#Eddie Kramer

[zanephillips]

BILLY WARLOCK as Eddie Kramer Baywatch 2.09 "The Trophy: Part 1"

[acecroft]

BILLY WARLOCK as Eddie Kramer in Baywatch (1989 - 2001) Season 1

[firethatgrewsolow]

Robert with Roy Harper and Eddie Kramer backstage at MSG in 1973.

[persephone-nymph]

Jimi Hendrix and Mick Jagger, Madison Square Garden, NYC, 1969, by Eddie Kramer

"Jimi called me up one night and said I'm going to see the Stones tonight, do you wanna go? I grabbed my camera bag and met him at the backstage entrance to Madison Square Garden and we went up to the dressing room and hung out with the Stones. This was on the occasion of Jimi’s birthday November 27, 1969."

[myvinylplaylist]

KIϟϟ: Alive! (1975)

Casablanca Records

[rolandrockover]

Kover It Up Vol. 5 - New York Groove

Hello, Russ Ballard, Kiss. As soon as one even mentally pronounces this chain of associations, the bell should ring for every halfway educated Kissalomaniac that one is dealing with a definitive key figure for Kiss kover songs. Songs that were written by Russ Ballard, and that Kiss or their closer associates have reinterpreted and recorded, mind you.

All in all, this has resulted in a total of five tracks (1), respectively two of which Ace has tackled more or less on his own. And today, of course, we want to talk about the very first one, namely nothing other than New York Groove from Ace's first solo album from 1978 (2). And as is well known, it was Eddie Kramer who persuaded Ace to cover this song, which the latter will probably have learned to appreciate over time.

But let's get down to business.

Hello's version of this NY vision sounds a little as if Chris Norman, in his best Smokie days, had been forced by strict medical prescription to spare his vocal chords as much as possible and not to sing but only to whisper. Such an idiosyncratic decision lends the music a determinedly passive, but nonetheless equally commanding and energetic effect, which is only reinforced by the unusually light, but all the more confident harmonic flow of the background chorus, pushing itself rhythmically into the mix and taking the song to a higher level overall.

What Ace and Eddie cooked up together for their part doesn't sound that dissimilar at all. They certainly didn't reinvent the song (as one could later claim of 2000 Man), and which Eddie Kramer definitely didn't set out to do, but made it just a bit more straightforward and, above all, designed it all around Ace. And that's exactly the key, an emotionally intelligent focus on Ace, his voice, and his person, because that's what this is all about here: The humanization of a rock n' roll alien from the craziest rock band in the world to that point.

The guitars at the beginning are comfortably reminiscent of a quirky Swedish children's television series from the 70s (3) and create, at least in me, a warm-hearted and positively charged energy that, thanks to Ace's charm, doesn't intend to get lost again throughout the entire song. His imperfect voice sounds somewhat tight, thanks to doubling and whatever studio gimmick, and saturated enough, and at the same time left with enough room to be nothing but himself, which brings song and mood to life, and even works to his advantage lead vocally. Is there anyone else here besides me who is also reminded of Peter Criss and Beth? I mean in principle.

Be that as it may, to conclude with a brief mention of Ace's solo playing. Its production seems surprisingly thin and used just as sparingly, but staged in an all the more lively manner, which really puts the finishing touches to this simple but equally gorgeous piece of good-feeling music. And here it is, an urban anthem for the people to believe in, presented by a true New Yorker for all New Yorkers, and of course everyone else too.

More authentic than the original.

Side Note:

(1) New York Groove on Ace Frehley (1978), Some Kinda Hurricane and Let Me Rock You on Peter Criss' eponymous Let Me Rock You (1982), Into the Night from Frehley's Comet's debut (1987), and last but not least Kiss' real last smash God Gave Rock n' Roll to You II (1991).

(2) Incidentally, I have no idea whether the Ace and Peter songs from the 80s are actual cover versions or just purchased tracks without a previous release. I just threw it out there because it fits so well, and what do you do for a halfway successful introduction?

