"Ghost" Players On Albums

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Ok so they must exist..

Players not receiving credits in the liner notes but later it comes out that all was not as was in print. I can see this happening to cover up for bad musicians (KISS), estranged band members during recording (KISS again) or maybe even an artist in an exclusivity contract with a label.

Also, there is the assumed names (MacManus=Costello on McCartney's "Flowers In The Dirt")

ILM- Do your thing.

― ZionTrain, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:11 (twenty years ago)

Clapton all over "the White Album", obviously. Dr. John and Didimus on "Exile on Main Street".

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:16 (twenty years ago)

is clapton "all over" the white album? I thought he was just on While My Guitar

― kyle (akmonday), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:19 (twenty years ago)

to the Beatles session book! (I think he's solely on Harrison's stuff, but how much I don't know) Although while we're talking about the Beatles we can also add Mal Evans for his organ work on several tunes (Billy Preston is likewise uncredited on Let it Be, I believe?)....

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:20 (twenty years ago)

Can anyone confirm or deny the presence of Tina Turner & The Ikettes on "Dinah-Moe Humm"?

― Keith C (kcraw916), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:22 (twenty years ago)

wow i hope so

― mullygrubbr (bulbs), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:23 (twenty years ago)

Bernard Purdie famously claims to have played on a number of Beatles tunes.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:23 (twenty years ago)

Bruce Kulick is all over, and uncredited on PSYCHO CIRCUS isn't he?

― ZionTrain, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:25 (twenty years ago)

There must be a ton of examples of recent young rock bands whose drummer is listed on the album when the tracks were really done by, like, Josh Freese.

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:30 (twenty years ago)

xxpost:
Here are my comments on this controversy.

― Ken L (Ken L), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:34 (twenty years ago)

Or done exclusively by our good friends from PROTOOLS!

― ZionTrain, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:34 (twenty years ago)

this just occurred to me - P-Funk albums are totally mired in this stuff, since Clinton doled out credits more according to who he owed money and who was around at the time, rather than who actually played on tracks (Billy Bass vs. Cordell Mossom vs. Bootsy, for example. Billy Bass insists that's him on "Cosmic Slop"...)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:37 (twenty years ago)

There are also a lot of faceless musicians on hip-hop albums, the people the producer brings in to do parts that they later sample/loop/fuck with (name one keyboard player on all those Dre productions, right?).

― Jordan (Jordan), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:43 (twenty years ago)

the uncredited violin player on Wu-Tang's "Reunited" is Yanni's touring violinist (I forget her name)

― Shakey Mo Collier, Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:46 (twenty years ago)

Was it Walter Lure who played the harder guitar parts on some of the Ramones albums?

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:54 (twenty years ago)

George Harrison also played under various assumed names on a lot of albums. "L'Angelo Mysterioso" on the Cream track "Badge," etc.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:55 (twenty years ago)

pre-Yardbirds Jimmy Page to thread!

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 27 April 2005 23:56 (twenty years ago)

"Bloodshot Rollin' Red" who played harp on Zappa's One Size Fits All was in fact Don Van Vliet

― Stewart Osborne (Stewart Osborne), Thursday, 28 April 2005 00:22 (twenty years ago)

Was it Walter Lure who played the harder guitar parts on some of the Ramones albums?
That's what I heard. I think I heard Steve Jones asked Johnny about this and Johnny acknowledged it.

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:14 (twenty years ago)

Didn't somebody named Peter Jordan supposedly ghost for the late Arthur "Killer" Kane on the Dolls records?

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:15 (twenty years ago)

I can't remember if Mick Jagger was credited for singing backup on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain".

― jim wentworth (wench), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:34 (twenty years ago)

-- Jordan (jordan...), April 28th, 2005.

there seems to be a growing number of producers who use comp players on their beats (Kanye and Lil Jon especially practically have practically a staff of musicians at their disposable), AFAIK they're usually credited, although usually in the fine print of the liner notes. Dre's pretty notorious for taking credit for the work of other producers/musicians and relying on people like like Scott Storch (keyboards) and Mike Elizondo (guitar). plus there's also "ghost-producing", with people like Diddy or Jermaine Dupri taking a producer credit on someone else's beat. Kanye came up by ghost producing for D-Dot.

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:39 (twenty years ago)

(argh scratch one redundant "practically" in there)

― Al (sitcom), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:39 (twenty years ago)

sonny sharrock is uncredited on 'tribute to jack johnson' and supposedly refused to audition for miles, saying that he should just listen to that solo (and it is an amazing one!)

