Steve Miller/Paul McCartney (Ramone) session (1969)

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by toptentwist, Apr 14, 2014.

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  1. toptentwist

    toptentwist Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    I've been very familiar with the track "My Dark Hour" for a long time now.

    But what surprised me was I recently saw a mention that McCartney is also on "Celebration Song" on the same album.

    Only problem is listening to the track, I'm not sure I believe it.

    A google search shows the same claim about "Celebration Song" stated in many different places - but its not clear where this notion came from.

    My copy of the CD for the album "Brave New World" - has pretty spares notes...
    It mentions "Paul Ramone" on "My Dark Hour" but it doesn't say anything about any
    other tracks.

    Listening to "Celebration Song", I don't hear any obvious Paul McCartney singing or playing. The writing credits are for Steve Miller and Ben Sidran.

    One internet web site even mentioned a 3rd song McCartney supposedly played on ("Your Saving Grace") but that's not even the same Steve Miller album.

    Again, it doesn't really sound like Paul on that track either.

    Are any of these claims substantiated ?

    I see comments from Paul about the night "My Dark Hour" was recorded - but the story sounds like a jam session (which is how the track sounds).
     
  2. forthlin

    forthlin Member Chris & Vickie Cyber Support Team

    Never heard that about Celebration Song. There is a McCartney composition called "Celebration" from his Standing Stone project. Maybe crossed wires?

    I saw Badfinger touring behind "No Dice" and they performed "My Dark Hour." Always wondered if Paul might have suggested the song to them?
     
  3. The Panda

    The Panda Forum Mutant

    Location:
    Marple, PA, USA
    No mention of that theory in the Badfinger book.
    Pete really got it in his head that they should be a loud rocking band live, not really melodic and power pop-y.
    Joey certainly was always a rocker guy, so he was right at home. But the few live Badfinger shows I've heard, they sound very ordinary and bar band-like
     
  4. pbuzby

    pbuzby Senior Member

    Location:
    Chicago, IL, US
    I have the Steve Miller Band Anthology 2-LP. The credits there mention "My Dark Hour" was recorded in London, "Celebration" in Los Angeles and "Your Saving Grace" in San Francisco. No mention of Paul on any of those except "My Dark Hour."
     
  5. markbrow

    markbrow Forum President

    Location:
    Denver
  6. toptentwist

    toptentwist Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Houston, TX
    Paul seems to be very clear what was on his mind during the session.

    I think Miller's recollection that it was "during 'Let It Be'" can be interpreted somewhat broadly since that project
    was in a stage of evolution for approximately 13-14 months (January 1969 to the eventual release of the film and
    album in the Spring of 1970).

    From what I just read, it looks like there was a request to bring in Glyn Johns after the fairly brief period of filming
    that happened during January 1969. If Johns was in Los Angeles working with Steve Miller in the Spring of 69
    when he got the call to come do some mixing for The Beatles, it's easy to believe Glyn looked at Steve and said
    "Wanna come to England with me?" It's also easy to imagine Miller saying "You bet!"
     
    Chris from Chicago and markbrow like this.
  7. markbrow

    markbrow Forum President

    Location:
    Denver
    Now I need to go dig out my transcript. I'll post if I find anything interesting.
     
  8. revolution_vanderbilt

    revolution_vanderbilt Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York
    As for Celebration Song, Paul seems to have been mistakenly credited to it at some point, and sadly it stuck
     
  9. markbrow

    markbrow Forum President

    Location:
    Denver
    This is what Steve told me. Maybe I just assumed it was during the filming of Let It Be and he didn't correct me:

    I know Paul McCartney played on your early song My Dark Hour, but how did you end up playing on his Flaming Pie
    album in 1997?

    Miller: Linda (McCartney) called up one day from Bermuda or someplace and said, 'What are you doing?' I said, 'Just sitting here
    reading a book. How you been? I haven't talked to you in a while.' She said, 'Paul's working on this album, and we'd really like you to
    sing harmony on it.' I said, 'Come on over; I've got a studio.' They showed up and spent a couple of weeks here. Then I flew over to his
    studio for 10 days and played some guitar. When we played together in 1969 we really did some pretty interesting work. I don't think
    Paul had played with very many people. I don't think he had a very broad range of people he felt comfortable working with. And we
    were really comfortable. We were just kicking out the jams. He was playing drums; I was playing guitar. That's the way we start our
    stuff. On his stuff he had some basic tracks and wanted harmony.

    You worked together in '69 during the filming of Let It Be - so are those the Beatles guitars, drums, we hear on that song?

    Miller: Yeah. It was an amazing time. I was sitting in the studio watching them do the vocal overdubs. They had all the gear set up, and
    Ringo and John didn't show up. We just started screwing around. Paul was there. George came out and jammed a little bit but he
    wasn't much of a jammer, really, but Paul was.
     
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