On the 1969 David Bowie/Space Oddity album there is a harmonica credit for Benny Marshall And Friends. Does someone know who those friends are? Or is this maybe just a 'joke' and is Benny Marshall performing alone?
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the_hype
Posted: 12th Dec 2011, 12:38 pm
Posts: 619Joined: 20th May, 2008
ivo6 wrote:
On the 1969 David Bowie/Space Oddity album there is a harmonica credit for Benny Marshall And Friends. Does someone know who those friends are? Or is this maybe just a 'joke' and is Benny Marshall performing alone?
I had a couple of pints with Benny not long ago, and put the resulting conversation up on my Hype myspace page (what, two plugs in one week ) I've just lifted the thing in it's entirety, I hope it answers your question......
Tony invites the group 'Juniors Eyes' along to Trident studios for the ('David Bowie' album) session, the group features on drums ex Hull based 'Rat' John Cambridge, John invites one time fellow 'Rat' vocalist Benny Marshall, and he contributes harmonica on 'Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed' During a recent chat I had with Ben I asked him how he came to play harmonica on the album,
"During the recording I went down to London with Cambo, whilst down there Cambo asked David if he was still wanting some harmonica on the album" (David having mentioned this in an earlier conversation) "er, yeah", David replied, "then here's yer man". David had to nip to a local music shop to purchase a suitable harp for the session, During the harmonica overdub Ben said that "David sat close by watching very nervously, I felt that he was wondering if I'd ruin his track, and his album", Ben of course didn't, his playing gave the piece another dimension (compare it with the version played during the BBC radio session broadcast on 26-10-69). David kept the Harmonica, and "if ever he saw me in the audience he'd get me up on stage to play". I asked Ben if Mick Ronson played on the album "No, Mick was definitely not there at any time during the recording" came Bens sure reply.
So there we have it, the friend connection was between Cambo and Ben. (excuse the spelling/grammar etc I'll tidy it up later I can't find me glasses )
Last edited by the_hype on 12th Dec 2011, 10:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Offline
ivo6
Posted: 12th Dec 2011, 5:05 pm
Posts: 16Joined: 11th Nov, 2008
Thanks a lot for your reaction and this interesting information.
Offline
the_hype
Posted: 12th Dec 2011, 11:06 pm
Posts: 619Joined: 20th May, 2008
Whilst chatting to Ben I pictured the image of David toddling over to the shops, as it was himself who insisted that he went and bought the harmonica from the local music store (within walking distance - wonder if it's still there) I'm not sure if anyone here knows anything about the harmonica, but you have to match the instrument to the songs key (and it's not a like for like job) - to me this simple act displayed David's astute knowledge of music. (I'm wondering it's the very same harmonica used during 'The Jean Genie' TOTP footage - keeping this current or what lol)
My side of the story (and one which I mentioned to Benny) My brother bought the original album back in the day and when I babysat for him at the weekends around this time I would sleep on his couch, downstairs - within headphone cable distance of the turntable, the one song which I devoured in the dark with the only light source coming from the record player was 'Unwashed And Somewhat Slightly Dazed' that harmonica was amazing, the song left me in a trance, in fact the whole album was a trip, starting with the fade in E# Fmaj7 chords of Space Oddity through to the Sun Machine going down, hanging onto, analyzing, every word, and Ben's Harp was one of the defining moments at the beginning of my world of David Bowie. To sit with Benny over a pint of Guinness all those years later was quite surreal.
One day I'll tell you all about my journey on the RHMS Ellinis
) I've just lifted the thing in it's entirety, I hope it answers your question......
)