― jake b. (cerybut), Thursday, 28 April 2005 01:47 (twenty years ago)

Stevie Wonder plays on Minnie Riperton's Perfect Angel album as "El Toro Negro"

― mucho, Thursday, 28 April 2005 03:20 (twenty years ago)

Cannonball Adderley recorded on people's albums as "Buckshot La Funk".

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 28 April 2005 03:44 (twenty years ago)

And Charlie Parker as Charlie Chan.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 28 April 2005 03:47 (twenty years ago)

I can't remember if Mick Jagger was credited for singing backup on Carly Simon's "You're So Vain".

but, christ, she mixed those backups so high in the mix that mick might as well have been singing lead.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 28 April 2005 03:57 (twenty years ago)

paul westerberg clandestinely appears on the leatherwoods' topeka oratorio, as both songwriter and musician, under the name pablo louseorama.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:01 (twenty years ago)

and of course one of the great all-time r&b songwriters, naomi neville, is but a pseudonym for the great allen toussaint.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:01 (twenty years ago)

Also, there is the assumed names (MacManus=Costello on McCartney's "Flowers In The Dirt")

not sure that counts as an assumed name, whatwith macmanus being his actual name.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:02 (twenty years ago)

were any of the session players who did the classic beach boys records (hal blaine, carol kaye, barney kessel, etc.) ever credited?

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 28 April 2005 04:08 (twenty years ago)

Jeff Pocaro (sp?) played drums on Mother by Pink Floyd because Nick Mason wasn't up to the time changes.

Also David Gilmour played a lot of the bass parts on Animals and other albums.

― mzui (mzui), Thursday, 28 April 2005 06:39 (twenty years ago)

Can anyone confirm or deny the presence of Tina Turner & The Ikettes on "Dinah-Moe Humm"?

Almost! Not on "Dinah", but rather a different song off Zappa's Over-nite Sensation, "Montana". Ike demanded that Tina and the other Ikettes be paid no more than $25, no matter how much time it took them. Dunno if that has anything to do with their uncredited-ness. (Is that an actual word?)

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Thursday, 28 April 2005 08:19 (twenty years ago)

david bowie on '20th century boy'?

― N_RQ, Thursday, 28 April 2005 08:21 (twenty years ago)

"Sympathy for the Devil" The Rolling Stones.

Them voices going "Whooo Whooo".

Ghosts?

― mark grout (mark grout), Thursday, 28 April 2005 09:06 (twenty years ago)

Siedah Garret duets with Michael Jackson on "I Just Can't Stop Loving You". Still, I don't think she was credited other than for writing "Man In The Mirror".

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 28 April 2005 09:19 (twenty years ago)

Walter Lure played guitar solos on Subterrenean Jungle and Pleasant Dreams according to Johnny Ramone. In the NY Dolls Peter Jordan subbed for Arthur Kane in concert (sometimes from behind the amps) but I don't think on record. Listen to the In Too Much Too Soon CD, the bass lines plod like the player has gloves on.

Another legend -- Bobby Womack on Sly's There's A Riot Going On (though I think he's credited).

― m coleman (lovebug starski), Thursday, 28 April 2005 09:38 (twenty years ago)

Almost! Not on "Dinah", but rather a different song off Zappa's Over-nite Sensation

I should have been clearer in my original post, but I'm pretty sure it's the same group of singers on these two songs, plus "I Am the Slime," and maybe another. If they were only on one tune, would the others have credits if another group was used (Zappa was usually very meticulous about crediting musicians on the sleeve).

― Keith C (kcraw916), Thursday, 28 April 2005 10:50 (twenty years ago)

Mzui: Great catch on Pink Floyd. A sidebar to The Wall is Lee Ritenour playing rhythm guitar on "One Of My Turns." He is credited very small as an additional musician (which disqualifies from thread) but many thought it was Gilmour playing the shiny chords underneath Roger Waters shouting.. "RUN TO THE BEDROOM... SUITCASE ON THE LEFT..

― ZionTrain, Thursday, 28 April 2005 12:22 (twenty years ago)

Has anyone ever heard rumours concerning Eno's bass playing on a lot of U2 records?

― mzui (mzui), Thursday, 28 April 2005 12:38 (twenty years ago)

THIS THREAD IS RACIST

― Herbie Shellenberger (herbiesings), Thursday, 28 April 2005 12:45 (twenty years ago)

Damon Albarn credited as "Dan Abnormal" playing keyboards (I think) on the first Elastica album.

