carol kaye

carol kaye

Carol Kaye ook part in the recording of the first two Mothers Of Invention records.

info from Carol Kaye about a book she was about to write:
"This book will dispel forever the myths about the groups hit recordings, and will prove who really did play on them. The studio musicians cut everyone's hits in the 60s, from the Monkees to the Animals, even the Ventures (altho' some of the Ventures played on their recordings but that's myself on bass and Hal Blaine on drums, etc.), and one other, Frank Zappa had his own bass player and drummer but the rest were studio musicians: Tommy Tedesco on lead guitar on Zappa's recordings, Dennis Budimir and myself on 12-strings, and we loved his parts, there were challenging and good music. But after seeing the lyrics of the 2nd album, I opted out (just played on part of the 2nd, but all of the 1st album) as I was raising my 3 children and was sort of shocked at the lyrics, Frank was gracious, very nice and we remained friends, he understood. Yes, you might say I was a prude, but most of our bunch were (then)."

From: Tom Tuerff (ttuerff@pros1.com)
I was just at the Carol Kaye website where she lists having played 12-string guitar on Frank's "first two albums."
I don't remember any 12-string guitar. What songs is she talking about?

From: Mike Smith (mjsmith@kskc.net)
Didn't say what songs, but, she is mentioned in the credits on Freak Out.

From: Michael Gula (mikegula@MORESPAMerols.com)
Isn't there a twelve-string guitar on Any Way the Wind Blows?
FZ claimed that, while other L.A. groups used session musicians on their records, the Mothers played their own instruments.

Carol Kaye has upset a few people with some of her claims, most particularly that she, and not the legendary James Jamerson, played the distinctive bass lines on several well-known Motown hits. I was disillusioned to read that she, and not Brian Wilson, played bass on the Beach Boys records (although Carol acknowledges that Wilson did write the musicians' charts).

Regardless, there is a book in the works by Russ Wapensky which researches the records of Musicians' Local 47. It should provide documentary evidence on which bands played on their records and which used "help," as well as the Jamerson controversy. I was hoping this book would shed light on the musicians who played on Studio Tan, but unfortunately it only looks at the years 1949-1969.

Here's what Carol said about the book:
" This book will dispel forever the myths about the groups hit recordings, and will prove who really did play on them. The studio musicians cut everyone's hits in the 60s, from the Monkees to the Animals, even the Ventures (altho' some of the Ventures played on their recordings but that's myself on bass and Hal Blaine on drums, etc.), and one other, Frank Zappa had his own bass player and drummer but the rest were studio musicians:
Tommy Tedesco on lead guitar on Zappas recordings, Dennis Budimer and myself on 12-strings, and we loved his parts, there were challenging and good music. But after seeing the lyrics of the 2nd album, I opted out (just played on part of the 2nd, but all of the 1st album) as I was raising my 3 children and was sort of shocked at the lyrics, Frank was gracious, very nice and we remained friends, he understood. Yes, you might say I was a prude, but most of our bunch were (then)".

I'll probably find myself in hot water over this, but I've been giving Freak Out! a careful listen and...damn, but I never noticed before HOW MUCH 12-string guitar there is on that record!

Some of the more obvious places are:
(1) the pentatonic motifs of "Ain't Got No Heart."
(2) the background melodies in "How Could I Be Such a Fool" (notice that they're in OCTAVES?)
(3) the main riff in "Any Way the Wind Blows"
(4) the solo guitar/bass parts in "You Didn't Try to Call Me"

And there are less-obvious places involving strums on the rhythm guitar. May the Lord God forgive me but...I think Carol Kaye is tellin' the truth. Why would she make up such a story?

From: Hoodoo (hoodooBUGZAPPER@newnorth.net)
http://www.emplive.com/nowplaying (dead link)
I checked out the whole Carol Kaye interview thingie at the website address above and was blown away by what she has played on. She worked on so many hits and popular songs, especially from the 1960's, that she truly is awesome. Check out the lists of tunes she can be heard upon - separate lists for guitar and bass work she's done .
Also, check out her own website for lots of instructional videos and other neat stuff, including early photos:
http://www.carolkaye.com/index.html

The official Carol Kaye homepage: http://www.carolkaye.com
Carol Kaye interview via Richie Unterberger: http://www.richieunterberger.com/kaye.html

1	the mothers of invention: freak out! (1966, 2lp, usa, verve)
2	the mothers of invention: absolutely free (1967, lp,usa, verve)
77	frank zappa: the mofo project/object (2006, 2cd, usa, zappa records)
78	frank zappa: the mofo project/object (2006, 4cd, usa, zappa records)