PlanetMellotron.com
2007-09-26 by Berington Van Campen
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