Clem Cattini Performs Some Real Magic
- Place – Decca Studios, London
- Time – Mid 60s
- Producer – Dick Rowe
The renowned Dick Rowe was the producer on this Decca Studios session. Famously he was head of A&R at Decca Records and known as the man that turned down The Beatles.
The session drummer was one of the most likeable guys in the industry, the legendary Clem Cattini. As well as the most sought after session musican he was also the drummer and band leader for The Tornados and wonderfully portrayed by James Corden in Nick Moran’s movie Telstar: The Joe Meek Story.
Clem is actually in the Guinness Book of Records as the drummer who holds the record for playing on the most UK number one records. Only problem is he doesn’t know how many he did as he went from studio to studio, up to four sessions a day and often didn’t know the artist was playing for or the title of the song he was featuring on.
He was and still is a very funny man with so many fabulous tales from a golden era of recording, always known for his sharp wit and being a great raconteur he can keep you entertained for hours.
On this particular song there was a section the middle of the track they were recording which required a relatively small drum break. Clem duely obliged and played a drum fill as requested.
With each run through Dick was unhappy with Clem’s drum fill, every time he finished the take, Dick would shout down the talkback mic into his headphones,
“Clem, Clem, put some more magic into it, more magic, make it magical.”
Several takes later poor Clem was being driven insane by these nonsensical, vague requests for more magic.
This time when Clem reached the drum break, he hit the snare drum, threw his drumsticks straight up into the air and screamed out,
“ABRA CA FUCKING DABRA”
Only Clem!
Clem and a Big Head
During one session I was working on, I was busy setting some mics up to record Clem’s kit, as was very typical on these kind of sessions there was plenty of banter being thrown around before the session started.
The session guitarist turned and said to Clem.
“Cattini, you have a really big head.”
In an instant Clem replied “No matter how big my head is, it will always fit into your mouth.”
Another Clem classic.
Clem and the Headphone Balance.
During a run through with a full orchestra session the engineer asked the musicians if they were happy with their headphone balance before they go for a take.
Clem replied to the control room,
“Can you bring the strings forward two seconds in the cans?”
Whilst the whole rhythm roared with laughter the string players were less than amused.
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