What Happened to E.T. And Guitar?

     In the 1970s I collaborated with the late Johnny “Guitar” Watson to produce such 70s hits as “Ain’t That a Bitch”, “The Real Mother for Ya”, “Superman Lover”, “Ta Ta Ya”, “Nothing Left to Be Desired”,” I Need It”, and the list goes on and on.  After we received two Gold Albums in one year and achieved such recording success one might ask what happened?   Enough time has now elapsed that the record can be set straight.  The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth can now be told. 

In 1968 while attending North Texas State University, I played drums with our group the Soul Masters in and around Dallas.  I would often also sit in with the Convoy a group formed by keyboardist Andre Lewis.  The Convoy was an organ trio featuring Lewis on B3 organ, Billy Clement on guitar, and Jerome “Red” Nelson on drums.  When Nelson left the group, Andre recruited me as drummer.  Andre Lewis actually laid the foundation for my professional  career.   Arranging my first professional recording session for the album Pressure Cooking with Patti Labelle and the Blue Bells. 

Lewis was also the mastermind of Maxayn a self-contained musical group in the vain of Sly and the Family Stones.  The group was a part of the electronic movement of the 70s, that utilized Moog synthesizers, electric piano, and clavinet.  Lewis required all members to write and work on production.  This experience prepared us all for our future efforts in the music business.  As young artists, we were very much aware of the importance of writing and producing our own material.  We were driven by the “mantra” of seizing the means of production, in other words, owning the studio not just renting it.

     We also learned efficiency, out of necessity.  We didn’t have the luxury of huge budgets, so we had to be quick and professional.  We became so much so that we called ourselves the “one take kids”.  As one of the first electric bands of that period, we had a very unique sound, and that sound was what attracted Johnny “Guitar” Watson to Maxayn.  Watson had already had a long musical career.  To put it in perspective, when he began his professional career, Andre and I were three and four years old respectively.

     In 1974 however, Watson was back with a new contract with Fantasy Records.  He contracted Andre  and his production company Super Groove to handle his new project.  Lewis introduced me to “Guitar” and we hit it off right away.  As fellow Texans, Watson from Houston and me from Galveston, We shared a common bond that seemed to be magnified when we played the blues together.   While Andre and I were still members of Maxayn, we also worked with Watson through Super Groove.  We played gigs in and around the Los Angeles area and up north in the San Francisco, Oakland area.  Watson’s group consisted of him playing guitar and keys, Lewis on keys and bass, Rudy Copeland on keys and vocals, and me on drums and vocals.

     We played gigs and recorded with Watson in a traditional quartet.  Watson was an old school recording artist, and we recorded his projects in the old school format, with all musicians in the studio at the same time.  Johnny Watson and other artist of his generation recorded their projects live in the studio with minimal overdubs.  In the group Maxayn, Andre, and guitarist Marlo Henderson and I recorded as a live trio consisting of keys, guitar, and drums.  We would do our basic tracks and overdubbed everything else to attain the sound and the control we wanted.

     When after three years and three albums, Capricorn records did not pick up Maxayn’s option, the members of the group went their separate ways.  Maxayn took her talents to Japan where she stayed for many years and garnered much success.  Marlo Henderson went on to become a very sought after session musician and producer, and worked with acts including  Minnie Ripperton, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson, to name a few.  Andre also worked as a session musician and producer and signed with Motown as Mandre.  I started my own production company Unimaxs Ltd., and recorded with Betty Everett, D. J. Rogers, Charles Wright, Cix Bits Blues Band, Little Franky Lee, and Watson.

