I chanced upon John 'Rabbit' Bundrick's diaries the other day, which are fun reading (although rather badly-written).

He is/was keyboard player for The Who, and also recorded with Mick Jagger:

Thi is his diary.

Monday, July 16 1984. Mick Jagger album. I rehearsed at 'Nomis Studios' for Mick Jagger's album 'SHE'S THE BOSS'. Musicians included me, Charlie Watts on drums, Pete Townshend on guitar, and Mick Jagger on vocals. I don't remember who was on bass. We rehearsed in studio 3 from 3 o'clock until 8 o'clock. I thought Jagger was a @#$%&, but, in reality, it's probably my jealousy and a touch of his master professionalism and my inexperience. At least he knows what he's doing. It was a pleasure, whatever the case, as the rolling stones are my all time favourite rock band. - (Oh yeah! - also, me and Sue finally got some hot water plumbed in at the beach hut. we had one of those small Emersion things that run on Calor gas hooked up. Yee-haw!!!) July 17, we started recording Jagger's album at CBS Studios in London, off Tottenham Court Road. 'Whitfield Street' I believe. Start recording at 12 o'clock until 9 o'clock. (Also, me and Sue got fixed up with a Calor gas ice box, bath tub, and hot water finally at the beach hut. it's about time, too!) July 19, Jagger session, recorded from 3 o'clock until 2 am. Tired! But it's not going very well either. July 20, day off from recording - we spent a really drunk day in the hotel, which was practically bang next door to 'BBC radio' in London. I couldn't keep Sue from emptying and drinking everything out of the little icebox in the hotel room that was kept full of alcohol by the hotel staff. In the end I told the hotel the remove the whole icebox out of my room. Poor sue; I gave her a drink problem. She had no problem before she met me. It wasn't her fault at all. It was all mine. Also, I am not enjoying working for Mick Jagger at all! I know it should be a privilege, but, he's an @#$%&! I met him once at a party with Pete, and he was an @#$%& then too. @#$%& him! July 23, I'm off! Things got so bad with me and Sue during the Jagger sessions that, at the end of the work I had to get out and away from Sue and all the boozing. I took my money from the sessions and bought an air ticket at Heathrow airport for me. I left sue in London. I guess she got somebody to help her check out and leave the hotel. I don't know. I was on my way to Sweden and my girlfriend.

It's not clear to me if Rabbit left the sessions because of the drinking problems of his
girl friend, or because he did not get along with Jagger. He's only credited for synthesizer
on Just another night, as far as I know. No other songs.

Rabbit toured with Mick Taylor in the 90's didn't he? He's playing on some songs of A Stones' Throw.

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

Mick played with Charlie for the pre-production of She's The Boss?

So he left Sue to hook up with his girlfriend in Sweden? Even at the lower ranks, the boys do alright.

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DandelionPowderman
Mick played with Charlie for the pre-production of She's The Boss?

As the diary is from july 1984, I think it was at the time of the overdubs.
Recording sessions for Just another night were in may and june, weren't they?

Just as long as the guitar plays, let it steal your heart away

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DandelionPowderman
Mick played with Charlie for the pre-production of She's The Boss?

In this case, Mick was right if he pointed out Charlie to be his drummer boy. But he payed the prize, lol

yes, the writing is a little haphazard, making some of the details a bit fuzzy. But as I said, a good read.

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marcovandereijk
It's not clear to me if Rabbit left the sessions because of the drinking problems of his
girl friend, or because he did not get along with Jagger. He's only credited for synthesizer
on Just another night, as far as I know. No other songs.

Rabbit toured with Mick Taylor in the 90's didn't he? He's playing on some songs of A Stones' Throw.

As I read it, he had to leave to wait for the gas man to turn on the power.

You are right, it's a fun read.
Will Sue stick with Rabbit?
Will Rabbit get his drinking under control?
Will Pete sack Rabbit?
Will Roger punch Rabbit for playing too loud?

Keep reading and find out.

Ronnie and Charlie played on some of the SHE'S THE BOSS and WANDERING SPIRIT sessions (not the actual releases, just to help Mick work through new ideas). Ronnie did the same with PRIMITIVE COOL. Not sure about GODDESS IN THE DOORWAY. I know Ronnie wasn't around, but not sure about Charlie. I tend to think not.

From that perspective, having Ronnie and Charlie on the new single might not seem so strange, but it is still unprecedented. Having musician friends help you work through ideas is one thing, having your bandmates back you on a solo single is rather strange. In some contracts, three-quarters of a band would qualify as a group release and would have been credited as The Rolling Stones.

