Hal Blaine, the keeper of the beat at the heart of the Wrecking Crew of studio musicians, has passed away. Hailing from Holyoke, Massachusetts, the irrepressible Blaine’s drumming can be heard on an uncountable number of recordings, including these favorites.
All three records were produced at the now-defunct Gold Star Studios in Los Angeles. There it is, the glamorous home of the enormous Wall of Sound, around the corner on the left.
“Ding ding ding ding … pause .. BAM! Wouldn’t it be nice …” I always loved the beginning of that classic. I’m sure Brian had a lot to do with it. Who played the guitar hook? And Ronnie … that knife-sharp voice! Hal could custom-fit his drumming to fit every song. And every song he played on made you feel good. Hmmm …. I bet you really liked that Herb Albert album cover!