Happened to be listening to "The best of The Girl Groups, Vol. 2", "Popsicles and Icicles" (some will remember this) by The Mermaids. (Hey, it is hot in Toronto). There is some truly incredible percussion work behind the singers which I never noticed before. I wonder who the percussionist was (probably will never know). It occurred to me that we have never talked much about great backing work and workers on records. The people who do this are known by the cognoscenti, but unless they really get well known, or get a really standout solo, by no one else. Rick Fielding met the guy who did the saxophone work on "Baker Street" which would be a real thrill to me (forget his name). Without Ray Phiri there would have been no Graceland. Where would Blonde on Blonde be without Charlie McCoy and the rest of the Nashville troupe? But even without these guys, there is some knockout anon work done all over the place. Anyone else have any examples that one could keep an ear out for?

yours, Peter T.