Anyone hear the Story of Bernard Purdie?

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

He's a guy that was hired in the 60's to overdub Pete Bests drums on some of the Tony Sheridan Tracks.

There is also a controversy over whether he redid any Ringo tracks after the Beatles signed with Parlophone.

I've got a link and some MP3's if anyone wants to find out more.

I believe he is full of it, but he did at least overdub the Tony Sheridan stuff for fact.

[Stocktonwood]

i hadn't heard of that, if you've got links, i'd be much obliged.

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

www.beatlesagain.com/breflib/purdie.html

[Stocktonwood]

interesting, i'm gonna have to agree with you though, he's full of it.

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

Yeah, but he is a real decent drummer.

I have a copy of Aint She Sweet with Best and with Purdie. I am trying to upload it now and will post links ASAP.

[Stocktonwood]

much obliged, can't wait to hear it.

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

Basically, this comparison proves that Purdie did better drumming on this song than Pete Best.

It's going to be hard to tell the difference in the two, but Purdies version has fills everywhere, especially going into and out of verses. So listen to the drumming. Bests track is very flat with virtually no fills at all.

Click on these below to listen in your favorite player.

Ain't She Sweet - Pete Best version
Ain't She Sweet - Bernard Purdie version

[Stocktonwood]

yeah, the differences are definetely there. Purdie plays with more fills. He's good. I really like those recordings you can hear paul's bass line very clearly, i'd forgotten what a pleasant little line that was.

Thanks for the links.

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

You are very welcome. It made me very happy to see that you took an interest to this. I found this very a exciting revelation when I heard the two versions and read the story with it.

Pauls bass is very nice indeed and Johns vocal take is awesome! It's really cool to hear the raw vocal without the reverb/chorus and the one overproduced on Purdies track.

[Stocktonwood]

Yeah, good catch on lennon's vocals, I had barely noticed them the first time through but after you mentioned it, i went back and listened again and I was impressed. I think I just got so caught up in paul's line. Really great vocals though, nice catch.

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

Pauls bass line is superb though. I think because Paul learned guitar first, he was able to apply that to the Bass which just added so much dynamics and dimension.

Johns vocal is very intense all the way through, but there is this one part where he's like going into a lounge style voice "Don't you think thats kinda neat..." He's just so good on thi track is really is a sign of things. Too bad their Decca audition didn't come off this good.

[Stocktonwood]

i agree about paul's bass, he has a tendency toward really lovely melodic lines, but most of the early stuff still manages to be fairly bouncy. I think as he progressed he began to lean even more toward melodic bass, ie something.

It is really interesting how his bass playing was affected by the fact that he learned guitar first. His playing is really dynamic and interesting, much more so than the "walking lines" favored by earlier guys like chuck berry or even elvis.

I think paul was one of the first true ROCK bassists and you can still hear the influence he's had over artists today.

I could go on about Paul's bass for hours (i myself play bass and guitar so obviously I've been influenced by his style to a large degree), but i'll spare you my unending harangue.

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

I played Bass in a band for 5 years. The guitarist brought me into the band because I could play Pauls bouncy melodic lines and Stings reggae influenced walking lines. Now I say that with a grain of salt as I am not even close as good as the originals, but being able to mimick that stuff on any level is currency in a band. So you wont talk my ear off! I will gladlly listen! I am nuts!

[ThisBirdHasFlown]

Stocktonwood said:

i myself play bass and guitar so obviously I've been influenced by his style to a large degree

Do you play in a group? How long have you been playing? What type of Bass do you have? Why are you looking at me like that!? ;D

[Stocktonwood]

Questions!? So many questions! Kidding.

Anywho, no i don't play in a group, mostly I just play around the house, on occasion I would play with my older brother in public, but I'm exceedingly shy when it comes to that so not often.

Both my brothers play guitar, and my older sister plays some mean piano, so when we were growing up that's what we did to entertain ourselves. We'd put on a beatles record and go. We still do that on occasion but since we've all left the house, its hard to get together so frequently.

I've been playing since I was 8 but before that I played classical piano, so I had some grounding. Then when I was 11 I added trumpet to the list so for about a year other instruments were put on the back burner until I could get the hang of trumpet.

I have an old fender squire in blue, and a rather lovely turser in black (never been able to afford the real expensive models, oh well). I have my eye on an epiphone elitist in black or an epiphone hofner replica, but those are quite expensive, especially the elitist but a girl can dream right.

As for guitars I have an epiphone acoustic (got really lucky with that) but I don't play often anymore so I gave it to my little brother. He's quite good on it now.

You're totally dead on though about Paul's bouncy melodic lines its a difficult sound to replicate, he's an extraordinary bass player, you forget that sometimes, but he really has a lot of style in his playing. I've found its easier to get his sound if you play with flatwounds.

nice to find a kindred spirit out here, oh by the way, checked out your site. lovely guitar work ( if that's you playing) and i think you have a knack for melody.

Cheers!