|
Post by Windy Miller on Nov 21, 2019 9:23:30 GMT
Well, this will either fascinate (if you like the World In Action theme), or bore you to tears, but I like to hear rare studio outtakes and was quite interested in the following clip of Shawn Phillips, Mick Weaver & producer of World In Action John Shepphard working on the tune in the studio. It wasn't a completely harmonious experience though. According to reports, Shawn Phillips was not a member of the British Music Union at the time that the song was recorded and it was unclear how he would get paid for his work on the song. Producer Jonathan P Weston offered to put his name down as composer and if the song made any money, he would give it to Philips. According to Phillips, it was 20 years later that he found out that Weston had been collecting royalties for all that time, amounting to £189,000. According to Phillips, Weston never handed him a penny, leading to Phillips saying Weston was and remains a slimeball and an Asshole with a capital A. Mick Weaver by contrast, who played the Hammond B3 on the recording is also furious with Shawn Phillips, who he says get's "all the bloody credit" for the song. He agrees with Phillips that Weston got all the money and says he was even down the price of the tube fare to get to the studio on the day they recorded it! Whether any of that is true, we don't know. Here is the recording session that took place in Trident Studios, London: An incredible back story to the writing and recording of this amazing and evocative theme tune - so much discord, both with the music and between the composers. Ironic that a programme like World In Action which reported on injustices and exposed wrongs would have a situation with its iconic theme tune like this.
|
|
|
Post by Arthur Pringle on Nov 21, 2019 15:56:10 GMT
The World In Action theme sounds like a prog rock cross between Bach's Toccata & Fugue and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, the intro is definitely taken from Toccata & Fugue.
|
|
|
Post by Gene Hunt on Nov 21, 2019 16:29:22 GMT
Well, this will either fascinate (if you like the World In Action theme), or bore you to tears, but I like to hear rare studio outtakes and was quite interested in the following clip of Shawn Phillips, Mick Weaver & producer of World In Action John Shepphard working on the tune in the studio. It wasn't a completely harmonious experience though. According to reports, Shawn Phillips was not a member of the British Music Union at the time that the song was recorded and it was unclear how he would get paid for his work on the song. Producer Jonathan P Weston offered to put his name down as composer and if the song made any money, he would give it to Philips. According to Phillips, it was 20 years later that he found out that Weston had been collecting royalties for all that time, amounting to £189,000. According to Phillips, Weston never handed him a penny, leading to Phillips saying Weston was and remains a slimeball and an Asshole with a capital A. Mick Weaver by contrast, who played the Hammond B3 on the recording is also furious with Shawn Phillips, who he says get's "all the bloody credit" for the song. He agrees with Phillips that Weston got all the money and says he was even down the price of the tube fare to get to the studio on the day they recorded it! Whether any of that is true, we don't know. Here is the recording session that took place in Trident Studios, London: Great find Gene. I love studio outtake recordings.
In short, the tale was reported pretty much as Gene said.
But, no one could be entirely sure who actually "wrote" the piece (I assumed it was a jam session anyway) - and certain musicians not being members of the Musicians Union. Mick Weaver, who played the Hammond B3 on the recording claims that Shawn Phillips came to the studio with only the descending chord progression in mind. Weaver says that he himself did the rest. Either way, it appears that neither of them were paid a bean (Weaver says he wasn't even paid for the studio session).
|
|
|
Post by Dirty Epic on Nov 21, 2019 17:02:55 GMT
|
|
Sparky
Producer
Status? Would that be Credit or in Society?
Posts: 2,784
Online Status:
|
Post by Sparky on Nov 21, 2019 17:38:01 GMT
Mick Weaver, who played the Hammond B3 on the recording claims that Shawn Phillips came to the studio with only the descending chord progression in mind. Weaver says that he himself did the rest. Either way, it appears that neither of them were paid a bean (Weaver says he wasn't even paid for the studio session). It must be something to do with Hammond Organs.
Didn't Procal Harum go through the same issues?
It's Keyboard Player ended up taking them (the band/management) to court about 15 years ago over the Organ riff on "Whiter Shade of Pale". Matt Fisher (the keyboard player) claimed that he received sod all in royalties, and had it not been for the Organ riff - the song was nothing.
I think, it ended up with Fisher winning Royalties backdated to 1968.
Though, there was some debate over the Organ riff as it wasn't written by Fisher (or the any of the Band) it was taken from some classical piece of music - aparently. Procal Harum did a gig at the Union Chapel with Fisher back on Organ - more recently.
|
|
|
Post by Arthur Pringle on Nov 21, 2019 19:27:08 GMT
Mick Weaver, who played the Hammond B3 on the recording claims that Shawn Phillips came to the studio with only the descending chord progression in mind. Weaver says that he himself did the rest. Either way, it appears that neither of them were paid a bean (Weaver says he wasn't even paid for the studio session).
Though, there was some debate over the Organ riff as it wasn't written by Fisher (or the any of the Band) it was taken from some classical piece of music - aparently.
Bach again-
|
|
Villain
Director
Nine Elms, 1970, looking for the loot...
Posts: 1,294
Online Status:
|
Post by Villain on Nov 21, 2019 20:39:16 GMT
My Mum's half sister Jackie is a self employed music biz accountant and deals with this kind of thing on a daily basis, it's a veritable nightmare at times. Her hubby Phil (Da Costa, former child actor and the ginger kid in 'Scum') is now a producer / writer / mixer who works with all sorts of musicians, bands, session players, TV and film producers and has to keep a very accurate record of everything he does. Fascinating stuff when you get into it. That 'World In Action' theme is really, really evocative, it takes me back and then some . Villain
|
|
Del Boy
Moderator
Posts: 9,895
Online Status:
|
Post by Del Boy on Nov 21, 2019 21:29:09 GMT
All these issues are the real reason resentment builds in even the most successful bands. It's not surprising that many fall out and the old cliche artistic differences is oft cited. Eagles in the late 70s is a classic case.
|
|
Sparky
Producer
Status? Would that be Credit or in Society?
Posts: 2,784
Online Status:
|
Post by Sparky on Nov 22, 2019 7:06:56 GMT
All these issues are the real reason resentment builds in even the most successful bands. It's not surprising that many fall out and the old cliche artistic differences is oft cited. Eagles in the late 70s is a classic case. That's right Del. The rift in Pink Floyd developed the same way - that raised its head over who was in control of the band, and then which band member had the most writing credits. More writing credits = more royalties.
|
|
Del Boy
Moderator
Posts: 9,895
Online Status:
|
Post by Del Boy on Nov 22, 2019 7:09:45 GMT
Oh yes Sparky agree that Pink Floyd is another well documented falling out regarding credits. Think we can add The Police to the list as well.
|
|