     Andre and I also continued to work with Watson in the studio.  In 1976 Watson had just signed a new deal with (DJM) Dick James Music, based in London, England.  We were contracted to work on his new project called  Ain’t That a Bitch.  After years of working and recording together, the three of us did our normal preparation, and were more than ready to start the new project.  On the night before the session however, Andre contacted Watson and gave him an ultimatum saying, that if he did not get co-producer credits and points, (a percentage), he was not doing the session.  This infuriated Watson who terminated his relationship with Andre.  Watson then contacted me and told me that Andre was trying to sabotage his project.  He asked “E.T. What are we going to do?”  I responded “what do you mean, what are we going to do, we’re going to track your record.”  At that point I bring to his attention that he plays keyboards and he and I were going to track his record.

     I would like it to be noted that Johnny “Guitar” Watson never planned to record Ain’t That a Bitch in the manner that we did.  It was my suggestion that Watson also play keyboards.  Furthermore every recording Watson and I did for Dick James Music during this period was done this way, with me playing drums and Watson playing keys.  This formula gave us our sound.  With Watson playing all the instruments except drums, his music was uniquely “Guitar.”  I have been asked by many professionals and fans, how we achieved that sound.  We produced that sound because I was in charge.  I had worked with non-musician producers in the pass, who wanted to dictate drum policy, I refused to compromise.  My agreement with Watson was that I had total control over percussion.  He hired me based upon what he had heard me do, and I was given Carte Blanche.  The secret to the sound was  Watson’s sessions were in essence drums sessions.  The plus was that we had an engineer who loved drums, and the three of us, Watson, me and McNabb the engineer recorded alone.

     Because of the drama that occurred when Lewis demanded co-producer credits.   I agreed to assist Watson as Production Assistant/Co-Producer and no points.  I have two Gold Records on my wall because I was Guitar’s drummer and co-producer.  Because I was in charge, I was always first in the studio to prep the drums.  The drum sound was always tight because the prep time focused totally on the drum sound.  There were no other musicians and the only open mikes were on the drums.  Watson went direct through the board.  There was no major leakage, thus giving us the quiet sound we were after.  Also, let there be no doubt about who was Watson’s co-producer.  When Watson was doing vocals I was in charge.  When Watson didn’t like a take, he would tell us to stop the tape and go back.  I would, however tell McNabb to keep the track and put Watson on another track.  That way I could play the first track and compare it with the new track. Because there would be things that Watson did that I liked, and he didn’t, by putting him on another track we could compare the two.

     In 1977 Watson and I were preparing to record his second album for DJM.  Aint That a Bitch was doing well in the charts, and Watson was pleased with its reception.  In retrospect, I would have to say however that Watson was not totally on board with our production approach.  He reached out to his old friend Quincy Jones and asked him to produce his next project.  I was totally delighted with this decision as I had always wanted to work with the great Quincy Jones.  Unfortunately, Quincy was busy at that time with Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall album and was not available.

     So, Watson again inadvertently was confronted with the same recording dilemma.  I once again assured Watson that everything was going to be fine.  And, the second Watson/Thomas collaboration, The Real Mother for Ya was a tremendous success, and within months of its release it was certified Gold.  The sales of Ain’t That a Bitch also increased, and in a short time it too was certified Gold.  With the success of both his albums Watson proclaimed “E.T. we have a sound.”  I believed that finally Watson and I were on the same page regarding production.  I had demonstrated to him that my production strategy had worked.  This recording success set the stage for all of the future recording that I did with Watson. 

     As I noted earlier, when Johnny “Guitar” Watson began his musical career in 1953, when I was three years old, nonetheless, I recorded consecutively with the late Johnny “Guitar” Watson more than any other musician in his entire career.  So given our great recording success, what could possibly have ended the relationship?  I was totally committed to Watson’s company Vir-Jon, and Watson led me to believe that he was too.  One of the first lessons I learned when I got to Hollywood was that music is a “business” and should not be driven by emotions.  Emotions however clouded my judgment and affected what should have been purely a business decisions.  I assumed that Watson and I were close enough that I didn’t have to worry about him taking advantage.  It was not by accident that I recorded all of the 70s recordings of “Guitar” Watson.   We had a production agreement, but he reneged on it.  I never thought it would be an issue and believed that the body of work would speak for its self.  I have learned the hard way that business is business and if there is no documentation, there is no agreement.  So, my advice to anyone who is looking to make a career in the music business:  (1) Make sure you are up on your craft, be prepared and know your trade;  (2) Make sure you have representation, an agent, a lawyer, and an accountant, and make sure they are not working together.  You or someone representing you should have some idea of how the music business works. Having knowledge of the music business gives an artist an advantage when dealing with agents and managers.

