Pussy Cats

by Harry Nilsson

Overview

The relationship between Harry Nilsson and John Lennon is legendary. They were notorious booze hounds and carousers, getting kicked out of clubs for misbehavior and generally terrorizing L.A. during Lennon's "lost weekend" of 1974. They wanted to make an album together -- hell, anyone working at such a peak would -- and the result was Pussy Cats, a Nilsson album produced by Lennon. Almost immediately, Nilsson got sick, resulting in a ruptured vocal cord. Not wanting Lennon to stop the sessions, Nilsson never told his friend, stubbornly working his way through the sessions until he lost his voice entirely. These are the sessions that make up Pussy Cats, an utterly bewildering record that's more baffling than entertaining. Like many superstar projects of its time, this is studded with contributions from friends and studio musicians, all intent on having a good time in the studio -- which usually means hammering out rock & roll oldies. In this case, it meant both Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues" and the children's song "Loop de Loop," which gives a good idea where Nilsson was at. Through its messiness, Pussy Cats winds up showing how he and Lennon violently careened between hedonism and self-loathing. Of the new songs, the inadvertently revealing "All My Life" is the strongest, followed by the sweet "Don't Forget Me," yet this is more about tone than substance. It's about hearing Nilsson's voice getting progressively harsher, as the backing remains appealingly professional and slick. It doesn't quite jibe, and it's certainly incoherent, but that's its charm. It may not be as wild as the lost weekend itself, but it couldn't have been recorded at any other time and remains a fascinating aural snapshot of the early days of 1974. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	11/15/2024
Label:	Sony Import
UPC:	0196588439810

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Harry Nilsson   Primary Artist,Piano,Vocals,Piano (Electric)
John Lennon   Primary Artist
Keith Moon   Guest Artist,Drums,Congas,Wood Block
Ringo Starr   Guest Artist,Drums,Maracas
Jim Horn   Saxophone
Cynthia Webb   Marimba
Troy Germano   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Peri Prestopino   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Phylida Paterson   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Kristin Turner   Children's Chorus,Choir/Chorus
Erik Mueller   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Nathalie Altman   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Trevor Lawrence   Saxophone
Sneeky Pete   Pedal Steel
Sneaky Pete Kleinow   Pedal Steel
Kenny Ascher   Piano,Conductor
Bobby Keys   Saxophone
Cantey Turner   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Rachel Mueller   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Damon Vigiano   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Susie Bell   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Chuck Findley   Trombone
Klaus Voormann   Bass
David Steinberg   Choir/Chorus,Children's Chorus
Gene Cipriano   Saxophone
Jesse Ed Davis   Guitar
Danny Kortchmar   Guitar
Willie "The Lion" Smith   Organ
Jane Getz   Piano
Jim Keltner   Drums

Technical Credits

Jimmy DeKnight   Composer
Acy Lehman   Art Direction
Andrea T. Sheridan   Liner Notes
Curtis Armstrong   Liner Notes
Paul Williams   Tape Research,Reissue Supervisor
Mike Hartry   Digital Transfers
Bob Dylan   Composer
Kenny Ascher   Orchestration
Cally   Design,Artwork,Photography
Keith Munro   Producer,Coordination
Eddie Eddings   Research
May Pang   Production Assistant
Joe Henderson   Composer
Doc Pomus   Composer
Greg Calbi   Mastering
John Lennon   Composer,Producer
Derek Taylor   Liner Notes
Dennis Ferrante   Mixing
Jimmy Cliff   Composer
Jimmy Iovine   Assistant Engineer
Max Freedman   Composer
Harry Nilsson   Composer,Performer,Adaptation
Mort Shuman   Composer
Bill Lacey   Audio Restoration
Roy Cicala   Engineer,Assistant Producer