― Ben Dot (1977), Thursday, 28 April 2005 13:13 (twenty years ago)

Adrian Belew on Remain In Light and 1st Tom Tom Club record.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Thursday, 28 April 2005 13:28 (twenty years ago)

I can't believe no one's said Prince! He's all over the first 2 Time albums, Shelia E's stuff, Vanity 6, Madhouse, George Clinton's Paisley Park albums, etc., all without a mention. And then there's NPG's Exodus, where he appears as Tora Tora, with a scarf over his face.

― Aaron St. John (StJohn), Thursday, 28 April 2005 18:48 (twenty years ago)

And of course, Prince used an assumed name as writer on "Manic Monday" for them Bangles.

― ZionTrain, Thursday, 28 April 2005 19:01 (twenty years ago)

"Adrian Belew on Remain In Light and 1st Tom Tom Club record."

Belew got credit on "Remain in Light".

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 28 April 2005 19:02 (twenty years ago)

we should probably differentiate here between studio session musicians (Blaine, Kaye, Page, etc.) and moonlighting pros....

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 28 April 2005 19:03 (twenty years ago)

Ginger Baker and Steve Vai on PiL's "Album."

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Thursday, 28 April 2005 19:04 (twenty years ago)

Belew got credit on the Tom-Tom Club record too.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Thursday, 28 April 2005 19:06 (twenty years ago)

Does Steve Jones playing the bass on Never Mind the Bollocks count?

― Ken L (Ken L), Thursday, 28 April 2005 19:09 (twenty years ago)

George Martin hired some session drummer to help out The Beatles on "Love Me Do" because he didn't have too much faith in Ringo. I think the single version had Ringo drumming, while the album version had that guest drummer.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 28 April 2005 21:09 (twenty years ago)

His name was Andy White.

― Pleasant Plains /// (Pleasant Plains ///), Thursday, 28 April 2005 21:13 (twenty years ago)

-- Keith C

Well, if it sounds like them, then I guess it probably IS them. No singers are credited anywhere & I couldn't remember which songs aside from "Montana" had backing vocals on 'em. I only remember "Montana" being singled out as having a really difficult vocal part. The first girl to nail it was pleased with herself and was happy to help the others master it.

― Myonga Von Bontee (Myonga Von Bontee), Saturday, 30 April 2005 04:31 (twenty years ago)

or maybe even an artist in an exclusivity contract with a label.

yeah, or maybe that.

Thomas Dolby on "Bringing on the Heartbreak"

― Ian Christe (Ian Christe), Saturday, 30 April 2005 04:54 (twenty years ago)

Prince wrote "Manic Monday"??? Wow. x-post

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Saturday, 30 April 2005 05:45 (twenty years ago)

Prince wrote "Manic Monday"??? Wow. x-post

― Tantrum The Cat (Tantrum The Cat), Saturday, 30 April 2005 14:01 (twenty years ago)

Varg Vikernes plays bass on Mayhem "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" - when the record came out shortly after the whole murder incident the band claimed to have rerecorded his bass tracks (and didn't mention Vikernes in the credits), but a few years later admitted that they never bothered.

― Siegbran (eofor), Saturday, 30 April 2005 14:12 (twenty years ago)

There is a legend that The Band played on some Barbarians song- "Moulty," I think.

― Ken L (Ken L), Saturday, 30 April 2005 18:00 (twenty years ago)

Yeah, Christopher was Prince's character in 'Under the Cherry Moon.'

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Saturday, 30 April 2005 20:32 (twenty years ago)

Julian Cope played originally uncredited keyboards on a demo of "Monkeys" by Echo and the Bunnymen that appeared on a Liverpool compilation.

Keith Levene of PiL goes uncredited on The New Age Steppers' debut album.

Prince wrote "Manic Monday"??? Wow. x-post

Yeah, he's credited simply as "Christopher" on the album. The music press made a big deal out of it at the time. You can totally tell it's him, too - the verses are patterned after the verses of "1999".
Wasn't it suggested on here that he wrote it so he could bang Susanna Hoffs, and that masturbation should now be known as "writing a song for the Bangles"?

― Ian Riese-Moraine has a grenade, that pineapple's not just a toy! (Eastern Mantr, Saturday, 30 April 2005 22:07 (twenty years ago)

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