"Freddie and The Dreamers"

Who is the guitarist on the recording and What Tone!

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Is is possibly Burt Weedon?

According to Wikipedia, most of the guitar tracks on Freddie and the Dreamers' recordings were played by Big Jim Sullivan.

There were two guys who did most of the major recording sessions in England at that time --- Big Jim Sullivan and "Little" Jim Page (yes, THAT Jimmy Page).

Most likely a Tele. This was the 1st album I owned. My Mom got it for me, knowing I liked the Beatles, and not seeing any difference. That's OK though, she almost gave me The Serendipity Singers album.

Definately sounds like a Guild with DeArmands, that's why I thought it may be Burt Weedon?

I got curious, so I looked at some of their videos. I see Epi Sheratons and Guild Starfire III's.

Upon closer inspection, not a Sheraton, but an Epiphone Al Caiola model.

On behalf of the great city of Manchester, my birthplace and where I spent the first 16 years of my life, I would like to apologise for Freddie and The Dreamers. They weren't in the least bit funny and for what they did to James Ray's wonderful 'If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody' they should have been shot.

But...but...Dave_K. You mean you don't do the Freddie?

Bob howard..But...but...Dave_K. You mean you don't do the Freddie?

I have to admit that at the time "I'm Telling you now" was in the charts we used to play this and do the prancing about on stage. The audience reaction was great!!!

Not easy playing the instrumental while "doing the Freddie"

Dave dee

Not Big Jim Sullivan...he did play on the first album release by Freddie and the Dreamers, and on a few singles, but according to the session list on his website he didn't play on "I'm Telling You Now".

Big Jim Sullivan Session List

That's kinda cool Dave dee.

Joe Moretti perhaps (RIP)

Okay, I'll admit I'm no expert on this band (I remember a few of their hits from my childhood, but never bought any of their records), but I'm puzzled a bit by this discussion. Why is it assumed that the band's regular guitarist(s) didn't play on this recording? In the videos I looked at, it appears that Derek Quinn played the solo on this tune. There's nothing very complex about any of the parts, so I'm not sure why a "session" guitarist would have been required.

It was common practice back then, both in England and in the States. In order to be assured of getting a good sound and a good take in as little time as possible, experienced session players were used more often than not to cut the backing tracks for the latest pop groups. The Beatles were an exception to the rule --- and even they ended up with a session drummer instead of Ringo playing on their first single. Jimmy Page did guitar tracks for a couple of the Who's first singles, as well as a couple of early Stones tunes.

The band's own members would then learn the parts and perform them in live shows. This is true of the Beach Boys, the Turtles, Herman's Hermits, the Monkees, Them, Donovan, and many, many others.

Thanks, Parabar. I knew of the practice, but maybe I didn't realize the extent of it. To be honest, it's still not clear to me to what extent this was going on. Also, I'm surprised to see the Beach Boys and the Monkees mentioned in the same sentence in this context.

The Animals recorded "House of the Rising Sun " first take. The recording studio had been booked for 1 hour so they carried on and recorded an LP.

They had been playing together on the road for a few years previously and were so tight that all they had to do was play their normal performance....

What you saw and heard was what you got...no miming to backing tracks.....just as it should be!!!!!

The Wrecking Crew (a bit like the West Coast Funk Brothers, and equally renowned, and definitely better paid) played on Beach Boys and Monkees records as well as a million others. FWIW I love some Monkees.

17.

53lincoln 1 minute ago

The Wrecking Crew (a bit like the West Coast Funk Brothers, and equally renowned, and definitely better paid) played on Beach Boys and Monkees records as well as a million others. FWIW I love some Monkees.

Just look at some of the fantastic song writers the Monkeys had......makes you drool just to think of them all!!!!!

On behalf of the great city of Manchester, my birthplace and where I spent the first 16 years of my life, I would like to apologise for Freddie and The Dreamers. They weren't in the least bit funny and for what they did to James Ray's wonderful 'If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody' they should have been shot.

My daughter's first husband, may he rest in peace, was born and raised in Manchester. He never mentioned Freddie and The Dreamers.... probably very smart of him.

@JimR56- session guys were used all the time.What would happen is a recording company talent scout would see a band,and notice some quality he thought the public would buy,then sign the band,and get a producer to put together a bunch of songs to record.If the band couldn't play the material(usually they couldn't) the ringers would come in. More or less a holdover from the Forties and Fifties when self-contained small bands who sang,played and wrote their own material were very rare,and equal-membership bands non-existent.

It could well be the Dreamers playing on the track. There were 4 main session guitarists in UK in the 60s, Big Jim Sullivan, Jimmy Page, Vic Flick & Joe Moretti (my fave) It was common practice to have the band in the studio (& remember these guys were gigging constantly so were pretty tight) with a few session guys on standby, in case the band couldn't hack it. This has led to a lot of confusion, particularly regarding Jimmy Page, some people seem to think Pagey played on every track in the 60s. Page was on standby when the Who did "anywhere anyhow" in case Townsend couldn't hack it, but obviously Townsend very much could hack it. Another common assumption is that Page was on "Baby please don't go" by Them (with Van Morrison) I read in an interview that Jimmy was again on standby, secretly praying that he wouldn't be needed as these tough looking Belfast boys were eyeing him suspiciously.

@ DaveH- "session guys were used all the time..."

Again, I'm familiar with the practice and some of the reasons for it. I think it's a little bit of a stretch, though, to say that ringers were used "all the time" (you're probably just saying it was pretty common, which I don't doubt), or to suggest that it was equally necessary for every band.

tonyb, I find your comments quite realistic and believable.

UK session players. First, have a listen to this, a cover of the Rufus Thomas hit Walkin' The Dog from 1964 by Liverpool group The Dennisons.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0np...

I knew the singer on this track (who was actually the group's rhythm guitarist, not the usual solo frontman) very well and we had a little band playing in and around Liverpool about 10-12 years ago. I asked him about making this record. He said Decca wouldn't hear of the group's lead guitarist playing on the track — a session player had to do it. Apparently they didn't want to risk an unknown young player — who might be perfectly at home playing live in a club or ballroom — getting the yips when the red light came on in an unfamiliar recording studio. The group, particularly their guitar player who was actually a very good player, weren't too happy but couldn't do much about it. The guitarist on the record is Jimmy Page.

A couple of weeks ago I went to a Nick Lowe concert. People were shouting out requests, and one guy asked for a song by Kippington Lodge, a band Lowe played in back in the day. He said: "Can't play that — too many chords! Anyway they were session guys — you don't think they let us play on our own records, do you?" Of course he could have been joking. Or not.

no need to apologize, at least to me... Mersey Brit pop was pretty cool and that song had some good changes.... I'm Telling You Now, that song.

Dont' forget Brit Invasion put a stop to all the dumb dance-craze from the US, but still at that time it was seen as a viable way to promote a song... so if they had the Freddy dance, no biggie. Gerry and the Pacemakers were also way kool.