Yes I saw it yesterday, every news channel and both much music and mtv were carrying the story.No one can deny his influence in pop music and he made the video what it is today, hence the name ' KING OF POP'. In saying this I was never a fan, not even the Jackson 5 when I was a kid, their music never caught my ear. I leaned more to Hendrix.It is a sad day for the world of music, I remember ELVIS and JOHN LENNON deaths and the impact it had on their fans, this will more then likely be on a larger scale.
I remember Ray Monette saying he played guitar on I Want You Back by the Jackson Five. He said two versions were recorded, one in Detroit at Hitsville, the other in LA. He played on the Detroit version I presume.
I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THE REAL SCOOP ON THE TWO RECORDINGS OF THAT SONG. THE ONE I PLAYED ON WAS ON DAVID RUFFINS ALBUM DURING THE SAME PERIOD. I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS RELEASED AT THE TIME. HERE'S A YOUTUBE VIDEO SHOWING MICHAEL,BUT IT'S DAVID'S VERSION OF THE SONG.
Nice version Ray. It's unusual hearing it without the high pitch lead vocal of MJ. The one thing I REALLY love about that song is the bassline.
How are you enjoying being back with Rare Earth? I presume you could be off the road for a while until Gil is fit and well. I take it you never made it to the UK with the Funk Brothers?
I AGREE DAVE,THAT'S ONE OF THE BEST BASSLINES OF ALL TIME!! THAT'S ACTUALLY BABBITT PLAYING INSTEAD OF JAMES. I REMEMBER TALKING TO BOB AFTER THAT SESSION,AND SAYING" KILLER BASSLINE"!! SHORTLY AFTER THAT THE SONG CAME OUT,AND NATURALLY.....WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE ONE WE CUT, BUT THE JACKSONS VERSION WAS THE L.A. GUYS.
I'M VERY HAPPY PLAYING WITH R.E. AGAIN!! IT FEELS LIKE COMING HOME.
WITH GIL'S BOUT,WE MISSED TWO DATES THIS WEEKEND,BUT HE'LL BE READY TO ROCK FOR THE 11TH AND 12TH OF JULY IN WAUKEGAN,IL. ,AND WINDSOR,ON. YOU JUST CAN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN!!
THE FUNKS CAME CLOSE TO COMING TO THE UK,BUT THEY JUST COULDN'T QUITE MAKE IT WORK.
Had to laugh Ray. I was just looking at the other thread (reply to Jesse) before this one. You mentioned you are missing a forthcoming Rare Earth gig because you are in London with The Funks. The heartbeat is back to normal now I see its not London UK.
About that bassline Ray, and Motown sessions in general. Did the writers eg H-D-H. Whitfield / Strong, Smokey, The Corporation etc supply written music for you. Did you have to stick to the cript or did you have the freedom to come up with your own guitar parts?
If Bob was playing the Detroit session was James Jamerson playing in LA? Did James write that bassline or was it the writers of the song?
IT VARIED DAVE. MANY TIMES THE MAIN LINES WERE WRITTEN,AND OTHER TIMES YOU HAD THE FREEDOM TO COME UP WITH YOUR OWN. NORMAN WOULD EVEN HUM LINES TO US, WHILE OTHERS WOULD WANT EXACTLY WHAT WAS WRITTEN.
THE ARRANGERS ALSO CAME UP WITH MANY OF THE PARTS. PAUL RISER,FOR ONE, WOULD HAVE THE ENTIRE BASSLINE WRITTEN OUT FOR JAMERSON,OR BABBITT.
BOB DID "I WANT YOU BACK" BECAUSE JAMES COULDN'T MAKE IT THAT DAY. HE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS AND BECAME LESS RELIABLE TOWARDS THE END OF THE DETROIT RUN. THE L.A. PLAYER ON "IWYB" WAS WILTON FELDER, ALONG WITH THE USUAL L.A. CATS.
AS AN EDUCATED GUESS,I WOULD SAY THAT THE ARRANGER,AND BABBITT CAME UP WITH THE BASSLINE. THE BASICS OF IT WOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN,AND BOB EMBELLISHED ON IT.
Those were happy Motown days for me Ray.I loved some of those H-D-H songs around 1966 by The Four Tops, Jr Walker and The Supremes amongst others. However, once 1969/70 came around I was just starting to buy records and between 1969 and 1972 I bought most of the singles that came out. There were so many Motown artists cracking the charts and they weren't just the big names. There was still room for The Elgins, The Velvelettes, R. Dean Taylor, The Motown Spinners (as known in the UK) and San Remo Strings for instance and plenty more that never quite made it e.g "6 by 6" by Earl Van Dyke. By this time The Jackson Five were on a roll.
Soon afterwards I started to cross over towards rock music and Rare Earth provided the ideal bridge between the two.
