Producer EDDIE KRAMER On Recording Woodstock Performances - "We Got Going And Three Days Of Drugs And Hell Became Part Of American History"
June 20, 2009, 15 years ago
Legendary producer Eddie Kramer, who has worked with Jimi Hendrix, LED ZEPPELIN and KISS to name a few, is featured in a new Classic Rock Revisited interview with Ryan Sparks focusing on his work recording Woodstock in 1969. An excerpt from the interview is available below.
Ryan: Woodstock was a truly unique, one a kind festival. When did you first begin to hear rumblings that something like this was going to happen and how did you become involved?
Eddie: "The rumblings and the thunder in the distance from Woodstock. It came about through the film company. I knew that Jimi was going to be playing up there and the film company called me and said “Hey you record Jimi, why don’t you come up and record the whole thing?'"
Ryan: After you surveyed the scene did you think you’d have enough time to get everything in order to be fully prepared for when things started?
Eddie: "No way. I had doubts that we were ever going to get anything, but these guys were great. The crew was tremendous and they pulled it together. We got going and three days of drugs and hell became part of American history."
Ryan: How did you manage to avoid being dosed?
Eddie: "Wait, where did you hear that? That’s all fabricated. There were no drugs at Woodstock. I’m sorry that’s the wrong festival. We were fine; there were no drugs as far as we were concerned. The only thing we had was the vitamin B12 shots to keep us all going. We slept on the floor of the truck for a few hours you know? Somebody had to do it."
Go to this location for the complete interview.
