VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Mike Harrison

The Baby Boomers among us will agree that music was a big part of our youth. Some may know, but many others do not, that a surprising number of our favorite hit songs of the time – and even many favorites of our parents – were actually played not by the solo artists or band members whose names were on the record labels, but by a select group of Los Angeles-based studio musicians.

Mostly known as The Wrecking Crew, they played on records by Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Ricky Nelson. They were the "Wall of Sound" in records produced by Phil Spector. They played the music to which the Beach Boys added their fabulous harmonies. And they created what we heard from so many other artists of the 1960s and into the 70s.

I just finished watching the documentary on The Wrecking Crew (first released at the 2008 SXSW festival in Austin and theatrically in early 2015) and I cannot recommend it highly enough.

While this has nothing to do with voice-over, per se, you will find some golden nuggets scattered throughout from those who made their respective livings as creative freelancers making contributions that affected others in a very positive way.

I hope you enjoy this wonderful document of musical history.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Bill Campbell · DC Joined: 09 Mar 2007 Posts: 621

Great film. Mike, you should see LOVE AND MERCY, the Brian Wilson story. Excellent, and The Wrecking Crew is part of that film too.
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Steve Knight · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 6:33 am Post subject:

You can also add "Standing in the shadows of Motown" to your list, a great documentary about "The funk brothers", Detroit's answer to the "Wrecking crew"..

paulstefano · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 8:05 am Post subject:

Here's a good read on a particular studio that backed a ton of music. My Father was one of the horns on many of their recordings.

http://arpjournal.com/capturing-that-philadelphia-sound-a-technical-exploration-of-sigma-sound-studios/
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Philip Banks · Posted: Mon Oct 19, 2015 8:13 am Post subject:

The was a brilliant interview on BBC Radio 2 with Carol Kaye, your woman who was the bass player.

Mike Harrison · Posted: Sat Oct 24, 2015 7:15 pm Post subject:

Bruce · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 11:36 am Post subject:

Just finished watching the Wrecking Crew yesterday. What a wonderful look at the music makers of the mid 50's to the mid 70's. Nostalgia to the max.

B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

Mike Harrison · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2015 11:44 am Post subject:

Bruce, if you haven't yet seen it, you'll also love "Standing In The Shadows Of Motown;" the story of the Funk Brothers, the session musicians behind most all of the great songs that came out of Detroit from roughly the same era. Outstanding.
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Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Dayo · Cinquecento Joined: 10 Jan 2008 Posts: 544 Location: UK