Terrific interview. I was fascinated from start to finish. Looking forward to seeing Donn and Ted. How about getting Al Van Halen and Mike Anthony to join? Is that too big of a dream?
100% in agreement with Lee - today's music experience is a phone and earbuds. Many young people have never heard ANY stereo system, much less a studio monitor
Like many others, for nearly 4 years I've spent time with Lee nearly every day plus Clubhouse hours. You were able to draw out fresh stories and memories. So, good on you, Drew. I'll be spending more time on this channel, too.
Regarding the bit at 42:40: On the original recording of "Sealed with a kiss" by Brian Hyland in 1962 there was no Russ and no Leland (who was only 15 at that time). It was Mundell Lowe and Al Caiola on guitar, Gary Geld on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Blackie Shackner on harmonica, Gary Chester on drums, and Sticks Evans and Al Rogers on percussion. Producers were the authors/composers Gary Geld and Peter Udell. Del Shannon had its own hits at that time. Did Lee speak of another recording session?
Drew-don't let another day go by! Get Don and Ted in as soon as a date/time can be found. They ain't getting any younger and the documentation work you are doing is so important (THANK YOU!). If it's a roundtable, would Lenny Waronker join them? That's the full 360 background on so many artists.
I met him when I was helping my pal Don Peake with a class he was giving on The Wrecking Crew at UCLA. Don asked him how long it had been since he has seen his chin. He collects pictures in his phone of people giving the finger. He must have hundreds of them there including me.
I love what Drew is doing with this series... But I hate that he’s acting like he’s part of Sunset...he’s not. I’m sure he cares about Sunset, but there’s also a major element of self promotion by him, and that sucks. Also, he has a minor speech impediment that makes it very difficult to listen to his voice. I know it’s bad form to comment about this, but I can’t help that the way he talks makes me want to mute everything that comes out of his mouth.
Hahahaahah. Why is he not a part of Sunset? Hes the marketing director there and also produces at Sunset Sound, has a done more than anyone for that studio, does this show for free…. So…Nice try. Speech impediment? Uh…. Also your account has no activity except on this channel. So you started an account to just comment on this series? Lets find out who you are
Lee's youtube channel helped me get through the pandemic years. It was intimate and educational, and I felt like it was just "us" sitting and listening. Sunset Sound Roundtable feels the same way. I love extended interviews and music history. I grew up within the heyday of this legendary studio. I'd rather be in a studio than stage. Magical!
Thank you for documenting this very important piece of history. The value of this series is immeasurable. Lee is just incredible and an amazing historian for that golden era of music. You are doing the world a great service. Excelsior!
Lee is a badass mofo!!! Such an inspiration, huge influence on me. Never underestimate the power of the bass. Get the book folks! Good sir, I give you "the finger"!
Obviously, by my RU-vid name, I'm of Irish descent, lol. A little bit of German and French, too. However, I'm like an alligator! I'm from Wisconsin, but moved here to Florida 23 years ago. Great interview. Thanks!
@@sunsetsoundrecordersted be great when it happens 👍🏼 Montrose, Van Halen, of course before VH he was producing all those great early Doobie Brothers albums, Little Feat the classic sailing shoes.
MGM Recording Studio (big room) was the best sounding studio I've ever been in. So sad when it closed (Cherokee). So many great LA studios gone forever.
Lee has an amazing ability to remember details so clearly as to be unquestionable. Maybe the clean living over the years or whatever, his story telling is priceless. Articulate, humorous, real, and he's also a passable musician. The best present is the presence. Like most people, over my many years of existence there are the songs that trigger memories so clear as to be almost transcendent. The same goes for scents. Triggers, weird. Great interview, thanks.
What a great interview Drew! Lee has one of my favorite RU-vid channels and I watch him a lot. Lee should do a book on all of the records he has played on. Or at least most of them. His knowledge of the music world is absolutly a treasure to listen to. Andy Griffith….. .
There’s certainly a lot of history attached to Sunset Sound and Leland Sklar is the consummate interviewee so this was an engaging video albeit very long! Regarding Jaco, he rewrote the book of Bass Guitar so it’s natural for a student of Bass to study and copy his techniques as well as studying Lee Sklar and Carol Kaye!
There is something special about a good studio. As soon as you walk in and unpack your instrument, you are twice as good at playing. There is something in the environment that does that. I don't know if I'm wrong, but I got that feeling. Don't know if it applies to Lee Sklar.. then he would be ridiculously good. Wonderful interview that you get to take a little at a time. It is long.
Leland was so right on the money about the micromanaging of “modern production” in the music industry. He truly is a musician’s musician and a great storyteller
"They want me to sound like I just went to a pawn shop and bought a bass."--LOL!!!! Sklar wit and humor is the best, second only to the great bass playing. Well done, sir. Saw you in Sun Valley with Lyle Lovett. Great show.
