MOVE IT

[cockroach]

I turned 61 last week.

I was just trying to validate my comments, namely that I remember much of the music from back then, because I was around...unlike a lot of people on the internet who spout ill informed facts and opinions about events that took place before they were born.

[RayL]

Getting back to Pedro's original enquiry, Bruce's autobiography makes interesting reading (p.92) when he describes the session for Livin' Lovin' Doll where, for the first time, The Drifters were "cautiously booked" by Norrie Paramor (at Cliff's insistence). Ernie was to play lead and Hank to play rhythm.

"Cliff wasn't very happy at that. He felt that Ernie, good as he was, wasn't really into rock'n'roll, and that while the guitar playing on 'Move It' was just right, the follow-up single , 'High Class Baby' didn't quite come off. He felt that Ernie tended to repeat the same thing on all rock'n'roll numbers. Anyway, Norrie wanted him, so Ernie played a few fill-ins and the solo, which was exactly like 'Move It' revisited. Cliff wasn't very pleased. He told Norrie he wanted Hank to play lead guitar and eventually suggested that they each do a take. A compromise was reached. In the end Hank's solo was far more original than Ernie's. It had a completely different sound and feel to it. It was also a better overall performance. Norrie sensed it as well, and agreed to use it. It was the last time he ever booked other musicians when we recorded."

So what would Hank's solo have been like if he had played on 'Move It'? Well, 'Livin' Lovin' Doll' is actually rather a good clue. It's got the same type of 4/4 rhythm (a lot more stops of course) and the tempo is only a little faster. There are hints in the 'call and response' sections of James Burton's solo on 'Believe What You Say' and Burton was a known influence. Hank was out to impress - the band's future in the studio depended on it. So listen to 'Livin' Lovin' Doll' for what a Hank-style Move it might have sounded like.

Incidentally, would those of you who know confirm that on Mean Streak, Ernie played the solo? The general style, and those fussy references to Danny Cedrone's Rock Around The Clock/Rock The Joint solo have none of the Hank hallmarks.

Again, from those who know, can you confirm that Frank Clarke (booked for the LLD/MS session according to Bruce) plays on both tunes? The patterns follow Franks standard boogie pattern for Move It and the sound is similar. If so, not only did Hank take over as the lead guitar for Cliff's recordings but, after that session, Jet would do all the bass parts.

Ray

[Pedro]

Many thanks. All great stuff if a little above me.
As I have said before on this site when I realised in 1964 I was not going to be another HBM and having no interest in other types of music it was off to sea I went. What a waste!!