Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

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soundguy
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Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by soundguy » Thu Oct 09, 2003 12:27 pm

ok.

does anyone knwo anything about harry nilsson? I mean, where the hell did he buy his cool pills from, beacuse I want some of that shit.

Lucky dude got to record at trident in 1971, so obviously this record is like, among the most insane things you'll hear in your life, but the record kinda chugs along and then someone drops the cool pill and you get Jump Into The Fire. What the fuck is that about? Is there a cooler bass sound than that? Do you get vocal performances like that from humans? Ive been trying to understand this record since Ive been in high school, and I really just dont get it. Did this guy tour? I cant even imagine what the hell his shows must have been like.

I remember when he died, there was like no mention anywhere, pretty much along the same lines as sterling morrison. Sorta sad. Phil Brown is credited with some work at island, did he ever address any of those sessions in the are we rolling series? I missed the first few installments of that.

This record is an excellent example of how to totally rock. And of course, hell will freeze before anybody talks about it.

dave

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by Jay » Thu Oct 09, 2003 1:03 pm

YESSSSSsssss!

I am a big big Harry Nilsson fan and this is possibly my favourite. I've actually wanted to talk about some of the sounds (and on his 1st two albums) but I figured noone would care to talk about it and/or his sessions were undocumented. I've never read any mention of him performing live though I suppose it could've happened. I have two copies of Schmilsson on vinyl and I've been trying unsuccessfully since summer to give the 2nd away to pretty much anyone that will walk into the living room.

Also I'm playing drums in a band here for a show and I believe we'll attempt "Gotta Get Up." So yeah, Nilsson. Props.

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by soundguy » Thu Oct 09, 2003 1:22 pm

jay

Ill buy that record from ya, I cant find it anywhere.

Gotta Get Up has got to be the closest thing to Beatles that Ive probably ever heard. Way more so than stuff like All Things Must Pass, spector, worthless. The piano may be a bit bright, but those guitars and the snare drum sound like they were sampled from Abbey Road. Something cool was happening in England back then.

The vocal phrasing on get up is nothing short of brilliant.

this is one of those records that has probably made millions in publishing between coconut and let the good times roll but nobody knows it at all. Im having a hard time trying to think of a cooler bass sound than the one on Jump Into The Fire. Losing You on every picture tells a story is close, but definitely no cigar. I wish I could predictably record a bass sound that deep every time.

Maybe thats what a trident A and an La2a does. I would love to find out.

someday...

dave

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by Al » Thu Oct 09, 2003 2:48 pm

Didn't something bizzare happen to Nilssons body in an earthquake??, or did i dream that?...don't think so!..i suppose there's ways off finding out these things on the net.

And that double tracked vocal of his, it was so tight it sounds like one voice, now that is impressive!!

Al

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by aurelialuz » Thu Oct 09, 2003 2:55 pm

soundguy wrote:Ill buy that record from ya, I cant find it anywhere.
oh man, pick a goodwill, any goodwill. that's the only one i ever see except maybe the point. it must have been platinum.

his first two records, now those are hard to find. man is he ever a great singer.

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by Jay » Thu Oct 09, 2003 3:54 pm

Wow, yeah, Vancouver has Nilsson Schmilsson all up and downtown. If you can't find it I'll dig it up and mail it out. I'm fairly confident nobody's taken it.

As I recall he was initially a session singer.

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by AstroDan » Thu Oct 09, 2003 5:38 pm

I think he wrote the score for the Robin Williams musical 'Popeye'.
"I have always tried to present myself as the type of person who enjoys watching dudes fight other dudes with iron claws."

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by @?,*???&? » Thu Oct 09, 2003 8:10 pm

I'm sitting here looking at the copy of the 'Popeye' soundtrack in my record collection (vinyl of course) and here's how the credit reads:

"Album includes additional music written, produced, and augmented by Harry Nilsson"

Music arranged and conducted by van Dyke Parks

Another credit in the film credit listings: Music & Lyrics by Harry Nilsson

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by bobbydj » Thu Oct 09, 2003 10:22 pm

Jay wrote:Wow, yeah, Vancouver has Nilsson Schmilsson all up and downtown. If you can't find it I'll dig it up and mail it out. I'm fairly confident nobody's taken it.

As I recall he was initially a session singer.
This must be the only possible similarity between Vancouver and Stoke-on-Trent. Nilsson is defo in the 2ndhand racks here. I've browsed over Schmilsson and X number of others time after after time, wondering who the hell this bloke is, toying with dropping coin (like 50p, heh heh) on a LP but always plumping for a Mountain comp or some horrendous early '70s prog-a-thon that I'm far too embarassed to recall in public. Thank you goodnight.
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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by rhythm ranch » Thu Oct 09, 2003 10:28 pm

Wow! Dave, thanks for reminding me about this album. I must have listed to this one and Son of Schmilsson somewhere between 3 or 4 million times when they came out.

IIRC, the bass on Jump Into the Fire was played by Klaus Voorman, bassist extraordinaire and The Beatles' Revolver cover artist.

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by Bwanasonic » Thu Oct 09, 2003 11:56 pm

There is also that whole weird Mama Cass/ Keith Moon death flat thing...

Kerry M

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by Al » Fri Oct 10, 2003 2:57 am

bobbydj wrote:
Jay wrote:Wow, yeah, Vancouver has Nilsson Schmilsson all up and downtown. If you can't find it I'll dig it up and mail it out. I'm fairly confident nobody's taken it.

As I recall he was initially a session singer.
This must be the only possible similarity between Vancouver and Stoke-on-Trent. Nilsson is defo in the 2ndhand racks here. I've browsed over Schmilsson and X number of others time after after time, wondering who the hell this bloke is, toying with dropping coin (like 50p, heh heh) on a LP but always plumping for a Mountain comp or some horrendous early '70s prog-a-thon that I'm far too embarassed to recall in public. Thank you goodnight.
Nothing wrong with a blast of Nantuckets sleighride now and again though eh Bobby?

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by @?,*???&? » Fri Oct 10, 2003 6:23 am

Dave, did you ever pick up Todd Rundgren's "A wizard, a true star"?

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by mrdazobee » Fri Oct 10, 2003 6:24 am

I remember Marrianne Faithfull talking about when he died his body was in the hospital morgue and an earthquake happened.His body was supposedly lost down one of the cracks never to be seen again!!...On a lighter note,like Bobby I pondered over his albums at many a car boot sale before taking the plunge.Glad I did though that guy had an amazing voice,very Lennonesque on some songs.talking of Lennon,didn't they knock around together during his lost weekend?

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Re: Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

Post by bobbydj » Fri Oct 10, 2003 6:29 am

Al wrote:
bobbydj wrote:
Jay wrote:Wow, yeah, Vancouver has Nilsson Schmilsson all up and downtown. If you can't find it I'll dig it up and mail it out. I'm fairly confident nobody's taken it.

As I recall he was initially a session singer.
This must be the only possible similarity between Vancouver and Stoke-on-Trent. Nilsson is defo in the 2ndhand racks here. I've browsed over Schmilsson and X number of others time after after time, wondering who the hell this bloke is, toying with dropping coin (like 50p, heh heh) on a LP but always plumping for a Mountain comp or some horrendous early '70s prog-a-thon that I'm far too embarassed to recall in public. Thank you goodnight.
Nothing wrong with a blast of Nantuckets sleighride now and again though eh Bobby?
Or 'The Weekend World' theme as us ancient bastards like to call it.
Bobby D. Jones
Producer/Engineer
(Wives with Knives, Tyrone P. Spink, Potemkin Villagers et al)

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