Great instrument playing moments in BBs recordings

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Jon, is it Dennis on the main part of Do It Again? .... I know John Guerin came in do do more drums and assorted percussion, but who's playing that main 4x4 beat that opens the track and really grooves?

[Jon Stebbins]

Jon, is it Dennis on the main part of Do It Again? .... I know John Guerin came in do do more drums and assorted percussion, but who's playing that main 4x4 beat that opens the track and really grooves?

I would defer to C-man's ears on this one, but it has always been my understanding that Guerin is the main drum sound you hear on the finished track, while Dennis' residual drums on the pre-overdubbed track are less prominent although you can definitely hear him at various points in the mix. With that in mind I'd expect that you are hearing Guerin on the intro. Craig? Please confirm or enlighten.

A couple of tracks that don't get mentioned often regarding Dennis, but that feature his drumming in a good way are I Can Hear Music and Al's Cottonfields.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

So is the "early version" included on Endless Harmony with the ride cymbal going the whole time, the basic track that Guerin played over?

When you say Cottonfields, do you mean the 20/20 version of the later "AL" version? The drumming is exceptional on both.

[Jon Stebbins]

When you say Cottonfields, do you mean the 20/20 version of the later "AL" version? The drumming is exceptional on both.

Lets wait for C-man to give us his assessment of Do It Again. Al told me that Dennis plays on his version of Cottonfields and that he helped him arrange it. Not sure who the drummer is on Brian's version...but its a similar feel in places.

[Quzi]

Dennis' drums on "I'm So Young" deserve honorable mention!

That's Dennis drumming? Its really good stuff, actually the whole song is amazing. I specially love the coda - up there with their best PS-Smile stuff.

Nice one 

Dude, I invite you to check out my website, where I've posted essays on the Today! and Summer Days albums (and associated outtakes), plus Dennis' solo stuff.  I've been able to identify the musicians on nearly every cut from AFM contracts & session tapes.  I think you'll dig it.
www.beachboysarchives.com

Are you planning to upload more of these terrific essays? The Beach Boys' Wikipedia article is accessed around 1.3 million times a year on average so to have quick citable facts like "Dennis played on approximately 75% of the drum tracks between 1962-1965" using your essays as a primary source would be a fantastic start in dispelling the myth that the boys didn't play on a lot of their material.

[c-man]

Jon, is it Dennis on the main part of Do It Again? .... I know John Guerin came in do do more drums and assorted percussion, but who's playing that main 4x4 beat that opens the track and really grooves?

I would defer to C-man's ears on this one, but it has always been my understanding that Guerin is the main drum sound you hear on the finished track, while Dennis' residual drums on the pre-overdubbed track are less prominent although you can definitely hear him at various points in the mix. With that in mind I'd expect that you are hearing Guerin on the intro. Craig? Please confirm or enlighten.

A couple of tracks that don't get mentioned often regarding Dennis, but that feature his drumming in a good way are I Can Hear Music and Al's Cottonfields.

Yep, you got it...Dennis on the basic track (you can hear where he enters after Mike sings the first few words), Guerin on the prominent intro, as well as tambourine & wood blocks.

[c-man]

When you say Cottonfields, do you mean the 20/20 version of the later "AL" version? The drumming is exceptional on both.

Lets wait for C-man to give us his assessment of Do It Again. Al told me that Dennis plays on his version of Cottonfields and that he helped him arrange it. Not sure who the drummer is on Brian's version...but its a similar feel in places.

Hal Blaine on the "Brian" 20/20 version, Dennis on the "Al" single version.

[Jon Stebbins]

When you say Cottonfields, do you mean the 20/20 version of the later "AL" version? The drumming is exceptional on both.

Lets wait for C-man to give us his assessment of Do It Again. Al told me that Dennis plays on his version of Cottonfields and that he helped him arrange it. Not sure who the drummer is on Brian's version...but its a similar feel in places.

Hal Blaine on the "Brian" 20/20 version, Dennis on the "Al" single version.

Wow...that's a great opportunity for fans to A/B the drumming of Hal and Dennis.

[tpesky]

One thing I always wondered was why Al didn't play bass in concert more, it seems like they were always looking for that bass player. The bass in the 70s was always passed back and forth. I am guessing because he didn't want to play bass and sing , which is very hard.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

When you say Cottonfields, do you mean the 20/20 version of the later "AL" version? The drumming is exceptional on both.

Lets wait for C-man to give us his assessment of Do It Again. Al told me that Dennis plays on his version of Cottonfields and that he helped him arrange it. Not sure who the drummer is on Brian's version...but its a similar feel in places.

Hal Blaine on the "Brian" 20/20 version, Dennis on the "Al" single version.

