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red dog 1

(30,915 posts)
Sat May 10, 2025, 06:44 PM Saturday

Pose a question about a band

Last edited Sun May 11, 2025, 02:50 PM - Edit history (1)

Karen Carpenter originally played drums in "The Carpenters" (she was a skilled drummer), but after a while, her brother Richard and manager Sherwin Bash persuaded her to stand at the microphone to sing the band's hits while another musician played the drums.
What well-known drummer served as the band's other drummer for many years? (answered)

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Eko

(9,151 posts)
2. What semi-famous musician and band leader was in a Billy Bob Thornton movie and died on stage during a music show?
Sat May 10, 2025, 07:42 PM
Saturday

Brother Buzz

(38,361 posts)
3. Hal Blaine Did all of The Carpenters session recording work, but...
Sun May 11, 2025, 12:44 AM
Sunday

Cubby from the Mickey Mouse Club did the live gigs. He was a very accomplished drummer.



Side note: Hal Blaine, after studying Karen, suggested she sing an octane lower. A lot of push-back from the family, but she ultimately did, and later went on to say, “The money is in the basement”.

GReedDiamond

(5,437 posts)
4. That is how I remember it...
Sun May 11, 2025, 01:46 AM
Sunday

...as a drummer, Hal Blaine is one of my idols.

And I remember "Cubby" as Cubby on the Mickey Mouse Club, and as The Carpenters' live drummer.

Brother Buzz

(38,361 posts)
6. Along with Earl Palmer, I assume
Sun May 11, 2025, 03:48 PM
Sunday

I don’t know his name, but a younger professional dummer quipped in the film, The Wrecking Crew, “I discovered much latter, my ten favorite drummers from my childhood were all the same drummer”

Unlike Hal Blaine and his insanely huge drum kit on wheels, Earl Palmer subscribed to the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) philosophy on drum kits.



Oh, Earl Palmer got Hal Blaine started in session work when his schedule was constantly full and started passing dates over to Blaine.

Brother Buzz

(38,361 posts)
9. In my mind, Levon helm was the quintessential KISS drummer
Sun May 11, 2025, 05:54 PM
Sunday

He was a very effective drummer without playing hard, and he had a lot of fun doing it.

As a kid, Levon got invited into radio station, KFFA in Helena, Arkansas to catch King Biscuit Time. He immediately noticed the drummer, James ‘Peck’ Curtis was having all the fun and decided, then and there, to switch to drums.

Note Pinetop Perkins playing the piano.



Brother Buzz

(38,361 posts)
12. Before The Band broke up?
Mon May 12, 2025, 11:27 AM
Yesterday

I immediately started riffing on chewing gum, but that was later.

VGNonly

(8,080 posts)
14. After they left Ronnie Hawkins
Mon May 12, 2025, 05:43 PM
20 hrs ago

but before The Band, sorry about that. They did some sessions, then worked with Dylan. Levon got somewhat disillusioned with all the hype over Dylan (long story) and quit the band for about a year or so. Levon took a job on an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico. The band then regrouped. In 67 Music From the Big Pink was recorded and released. That's when they were formally called The Band.



Brother Buzz

(38,361 posts)
18. Here's a fun nugget
Mon May 12, 2025, 10:58 PM
15 hrs ago

Tiny Tim recorded with The Band at the Big Pink. Dylan invited Tiny Tim to Woodstock to pick his encyclopedic brain of early popular music to find something he might record. I understand Tiny Tim recorded with The Band before Dylan actually laid anything down on tape, and by all accounts, The Band had a blast doing it.



VGNonly

(8,080 posts)
19. That's a HOOT!
Tue May 13, 2025, 12:06 AM
14 hrs ago

What was the name of Tiny Tim's wife? They were married on The Tonight Show.

Brother Buzz

(38,361 posts)
20. Miss Vicky, or something. I passed on that spectacle.
Tue May 13, 2025, 01:24 AM
13 hrs ago

He was an odd duck by every measure, but he was a genuine walking, talking encyclopedia of early twentieth century popular music.

red dog 1

(30,915 posts)
5. Ding!
Sun May 11, 2025, 02:48 PM
Sunday


Cubby O'Brien still works regularly, playing drums for various touring Broadway shows.

Brother Buzz

(38,361 posts)
13. Joe Osborn could have taken the victory lap for The Carpenters success, and he did play bass on EVERY album
Mon May 12, 2025, 12:19 PM
Yesterday

Jim Gordon, boy howdy, that was a sad story.

Fun side note: Joe Osborn, Ricky Nelson's bass player, deserved to take another victory lap for pulling a demo tape of ‘Travelin’ Man’ out of a trash can and bringing it to Nelson.

VGNonly

(8,080 posts)
15. Jim Gordon played drums with everyone
Mon May 12, 2025, 05:51 PM
20 hrs ago

except for Hal Blaine. It's been said that Hal Blaine played on 35,000 sessions!

Response to red dog 1 (Original post)

Abolishinist

(2,504 posts)
17. I saw the Beach Boys in December of 1964.
Mon May 12, 2025, 09:45 PM
16 hrs ago

(I was minus 5 years old at the time).

Who was playing bass?

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