What kind of producer do you consider yourself to be? How different do you consider this to be from today\u2019s music producer?<\/em><\/p>\n This will be addressed in my keynote speech (see ARP Edinburgh Keynote Speech)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In your book you cite both Paul Rothchild and Bill Leader as mentors; two very different music producers. Could you describe for us some of your observations on their working methods and how they helped shape and develop yours?<\/em><\/p>\n Technical Approach<\/em><\/p>\n Very different. And probably not that influential although Rothchild was very fond of Neumann mics as I came to be. It was more a sense of how you wanted things to sound \u2013 so you could recognise it when it was correct or not.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n People \/ Social skills<\/em><\/p>\n Both treated musicians with respect. If musicians understood that you loved their music, they were happy to accept suggestions about how to make it come across better.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Communication skills (with recording engineers, musicians, managers, label executives)<\/em><\/p>\n One thing that Paul had over Bill was a genuine love of the \u2018business\u2019. It was clear, talking to him, that there was no point working in a vacuum. You had to bring promotion and sales people on board in order to make what you produced reach the consumer. I think Paul was influential in the fact that he was as enthusiastic discussing mic placement with an engineer as he was discussing radio play with a plugger or the design of a cover with the art director.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Relationship with Recording Engineer<\/em><\/p>\n Bill was his own engineer and worked very differently from how I would work. I think I sensed when I travelled with bill that I was not going to make records that way. I never really felt that I could work without an engineer. Paul, also, was more of an engineer than I was. I have never had much of technical brain, so I was delighted to stumble across someone like john wood.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The idea of what a producer did changed radically between the mid 1960s and the mid 1970s. How much were you aware of the fact that the recording and production processes were merging with the composition and arrangement processes into a new form of creative music making (e.g. the importance of specific sounds in composition and the use of multi tracking as part of the creative composition process)?<\/em><\/p>\n There was a natural convergence of process and result following the expansion of tape width. Going from 2 -4-8-16-24 tracks in such a short time-span had a huge effect on the process. Certainly Sgt Pepper was a landmark in that regard and you can hear the explosion of effects and multi-tracking in the years immediately following its release. Incredible string band were much more interested in technology as an adjunct to the creative process than any of the other artists I worked with, and that began as an effort to compensate for the loss of Clive palmer between album 1 and 2. Fairport and Nick Drake mostly recorded tracks live and overdubbed vocal harmonies and added instruments, or re-did lead vocals with the aid of the improved flexibility, rather than make fundamental changes in the way they created music.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In a similar vein, in genres where musicians have their own specific \u2018sound\u2019, how much do you consider that choosing the right musicians is part of the creative process of composition and arrangement?<\/em><\/p>\n Nick Drake was the primary artist with whom I was able to choose the musicians for a session. John wood\u2019s experience in working with many musicians on jingle sessions, classical sessions etc was of tremendous help in getting such distinctive musicians as Tristram Fry, Ray Warleigh etc. From my own contacts, I brought in Danny Thompson, Dave Swarbrick etc. Working in L.A. with Maria Muldaur, we were able to use specific specialists on every track, from doc Watson to doctor john. In the kind of music I deal with, there are almost no situations where the choice of sideman is not crucial. Even on written string arrangements, we worked hard to get the best players and having a less than top-flight bunch was always a huge problem.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Keith Grant (Stones, Who, Zeppelin) \u2013 Olympic Session<\/em><\/p>\n Only worked with Keith a couple of times \u2013 I used to come to Olympic with John Wood. But he was always very friendly and helpful.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n John Wood (Nick Drake, Fairport Convention, etc.) \u2013 Sound Techniques<\/em><\/p>\n I would say that his strength was recording more than mixing. In an ideal recording, he would record it and I would mix with Jerry Boys. But most of what I learned, I learned from John. He has an ability to use the room as very much part of the sound and gets \u2018positive spill\u2019 more than any other engineer I know.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Jerry Boys (Nick Drake, Buena Vista etc.) \u2013 Sound Techniques<\/em><\/p>\n Jerry is from the \u2018John Wood\u2019 school, but learned the trade at Olympic under Keith. SSL boards can be a problem for the kind of music I deal with, very transistorized etc, but Jerry has a method of mixing that utilizes the technological advances of the SSL while working very hard to keep the mix full of \u2018air\u2019 by using valve outboard equipment, EMT plates and other ways to avoid getting too much of an \u2018SSL sound\u2019.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Olympic Studios (old one on George Street)<\/em><\/p>\n Just the one session there with Clapton\/Winwood\/Jones etc. It had a control room above the studio, like Sound Techniques; maybe that\u2019s why I liked ST when I first went there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Morgan Studios<\/em><\/p>\n It had an 8-track before sound techniques so we finished overdubs and mixed \u2018what we did on our holidays\u2019 there. I met Chris Blackwell by accident there, so it was worth the trek to Willesden! Memorable moment there was recording Bruce Lacey\u2019s robot whirring around Studio B for Fairport\u2019s \u2018Mr Lacey\u2019.