he played on:
Do You Wanna Dance
Help Me Ronda
Kiss Me Baby
In the Back of My Mind
Sherri She Needs Me
Salt Lake City
California Girls
Let Him Run Wild

But did he actually play on anything from Pet Sounds??

[Don_Zabu]

Wow, I had no idea he played Beach Boys sessions. I imagine this is a similar sensation to the one people get when they hear that Glenn Campbell did the same thing.

But yeah, in the lists of people who played on Pet Sounds, I'm not seeing anything about Leon Russell.

[Jay]

Sorry to "hijack" the topic for a moment, but I have a similar question of my own. I once saw an interview with Glenn Campbell where he said that he played on Good Vibrations. Is that true?

[Don_Zabu]

Sorry to "hijack" the topic for a moment, but I have a similar question of my own. I once saw an interview with Glenn Campbell where he said that he played on Good Vibrations. Is that true?

Going by Wikipedia, that's a yes.

[Jay]

It just seemed weird to me. You don't expect somebody like Glenn Campbell to play on that kind of song. 

[Mikie]

Campbell remembers playing on at least five different sessions for Good Vibrations.

[Mikie]

TD, wasn't Brian on one of the songs on the Elton John/Leon Russell album released last year?

[Day Tripper]

 A lot of the guys from the Wrecking Crew had a good knowledge of Jazz, and can play anything. Although he doesn't read music, Glen was inspired by jazz guitarist Django Rinehardt. Glen Campbell is a very versatile guitarist. That's him playing on "Just Dropped In" (To See What Condition My Condition was In).  I've heard him play some incredibly blistering licks in jazz, country, bluegrass, and on Classical Gas and the William Tell Overture. Check out his guitar solo on his Beach Boy medley on YouTube.   I think Glen mainly played rhythm guitar on a majority of his Beach Boy sessions. Any info on Beach Boy guitar solos that are specifically Glen?

 Leon also wrote "This Masquerade" which was a hit for George Benson. He also was adept at honky tonk country blues.
 It's a shame that you don't hear about popular musicians today having the versatility of those session guys. A bygone era.

[Mikie]

Glen played the intro to Dance, Dance, Dance.  I enjoyed listening to him on that session. He kept screwing it up. "Damn it to hell!"
One of the other session guys suggests a replacement for Glen and says, "Brian do you want to call Jerry Cole"? Glen replied, "What are you gonna call him?" 

[A Million Units In Jan!]

It just seemed weird to me. You don't expect somebody like Glenn Campbell to play on that kind of song. 

Or sing on a song like 'My World Fell Down'   

[Rocker]

It just seemed weird to me. You don't expect somebody like Glenn Campbell to play on that kind of song. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZf49jYrzH8

[bgas]

It just seemed weird to me. You don't expect somebody like Glenn Campbell to play on that kind of song. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZf49jYrzH8

pretty lame

[drbeachboy]

That was lame. As vanilla an arrangement as there could possibly be. You'd think being an ex touring Beach Boy and performing on their records that he would have performed them with a little more care and spirit.

[Day Tripper]

  Well, I was commenting on Glen's guitar playing, not that show band arrangement.  If you can improvise a solo like that on guitar, then I tip my hat to you. I'm taking Jazz Theory in college, and many of my professors know of Glen's prowess on the guitar, even if they consider the Beach Boys or Country Music lame.

[TdHabib]

TD, wasn't Brian on one of the songs on the Elton John/Leon Russell album released last year?

Yep, he sings backgrounds on "When Love is Dying." I love that song though critical opinion is divided. Elton said that when Brian came to the studio he and Leon hugged each other for about a minute and a half.

[donald]

I assumed that with Leon a regular with the Wrecking Crew, that he played on a LOT of BeachBoys albums.  And Phil Spector albums as well.

This is one for the data retentive experts on the board.

[Rocky]

Yep, he sings backgrounds on "When Love is Dying." I love that song though critical opinion is divided. Elton said that when Brian came to the studio he and Leon hugged each other for about a minute and a half.

in the liner notes it also says that Brian arranged the vocals for that song. Brian's contribution to that song is certainly a very good listen

[c-man]

Glen played the intro to Dance, Dance, Dance. 

Yes...on an acoustic 6-string guitar that doubled the electric 12-string played by Carl Wilson. 

