Best From Artist 6 Village People

[NickNack]

On 2002-04-09 19:12, markydefad wrote:

While we're talking about that first Village People LP, I'd like to remind everyone and inform the new folks that one of own members played tambourine on that LP and is credited on the back cover: Nicky (Ron Nicholson).



Nicky, tell us the stories about the recording session, PLEASE!!!!!!!!

OK. Here's my little bit of history. But before I begin:



1) Mark - Thanks for remembering. Makes one feel like a ***STAR***

2) My favorites: San Francisco/Hollywood, Fire Island



Now, the dirt: PART 1 - THE MEETING



It's about 3 AM on a weeknight in the fall of 1977. I was hanging out at Keller's Bar in The Village, NYC, with Billy (William Penelli - the second tambourine player) and friends. (Great thing about being a DJ - don't have to crawl out of bed and get to work in the morning.) Billy and I had been playing tambourines to the music in Keller's (there was actually a group ranging from three to a half-dozen or so during the evening) and had stepped outside for a break. Two guys approached and one asked if we wanted to make some money. His manner and attitude was like he was looking for a "trick". We both said "fuck-off", in those exact words. Realizing what just happened, he took out his business cards (no apology given) and started over, saying he was putting a record together and would like us to play the tambourines. If we were interested, be in the studio at 9 AM. Billy couldn't have cared less but I, even though I didn't recognize the name of Jacques Morali, recognized the studio, Sigma Sound. I was down to go and if I had to drag Billy kicking and screaming he was going, too. I was living in Brooklyn at the time but talked Billy into letting me stay in Manhattan with him so we could get uptown on time. (I never did find out who the guy was with Morali.)



PART 2 - THE STUDIO



Well, Billy did scream, hangover and all, but we cabbed it up to the studio - on time. Morali met us in the lobby. He was in full business mode now, (DIVA!) cold and indifferent. He brought us upstairs, told us where we could get some coffee (rank dispensing machine crap) and said sit and wait while they laid the tracks. There were no vocals as yet on these tracks and "The Village People" were not in the studio. When Jacques started bringing musicians in to work, only the basics had been put down --- drum, bass, guitar --- it was very raw. Billy and I sat there for six hours or more outside that glass window watching these guys come in one after another and do their thing. For me it was fascinating... watching the engineer, listening to the songs 'grow' out of what I initally heard that morning. (Billy was in misery and wanted nothing less than to kick my ass!) I remember one of the musicians walking into the recording room with a "suitcase". In it was all his bag of tricks - percussive instruments. He pulled out what looked like two small oars that smacked together. The engineer turned the track on and he started working them to the beat. The engineer turned a dial and the sound went from a 'wooden clap' to a sharp 'whip'. Jacques yelled "No! Too Donna". (Think "I Feel Love" being created in front of your eyes.) I was awed, Billy was bored, Jacques was pissed. This is how it went all day. We weren't introduced to anyone, we weren't fed and we couldn't leave because we didn't know when he'd call us. When it was finally our turn it was like, "OK - you two -inside". By this time, Billy and I knew the music inside out (smart, making us hear it all day) and Jacques told us he just wanted us to play like we did last night, straight across. He would signal us through the glass when to stop.



PART 3 - AGITA



Now, we've got problems. The man just told us to "play it like you did last night". To Billy and me, that means me keeping the basic rhythm (a-B/c-D or E-f-g/H-i-j) while Billy worked accents. To Jacques, it meant BOTH OF YOU play 'a-B-c-D' to every '1-2-3-4' of the songs. Billy HATED playing basics. He'd sooner put the tambourine down and break it than be forced to do that. After sitting around all day now he has being told how to play his tambourine. Not a happy man. I told him let's just get it done so we can leave.



So now were in basic training. The tapes are rolling and we're watching Jacques for our cues to stop. Problem? We're not stopping together. There's spill-over. Morali wants absolute death silence when he cues that beat. "Do it again. And again. Again!" After more than a half-hour of these stop/starts he realizes it ain't going to happen. The engineer comes up with the solution: We play straight through, non-stop, he will "punch us in/out" as needed. Finally, we got it going on. He cued the tracks, we played them all the same way (BORING! Well, not for me) and we were done. Jacques thanked us, explained why we had to wait (we weren't union), took our names down for the album credits (still couldn't spell mine correctly), gave us each $50.00 and said go home.



That's it. No flash, no sizzle. I assume Felipe (The Indian) did his bells on another day and I think Graham may be right about the group not really being formed yet. Morali had the concept but was still working it all out. That back cover photo was taken in Badlands, a bar one block away from Keller's. Obviously all those guys were not part of the group. A little more trivia (for Maarten): My main gig at the time was DJ at Peter Rabbit. Just think how pissed my bosses were when they saw the album and it read 'Ron "Nick" Nicholson from Keller's'. Oh, shit. Lucy --- you got some splainin' to do...



_________________

Life Is a Dance

Nicky



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: NickNack on 2002-04-12 15:12 ]</font>



<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: NickNack on 2002-04-12 15:15 ]</font>

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: NickNack on 2002-04-12 15:17 ]</font>

[maarten]

Excellent story. And I promise I will give the first album a go.

[The Lord of Flatbush]

That was an excellent story! It only goes to show that many hours in a studio will make your mark.

[paul]

Fascinating story Nicky. Now I'm curious to know what BS you used to explain to your bosses, why another club appeared on that album with you?

[NickNack]

On 2002-04-12 20:11, paul wrote:

Fascinating story Nicky. Now I'm curious to know what BS you used to explain to your bosses, why another club appeared on that album with you?

Ah, my Brother, lucky for me I didn't have to BS. Plus, I had backup, my dj friend Larry Rossiello. He worked Peter Rabbit before me.



The credits, as they were written, were Morali's choice. He didn't ask if we worked other clubs. He didin't care or maybe it just seemed unimportant. Whatever place he "found" you, that's how he listed it. So, I was "from Keller's" because that's where he saw us. Felipe was "from The Anvil" for the same reason. Jacques was actually gathering and creating his Village People. Still, Peter Rabbit was not happy, as you can imagine. Who wouldn't want publicity like that... for FREE?

[Robbie]

"Fire Island" is a standout. I love it for the music itself, especially the intro. "San Francisco/Hollywood" is another great one. I have their 1977 AB appearance on tape. I also thought their medley of "Just A Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" from the "Macho Man" album was good as well.

[paul]

Thanks for sharing those moments Nicky.

Ahh, the memories my friend. It must still give you a warm feeling whenever you reminisce on the experiences from the period.

[Jeff H]

What an amazing story, Nick. Thanks for sharing it!



Oh, and I agree with Robbie that the "Just a Gigolo/I Ain't Got Nobody" medley is another great song--in a campy, kitschy kinda way.