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Sound Techniques<\/em><\/p>\n My home from home for many years \u2013 much missed and mourned. A studio with three ceiling heights, so you could vary the sound by moving a few yards over. Wonderful clear bright yet warm sound. Irreplaceable.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Livingston<\/em><\/p>\n I wish the rooms were larger. And I have never been able to mix in Studio B (always regretted having to mix the REM LP there\u2026) But Studio A is my ideal mixing room. Everything I have done there is satisfying. Standing in front of the console, back to speakers, dead centre \u2013 the ideal monitoring position for me for many years.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Geoff Frost at Sound Techniques had considerable success with his mixing console design in the late sixties and early seventies. Did the technical reputation of the studio make a difference to your decision to use it or were you more concerned with atmosphere?<\/em><\/p>\n Not sure that is actually true. I know Elektra bought a ST console and had lots of trouble with it. I had the impression that business was not a success \u2013 very much left in the dust by Rupert Neve. I stumbled across ST by accident and liked the room and John Wood, nothing more complicated than that.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What can you remember about the types of reverberation and compression available at Sound Techniques?<\/em><\/p>\n There was an EMT plate or two and I think there was, for a while, a chamber. But I recall the chamber ending up as a tape store-room, so I don\u2019t think we used it much. There was usually a choice of valve compressors \u2013 universal and various others over the years. They might have had a Pultec equalizer at some point.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n You mention in White Bicycles that John Wood, the engineer at Sound Techniques, occasionally made it known that he felt you were overlooking or ignoring the artists\u2019 wishes. In your experience, how do these kinds of dialogues and negotiations manifest themselves?<\/em><\/p>\n Very hard to generalize. Everything was a process involving strong-minded individuals. John got more involved with Nick Drake\u2019s music than any other artist because of his affection for Nick and his music. Drum sounds was usually a struggle left to John and the drummer, both of them often with strong and sometimes opposing views. Individual sounds usually between player and engineer, with producer interfering as arbiter in case of stand-off or in case he felt strongly one side was in the right.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n How do\/did you deal with disagreements, rows, moods and sulks in the studio?<\/em><\/p>\n There were remarkably few over the years. I think you try and head them off at the pass by making sure everyone is involved and all opinions heard. In the \u2018world music\u2019 years, disputes within the band were often loud and angry but I couldn\u2019t interfere because they would be in Bulgarian!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n How do you describe sound in the studio? Do you use a different vocabulary with engineers and artists? Can you give examples?<\/em><\/p>\n I learned to be specific with engineers \u2013 like \u2018can we have a bit more 3k in the voice?\u2019 or something. But with the singer, I might explain that I want more \u2018edge\u2019 or \u2018mid-range\u2019 or something. In the mix, most dialogue with artists is experiential \u2013 either they like the way something sounds or they don\u2019t. If an artist wants an instrument louder in the mix and I disagree, I might move it around the stereo image so it is more obvious, or give it some high frequency edge to make it clearer. I use the \u2018a glass can\u2019t be more than full\u2019 image a lot in explaining how if you make something louder, everything else gets quieter.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Would you say that, in your experience, engineers and technicians are consistent in their use of technical terms? Can you think of any examples?<\/em><\/p>\n Having been fortunate to limit my experience of engineers to a few very good ones, I don\u2019t know about common usage around the world, but I think most engineers share a terminology.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Can you think of any examples that demonstrate other ways that people make their ideas about sound understood in the studio?<\/em><\/p>\n \u2018Punch \u2013 warmth \u2013 air \u2013 clarity \u2013 snap\u2019 are some of the descriptive words that come to mind.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Could you comment on the role of the producer as the following:-<\/em><\/p>\n A conduit between the artist and record company (and their mutually incompatible aims)<\/em><\/p>\n I don\u2019t see those aims as incompatible. I am lucky not to have worked in the \u2018Top 40\u2019 world, so perhaps my view is narrow, but everyone from label president to artist wants a great record that the public will want to own. The differences come in opinions about how best to achieve that, but if I thought artist and label had opposing interests or objectives, I wouldn\u2019t get involved.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n An interpreter between artists and technicians<\/em><\/p>\n I usually let artist and engineer deal with each other directly, certainly as regards mic placement, room arrangement, etc. During the mixing process, I get into the middle and the artist usually deals with me \u2013 although sometimes the engineer can explain better why something is not technically possible.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A diplomat \/ arbitrator amongst artists<\/em><\/p>\n I usually arbitrate with set groups only if they want me to. With solo artists and sidemen or session musicians, again, I usually leave it to the musicians, only interfering if I have strong views one way or the other.