“It Was Just a Blur” - Auditioning for Paul McCartney
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- Опубліковано 2 лип 2024
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TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Start
01:08 Starting Out Freelance Drumming
02:35 ABC - How To Be A Zillionare!
03:50 The Fairlight CMI
04:25 The Waterboys - This Is The Sea
09:00 They didn't teach us to tune drums
13:00 Working with Paul McCartney
32:30 Working with Edie Brickell and beyond
Chris Whitten made a name for himself providing drums for the classic 80's hits 'What I Am' by Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians and 'The Whole Of The Moon' by The Waterboys. He went on to appear on Paul McCartney's critically acclaimed 'Flowers In The Dirt' album and the 1989/90 record-breaking world tour. Two years later Chris embarked on the mammoth, 18 month long ‘On Every Street’ world tour with Dire Straits.
In the 1990's Chris started collaborating with record producer Peter Henderson (Supertramp, Rush and McCartney) on several drum sample libraries, notably 'Superior Custom & Vintage’ for Toontrack in Sweden, 'EZX Vintage Rock', 'EZX The Classic' and ‘EZX Kicks and Snares’.
In 2017 the pair recorded a factory sound library at Real World and Rockfield Studios for Roland Corp’s newest flagship hybrid drum module, the TM-6 Pro.
Chris' extensive studio credits include Paul McCartney, a pair of albums with Swing Out Sister, a James Bond soundtrack (The Living Daylights) with The Pretenders, sessions with ABC, The The, World Party, Julian Cope, Holly Johnson, Johnny Cash, Tom Jones, Louise Goffin and Jeff Trott, plus more recently, two acclaimed albums by soulful newcomers ‘The Beauty Room'.
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Paul McCartney calls you and asks you to jam, whats the first thing you do? Comment below! ha!
Ask for money 😆
Run to the WC
Call Klaus Voormann
As a Bassist /vocalist I would go to the gig and thank him for inspiring me to be a Bassist/vocalist and tell him Juniors Farm, Jet and Band on the Run were the first songs I ever learned in that capacity.
I would pass out I bet
I think Chris's story about being schooled by another drummer and dedicating 'educating' himself for six months was really eye opening and wonderful. The process if realizing your weakness and working on making yourself better was the best part of this interview.
This was such an honour. I have been a fan of PLAP and watched most of the videos over many years - learned a lot along the way.
Also, thanks for all the very kind comments so far 🙏🏻
You did a great job on the Flowers album and tour! Super cool to hear an interview with you!
It was a pleasure, Chris. So good to hear insights from a period that was different to today's, and less well toured
Fantastic having you on my friend!! I hope we can get to record together soon!
Loved your work on "Flowers in The Dirt". I still think it McCartney's last great album.
Chris really appreciate all the music insights!
Wonderful! After McCartney, Chris pretty much disappeared from my radar. I knew he did Dire Straits but I wasn't a fan of that band, so he came and went without me paying any heed. His is a very real tale of how opportunity knocks for those who are ready (or at least willing). And also that even with the biggest gigs there comes a time when enough is enough. it would have been nice to hear about how he adjusted when playing with different bassists, particularly Paul and Hamish - one a 50s-style rocker, the other one of the funkiest cats on the planet. Thank you.
I love Chris Whitten. Awesome Drummer!
Yes! Amazing!
Marvellous! I love it when Chris speaks of witnessing Jerry Marotta recording. That's the sign of a great musician - he listens to what others do and tries to learn from them.
Chris Whitten! Fantastic! I have to say that the Flowers In The Dirt era P Mc band, is, for my money, the best solo era band he had!
Have to agree with you!
Thanks for sharing Simon!
Easily, yes! And Tripping is my favourite of his live albums as well.
Flowers in the Dirt and Tripping the Live Fantastic are the two records that made me start to play guitar!
I saw Paul McCartney on the Flowers in the Dirt tour. Mr. Whitten introduced me to Noble & Cooley drums. Bought a set soon after. Regarding the tour, what a solid band: Hamish Stuart, Robbie McIntosh, Paul Wickens, and Mr. Whitten. Never heard Paul McCartney sounded better other than with The Beatles and Wings. Great job with the interview. So informative for all drummers and musicians.
