Johny Barbata - featured drummer The Turtles / CSNY / Story+video= Notes #3 (11-17-22) part 1 of 1
Michael Welch ,
In the spring of 1967___I had a drumset. I was ready to become a professional musician. I quit attending school...officially dropped out. With a driver’s license...I had a few gigs under my belt. These were weekend juke joints. Honky-tonk bars playing with adults.
It wasn’t fashionable to be a dropout. I’d given up on school years ago...by the age of 13. Music would have to be my opportunity in life. There wasn’t an alternative...I had no other options.
I was motivated to hear and see as many bands that I could. My path never led me to be in a kids group with players my age. I [never fit in and never would] Even today...it hasn’t change. My journey would always be unorthodox...but interesting. I have zero regrets.
The Turtles were a popular radio band. By 1967___they already had hits with “It Ain’t Me Babe”
and “You Baby”
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There was an opportunity to see them play in my area. The venue was the Winter Park Youth Center. I’ve mentioned that I lived in a different county [Seminole not Orange County] [Winter Park and Orlando] Us out of town kids – (Geneva Hoodlums) were not allowed to attend those teen dance events. You had to have an ID Card. The Winter Park Youth Center and the Orlando Youth Center were both off limits for me. My main source to hear groups was The Tiki Club, downtown Orlando.
Now age 16...I occasionally went to events at the Daytona Beach and The Cocoa Beach Piers. This event at The Winter Park Youth Center was a paid, open to the public performance.
“Buy your ticket – take the ride” (HST)
I’m sure I’d heard about this advertised performance from listening to WLOF-Channel 95. WLOF was a very popular Orlando, Central Florida radio station. My first memorable WLOF-Channel 95 experience was hearing Louie Louie, by The Kingsmen. This was 1963.
WLOF had zero competition when it came to music, promotion, events and marketing. They had a variety of on air DJ personalities. My favorite was Weird Beard / Bill Vermillion. Where I lived...in Geneva, Florida...their station was approximately 40 airwave miles away. I could get decent reception in our house...on our radio.
When The Beatles and the British Invasion kicked in [1964] everything in music exploded. WLOF had one of their popular on-air DJ’s broadcasting remote events regularly. This wasn’t happening only in Orlando...it was a National Phenomenon.
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“Happy Together” by The Turtles was released as a single in January...1967. It peaked at number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It was very popular and got lots of airplay. With the success of this tune...they performed on The Ed Sullivan Show.
The “Happy Together” session was recorded in LA at Sunset Sound...It was engineered by Bruce Botnick.
{Botnick engineered the “The Doors” ...1966 at Sunset Sound}
The tune is well produced with lead and backing vocals, rhythm section plus horns, woodwinds and strings. It was recorded with overdubs on an eight-track tape machine. It’s been mentioned this recording is a “Wall of Sound” referring to the recording method of producer Phil Spector.
Playing drums on the record is John Barbata. My first memory of this 45RPM Record on the radio is the 120BPM march tempo groove. It wasn’t a typical 4/4 beat song.
After the 4-measure intro––8 measures into the tune–––Johny plays a unique stutter snare drum–––rim shot–––bass drum accent...(Buddy Rich---West Side Story)
Hearing this for the first time on the radio got my attention. OK...there’s something different. It was simple but effective. Just the accented dynamics jumping out from the steady groove...was musical. I also liked the tuning and sound of his drums.
Into the bridge...he plays a triplet fill I’d heard...similar to Dino Danelli and others. John Barbata’s dynamic control and articulation is very good. It’s a great track. The rhythm section sounds like it could have been Hal Blaine and The Wrecking Crew.
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The woodwinds and voices are fantastic. I love the oboe. Credit goes to Chip Douglas for his arrangement. Douglas would leave The Turtles to produce The Monkees.
Coming out of the 3rd bridge...Johny plays a nice snare fill. This particular fill reminds me of what I would hear Billy Cobham play...several years in the future with Dreams, (1970)
then Mahavishnu Orchestra. (1972)
This groove...as a March...building...without becoming a shuffle...brings to mind the Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers tune-Blues March. Johny Barbata captures and plays a unique feel that could have been a cliché shuffle...but he doesn’t. {Reminiscent of Art Blakey and Blues March}
Watching various television versions of this on Youtube, I discovered The Ed Sullivan lip-sync audio track is edited. Shortened for television. You can also see the progression of teenage attire transitioning from the spring 1967 into the Hippie ...{1967 Summer of Love}
___Matching band uniforms are discarded for Tie-Dye or Psychedelic Paisley___
___My mind wanders...thinking back to this event. It wasn’t like I was there to socialize or hang out with friends...it was more like official business...I was on a mission___
I drove myself to The Winter Park Youth Center in my mom’s 1965 Ford Galaxie 500 convertible. It was white with an automatic transmission. Powered by a 352ci V8 engine.
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I parked the car on the street and found the entrance. There wasn’t a line to get in or a large crowd. The shape of the room was weird. The acoustics were typical...with all of the glass windows.
