Does anyone know why there is never any mention of where George recorded the single, "Bangladesh", and who played on that session? It seems like all the references are only made to the live concert and the players that did that version.
Since 1971 I've always wondered why...
Marty Tryon
George Harrison's "Bangladesh" session...
George Harrison's "Bangladesh" session...
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
Why yes Martin, (shamelessly answers self) I do know where "Bangladesh" was recorded, and since nobody took the bait, for a fun bit of "trivia", I think I'll volunteer an answer for you. Lemme see if I can remember correctly...
I seem to recall who played on, and attended that session... Though I've never seen it in print anywhere.
OK Beatle trivia buffs...here goes!
George recorded the single "Bangladesh" in Hollywood, CA. It was recorded at Wally Hieders' "secret" unmarked studio number four on Cahuenga Blvd. (Grey building, red door, unmarked address---press the red button, speak clearly...cross fingers.)
As for the players on that session; Hmmm...
Well, I believe the first guy that "buzzed in" was Leon Russell. Needless to say, Leon played piano. Jim Keltner played drums (the only drummer there...not Ringo...sorry), Carl Radle (Pacific Gas & Electric) played a highly modified "Tele" Fender bass through a blond 4X10 (even old then) Fender bassman (taken D.I. and mic'd). Carl, may you rest in peace, you were truly a great and gifted musician.
Gary Wright (Dream Weaver) played harmonium, and some guys from "Bad Finger" were there and played various percussion toys and did some background vocals...
On a MUCH deeper level of trivia... The chord charts for Bangladesh were scribbled on high school notebook paper from the local "Sav-On" drug store. The one dollar pack with the red line on the left and blue horizontal lines, pre-punched for 3 ring binders. Please don't be fooled by imitations on E-Bay, this was the real pre-punched Sav-On stuff...
Phil Spector, showed up kinda late, and produced this track, and though it started out very simple, the track became more and more complicated as the evening wore on. (and on and on) Thank you Phil.
Alan Klien, the Rolling Stones Manager was there too, along with Patty Harrison, George's wife at the time.
Wanna know what kind of guitar George played?
It was a "rental", J-200, or 180... I'm no expert on the Gibson "J" series.
Oh... there were a couple of other *no-names* there too.
Maybe one of those hard to reach Beatle authoritarian authors will find this, and perhaps see fit to add it to one of those "Beatle" trivia books.
That would be cool---since I've never seen any record of this session mentioned anywhere...and it deserves mention, since George started the entire "Concert For..." thing.
His presence was amazing and riviting...
Marty
I seem to recall who played on, and attended that session... Though I've never seen it in print anywhere.
OK Beatle trivia buffs...here goes!
George recorded the single "Bangladesh" in Hollywood, CA. It was recorded at Wally Hieders' "secret" unmarked studio number four on Cahuenga Blvd. (Grey building, red door, unmarked address---press the red button, speak clearly...cross fingers.)
As for the players on that session; Hmmm...
Well, I believe the first guy that "buzzed in" was Leon Russell. Needless to say, Leon played piano. Jim Keltner played drums (the only drummer there...not Ringo...sorry), Carl Radle (Pacific Gas & Electric) played a highly modified "Tele" Fender bass through a blond 4X10 (even old then) Fender bassman (taken D.I. and mic'd). Carl, may you rest in peace, you were truly a great and gifted musician.
Gary Wright (Dream Weaver) played harmonium, and some guys from "Bad Finger" were there and played various percussion toys and did some background vocals...
On a MUCH deeper level of trivia... The chord charts for Bangladesh were scribbled on high school notebook paper from the local "Sav-On" drug store. The one dollar pack with the red line on the left and blue horizontal lines, pre-punched for 3 ring binders. Please don't be fooled by imitations on E-Bay, this was the real pre-punched Sav-On stuff...
Phil Spector, showed up kinda late, and produced this track, and though it started out very simple, the track became more and more complicated as the evening wore on. (and on and on) Thank you Phil.