[c-man]

Sorry to "hijack" the topic for a moment, but I have a similar question of my own. I once saw an interview with Glenn Campbell where he said that he played on Good Vibrations. Is that true?

Not according to the AFM contracts for that song (none of which bear Glen Campbell's name).  You'd think out of the five GV sessions he claims to have played on, at least one or two of the contracts would have his name.   Oh, and there is also no reference to him on any of the GV session tapes that have leaked out.

[guitarfool2002]

Sorry to "hijack" the topic for a moment, but I have a similar question of my own. I once saw an interview with Glenn Campbell where he said that he played on Good Vibrations. Is that true?

Not according to the AFM contracts for that song (none of which bear Glen Campbell's name).  You'd think out of the five GV sessions he claims to have played on, at least one or two of the contracts would have his name.   Oh, and there is also no reference to him on any of the GV session tapes that have leaked out.

Fascinating - I never thought to check on Glen's name, and his name has been linked to Good Vibrations in several sources, including his own words. I looked at seven available contracts from Good Vibrations dates just for my own curiosity and Glen (or Leon for the record) was listed on none of the seven. To be fair to Glen, and Hal Blaine said this too, the sessions got so mixed up from the first one to the final 45rpm release that they didn't know which takes had been chosen by Brian for the final edits. I had a question:

So there were seven contracts with confirmed dates, plus a few dates without contracts - can we say with authority that Glen was not on *any* GV sessions or are we missing something because no paperwork exists?

I also assumed Glen was on the first version from something written in Brian's autobio but that source is shaky anyway. And I also always assumed there were more sessions for GV than what is logged in, just by reputation and how much it cost to make in 1966 dollars.

Again thanks for a fascinating bit of info, that surprises me quite a bit to not see Glen listed (so far).

[guitarfool2002]

...

[Andrew G. Doe]

According to the individual track credits in the Pet Sounds Sessions box, Russell didn't play on any of the tracks.

[Andrew G. Doe]

At the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony that aired tonight, Elton John was going through a long list of the people Leon played on and included the comment "all of the Beach Boys records---including Pet Sounds."

Typical Reg - without even looking at the research, I seriously doubt Leon played on Surfin' Safari, Surfin' USA or Concert !.  

[c-man]

Sorry to "hijack" the topic for a moment, but I have a similar question of my own. I once saw an interview with Glenn Campbell where he said that he played on Good Vibrations. Is that true?

Not according to the AFM contracts for that song (none of which bear Glen Campbell's name).  You'd think out of the five GV sessions he claims to have played on, at least one or two of the contracts would have his name.   Oh, and there is also no reference to him on any of the GV session tapes that have leaked out.

Fascinating - I never thought to check on Glen's name, and his name has been linked to Good Vibrations in several sources, including his own words. I looked at seven available contracts from Good Vibrations dates just for my own curiosity and Glen (or Leon for the record) was listed on none of the seven. To be fair to Glen, and Hal Blaine said this too, the sessions got so mixed up from the first one to the final 45rpm release that they didn't know which takes had been chosen by Brian for the final edits. I had a question:

So there were seven contracts with confirmed dates, plus a few dates without contracts - can we say with authority that Glen was not on *any* GV sessions or are we missing something because no paperwork exists?

I also assumed Glen was on the first version from something written in Brian's autobio but that source is shaky anyway. And I also always assumed there were more sessions for GV than what is logged in, just by reputation and how much it cost to make in 1966 dollars.

Again thanks for a fascinating bit of info, that surprises me quite a bit to not see Glen listed (so far).

Documentation exists for 12 "Good Vibrations" tracking sessions (some under the alternate title "Inspiration").  None have Glen's (or Leon's) name(s) attatched.  Tapes have circulated for all 12 sessions, and their voices can't be heard, nor are they mentioned by name (as many of the musicians are).

[Andrew G. Doe]

Known "GV" sessions (yellow = AFM documented):

2/17 - as "#1 - untitled"
4/9
5/4
5/24
5/25 - this session might be spurious: the AFM sheet for the 5/24 session (which granted ran past midnight) is dated the 25th
5/27
6/2 - as "Inspiration" - 9am-2pm
6/2 - as "Inspiration" - 2pm-5pm
6/12 - as "Inspiration"
6/16 - 1pm-8pm
6/16 - 5pm-9pm
6/18
9/1
9/12 - vocals (obviously, this session, and the next, won't have AFM documentation)
9/21 - vocals