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Terry Hill solo Volume 1
Writing and Working with Terry
By Doug Klein
Terry moved back to Knoxville sometime around 1977
after playing in the NY/NJ music scene for a number of years. I was
teaching at Pick N’Grin, where he began working as well. We quickly
rekindled our friendship, having played together in another band in
1973/74. We talked about recording some music using the makeshift
studio he had in his Mom’s house off of Chapman Highway. As I recall
the very first thing he and I recorded was No One Home. We did not
have my drums that day so we used Terry’s wonderful Mom Joanne’s
dishes, perfume bottles, etc. for the percussion. We did about 5
songs that afternoon and evening. I will always remember that when
we recorded the instrumental named Kim, Terry added his acoustic
guitar part while I played the F recorder line. We sat together
around one mic. It took nearly 20 takes because if we looked at each
other we would start laughing. I remember adding other instruments
to these tracks at the Camel House a few weeks later. That day at
Joanne’s house was very special and I will always remember how hard
it snowed that afternoon.
Soon after, Terry moved into the old Railroad-owned
house on the tracks behind P&G. The house was affectionately named
the Camel House, after Terry’s song Little Camels. Over a few days’
time we gathered up drums, guitars, an F Schreiber recorder, an old
fiddle, banjo and cello, a very primitive synthesizer, a beat up
piano, and a complete set of marimbas that had been sitting outside
for months. This last was given to us by a member of one of
Knoxville’s great bands, Rich Mountain Tower. Between the two of us
we had quite a nice assortment of instruments. The recording deck
was just an old 8 channel reel to reel mixing console, but to us it
was the biggest thing we ever saw. Anything that took two of us to
move was fabulous. He played me a song named Clouds the first night
I went to play with him. I knew right then that good things would
happen in that old house. He asked me if I had anything that I would
like to put on tape. A few days earlier I had finished throwing
together a bunch of little musical ideas on my acoustic and electric
12 string guitars. These snippets were filed away in my head. That
night I played these for Terry in a specific order to get his
feedback as to how we could lay them to tape and end up with a
finished song. The result was my song called Oceans. All of the
acoustic and electric 12 parts were recorded first, straight
through. Next we added the drum and bass parts. Bit by bit we added
more and more instruments. I recall the need to bounce tracks in
order to fit it all in. Terry was a master of experimentation.
Terry’s use of the cello and eBow on his electric guitar was the
crowning touch for me. I knew that night that we were on to
something. Over the next few months we recorded a lot of material.
Our musical endeavors took a giant leap forward with
the arrival of Hector Qirko. Hector joined us at the Camel House. I
realized that I was working with two of the finest guitar players
and writers that Knoxville has ever had. Our threesome received the
name Balboa from one of Terry’s songs. We were joined by various
bass players on some of the sessions but finally settled on Richard
Battaglia. This foursome recorded some of the best early Balboa
tunes, including The Writer and the Artist, Alaskan Gloves (The Last
in Love), Be Somebody, The Big Sleep, and others.
Sometimes when I listen back to these songs I can
vividly recall the sights, sounds and smells of the Camel House
sessions. Not only was Terry a musical genius but he was very much
one of God’s gentle creations who would communicate clearly through
his songs and guitar playing. If you want to further your education
please listen carefully to his lyrics.
Back.
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All songs by Terry Hill except 2,8 by Doug Klein
and 7 by Terry Hill and Doug Klein
© Terry Hill, all rights reserved
© Doug Klein, Just Whistle Music, all rights reserved
Terry Hill- all instruments and vocals, except:
Doug Klein- drums (1,2,4,5,7,10,11), electric and acoustic 12-string
guitars (2), synthesizer (1,2,3), vibes (8), harmonica (2,8), chimes
(8), bass recorder (8), vacuum cleaner (3), houseware percussion
(along with TH, 13), harmonies (along with TH, 2, 13)
Carl Tomaso- probable bass (1,4,11)
Jay Barron- pedal steel (12)
Bill Bonnette- drums (12)
Hector Qirko- bass (12)
Recorded and mixed by Terry Hill, 1977-1979, Knoxville TN
Mastered by Richard Battaglia & Robert Battaglia, 2008, Nashville TN
(www.battagliaboys.com)
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