Ken Caillat Seeks Input for Book

[aleuzzi]

Originally Posted by kencaillat

Well John the real reason was that is was too long! It killed me when we came to the realization that it wouldn't fit on the L.P. In those days of vinyl, 22 minutes a side was the max time you could put on without droping the level of the whole side. But you are right that in that difficult decision we took into consideration all the factors like tempo, composer, vocal balance but in the end had there been enough time, it would have gone on. We even shortened some of the other songs to make room for it. But when someone suggested SS go on the B side of the first single, everybody was happy.
KC

You say you shortened some of the songs to make room for it. Did these songs stay shortened even after the band made a decision not to include it? I'm thinking of the longer and shorter versions of YMLF.

[kencaillat]

Originally Posted by Peestie

Because publishers aren't interested in putting out a book about a "flop" album when they can put one out about Rumours?

I don't have any specific questions at the minute but I'm sure I'll be back with some. The closest I have to a question is a request that plenty of technical stuff goes in about how the album was produced and how the fantastic sound of that album was produced. What techniques etc. were used? I'll try come back with more specific questions but I'd just eat up any technical information, if it's available.

Flop album!? Have you hear tusk? Do you know how many albums it sold, double albums??
KC

[kencaillat]

Originally Posted by aleuzzi

You say you shortened some of the songs to make room for it. Did these songs stay shortened even after the band made a decision not to include it? I'm thinking of the longer and shorter versions of YMLF.

I thought you'd ask that, They mostly stayed shorter because, the album was balanced nicely and played well (good pacing). What you guys don't realize that nearly every song starts off longer than it ends up being. And usually we speed them up slightly from their original tempo. You can tell those because if you play your guitar or piano along with them, it won't be in tune. Stevie's songs we're usually all over 6 minutes. Yikes!!

[kencaillat]

Originally Posted by gold_dust

Hello Ken,

I'd like to ask whether their fighting was ever really that bad? Sometimes you read/hear stories that it was, then other times you watch little candid video clips (i.e. backstage Japan '77) and they look relatively at ease with each other. Were you ever caught up in it?

Was there a particular song that they had difficulty recording - instrumentally or vocally?

I once read somewhere that additional backing vocals (the studio crew, I think) were added to Don't Stop. Is this true and were you one of the said vocalists? Was there a reason for the additional set of backing vocals?

Stevie once mentioned that the drugs weren't really that big a part of the recording process during Rumours. What would your take on that be? Did it enhance their sound? Did it take anything away?

Thank you very much.

Horrible fights within each couple, not Mick, he was along, and very sad. but remember they had to keep it together to make this album happen, their career depended on it. I was so supprised at what i had gotten myself into!
I go into great detail in the book and get the bands point of view too.
Thanks
KC

[kencaillat]

Originally Posted by Lori40

I have always wondered if the rest of the band shares Lindsey's misguided belief that Rumours was so popular because the record-buying public was voyeuristic. I think that many of us who bought the album were too wrapped up in our own lives and what their songs meant to us, to worry about what was going on in the band members' personal lives. We knew that they must have loved and lost like we had, because they had expressed our feelings through their music, and that's why we love them.

I'll have to ask him but I don't think he thought the fans just wanted to hear the details. I think people genuinely indentified with these songs. Songbird, is what we called my daughter, etc. Again, I'll be sure to ask the band.
KC

[kencaillat]

Originally Posted by wetcamelfood

Further to this, we've been told it wouldn't fit on an album side and this just doesn't add up, litteraly.

When you add up the running times to all the tracks, even including SS, no mater how you slice it, it shouldn't have been a problem.

I'm not buying this deal about "we had to put 'I Don't Want To Know' instead just because it saves one full minute of running time".

John

The silver spring that was on side 2 was a several minutes longer, it was cut do still to fit on a 45 single. But I'll ask Stevie and Lindsey, there may have been a publishing issue also. I'm finding out so much that I was unaware of even while i was there with them. They had many secrets! You'll see!
Keep the good questions coming!
KC

[kencaillat]

Originally Posted by HejiraNYC

If memory serves, I believe they had to resort to using the drum tracks on the safety tapes, which meant having to painstakingly synch them with all of the other recording tracks after the fact. I'm sure back in the day this involved a lot of splicing and manipulation of reel-to-reels.

Ironically enough, when I first bought my vinyl copy of Rumours back in the day, I thought the audio quality sounded like ****, especially the muddy drum track that sounded like someone was beating a bean bag. That's why it has been a joy for me to hear the re-mastered CD-issued tracks with the crisp snare drums and high-hats.

