Hal Blaine Has Struck for the Last Time. RIP

Hal Blaine, Wrecking Crew Drummer and Rock Hall of Fame Member, Dies at 90

If you listened to any music whatsoever in the last 50 years, you've heard him play.

 

He was the drummer on six consecutive "Record of the Year" Grammy winners.

RIP.

 

Paraphrasing his famed quote: “who cares if no one knows my name, I have a mansion in beverly hills and a Rolls Royce.”

What an amazing career.

 

Leader of The Wrecking Crew and one of the greatest drummers ever

Hal Blaine, Session Drummer on Beach Boys’ ‘Pet Sounds,’ Dead at 90 – Rolling Stone

 

Blaine also was great on the soundtrack for "The Client."

Dunno why nobody ever mentions that. He carried that film.

 

Having spent many hours reading the album covers I can also report that Blaine played on the Partridge Family albums.

 

Caught a great Wrecking Crew doc on PBS a while back. There was a moment when they were talking about the recording of "A Taste of Honey" by Herb Alpert and they couldn't figure out how to get from the opening passage to the main song until Blaine put the bass drum thumps in there that kick it off. I have always dug that kind of inside baseball when it comes to the creative process.

What a career, RIP to one of the greats.

Now this riff will be in your head all day.....

 

So he was an unknown asshole, got it

 

Supposedly during a session they were short a song for an Elvis album and Mac Davis and The Wrecking Crew came up with this without putting a note on paper.

 

As the man says, if that story ain't true it should be. Great single.