(3) Karlson on the Roof (1974) by Astrid Lindgren.

New York Groove (1975)

New York Groove (1978)

[blackros78]

Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Kramer working the mixing board at Electric Lady Studio.

[lesserknownhusbands]

[chaoticdesertdweller]

Brian Jones at Olympic Studios, London, England, 1967. 📸 ©️ Eddie Kramer

[kulturegroupie]

“Glyn Johns had a bit of an attitude problem”

When I was still in The Yardbirds, our producer Mickie Most would always try to get us to record all these horrible songs. He would say, “Oh, c’mon, just try it. If the song is bad we won’t release it”. And, of course it would always get released [laughs]. During one session, we were recording Ten Little Indians, which was an extremely silly song that featured a truly awful brass arrangement. In fact, the whole track sounded terrible. In a desperate attempt to salvage it, I hit upon an idea. I said, “Look, turn the tape over and employ the echo for the brass on a spare track. Then turn it back over and we’ll get the echo preceding the signal.” The result was very interesting — it made the track sound like it was going backwards.

Later, when we recorded You Shook Me, I told the engineer, Glyn Johns, that I wanted to use backwards echo on the end. He said, “Jimmy, it can’t be done”. I said “Yes, it can. I’ve already done it.” Then he began arguing, so I said, “Look, I’m the producer. I’m going to tell you what to do, and just do it.” So he grudgingly did everything I told him to, and when we were finished he started refusing to push the fader up so I could hear the result. Finally, I had to scream, “Push the bloody fader up!” And low and behold, the effect worked perfectly. When Glyn heard the result, he looked bloody ill! He just couldn’t accept that someone knew something that he didn’t know — especially a musician! The pompous git!

The funny thing is, Glyn did the next Stones album and what was on it? Backwards echo! And I’m sure he took full credit for the effect.

Glyn Johns was the engineer on the first album, and as I mentioned earlier, he had a bit of an attitude problem. I’ll tell you what he did.

He tried to hustle in on a producer’s credit. I said, “No way, I put this band together, I brought them in and directed the whole recording process, I go my own guitar sound — I’ll tell you, you haven’t got a hope in hell”. And then we wend to Eddie Kramer for the second album and Andy Johns after that. I consciously kept changing engineers because I didn’t want people to think that they were responsible for our sound. I wanted people to know it was me.

Andy Johns did that mix with me, and after we finished it, Glyn, Andy’s older brother, walked in. We were really excited and told him, “You’ve got to listen to this”. Glyn listened and just said, “Hmmph, You’ll never be able to cut it. It will never work”. And he walked out. Wrong again Glyn. He must have been seething with envy.

— Jimmy Page, Guitar World, May 1993

[zanephillips]

BILLY WARLOCK Baywatch 1.04 "Second Wave"

[acecroft]

BILLY WARLOCK as Eddie Kramer in Baywatch (1989 - 2001) Season 1

[jannik056]

[basakgj]

(I only used red and yellow, nothing else.)

I first watched Baywatch(1989) on YouTube and really liked the characters, so I decided to draw it. I also added a character that wasn't in the original poster, and although I didn't use many colors, I hope you enjoy it! :)

[myvinylplaylist]

KIϟϟ: 30 Años De Musica Rock Salvat (1984)

This record is part of the original set Fasicle No. 11 edited by Salvat De Mexico S.A. de C.V.

1984 Mexican Reissue KIϟϟ: Rock And Roll Over (Different Cover) from 1976.

Cover features Eric Carr Who Did not play on this album.

Casablanca Record And Filmworks 822 305-1.

[randgugotur-6]

April 19, 1942

On this day 82 years ago legendary record producer and engineer Eddie Kramer was born in Cape Town, South Africa. He would work with The Beatles, David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, KISS, The Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Whitesnake, Frehley’s Comet and Carlos Santana just to name a few.

Happy Birthday Eddie!