Alan Klien, the Rolling Stones Manager was there too, along with Patty Harrison, George's wife at the time.
Wanna know what kind of guitar George played?
It was a "rental", J-200, or 180... I'm no expert on the Gibson "J" series.
Oh... there were a couple of other *no-names* there too.
Maybe one of those hard to reach Beatle authoritarian authors will find this, and perhaps see fit to add it to one of those "Beatle" trivia books.
That would be cool---since I've never seen any record of this session mentioned anywhere...and it deserves mention, since George started the entire "Concert For..." thing.
His presence was amazing and riviting...
Marty
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
Yep...
There were "two" no-names. Me and my buddy Al.
I knew nobody would believe that I was going "in" so I scammed my buddy in with me as a witness. It was the experience of a lifetime I assure you. I still get goosebumps when it pops into my head.
Marty
There were "two" no-names. Me and my buddy Al.
I knew nobody would believe that I was going "in" so I scammed my buddy in with me as a witness. It was the experience of a lifetime I assure you. I still get goosebumps when it pops into my head.
Marty
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
-
shamustwin
- Senior Member
- Posts: 5287
- Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2003 5:00 am
A cottage? No. Wally Hieder's (sp?) #4 was on Cahuenga Blvd. in the middle of a row of businesses. It was just a very long stucco grey wall (no windows to the street) with a single red door and a call in box on the wall. You had to talk to the guard and they would buzz you in. I had driven past there hundreds of times on my way to work but never even noticed it OR knew it existed.
I guess in all fairness, what I should do is write up the entire story and post it somewhere.
It seems there are enough Beatle fans that they may enjoy some new uncovered trivia. A few months ago I wrote my friend Al and had him write back all that he remembered about that all night session. We were both amazed that we remembered a great many different details. For example, the harmonium wouldn't work and Gary Wright didn't know how to fix it... so... it was simply a matter of putting the belt back on the pump motor! ...and I assure you, that was my TOTAL contribution to the session . I did NOT play on it.
Marty
I guess in all fairness, what I should do is write up the entire story and post it somewhere.
It seems there are enough Beatle fans that they may enjoy some new uncovered trivia. A few months ago I wrote my friend Al and had him write back all that he remembered about that all night session. We were both amazed that we remembered a great many different details. For example, the harmonium wouldn't work and Gary Wright didn't know how to fix it... so... it was simply a matter of putting the belt back on the pump motor! ...and I assure you, that was my TOTAL contribution to the session . I did NOT play on it.
Marty
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
Pictures would have gotten me fired, or at the very least blown my cover.
I wasn't there as a "guest".
I worked at Modern Musical Services in Hollywood.
They were like Studio Instrument Rentals and had a good studio rental business in those days.
I was their amp and keyboard repairman.
One day I saw a rental sheet on the dispatch board for 7:00 PM downbeat, Wally Heiders #4 for Apple Records. I didn't know who was recording, but I sure as hell knew Apple records meant "Beatle" to me. The gear was delivered in the afternoon. I went home, had dinner, got my buddie, went back, buzzed the buzzer, said we were from MMS and we were there to "set up" the rental instruments and had a key to the warehouse in case they wanted to rent anything else. The engineer said; OK, set up the gear.
He also said; Do you know who this session if for? I said No. Then he told me it was for George Harrision and all about his rush to get it done and take the masters immediately back to the UK... AND he also told us to become invisible and stay out of the way... So we did. We were there 'til 4:00 AM. They cut two tracks; Bangladesh and I couldn't remember the other one, but my friend Al told me recently it was called "Deep Blue" but I don't remember that at all... I'm 56 now and it's amazing how some details are clear and others just fade away...oh well.
My boss never knew I scammed my way in and I never bothered to tell. As it turned out, I did fix the harmonium and set up all the gear...so I guess that was my minute contribution to the gig, or the price of admission... What a trip huh?
