Tommy Emmanuel and Air Supply/ Men at Work

Squonk

...During the mid 70s through the early 80s, Emmanuel played on recordings for Air Supply, Men at Work and dozens of other popular bands and artists, as well as thousands of commercial ‘jingles.’ He became known as one of the best modern guitarists in Australia. Some of his most notable appearances were on the Air Supply hit singles “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love,” “Every Woman in the World,” and “Now and Forever.”...

Things will never be the same again when I hear these songs again (well.. I hope I don't have to..)

Just shows that there are some serious musicians gracing the very pop songs that you detest ???

http://www.tommyemmanuel.com/bio/

Bob-Dubery

Indeed, and a guy has to earn a crust.

Danny Thompson played on Cliff Richard's "Congratulations" but most people don't hold that against him.

In fact that's an interesting story. You didn't always know what you were going to be playing on. You'd get a call asking if your were available on such-and-such a day and at such-and-such a time. Danny said yes he was and the rest is history.

Richard Thompson did a lot of session work in the early 70s and played on records by the likes of The Brotherhood of Man. In some cases he asked to be credited by a different name, so if you were wondering about "Wolfe J. Flywheel"....

There are session guys who are fab players but never make it big in their own right - EG Tommy Tedesco.

Bob-Dubery

X-rated Bob wrote: In fact that's an interesting story. You didn't always know what you were going to be playing on. You'd get a call asking if your were available on such-and-such a day and at such-and-such a time. Danny said yes he was and the rest is history.

Richard Thompson did a lot of session work in the early 70s and played on records by the likes of The Brotherhood of Man. In some cases he asked to be credited by a different name, so if you were wondering about "Wolfe J. Flywheel"....

It worked all kinds of ways. Richard Thompson wanted a harp player on one of his 70s songs. At the time the numero uno classical harp player was Sidonie Goosens. Thompson called up some agency and asked if they could get Sidonie Goosens at this studio at that time on that day and they said "sure" and didn't even ask who she'd be playing for or what she'd be playing.

The Beatles frequently used top orchestral players.

Riaan-Combrink

Some I found:

Led Zeppelin founder Jimmy Page played as a session guitarist on Tom Jones' 1965 hit, "It's Not Unusual".

Before Glen Campbell had a successful solo career, he was a studio musician who played lead guitar on The Beach Boys' "Dance, Dance, Dance" and Frank Sinatra's "Strangers In The Night".

The same studio musicians who had just helped Bob Dylan record "Like A Rolling Stone" were asked by producer Tom Wilson to stay in the studio for one more song. He then recorded the electric guitar, bass and drums that were to be added to Paul Simon's voice and acoustic guitar. The result was the 1966 number one hit, "Sounds Of Silence".

And on a different note, but interesting nonetheless:

During the early stages of their careers, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, Hall and Oates and Steve Martin were all opening acts for the rock and roll nostalgia group, Sha Na Na.

Keira-WitherKay

? well thats the thing about session work........... you play what the client (producer) wants......... even if it's not your usual fare (genre) , and yes it's in a way "musical prostitution" cos it is all about delivering someone else's vision and getting paid for it.............and most producers have fairly strong idea's of what they want down .......... and a good session player will deliver that vision no arguments , and if one can do that the phone keeps ringing and the cheques keep coming .......

Bob-Dubery

Tommy Tedesco used to have a column in some magazine or other. It was quite interesting to read about the variety he got. Sometimes he'd turn up for a session and the parts would be written out and he was expected to play the part as written. Other times he'd get instructions like "we need 37 seconds, and it has to sound like the guy from Dire Straits."

Bob-Dubery

zohn wrote: Eddie VH played for Michael Jackson on "Beat it".... ???

Ja. That's a different kind of session.

Years ago I went to some Gibson product launch where the attraction was Johnny Fourie. He said that in the USA and the UK there are two kinds of sessions: The kind where you are hired to play whatever they ask you to play, and the kind where they hire you because they want you doing what you do.

The second would be things like the sort of guest spot that Eddie did on "Beat It", or a lot of sessions that Larry Carlton did where the producers wanted LARRY CARLTON sounding like LARRY CARLTON.

Carlton's an interesting case because he initially did lots of the first kind of session before establishing himself as a player with a signature sound.

Squonk

The one that puzzles me the most is Lee Ritenour being brought in to beef up "Run like Hell" on Pink Floyd - The Wall.

deefstes

zohn wrote: Eddie VH played for Michael Jackson on "Beat it".... ???

Yeah, imagine MJ stooping to that level ?

But more seriuosly, I think we like having these puristic dreams that our favourite musicians perform what they believe in and will not conform to the low contemporary standards. But, quite simply, that is not true.

We all work for money. None of us work for principles. Whatever it is that puts bread on table is what you will do.

As a software engineer I am faced with the same "dilemma" but I'm lucky that my fans don't blame me for the choices I make. Good thing software engineers have no fans ?

