My Dark Hour - The Steve Miller Band

My Dark Hour by the Steve Miller Band appears on their "Brave New World" lp.

As most forum members will know, this song was actually recorded by Steve Miller and one Paul McCartney (aka Paul Ramon)

The story (from wikipedia):

"My Dark Hour" was recorded in a late-night session on May 9, 1969 after an acrimonious argument between McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr over signing a contract appointing Allen Klein as The Beatles' financial manager. Lennon, Harrison and Starr walked out, while McCartney remained at Olympic Studios. Miller was the only member of the band to attend the session, and the song emerged from him and McCartney jamming.

Did Paul & Steve know each other prior to this? Why did the Beatles meeting take place at Olympic Studios? Why didn't the other two members of the SMB show up for the session?

It's the most aggressive song on the album. At least one musician (& maybe two) is pretty pissed off, which you can tell from the playing.

Can anyone flesh out the story a bit more?

btw (also from wikipedia) - The primary guitar riff on "My Dark Hour" was also used on the title track to Steve Miller's 1976 album Fly Like an Eagle.

 

From the Beatles Bible web site:

Paul McCartney performs on Steve Miller’s My Dark Hour
Friday 9 May 1969
Olympic Sound Studios, London
Producers: Glyn Johns, Steve Miller

The Beatles' earlier mixing session at Olympic had ended in acrimony when John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Starr had attempted to persuade Paul McCartney to sign a contract to officially appoint Klein as Apple's financial manager.

The other three Beatles had signed the contract on the previous day, but McCartney wanted to hold out. All four Beatles and Klein were present in the studio, but the session ended when all but McCartney walked out.

"There was a big argument and they all went, leaving me at the studio. Steve Miller happened to be around: 'Hi, how you doing? Is the studio free?' I said: 'Well, it looks like it is now, mate.' He said: 'Mind if I use it?' So I ended up drumming on a track of his that night. It was called My Dark Hour – a good track actually. He and I made it alone. I had to do something, thrash something, to get it out of my system."
- Paul McCartney Anthology
Glyn Johns had been producing an album for The Steve Miller Band. On this occasion Miller turned up at the studio alone, and McCartney found him a sympathetic listener. The pair jammed, with Glyn Johns in the control room, and a song eventually emerged.

"Steve Miller happened to be there recording, late at night, and he just breezed in. 'Hey, what's happening, man? Can I use the studio?' 'Yeah!' I said. 'Can I drum for you? I just had a ****ing unholy argument with the guys there.' I explained it to him, took ten minutes to get it off my chest. So I did a track, he and I stayed that night and did a track of his called My Dark Hour. I thrashed everything out on the drums. There's a surfeit of aggressive drum fills, that's all I can say about that. We stayed up until late. I played bass, guitar and drums and sang backing vocals. It's actually a pretty good track. It was a very strange time in my life and I swear I got my first grey hairs that month. I saw them appearing. I looked in the mirror, I thought, I can see you. You're all coming now. Welcome."

- Paul McCartney
Many Years From Now, Barry Miles
McCartney recorded drums, bass guitar, backing vocals and guitar to the track. Miller sang and performed all the other instruments. My Dark Hour appeared on Miller's 1969 album Brave New World, and was released as a single in the US on 16 June, though it failed to chart.

McCartney didn't receive a composer credit, but his performance was attributed to Paul Ramon, the pseudonym he had used in 1960 while on a tour of Scotland with The Silver Beetles.

 

Yes, the connection was Glyn Johns.

 

Glyn Johns worked a lot at Olympic, so that's why he was there mixing the Get Back/Let It Be stuff.

 

Ha! Some girl went backstage at Alloa Town hall and asked the bassist his name "Paul Ramon" Macca replied..said girl"Oh that sounds very good" ...ram on indeed.
£60 pound fee was split 5 ways including Tommy Moore and Stuart Sutcliffe.

 

Plus "Carl" Harrison, after Carl Perkins of course...

 

No quote from girl marvelling at his perky christian name.

 

The Beatles were recording at Olympic on that week, on May 1969.

 

Early Steve Miller albums are well produced.

My Dark Hour sounds like a Foo Fighters track.