Benmont Tench / Broken Record (Hosted By Rick Rubin)

[cbBen]

talks about working with Stevie at 13:55:

"And through Jimmy Iovine I found myself really in the Los Angeles session world – because he invited me along to a Dylan session he did, and Bob said to me "Come back." And he had me work on Stevie Nicks's first solo record, and I met a whole other group of session musicians. And I guess they spread the word and said 'Hey, you should check this cat out.'

"But the best thing was always learning that 'Oh man. I'm not good enough to be in this room. I better really listen up and step up.'

"[For] the first few years in the band Tom would not let us play sessions. So maybe the first bunch of sessions I did that had any consequence were may Dylan and Stevie."

full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvXQf7CE-Bg

[Macfan4life]

I always loved his style of playing and his sound. He gave Petty his sound. He was on the first 2 solo tour with Stevie along with Roy Bitan. Her band had this Petty/ E street band sound that was really cool. Those recordings of Blue Lamp live on her first tour showcase this sound perfectly. I always loved his addition to Gold Dust Woman live too.

[David]

Like most of the guys in the Heartbreakers, Benmont had to learn to like Stevie. But he ultimately did — she won them over through sheer perseverance and a great singing voice (and probably cuteness, too).

There’s a funny moment between Benmont and Stevie recorded for local radio with Jim Ladd while they’re all taking a tour break. Ladd asks Benmont whether he prefers the girls on the road or the women in the band. Benmont jokes, “Which girls? The fourteen-year-olds or these”? Stevie immediately gets a little undone and says, “We don’t give him time to think about anyone else,” and then blabs on about how she and her backup friends surround the boys in the band with luxurious creature comforts to keep them from straying, etc.

It must have been sybaritic being on tour with Stevie Nicks in those days. It lends a tantalizing new explanation for how she was able to marshal a bunch of top-dollar players and keep them happy for a few years.

[jbrownsjr]

Originally Posted by David

It must have been sybaritic being on tour with Stevie Nicks in those days. It lends a tantalizing new explanation for how she was able to marshal a bunch of top-dollar players and keep them happy for a few years.

Not touching this one... nope...

[David]

Originally Posted by jbrownsjr

Not touching this one... nope...

Grrr . . . . that’s not what I meant . . . . specifically.

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by David

Like most of the guys in the Heartbreakers, Benmont had to learn to like Stevie. But he ultimately did — she won them over through sheer perseverance and a great singing voice (and probably cuteness, too).

There’s a funny moment between Benmont and Stevie recorded for local radio with Jim Ladd while they’re all taking a tour break. Ladd asks Benmont whether he prefers the girls on the road or the women in the band. Benmont jokes, “Which girls? The fourteen-year-olds or these”? Stevie immediately gets a little undone and says, “We don’t give him time to think about anyone else,” and then blabs on about how she and her backup friends surround the boys in the band with luxurious creature comforts to keep them from straying, etc.

It must have been sybaritic being on tour with Stevie Nicks in those days. It lends a tantalizing new explanation for how she was able to marshal a bunch of top-dollar players and keep them happy for a few years.

Those little finger sandwiches make close friends. Probably also had the best/most good drugs and, fun party scene with the girls who attended her fan base at the time.