Marty
I wasn't there as a "guest".
I worked at Modern Musical Services in Hollywood.
They were like Studio Instrument Rentals and had a good studio rental business in those days.
I was their amp and keyboard repairman.
One day I saw a rental sheet on the dispatch board for 7:00 PM downbeat, Wally Heiders #4 for Apple Records. I didn't know who was recording, but I sure as hell knew Apple records meant "Beatle" to me. The gear was delivered in the afternoon. I went home, had dinner, got my buddie, went back, buzzed the buzzer, said we were from MMS and we were there to "set up" the rental instruments and had a key to the warehouse in case they wanted to rent anything else. The engineer said; OK, set up the gear.
He also said; Do you know who this session if for? I said No. Then he told me it was for George Harrision and all about his rush to get it done and take the masters immediately back to the UK... AND he also told us to become invisible and stay out of the way... So we did. We were there 'til 4:00 AM. They cut two tracks; Bangladesh and I couldn't remember the other one, but my friend Al told me recently it was called "Deep Blue" but I don't remember that at all... I'm 56 now and it's amazing how some details are clear and others just fade away...oh well.
My boss never knew I scammed my way in and I never bothered to tell. As it turned out, I did fix the harmonium and set up all the gear...so I guess that was my minute contribution to the gig, or the price of admission... What a trip huh?
Marty
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
Great Story Marty, thanks for sharing. I can relate as I used to work for SIR and once delivered a guitar for Macca at the Tonight Show. I delivered it in the afternoon and than I showed up early (**snicker**) to pick it up hoping to catch Paul.
The Tonight Show was a regular account but this day security was TIGHT! Everyone and their mother was there to see Paul and I ended up having to wait outside the studio in the hallway.
When Paul finally appeared he was surrounded by a mob getting his autograph. Paul kept walking while signing and walked to his car (Black Corvette). A girl jumped through the passenger window but was quickly removed and Paul drove off.
The guitar was a sub-rental from Nadines. Someone out there has that guitar that Paul played and wouldn't have a clue.
Working in the music rental biz in LA sure brought some interesting experiences for me but none that can top your story!
The Tonight Show was a regular account but this day security was TIGHT! Everyone and their mother was there to see Paul and I ended up having to wait outside the studio in the hallway.
When Paul finally appeared he was surrounded by a mob getting his autograph. Paul kept walking while signing and walked to his car (Black Corvette). A girl jumped through the passenger window but was quickly removed and Paul drove off.
The guitar was a sub-rental from Nadines. Someone out there has that guitar that Paul played and wouldn't have a clue.
Working in the music rental biz in LA sure brought some interesting experiences for me but none that can top your story!
I should probably get together again with my buddy Al and put our heads together to do a proper "treatment" of this story.
I'm sure others out there would like a little peak at what started the "Concert for" idea.
George probably had no idea how many "concert for" would take place afterwards...
But it will have to wait. Now I'm busy trying to recover/re-build from hurricane Charley here in Punta Gorda... Lost my office, my recording studio gear, and three bass guitars (Hofner, AXL six string, and 65 Jazz) UGH!!!!!!!!
Thank goodness there wasn't a nice Ric 4003FG in that pile! (I've yet to make the 4003 plunge)
Marty
I'm sure others out there would like a little peak at what started the "Concert for" idea.
George probably had no idea how many "concert for" would take place afterwards...
But it will have to wait. Now I'm busy trying to recover/re-build from hurricane Charley here in Punta Gorda... Lost my office, my recording studio gear, and three bass guitars (Hofner, AXL six string, and 65 Jazz) UGH!!!!!!!!
Thank goodness there wasn't a nice Ric 4003FG in that pile! (I've yet to make the 4003 plunge)
Marty
It is pretty hard to tell what does bring happiness; poverty and wealth have both failed.
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
And trying to achieve happiness, I have realized there is a fine line between genius and insanity---I have erased this line.
(Ghandi-and Levant)
