[Carol Kaye, Bassist & guitarist on 10,000+ studio recordings over 50 years, including ‘Pet Sounds’ & “La Bamba,” born in Everett, WA]
Still alive, playing, and untouchable.
AND GIVING GUITAR AND BASS LESSONS ON SKYPE!!!!
Look, I’m not saying $65 an hour is nothing, and she requests that you work through one of her DVDs first to make sure that you’re both making good use of the time (another $28), but seriously, this is a screaming good deal, and a rare opportunity that won’t last forever. (She’s in her 80s now.)
And yeah, if you can’t swing $65 an hour for Skype or $28 for a DVD, her website is full of free tips and lessons, and she has a lot of free lessons (and tons of interviews that include tips) on YouTube. You’ll also find some documentaries on her there, pretty much all of which are worth checking out at some point.
She really needs a full discussion on her MASSIVE presensce on influence on the course of rock and roll (start with Paul McCartney, who said he changed his entire approach to bass after hearing her on Pet Sounds), and apart from that, just more celebration of her work with Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, The Righteous Brothers, The Monkees, The Doors, Glen Campbell, Frank Zappa, Frank Sinatra, Sonny & Cher, Joe Cocker, and hundreds more… but I’ll start with these.
Carol started on guitar, and that lick at the beginning of “La Bamba”, that runs all the way through it? THAT’S CAROL KAYE.
And it’s not just that Carol played bass on Beach Boys tracks. On songs like “California Girls”, and especially “Good Vibrations”, her basslines are the spine of the song. The spooky theremin is the most famous sound of “Good Vibrations”, but after the organ kicks the proceedings off, it’s ALL ABOUT THE BASS.
This early promo clip has Brian Wilson playing Carol’s line (as was the custom – studio musicians came up with the parts, the band played them live), but the recording itself that Brian is miming to, THAT’S CAROL KAYE.
To be clear: Brian was a dear friend of Carol’s, and a great supporter, and never hesitated to give her credit. This was true in the sixties, and it’s true today. Here’s a recent clip of Brian acknowledging that Carol’s contributions to “Good Vibrations” are a lot more than “just” bass (and she likewise credits Brian for pushing her to raise her game).
And hey, here’s a recent clip of Brian and Carol doing “Good Vibrations” as a duet! Brian on piano and vocals, and Carol on bass. You’ll really hear what she’s doing, but you need to turn it up – it’s a home movie and the volume is pretty low. It’s both adorable and amazing.
There’s much more to say about Carol Kaye, and I’ll prioritize doing that sooner rather than later, but I want to emphasize that, TODAY, one of the greatest musicians of the mid-century jazz, early rock and roll, and mainstream classic rock eras is ready to spend an hour with you, to teach you how to do what she’s done on some of the greatest recordings ever made, all in for under a hundred bucks.
If you’re a musician, regardless of gender (the folks I know who’ve taken lessons from her happen to all be fellas, and all were happy with the results – you can look it up online in musician forums), but ESPECIALLY if you’re a woman player, consider asking for a DVD and one-on-one Skype lesson with Carol for the holidays, or graduation, or whatever occassions are coming up in your life. She’s also very engaged on email, and will stay in touch with you. It’s unbelievable that this opportunity is out there.
And at the very least, start poking a little deeper into one of the most astounding careers of any musician, ever. That’s Carol Kaye.
But when one constrains Nature in that way and treats human beings as mannequins, one runs a risk of getting nothing but dead, artificial results. A hunter of truth and a trapper of life. I am careful not to follow their example. I seize upon the movements I observe, but I don’t dictate them. when a subject requires a predetermined pose, I merely Indicate It. For I want only what reality will afford without being forced. In everything I obey Nature. I never assume to command her. My sole ambition is a servile fidelity. (from L'Art. Entretiens réunis par Paul Gsell, 1911)
Auguste Rodin at his studio, from Ceux de chez nous, dir. Sacha Guitry, 1915.
![soundsof71:
“ triplet-towers:
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“Session Player
[Carol Kaye, Bassist & guitarist on 10,000+ studio recordings over 50 years, including ‘Pet Sounds’ & “La Bamba,” born in Everett, WA]
”
Still alive, playing, and untouchable.
”
AND...](https://66.media.tumblr.com/d02ac573d11604d38aaf166b0103e4dd/tumblr_oap0qyhnck1rwy5kbo1_500.png)
