Botnick
on Buckley
In
1966 with frequent songwriting partner Larry Beckett, Tim
Buckley recorded the his first album’s twelve songs
in Los Angeles with the team behind The Doors—producer
Paul Rothchild and engineer Bruce Botnick. He was backed
in the studio by guitarist and longtime collaborator Lee
Underwood, bassist Jim Fielder, and Mothers Of Invention
drummer Billy Mundi. Van Dyke Parks, who had spent much
of that summer collaborating with Beach Boy Brian Wilson
on the legendary Smile album, was brought in to overdub
keyboards, and frequent Phil Spector sidekick Jack Nitzsche
contributed string arrangements.
In
the interview below, Botnick explains how all the elements
came to be in place...