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A Father figure or provider of trusted, detached critical faculties<\/em><\/p>\n This is easier early in a recording career \u2013 and it was certainly easier before the producer became an employee of the artist \u2013 this is a subject I will address on Friday evening.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n A few producers have defined part of their role as providing a stabilising influence to artists whose characters might have otherwise left them incapable of realising a recording project. Is this a role you recognise?<\/em><\/p>\n Again, I will discuss this on Friday in my keynote speech, but the phrasing of this question implies the modern role of producer as \u2018aide\u2019 to an artist or someone who can help an artist realize a vision. I don\u2019t see my role this way. I have visions, the artist has visions. If our visions agree, we can work together to achieve a mutually desired goal.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Can you think of an instance when the lack of a common language about sound (e.g. technical language or musical terms) had a strong impact on a session or project?<\/em><\/p>\n No<\/p><\/blockquote>\n When describing the Buena Vista recordings and Norah Jones\u2019 debut album you make reference to the recording methods employed as being \u201cperversely and deliberately antiquated\u201d. When discussing the quality of recordings you refer to the sound as being \u2018Three-Dimensional\u2019 \u2013 could you elaborate on this?<\/em><\/p>\n I think many listeners to both CDs have commented on the \u2018depth\u2019 of the sound. When a record is made in a room and the recording makes use of the sound of the room as much as the sound of the instruments, when there are a multitude of open mics in the same space, with plenty of good \u2018spill\u2019 \u2013 as there certainly was in Buena Vista Social Club and to a lesser extent with Norah Jones \u2013 the sound has a quality I would describe as \u20183 dimensional\u2019, unlike most modern recordings which I see as \u2018shiny and 2-dimensional\u2019, which is what you generally get with dead small rooms, clean separation between instruments and digital EQ and reverb<\/p><\/blockquote>\n According to an interview in June of 2003, REM\u2019s Mike Mills describes this period (1985) as a particularly difficult time for them.<\/em> How much of this was expressed to you or apparent at the time?<\/em><\/p>\n I think we were all frustrated. I was frustrated by 2 things \u2013 that i had been used to working with great drummers, which allowed my desired method of going for the best live tracks as a basis for the lp without resorting to click tracks or too much layering. The weakness of some of the tracks became apparent as we added vocals and guitar parts etc, but we had moved from Livingston A to Livingston Studio B and A was booked up, so we couldn\u2019t go back and re-do the tracks. And it was my first experience of mixing in Studio B, and I did not find it easy. When the LP was finished, I wanted to remix it and tried a day at Mayfair studios with another engineer but it didn\u2019t work at all, so we were left with the Livingston mixes. The group are southern gentlemen, so they didn\u2019t complain, but later I read comments that they were not happy with the record. I also wasn\u2019t too happy, and was terrified before release that it would get torn apart by critics and fans, but someone faxed me the rolling stone rave the day it was on the newsstands and I was hugely relieved.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In retrospect do you think that recording in the US would have resulted in a more satisfying outcome for all\u2026and perhaps a longer break between tour and recording?<\/em><\/p>\n That wasn\u2019t an option due to schedules. I would have been reluctant to do it on a tight schedule in a strange studio and I pretty much said to them if you want \u2018Joe Boyd production\u2019 you\u2019d better come to Livingston.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n You\u2019ve been involved in many aspects of the music industry (and film). How did you go about planning and making decisions relating to your various commercial ventures over the years?<\/em><\/p>\n By the seat of my pants and the exigencies of the bank balance!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Did you have a business advisor \/ mentor? How did you educate yourself on the subject?<\/em><\/p>\n No. Unfortunately, I think my family background was the impoverished descendants of wealth. So we had \u2018attitude\u2019 but no money to back it up. My big influence was probably Blackwell, who was a patrician with no regard for counting pennies. My attitude was do what worked for the music and let the money worry about itself \u2013 if you succeed, it will work out fine, if you don\u2019t it is better to fail doing something worthwhile than succeed doing something you don\u2019t believe in.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What factors led you to conclude that setting up a production company would be the way forward?<\/em><\/p>\n That was the obvious thing to do in 1967 \u2013 I knew Cordell and the Essex Music setup and that seemed to be the model to aim for.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Hannibal Records: could you tell us more about how this came about and the rewards and challenges that came with it. What factors contributed to the decision to sell it?<\/em><\/p>\n I was working for Lorne Michaels (Saturday Night Live) trying to run his film production company and not enjoying it at all. I longed to be back in the record business, where you could have an idea and see it on the market in a matter of months. I met with Blackwell and he had a demo from Taj Mahal who was out of a deal. We talked about setting up a label that could be a home to the likes of Taj \u2013 but the island relationship only lasted a few months. I ran afoul of the same chaotic structure around Blackwell that I ran into 20 years later and finished off Hannibal in 2000. Poetic! I sold Hannibal to Ryko in 1991 because if I hadn\u2019t, it would have folded.