     Johnny Watson and I should never have parted ways.  We were at the top of our game; we could track an album in a week.  Watson allowed outside forces, bad advice and drugs, destroy our relationship.  He allowed people who had nothing to do with the music to tear us apart.  In the beginning there was only Watson and me.  With success there were all kinds of people wanting a piece of Watson.  Because I had so much control over what we did, those who wanted a piece of the action realized they had to get rid of me.  The financial structure of Watson’s organization, the Watsonian Institute, which I named was under my control.  I established the pay structure and saw to it that my band was paid.

     The new management realized that in order to change that pay structure, I had to be removed from the equation.  Nothing happened in Watson’s organization however, without Watson knowing.  He was quoted before his death as saying, “I got caught up with the wrong people doing the wrong things.”  I was in total disbelief when told I was no longer a part of the Watson organization.  I remained in a state of shock for many years, wondering how Watson could have ended such a lucrative relationship.  He had lost track of what had gotten him to where he was, production.  It was a while before I accepted that Watson did not have the same vision I had regarding his company Vir-Jon.  I saw myself as a staff producer for Vir-Jon and with patients, I envisioned our future as a successful record label.  Andre Lewis once told me that Watson was not like members of our generation who wanted to own their own studios.  Watson was that old school artist who was looking for that big royalty check that he never got.

     I saw Vir-Jon as the vehicle that would eventually get us all what we wanted, patients was the key.  Watson could not and would not wait.  Johnny “Guitar” Watson was a player, a Master Mack, the brother was Mr. Debonair, Mr. Charming, cleaner than clean, cooler than cool, from the top of his hat to the tip of his toes.  Watson played us all like he played that guitar.  He took advantage of my youth, my love, my loyalty, and my respect for a Blues Master and a Funk Genius.  If you were to go the dictionary and look up genius it would say: Exceptional intellectual or creative power. That sounds like Guitar to me.  A person who is exceptionally intelligent or creative, either generally or in a particular respect.  Watson was a self-taught musician, and his first instrument was piano.  The piano is a lazy instrument that must be played, and Watson could play Oscar Peterson compositions verbatim.  Now, if that is not a sign of genius, I don’t what is.

     To me Johnny “Guitar” Watson was one of the most underrated artists of the twenth century.  Johnny Watson was never given his props.  I was blessed to have been given the opportunity to work with such a fantastic musician.  I would like everyone to know that Johnny “Guitar” Watson did way more good for me than he did bad.  I will cherish the time I had with Watson, and he will be forever missed.  Being signed with a European label, Dick James Music, Guitar had total control of production.  We wrote and produced all music.  We mastered all music, and Amherst did the distribution.   The keys to a record labels success.  Watson unlike a lot of his peers was allowed to function as an Independent label.  The irony is that right before his death in 1996, Watson established his own label, Mother Records.  In 1978 Lenny Silver of Amherst and I had tried to get Watson to go independent. 

          Lenny confronted Watson with this scenario, telling him that we didn’t need DJM, we were doing all of the work and sending all of the money to England.  Watson finally did what we wanted him to do some twenty years later when he established Mother Records.  What  Johnny “Guitar” Watson did to our production efforts, I called it the “Double-Cross, Criss-Cross-Cross.”  Watson crossed DJM, he crossed me, and he crossed himself.  By ending his relationship with me he lost his ability to be the independent record producer he was.  Watson lost sight of production, the thing that had gotten him to where he was.  Watson could call me at mid-night with an idea, and the next evening we would be in the studio tracking.

