Navigated to THE CAROL KAYE INTERVIEW (Part 2, Ep. 240)

THE CAROL KAYE INTERVIEW (Part 2, Ep. 240)

Dec 30, 2025
9 mins

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Episode Description

Discograffiti is the deep-dive podcast for music obsessives. In this episode, we feature the next entry in The Chuck Granata Pet Sounds Interview Series: it’s Part 2 of Chuck’s chat with his close friend, legendary bassist Carol Kaye. This time around, they’re joined by Chuck’s bassist buddy, Ammo. Carol is one of the most prolific bass guitarists in rock and pop music, playing on an estimated 10,000 recordings during a career spanning over 65 years. She actually started doing session work in 1957 on guitar, and after a bassist failed to turn up to a session in 1963, she switched to that instrument, quickly making a name for herself as one of the most in-demand session players of the 1960s. She’s appeared on sessions by Frank Sinatra, Simon & Garfunkel, Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Temptations, The Four Tops, and The Monkees. The intro on Glen Campbell's “Wichita Lineman”? She came up with that. Of course, that’s also Carol plucking away on The Beach Boys albums Today!, Summer Days (And Summer Nights!!), Pet Sounds, and Smile. Most famously, Kaye's bass lines are the driving force behind “Good Vibrations”, one of her many number 1 hits. 

Here’s just a few of the many things that Carol discusses with Discograffiti in this podcast:

  • Brian’s psychological difficulties;
  • A nerd’s fantasy: a rundown of her equipment;
  • The corruption she experienced firsthand while working for Motown;
  • The music she liked and didn’t like playing;
  • The particularities of the legendary studios in which she recorded;
  • And just setting the record straight in general, about absolutely everything.

Sneak Peek: linktr.ee/discograffiti

For the full, ad-free, 43-minute bonus podcast, either subscribe to Discograffiti’s Patreon at the Major Tier or higher, or just grab the episode as a one-off at the same link.

The Full Podcast: Patreon.com/Discograffiti

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