Today we speak to Caleb Quaye, a legendary guitarist who has played with some of the biggest names in music. Caleb’s career began in the 1960s where he formed a friendship with a young Reginald Dwight, who would later become known as Elton John. Caleb’s guitar work can be heard on many of Elton John’s early albums and material by John Baldry, Pete Townshend, PP Arnold, Steve Ellis, The Beach Boys and Hall & Oates. He is a songwriter and producer in his own right and is responsible for the psychedelic classic ‘Baby Your Phrasing Is Bad’ and series of critically acclaimed albums with Hookfoot.
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Podcasts also available on The Strange Brew: Davey Johnstone, Tony King, Billy Nicholls, PP Arnold, Steve Ellis, Mike McCartney, Andrew Loog Oldham
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Got to love Caleb Quaye for his adventurous spirit. The Elton John album, the Blue Moves album and the Townshend/Nicholls/Lane Meher Baba albums were so unconventional. None of them commercially successful at the time (Blue Moves may have gone gold, but I’m sure the record company was expecting more sales based on overstock), but they are the kind of albums that music aficionados appreciate to no end.
Caleb mentioned Roger Pope. The earlier EJ material doesn’t have much of a need for jazz feel, but a good example of what he’s talking about is “Your Starter For…”, the opening track from Blue Moves. Roger’s got a light shuffle going on with the kick drum and hi-hat. It’s not a straight rhythm on the hi-hat, which is held loose the whole two minutes without opening too far that it starts ringing…not easy to do. He carries it over to the crash cymbal shortly before the end. There’s the break for the triplets, then straight back into a tight rhythm to stay in sync with Howard’s synth line.
Blue Moves is such a marvelous record, but I don’t think the EJ camp had the fortitude to deal with the critical response in what was becoming an unforgiving industry. Would have been nice if they could have brushed it off and plowed forward. Who knows? Taupin is talking like he has a project in mind, and Elton’s done touring. Maybe they can put the right musicians around them and once again try something unusual in the pop genre.
Nice interview Jason.