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The term \u2018conflict of interest\u2019 gets banded around from time to time in the industry \u2013 was this ever an issue or a cause for concern for you when managing a band or artist contracted to Witchseason Productions or signed to Hannibal Records?<\/em><\/p>\n I never managed Hannibal artists. I did organize tours for Bulgarians and Cubans simply because no one else would. Generally, I would have been happiest if I had just been a producer\/publisher. Getting involved in management and agency was a result of there not being any alternative. The kinds of artists I have always been drawn to are ones that are not obvious to others at the time. There is no point making a record, then watching the artist sit in Hungary for the next 5 years never touring. Or producing the Incredible String Band and having some folk agent booking them for a tour of highland folk clubs. No one else shared my vision of what could be achieved by Muzsikas or the Incredible String Band, so my only option was to do it myself.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What have been your observations and experiences of the way in which record producers are contracted and rewarded \u2013 now and then?<\/em><\/p>\n Stay tuned on Friday (see ARP Edinburgh Keynote Speech), but one thing which is happening lately and which is not the subject of my talk is the way many labels are using the lack of mention of \u2018new media\u2019 or \u2018ancillary usage\u2019 in old agreements to avoid paying producers a share of synch or download or ringtone income. Shameful, in my (wholly objective) view!<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Can you give any examples of missed opportunities or lost deals due to the lack of legal advice or contract (or legal loopholes)? Similarly can you give examples of when delaying \u2018signing on the dotted line\u2019 worked in your or your artists favour?<\/em><\/p>\n I might have benefited from a good lawyer when I was setting up the Pink Floyd deal in 1966; also when I sold Witchseason to Island Records in 1971.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Richard & Linda Thompson made an LP for Gerry Rafferty and Hugh Murphy in 1982 that was, essentially, \u201cshoot out the lights\u201d, but Richard hated the result and was able to walk away from an unsigned contract and re-make it for Hannibal.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Can you tell us more about Warlock Music Ltd?<\/em><\/p>\n Too painful to talk about! Suffice to say it belongs to an investment trust now.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n In your book you affectionately describe how your grandmother viewed you as her soulmate \u201cthe other musical spirit in the family\u201d and how in a moment of eureka, you ultimately knew that you wanted to be a music producer. The foundation was laid during this time in both your musicianship and musical influences. Growing up, how important do you think your musical influences and experiences were to the \u2018instinct\u2019 and \u2018ear\u2019 you developed for finding the \u2018real\u2019 artists?<\/em><\/p>\n I think my early listening to my grandmother and subsequent obsession with blues and jazz was essential. When I hear any music now, I am listening in the context of countless hours of listening to timeless music. It gives me a better perspective on how it will sound to future generations. And in 1967, I probably had a wider range of listening experiences than most people in the industry, which I think allowed me to make more nuanced judgements about music I heard in clubs, or recording takes in studios.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Could you elaborate on this statement\u2026and perhaps the others?<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cI looked forward to being in the studio with Nick more than with any other artist.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAfter the abandoned tour he retreated to his room in Hampstead.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI proposed starting a new album. I had no idea what would emerge, but it was the only therapy at my disposal.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Incredible String Band\u2019s devotion to Scientology and refusal to listen to my advice, coupled with my arguments with Sandy, the growing recalcitrance of Fairport and Nick\u2019s simple concept for his next album all combined to make me feel that everyone might be happier with me out of the way.\u201d<\/p>\n Certainly my involvement with Witchseason artists was intense. Everything was based on the assumption that there would be success \u2013 when it became clear that it was headed for more hard slog and meagre rewards, the Witchseason business model fell apart. In retrospect, I might have considered selling to island but staying on as producer etc. But I was too burnt out to see that clearly and was intrigued by the possibilities of learning about the film business.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Interview with legendary producer Joe Boyd.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":506,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[5],"class_list":["post-495","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles-editorials-provocations","tag-interviews","author-katia-isakoff"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1529,"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495\/revisions\/1529"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/506"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.arpjournal.com\/asarpwp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Joe Boyd: In the Studio & On Technology<\/h2>\n
On Recording Engineers:<\/h4>\n
On Recording Studios:<\/h4>\n
Joe Boyd: On the Music Business<\/h2>\n
Joe Boyd: The Sound of Music<\/h2>\n
Joe Boyd: Discovering & Nurturing the Essence of the Artist<\/h2>\n