The Bobby Whitlock - Derek And The Dominos Thread*

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by happytobealive, Sep 9, 2008.

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  1. GMDuss

    GMDuss I Get A Custom One?

    Location:
    Rhode Island
    First of all, 75% of the corporate dudes who are running (into the ground) this record business don't have a clue about art. They are supposed to know what people want, but they don't have much of that either.

    CC, I've been reading this thread all the way since it began. And the words of the corporate dude have me foaming at the mouth.

    I'm nothing big in the music business, but for what it's worth I've been nominated for a couple of Grammies as a producer and I teach music theory and 3 instruments to 56 private students a week. Most of my students are in their teens, and I'll tell you what; most of them are not asking me to teach them about the latest Greenday album. Most of them are asking for classic rock, funk, and soul music. Damn near every single one has asked for something off Layla. Yes, I've taught Thorn Tree by request to a lot of young guys. And when I introduce them to the more recent Whitlock material, they dig it like I do.

    Doesn't exactly fit with corporate dude's ideas of "demographics" I guess. But you definitely have an audience.

    GD
     
  2. seasideboy

    seasideboy Senior Member

    Location:
    Central NJ
    Great great thread. Like everyone else here, Layla is in my top albums list too. CC, I saw you and Bobby play at SXSW in Austin this past year and it was the highlight of my time there. Certainly put all the other acts at the festival to shame.

    If I can be a real guitar playing geek right now, I've always been curious about the guitars on Thorn Tree. Duane is obviously playing the dobro in a tuning. But what about the other guitars? Are they in a tuning, or with a capo? Or is it so deceptively simple that therein lies its brilliance? I've found that's often the case, that something as magical as Thorn Tree must have been incredibly complex to create when in fact it was very matter of fact. Capturing the emotion on tape is of course the magic all us musicians strive for and Bobby definitely achieved.
     
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  3. Big Al

    Big Al Active Member

    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    Could someone please tell me what the third harmonic note is that starts "Thorn Tree in the Garden?" I know the first two, but I don't know where it goes from there!

    I love the D&D live album as well. Always loved it how Bobby's piano kept a solid chugging rhythm right along with Carl & Jim ("Got to Get Better in a Little While" and "Tell the Truth" jump to mind). Plus, the LP version has my favorite rock drum solo in "Let it Rain:" it never lets up, never gets boring, and never gets showy. It just keeps chugging along and then when the band comes back in..... WOW!!!! Then there's the version of "Why Does Love Got to Be So Sad" that kicks the whole thing off. I always loved that, during the extended coda, Bobby switches settings on the organ; sorta like letting the wheels out right before the plane glides to a landing, Eric being the plane doing the gliding in this case.

    I also agree with whoever said it before that hearing the story of Carl & Kay makes WDLGTBSS that much more heartbreaking to listen to.

    One more thing and I'll stop gushing: I really dig Bobby's harmony singing with Eric (oh yeah, and the voice cracking on "Thorn Tree," which someone else mentioned). Especially on "Little Wing" and "I Am Yours." It adds that much more desperate heartache to already majestic and lilting songs, respectively. Yeah, "Little Wing" is majestic. Sounds like a whole orchestra there!

    Going from memory here, but Bobby didn't take any piano/organ solos on LAYLA, did he? I mean, isn't that Jim Gordon playing the piano on the second half of "Layla?"
     
  4. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas
    Thank you for the great story ..
    Bobby is on Exile as well ...ahhh the thread of continuity .
     
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  5. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas
  6. toptentwist

    toptentwist Forum Resident

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    At some point in the early 90s, I heard the John Fahey
    acoustic guitar version of "Layla" being played on the
    radio (wxpn in philadelphia).

    My first thought was that it was a new version by Eric.

    I can't remember if I heard this before or after the reworked
    "Unplugged" version that Eric did... but I do have both
    acoustic versions somewhat linked in my head.

    Fahey's version is all instrumental. I think he did a great
    job on the song... for both sections of the song.

    The reason I'm mentioning this is because the CD with
    the Fahey version of "Layla" happened to be something
    that I grabbed and took to the hospital with me when
    my wife was scheduled to give birth to our first son.

    I was very nervous about the birth - partly because we
    had two miscarriages - prior to the successful delivery
    of our son Sean. I only remember playing two CDs
    in that room that day. One was "Lonely Just Like
    Me" by Arthur Alexander (his last album - released just
    prior to his death). The other was the Fahey album.

    They induced Shelly at 7 AM and Sean was born around
    4 PM. The music mostly helped pass time - but I think
    it also helped keep my wife distracted. I don't really
    remember putting on the Fahey CD until shortly before
    my son was born. At some point before the actual
    birth, I turned the CD player off - but it didn't matter
    the music was stuck in my head. LOL

    Since that day, I have always associated the two
    distinct parts of "Layla" with childbirth. The fast
    Eric part represents the frenzy and the chaos of
    labor.... the brief transition to the piano coda
    represents birth, and the long triumphant piano
    section written by Jim Gordon represents the happiness
    that new parents feel immediately after birth.