Wow...that's a great opportunity for fans to A/B the drumming of Hal and Dennis.

I love the trashy loose h-hat in the Al Version and just that driving, kick-heavy beat. Dennis' weird build/fill going into "When I was a little bitty baby" is just awesome.

[Letsgoawayforawhile]

One thing I always wondered was why Al didn't play bass in concert more, it seems like they were always looking for that bass player. The bass in the 70s was always passed back and forth. I am guessing because he didn't want to play bass and sing , which is very hard.

Could you imagine how many lyrics he'd forget then?
 

[SgtTimBob]

In Pet Sounds, whoever is doing that crazy sounding percussion when everything drops out has my respect.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

That's called a guiro. Some great Latin percussion in that track, yes.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

That's called a guiro. Some great Latin percussion in that track, yes.

I think he might be talking about the bongos or bongo-like drums that are on one of the overdubs.  Which though careful listening, Donny discovered are actually run through a leslie speaker.

[guitarfool2002]

That's called a guiro. Some great Latin percussion in that track, yes.

I think he might be talking about the bongos or bongo-like drums that are on one of the overdubs.  Which though careful listening, Donny discovered are actually run through a leslie speaker.

Really? Is there a track time, an exact point where I could hear that? (short of searching the thread where this info appeared...)

I hear Leslie lead guitar(s) on the track, overdubbed...that's it. If the drums were Leslied too, that would mean they'd have to do a form of re-amping the track, and opening up a new track to add that to it...and on paper that would seem outside the scope and availability of what they had in '65. Or what Chuck Britz was doing in general in 1965...unless I'm wrong on that, those productions didn't call for re-amping much of anything, the guitars were either direct into the board, through an amp and mic'ed, or through the Leslie which is also an amp.

But if it's on the track(s) somewhere, I naturally defer to that! 

[c-man]

I love the bass during the organ solo on Wild Honey. Funky as hell groove.

Both played by Bruce Johnston, according to him.  Brian also told me the organ solo on "Wild Honey" is Bruce.  But the organ on "Passing By" is Brian (so he told me).

[c-man]

I like the guitar solo on Spring Vacation.


Also, what kind of organ does Larry Knechtel play on California Girls? I can't tell if that's just the coolest sounding organ in the world, or if it's the combination of organ and mallets. There are mallets on that, right?

Yes, great tone and playing on Baxter's "Sping Vacation" solo.
As for "what kind of organ dues Larry Knechtel play on California Girls"...he doesn't.  He's not even on the track (per the AFM contract and per no mention of him on the session tape).  That's Al de Lory playing the organ (almost certainly a Hammond B-3, I would think - unless someone knows differently) on "California Girls" (Leon Russell is on piano for that tune).  And yes, there are indeed mallets (a vibraphone, played by Frank Capp).  But your question brings up an interesting point:  for the great organ parts on Brian's mid-'60s productions, you would think he would have had a "go-to" guy that he relied on, but "Cal Girls" is de Lory, "Amusement Parks USA" is Leon, the verses of "Good Vibes" are Knechtel (and Mike Melvoin on other, unsued "GV" sessions), and I believe "The Little Girl I Once Knew" is Don Randi.

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

That's called a guiro. Some great Latin percussion in that track, yes.

I think he might be talking about the bongos or bongo-like drums that are on one of the overdubs.  Which though careful listening, Donny discovered are actually run through a leslie speaker.

Really? Is there a track time, an exact point where I could hear that? (short of searching the thread where this info appeared...)

I hear Leslie lead guitar(s) on the track, overdubbed...that's it. If the drums were Leslied too, that would mean they'd have to do a form of re-amping the track, and opening up a new track to add that to it...and on paper that would seem outside the scope and availability of what they had in '65. Or what Chuck Britz was doing in general in 1965...unless I'm wrong on that, those productions didn't call for re-amping much of anything, the guitars were either direct into the board, through an amp and mic'ed, or through the Leslie which is also an amp.

But if it's on the track(s) somewhere, I naturally defer to that! 

There was a bounce down for Pet Sounds.  It's an unusual track anyway, because the basic track is just the percussion and the James Bond guitar, and then they seem to have done assembly line style overdubs, bounced that down to one track of a new 4 track, added the guitar overdubs and then indeed, those "bongos" got their own track.  I figure they already had the leslie out for the guitar, and some genius had the idea to do the bongos through it.  It's very subtle, but definitely there.

[guitarfool2002]

I like the guitar solo on Spring Vacation.


Also, what kind of organ does Larry Knechtel play on California Girls? I can't tell if that's just the coolest sounding organ in the world, or if it's the combination of organ and mallets. There are mallets on that, right?

