in Spanish

Don Casale on recording In A Gadda Da Vida

José Mujica

In A Gadda Da Vida
They were going to be in Woodstock 1969, but the helicopter never came to pick up.

Vanilla Fudge (You keep me Hangin' On)
Accepted to be an influence on the likes of Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Yes, Uriah Heep and Van Halen is all they need, and Don was there.

Protools is here.
In 2000, Casale took a leap into the digital world of ProTools, eliminating most of the tape splicing and editing work he had been accustomed to for years. His RCA console, however, still remains in constant use.

Thanks to Mr.Bob Brennan, a good friend of Don, some comments here were done from his work at:

http://www.perpetualtoxins.com/

What is the story behind In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida?

     Ironically, it is a session for which Casale was not even credited on the album that is one of his, and one of rock's, most defining moments: Iron Butterfly's monumental In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida. Butterfly drummer Ron Bushy recalls Casale's part in the historic session at UltraSonic on May 27, 1968: "We were setting up in the studio and Don said, 'Why don't you run through a song, so I can get some levels.' We started Vida and did not stop until the end, 17:05 later! Then, he called us into the control room. We had no idea that he had pushed the record button.

What is the legacy and impact of this song?

     In an era of three-minute pop songs, the 17-minute Vida recorded by Casale proved a watershed moment in rock history. Coinciding with the arrival of FM radio's new, freer format, the psychedelic hit opened the floodgates for extended recordings by Cream, Mountain, Pink Floyd, the Allman Brothers and countless others. Vida became the top-selling album in the world at that point, spending an amazing 140 weeks on the charts, including 81 in the Top 10. The platinum designation was created for it.

ES2A.-What model tape recorder was used with Iron Butterfly?

DC.-Scully 8-track one-inch.

ES2A.-Which microphones were used for the Iron Butterfly session?

DC.-Neumann U-47 and Altec 633C “salt shakers”.

ES2A.-What was the model number of the RCA Console you purchased from Kingdom Sound studio when they decided to replaced it?

DC.- These consoles were manufactured for RCA Studios in the USA, and not sold to the public as a retail item.

DC.-Yes, there was no model number on those early consoles.

ES2A.-Special recording?

Aretha Franklin - YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK
Vanilla Fudge - VANILLA FUDGE, THE BEAT GOES ON, RENAISSANCE
Rascals - FREEDOM SUITE, SEE, SEARCH AND NEARNESS
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends - TO BONNIE FROM DELANEY
Tiny Tim - AM I JUST ANOTHER PRETTY FACE
Cufflinks - TRACY, THE CUFF LINKS
Lloyd Price - NATURAL SINNER
Beverly Bremers - DON’T SAY YOU DON’T REMEMBER
Planet Patrol - PLANET PATROL
Petula Clark - WARM AND TENDER
Iron Butterfly - IN-A-GADDA-DA-VIDA

ES2A.-What songs do you recorded for Aretha?

 
DC.-On her YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK album: “THE LONG AND WINDING ROAD” and “BORDER SONG”.

ES2A.-Which loudspeakers do you use at home?

DC.-Altec 604D 15 inch Co-Ax speakers. And amplifier, I use today at home various old McIntosh tube amps

ES2A.-what music do you like?

DC.-In no particular order … Pop, Country, R ’n B, Jazz, Classical, Soul, and ‘50s.


ES2A.-Did you recorded Johnny Thunders, To fast to live too young to die?
is a master piece, the melody, the lyric, the video and of course
the perfect mix, the elegance of the deep bass. This is the kind
of work that catch you since the first time. Well I think only
people that end using Altec at home can do this.

DC.-No, I   recorded a tribute/cover version of the song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHRG4k-XO2E&feature=youtu.be

ES2A.-An advice to the students?

DC.-“Be great at One Thing before going on to another thing”.