I stood on the floor...watched and listened. The Turtles played one set from the oddly arranged elevated bandstand. They sounded like their records...without the overdubs. They played Happy Together...John Barbata played the tune like he does on the record.
Reviewing Youtube videos jogs my memory of a few details...I saw and heard. Johny Barbata was playing Rogers drums. He was also quite good with drumstick theatrics.
I appreciate being able to twirl and execute visual drumstick tricks. In 2022...you can see several videos where he’s having fun...doing those stick tricks while The Turtles are lip-syncing the song. His stick showmanship reminds me of Sonny Payne.
“She’d Rather Be With Me’ was the tune I anticipated hearing. It had just started getting airplay on WLOF. It’s another well- produced track with rhythm section, background vocals and horns. When I heard this tune on the radio, I was immediately impressed with the snare drum rolls and fills.
Watching the Youtube video reminds me that he was playing a Rogers drumset. Hearing his recorded sound...I recognize the Rogers snare drum crack...resonance and tone.
___I’ve owned a few Rogers snare drums in my life. Powertone, Dynasonic and... Pancake Snare___
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What I noticed from hearing... “She’d Rather Be With Me”...on the radio was the eighth note doubled to sixteenth note snare drum roll...coming out of the transitional bridge solo. It was always a mystery to me...how he played that. I hadn’t heard anything like that on popular Top 40 records. In the spring of 1967...I couldn’t play a double stroke roll. What was he doing ...how did he do it?
Since 1967...anytime I hear that tune, maybe in a public shop or restaurant...I always [Flash Back] in wonder. None of The Turtles videos demonstrate him playing it live...they’re all played and lip-sync’d to a pre-recorded track.
In 2022...I believe he plays them as single strokes.
Another part of ...“She’d Rather Be With Me”...I didn’t comprehend and discover until 2022...is the cowbell mambo section. I heard it on the record...but it didn’t register that the drummer played it.
Johnny Barbata plays it like an Art Blakey (Blues March)
or Tito Puente break. I didn’t discover this until I revisited the classic videos.
There’s a very entertaining video by a Youtube drummer that plays and demonstrates this tune with his drumtrack. I enjoyed it. He also plays the roll as...single strokes.
Bands usually played live on the early Ed Sullivan shows. The Turtles appeared on the show May 14, 1967. Howard Kaylan sings live...with the track. This became the thing to do on most television shows by 1967.
At this point...I’ll comment on the tone and pitch of the cowbell. I’ve owned several cowbells that looked and sounded like that.
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It was a 60s thing. Up until recently I had a 60s Rogers cowbell. I’ve heard that particular tone and pitch on many records from the 50s and 60s.
In 1967...I completely missed or forgot about the brilliant idea by John Barbata to create his remote high hat. I really don’t remember seeing this at the 1967...Winter Park Youth Center gig. I saw and discovered this for the first time watching a Youtube video. You can see that he relies on it in his playing style.
I’ve owned Rogers drums since 1970. I’m familiar with the Swivomatic hardware. You can see how he utilizes a shell mounted Swivomatic cymbal stand for his high hat cymbals. It’s a brilliant idea in 1967. (He’s decades ahead of his time)
I purchased a Drum Workshop remote cable high hat contraption in the mid 80s. I’ve seen recent videos of Ringo using a similar remote high hat like John Barbata’s. It makes sense not crossing over...having dual high hat choices.
I enjoyed hearing John Barbata and The Turtles that spring afternoon...1967. He’s an excellent drummer...as his discography documents.
After leaving The Turtles he joined Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (1970-1972) In 1972 he joined Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship (1972-1978) His recording discography includes a long list of notable projects.
He demonstrates different styles on the 1970, CSN&Y, “Another 4 Way Street” record.
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___His journey playing drums from 1966 through 1978 is a journey of success___
___Playing music in the 60s was great time to be a musician___
In a few months after this event...I would get my first full time professional gig. It wouldn’t be like Johny Barbata...playing for teenage audiences on The Ed Sullivan Show. I would never have a hit record or be in a band as successful as The Turtles. I admire Johny Barbata and the many drummers that experienced his kind of success.
I admit...as a young teenager starting my music journey...it was something I dreamed to accomplish. It was a validation of success.
I’m extremely blessed...I’ve been able to play music...play the drums...enjoy seeing and hearing other drummers. I’ve had fantastic beautiful moments on a bandstand, collaborating with other musicians. A few of these musicians have experienced music business success like Johny Barbata.
I value each opportunity I’ve had to see a long list of drummers in my journey. They’re all unique and special. I’ve learned something from all of them. I’m always a student.
As I conclude...I’m listening to the CSN&Y album that Johny plays on. (Thanks Youtube) I continually discover there’s a musician, singer, writer or band I’m unfamiliar with. America has produced an enormous amount of music.
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As a musician in the 60s...70s and beyond...there where music periods that my focus and listening was shallow and opinionated. It was immature. It’s a joy to revisit 60s groups and their drummers. The Turtles and Johny Barbata created great American popular music.
Entering 2023...playing the drumset continues to provide moments of pleasure.
Notes From An Old Drummer
Michael Welch – Michael Welch Publications
(Notes # 3