Yes, great tone and playing on Baxter's "Sping Vacation" solo.
As for "what kind of organ dues Larry Knechtel play on California Girls"...he doesn't.  He's not even on the track (per the AFM contract and per no mention of him on the session tape).  That's Al de Lory playing the organ (almost certainly a Hammond B-3, I would think - unless someone knows differently) on "California Girls" (Leon Russell is on piano for that tune).  And yes, there are indeed mallets (a vibraphone, played by Frank Capp).  But your question brings up an interesting point:  for the great organ parts on Brian's mid-'60s productions, you would think he would have had a "go-to" guy that he relied on, but "Cal Girls" is de Lory, "Amusement Parks USA" is Leon, the verses of "Good Vibes" are Knechtel (and Mike Melvoin on other, unsued "GV" sessions), and I believe "The Little Girl I Once Knew" is Don Randi.

Interesting - doesn't it seem Brian's choice of musicians was more scattershot in 64-65 than it would be on, say, Pet Sounds when it seems like there was more of a smaller core group he'd call? Or maybe it was just availability of these players, and as Brian's stature grew throughout 65 and 66, so did his clout and his ability to get guys on demand as he had more hit records.

It's also a factor that the musicians who were being called would turn down sessions too, whether the producer asked for them specifically or not, or they just weren't available that day.

[Mikie]

Knectel plays the Hammond B3 through a Leslie speaker on Good Vibrations, right?  One handed. Ebm, Db, Abm, Bb.

.........And the B3 with two hands on "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows".

Randi says he played keys on Good Vibrations too. Knectel on the released and Randi/Melvoin on the alternates?

[guitarfool2002]

Knectel plays the Hammond B3 through a Leslie speaker on Good Vibrations, right?  One handed. Ebm, Db, Abm, Bb.

Definitely Hammond through Leslie, but on the chords I hear and play a B major instead of Ab minor. If you listen to the bass line, it's outlining a B major chord with the notes F#-B-F#, B-C#-D# , which is a classic B major triad/arpeggio with the passing tone C# for melodic movement.

That's not saying it sounds wrong to play Ab minor, in fact after your post I grabbed my beater acoustic and ran Ab minor to test it, and it fit, but with the bassline being so strong on B major I still have to go with that. Of course that's just my ears and what I've taught my students who have learned that tune on bass and guitar, I have been wrong before! 

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Knectel plays the Hammond B3 through a Leslie speaker on Good Vibrations, right?  One handed. Ebm, Db, Abm, Bb.

.........And the B3 with two hands on "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "God Only Knows".

Randi says he played keys on Good Vibrations too. Knectel on the released and Randi/Melvoin on the alternates?

There's no organ on either WIBN or GOK.

[Mikie]

Well, then Larry was incorrect while being quoted for the Pet Sounds Sessions box booklet:

"On Pet Sounds, I did a two-handed rhythm thing on the B-3, alternating hands between the manuals. I did that in 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' and 'God Only Knows.' He had me do it with one hand on 'Good Vibrations.'" His (Brian's) orchestrations, his sound textures were unusual. I'm an arranger too, and he orchestrated wonderful, contrapuntal lines. I played organ on 'God Only Knows.' I haven't played that song since the session, and not long ago, went down in the basement to play it. His bass lines were great; he didn't do the standard stuff. He would make chord change...move it from A to E over G sharp and it was a beautiful move. The changes in the left hand always amazed me." I usually played harpsichord, electric piano or the Hammond B-3 organ. Leon usually played the grand.
 
 
Maybe he meant he played on the piano for Wouldn't It Be Nice and God Only Knows?
 

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

Larry played piano on WIBN and Harpsichord on GOK.  But neither of those involve two handed stuff on two manuals.  He's just flat out misremembering.

[Mikie]

Knectel plays the Hammond B3 through a Leslie speaker on Good Vibrations, right?  One handed. Ebm, Db, Abm, Bb.

Definitely Hammond through Leslie, but on the chords I hear and play a B major instead of Ab minor. If you listen to the bass line, it's outlining a B major chord with the notes F#-B-F#, B-C#-D# , which is a classic B major triad/arpeggio with the passing tone C# for melodic movement.

That's not saying it sounds wrong to play Ab minor, in fact after your post I grabbed my beater acoustic and ran Ab minor to test it, and it fit, but with the bassline being so strong on B major I still have to go with that. Of course that's just my ears and what I've taught my students who have learned that tune on bass and guitar, I have been wrong before! 

Another interpretation by a pretty good piano player and fan, Francis Greene - says the original key is D# :

Dm................................C.......................................Bb..................................................A7
I, I love the colorful clothes she wears, and the way the sunlight plays upon her hair
Dm...............................C..............................Bb............................................................A7.....C7

I always thought the verse had the chords Eb, Ab, Gb.