Yet another great interview! Lee is perfect for this stuff with his long list of recording credits. What Lee says at 48:17 is something that should be played over and over for the many "artists" that wound up with a hit because of what the session guys brought to the track. So much of what those studio cats did was the stuff that made hit records. These were cases where some hits would NOT have become hits if it wasn't for the song ideas session players contributed. You'd think the decent thing to do was even a small percentage point for such contributions.
I enjoyed this and I watched it again. A TWO AND A HALF HOURS DREW CAN I MAKE A SUGGESTION?? YOU SHOULD PIN A COMMENT UP HERE SAYING THE REASON FOR THE MIDDLE FINGER IN THE THUMB NAIL IS BECAUSE IT'S THE GODDAMN SUBJECT OF LEE'S BOOK!! IT'S SIMPLY CALLED EVERYBODY LOVES ME LOOK IT UP ONLINE BEFORE YOU MAKE A DUMB COMMENT ABOUT WHY DID YOU GIVE US THE MIDDLE FINGER BOO HOO 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 HOO AND THEN THESE GODDAMN 🤡🤡🤡 WILL UNDERSTAND 🤦🏻♂️🤦🏿♀️🤦🏼♂️🤦🏼🤦♂️🤦🏼♀️🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄
@@sunsetsoundrecorders I'm sorry I don't do Instagram Or Facebook. My only social media is RU-vid and Yelp lol I'd love a shirt If you have an email I can give you my contact info.
You can tell during Leland's you tube videos when hes playing or grooving with his eyes closed, that he is transported to those places, studios , live shows...and wherever he was...it inspires the listeners to tap in and imagine it all with him. Its like walking into a good friends warm kitchen , a warm cozy feeling , he us so gracious and down to earth. After seeing the Immediate Family movie twice , once in Woodstock and once in Maui, everytime i hear a classic song , i am literally stopped in my tracks now to listen to the intricacies and the magic mix of the musicianship .....wonderful to see the inside of sunset sound studios...and to hear the history. Music medicine 💜 🎵
Great interview! I grew up in LA, still have good memories of it. But in ‘97 I had to get away to the mountains of Colorado. My nearest neighbor is 1/2 a mile away. I miss the music scene but I love the open space here and there’s no freeway anywhere near me.
Great interview. Such great stories and so relatable. I listen to Leland's RU-vid page, it's really easy-going a little talk a little music (cut's/songs/tracks he did bass on). I also believe that that pic of the cover on Time Magazine with James Taylor was the art of Peter Max. Hearing about Boss Scaggs, Joni, David Crosby, Joan Baez, Dino Palladino, The Beatles at the Hollywood Bowl, everything. This was great, thank you both!
What an outstanding interview. Lee Sklar is not only a legend, he is the reason (IMO) that bassists in the industry are respected to the degree they are. At 77 years old Lee works like 20 year old. May GOD bless you and I pray you will have many more years of enjoyment and success.
Doesn’t that make you wonder about deeper stuff? When you see, hear, smell, taste something and you’re transported somewhere. I’m just in the airport in Newark, NJ returning from the funeral of a lifelong friend who was killed in a hit & run accident. So much of what you and Lee describe has happened to me over the last week.
Interviewer was excellent...REAL...not trying to get Likes for himself...lost art friend, well done...Lee is as down to earth as it gets...must get to his wisdom and that requires wisdom.
Okay, I gotta say it. Have you ever been to an event, like at a church for instance, where they have those lecterns with the mic on the gooseneck that is attached to the lectern? Then, inevitably, there is always a speaker who just feels the need to pound or continuously tap on the lectern which does what? Yes, makes the sound travel through the mic, through the "hollow box" that is the lectern and proceeds to create a thumping sound in the speakers. DRIVES ME UP A WALL! Why you ask? 🤣🤣🤣Because now, I can't focus on what they are saying!! I'm just waiting for the next thump to happen! Anyway, were your mic stands touching the table? I keep having to rewind. 🤣🤣🤣Food for thought. ❤❤❤
Lee exposes what I hate about technology so much: The diminishing of humanity. When he said, "It was like a family...like a family picnic", the music was part of the experience...the relationships was another. this is why I record, mostly in analog... and I only record people playing an actual instrument. People making records in their bedroom, with a laptop and mic...are severely , badly, missing the point: making music. Watching someone play an instrument.
Would be great if all this information and history were in books and box sets. Rights fights kill most projects but maybe record companies would partner. Co-branded under SSR. Get Steve Rosen to edit/write.
Can’t wait to see a Don & Ted interview. I’ll never forget my mom turned me on to Wolfman Jack. I remember when she told me his name was Robert Smith. As a little kid I thought that was so cool lol
Drew, is there a "walking around" video tour of Sunset Sound? You guys always talk about the baskeball court and I don't know if I've seen it. It would be nice to see the layout of the place if possible one day (I'd like to see one of 5150 too but alas). Another EPIC interview with Mr. Sklar! #legend Thank you for being the keeper of the history!
There were days that I would go through albums looking at the back and funding Lee's name among the credits buy the album while having no knowledge whatsoever of the featured artist.
