Nilsson Schmilsson, what in the holy fuck???

[rhythm ranch]

Well, well, well...

I finally got an answer from the man himself! I wrote to Herbie Flowers asking about the Nilsson recording. He shared some interesting and pretty funny info. Here's what Herbie wrote:

Hi Mark,
It was a long time ago... but if I remember right I had an old Wallace glass valved bass amp, and the engineer at Trident studios I believe mic-ed it up as well as taking a direct line through a 'dit' box. Nothing special I don't think.
At the time of all those recording sessions us British session musicians were so busy that we got very lairy and tended to overplay, I certainly did anyway. Maybe just once or twice what we did was considered great, like on that particular date. The rest was sheer bullshit, loud, distorted, out of tune etc., that no doubt it not only ruined the recording session but probably ended the career of many a budding singer songwriter. That we will never know.
My bass guitar was/is a 1959 blue Fender Jazz Bass, which I bought in 1959. It's the only bass that I've ever owned. It wears black flatwound Rotosound True-Bass strings. I have only ever used these strings. As you can hear on Nillson's recording they have a nice warm sound when played with fingers, and an odd all top & bottom sound when played with a pick. The de-tuning was just for fun really - the out-take went on and on and on, and Richard Perry must have edited it down to the length he required.
The bass can also be heard on David Essex's 'Rock On', Love Affair's 'Everlasting Love', Space Oddity, and if you chek www.allmusic.com, punch my name in, some other tracks should pop up.
Hope that is of some help. Good luck with your music making.
Best regards,
Herbie Flowers

Fuckin' cool!!!

It's amazing how much time we spend talking about about gear and gear acquisition, while Herbie has had the same (and only) bass since 1959.

Early New Year's resolution: That's it, enough gear, just make some fucking music!

[rpowell]

My favorite Nilsson/Lennon Lost Weekend story was the one where they were in this restaurant/bar in LA, getting very obnoxious and inebriated. Lennon places a Kotex on his head. Finally, a waitress comes up to them and threatens to throw them out if they don't cool their jets.

Lennon says to her, "Don't you know who I am?"

The waitress replies, "Yeah. You're some asshole wearing a Kotex on his head!"

RP

[fazeka]

Wow. Interesting story.

I only have one beef with that story. It's hard to mention this being that it came from the horse's mouth and all... it's really nitpicking, but...

Jazz Basses didn't come out until 1960. Either 1) he bought his Jazz at a later date but remembers it as 1959, 2) he has a P-bass and calls it a Jazz Bass, or 3) he has some rare, prototype Fender Jazz Bass. I'm opting to go with 1) or even 2).

Weren't many Jazz Basses in England even in 1960. Maybe he meant '69?

[rhythm ranch]

Jazz Basses didn't come out until 1960. Either 1) he bought his Jazz at a later date but remembers it as 1959, 2) he has a P-bass and calls it a Jazz Bass, or 3) he has some rare, prototype Fender Jazz Bass. I'm opting to go with 1) or even 2).

Weren't many Jazz Basses in England even in 1960. Maybe he meant '69?

Looking over Herbie's history, it's unlikely he meant '69.

So maybe it's 1) or 3), because it's definitely a Jazz Bass:

[dgochenour]

Wow. I love it when I learn something here.

I didn't know shit about HN, then I started reading this thread. Today, I went out and bought some. It's damn cool... I gave it my first ever listen while driving home through NYC tonight.

Thanks all.

Don

[inhumentor]

This is the album I got the first hint of what my real voice range is... The non yelling voice range. If he really did the popeye soundtrack then he is a god. Good stuff.

[bobbydj]

What's a Kotex?

[rhythm ranch]

What's a Kotex?

[sashacasa]

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

wow. i was just talking to someone the other day telling them how much i really liked the arrangements on popeye. they looked at me as if i were a fool.
they just don't know.
tyler

[hardLeft]

I apologize, people, I just had to revisit so that I could relive.

This is to albums what Paul Newman is to good looks: inhuman.

I'm a guy, but I know True Beauty when I see it. Ever see Cool Hand Luke? Long Hot Summer? No? Fuck you.

Most things you listen to for awhile, you go, ah, yes, it's this, that, and the other thing. With Nilsson Schmilsson, I still wonder aloud: what the fuck IS THIS?

Can anyone elaborate?

You're such a silly woman,
hardLeft


PS: Fuck Emmit Rhodes.

[doctari]

Harry Nilsson achieved a bit of noteriety as a songwriter before I ever heard his voice. I'm pretty sure he wrote a song, getting airplay on oldies radio, by Three Dog Night called "One" He and Lennon made an album called "Pussycats" and it was sometimes hard to tell who is singing with or doubling who because of the similarities in their voices.

[Rodgre]

Jazz Basses didn't come out until 1960. Either 1) he bought his Jazz at a later date but remembers it as 1959, 2) he has a P-bass and calls it a Jazz Bass, or 3) he has some rare, prototype Fender Jazz Bass. I'm opting to go with 1) or even 2).

Weren't many Jazz Basses in England even in 1960. Maybe he meant '69?

Looking over Herbie's history, it's unlikely he meant '69.

So maybe it's 1) or 3), because it's definitely a Jazz Bass:

That's definitely an EARLY Jazz Bass. It has the concentric knobs. It's either a '62 or earlier.

Roger

[James Dawson]

fasinating thread! BTY The Apple I-tunes store has four of his albums. I recently bought "Jump Into the Fire" and had fogotten all about his remarkable sound!

[HypCo]

Besides loving the sounds on these early Nilsson albums (I've always been partial to Son of Schmilsson), I get a kick how he was able to slide in the wake and bake album cover.

[sticko]

I love "Aerial Ballet"
"My Good Old Desk" and "Mr. Tinker" being two of my favorite songs. I have a bit of a soft spot for some of that purple late 60's pop.