     When Watson got his new deal with A&M he didn’t give me a single session.  His first project for A&M was called That’s What Time it is, produced by Michael Zager, an American record producer, composer, and arranger.  The production suit Michael Zager fashioned for Watson was a great suit, but unlike the ones Watson and I had created together, it did not fit him perfectly.  For those who knew Watson you can feel Watson is not comfortable in Zager’s production. 

     The project did not meet the expectations of A&M or Watson.  In fact the album That’s What Time it is, unlike his DJM recordings were never re-released on CD.  Disappointed, Watson approached Herb Alpert, whom he had known for years, and vented his frustration.  Alpert gave Watson permission to go back into the studio and please himself.  Watson preceded to produce himself, and this is where I believe my brother’s ego took over.  As I said before Watson and I always produced more material than was needed.  There was always material in the can, in fact there was hit material in the can.  I believe that if Watson was not so set on proving that he was the sole force behind his previous recording success, he could have given A&M, hit recording we had not yet released.  That would have meant relying upon the same production team that had gotten him his initial success, but his ego would not allow it.

     Now, I will be the first to say that Mr. Watson was absolutely the source of our recording success.  His ability to write such great material was one of the reasons I chose to work with him.  I had written a bit with Maxayn, but my writing was nothing like Watson’s.  I also believe that drums play an important part in the success of any recording.  Just like the drumming of John Starks and Clyde Stubblefield had a major impact on the sound and success of James Brown.  Just as the drumming of David Garibaldi had a major impact on the sound and success of the group Tower of Power.  I believe my drumming had a major impact on the sound and success of the late Johnny “Guitar” Watson.  To get an idea of what Watson’s sound was like without my drums, listen to his last DJM production, Johnny “Guitar” Watson  and the Family Clones.  Watson played all instruments, and for me these recordings are the low point of his career.  Watson produced his next four projects for A&M, and all of the material he produced was rejected.  On his first recordings for A&M he used James Gadson, one of the most successful recording drummers in history and a close friend.  I do not know if Watson used Gadson on his next A&M projects.  I do know who ever he used for the projects it was all rejected.  I believe that whatever Watson produced for A&M it did not meet their standards.  Also, I believe that if the material did meet their standards, A&M, some twenty years after Watson’s death, would have saturated the market place with his work.  The facts are, my brother Johnny “Guitar” Watson did not produce not one single recording that A&M could work with.  Maybe just maybe, if Watson had given me just one session, who knows?

     When my mother first met Johnny Watson, she told me “Baby he ain’t right” and my Mama was never wrong.  She said this because she believed Watson should have put pictures of all of the members of his band on his album covers.  I knew her views were in direct support of me, and I understood her displeasure.  I also knew she did not understand that Watson’s recordings were just Watson and myself.  I did not take the time to explain to her the production process we had used, and I did not mind that my picture was not on Watson’s records as long as I got my production credits.  There are times when I look back at the opportunity Watson and I had and I Just shake my head in disbelief.  We were supposed to get rich!  I think about how I have grown musically and where I am today production wise and wonder about the things Watson and I would be producing now.  Johnny Watson’s ego did me a favor.   By recording his last DJM album “The Family Clones”, all by himself, he left a record of what he sounded like without my drums.  My drums and productions skills mattered, Guitar had to blow a million dollar record deal to realize that.  I guess it was not to be. 

     The late great Jazz saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley, upon being introduced to me by Watson said that he liked what I was doing on the drums.  Watson then said “Ball sometimes he get a little excited.”  Cannonball  told Johnny Watson, “ Guitar, you should go with the drummers sometimes, you will be surprised of where they can take you.”  On that note, I took his ass to the bank.  Now, AINT’THAT A BITCH.