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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Police Reports Schneider Art Museum installation re-imagines Rivera UPDATED: Two lanes open after I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit 10 things to know for Friday Education New Southern Oregon University board votes to bump tuition nearly 5 percent in the fall Why OLLI matters: A personal perspective Southern Oregon University names director of marketing Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Rotary Club of Ashland names Riley O'Sullivan as Student of the Month Environment Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Mt. Ashland hopes coming storm will reopen ski area Wild Side: Selfish and other reasons for saving endangered species Mt. Ashland Ski Area: Low snow closes 'bunny hill' chairlift for beginning skiers With pre-season conditions worst in 25 years, catastrophic wildfires expected in region this summer Business Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Snow hopes dashed, Mt. Ashland Ski Area hosts season-ending party Saturday Iconic Ashland bookstore to celebrate 35th anniversary on April 19 Test Drive: 2015 Honda Accord Cars We Remember: The original Candymatic Ramchargers Politics and elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for first year Grassroots group campaigns for Plaza paver do-over Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Short-term rental restrictions kept in some areas, loosened in others Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US State News Oregon's governor appoints new secretary of state Nation - World Obituaries Death Notices Alicia Applegate Hardy Death Notices Rosalind Dee Death Notices Shareable Sports Latest Stories Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Ashland Rowing Club hires highly touted coach and national-award winning team director to lead expansion Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Blazers fight back, edge Jazz Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory High school Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Grizzlies rally past GP, to 2-0 start Ashland boys capture another Sato Cup snowboard title at Mt. Bachelor Southern Oregon University Grizz baseball team caps Arizona trip with another win Grizzlies rally past Colorado school for Greenway Festival victory Ashland softball team splits pair in second day of Bend tournament Ducks enjoy the challenge Oregon bows out Voices Latest Stories Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorial Our View: Build it; they will play Our View: How it should work Our View: Ashland High principal is the head of her class Our View: Tuition trauma Our View: SOU's economic clout Letters Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Letters to the Editor, March 20 Letters to the Editor, March 19 Guest opinions Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Guest Opinion: Hannah Thomas-Garner's father thanks the Ashland community Guest Opinion: Ashland is asking for trouble with new room rental rules Guest Opinion: More reasons to oppose Jordan Cove Guest Opinion: It's Groundwater Awareness Week; test your well Columns Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Jeffrey Gillespie: Pax Americana? At what price? Chris Honore Council Corner Editor's Notes Jeffrey Gillespie Herb Rothschild Revels Latest Stories Top 5 things to do this week Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Community blog: Words, wine and Craig Wright 4 Things To Do This Week Theater Ticket availability Ticket Availability Ashland Contemporary Theatre seeks new artistic director Ticket Availability The Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents Eugene O'Neill's autobiographical 'Long Day's Journey into Night' Music Futureshock: Kendrick Lamar release points to road ahead Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Album reviews: Recent and recommended for March The Farr Side: New format for ‘American Idol’ as show continues a strong run Improv rock and folk band hosts a dance party at the Ashland Community Center Visual Art Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Movies Movie review: In ‘Danny Collins,’ Pacino helps us imagine a Lennon story Noah Baumbach talks Ben Stiller, adult comedies and more In 'Timbuktu,' lust for power disturbs peace Movie review: ‘The Gunman’ misses the target Movie listings: March 20-26 Food and Drink Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Inner Peace: The good, the bad and the spiritual Antionette Kerr: Tourney fever gets superstitious Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Rogues: Tales from the Valley Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business Business Services NEWS NOW Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Ashland Calendar: Saturday, March 28 ... Guest Opinion: Ashland council vote on travelers accommodations was less than transparent ... Herb Rothschild Jr: Failing at