The guys and gal known as The Wrecking Crew played on everything in the ’60s–from Alvin and the
Chipmunks to Frank Sinatra and everything in-between! I don’t even know where to start; the two-hour film only scratched the surface. The funny thing was that the band wasn’t even made up of rock and rollers–they all came from a bebop background and could read music. The old guard session men were apparently too snobbish to play on rock records, so this scruffy bunch of bohemians came in and contributed more to rock and roll then you can ever imagine. The were (in the studio) The Byrds, The Association, Herb Alpert, Sonny and Cher, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Ray Charles, The Mamas and the Papas, The Monkees, Bing Crosby and Elvis Presley, They were part of producer Phil Spector’s trademark “Wall of Sound.” They also did tons of cool television theme songs (Batman), film scores (The Pink Panther), and advertising jingles. The Wrecking Crew worked everyday, recording Tommy Sands in the morning, Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood’s “These Boots are Made for Walking” in the afternoon and in the evening worked on Pet Sounds. Blaine alone is credited with having played on at least 40 U.S. #1 hits and more than 150 Top Ten records.

Who were they? Mainly they were, guitar: Tommy “the most recorded guitarist in history” Tedesco, Glen Campbell, Bill Pittman. Bass: Carol Kaye, Plas Johnson (and Sax). Keyboards: Leon Russell, Mac Rebennack (aka Dr. John). Drums: Hal Blaine. Trumpet: Tony Terran, Ollie Mitchell. And conductor/arranger: Jack Nitzsche. The documentary great, with lots of interviews with Tedesco (whose son Denny directed it) Carol Kaye, Plas Johnson, Glen Cambell, Hal Blaine, Cher (there’s a great shot of a 16-year-old Cher surrounded by The Wrecking Crew), Brian Wilson, Dick Clark, Lou Adler, Mickey Dolenz and Frank Zappa. It covers the ups and downs, too. (The only thing I didn’t see
covered was Tommy Tedesco’s stint in Fernwood Tonight’s house band, Happy Kayne and the Mirth-Makers.) All you need is love and The Wrecking Crew. Out Of The Pool!

– Malibu Mike Murphy