Posted on by Nathan Beaudry

Episode #32 – Tommy Bolin – Teaser

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Show Updates:

  • Comments from social media.

Thanks to Our Patrons:

Thanks to our Brothers at the Deep Dive Podcast Network:

Thanks to the Patron Saint and Archivist of The Deep Purple Podcast:

Lead Up To Album & Writing:

  • Jeff Cook says that by the time it went into the studio he was removed from the project.  Some of the songs were written over the phone with Jeff in Denver and Tommy in California
  • Jeff Cook said he got a call from someone asking how high they were making “Teaser” because he wasn’t listed on the track sheets.
  • Everyone was partying their brains out according ot Jeff Cook.
  • Stanley Sheldon says Tommy went to New York while they were mixing Frampton Comes Alive.  They booked Electric Lady Studios and did half the Teaser album there and the other half in LA.
  • Sheldon was bouncing back and forth between studio A and B.
  • Glenn Hughes said Tommy wanted him to sing three or four songs but he felt that Tommy had his own style and he wanted Tommy to do it.  He said it would be like Hendrix having someone else sing.

Album Art & Booklet Review

  • hh

The Album

Personnel:

  • Tommy Bolin [discogs] – Guitar, Lead Vocals
  • Glenn Hughes – Lead Vocals on “Dreamer”
    • Was not credit due to contractual reasons
  • Stanley Sheldon [discogs] – Bass (1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
    • Played with Peter Frampton, most credits are with Tommy Bolin
  • Paul Stallworth [discogs] – Bass (4, 8, 9)
    • Played with George Harrison, Johnny Nas, Al Jarreau, Bobby Womack, Blood Sweat and Tears, Yvonne Elliman
  • Dave Foster [discogs] – Piano/Synthesizer (1, 2, 3)
    • Tons of credits including Ted Neeley, Neil Sedaka, George Harrison, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and many, many more
  • Jan Hammer [discogs] – Synthesizer (6, 7), drums (6)
    • Very prolific, played with Billy Cobham and Bolin on Spectrum album, he wrote the theme song to Miami Vice as well as doing the soundtrack for the show.
  • Ron Fransen [discogs] – Piano (9)
    • Played with Rare Earth, 
  • David Sanborn [discogs] – Saxophone (6, 7)
    • Played with B.B. King, Stevie Wonder (on the album Talking Book), Todd Rundgren, David Bowie, and hundreds more.
  • Jeff Porcaro [discogs] – Drums (1, 2, 3, 5)
    • Played with Sunny & Cher, Steely Dan, Joe Cocker, Juice Newton and hundreds more, almost 1,000 entries on discogs.
  • Prairie Prince [discogs] – Drums (4, 8)
    • Todd Rundgren, John Fogerty, Brian Eno, Chris Isaac, Richard Marx, and many more.
  • Michael Walden [discogs] – Drums (7)
    • Tommy Bolin Band, Jaco PAstorius, Jeff Beck, Weather Report, Chick Corea, Robert Fribb, hundreds more.
  • Bobbie Berge [discogs] – Drums (9)
    • Drummer in Zephyr, Buddy Miles
  • Phil Collins [discogs] – Percussion (4)
    • Do we need to deep dive this one?
  • Sammy Figueroa [discogs] – Percussion (6, 7)
    • Worked with The Village People, Bette Midler, Ben E. King, Miles Davis, and hundreds more
  • Rafael Cruz [discogs] – Percussion (6, 7)
    • Worked with Chaka Khan, and others
  • Dave Brown [discogs] – Background vocals (1)
    • This and “Bealtes Jam” from Tommy Bolin Fever are only credits
  • Lee Kiefer [discogs] – Background vocals (1)
    • Mostly worked as an engineer and producer with John Lennon, Billy PReston, America, Keith Moon, and Lynyrd Skynyrd
  • Johnnie Bolin, Tommy’s younger brother, also played drums
  • The Sniffettes (Tommy Bolin, Lee Kiefer & Dave Brown)
    • One time credit for this album.

Credits:

  1. The Grind (Bolin, Jeff Cook, Stanley Sheldon, John Tesar)
    • Bass – Stanley Sheldon
    • Piano/Synth – Dave Foster
    • Drums – Jeff Porcaro
    • Backing Vocals – Dave Brown, Lee Kiefer
    • Van Halen used to cover this song in their early club days
      • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCDo-gKiPUI
    • One of the songs that Jeff Cook and Tommy Boling wrote over the phone.
  2. Homeward Strut (Bolin)
    • Instrumental
    • Bass – Stanley Sheldon
    • Piano/Synth – Dave Foster
    • Drums – Jeff Porcaro
  3. Dreamer (Jeff Cook)
    • Bass – Stanley Sheldon
    • Piano/Synth – Dave Foster
    • Drums – Jeff Porcaro
    • Vocals – Glenn Hughes
  4. Savannah Woman (Bolin, Jeff Cook)
    • Bass – Paul Stallworth
    • Drums – Prairie Prince
    • Percussion – Phil Collins
    • John Tesar says that he wrote the lyrics.
  5. Teaser (Bolin, Jeff Cook)
    • Bass – Stanley Sheldon
    • Drums – Jeff Porcaro
    • Covered by Motley Crue on charity album Stairway to Heaven/Highway to Hell
      • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHsseQOdDdA
  6. People, People (Bolin)
    • Bass – Stanley Sheldon
    • Drums – Jan Hammer
    • Piano/Synth – Jam Hammer
    • Saxophone – David Sanborn
    • Percussion – Sammy Figueroa, Rafael Cruz
  7. Marching Powder (Bolin)
    • Instrumental
    • Bass – Stanley Sheldon
    • Saxophone – David Sanborn
    • Drums – Michael Walden
    • Percussion – Sammy Figueroa, Rafael Cruz
  8. Wild Dogs (Bolin, John Tesar)
    • Bass – Paul Stallworth
    • Drums – Prairie Prince
  9. Lotus (Bolin, John Tesar)
    • Bass – Paul Stallworth
    • Piano – Ron Fransen
    • Drums – Bobby Berge

Reception and Review

  • Tommy Bolin is proud of the album and lists Wild Dogs as his favorite song.

In The News . . .

  • N/A

This Week in Purple History . . .

December 2 through December 8

  • December 4, 1971 – The Montreux Casino burns down
  • December 8, 1972 – Ian Gillan writes his famous letter to Tony Edwards that he is leaving Deep Purple at the end of the tour the following June
  • December 4, 1976 – Tommy Bolin Dies

For Further Information:

Listener Mail/Comments

  • Comments about the show? Things you’d like us to cover?  We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@deeppurplepodcast.com or @ us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.

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