Bass Guitar on Diamonds are Forever

thenoisydrum

Always loved the driving bass on the main title piece. Does anybody know exactly who played bass on this piece?
It is so damn cool B-)

Matt S

I'd like to know too! There's a lot of great electric bass throughout the soundtrack.

Barbel

I don't know offhand, but I'll see if I can dig it up.

Meantime, if you scroll down this page

http://piley.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/stephen-pickard-chapter-three-pinewood.html

there's a nice pic of John Barry recording the DAF soundtrack. There's a guitarist visible, although I don't believe it's who we're looking for. Still, there's some other Bond-related info on the page which is interesting.

Barbel

I've found who played drums, guitar, and trumpet but still no luck re the bass man.

Matt S

Barbel wrote:

I've found who played drums, guitar, and trumpet but still no luck re the bass man.

Who was on the drums? Was it Vic Flick and Derek Watkins on guitar and trumpet?

Barbel

Spot on, with Vic making his last Bond contribution till LTK (unreleased) and Derek continuing his unmatched (and probably untouchable) record for consecutive Bond films.
The drummer was Ronnie Stephenson, who also worked on YOLT. I nearly wrote "top session man" before his name, but of course they all are/were.

The guitarist in the pic linked to above isn't Vic Flick, though.

Matt S

Barbel wrote:

Spot on, with Vic making his last Bond contribution till LTK (unreleased) and Derek continuing his unmatched (and probably untouchable) record for consecutive Bond film's.
The drummer was Ronnie Stephenson, who also worked on YOLT. I nearly wrote "top session man" before his name, but of course they all are/were.

The guitarist in the pic linked to above isn't Vic Flick, though.

Thanks, good to know! I've heard of Ronnie Stephenson. Is Vic not the one on the LTK soundtrack?

Barbel

No two sources seem to agree on the extent of Vic's work on LTK, unfortunately. It's certainly possible that he's there, but it's not confirmed- there have been rumours that it's him and/or a Certain Very Famous Guitarist playing uncredited.
Vic definitely did work on a title theme for the film that remains unreleased.

Chriscoop

What a wealth of information -{ I'm finding this topic very interesting. Thanks Barbel.

Barbel

My pleasure- still haven't uncovered the name of the bass player on the DAF theme though .

Chriscoop

Isn't there a strange story about putter Smith ending up in Shirley basseys band playing bass? Or is that a myth, I know he was /is a bass player.

Barbel

It's true, he did play double bass when La Bassey performed in LA- and yes, she did sing DAF.

Chriscoop

I'm soo pleased that's true {[] Mr Kidd played the double bass no less with Burly chassis live.
" miss Bassey is rather attractive.....
For a lady "

thenoisydrum

Thanks for everybody's input on this. Interesting to know who the drummer was, he also lends to that driving rhythm, particularly with those strategically placed semi-pea soups

Mr Snow

From left field I wonder if the Bass player is someone that was previously with the 'John Barry Seven'. I tried to find all I can through Google, the liner notes from the 'DAF' soundtrack, the 'DAF' single on you tube etc and Bass players (British) that would have been around in that era.

Four names I found but unlikely are Mike Peters, Fred Kirk, Ray Styles and Stan Haldane. Probably not much help but if someone's memory is jolted who knows?

kevbob

Sorry to dig up an old thread, but I just re-listened to the song and when I heard the bass, it immediately hit me that it sounds like a Fender Bass VI and started digging to see if anyone knew the player so I could confirm the bass used. I also happened to find a fella doing a cover of it on YouTube in a natty black suit with a Bass VI. Now, I too want to figure out the player like y'all do.

caractacus potts

I appreciate you bumping the old thread @kevbob good information here. and welcome to a new Agent!

I didnt realise Barry was still working with members of his old band as late as 1971

barbel said:

No two sources seem to agree on the extent of Vic's work on LTK, unfortunately. It's certainly possible that he's there, but it's not confirmed- there have been rumours that it's him and/or a Certain Very Famous Guitarist playing uncredited.

I wonder who @Barbel 's conspicuously not naming? I first knew Michael Kamen as a Pink Floyd collaborator, so would love to learn David Gilmour is on a Bond soundtrack, but he's got a signatures sound that I would have recognised. Kamen also worked with Clapton round this time, and wikipedia lists lots of other famous rock stars of the time who employed his services.

emtiem

I imagine he means Clapton, but that story has developed somewhat since that post! 😊

Barbel

Yes, that's who I meant and as you say more info has come to light since then.

Napoleon Plural

Just dropping by to say I bought the single of Diamonds are Forever on a whim because I already have it on a vinyl LP - but the single - oft a format said to make the music more sparkling than a LP - sounds absolutely terrific. Unlike GF or YOLT it sounds identical to the LP version but better quality. And the LP was already v good quality.

DSTransmissions

https://www.ajb007.co.uk/discussion/49243/bass-guitar-on-diamonds-are-forever

Google brought me here as I was wondering the same thing! Seems no-one really knows but I'll throw my own suggestion out there - maybe Dave Richmond? DAF reminds me of that growling Burns Bison tone he had on Je t'aime and Scott Walker's The Old Man's Back Again, and he was (briefly) in the John Barry Seven.

Barbel

Thanks, @DSTransmissions, that's certainly possible. And welcome, please hang around and hopefully enjoy yourself here