Barney Hoskyns' book "Hotel California":

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Has anyone read this book? Do they talk about the steel players and the sidemen?

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Jonathan Shacklock · From: London, UK

I read it recently. There's the odd quote from Sneaky Pete, Al Perkins and Rusty Young and there is passing reference to The Section but the book mostly concentrates on the various relationships between the country rock 'stars' and their management. There's a lot of focus on David Geffen for example, not everyone's favourite person.

Most of those singer-songwriter artists were writing directly about their own lives so most of the book is the lives behind the songs - drugs, egos, Laurel Canyon, who slept with who etc.

There's a recommended listening list at the back and the book has certainly made me seek out a few records I'd overlooked before eg by Linda Ronstadt, J.D. Souther, Judee Sill, Ned Doheny.

I gather from the Ronstadt thread you were one of those sidemen yourself Mickey, any stories from those sessions/times you care to share?

Janice Brooks · From: Pleasant Gap Pa

Should this be moved to Music ?

Rick Garrett · From: Tyler, Texas

I don't think so Janice.

Rick

Brett Anderson · From: Arizona, USA

Yeah Mick, How bout some stories.. Guys Mickey has a million great stories from his time in so cal hangin around with the folks who changed music. I've told Mick he should write a book. I believe he is the guy that replaced Don Henley in Ronstadts band. He was right in the middle of a musical phenomenon that probably changed us all. Oh and Mickey is still a great drummer!

Skip Edwards · From: LA,CA

Here's a Mickey claim to fame... He once played drums for Keith Moon. Not too many guys can say that...

In 1974 Mickey and I played on his solo LP, and while we cut the track Moon was stretched out napping on the control room floor.

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

I started this post because i really wanted to know if this book is worth buying.I guess most people want to know who Linda Ronstadt slept with but what i want to know is what did the steel players and other sidemen think of that time in history-Sneaky Pete would have some great things to say i'm sure but what i have been told Pete's memory is starting to fade these days,sad but true.Mickey.

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Skip,the Keith Moon session was a very strange one at best-when I got the call to play I thought the phone call was a prank.Jonathan,thanks!This is more of the type of post I was looking for-who the stars slept with is what sells books,who played on what and how the session went has more grit I think.Sex always sells i guess-In those days steel guitar was used on most recordings in LA.So far from what some of you guys are saying this book is just another kiss and tell book.

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

You know I pretty much retired my work in progress bookon country-rock when there was a bumper crop of books on L.A., the Eagles, Buffalo Springfield, country-rock, singer songwriters, Geffen, the Warner group (WEA, Warner-Reprise, Asylum, Atlantic, Elektra-etc), and copious books on alt-country, but to be honest the kiss and tell thing is interesting and all that, but I really wanted more on the bands... you know, like who was the uncredited drummer on the early Goose Creek Symphony Records, which guitarist got his overdubs erased from Linda Ronstadt's second solo LP during the L.A. overdub sessions (yes... Elliot Mazer recorded it in Nashville, then finished it in Hollywood), more on Barefoot Jerry, Swampwater, Commander Cody, Asleep At The Wheel, the UK and Aussie counry-rock bands, more on Ricky Nelson and the Everly Brothers, Clarence White's forgotten band from '67-68, the Phoenix, Texan, Boston, New York and Cinncinatti country-rock scene.

The links between surf music and country-rock rock, the steel guitar in rock bands prior to country-rock, the UK brit-beat bands relation to country music (hello... The Sect!), the L.A. folkie scene, Shindig! and it's connections to the Palomino house band and why the ensemble Suite Steel album from 1970 should be on CD.

By the way, if anyone wants to hear Mickey doing the Eagles as well as the Eagles, they should check out the song 'Kite Woman' from J. D. Souther's debut album "John David Souther"... Mickey, J.D., Glen Frey (on guitars with Souther) and Mike Bowden on bass.

Stephan Franck · From: La Crescenta, California, USA

What I wanna know is who the steel players had sex with!!!

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Jason,well,I can answer at least one question for you-the drummer on the first "Goose Creek Symphony"record(uncredited)is myself,I played on the first three albums although the third album I only played on two tracks- as to who the steel player or players were that had sex w/Linda I don't know but sad to say I think that's what most people want to know. Mickey.

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Jason,I forgot this one after reading your post-Swampwater the band after the first album the members were from the flying Burrito Bros.band which I was a member from 1975-1981-ED Black had his steel part removed from Jackson Browne's cut of "take it easy" on the everyman album he was replaced by Sneaky Pete.Mickey.