Chris was the drummer on every great album of my late teens and a big influence on my early playing. Top interview!
That’s amazing to hear
Although he doesn't know it, Chris played drums on most of my last album.....via the great midi grooves he did for superior drummer. He has a wonderful feel. Thanks Chris and thank you Warren for another great interview.
This man had influenced me a LOT by watching the Paul’s live VHS and Dire Straits On the Night. Specially the second one I still watch to this day and that band was sounding sooo good it’s incredible (the best live sound recording I’ve ever heard to this day also).
It is the same to me! On the Night is one of the best live albums for me. Another one is P.U.L.S.E. by Pink Floyd. And I can't imagine any other drummer on that great show. Chris was the right man to be on that tour with Dire Straits.
I love to listen to a humble musician telling his story. And what an amazing story it is. Thank you Chris and thank you Warren.
He was wrong. I just listened to the song he did with Johnny Cash and it's terrific. His drumming on it is great. A little out in front of the beat but it works and his accents add to the song. Also, for late 80s Cash this song is pretty darn good. Paul's harmony really blends well with Johnny and takes the song to the next level.
I am extremely familiar with Cash and traditional country music. Until today I had never listened to this song as most my listening in the genre falls off in the mid 70s. What a find for me. Great tune!
Thanks
That McCartney tour which Chris did was the first proper big gig I went to. King’s Dock, Liverpool - I was 15. No other gig has ever topped it. Best band Paul ever had, I think. And I still love Flowers In The Dirt - can still air-drum all the fills 😆 Thanks, Chris, for your brilliant contributions to that album & tour. Really excellent stuff!
Thank you
Chris is an amazing drummer. I saw him in Foxboro MA, at Gillette Stadium, for the Flowers In The Dirt tour, and was one of the lucky 1000 people invited back the next night, to be the audience, for the filming of the tour concert movie. So cool. I am a huge Beatles fan (and Queen...and others, the The Beatles started it all off for me, when I saw them on Ed Sullivan, when I was 6 years old...changed my life and dictated the direction of my life...music) and Paul is my favorite Beatle. I have and love his solo albums, but the writing, production and playing on Flowers in the Dirt are a cut above the rest (Ram, Tug of War, Pipes of Peace and Press to Play are my other favorites). Chris' drumming is rock solid, interesting and creative...with lots of feel.
It looks like we were playing CBGBs around the same time (early 1980s)...we also played The Great Gildersleeves, down the street, and La'Mour in Brooklyn...good times.
Yep. I was there in 1980 and also played Gildersleeves.
@@ChrisWhittenMusic Cool. Those were the days! Chris, you're my favorite drummer that has ever played with Paul.
I was also heavily influenced by Mahavishnu. Birds of Fire changed my guitar playing...drastically (going from the blues based riffs of the first two Led Zeppelin albums), it opened up a whole new world for me (and, later, Blow by Blow by Jeff Beck, taught me texture). Narada Michael Walden's drumming on Visions Of The Emerald Beyond was awesome...I'm right with you there. Funny thing...I was a teenager, copping links off that record...trying to get the opening riff down...thinking how awesomely fluid John's playing was on that riff...it was Jean- Luc Ponty 😄. Thanks for giving me so much pleasure with your playing!
Mark Bram
Check out some of my Line 6 Helix demo videos on my site
www.rubytopaz.com
There's an Eqipment Demos button. The first video on the page, Helix and 212 Powercabs is pretty cool and there is the Helix update that added the treblebooster, where I play Queen snippets.
There is a video button that brings you to a page that has some progressive jams, originals and quirky covers...Zeppelin, Hollies and even...Wichita Lineman 🙂
I remember reading an interview with Chris Whitten in Modern Drummer somewhere around 1990 where they were asking about his drums and he explained how he went to Noble & Cooley and had a set made to his spec etc., but the COOL part was that he went on to specify that HE PAID for the drums, it wasn't a sponsorship and that a musician at his level (paraphrasing as best as I can recall) "....should be able to afford their own instrument and play what they want.". That was SO REFRESHING that it stuck with me to this day.
