Showing posts with label dick wagner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dick wagner. Show all posts

2.06.2015

WHO REALLY PLAYED GUITAR SOLOS ON TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN


STEVE 'The Deacon' HUNTER

‘Train Kept A Rollin’, was written by Tiny Bradshaw in 1951. The song was given new life by The Yardbirds in 1965 then again by the inimitable Aerosmith when they recorded it for their second album ‘Get Your Wings” in 1974.

Their version is actually a two-part song, the first has a slower groove arrangement, while the second uses that of the Yardbirds. Aerosmith turned it into a hard rock standard and a staple of classic rock radio; it remains one of their most popular tunes.

But few people know that they had a little help along the way when, during the recording, Record Producer Jack Douglas saw the now legendary session man Steve Hunter sitting outside the studio taking a cigarette break from a different session and he asked Steve to play a solo over the first half of the track.

It was very quick Steve recalls, he got his own guitar which he thinks would have been a 1959 Les Paul TV Special. They took some time to get a sound, then, ran through the track. But, as he did not have the vocal in his headphones they ran through it again this time with the vocal in, and Steve nailed it.

He got paid about $750 for doing it, then, as it turns out, 'Train' had a huge impact on the career of the young, inexperienced Aerosmith. They went on to bigger and better things, becoming one of the highest paid, most domineering bands in Rock Music.

Unbeknownst to Steve, Douglas also enlisted his session companion Dick Wagner to play the solo over the second half simulated live ‘Yardbirds’ section.

Neither Hunter or Wagner got a credit on the album, as ‘ghosting’ as it’s sometimes called was fairly common practice at that time.

Hunter has no idea why he was asked to record the solo; as he says, it was none of his business. The rest of the band we’re all there, they were very nice to him and he was never asked to teach anybody what he played.

In 2013 Joe Perry played a solo on Steve's solo album 'The Manhattan Blues Project' (The Brooklyn Shuffle) alongside his buddy Johnny Depp, so clearly there are no hard feelings and why should there be.

Statement from Steve Hunter

"Aerosmith was in Studio C of The Record Plant and I was doing work with Bob Ezrin in Studio A. I had a long wait between dubs and was waiting in the lobby. Jack Douglas popped his head out of Studio C and asked "Hey, do you feel like playing? I said sure, so I grabbed my guitar and went in" "I had two run thru’s, then Jack said "great' that's it! That turned out to be the opening solos on 'Train Kept A Rollin’ " steve hunter 2/1/2015

Here is a selection of other classic solos from Steve Hunterer




8.20.2014

MESSAGE FROM DONNY HARTMAN OF THE FROST


Since Dick Wagner's passing I've been reminiscing a little about the great days THE FROST had during the hey days in Detroit from 1967 through 1971. The Frost was one of the premiere bands at that time and could fill The Grande, Cobo Hall, and Olympia Stadium on their own in those days and we sold over 50,000 copy's of the Rock & Roll Music album in only a few days.

Frost photo courtesy of James Anderson

Unfortunately it became a crutch to us as most of the big bands were traveling a lot more than we were and gaining a larger fan base. Due to that fact, and poor choices with record companies and management, we eventually fell into a void and new we had to make the tough choices a band at it's end has to make.

I will always be proud of what The Frost accomplished. Through that band Bobby Rigg and I have had a long career of playing in this great State of Michigan. Met more stars and future stars including musicians and singers from Detroit and around the world than most people could ever dream possible.

Thanks to all of you from the north to the south for letting us do what we do. Donny Hartman.


7.30.2014

DICK WAGNER HAS DIED: A TRIBUTE BY STEVE HUNTER

  Dick Wagner Photo credit BlueFat.Com

Sad news today...my old compadre Dick Wagner passed away this morning after a hard fought battle with a very bad lung infection. I know there are lots of you out there who know about the two of us and our history together. From 1973 until about 1978 Dick and I were lucky enough to play on some pretty cool records and some amazing stages all over the world with some incredible artists.

We had a thing when we played together like none other I’ve experienced. It might be because, for the most part, I think we were opposites. But I think that’s what helped us play so well together. We hardly ever had to work anything out...we just did it and it was always right. It was truly a phenomenon.

There was always mutual respect. After 1978 we went our separate ways but always stayed in loose touch. And we tried many times through the years to put something together as the Hunter/Wagner team again, but it just never seemed to work. We were at our best as a team I think, when we were focusing on the material of artists like Lou Reed and Alice Cooper.

That always seemed to be when the magic happened. Dick has written and co written some real Rock N Roll classics that will live on, as well as his playing. The stuff we did together back in the 70s was really and truly magical. With much love and respect, Rest In Peace my dear old Compadre...steve

4.09.2014

THIS FRIDAY ON THE ROCK AND ROLL LAWYER SHOW


Sheldon and the gang will be interviewing author, Steve Miller, whose tome Detroit Rock City is in everybodies hands and conversations these days...

People interviewed for this book include Dan Carlisle, Mitch Ryder, Stirling Silver, VC Lamont Veasey, Ron Cooke, Don Was, Mark Norton, Hiawatha Bailey, Brian Pastoria, Tom Morwatts, Jerry Brazil, Dave Leone, Jann Uhelszki, Pete Cavanaugh, Punch Andrews, Scott Morgan, Deniz Tek, Scott Richardson, Steve Fogey, David Teegarden, John Sinclair, Gary Rasmussen, S. Kay Young, K.J. Knight, Dennis Thompson, Jon Landau, Frank Bach, Rick Kraniak, Leni Sinclair, Sigrid Smith, Dennis Dunaway, Norm Liberman, John Koslosley, Pete Woodman, Susie Kaine, Jack Bodner, The worlds most pissed off guy Rick Stevers, Bill White, Donny Hartman, Shaun Murphy, Dave Palmer, Suzi Quartro, Ray Goodman, Gary Quackenbush, Becky Tyner, Jim McCarty, Jimmy Recca, Niagara, John Kordosh, Cathy Gisi, Robert Matheu, Nikki Corvette, Art Lyzak, Mike Rushlow, Skid Marx, Nick Kent, Dave Hanna, Ric Siegel, Peter Rivera, Gil Bridges, Mark Parenteau, Gail Parenteau, Michael Bruce, Jim Kosloskey, Cindy Lang, Tony Reay, Charlie Auringer, Tom Weschler, and Dick Wagner.

To listen to the show, airing Friday, April 11 at 6 PM EDT, go to http://www.tunein.com and type WCXI in the search bar. If you're mobile, download the free TuneIn app for your phone or other device.

Posted by Cheri Clair
Booking Agent/Promoter · Lincoln Park, Michigan
 Creative Director, Publicist RocknRoll Lawyer Show
https://myspace.com/cheridetroitmusicannex
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rockistar@gmail.com

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