Beautiful remembrance, Ellen! Had never heard the Taylor arrangement....heartfelt, especially knowing it's the day after Glen's passing. They had to have known each other, as long as they each had been in the record biz in the same town! And, it's easy to see James's respect for Glen, here. Thanks, too, for the kind and generous shout-outs, yo!
That song was on my list, but your note about his birthday bumped it to the top. The video on the Wrecking Crew remembrances you found was so interesting -- and I thought how lucky for those musicians to be part of that constellation of talent. Gratitude to Phil Spector for setting that in motion. He truly was an innovator.
I believe it's "The Clique" that Carole Kaye had once said was their self-contrived nickname back in the day! "Wrecking Crew," apparently came much later! At any rate, it's amazing how history makers just go about their job and their day, having no idea......until much later, they discover just where they stand in history's halls! Phil was all that, but he was also a perfectionist, to the point of inflicting pain with so many takes (see Tina Turner's sessions for "River Deep".....I've got tapes: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/tina-turner-1966-phil-spectors-river?utm_source=publication-search)!
Phil Spector seems fulls of contradictions, like many brilliant people. He drove Tina and the musicians to the point her shirt was saturated with sweat, and yet clearly adored her in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech on Ike and Tina's behalf.
His imitation of Ike smiling when he heard the recording (I'm assuming for that song), but then frowning and protesting that he couldn't possibly tour with one hundred people to perform it on tour, was a fun insider anecdote.
But agree that history-makers toil away not knowing they are putting down landmarks, like Brian Wilson with Good Vibrations. He just had these 'feels' in his head he had to get out!
The first version of "Wichita Lineman" that I heard was Glen Campbell's live performance on Jools Holland, which completely floored me, and I still find absolutely riveting. Glen's guitar solo is just perfect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GWF0RwVVjo
That lead me to learn a little more about him, and his guitar chops, and one of the more fun things I found were the many videos of him performing The William Tell Overture, which are both show-off performances and look like he's having a lot of fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bhuxkzjuQc
Welcome, Nick, and thanks for sharing those two gems.
I used to watch Jools when I lived in the UK and couldn't believe the diverse array of talent he had on (like Glen), and he'd just move between them over the course of the show. It was pretty wild. It's wonderful to see a live version of Glen doing Wichita Lineman and he still hit the notes at that age. I agree, it's riveting.
The second video cracked me up, particularly when he bounced to the music. And love those bellbottoms! But why didn't they give him a standing ovation?!
Part of what makes the Jools Holland performance moving is the way that it transitions from the moodiness of the song to, at the end, what looks like real pleasure in just being there still singing the iconic song. His final ". . . still on the line" feels almost celebratory.
For the second version, the audience is clearly into it -- it's fun to see them clapping along (at quite the tempo). I don't know why he doesn't get a standing ovation.
I think it's also moving that he's still performing a song in his early 70s that he made famous 40 years earlier. And having a great time. Very inspiring.
Welcome, Steve. Thanks for telling me about the Dylan Jones book, which I've ordered. I find that song fascinating, and it never fails to floor me too.
You're a Lancastrian? I lived in Lancashire for four years, in the noughties. Great place, great people.
Beautiful remembrance, Ellen! Had never heard the Taylor arrangement....heartfelt, especially knowing it's the day after Glen's passing. They had to have known each other, as long as they each had been in the record biz in the same town! And, it's easy to see James's respect for Glen, here. Thanks, too, for the kind and generous shout-outs, yo!
Thanks for your kind words.
That song was on my list, but your note about his birthday bumped it to the top. The video on the Wrecking Crew remembrances you found was so interesting -- and I thought how lucky for those musicians to be part of that constellation of talent. Gratitude to Phil Spector for setting that in motion. He truly was an innovator.
I believe it's "The Clique" that Carole Kaye had once said was their self-contrived nickname back in the day! "Wrecking Crew," apparently came much later! At any rate, it's amazing how history makers just go about their job and their day, having no idea......until much later, they discover just where they stand in history's halls! Phil was all that, but he was also a perfectionist, to the point of inflicting pain with so many takes (see Tina Turner's sessions for "River Deep".....I've got tapes: https://bradkyle.substack.com/p/tina-turner-1966-phil-spectors-river?utm_source=publication-search)!
Thanks for that link. Fascinating post.
Phil Spector seems fulls of contradictions, like many brilliant people. He drove Tina and the musicians to the point her shirt was saturated with sweat, and yet clearly adored her in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame acceptance speech on Ike and Tina's behalf.
His imitation of Ike smiling when he heard the recording (I'm assuming for that song), but then frowning and protesting that he couldn't possibly tour with one hundred people to perform it on tour, was a fun insider anecdote.
But agree that history-makers toil away not knowing they are putting down landmarks, like Brian Wilson with Good Vibrations. He just had these 'feels' in his head he had to get out!
The first version of "Wichita Lineman" that I heard was Glen Campbell's live performance on Jools Holland, which completely floored me, and I still find absolutely riveting. Glen's guitar solo is just perfect: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GWF0RwVVjo
That lead me to learn a little more about him, and his guitar chops, and one of the more fun things I found were the many videos of him performing The William Tell Overture, which are both show-off performances and look like he's having a lot of fun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bhuxkzjuQc
Welcome, Nick, and thanks for sharing those two gems.
I used to watch Jools when I lived in the UK and couldn't believe the diverse array of talent he had on (like Glen), and he'd just move between them over the course of the show. It was pretty wild. It's wonderful to see a live version of Glen doing Wichita Lineman and he still hit the notes at that age. I agree, it's riveting.
The second video cracked me up, particularly when he bounced to the music. And love those bellbottoms! But why didn't they give him a standing ovation?!
Thanks.
Part of what makes the Jools Holland performance moving is the way that it transitions from the moodiness of the song to, at the end, what looks like real pleasure in just being there still singing the iconic song. His final ". . . still on the line" feels almost celebratory.
For the second version, the audience is clearly into it -- it's fun to see them clapping along (at quite the tempo). I don't know why he doesn't get a standing ovation.
Yes, nice noticing about the Jools performance.
I think it's also moving that he's still performing a song in his early 70s that he made famous 40 years earlier. And having a great time. Very inspiring.
Never fails to floor me! Sure you've read the Dylan Jones book which is really great
Welcome, Steve. Thanks for telling me about the Dylan Jones book, which I've ordered. I find that song fascinating, and it never fails to floor me too.
You're a Lancastrian? I lived in Lancashire for four years, in the noughties. Great place, great people.