Bruce and November Rain
Earlier this week I posted the video for "November Rain" on my Facebook page and said there was a story to go with that song, well here is that story.
Here is a little backstory -- a very short bit of backstory -- when I lived in Los Angeles, I was a photographer and writer for LA Rock Review, a free music newpaper that covered the music scene in Hollywood. So I was friends with a lot of bands, one of those bands, The Wild, all became good buddies. And their keyboard player, Dizzy Reed, is now a member of Guns'n'Roses, and he played on "Use Your Illusion".
They were recording at the infamous Record Plant (aka The Hotel California), which in reality is a very unassuming building in an industrial part of Hollywood.
One night Dizzy had asked me to give him a ride to the studio. Once there he said I could come in and hang out. So I did, and became friends with the guys who were the reception/security. I then had pretty much carte blanche to show up whenever GnR was there recording, which was pretty much all the time since "Use Your Illusion" turned out to be a double album.
So one night I show up and it's just Axl, Dizzy and a sound engineer, and they are putting the finishing touches on "November Rain" -- it's my job to mix drinks and give backrubs. So Dizzy convinces Axl that he should give in. And he says that his arms are sore from playing the piano so much.
Well there I am with Axl sitting next to me, his right arm resting on my leg, while I massage it, he's telling some story(he's an amazing storyteller, and a really smart and interesting guy when he wants to be).His phone rings, he answers, has a quick conversation, hangs up and says "Bruce is coming over". I don't think anything of that.
I got up to got to the toilet, and when I came back, I opened the first door to the studio (there's double set of doors to act as a buffer to keep people from ruining a take), and as I go to reach for the second door, a guy I immediately recognize opens it for me.
He reaches out his hand, takes mine with both of his (the Dolly Madison handshake) and says "Hi, I'm Bruce, nice to meet you." - Yup, Bruce who was coming over was indeed, Bruce Springsteen.
I just sat in the corner, trying not to freak out. Dizzy was by the board with the engineer, Axl sitting on the back part of the couch, nervous and excited, but trying to be cool. We listen to the song. Bruce nods and asks to hear it again. We listen again, he and Axl have some little conversation and he leaves, but not without first shaking everyone's hands and saying "really nice to meet you".
No sooner is he out the door than Axl is jumping up and down on the couch yelling "he likes my song!!!" --it was just beautiful.
And that my friends is the story of "November Rain" and Bruce Springsteen. So I was the first person outside of the band to hear the finished song.
Here is a little backstory -- a very short bit of backstory -- when I lived in Los Angeles, I was a photographer and writer for LA Rock Review, a free music newpaper that covered the music scene in Hollywood. So I was friends with a lot of bands, one of those bands, The Wild, all became good buddies. And their keyboard player, Dizzy Reed, is now a member of Guns'n'Roses, and he played on "Use Your Illusion".
They were recording at the infamous Record Plant (aka The Hotel California), which in reality is a very unassuming building in an industrial part of Hollywood.
One night Dizzy had asked me to give him a ride to the studio. Once there he said I could come in and hang out. So I did, and became friends with the guys who were the reception/security. I then had pretty much carte blanche to show up whenever GnR was there recording, which was pretty much all the time since "Use Your Illusion" turned out to be a double album.
So one night I show up and it's just Axl, Dizzy and a sound engineer, and they are putting the finishing touches on "November Rain" -- it's my job to mix drinks and give backrubs. So Dizzy convinces Axl that he should give in. And he says that his arms are sore from playing the piano so much.
Well there I am with Axl sitting next to me, his right arm resting on my leg, while I massage it, he's telling some story(he's an amazing storyteller, and a really smart and interesting guy when he wants to be).His phone rings, he answers, has a quick conversation, hangs up and says "Bruce is coming over". I don't think anything of that.
I got up to got to the toilet, and when I came back, I opened the first door to the studio (there's double set of doors to act as a buffer to keep people from ruining a take), and as I go to reach for the second door, a guy I immediately recognize opens it for me.
He reaches out his hand, takes mine with both of his (the Dolly Madison handshake) and says "Hi, I'm Bruce, nice to meet you." - Yup, Bruce who was coming over was indeed, Bruce Springsteen.
I just sat in the corner, trying not to freak out. Dizzy was by the board with the engineer, Axl sitting on the back part of the couch, nervous and excited, but trying to be cool. We listen to the song. Bruce nods and asks to hear it again. We listen again, he and Axl have some little conversation and he leaves, but not without first shaking everyone's hands and saying "really nice to meet you".
No sooner is he out the door than Axl is jumping up and down on the couch yelling "he likes my song!!!" --it was just beautiful.
And that my friends is the story of "November Rain" and Bruce Springsteen. So I was the first person outside of the band to hear the finished song.
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