Quote:
Originally Posted by u crank
(Post 2470463)
Thanks Vienna for that interesting stuff. More. Supposedly Mitchell got the job with Hendrix after auditioning on a coin toss. He beat out Aynsley Dunbar who went on to play with John Mayall.
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You're welcome, U Crank, and thanks for the many interesting posts you have made to this thread. :salute:
Noel Redding also had an interesting path to becoming Hendrix's bass player; when he arrived at the first auditions for The Experience, he thought he was up for the slot of lead guitarist (not going to happen with Hendrix around, no matter how good any guitarist may have been); when he found out the only open slot was for a bass player, he weighed the prospect of a paying gig against continuing to beat the pavement and signed on. When it became further apparent to Redding he was not going to really have much in the way of creative input with The Experience, he developed a sort of muted hostility towards Hendrix. There were not a few reported instances of Redding making disparaging comments about Hendrix, some of which were overtly racist. It's a shame because he really was quite a fine bass player...
The Eric Johnson quote you supplied made mention of Mitch Mitchell's ability to add "swing" to his playing and it brought to mind Charlie Watts, another drummer who has been described as a "swing" drummer. Charlie may not be a flash drummer like Moon or a power drummer like Bonham, but he is, by far, one of the most respected, by his peers, drummers in music. I once read an article about the recording of a Stones album produced by an outside producer who was a big advocate of drum machines (I blame Jagger for that call); the producer said he played a track for Charlie with the drumming done by a digital machine and and he asked Charlie for his opinion; Charlie, in his usual quiet, polite manner, said it was a very nice and interesting track, but if he were playing he might have lagged the beat a bit to give texture and tension to the track; the producer immediately recognized Charlie was dead on. You might have the best drum machine in the world but it will never beat the best drummers for that 'human touch and feel'...
Charlie is one of those drummers who has to deal with the several styles and genres the Stones have used and continue to use both live and in the studio. This what makes him so versatile and valuable. Here is a track I feel showcases his ability to switch from loud rocker to jazz styles in the same number:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9_9ne2FCu7I
Note the fine work of Mick Taylor, Bobby Keys, Nicky Hopkins, and Billy Preston...
Charlie Watts on drumming:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1_6z9oqet8
This is a favorite of mine; Charlie, 65 years old, providing the driving power for the Stones in 2006:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiswNgUYD4M
Charlie Watts is now 75 years old and still rocking: long may he do so...
<O>