Why didn't Rabbit continue with The Who when they went back to touring on the 2 recent jaunts? Do inquiring minds want to know? Just time for a change I suppose.

Random thoughts:
- I remember reading that Iggy Pop once declined to go on a tour because the record company had recruited a band for him and Iggy said he didn't want to tour in front of guys who were making fun of him in the dressing room. People start bands with their friends, but wind up playing with session men and strangers. Maybe one of the reasons Mick's solo career didn't take off was that there were too many people working *for* him and not *with* him.
- Poor Rabbit had some drug/alcohol issues that made his life a mess -- you can see some examples in the diary of Pete trying to take care of him. Every Pete sideproject or Who tour was a lifesaver to the people around the band who needed him to make a living or just stay alive.
- Chuck's keyboard playing doesn't excited a lot of Stones fans, but you figure he's stuck around for so long because he shows up on time and in condition to play. Mick and Keith seem to have surrounded themselves with dependable people; hence, their longevity.
- Didn't read to the end, but still Rabbit is still around and says he is in recovery the story must have a happy ending.

From a Rolling Stone interview with PT in 2015:

Why isn't he on the tour?

'It was an issue between Roger and Rabbit. I think they didn't really get on and they had a big bust up. I think it would be fair to say that Rabbit didn't handle it particularly well and I don't think there's any coming back from that. I'm absolutely sure that Rabbit and I will work together again, if he doesn't kill himself first.'



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-17 20:27 by peoplewitheyes.

Scanned through the diaries- he sounds like he was (and admits to being) a drunken belligerent @#$%&...hope he got himself sorted out- seems like that attitude/lifestyle made him miserable.

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peoplewitheyes
From a Rolling Stone interview with PT in 2015:

Great interview.
Pete's affection and support for Roger is quite touching.

Interesting....sorry to hear about Rabbit, he is an employee, although talented, I suppose you can't keep going around getting blotto and telling the boss what to do with alcoholic muscles....but that's in the regular world, not the THE WHO's world of rock and roll....

I am so glad they survived, seeing them again at the MGM National was so enjoyable, I could see Pete squinting at the audience as he was mock looking up in a emotional chord moment. He's such a great musician, and I have loved The Who since the late 60's....I'm the face if you want it............IM THE FACE!

Thank you to The Who.........and I hope I get a chance to visit another show.

Peace sign with hand...........

Quote
onestep
Interesting....sorry to hear about Rabbit, he is an employee, although talented, I suppose you can't keep going around getting blotto and telling the boss what to do with alcoholic muscles....but that's in the regular world, not the THE WHO's world of rock and roll....

I am so glad they survived, seeing them again at the MGM National was so enjoyable, I could see Pete squinting at the audience as he was mock looking up in a emotional chord moment. He's such a great musician, and I have loved The Who since the late 60's....I'm the face if you want it............IM THE FACE!

Thank you to The Who.........and I hope I get a chance to visit another show.

Peace sign with hand...........

Not everybody did..

HA !

Of course, I stand corrected.
I did mean The Who...as a brand...they didn't just fade away.

Seeing Pete, and Roger up there, with those great musicians, and Zak just beating away...gives a superb performance. I am glad they decided to go
in that direction, I believe that took a ton of courage to make sure they
are still as good as ever, while evolving. Those are the only 2 The Who couldn't lose, and still continue in some form.

Can you imagine deciding to move forward with a booked tour when your original bassist dies in the hotel hours before the first show? They picked the right guy, Pino got tons of applause...those MSG shows were incredible. We don't forget Mr. Entwistles important contributions....but they moved onward.

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
onestep
Interesting....sorry to hear about Rabbit, he is an employee, although talented, I suppose you can't keep going around getting blotto and telling the boss what to do with alcoholic muscles....but that's in the regular world, not the THE WHO's world of rock and roll....

I am so glad they survived, seeing them again at the MGM National was so enjoyable, I could see Pete squinting at the audience as he was mock looking up in a emotional chord moment. He's such a great musician, and I have loved The Who since the late 60's....I'm the face if you want it............IM THE FACE!

Thank you to The Who.........and I hope I get a chance to visit another show.

Peace sign with hand...........

Not everybody did..

Quote
onestep
HA !

Of course, I stand corrected.
I did mean The Who...as a brand...they didn't just fade away.

Seeing Pete, and Roger up there, with those great musicians, and Zak just beating away...gives a superb performance. I am glad they decided to go
in that direction, I believe that took a ton of courage to make sure they
are still as good as ever, while evolving. Those are the only 2 The Who couldn't lose, and still continue in some form.