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Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

... I forgot to add more, yes Mickey should write a book, as should Colin Cameron who's been threatneing to write one about his time in the scene as well as all about the glorious Troubador club days, I believe Jimmi Seiter who was with the Byrds and the Burritos in various managerial capacities should also put pen to paper as they say, of course Herb Steiner, Buddy Emmons and Boomer Castleman all have their own wonderful insights.
I for one, would welcome a book from Mickey.

I mean these books are all cool in their own respect, who writes about the wonderful Judee Sill these days (actually the UK based Record Collector just did a feature on her in their latest and some fan has done a myspace page) ... seeing these names in print is fantastic.

My only grumble is that the sidemen haven't really had much say, a good example is how Sneaky Pete played in Rick Nelson's first Stone Canyon Band on the sly, while also drawing pay as a Flying Burrito Brother in the period before their album's release and Rick's live debut with the Stone Canyon Band.
Something like that signifies a lot to me, a heck of a lot.

A friend said to me that when he read Hoskyn's book he went out and bought some records, not unlike what Jonathan mentioned, ones that he'd overlooked.
If it does that much, it's cool with me.

J.

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Jason,Colin Cameron is a friend of mine and I speak with him at least once a month or so and he is writing a book on the Troubador club days he has been working on this for a few years now,we will see. Mickey.

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Jonathan Shacklock · From: London, UK

I do think there is justification for the sex and drugs stuff in this book: the songs from that era were often direct references to events in the singer's life and there are too many examples to mention here. Mickey, I can see how you might find an exposé of JD, Linda, Joni and everyone's love lives distasteful but don't forget who put all of that in the songs in the first place!

While it's a shame the steel players and other session guys don't get more page time, with such a vibrant musical scene and so many stories to tell I was quite impressed that Hoskyns got round to mentioning some of the pickers at all. (There was a great TV documentary over here last year on Gram Parsons and I was bowled over that it included an interview with Neil Flanz. How cool!? OK, they gave him about two sentences but you know, that one was for me - I guess a lot of people it wanted to know what Phil Kaufman had to say about coffins. Don't say you're not curious. Highly recommended DVD .)

I think someone mentioned it here before, that movie doc from a year or two ago about the Funk Brothers (Standing in the Shadows of Motown) proved that the sidemen's story can be as interesting as the stars'. I hope Colin's book goes ahead, I'll certainly read it, but can you write meaningfully about the Troubadour without any kiss and tell...?

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Jason,I think you should finish your book!Mickey.

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Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Jonathan, The Troubador club days were a lot of kiss&tell stories and drugs and so on AND this went on with the steel players and all the other sidemen as well as the stars-I just think the same way as Jason does thats all,it would be great to hear the stories about the bands,sidemen and so on. mickey.

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Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Yes, I'm back in business... Mickey, I believe I might have to try and get in touch with you off the forum as well.

thanks

Jason

Mickey McGee · From: Phoenix,Az

Jason, just email me,you can find the email link here on the forum.Mickey.

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Bob Blair · From: Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I'm with Mickey - Jason, you should finish your book. That's the one I can't wait to read.

Tucker Jackson · From: Portland, Oregon, USA

Jason, I've been patiently waiting for you to finish that book. I'm sorry to hear that you've put it on hold...

Hopefully, the project will be resurrected in the near future, because it seems that you have a different approach than some of the recent country-rock books.

Jason Odd · From: Stawell, Victoria, Australia

Mickey, Tucker, Bob, etc... well I'm back into it, I've been meaning to for a while, just needed some drive and this topic and a few other events and discussions of late have got me fired up, I also owe Herb Steiner a piece on Red Rhodes that is long overdue, time to get cracking.

My thing is, I've mainly interviewed sidemen, and in cases where they are actually singers, it's been performers like Chris Darrow who came up as sidemen in various bands, I've almost altogether skipped the names and although I'll be writing about the singer songwriters, for the most part I'm skipping over what's already been discussed in some detail.

I might also note that I don't think that the background and kiss and tell aspects of the 'big' names detract from a book, it gives character. As I think Mickey was saying, it would be nice to have some sidemen views of the whole thing.

In regards to Linda, she tended to date guys within the industry, 'cause lets face it, a female touring with a band was a nice fantasy for the average Joe, but the reality of having your girl on the road with a bunch of guys was probably too much for most.
You can read the old interviews with Linda and you can pretty much guess who she was dating at the time, in one she comments about her 'old man' leaving her and her band to join the Flying Burrito Brothers.
I think most savvy West Coast fans could put that one together.

I know where some bodies are buried, but in most cases I'm happy to let them rest, y'know.

Mickey... I heard you were the mystery drummer on the early GCS albums, Dave Birkett (whom I ashamedly realise, haven't been in touch with for ages) told me about the Audio Recorders jam bands and the like, I'd love to see more of that material emerge from whatever vaults they're in.

J.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Moved to "Music" for lack of steel player content. sigh

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