Ghost Players

[RexNFX79]

On another thread that I was reading recently, there was some discussion about what, if I remember correctly, was referred to as a ghost player. This would be a person that played bass on another persons record and didn't get credit and the person in the band actually was credited as the bass player. Someone mentioned that Gene Simmons had done this. Anyone know of any other TRUE stories of this happening? I was intrigued by this and would love to hear them.

[JTE]

Gene Simmons is one well known example. Add in Alec Jon Such from Bon Jovi. Hugh McDonald, their current bassist did a lot of the early studio work while Such was still "in the band".

Lots of old pop acts too. For example, David Crosby and Roger McGuinn both have said that the only instruments any of The Byrds played on the first album was McGuinn's 12-string guitar parts. Plus there's all those sessions that were recorded by The Wrecking Crew, back when there were no credits on albums anyway. Things like The Monkees, The Partridge Family, etc.


jte

I have spoken (in person) with a very famous bassist who says that in the 80's he did tons of ghost tracks. I swore never to tell his secret so I won't say who it was. He said that almost NONE of the hair bands did their own tracks. The funny thing is that they didn't know it! He said that the "real band" (the famous guys) would hit the studio from (say) noon 'til 9p.m. They would leave (probably stumble out drunk) and the pros would sneak in late at night and do the ghost tracks. He even told me the names of a few songs he had done. But he said there were dozens over the years. Again, I'm not gonna say who so don't ask.

[MIJ-VI]

Originally Posted by the engine

I have spoken (in person) with a very famous bassist who says that in the 80's he did tons of ghost tracks. I swore never to tell his secret so I won't say who it was. He said that almost NONE of the hair bands did their own tracks. The funny thing is that they didn't know it! He said that the "real band" (the famous guys) would hit the studio from (say) noon 'til 9p.m. They would leave (probably stumble out drunk) and the pros would sneak in late at night and do the ghost tracks. He even told me the names of a few songs he had done. But he said there were dozens over the years. Again, I'm not gonna say who so don't ask.

Seems like a sensible way for a label to salvage a recording budget...

[paramountz]

Steve Bailey

[dgelting]

I know this isn't quite the same thing, but nobody is ever credited with playing bass on a lot of The Doors music. I don't think all of the bass lines are keyboard - are they?

[Ric5]

A lot of the good stones bass lines were Kieth richards or s studio player.

A lot of the good Pink Floyd bass lines were David Gilmour.

The Doors hired a studio bass player for their records. The keyboard bass lines were live only.

[Calebmundy]

I know that Bernard Purdie claims to have played drums on several Beatles records. Not bass, but worth mentioning.

[TimWilson]

David Hood did a lot of the Doors studio work.

[duckbutter]

I remember hearing a rumor that there was a ghost player on the first GnR CD.

[WJGreer]

I heard more than once that Patitucci played on Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time" album. I have that album, and there's no bass playing on it that sounds like Patitucci to my ears.

There's been some speculation around here that Bernard Edwards played bass on the early Duran Duran albums. This was fueled somewhat by a recorded interview around the Power Station period where John Taylor and Edwards are in the studio discussing the bass lick in the middle of "Bang A Gong". In this interview, they are both holding basses, but Edwards' playing seems to match the part in the song MUCH more closely than does Taylor's.

[GM60466]

Joe Osbourn, Carol Kaye, David Hood, Lee Sklar

G

[jerry]

Originally Posted by dgelting

I know this isn't quite the same thing, but nobody is ever credited with playing bass on a lot of The Doors music. I don't think all of the bass lines are keyboard - are they?

Doug Lubahn, Harvey Brooks & Jerry Scheff played bass on the albums.

[jgroh]

Originally Posted by WJGreer

I heard more than once that Patitucci played on Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time" album. I have that album, and there's no bass playing on it that sounds like Patitucci to my ears.

There's been some speculation around here that Bernard Edwards played bass on the early Duran Duran albums. This was fueled somewhat by a recorded interview around the Power Station period where John Taylor and Edwards are in the studio discussing the bass lick in the middle of "Bang A Gong". In this interview, they are both holding basses, but Edwards' playing seems to match the part in the song MUCH more closely than does Taylor's.

Yeah, it is actually Edwards that played that solo in bang a gong but Taylor supposedly played the rest. As far as playing on the early Duran Duran stuff, ive seen live clips where it sounds identical to the recorded lines, same feel and everything. I think Taylor played them and I could be wrong but, Edwards probably didnt even know about them in England when those first couple of albums came out. Again, I could be wrong.

[jb63]

Originally Posted by dgelting

I know this isn't quite the same thing, but nobody is ever credited with playing bass on a lot of The Doors music. I don't think all of the bass lines are keyboard - are they?

The only album by the Doors that has bass guitar is L.A. Woman, Jerry Scheff played bass on it. In an interview he said he'd been asked to join the band, but Jim Morrison died shortly after.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by dgelting

I know this isn't quite the same thing, but nobody is ever credited with playing bass on a lot of The Doors music. I don't think all of the bass lines are keyboard - are they?

Well, you need to read album credits then. The "Strange Days" album listed bassists (Harvery Brooks for one), and most folks know that Jerry Scheff played electric bass on the "L. A. Woman" album too. In fact, there was talk that The Doors were to hire Scheff as full-time bassist when Morrison got back from Paris...

jte

[Lo end PUNCH]

I've heard rumors involving E,W&F, that many of their early and recent tracks were NOT played by Mr. White, dont know how true this is but I've heard it off and on for many years from several different sources. Prince has said in interviews that he and Morris Day did the entire Time's first album in the studio by their lonesome.

[ZonGuy]

Originally Posted by WJGreer

I heard more than once that Patitucci played on Bonnie Raitt's "Nick of Time" album. I have that album, and there's no bass playing on it that sounds like Patitucci to my ears.

OMG I thought it was Hutch all the way!!!!!

[JAUQO III-X]

Originally Posted by Calebmundy

I know that Bernard Purdie claims to have played drums on several Beatles records

I've worked with Bernard and I believe him.


I was in a book store yesterday and I'm going through the latest issue of the UK bass magazine. And there was an article on a bass player that plays with a very popular band that is State based. A few hours later I'm at the studio where this band has been recording their latest CD and I mentioned the bass player and I was told by my friend that the majority of the bass lines were not played by the bands bassist but redone(and not to the bass players knowledge)by my friend the engineer.

[jaywa]

Kind of along these lines, I believe all of the bass on the early Smashing Pumpkins CDs was recorded by Billy Corgan (not D'Arcy, the band's nominal bassist). Would be interesting to know if that is still their M.O. or if Ginger Reyes is tracking her own parts now.

I have also heard that Tom Sholtz did some of the bass work on the Boston albums.