Bernard Purdie & The Beatles, again!

[Sonorlite]

Bernard Purdie is interviewed n the latest issue of Drummer Magazine. The Inevitable " 21 Beatles' recordings question is asked and he responds by mentioning his upcoming book being released in, Sept/Oct 2008.

He says : "There will be a lot of detail of what I played on and it's going to give people something to think about. It really is."

Bernard states, someone else is writing the book, and his job is to "Make Waves Without Making Waves". Me.......I'm sensing a Tsunami.....

 

[Jimmy Willis]

I just don't get it! As awesome a player that Purdie is and all the great things he has ACTUALLY played on, I don't understand why he has to keep stirring up crap with Ringo and the Beatles. I respect his drumming talent but as a person he must live in a fantasy world who can't get enough of himself. Get over yourself Bernard!

 

[old_K_ride]

can anyone name 1 Beatles tune where Bernard's sound and groove is evident?
with all due respect...shut up,Mr. Purdie.
TR

 

[Sonorlite]

Jimmy Willis said:
I just don't get it! As awesome a player that Purdie is and all the great things he has ACTUALLY played on, I don't understand why he has to keep stirring up crap with Ringo and the Beatles. I respect his drumming talent but as a person he must live in a fantasy world who can't get enough of himself. Get over yourself Bernard!


Maybe for the Interest in Book Sales, Jimmy?


I was shocked to read he had "Death Threats" from previously mentioning it.

 

[stevesmithfan]

George Martin said in an interview that Bernard Purdie was never in the studio with him or The Beatles. I can't remember where I read that. But I think Bernard is high on himself, talk about a over inflated ego.

 

[DrumBob]

Aw jeez...Here he goes again. I wish the man would just shut up. As much as I respect Bernard, he needs to get over it.

Bernard...YOU DID NOT PLAY ON BEATLES' TRACKS.

 

[Bonzoholic]

You should hear my work on Houses Of The Holy...

 

[Troyh]

Yeah, I get sick of it too.
In Beatle circles we've laughed about this for years. Purdie might have played on some of the 'knock-off' stuff labels were puking up in '64'. Stuff by the 'Bugs', etc., but that is it!

Just ridiculous and not even worth thinking about.

 

[PureRockFury]

Bonzoholic said:
You should hear my work on Houses Of The Holy...


That was you? WOW! Tasty!

 

Of course there were no recordings when I played on the original performances of The Star Spangled Banner, Beethovan's Fifth Symphany, Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, and many more. I also played lead canon for the first performance The 1812 Overture and the Donkey hooves for the Grand Canyon Suite's debut performance. You'll just have to trust me when I tell you I played for these performances.

 

[mariosdrums]

There is a possibility he played on some of their early recordings, "on top" of what was already there. I have heard that some of the earliest Beatles stuff that came out in the States may have been "sweetened" by the record company. Surely it would have been against their wishes and behind their backs as we know they wouldn't have approved of any tampering to their tracks. This stuff was routinely done by the labels back then, and this is what I have heard Purdie is referring to. Whether it's true or not, who knows. He could have done stuff that was then shelved and never saw the light of day. Who knows.

We do know that he was never in the studio with the Beatles themselves.

Purdie may be prone to exaggeration - There are famous Aretha tracks he claims to have recorded that are well known to be the Muscle Shoals guys.

 

[Sonorlite]

The comment mentions New York 63-64.

And Purdie also says "I've been fixing records for 40 years, what's the big deal?.."

The book will be interesting read, eitherway.

 

[4164SB]

mariosdrums said:
There is a possibility he played on some of their early recordings, "on top" of what was already there. I have heard that some of the earliest Beatles stuff that came out in the States may have been "sweetened" by the record company. Surely it would have been against their wishes and behind their backs as we know they wouldn't have approved of any tampering to their tracks. This stuff was routinely done by the labels back then, and this is what I have heard Purdie is referring to. Whether it's true or not, who knows. He could have done stuff that was then shelved and never saw the light of day.


This is the story I've heard.

 

[dwludzild]

Someone on THIS forum said that RIngo did NOT play "Here Comes the Sun".

 

[dambugg]

This story seems really convinient. On one hand because of overdubbing no one can prove he is lying. On the other hand anyone who might have played a part in these recordings or witnessed them would never say so and risk losing face with the industry. The whole thing seems dumb. If he was lucky enough to have done this work than good for him, but he should remain anonimous and take pleasure in the fact millions of people groove to his stuff.

 

[Donn]

The fact that this story still has legs proves old Bernard is sly as a fox when it comes to getting attention.

Obviously if there is no basis to support Bernard’s story then he is a liar, pure and simple. If, in fact, the story is true then one would assume a confidentiality agreement was in place and Bernard can’t be trusted to keep his yap shut.

And even if Bernard played on some early tracks, his insistence that Ringo played on nothing at all is ludicrous in and of itself.

This guy let his ego run his mouth and now he’s too prideful to admit he screwed up and just continues to dig himself a deeper pit.

Too bad, because unless he delivers a smoking gun, his incredible playing legacy is in danger of being overshadowed by this pathetic non-story.

 

[Sonorholic]

This "Book" has been in the works for a looooong time now. I doubt it'll ever really see the light of day.

The best line I've heard about this claim is that with all the great work that BP HAS done... it's not enough for him. He has to go lie about some other stuff, even when it's obvious he wasn't on the session.

He's been saying he was on Bitches Brew for a number of years as well... total lie.

I think this is all Steely Dan's fault for screwing up the names on the Royal Scam ..unless Rick Marrotta is on "Don't Take me Alive" ... That's the first time I remember hearing about BP replacing drums on a track.

In the early 60's the technology didn't exist. And why should we believe BP when he was paid "to keep my mouth shut" ... he's obviously not a man of his word.

I guess he just wants folks to be talking about him and indeed that's worked just fine.

 

[mikestand]

Donn said:
The fact that this story still has legs proves old Bernard is sly as a fox when it comes to getting attention.


The fact that this story runs to multiple pages every time it reappears proves we love to weigh in on it. I can't imagine there's anything to say that hasn't been said years ago.

 

[drumtechdad]

 

[Luddite]

It's hard for me to understand why the man who played "Home at Last" on Steely Dan's "Aja" feels the need to take credit for someone else's work when he should be content resting on his own laurels, which are considerable in my book. I love Bernard Purdie's touch on the kit---and I'll leave it at that.