Today’s blog-episode is about DJM Studios.
https://willyoumeetmeonclareisland.wordpress.com/2023/04/14/the-studios-of-london-djm-studio/
Musings on the byways of popular culture
Today’s blog-episode is about DJM Studios.
https://willyoumeetmeonclareisland.wordpress.com/2023/04/14/the-studios-of-london-djm-studio/
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Marvellous, as per. I wonder how many times I have walked past that building and not realised?
@fentonsteve That’s exactly why I do this. The non-descript brown door next to Waterstones, on Piccadilly? How many hundreds of people walk past it every day without knowing that the first Roxy Music album and Slade Alive were both recorded in there?
What a splendid little LP that is!
Excellent!
Excellent read. Thanks.
@hubert-rawlinson Thank you.
Another great read, many thanks.
A couple of points came to me when reading the piece. First, George Martin taking L&M to Dick James almost got him sacked from EMI, as Ardmore & Beechwood were an EMI company. This is according to Mark Lewisohn who has, apparently, seen the internal EMI correspondence.
The second is, when Mick Fleetwood heard the Buckingham Nicks tape, he was only looking to replace Bob Welch. Lindsey Buckingham (ironically) made them agree to take Stevie Nicks before he would agree to join. I believe Mick Fleetwood gave this version in the ‘Rumours’ making of video.
@garyt Correct on the first point, certainly. It wasn’t only Bob Welch that Mick was trying to replace but, in my view, Danny K. A virtuoso guitarist with a lead voice, a combination of Bob and Danny, if anything.
I agree, but I would contend Mick thought he’d found that with LB, and wasn’t looking to add another female singer to the band, which was my initial point, not that he was only looking for a Bob Welch replacement (my clumsy wording) i.e. a songwriter primarily, not a lead guitarist.
MF and LB tell the story on the “Sound City” movie that Mick was there to audition the studio which was famous for its drum sound. They played him the Buckingham Nicks album as a demo piece and LB walked in as MF was grooving to his guitar playing. And the rest is history
@garyt Crossed lines. I agree and I remember from Mick’s book that, as soon as LB made it plain that he and Stevie came as a pair, he relented and took them both.
Lovely blog Niall. I too have always been a great admirer of Danny’s playing, especially his chuzpah for duelling Peter Green! I never fail to be saddened by the way people are chewed up and spat out by the business – true since the 1950s. The “Careless love” Elvis bio is equally heart breaking.
@Twang Absolutely. Clifford Davis worked the PG-era band into the ground. And his part in the whole Fakewood Mac saga is a terrible indictment. The only pass he gets from me is for keeping Danny going afterwards, although that could easily have been simply because it kept management income coming in too.
Like most complicated things it was probably a bit of both, shades of grey etc. I remember being astonished that the first solo in Green Manalishi is Danny – in the absence of any other information I just assumed it was Peter.
PS I can never leave comments under the blog – I have to sign into WordPress or something?
@Twang Yes, if you sign into WordPress you get each blog to your email and can leave feedback.
Absolutely superb
@niallb And a message from a friend of mine who is a massive fan of Danny K
“That’s singlehandedly the best write up on Danny I’ve ever read “
@dai Oh, wow, that’s made my day. It was a labour of love. Please thank your friend – that really makes me proud.
@niallb I passed your message on
“Mr. Bloe” is pretty awful though isn’t it. Very 70s when all sorts of mad things got in the charts. “Mouldy Old Dough”? 😁
Excellent piece, thanks!
I worked in New Oxford Street in the 80s and must have walked past it countless times!