Can you imagine deciding to move forward with a booked tour when your original bassist dies in the hotel hours before the first show? They picked the right guy, Pino got tons of applause...those MSG shows were incredible. We don't forget Mr. Entwistles important contributions....but they moved onward.

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
onestep
Interesting....sorry to hear about Rabbit, he is an employee, although talented, I suppose you can't keep going around getting blotto and telling the boss what to do with alcoholic muscles....but that's in the regular world, not the THE WHO's world of rock and roll....

I am so glad they survived, seeing them again at the MGM National was so enjoyable, I could see Pete squinting at the audience as he was mock looking up in a emotional chord moment. He's such a great musician, and I have loved The Who since the late 60's....I'm the face if you want it............IM THE FACE!

Thank you to The Who.........and I hope I get a chance to visit another show.

Peace sign with hand...........

Not everybody did..

And Pino himself has moved on now, touring with John Mayer all year. What's the new guy, John Button like ?

I saw them in Bologna last year with Pino still in the band and made a very commendible attempt at Entwistle's trademark bass solo on My Generation, warmly appreciated by the crowd.

I personally preferred Pino's approach musically, but John Button is accomplished and filled very well....like someone said, he has big shoes to fill....as you mention, he was warmly appreciated.

Quote
grzegorz67

And Pino himself has moved on now, touring with John Mayer all year. What's the new guy, John Button like ?

I saw them in Bologna last year with Pino still in the band and made a very commendible attempt at Entwistle's trademark bass solo on My Generation, warmly appreciated by the crowd.

Quote
grzegorz67
And Pino himself has moved on now

I would imagine it was a more a case of him thinking the Who wouldn't be touring past 2016, as originally planned. So, as just a session man on salary, he has to keep active with other projects. Townshend and Daltrey only belatedly decided to keep playing into 2017, by which time Pino was finalizing other commitments. If Pete and Roger decide to make this a "never-ending tour", that is, play clusters of shows each year while they still can, then no doubt Pino would be back in the fold by 2018.

It is good to have Pino in that role, especially since he played on Townshend solo albums going way back. Along with Zak, it's the best way of keeping those roles "in the family", in the personal and professional sense of their history.

HERE IS MY GENERATION PLUS ENDING JAM, AND OTHER SONGS FROM TWO NIGHTS AGO IN LAKE TAHOE. NO SPECIFIC VIDEO OF THE BASS PLAYER BUT THE BASS CAN BE HEARD.

OPENING SONG CANT EXPLAIN
[www.youtube.com]
MY GENERATION PLUS JAM
[www.youtube.com]
5 15 OPENING
[www.youtube.com]
BEHIND BLUE EYES
[www.youtube.com]
I’M ONE INTRO
[www.youtube.com]
LOVE REIGN OV’RE ME
[www.youtube.com]
EMINENCE FRONT
[www.youtube.com]
WIZARD
[www.youtube.com]
BABA
[www.youtube.com]
FOOLED AGAIN
[www.youtube.com]

Quote
grzegorz67

Quote
onestep
HA !

Of course, I stand corrected.
I did mean The Who...as a brand...they didn't just fade away.

Seeing Pete, and Roger up there, with those great musicians, and Zak just beating away...gives a superb performance. I am glad they decided to go
in that direction, I believe that took a ton of courage to make sure they
are still as good as ever, while evolving. Those are the only 2 The Who couldn't lose, and still continue in some form.

Can you imagine deciding to move forward with a booked tour when your original bassist dies in the hotel hours before the first show? They picked the right guy, Pino got tons of applause...those MSG shows were incredible. We don't forget Mr. Entwistles important contributions....but they moved onward.

Quote
DandelionPowderman

Quote
onestep
Interesting....sorry to hear about Rabbit, he is an employee, although talented, I suppose you can't keep going around getting blotto and telling the boss what to do with alcoholic muscles....but that's in the regular world, not the THE WHO's world of rock and roll....

I am so glad they survived, seeing them again at the MGM National was so enjoyable, I could see Pete squinting at the audience as he was mock looking up in a emotional chord moment. He's such a great musician, and I have loved The Who since the late 60's....I'm the face if you want it............IM THE FACE!

Thank you to The Who.........and I hope I get a chance to visit another show.

Peace sign with hand...........

Not everybody did..

And Pino himself has moved on now, touring with John Mayer all year. What's the new guy, John Button like ?

I saw them in Bologna last year with Pino still in the band and made a very commendible attempt at Entwistle's trademark bass solo on My Generation, warmly appreciated by the crowd.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2017-08-19 01:08 by snorton.