Ed Bicknell Interview

[Chris W]

The session musician thing was definitely a thing in the early 60's. Bands often didn't even write their own material. It all changed with the huge success of The Beatles. By 66 onwards I think bands were playing on their records and also writing the sings - like Pink Floyd, The Who, The Doors, Jimmy Hendrix Experience etc...
I replaced a lot of band drummers in the 1980's however.

[ds1984]

If you can pay studio time to record 80 takes to get one good then yo can do it that way.

The interesting thing with Pink Floyd is The Wall album.
Therre are uncredited people playing on that one.

BTW does anybody have heard of Nile Rodgers interview about him playing David Gilmour's 0001 white Strat ?

[Chris W]

If you can pay studio time to record 80 takes to get one good then yo can do it that way.

It can be a bunch of things - not a great groove, not a great sound. It isn't always about mistakes.
Since modern technology allows you to completely change the sound AND fix the groove, hardly anyone is replaced by a studio drummer any more.
With drummers like Omar Hakim and Jeff Porcaro you had an incredible feel, tasteful fills and a fantastic drum sound.

[dustyvalentino]

If you can pay studio time to record 80 takes to get one good then yo can do it that way.

It can be a bunch of things - not a great groove, not a great sound. It isn't always about mistakes.
Since modern technology allows you to completely change the sound AND fix the groove, hardly anyone is replaced by a studio drummer any more.
With drummers like Omar Hakim and Jeff Porcaro you had an incredible feel, tasteful fills and a fantastic drum sound.

The funny thing is, I think the drums are great on all those Rockpile/Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds albums.

But BIA and OES sold 40 million odd between them so who am I to argue with MK?!

[quizzaciously]

Speaking of Ed, just stumbled across this... Video. LMAO

[Love Expresso]

He obviously is a great storysteller, indeed very funny. He remembers all the details and names immediately.
Two things remarkable to me: 1) calling him Knopfler instead of Mark, 2) "he and I don't drink".

LE

[dmg]

LOL 

Ed is a legend.

[Banjo99uk]

Cried through most of that story. He’s a funny guy.

[quizzaciously]

He obviously is a great storysteller, indeed very funny. He remembers all the details and names immediately.
Two things remarkable to me: 1) calling him Knopfler instead of Mark, 2) "he and I don't drink".

LE

Yeah, what a story indeed. Regarding alcohol, maybe he was talking about heavy drinks. As in whiskey, it's like vodka in terms of strength. I don't know anyone who consumes a lot of heavy stuff like this and continues to be sane. The second thing feels like a way to reduce calling him "Mak" all the time, otherwise, that would sound like constantly Mak this, Mak that.

[Chris W]

I took it to mean they don't socialise.

[Mossguitar]

I took it to mean they don't socialise.

Me too.

[Chris W]

I know they don't socialise anyway.
Last time I saw Ed he was with Pick Withers at the London Drum Show.

[Jules]

Those teeth spoke to Elvis.

LOL!!!!

[dustyvalentino]

I know they don't socialise anyway.
Last time I saw Ed he was with Pick Withers at the London Drum Show.

How did you find working with Ed Chris?

He always comes across as fun and jovial in interviews but I assume he was pretty tough when it came to business and watching the cash?

[quizzaciously]

I took it to mean they don't socialise.

Me too.

Interesting how even such a minor detail can generate different perceptions. I'm of course a non-native speaker and easily and likely can be wrong here, but my thinking was like this: since Ed mentioned he had a bottle of whiskey on his table, he emphasised that both he and Mark don't drink [heavy alcohol] juxtaposing the fact Mark slugged down the whole bottle to sell the emotional impact.