To show an example of that, a couple of years ago our company engaged in business with Iran. If I could choose my projects based on my fancies I would not do any development for Iran. But that's where the project was sold and that's whom I had to develop for.

Some software engineers are lucky and get to sell and choose their own projects. Some musicians are lucky and get to write and perform their own songs. But what they al have in common is that, when those products don't sell and their families go hungry, they all revert to whatever puts food on the table. Altruisms out the window!

Squonk

Squonk wrote: The one that puzzles me the most is Lee Ritenour being brought in to beef up "Run like Hell" on Pink Floyd - The Wall.

Lee Ritenour has been around - Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, Barry Gibb, Neil Diamond, Sheena Easton, Barry Manilow, Captain and Tennille, The Soundtrack from Grease, John Denver and this is just the "Pop" side of things, there was still Steely Dan among many others.

Didn't know he was a session musician ?

Bob-Dubery

deefstes wrote:
zohn wrote: Eddie VH played for Michael Jackson on "Beat it".... ???
Yeah, imagine MJ stooping to that level ?

But more seriuosly, I think we like having these puristic dreams that our favourite musicians perform what they believe in and will not conform to the low contemporary standards. But, quite simply, that is not true.

We all work for money. None of us work for principles. Whatever it is that puts bread on table is what you will do.

It's not just that. I think music listeners are often more purist than the musicians they listen to. There are many musicians who are interested in genres other than the one they are famous in and who like to stretch their musical muscles in other directions.

It's not always about money. Richard Thompson does a lot of sessions for free these days, but it's on the basis that it has to be something that he finds interesting anyway and it has to fit in with his own schedule. He's done things that are quite far removed from the sort of English folk-rock that he's associated with - including Cajun music and Kwela.

Bob-Dubery

Squonk wrote:
Squonk wrote: The one that puzzles me the most is Lee Ritenour being brought in to beef up "Run like Hell" on Pink Floyd - The Wall.
Lee Ritenour has been around - Leo Sayer, Diana Ross, Barry Gibb, Neil Diamond, Sheena Easton, Barry Manilow, Captain and Tennille, The Soundtrack from Grease, John Denver and this is just the "Pop" side of things, there was still Steely Dan among many others.

Didn't know he was a session musician ?

I think it's good work if you can get it. The rewards might be less, but so are the risks. If you play on a number one hit you might not get the royalties, but if you play on something that sinks without a trace you still get your session fee.

deefstes

X-rated Bob wrote: It's not always about money. Richard Thompson does a lot of sessions for free these days, but it's on the basis that it has to be something that he finds interesting anyway and it has to fit in with his own schedule. He's done things that are quite far removed from the sort of English folk-rock that he's associated with - including Cajun music and Kwela.

I won't dispute that, but I was actually waiting for the argument "yes but so and so does this and this for free" or "so and so turned down that job". My argument is still that, if Richard Thompson had no bread on the table, he would very quicky stop performing for free and sing the songs that bring in the money. The freedom of performing only what you like only comes after you've achieved financial stability.

Bob-Dubery

deefstes wrote:
X-rated Bob wrote: It's not always about money. Richard Thompson does a lot of sessions for free these days, but it's on the basis that it has to be something that he finds interesting anyway and it has to fit in with his own schedule. He's done things that are quite far removed from the sort of English folk-rock that he's associated with - including Cajun music and Kwela.
I won't dispute that, but I was actually waiting for the argument "yes but so and so does this and this for free" or "so and so turned down that job". My argument is still that, if Richard Thompson had no bread on the table, he would very quicky stop performing for free and sing the songs that bring in the money. The freedom of performing only what you like only comes after you've achieved financial stability.

Well ja. There's more stories that could be told here, but your general point is valid.

It's hierarchy of needs stuff. A friend of mine in the USA is a journalist. She once got an interview with Bruce Cockburn and asked him what keeps him working at touring and recording. He said "I have kids to put through college."

guitarboy2828

The question then becomes... Which great "idol" of a guitarist is going to stoop so low and play for Justin Bieber? ??? ?

deefstes

Paul E wrote: The question then becomes... Which great "idol" of a guitarist is going to stoop so low and play for Justin Bieber? ??? ?

:roflmao:

OK, surely that will never happen. I recant my argument. ?

Bob-Dubery

Paul E wrote: The question then becomes... Which great "idol" of a guitarist is going to stoop so low and play for Justin Bieber? ??? ?

My money is on Carlos Santana.

guitarboy2828

X-rated Bob wrote:
Paul E wrote: The question then becomes... Which great "idol" of a guitarist is going to stoop so low and play for Justin Bieber? ??? ?
My money is on Carlos Santana.

That's actually a pretty good bet... He has done quite a few songs with pop singers. I just hope it's not Andy Mckee, Don Ross or one of my hero acoustic guitarists... ?