For Michael: Rhythm section

[silentseason]

Michael, When the band developed a song in the rehearsal stage it appears that whoever the writer was would bring in the general idea and then everyone else would flesh out and develop their part until the song became whole. Johnny mentioned that alot of times he and Bryan would work on their parts on acoustic guitars. Since you and Kenny held the beat as the rhythm section did you two ever work in tandem during song development, or was there some other method used for your contributions to each song?

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

In working up the parts for Da Capo and Forever Changes, Arthur would simply play and sing us the songs on his black Gibson acoustic and we would improvise our parts over his rhythm/chord/vocal part, trying different things until something sounded right.

Johnny and Bryan would work together and play off what the other did to get a good guitar blend... something that would compliment and not clash with what the other was doing, and Kenny and I would try to work out parts that established a good foundation.

[jamestkirk]

In working up the parts for Da Capo and Forever Changes, Arthur would simply play and sing us the songs on his black Gibson acoustic and we would improvise our parts over his rhythm/chord/vocal part, trying different things until something sounded right.

Johnny and Bryan would work together and play off what the other did to get a good guitar blend... something that would compliment and not clash with what the other was doing, and Kenny and I would try to work out parts that established a good foundation.

"Foundation" is truly apt!

Of course, I listen to the drum part FIRST upon any new album listen! Bass too, since the two are what drive a song.

But Kenny is so under-appreciated. His bass lines are unique in the annals of rock, as were the bass lines of Bruce Palmer. Two of the greatest innovators of the rockin' electric bass; RIP. Their influence can't be underestimated
...especially since much of the groundbreaking music of the day was coming out of LA...where Love or Springfield ruled in their day.

Aspiring AND established bassists/drummers were always listening to other musicians for new techniques and inspiration, and there was an abundance of that with Bruce and Kenny (didn't Kenny have a short stint with Buffalo Springfield?).

I admire your drumming most of all, Michael. To me, you are in the class of Ringo, where the only concern was for creating the foundation and beat of a song...not to showcase your obvious talents!!
Though Ringo didn't have the speed of hand or abilities you have, Michael, he made up for it by creating unique & unmistakable left handed fills and beats.

Thanks for keeping the beat of Love, Michael!
I always get excited when listening to Forever Changes and hearing your drum kit ringing out!!

So what drums did you use then...and what is your choice nowadays? What various cymbals do you have/prefer?
Someday I will replace the red sparkle Gretsch trap set I had years ago.



Cheers...
Scott

[silentseason]

Just to expound on jtk's post, your drumming really was a perfect fit for the group. Take 'A House is not a Motel': no real soloing on your part but the drums/cymbals provide the thunder to the other procedings and are absolutely essential to its success. I sometimes prefer the instrumental version to the album version. Again thanks for your time in answering all these queries.

[BallroomDays67]

Which songs in your opinion changed or evolved the most in the studio? Are there any in which Arthur or Bryan seemed particularly surprised about how they turned out compared to how they were envisioned?

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

Yes Scott, you are quite right. Bruce Palmer and Kenny were both true masters of music, who just happened to play bass. I think Bruce's gorgeous runs on "For What It's Worth" absolutely made the song (I listened to it just to hear those runs), and can you imagine anyone but Kenny playing on "7&7 Is?" (or any of Love's music, for that matter) His bass parts were simply astounding.

Kenny did sub for Bruce with Buffalo Springfield for a few nights at The Whisky, I believe.

I used a set of sparkling-silver Ludwigs in the late-sixties with a single 9X12" mounted tom, 16"X16" floor tom, chrome snare and Zildjians. Now I use a double mounted tom, jet black set of birch Tamas, same size floor tom, wood snare, and (still) Zildjians. I get basically the same sound from both sets.

Thanks for the compliments on my drumming guys. It means the world.

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

To ballroomdays...Actually I can't remember that any of the tunes changed in the studio. I think we played them pretty much as we had rehearsed them.

[silentseason]

Michael, A generic question that you might not recall. When the band got down to serious rehearsals for Da Capo and FC, what kind of routine was established? By that I mean did you all rehearse always at the same place, was there a set starting time each day or did everyone show up at a roundabout time, how long did you all rehearse on an average day, did you have to set up and break down your drums every day? I guess the best way to put it is what was a day in the life of Love during album rehearsals.

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

All the rehearsals for Da Capo took place up at Arthur's house in the canyon on Brier. There was deck outside the sliding glass door to the rear that overlooked a small canyon, with a pool down further down some wooden stairs below. Arthur shared the upstairs portion with Snoopy, and Bryan lived in the downstairs portion alone. The rehearsals all took place in the living room of the upstairs portion.

On rehearsal days, we would all arrive around one o'clock and Arthur would play a few records and we would pass the hash pipe for a while. Everyone would joke around a bit and Arthur would entertain us with various pigeons he would retrieve from the pigeon coop he kept out on the rear deck, and then pretty soon, we would get down to business.

Arthur would always play the tune on his black Gibson acoustic and sing the vocal and we would all work out something we thought fit. I don't think I set my drums up for these rehearsals. To the best of my recollection, I just had my sticks and played the drum parts on whatever surface was available, or maybe I just set up my snare... I can't remember. Bryan played his acoustic Gibson Hummingbird and I guess Johnny and Kenny might have had small amps set up but I'm not certain. Tjay, of course, played his parts on his flute and soprano sax. I think Snoop might have had his electronic keyboard set up, as well.

The mood was always light and cheerful.

The rehearsals for Forever Changes all took place at Arthur's new (Trip) house in the canyon... again, up to the top of Kirkwood, sharp left at Elmer Valentine's pad... then crank it around and up a small single-lane blacktop and dirt road that I haven't yet been able to find on the map, because you need like a microscope. The rehearsals started around one, as usual, but this time there was no playing of records or showing tricks by pigeons and very little joking around, just a little getting high and then right to the business of learning the tunes.
My drums were set up for these rehearsals and I just left them there throughout.

[jamestkirk]

So the house on Brier was where Jim Morrison showed up...skinny dipping in the pool below..to Arthur's dismay?! I've read that Morrison was quite in awe of Arthur and would sometimes sit on Arthur's doorstep with Arthur inside...Arthur wanted no visitors it seems.

Did you know any DOORS members at all, Michael?

[MichaelStuart-Ware]

Yes, that was the house, all right...the house with the pool, but I never saw Jim hanging around outside waiting or wanting to play with Arthur. Jim was friends with Bryan.
I didn't know any of the guys in The Doors at all. Even though we were on the same label and played on the same bill once or twice, I don't think I was ever even in the same room with any of the members, except when they were onstage playing at (I forget the venue, again), just before we went on.