What happens when Bill Laswell sends you to London without telling you who you're going to meet - and you find yourself in Mick Jagger's living room?
In the fourth and final part of his conversation with Fender Jackson on The Ireland Podcast, Bernard Fowler takes us inside his extraordinary decades with The Rolling Stones.
Bernard recalls his first meeting with Mick Jagger, the unexpected appearance of Paul McCartney, and the events that led to his involvement with the band.
He also reveals how Keith Richards initially resisted his arrival during the Steel Wheels sessions, famously telling Bernard, "I didn't want to like you."
But this is much more than a collection of rock-and-roll anecdotes.
As two musicians, Bernard and Fender explore what makes the Rolling Stones sound like the Rolling Stones - the loose, soulful backing vocals, the importance of feel over technical perfection, and why their music works precisely because it isn't polished to within an inch of its life.
Bernard discusses Merry Clayton's extraordinary performance on Gimme Shelter, his approach to arranging vocal harmonies, and his work on Keith Richards' How Can I Stop, featuring Wayne Shorter on saxophone.
The conversation also returns to John Lydon, Public Image Ltd and Steve Vai, before Bernard reflects on the recordings of which he is proudest - from Philip Glass's Changing Opinion to PiL's FFF.
He also looks ahead to his forthcoming tango project.
From Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to Philip Glass, Bill Laswell, Motörhead and Public Image Ltd, Bernard Fowler's career has taken him through some of the most remarkable recording sessions in modern music.
This final instalment brings the four-part conversation to a close.
The Ireland Podcast - Recording The Island
Presented by Fender Jackson.
Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all major podcast platforms.
Relevant Links
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4t0Xaku3wgseBkSZYOloxw?si=178765d80d6e4ec9
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