Did You Know? Peter Frampton First Saw the Use of a Talk Box During a Recording Session With George Harrison in 1970

In 1970, 20-year-old Peter Frampton was brought in to play acoustic guitar on George Harrison’s debut solo album. The All Things Must Pass sessions took place at the legendary Beatles recording studio, Abbey Road Studios. Many up-and-coming artists contributed to the album, including Peter Frampton and a young Phil Collins. A pedal steel player from Nashville named Pete Drake was also brought in for the sessions. Previously, Drake had played for Bob Dylan and was recommended for the sessions. It was what Pete Drake brought with him that would lay the foundation of Peter Frampton’s future signature sound.

Frampton had first heard the talk box used in the early 1960s while listening to Radio Luxembourg at a young age, while he was supposed to be in bed. In an interview with Killer Guitar Rigs, Frampton reflected on this experience. He stated, “This was probably when I was nine or ten, listening to Radio Luxembourg. They had this call sign, which was fabulous to await, and I always thought, ‘How do they do that? What is that?’”

During the sessions, Pete Drake asked Peter Frampton if he wanted to see something. Frampton curiously said yes. “So he gets out this little black box, puts it on the end of his pedal steel and plugs things in and whatever, he’s doing all this, and then he gets this pipe. He puts this clear pipe in his mouth, and the pedal steel starts singing to me.” Reportedly, everyone laughed at the talk box, except Peter Frampton, who finally found what he had been hearing.

Joe Walsh and Peter Frampton Helped Popularize the Device in the 1970s

That same talk box created by Pete Drake was later used on Joe Walsh’s “Rocky Mountain Way” in 1973. “Joe Walsh borrowed that one to do his classic song ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ with the talk box — which was the first upright six-string player sound with the talk box — and his friend Bob Heil made him a louder one, as it was more efficient for the stage.” Bob Heil then created one for Peter Frampton, and finally, the guitarist could make his own way with the device.

On his iconic live album Frampton Comes Alive! in 1976, Frampton finally used the talk box himself. On two of Frampton’s most identifiable tracks, “Show Me The Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do,” his use of the talk box further popularized the device. “Show Me The Way” became a No. 6 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1976. It became a large part of Peter Frampton’s signature sound and continues to be used by the guitarist to this day. Guitarists are known for being tone chasers, and Frampton chased this sound for years until he finally capitalized on it.

Other notable uses of the talk box include Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” in 1986, with Richie Sambora using one. Joe Perry used the device on “Sweet Emotion” in 1975. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd used one on “Pigs” in 1979. In the grunge era, Jerry Cantrell used the talk box on Alice In Chains’ massive hit “Man In The Box” in 1990.