A cool interview with Eirik The Norwegian on Ram

Hey Claudio, great interview.
There's one thing I would really like to know about RAM songs...How the hell MONKBERRY MOON DELIGHT sounded on the first take?
I've read that was the first one to be recorded on the sessions by Paul alone only with the help of Denny Seiwell

Luca

 

Great work, Claudio!

Veering off topic just a bit, I recently picked up "The In-Laws" OST, which includes Macca's "A Love For You".. was this recorded during the "Wild Life" sessions? It's very cool. Poolie also re-recorded "Live and Let Die" for the disc...

 

I was under the impression that the In-Laws version of Live and Let Die was the "original" recording (the one about which the Bond folks famously asked Paul "That's a good demo - how long till we get the final recording?") with a few additional overdubs, not a re-recording. Am I wrong?

To me, it very closely matches the One Hand Clapping Version down to the vocal ad libs. Which would make us both wrong since that was recorded in 1974.

EDITED: I take it back. It's not the "is that a Demo" version. I just listened to OHC and Inlaws, and it's that version.

EDITED AGAIN: Now I'm confused. I've got a CD called "Juniors Farm" with this same OHC/InLaws version that says it was recorded *in Chattanooga TN* on August 27, 1972!

 

Hi, thanks!
ALFY is a Ram backing track, but I think he only added vocals to it in 1978.

 

Hi!
That LALD version was taped in Studio 2 Abbey Road for One Hand Clapping, 1974 special.

 

Thanks for all the information Claudio.

 

I'm afraid I haven't got this info, but based on what you're talking about maybe Paul and Denny taped a backing track of the song and then were completing the track bit by bit as the sessions went. Perhaps Cb70 can be more precise.

 

Thanks for posting this!

Some really great questions (and equally great answers!)

I was always wondering who this Eirik fellow in the RAM liner notes was. Now I know.

 

Great interview, Claudio!

Thanks for sharing it with us!

 

Another fantastic interview, Claudio! Thanks very much!

 

thanks so much, guys. There's another interview I have just posted. Enjoy!

 

Nope, those vocals were done during Ram. On the other hand, lots of instrumentation was added on over the years.

 

First take would've been Paul on piano and Denny on drums. I'm not sure if it was the first song taped or not. I am pretty positive that we know about all of the songs recorded for Ram. No 'new song' surprises left unfortunately but some cool alternate versions exist of "Heart of The Country", "Get On The Right Thing" with a longer outro and Paul doing that great screaming of the title as he could only do in 1970.

Oh yeah, an alternate pre-orchetration version of "Little Lamb Dragonfly" with a much softer sung intro by Paul. Now this one needs to be released now!

 

Does COUNTRY DREAMER was also tried at the sessions? I've heard an home demo by Paul and Linda that seems to be one of the first versions of the song. If so this recording could date as mid-70.

 

The only other versons available for "Country Dreamer" besides the cv would be from the Backyard tape in '74 and the JPM special in '73. The proper studio version is from the RRS period.

 

Thanks for this, made my day.

 

Hi all,
Do you recall about the production credits written on Ram's inside cover?
Well, I just found something about that in my files. (Sort of) all answers to all first nicknames acknowledged in the sleeve - according to Eirik are as follows:

- Tim - is Tim Geelan

- Ted ?: Don' know

- Phil is Phil Ramone

- Dixon is Dixon Van Winkle

- Jim: Gurceo, Chicago’s producer

- Armin Steiner: Sound Recorders

 

I may have some other tidbits I'll post for you later.

 

A different version from the previous two was included in the bootleg SEEMS LIKE OLD TIMES.
I can post it if you'd like

 

Post it and send link via PM. It's probably from the JPM special as more than one version was taped that day but it could be a new discovery like the radio performance of "Bluebird" that just came out.

 

OK
But I dont' think it's from the JPM rehearsals. The ambience it's totally different. Seems an home demo, similar to recording like INDEED I DO...
And it's a fine version, with some backings from Linda that were not used on the studio take.

 

I just listened to it and I think it is a new discovery. Definately not JPM or Backyard. I'll check it against the versions on my hard drive at home to make sure it's nothing else. Not sure about the 1972 date of the recording as some of the other dates on the cd are incorrect but I'll ask some people and see what they say.

Thanks for bringing this up. Makes me wonder if anything else has slipped me by.

 

Yeah, it sounds like the version played in the photo session. As Linda was clicking Paul, she sang lots of harmonies. The other version I know is from the Backyard. I'd like to listen to it, anyway Thanks Luca.

 

It's been said before, but I'll say it again - great interview! Thanks.

 

it's actually

Tim Geelan
Ted Brosnan (tape operator at CBS Columbia studios)
Phil Ramone
Dixon Van Winkle
Armin Steiner
Jim Reeves (not Gurceo) http://www.reevesaudio.com/vintagesessions.html (scroll down and there's a small section where he talks about recording 90 takes of Paul's voice to get the raw vocals for Monkberry Moon Delight and further down a small pic of Paul and Linda coming out of the CBS Columbia Studios