I was able to see him with Sir Paul at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, terrible place for sound unless you're Pink Floyd, and unfortunately they had a stage that moved forward and back which sounds good on paper. However when it retracted, Chris was obscured by the band shell. Alas.
Best wishes Chris, I have truly enjoyed your work.
I never gave any spec to N&C. I asked if they made drum sets after having owned a couple of snares for a while. They said they did and they sent me a kit (to their current spec at the time, which was single ply, shallow toms). The one thing that drew me to N&C away from other drum makers was my desire to use RIMS mounts. N&C were already using them, other manufacturers weren't.
I paid full retail for my N&C snares. I don't remember paying anything for the McCartney Star kit or the Dire Straits Horizon kit. The McCartney tour was the biggest news in the music industry in 1990. The Straits tour played huge stadiums for nearly a year and a half, in front of millions of people. So the publicity for a small company like N&C was huuuuge!
Growing up with The Beatles, I don't think I could compose myself to simply jam with the man himself, but no doubt would that opportunity be like none other! This will definitely be interesting!
Brilliant drummer and a fantastic interview. What a treat.
Young master Chris. Humble.. yet not taking any shit... another great interview from master Warren.
Julian Cope is one of my absolute favourite musicians, and FRIED one of my favourite albums; Sunspots, Bill Drummond Said and Reynard the Fox all epic tunes! Even the weird stuff has a dedicated loyal following 😁
Chris is a amazing drummer! 🥁
He is! Thanks for sharing Afonso
First of all! Chris, was one of the 3 reasons I wanted to be a musician and work with music. I remember the Dire Straits On every street tour, he just played so well and so explosive and doing every track so fair.
But if sir Paul called, I would probably just be very thankful, and do my best and see it as jam session more than a chance of becoming something in the industry.
Keep these interviews coming Warren!! Love it!
I like Chris because he's such a humble, honest and nice guy. Very approachable and genuine. He's a solid consistent drummer. I've played drums for many years and can relate to what he says. I saw him play live for Dire Straits in New Zealand at Lancaster Park and he blew me away with his talent.
Favorite drummer ever! Love me some Chris Whitten!
Just by the thumbnail alone I could tell this is none other than Chris Whitten! I used to watch Dire Straits live videos and Paul McCartney as well on VHS just so I could see Chris Whitten’s drumming in the 90s. I love his way of accenting his fills that totally work sonically and visually. Made you want to watch him because of the energy his drumming gives to the band.
Wow - that was a brilliant hour! Thank you both for putting it together - and thank you Chris for being a part of so many of my favourite albums.
Thanks ever so much
Spaceward Studios. That's a real blast from the past. It was where the likes of Iron Maiden and Stiff Little Fingers recoded their early stuff. A track we recorded there still is played on classic rock stations today.
Warren, i'm loving all the interviews with British 70/80's pop cats. Please keep doing more. Trevor Horn? The Lipson interview is one of my faves.
I love those stories from first hand! And to my shame I always get to know names of bands or/and albums I´ve nerver heard of... Thanks, Warren!
My dad called him the drummer with the punk haircut, lol... He liked his drumming style with Paul as did me. We had the making of Flowers in the Dirt on laser disc. I'm old...
Listened from start to finish. Amazing
Awesome interview, Chris Whitten is great!
Thanks for yet another quality interview, Warren, and to Chris for doing it and being so honest (and humble). Loving all the content strands at the moment - don't know where you find the time! 😎
Thanks ever so much Pete!! I really appreciate it
BRAVO!!!! BRAVÍSIMO!!!! Thank you Chris for so much talent! And thanks Warren for sharing it! Blessings!
Thank YOU for watching!
@@Producelikeapro
56:58 "I'm a big fan of your show, so it's such an honor to be on" (Chris Whitten to PLAP) GRACIAS Warren!!!
@@FavioMagnoGuitarrista thanks ever so much!
Another great one Warren. As a drummer, going down memory lane from a drummers perspective and from such a personable guy as Chris was fantastic.
Loved this! What a humble talented Gentleman. I didn't know some of that Discography. Lovely tales from the studio and the road.
the Whole of the Moon was a track that first really lit me up to eighties music.. I remember buying This Is The Sea a few years later and it's a total masterwork .. Mike Scott at his best but then Fishermans Blues is just something else and a real favourite.
