The first time I went to New York, I met Alan Freed. Johnny Rivers More Quotes by Johnny Rivers More Quotes From Johnny Rivers I was working at this club in downtown L.A. from four to eight at night, just Eddie Rubin, the drummer, and I. Johnny Rivers club just drummer night I've got a Fender Concert amp from the '60s, the one Joe Osborn used. He played his bass through it. Johnny Rivers concert through he used I got to see all these incredible blues players, like Jimmy Reed. Johnny Rivers blues players see like My first really good guitar was a Gibson J-45. Johnny Rivers really first good guitar I learned some chords and I started watching anybody I could, once I really got into it. Johnny Rivers got started watching some Alan's publishing company was in the Brill Building, and of course, the Brill Building was where all the songwriters hung out because that's where all the publishers were. Johnny Rivers because where company building Guys like Otis Blackwell and Bobby Darin, and all the guys who were writing songs for Elvis at the time, just hanging around, writing songs, talking about music. Johnny Rivers music writing time talking But I always loved songs with great lyrics. Johnny Rivers lyrics loved great always About two months into the Whisky, I borrowed some money and rented a remote recording truck. Johnny Rivers some truck money two I loved playing and I was actually working two jobs. Johnny Rivers playing loved working two In early '57, I bought a Fender Telecaster. Johnny Rivers fender bought early In 1965, Gibson made the red one I use now, and a black one, which was the first black 335 they ever made. Johnny Rivers first now red black The first amp I had back in the '50s was a small Fender. Johnny Rivers had first small back After that initial success, every chance we got we'd hire that remote recording truck and just record stuff at the Whisky because it was so inexpensive. Johnny Rivers just truck chance success What I really remember is that people camped out everywhere, and the fact everybody expected it might turn into a big nightmare with all sorts of hassles because back in those days everybody was smoking pot and taking acid. Johnny Rivers back smoking remember people Even Woodstock turned out to be a disaster. Everybody was stuck in the mud and people got sick. Johnny Rivers mud disaster sick people When I came back to California in the early '60s I was hanging out with Jimmy Bowen, Phil Spector, and I wanted to be a record producer and work with other artists. Johnny Rivers producer hanging back work One of the first groups we signed was the Fifth Dimension. Johnny Rivers dimension signed first fifth I think my favorite album was probably Realization. Johnny Rivers album i-think think realization I'd gone through periods where I didn't work live performances for probably seven or eight months at a time. Johnny Rivers live through work time
