Hi everyone!
I'm sure I've seen mention of this before here, but it's worth re-
mentioning, the PlanetMellotron.com mellotron owners/players site.
It's got a most comprehensive list of owners and players, and what
instruments they used. I can tell the discography's aren't
necessarily complete, as far as the few that I've followed a bit,
such as Rick Wakeman, but I was greatly amused (and appreciative) to
find mention of some of my work on a 1980 album called "Nightwing." I
was referred to as "...the mysterious Berington Van Campen..." HA!
EXCELLENT! The reviewer went on to say I "played extra keys, as well
as writing 'Fantasia.' As a result, I assume it's him playing the
Mellotron flutes on both parts of his piece, plus occasional choirs
on 'You Keep Me Hanging On', although all the strings appear to be
real." In fact, the real strings were transcribed from my Mellotron
parts and mixed WITH them, not replacing them, which we loved doing,
and the title song "Something In The Air," was also done the same
way. Only exception was the end piece, where we did pull the
Mellotron flutes & violins, 'cause it was so cool to hear the real
string section floating from chord to chord without the melodies. For
the record, I also played a lot of synth and guitar stuff on there,
too, and arranged b/g vocals on the L.A-recorded songs.
Hey, if anyone wants to hear M-400 #1485 a little more currently, you
can check myspace.com/berington. It's on 3 songs, "Goes The Way It
Goes," "Hearing How You Breathe," and at the very end of "Waiting In
The Wings." Unfortunately, as I wrote when I first joined this group,
ol' #1485 is now on the blink. Needs serious motor work (ALMOST
frozen motor), and I'd suspect a good housecleaning. Just got a call
from a guy who wants some Mellotron on a session though, so I think
it's time to get 'er up 'n' runnin' again!
Anyway, thanks for the great, and so-often amusing site you guys
carry on here. It's excellent. I really DID write just to remind you
of the PlanetMellotron site, too. It's pretty interesting. Ah yes, as
a guitarist myself, I'd have to opine too, that Pete Townsend really
is a terrific guitarist & writer, certainly responsible for a ton of
iconic music and sounds. Too bad he wasn't sold on Mellotrons, but
hey, one or two more for the rest of us who WERE! Wouldn't want him
playing mine anyway; I'm sure his right hand fingers were thrashed
and bloody!
Cheers to y'all
Berington Van Campen, M-400 #1485
Berington Van Campen
Van Campen Productions / VCMusiCorp
VCMusiCorp1@...www.myspace.com/berington