J.J. wrote on Fri, 04 March 2005 13:46 |
compasspnt wrote on Fri, 04 March 2005 10:26 | My main drum kit, which I've used on almost everything for about 17 years, was one of Bernard's before I got it. It does have a certain "Strange Magic" to it (apologies to Jeff L).
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One of the Sonor ones?
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This is a Pearl Studio maple kit, like Larrie London used to use also.
By the way, here's a GREAT interview with Larrie (real name Ralph), but I'll include some BP related comments from it here afterwards:
http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Venue/9362/larrie.html"JF:
In the book, THE BIG BEAT by Max Weinberg, Bernard Purdie claims that Bennie Benjamin was a junkie and that he (Purdie) actually played on some 500 of those Motown sessions, only he claims that the rhythm tracks were cut in New York and shipped to Detroit where vocals were laid on.
LL:
Well, some of that may or may not be true about Bennie. Bennie was a very sick guy and it's no secret that he had a problem with the junk. As far as Purdie's claims go I don't want to get into a big thing about it but the guy's got some kind of a problem of his own. I mean - his memory's not too good.
JF:
Without actually naming you he claimed that he, had to fix up go in and overdub a lot of the Motown stuff, because it wasn't right."
LL:
Yeah, I've read that interview. He also claims he played drums on the early Beatles records too. There's no doubt that he was a great player, with King Curtis, James Brown, Aretha ... but I was there and I can tell you he didn't do some of the stuff he claims because I did it. Those sessions were live, vocals and all, and overdubs were unheard of in those days. If someone goofed we just did it over.
JF:
In the Weinberg interview, Purdie seems to be hedging - he's very reluctant to name any of the tracks he claims he doctored with The Beatles or for Motown.
LL:
Well, that's because he didn't play on COME SEE ABOUT ME, or BABY LOVE or SUGAR PIE HONEY BUNCH, or any of the others. Lots of witnesses were there, so ask them if it was a tape from New York or a fat scared white kid named Ralph. (Laughs.) I really hate to call someone a liar, but he called me one first. Ringo called his story rubbish and said you don't bother disputing that shit. Those were his words...I just never bothered. There were other drummers from time to time - Purdie may have been one of them. I don't deny that, but 500 tracks? I have fond memories of playing double drums with Stevie Wonder on the UPTIGHT sessions. It was a gas - he was soooo funky!
....
JF:
You've played on more hit records than any other drummer.
LL:
(Grins) If you say so. I think maybe it's Hal Blaine.
JF:
Or Benard Purdie?
LL:
No (Laughs.)"