    I realize that what I just described was not in the
    minds of the artists who created the music. But
    that's the beauty of art. Sometimes art takes on
    a life of its own.

    Layla is a song that is THAT good.


    And I realize I'm probably lucky that I had the Fahey
    version with me - because I'm not sure the song
    immediately after it on the Derek and the Dominoes
    album would have been appropriate at that point in
    my life... especially given the circumstances
    surrounding its origin (which I was not previously
    aware of).



    And for what its worth... I absolutely loved the
    "In Concert" album. I remember buying an old
    beat up copy at a flea market - it was scratchy
    but I still enjoyed the hell out of it. I played it
    many times and I always tried to use it to illustrate
    to friends why I was a fan of Eric Clapton's guitar
    playing.

    I have both of Bobby's early 70s solo albums.
    Enjoyed them both too.


    On a strange note, I'm curious if Bobby has
    every heard the song by Ben Vaughn that
    appears to mention the Domino's drummer?

    I say "appears" because I'm not sure what
    that song is about... but I always assumed
    it was talking about the drummer, not some
    other person with the same name.



    Lastly, Austin isn't too far from Houston.
    Hopefully you make the occasional
    drive to Houston to play a gig here.
     
  7. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas
    seeing photos of this crash on some myspace page that was somehow Dominos related (cant find the link anymore). It was a blue Ferrari right?[/QUOTE]

    The Spectacular crash ..
    The Blue Daytona Ferrari was supposed to go into the shop for repair because Bobby's leg kept hitting the seat catch and every time he went into third gear the seat came loose . Keith Moon had called Bobby about coming to his house for a little party , so Bobby ignoring the car problem went racing off to Keith's house with his Samoan bodyguard .
    After a very very long night they took off home ( 5a.m. or so ) . Bobby was going pretty fast already , but when he went to shift into gear the seat slipped back and his foot hit the accelorator (at about 90 110 mph ), the wheel went to the right sending them off the road ...catching the curb spinning the car back into the road ..it hit and went through a lamppost ...mowed down a brick wall ( in front of a guys house) ,at the end of the wall there was a 40 foot pine tree, it cut through the tree (up rooted the tree) nosedived to the ground ...took to the air . Went flying and did 1 1/2 flips with a half twist and it landed facing the opposite direction with the roof below the steering wheel and the door panels a foot in the ground (upside down). From the point of impact to where it landed was less than 5o yards. This all took place in front of council flats ( like american Condos) , it hit just before number 1 yard flew over number 2 and landed in number 3's garden.
    The cars last speedometer was stuck on 155mph.
    When Bobby got that car home he had tried to crawl into the it to see how he had gotton out of it ...and could not possibly do it ." He had 17 shattered teeth and a piece of chrome trim ( about a foot long )went between the femur and humor bone...which he pulled out at the scene . It was shot like an arrow , and stuck .

    http://a717.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/2/l_2f5c6ae558c98fefde48e79183a0cc54.jpg
    http://a956.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/46/l_020439260d0816963d110b191688f143.jpg
    http://a606.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/22/l_48111bc0001257457e67755a928e4a75.jpg
    http://a261.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/96/l_a1cff347b41c7d8c26a939fefa340c9c.jpg
     
  8. RBtl

    RBtl Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto, Ontario
    CC, thanks for all this incredible information, and welcome to the forum. I really hope you stick around and become a regular here - there's really no place like it on the web. It's like a living encyclopedia!
     
  9. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas
    Majestic is the exact right word to use...When I read it, it took me right back to my first thought when I heard Duane come up with the intro..MAJESTIC..I thought it sounded like the whole Roman army coming...
    I played support piano along with Jim's as exact as I possibly could..Tom said that it gave it a more live feel..So there are really two pianos playing the same thing....
    The piano part was written by Jim Gordon AND Rita Coolidge....It is the melody of a song called TIME that Rita's sister"Pricilla" recorded in the sixties...He just never gave Rita credit...But, I have always tried to let everyone know on her behalf..Basically, she got ripped off by her boyfriend...Well, she's a star and he's in jail....Go figure...Was it really worth it? ~BW~
     
  10. Mike Dow

    Mike Dow I kind of like the music

    Location:
    Bangor, Maine
    Thanks! I have Marc's book and was hoping that he may have been wrong about the suggestion that only the late shows were recorded. Since songs from those two shows are all we've heard from the Dominos' Fillmore stint, it's probably true that only the late shows ended up on tape. It's weird though, isn't it? Why go to the trouble to set everything up to professionally record the concerts and only record half of them? I'm guessing there was more than a little magic from the first shows that we'll never know. I feel lucky that we do have those late concerts. They are among my favorite recordings of all time.

    CC, I second, third and fourth those previous comments regarding the record company suit and his outrageous comments to Bobby. It boggles my mind. Bobby Whitlock is a supremely gifted musician and songwriter with a beautiful and soulful voice. The record executive who uttered those heinous words did not deserve to sit in the same room with Bobby let alone utter such misinformed foolishness.
     
