My original idea for the opening tracks of ‘Houses of the Holy’ was that ‘The Song Remains the Same’ (originally called ‘The Overture’) would be a rousing instrumental introduction with layered electric guitars that would then segue into the next one, later to be titled ‘The Rain Song’.
Again there would be a contrasting acoustic instrumental movement that led to the first vocal of the album and the first verse of the song. During the routining of ‘The Song Remains the Same’, (then titled ‘The Plumpton and Worcester Races’), the half time vocal section was born and ‘The Overture’ shaped into a song. These rehearsals were done in Puddletown, on the River Piddle in Dorset.
When we came to record this on 18th May 1972 on The Rolling Stones’ mobile truck at Stargroves, the backing track of ‘The Song Remains the Same’ was played on a Fender electric 12-string, with Les Paul overdubs and standard tuning. ‘The Rain Song’ was in an unorthodox tuning on the six-string. On live shows it became a workout feature for the double neck.
ON THIS DAY… 28 MAR 1973
‘HOUSES OF THE HOLY’ BY LED ZEPPELIN WAS RELEASED
My original idea for the opening tracks of ‘Houses of the Holy’ was that ‘The Song Remains the Same’ (originally called ‘The Overture’) would be a rousing instrumental introduction with layered electric guitars that would then segue into the next one, later to be titled ‘The Rain Song’.
Again there would be a contrasting acoustic instrumental movement that led to the first vocal of the album and the first verse of the song. During the routining of ‘The Song Remains the Same’, (then titled ‘The Plumpton and Worcester Races’), the half time vocal section was born and ‘The Overture’ shaped into a song. These rehearsals were done in Puddletown, on the River Piddle in Dorset.
When we came to record this on 18th May 1972 on The Rolling Stones’ mobile truck at Stargroves, the backing track of ‘The Song Remains the Same’ was played on a Fender electric 12-string, with Les Paul overdubs and standard tuning. ‘The Rain Song’ was in an unorthodox tuning on the six-string. On live shows it became a workout feature for the double neck.
28 March 1973
ON THIS DAY… 15 JAN 1965
‘I Can’t Explain’ by The Who was released in the UK
Today saw the UK release of the iconic ‘I Can’t Explain’ - the first single by The Who, produced by Shel Talmy and engineered by the great Glyn Johns at Pye Studios in Marble Arch, London. Although I had been contracted in to play on this session I wasn’t really needed but I played on it somewhere in the background. What a privilege it was to be part of that pure adrenaline rush.
Pete played a blinder, you can hear a few of my phrases on the B-side ‘Bald Headed Woman’ on the fuzzbox.
‘I Can’t Explain’ by The Who was released in the UK
Today saw the UK release of the iconic ‘I Can’t Explain’ - the first single by The Who, produced by Shel Talmy and engineered by the great Glyn Johns at Pye Studios in Marble Arch, London. Although I had been contracted in to play on this session I wasn’t really needed but I played on it somewhere in the background. What a privilege it was to be part of that pure adrenaline rush.
Pete played a blinder, you can hear a few of my phrases on the B-side ‘Bald Headed Woman’ on the fuzzbox.
AUDIO: I Can’t Explain (The Who)
15 January 1965
ON THIS DAY… 14 JAN 1966
‘WILL YOU FOLLOW ME’ / ‘HEAD DEATH’ WAS RELEASED BY PAUL
Today saw the 1966 release of the Dylan-esque ‘Will You Follow Me’, written and sung by Paul Bedford; a guitar-playing troubadour and street musician who was playing in London’s Soho.
It was produced in a vein of all that was apparently current at that time on the tightest of budgets, but he had a talent for writing narratives like ‘Head Death’. I lost touch with him when I joined The Yardbirds. His uncle, Brian Bedford, was in the Oscar-winning film Grand Prix.
‘WILL YOU FOLLOW ME’ / ‘HEAD DEATH’ WAS RELEASED BY PAUL
Today saw the 1966 release of the Dylan-esque ‘Will You Follow Me’, written and sung by Paul Bedford; a guitar-playing troubadour and street musician who was playing in London’s Soho.
It was produced in a vein of all that was apparently current at that time on the tightest of budgets, but he had a talent for writing narratives like ‘Head Death’. I lost touch with him when I joined The Yardbirds. His uncle, Brian Bedford, was in the Oscar-winning film Grand Prix.
AUDIO: Head Death (Paul)
14 January 1966
ON THIS DAY… 08 JAN 1965
BOBBY GRAHAM RELEASED ‘SKIN DEEP’/’ZOOM, WIDGE AND WAG’
Today sees the 1965 release of ‘Skin Deep’ / ‘Zoom, Widge And Wag’ by Bobby Graham, the legendary session drummer who had played with Joe Brown and the Bruvvers prior to his session work, which included:
- ‘You Really Got Me’ (The Kinks) - ‘Downtown’ (Petula Clark) - ‘You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me’ (Dusty Springfield) - ‘The Sun Ain’t Gonna Shine Anymore’ (The Walker Brothers) - ‘Hold Me’ (P.J. Proby) - ‘Bits and Pieces’ (The Dave Clark Five)
He had been given a solo deal and his first single was ‘Skin Deep’ - a classic Gene Krupa number - and I wrote the b-side with him: Zoom was his wife, Widge his daughter and Wag their dog. Bobby died in September 2009. I miss him - he was a passionate drummer who understood his drums and how to inject energy into a session.
The footage was Bobby’s and shows the original location of Olympic Studios, previously a synagogue in Carlton Mews near Baker Street in London; it shows he and I arriving. Bobby went on to produce amongst others, The Pretty Things’ Don’t Bring Me Down and the infamous Mandy Rice-Davies, however I wasn’t invited to that session.
On this day in 1970, we played in Birmingham, UK, and it was reviewed in the Express and Star.
7 January 1970
02 JAN 1963
‘DIAMONDS’ BY JET HARRIS AND TONY MEEHAN WAS RELEASED
One of the first sessions that I had done in 1962 was courtesy of fellow Epsom resident Glyn Johns, the recording engineer who had rode me in on this. It was recorded at London’s iconic IBC Studio, a Robert Adam building in Portland Place, London. I played acoustic guitar on this one - a first solo venture by Shadows drummer Tony Meehan and bass icon Jet Harris. It went to Number 1 in the charts for three weeks in the UK in January 1963.
02 JAN 1963
‘DIAMONDS’ BY JET HARRIS AND TONY MEEHAN WAS RELEASED
One of the first sessions that I had done in 1962 was courtesy of fellow Epsom resident Glyn Johns, the recording engineer who had rode me in on this. It was recorded at London’s iconic IBC Studio, a Robert Adam building in Portland Place, London. I played acoustic guitar on this one - a first solo venture by Shadows drummer Tony Meehan and bass icon Jet Harris. It went to Number 1 in the charts for three weeks in the UK in January 1963.
