2004.04

I’m hanging out by the pool at Hal Blaine’s Palm Springs pad, and he’s regaling me with stories about his life and busy times during the golden age of the L.A. session scene, when he played on over 8,000 songs and ghost-drummed on recordings by an estimated 175 bands. Blaine’s a genial and down-to-earth kinda guy, and between puffs on his ever-present stogie, he’s telling me what it was all about.

What it was all about, in part, was variety: Blaine’s name is attached to an almost bewilderingly diverse array of pop, rock, jazz, big band, television and film recordings circa late-’50s to mid-’70s. The merest sliver of names and projects involved would include the Beach Boys, the Byrds, the Mamas and the Papas, Phil Spector, Elvis Presley, John Lennon, George Harrison, the Monkees, the Partridge Family, Three’s Company, Batman, The Love Bug, The Nutty Professor, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., John Denver, the Tijuana Brass, the Carpenters, Jan & Dean, Petula Clark, Neil Diamond, Steely Dan, the Muppets, and…forget it, man –– Hal Blaine was simply everywhere.

How did he get there? Practice, practice – and preparation. Originally from Hartford, Connecticut, Blaine moved to L.A. as a music-obsessed teenager and, while soaking up celebrity vibes during the day as a Malibu beach cabin boy, played R&B-oriented dates with mostly black musicians in the San Bernardino area. Returning from his Army stint in Korea, he used the G.I. Bill to attend music school in Chicago, where he learned arranging, harmony, piano, voice and how to sight-read any music put in front of him –– a skill that paid off handsomely in his future studio work.

Back in L.A., Blaine began hustling jobs wherever he could get them, and although at age 25 he was already playing with Count Basie’s orchestra, he also scraped by doing sets in strip bars and scuzzy clubs like the Crossbow in the Valley. He could play whatever the musical setting required. “To this day,” he says, “I don’t care what the song is, I hear it and I can hum along, I can do countermelodies to it. Realize that these are not the kinds of things that every drummer can do.” Read the rest of this entry »

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“A Little Less Conversation” is a song written by Mac Davis and Billy Strange and originally recorded by Elvis Presley for his 28th film, an MGM movie called Live a Little, Love a Little in 1968.

Elvis Presley – A Little Less Conversation (original version) Click to see the clip. (Opens in a new window/tab)

It was released by RCA Victor as a single in September 1968. The initial release *only* reached #69 on the Top 100 Billboard Singles charts. It was recorded on March 7, 1968 at Western Recorders, Hollywood, CA. This session marked the first time Elvis recorded with a live orchestra in the studio. It was later released on the RCA Camden budget label LP “Almost in Love” in November 1970.

As if to show just how timeless the catalogue really is, 2002 rolled in and with it Tom Holkenborg, aka ‘Junkie XL/JXL’, a Dutch musician and a talented remixer, strolled onto the scene with a Radio Remix Edit and took ‘A Little Less Conversation’ to the top of the charts via a 34 year old recording.

And the beat is still so freaking sweet. It is honestly one of this writers favorite backbeats and I know that Hal feels the same. “Yeah, that was just one of those songs that later you were surprised it didn’t do better, it was an exciting song. Elvis brought this vitality – this sense of danger to the recording. Great song.”

And it just goes to show you how timeless Blaine’s ‘style’ is.

Cut to: 2008. Andy Johnson records a remix of Johnny Cash’s “Cry, Cry, Cry” featuring Hal’s drums (the original recording) from “A Little Less Conversation” and it is brilliant. Hear it here: A Little Less Crying (opens player in new window/tab)

And it just keeps getting better, its become so familiar because of its use in movies and television and I assure you, those contracted on that gig are better for it.

This seasons winner of American Idol, Lee DeWyze, performed this for his winning number! Listen to DeWyze’s version here. (opens player in new window/tab)

This song, I think, hit its stride late — but at just the right time — and has been consistently good ever since. I’m just saying, is all.

mControl – Contributing Writer

Here are some groovy “Hal Factoids”!

Hal Blaine’s drums can be heard as part of the Wall of Sound on The Ronettes 1963 #2 hit Be My Baby, produced by Phil Spector at Hollywood’s Gold Star Studios. Max Weinberg wrote “If Hal Blaine had played drums only on the Ronettes’ ‘Be My Baby’ his name would still be uttered with reverence and respect for the power of his big beat.” Rolling Stone magazine listed the song as #22 on The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In 1965, the Beach Boys and Dean Torrence of Jan and Dean recorded an off-the-cuff cover version of The Regents’ 1961 hit song, “Barbara Ann“. It was released as a 45 rpm single and on the Beach Boys Party LP in 1965. During the hectic instrumental break, one of the singers can be heard shouting off-mike, “It’s Hal and His Famous Ashtrays!”. This is a reference to Blaine, who was playing percussion at the session, and who accompanied this improvised song by drumming on a pair of overturned glass ashtrays.

Blaine recorded an all-instrumental album in 1967 entitled Psychedelic Percussion with Paul Beaver. Its 12 tracks each represented one month of the year.

In March 2000, Hal Blaine was one of the first five sidemen inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (One of the other inductees was Hal’s long-time friend and drumming colleague, Earl Palmer.)

Hal’s trademark lick was a quarter-note triplet played on two toms simultaneously, typically played during the out chorus of a song. Drummer Max Weinberg once wrote about how he would occasionally throw that lick into one or another of Bruce Springsteen’s songs; every time he played the lick, Bruce would yell out “Hal Blaine!” in joyful recognition.

Hal Blaine’s drums can be heard on the Nancy Sinatra hit, “Drummer Man” that can be found on the record Essential Nancy Sinatra.

Hal’s long-time drum tech is Rick Faucher, who has also worked with Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner, and other L.A. studio drummers. Rick has been an unsung hero for much of his life. Hal admits that, “I couldn’t have done what I did without Rick.” and “He not only made my life easier he is like my brother, one of my best friends and one of the greatest men I know.”

Welcome to the new Hal Blaine Official Website.  We know it has taken forever and a day to get it up! However, we are certain it will be worth it.  Many features are coming up – so bookmark us and check back!