Drums (Or lack thereof) on Love You

[NateRuvin]

There's a strange appeal to the arrangements on Love You. There's something about a "man-child" writing ditties on his synthesizers and whatever other instruments around, that is intriguing. I find the fat Moog bass particularly cool. Another aspect of the arrangements that catch my attention is how BW used the drums. Similar to Pet Sounds and SMiLE, the drums aren't used necessarily to keep tempo, but to add color. On "Roller Skating Child" there aren't really drums in the verses, except for those snare hits in-between lines. And then in the chorus, we go into a steady rock beat.

I love the sound of the snare drum on Roller Skating Child and Let Us Go On This Way. Was BW using a drum machine or actually playing the drums? (Well snare drum is the only prominent percussion on the album... Hi hats and kick drum make several guest appearances on the album...  )

[Emily]

That is some phat, phat Moog.   

[Douchepool]

As far as I'm aware, all of the drums on Love You are real, not programmed. They're so Brian, too. Listen to Love You and then hear Brian play the opening drums from Be My Baby in Endless Harmony. You can hear it in how he clubs the instruments. For a guy who was never a drummer beyond the necessity to get some drums on a recording or fill in in the early days so Dennis could sing, Brian could hold his own on drums.

[CenturyDeprived]

As far as I'm aware, all of the drums on Love You are real, not programmed. They're so Brian, too. Listen to Love You and then hear Brian play the opening drums from Be My Baby in Endless Harmony. You can hear it in how he clubs the instruments. For a guy who was never a drummer beyond the necessity to get some drums on a recording or fill in in the early days so Dennis could sing, Brian could hold his own on drums.

Other than this album, how many released songs have Brian (and Brian only) performing drums on them?

[Douchepool]

Funky Pretty is the only one that comes to mind.

[Jukka]

Is it really Brian on Wanderer? He swings better than Denny!

[Gerry]

According to Steve Desper both he and Carl were amazed by an in studio Brian drum performance in the early '70's

[Matt H]

According to Steve Desper both he and Carl were amazed by an in studio Brian drum performance in the early '70's

Do we know what the track was?

[Gerry]

It wasn't actually on a track. I believe I read this in an issue of ESQ regarding Sunflower.

[barto]

There's a strange appeal to the arrangements on Love You. There's something about a "man-child" writing ditties on his synthesizers and whatever other instruments around, that is intriguing. I find the fat Moog bass particularly cool. Another aspect of the arrangements that catch my attention is how BW used the drums. Similar to Pet Sounds and SMiLE, the drums aren't used necessarily to keep tempo, but to add color. On "Roller Skating Child" there aren't really drums in the verses, except for those snare hits in-between lines. And then in the chorus, we go into a steady rock beat.

I love the sound of the snare drum on Roller Skating Child and Let Us Go On This Way. Was BW using a drum machine or actually playing the drums? (Well snare drum is the only prominent percussion on the album... Hi hats and kick drum make several guest appearances on the album...  )

Agree. The arrangement on Love You is beautiful. Especially when considering Brian recording so much of it.

It's such a unique album...and if it were a Brian solo album I think it would be viewed differently. The step he took there reminds me of how Kanye West did a similar thing much later and made '808s and Heartbreak' in 2008, abandoning his rapping and previous production style to create a unique singular project

[RiC]

I always believed it was Dennis on Love You's drums.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Dennis plays drums on, l think, "Mona", and maybe "Honking" too.

[Sheriff John Stone]

As far as I'm aware, all of the drums on Love You are real, not programmed. They're so Brian, too. Listen to Love You and then hear Brian play the opening drums from Be My Baby in Endless Harmony. You can hear it in how he clubs the instruments. For a guy who was never a drummer beyond the necessity to get some drums on a recording or fill in in the early days so Dennis could sing, Brian could hold his own on drums.

I think it's not only important HOW the drums were played, I mean, the actual drum parts on Love You don't sound too difficult to play. It's WHEN they were played. They're perfectly arranged; after 40 years I still get a kick out of 'em.

[zachrwolfe]

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[Debbie KL]

I definitely saw Brian playing the drums on Wanderer while Denny sang lead during the 1964 summer tour, so I would imagine it was true in Sacramento as well.

[Rentatris]

Oh man, this album, this fucking album. Been listening to it for hours.....(I may be a little drunk)....Jesus.....I want to put my willy in it's soul.


That is all.

[Emily]

Oh man, this album, this fucking album. Been listening to it for hours.....(I may be a little drunk)....Jesus.....I want to put my willy in it's soul.


That is all.

Woah.

[Wirestone]

Dennis plays drums on, l think, "Mona", and maybe "Honking" too.

I Wanna Pick You Up too, I believe.

[puni puni]

On certain tracks there is definitely electronic percussion layered on top of a real drum kit. An early mix of I'll Bet He's Nice has a drum machine loop and it makes it sound a hell of a lot like Rundgren.

[Douchepool]

Oh man, this album, this fucking album. Been listening to it for hours.....(I may be a little drunk)....Jesus.....I want to put my willy in it's soul.


That is all.

A little drunk? Make sure its soul consents first.

[Jukka]

I definitely saw Brian playing the drums on Wanderer while Denny sang lead during the 1964 summer tour, so I would imagine it was true in Sacramento as well.

Thanks for clearing that up, that questions been bugging me since 2007, when I first bought the album. But yeah, just listen how effortlessly the drums swing, as opposed to Denny's (admittedly very effective and driving) clubbing. Man, what a musical guy (duh).

[KDS]

Oh man, this album, this fucking album. Been listening to it for hours.....(I may be a little drunk)....Jesus.....I want to put my willy in it's soul.


That is all.

Enjoyed responsibly, alcohol and the internet can be very enjoyable. 

But, they should rarely be combined. 

Cheers

 

[Rentatris]

Sorry guys and gals.... 

[KDS]

Happens to the best of us after some good good good, good libations. 

[Emily]

Sorry guys and gals.... 

Hey, you provided a laugh. That's a good thing.