Were they using their own instruments and amps?

Saw Caddilac Records the other day, and the scene whene the Stones arrived carrying their instruments as any band of common mortals made me curious.

Any info on what they used?

C

that film wasn't very big on historical accuracy, was it - but sure they used their own instruments,
and as for carrying their own gear: Bill confirms that Muddy Waters helped them with it, so: indeed they did.
the session was during their first US tour, which (lest we forget) was their first tour outside of the UK;
they weren't Big Names at the time, and having a session at Chess was a dream come true for them.

i asked about the guitars we can hear on the Chess tracks in one of the Ratbag Boogie threads -
the responses weren't too conclusive, though. it would be great to get more specific track-by-track insight,
but the instruments we see them with onstage in photos from that tour are the likely suspects.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2010-01-27 13:32 by with sssoul.

I caught the last 30 minutes of the film myself yesterday. After doing some research today I found that Leonard Chess died some months after he sold Chess records, not in his car as he drove away from the building. It did make for a dramatic movie end though. Also, I recall hearing that The Stones saw Muddy painting the walls in the studio. Am I right, or was that something else?

<Also, I recall hearing that The Stones saw Muddy painting the walls in the studio.>

That's only in Keith's imagination Both Marshall and the other guys in the Stones say it never happened.

That's funny. Thanks to Keef that's been in my memory for 20 years. Pretty sure he said that in the 25X5 video.

Ten years ago, I took a tour of the 2120 South Michigan Avenue building which was then a museum run by Willie Dixon's widow and daughter, Shirley who disputed the "Muddy Waters painting the ceiling story" because Muddy Waters would never have worn coveralls or done manual labor (labour, if you prefer). Word was that the Stones got to unload their equipment through the front door, rather than the back door off the alley. Muddy Waters helped them because he was reportedly in a dispute with someone in the building and welcomed a distraction.

The first floor has a display case with an LP cover of 12x5, a note from Charlie Watts, and a pair of his drumsticks.

The recording studio and control room were not large. The tape console was primitive, yet the sound captured was quite good.

Shirley concluded by saying that Keith was extremely honest, so the mystery continues.

>> Shirley concluded by saying that Keith was extremely honest, so the mystery continues. <<

smile: a person can be honest without being right all the time!
i reckon Keith was just looking the wrong way when someone said "cor blimey - look it's Muddy Waters"
and the wrong image got tattoed on his psyche.