  11. NIKE SQ 460

    NIKE SQ 460 Just Do It...Daily!

    Location:
    westCOAST
    this has been an amazing thread... totally diggin' this.
     
  12. darkmatter

    darkmatter Gort Astronomer Staff

    :agree:

    What an incredible thread, I will revisit this classic album again very soon

    Simon :)
     
  13. Big Al

    Big Al Active Member

    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    Thanks, BW.

    John Fahey playing "Layla?" I have GOT to find this!!!:goodie:
     
  14. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas

    Thorn Tree in The Garden
    Eric was in standard E ...Bobby was tuned lower E string Down to D ...then put a capo on the second fret ...turned it into an E tuning .
    Made it sound like a music box.

    When we play live ...we are tuned regular .. with the low E tuned down to D. The harmonics are beginning on the A string (5th Fret)
    top E string (12th Fret ) , A string (9th Fret) G string (7th Fret) ..
     
  15. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Geez. This thread HAS to be an all time classic on the forum!! Where else can you get info like this directly from the artists' mouth!

    Coco, I'm sure Mr. Whitlock already knows but regardless of what some pipsqueak label executive says, we dig him here.

    And thank for the head's up on the Reid book. I just nabbed one today on Amazon and hope to be reading it soon...while listening to your new cd.

    We have been asking Bobby many questions. I'm curious..is there anything that he wants to know from US?? :)
     
  16. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    Any chance of Bobby doing his own book??
     
  17. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas
    Bill Levenson would have all of that material . He is the Box(set) Master

    They recorded everything . The Live album was the first night ..then the second night was added to the boxed set .
    On that night Bobby's organ broke down ..you can hear the organ breaking down ...and then the band started to adjust to the weird sounds of the organ . It got all psychedelic like .
     
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  18. pocofan

    pocofan Senior Member

    Location:
    Alabama
    Great to have you with us. Excellent album. A bit of musical history. Your tag name reminded me of one of the best albums almost nobody heard. Johnny Sandlin, Bill Stewart and Tommy Talton did an album by that title. Great album, went nowhere.
     
  19. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas
    Bobby says " I find it incredible the interest that people have, it shows the character and integrity of the people that are listening . It's about quality not quantity.
    The best not the rest . Stevie Nicks comes to mind ...people take a deep interest to what she has to say because there is a lot of heart to those songs ...like ours , the Dominos songs, they come from the real place .
    And that , people can relate to .
    And its like...I don't know ...I tell you what I would like . I would like more questions ...That would open up more for me . What it is that makes this so damn interesting that they got to know more about it . Is it because we are both still alive ? or is it that good (laughing...) or is it both ? "
    BW
     
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  20. downhill

    downhill Senior Member

    Location:
    Idaho
    Wow....what an unbelievable thread.

    Coco, I bought LAOALS in early 1971 and was floored. I was a junior in highschool and a big fan of guitar rock. From the first spin, I was hooked and turning all my friends onto this masterpiece.

    Initially, like the others, I figured pretty much everything on the album had something to do with relationships. As I got older, I often wondered if indeed, there was more emotional pain from Bobby and Eric showing though. Other things in their past maybe or things at that time, going on with the various band members.

    I can think of no other album that's touched me nearly as much as this one. It's literally an emotional roller coaster of a ride.

    Thank you for taking the time to share those moments with us. It's much appreciated.

    Can you also thank Bobby for sharing his memories?
     
  21. happytobealive

    happytobealive New Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    Austin Texas
    I just read it to him...thank you so much .
    CC BW
     
  22. Fox67

    Fox67 Bad as Can

    Location:
    Isle of Rhodes
    Bobby/Coco, any memories on doing the Johnny Cash show?
    Have you seen the DVD that came out last year with those clips included?
     
  23. prof. stoned

    prof. stoned Forum Member

    Location:
    ...
    Great thread.
    Here is another vote for 'Thorn three' being one of the great tracks from an incredible album.
    I first bought it at the tender age of 14 and it has only grown on me ever since.
    They don't make em like those anymore!

    One of the things that makes it so outstanding is the vocal interaction between Bobby and Eric.
    I always loved those raw soulful vocals of yours especially, Mr Whitlock.
    Hope you and your wife are well.
     
  24. Hawkman

    Hawkman Supercar Gort Staff

    Location:
    New Jersey
    I find that most music that has 'staying power' DOES come from a real place....and the musicians that record it allow that feeling to flow through on to the tape and into our ears and hearts.

    Such is the staying power of Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs.

    Well off the top of my head....

    What was Criteria like back when you were recording there?

    Was there one that got away? A gig or recording opportunity that slipped away for one reason or another that you were really looking forward to?
     
  25. Big Al

    Big Al Active Member

    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    SWEET!!!!! Thanks for sharing that! :goodie:

    I don't know if I have any more questions, but I'm sure gonna keep up with this thread.

    Since my sister lives in Austin, I'd hope that the next time I'm down there I'll get to hear you two play.
     
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