The Knack’s drummer, Bruce Gary famously said that he was never so disappointed as when he discovered that a dozen of his favourite drummers were Hal Blaine. The session legend and, I guess, the world’s most prolific studio drummer was a member of the “Wrecking Crew” who, among other stuff, were responsible for the sound of many Elvis records, Phil Spector’s hits, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, The Mamas & Papas, Simon & Garfunkel, Nancy Sinatra, The Everlys and so on, etc., ad infinitum.
Here we have a splendid interview that Mike Dolbear did with Hal Blaine at his home (Hal’s, not Mike’s) in which he tells how he joined the legendary Earl Palmer, father of the backbeat, in the Rock ‘n’ Roll session scene back in the days when it was still a dirty word.