You interview some amazing, interesting and humble people. Really great fun listening to the stories.
Another great interview! On that note, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE try and set up an interview with Jeff Lynn! 🙏 The man is a musician, song writer, producer, and has played with some of the biggest names in rock. The stories he must have
Very good interview. Great drummer and great human.
Thanks Darko!
amazing interview Warren and Chris - I really love the insight into the life of a working pro!
I first saw Chris live with The Waterboys in 1984.I was 15.They also did a great set for The Tube .Just type 'A Pagan Place 1984 ScottishTeeVee ' and see Chris in a fantastic line up of The Waterboys , before This Is The Sea.Great stuff.Thanks.
An astonishing career.
Such a great guy. So informative.
You can’t stop wonder how he feels sitting there remember it all. Never the less, he’s still a great drummer.
If paul call? I probably tell him that I have a Hofner violin bass -63. I can cook food though.
Thank you for the show 🙏 Rock on 🤘
Never heard of this guy before I am ashamed to say, but I have heard his drums...thank you for this as I now much wiser about the music industry I adore than I was yesterday.
Awesome drummer and human being! Check out his channel! Thanks Warren!
Thank you both so much!
I learned the rim shot off Andy Newmark. Sometimes it loosened the lugs on my old Beverly snare that I had for years."I love all your stories"thanks Chris.
Great video Warren! I saw Chris live with Paul McCartney in '89 or '90 - truly a great drummer.
Fantastic! Thanks for sharing Stephan!
Fantastic interview on a great drummer and musician. Thanks!
AWESOME interview! Love Chris and his playing
Thank you again for introducing such wonderful people to us! I love these videos and hearing these stories!
What a great drummer and great guy!!!
Very interesting interview. Thanks
Paul has worked with some great drummers after Ringo but Chris is my favorite. Musically and vocally I don't think you could beat that combination with him, Hamish, Robbie and Wix.
Thank you. It was an *amazing* band, best I've ever played in.
Fantastic interview! 👌🙌👍
he's a thousand percent right. the exact same thing happened to me with my teacher. don't get me wrong she was an incredible teacher, but I learned how to tune by watching an instructional video by David wackl. and years and years of practice. it's an art form. nowadays I can make a set of CB 700 sound great
👏🏻This was great Warren 👍🏻
I have never heard of Chris before, and I believe I saw him perform with Paul and Linda at Madison Square Garden. 🤪 This was quite eye opining and educational.
Thank you 🙏🏻
Great interview, class drummer!
😃 Fun! Interesting to hear how he monitored with just Edie, to get the drum where he needed it. The drum does pull you in, to the song. It is the intriguing factor.
True story : I bought "Tripping the Live Fantastic" because Chris was the drummer, then i loved Paul mac Cartney !!
That’s great to hear!!
Great interview. Thanks.
Thanks for this. What great stuff!
Love Swing Out Sister!
Super interesting video interview, thnx a lot!
Awesome to hear China Crisis mentioned.! Drummer Kevin wilkinson!! He passed years ago...but was such a special drummer.
Fantaastic! Yes, what a wonderful band!
Sad to hear about the drummer!
One of my favourite bands and drummer Kevin my he rest in peace,I was shocked when I heard.
This was a great interview. Love Julian Cope!
fantastic interview! thanks.
Thanks ever so much!
Oh cooool! 😃👍 I was just looking at the thumbnail and was thinking, "That guy looks vaguely familiar!?" - I remember Chris mostly from the 80's and him being in The Waterboys, The Catch (banging an anvil with a hammer during various TV performances 😉) and Julian Cope's band. Anyway, this should be a very interesting watch, and just as well I'm taking it easy today due to having a cold 😁👍 ...
What a wonderful story!
great interview, thanks Warren! Chris is currently on tour with the Dire Straits Experience with 2 old mates of mine, singer/guitarist Terence Reis and bassist Yoyo Buys
I'm actually not. I last turned with them around 2017 and played sx shows in 2019.
@@ChrisWhittenMusic sorry Chris! the experience website needs an update. love your drumming!
@@willemmoller6736 Yeah I know. I’m seeing the other Chris tomorrow
A great interview 👍
For his work with Swing out Sister and Edie Brickell alone; Chris Witten should be far better known.