I answered this today, I don't know where it went but briefly, we were using Ampex 456 2" tape which had a manufacturing defect that when played too much the oxide containing the sound falls off the tape. It was a nightmare and happened all at once.
KC

[fleetwoodtrick]

Well, quite honestly, I've nothing to say as far as questions go at the moment, I'd just like to thank you for taking the time to talk to the Ledgies. Sadly enough, I didn't exist until 17 years after the recording of Rumours, but I can't wait to read your book and learn more about it! I'd also like to thank the people who run the Ledge/the Penguin for tracking down all of these FM related people so that we can ask them questions! And I can't believe I didn't put two and two together that Colbie Calliat is your daughter! That's so cool, I like to find ways that my other favorite artists relate to FM!

Thanks again!
Rhiya

[CADreaming]

Originally Posted by kencaillat

Well John the real reason was that is was too long! It killed me when we came to the realization that it wouldn't fit on the L.P. In those days of vinyl, 22 minutes a side was the max time you could put on without droping the level of the whole side. But you are right that in that difficult decision we took into consideration all the factors like tempo, composer, vocal balance but in the end had there been enough time, it would have gone on. We even shortened some of the other songs to make room for it. But when someone suggested SS go on the B side of the first single, everybody was happy.
KC

Originally Posted by kencaillat

The silver spring that was on side 2 was a several minutes longer, it was cut do still to fit on a 45 single. But I'll ask Stevie and Lindsey, there may have been a publishing issue also. I'm finding out so much that I was unaware of even while i was there with them. They had many secrets! You'll see!
Keep the good questions coming!
KC

Hi Ken,

When you say everyone was "happy" with Silver Springs being on the B side of GYOW, does this mean Stevie was ok with that decision? She gave her mother publishing on the song and has mentioned her anger/hurt of the song being cut due to this. Would the royalties from a single vs. an album in those days be a considerable difference, especially at that point not knowing how well Rumours would sell and would that possibly have appeased Stevie?

Also, how many of the Rumours songs were completed works prior to the initial recording sessions in February 1976? ("Go Your Own Way" for example, was played live prior to 1976 without the second verse).

What other songs that didn't make Rumours were either considered or worked on for that project?

Finally, how many of the "rumours" were really just rumours...or will those secrets ever be revealed??

Thanks!

[Moz]

Ken - what songs were shortened in order to make room on the album?

I have this great acoustic version of Gold Dust Woman that sounds like it's from the Rumours sessions. Were any other songs done in an acoustic fashion like this? (aside from NGBA, of course.)

Originally Posted by David

I think Ken should listen to some of the weird, amazing audio the fans have amassed over the decades, like Fleetwood Mac's old sessions for "Smile at You" and "The Chain." A good part of the "Rumours" story, historically speaking, is right there in the audio and video material that has been circulated for so long -- things the band doesn't even know about or remember.

These recordings (including outtakes, demos, concert clips, and even conversations) are prime archival sources, and can certainly help jog Ken's memories of the time -- which are, after all, almost thirty-five years old by now.

The Chain
Sausalito 1976(?)

What the crap! I've never heard that before! Are there any other songs like that (works in progress, I mean, whether it's for Rumours or any other album)? Is there an mp3?

[CADreaming]

Lindsey at The Record Plant:

[MoonWaterPoet]

Originally Posted by kencaillat

Horrible fights within each couple, not Mick, he was along, and very sad. but remember they had to keep it together to make this album happen, their career depended on it. I was so supprised at what i had gotten myself into!
I go into great detail in the book and get the bands point of view too.
Thanks
KC

So it sounds that you've already finished your BOOK... AND GREAT DETAILS... so why should our (fans) point of view matter now?


Donnie Wayne ~

[MoonWaterPoet]

Originally Posted by kencaillat

Flop album!? Have you hear tusk? Do you know how many albums it sold, double albums??
KC

Yes ~ and Tom Petty's fight for record sales back then...


Donnie Wayne ~

[MoonWaterPoet]

Originally Posted by MoonWaterPoet

Yes ~ and Tom Petty's fight for record sales back then...


Donnie Wayne ~

Is this thread for real???


Donnie Wayne ~

[wetcamelfood]

Originally Posted by kencaillat

Well John the real reason was that is was too long! It killed me when we came to the realization that it wouldn't fit on the L.P. In those days of vinyl, 22 minutes a side was the max time you could put on without droping the level of the whole side. But you are right that in that difficult decision we took into consideration all the factors like tempo, composer, vocal balance but in the end had there been enough time, it would have gone on. We even shortened some of the other songs to make room for it. But when someone suggested SS go on the B side of the first single, everybody was happy.
KC

OK thanks Ken, I just could've sworn either you or Richard said "24" minutes per side in the Classic Albums doc was all.

John