charity ... Movie review: 'Wrecking Crew' is a look at the people who really put the bomp Comment By Ed Symkus More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted Mar. 13, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted Mar. 13, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News You probably wouldn’t know their names or their faces. But if you listened to Top-40 radio in the’60s, or tune in Oldies radio now, you’re sure familiar with their sound. The group of Los Angeles studio musicians who were hired to play instruments behind big-time pop and rock singers at scores of ’60s recording sessions came to be known as the Wrecking Crew (a kind of derogatory nickname that’s explained in the film). They were major talents who could immediately read and play new music and charts, in any style that was asked of them, and they regularly would do it (earning some hefty paychecks) for hours on end. Producers and label executives wanted their records to sound as great as possible, and they knew they couldn’t always count on raggedy, sometimes drug-fueled band members to get the job done. So they relied on a pool of crack freelancers, ranging in size, depending on the session’s requirements, between 15 and 30 players, to fill in for the folks on the album covers. The actual bands could pass muster at live concerts; there was so much screaming, no one could tell how well they played. This lively, song-filled documentary (heard are hits by the Byrds, the Righteous Brothers, the Mamas and the Papas, productions by Phil Spector, much more) tells the story of these unsung men and women, some of it through interviews and relaxed, nostalgic chats, some of it via archival footage. Bits of the latter include a young Brian Wilson in a Capitol Records studio, explaining to Wrecking Crew members (no other Beach Boys are present) exactly what he’s hearing in his head and what he wants them to capture on tape. But the film really revolves around a 1996 get-together between four former Crew members – guitarist Tommy Tedesco, bass player Carol Kaye, drummer Hal Blaine, and saxophonist Plas Johnson – who sit around reliving old memories, sending themselves and each other back to some joyous, crazy times when they were in such demand, they practically lived in the studio which, as revealed in a few stories, didn’t exactly make for a normal life. They were all part of a sort of extended family. The film was put together, over a number of years, by the late Tedesco’s son Denny, who knows enough people in the business to have plenty of folks whose lives intertwined with Wrecking Crew members also share memories. So we get great stories from “American Bandstand’s” Dick Clark, trumpeter-producer Herb Alpert (of the Tijuana Brass), singer Nancy Sinatra, and Monkee Micky Dolenz, all of whom offer nothing but high praise to the individuals who either filled out or actually made their sound. There’s a good deal of back story, and some great old footage and photos, of the four players, with the most fun coming out of Carol Kaye’s history as both a bass player and guitarist, who worked her way up to complete acceptance in a business then dominated by men, eventually becoming “one of the guys.” In a solo segment on her, she sits down, picks up her axe, and plays the instantly recognizably bass line from Sonny & Cher’s “The Beat Goes on,” then proudly recalls coming up with it on her own. Yet she’s just as quick to credit (and play) the complicated part she did on “Good Vibrations” to Brian Wilson, who also gets some camera time to throw heartfelt accolades to the players that jammed into his often crowded studio sessions. Another great segment has Micky Dolenz talking about the accusations hurled at the Monkees for not playing their instruments on their early albums. They didn’t, he says candidly. Neither did so many other bands. The oddest thing about all of this is that the names of Wrecking Crew musicians never appeared on the albums. Simple reason: The records companies didn’t want to disappoint the fans of the bands with the truth. Still, the musicians had no complaints, as they were doing what they loved, and they knew that they were in the right place at the right time. A bonus is that the film reveals some neat trivia. Among it, Cher was a backup singer for the Ronettes, and Herb Alpert’s hit instrumental “Spanish Flea” was originally titled “Spanish Fly.” Alpert changed it because he thought it was too racy. But the best news is that a multi-disc soundtrack is in the works and will soon be available. It’s going to be a must-have. Ed Symkus covers movies for More Content Now. THE WRECKING CREW Directed by Denny Tedesco With Tommy Tedesco, Hal Blaine, Carol Kaye, Plas Johnson, Brian Wilson, Cher, Herb Alpert, Micky Dolenz Rated PG By Ed Symkus More Content Now DailyTidings.com By Ed Symkus More Content Now Posted Mar. 13, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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