We are doing our best to help that!
Saw Paul McCartney rehearsing for his first world tour at Twikenham, not sure if Chris played on that with Wix, fantastic experience, I think they rehearsed for two weeks there, great podcast thanks Chris loved hearing the stories.
Yes, those two weeks were full production rehearsals, with lights and PA. Before that we rehearsed for months at Paul's studio. The first thing was to play through dozens of Beatles, Wings and Paul's songs and decide which to properly rehearse for the tour.
@@ChrisWhittenMusic My friend Pony was doing lights on that tour and he invited me to that rehearsal. the visuals were amazing and obviously you guys were too. I remember standing right at front of the stage staring at Paul playing 'fool on the hill' about 6 feet away. awesome.... He was driving hard, a real perfectionist I imagine. After seeing 'Get back' the Peter Jackson edit you can see how keen he was to get the the Beatles album finished. Anyway cheers again Chris from New Zealand all the best...
Super interview.
Great character and great video. Thanks very much
Thanks ever so much Joey!
I'm struck by Chris's comment about the African sounding guitars in Edie Brickell's band. Her Wikipedia page says she met Paul Simon while playing What I Am on Saturday Night Live. That was a couple of years after Simon released Graceland - it had to have been unusual for him to hear African type of guitar playing in a mid-80's jam band. I can't help wondering if that unique guitar sound was at least a bit of what drew Paul Simon's attention to her.
Probably not, but who knows. My mother always said I had an overactive imagination.
Wichita Lineman - My top five also
Masterpiece Ray!
I’ve been listening to a lot of Waterboys, World Party and Hothouse Flowers of late.. strangely prescient.
Awww ye, Chris whitten
Talent
very nice!
Thank!!!
Great interview Warren, thanks, would love to see Dave Palmer or James Eller one day!
I second the Dave Palmer request. Would be great.
Tripping the Live Fantastic! (the double CD version) is probably my favourite live album.
I saw Chris play live with Dire Straits. Great drummer. His drums sounded killer, I think he was using the N&C kit with very shallow toms
On Dire Straits I had the more normal sized N&C Horizon. Amazing drums!
what an incredible player! makes you want to pick up the sticks
Good lnterview 👍
Thank you, Peter!
Bless my cotton socks - it's a hit!
"Goodbye Jumbo", enough said.
Cannot believe they didn't teach him to tune drums at Leeds haha. Wow.
It's grim up north, Lee
Ouch! Lee is from up North! He's a Northern lad! Personally I always had my best times in the North!
To be fair, you get to music college when you’re 18 or so by which point you’re meant to have gained some sort of experience and knowledge; be of a certain standard. I also went to Leeds College Of Music (early/mid 90s). I didn’t get taught how to tune my trumpet there - it would’ve been assumed you could already do that..
am here
Same!
Greetings!
I still wonder why he didn't continued to work with Paul for "Off the Ground" like everybody else from the "Flowers in the Dirt" band...
Was no more lonely nights rehearsed for that tour ?! What songs did you really enjoy playing but didn’t end up making the set list ?!?
No. When I first started working with Paul we did some tv and re-recorded 'Listen To What The Man Said' It was such a thrill for me. We didn't play it on tour because we had no sax player. I always loved the original Let It Be Movie. In rehearsal we jammed "I've Got A Feeling' with Wix playing amazing Wurlitzer ala Billy Preston. That was the one song I REALLY wanted to play, but Paul didn't end up putting it in the show.
We played 'Ebony and Ivory' which was a bit negative (less well regarded) compared to some of the other songs in the show, but then we got to play it in LA with Stevie Wonder singing with us....so that ended up being amazing too!
@@giovannib2572 Yes, that was my first real work with Paul. We did record some songs to then mime to on tv
Tell him I'm too busy listening to Pet Sounds and put the phone down.
Julian Cope 👍
Jeff porcaro…..enough said
Exactly
I think....probably Paul's best drummer to date.....including Abe jnr.
Thanks for sharingv
hwow
Dire Straits material begins at 47:00...
Drums sound clingy? Change engineer!
The red beasts have gone
This was recorded earlier.