How Did He Do "I Hear You Knockin'"?

[MIDI4Radio]

Dave Edmunds had a terrific rendition of "I Hear You Knockin'" back in 1970, where he recorded all parts himself and laid up a wonderfully fuzzy lead vocal track (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry2td7q5ZMc).

The trick is easy to do using modern digital techniques, so please don't reply explaining how to do it inside a favorite DAW with favorite plug-ins. I'm more interested in how it was done using the technology of the day.

Anyone know?

[BertKoor]

Most common in those days for home studios was a Revox B-77 (or was it 77B) stereo tape recorder. You could ping-pong overdubs. Record on the left channel. Then on the right channel you record what was on left plus a new track. Repeat with L & R swapped, etc.

These overdubs must be constructed with care. Do tracks first where loss of high frequencies is no issue. And mono only. Can do in stereo with a 4-track recorder. Sgt Pepper was entirely done on 4 tracks. A mono basis can be constructed on 3 tracks, then mixed down to the 4th, freeing 3 tracks. Bottom line: be creative, get most out of technology!

[BertKoor]

OK, now I listened to the track. If your query was about the distortion, I wonder weather that was in the original already. I have many 7" 45rpm vinyls that sound the same because I ruined them by playing them with a worn needle that should have been replaced years ago on a turntable with too much pressure on that needle.

Bit of research, same track of him doing obvious playback on TOTP or simular program:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWktoG5DU_4

Slightly better audio, but still distorted. He could have recorded his voice with a Green Bullet crystal mic, through his guitar amp, or through a fuzz pedal, or just overdriven the input of his mic preamp on the mixing console. Who knows... Easy to do, even in that era, nevertheless.

[MIDI4Radio]

Yes, my inquiry was about the distortion. It was a deliberate production technique and Im most interested in what devices and processes of the day were employed in creating it.

In the past, I've looked up an artist's email address and pleaded with them to explain their magic to me, but Dave is invisible. If anyone knows how to contact him, even better.

[Deep Purple]

Not quite sure about the distortion - it could be that he redlined the vocal on the desk channel or recorded it through a guitar amp. There's definitely a tape delay and some filtering on the vocal - sounds like a band pass filter.

[Michael L]

Bandpass is a good call. Here someone tried to duplicate it:
http://forum.cakewalk.com/m/tm.aspx?m=3187497
Dave visibly performed last year at Albert Lee's 70th in London. See Utube.

[BertKoor]

Bandpass is a good call.

That's exactly the lo-fi you get with a Green Bullet mic

[Michael L]

That's exactly the lo-fi you get with a Green Bullet mic

Cool! I did a quick search and found one singer who covered Edmunds usinig that mic.