by Glyn Johns
Benmont’s album You Should Be So Lucky and the experience of making it sum up the best and most positive aspects of what I have been doing for the past fifty years. A group of like-minded individuals getting together to play music with and pay tribute to one of their peers without any thought of financial recompense. If it should turn out to be the last record I make, I shall shuffle off this mortal coil with a large grin on my face.
BENMONT TENCH, ME, AND DON WAS. SESSION FOR YOU SHOULD BE SO LUCKY AT SUNSET SOUND.
2014
In the past few years, the music business has gone through the most tumultuous changes. Most of the independent labels have been absorbed by the majors and the majors in turn have merged with each other. It seems to have gone full circle, with the industry having reverted back to just a handful of corporate labels. Just like it was when I started in 1959.
Gone are the days of a new artist being signed and nurtured over a period of two or three years, with the record company providing tour support in order to promote record sales. Today, this has turned 180 degrees, with the label taking a percentage of the artist’s earnings on the road, as in most cases record sales alone can no longer justify the investment they have to make.
Recorded music has been reduced to ones and zeros. The quality of reproduction and delivery has become less and less important to the listener. I wonder where it will all lead to. The business as I know it is seriously under threat, barely surviving on its past glories. Things cannot stand still. Maybe there will be another huge shake-up, with the teenagers of today taking the industry by the scruff of the neck and reinventing it. The next few years will be fascinating to watch. Of course, popular music will survive and it will throw up many more fascinating characters, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain as a business in its present form. I think I may well have had the best of it.
This all began with me being introduced as an eight-year-old into my local church choir and it having the most positive effect through the physical and emotional pleasure it brought me. Several quirks of fate somehow led to a career in the record business, meeting along the way some of the extraordinary individuals who have played a major role in the development of popular music to the present day.
If you ever feel a bit low or feel that life has become a little mundane, join a choir. I guarantee that it will lift your spirits. Who knows what it will lead to. Look what happened to me.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My heartfelt thanks to the following for their encouragement, guidance, and support: Sarah Hochman, David Rosenthal, Keryn Kaplan, Bill Flanagan, Glynis Johns, Charley, Abigail and Ethan Johns, and Will Nash.
And for taking the time and trouble to provide me with photographs or information that I could not recall: Ethan Russell, Gered Mankovitz, Will Nash, Bill Wyman, Henry Diltz, Bernie Leadon, Andrew Oldham, Chris Kimsey, Angela Close, Ryan Adams, Derek Green, Steve Holroyd, Russ Shagbaum.
And a special thanks to Robert Greenfield and Fred Schruers for their time and invaluable input.
SELECT DISCOGRAPHY (ALBUMS ONLY)
Compiled by Andrew Alburn
1964
Georgie Fame, Rhythm and Blues at the Flamingo; engineer, mixing
1965
The Rolling Stones, December’s Children (And Everybody’s); engineer, mixing
The Pretty Things, Get the Picture?; producer, engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, Out of Our Heads; engineer, mixing
1966
The Rolling Stones, Aftermath; engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, Got Live If You Want It!; engineer, mixing
Chris Farlowe, The Art of Chris Farlowe; engineer, mixing
Small Faces, Small Faces (Decca); engineer, mixing
Chris Farlowe, 14 Things to Think About; engineer, mixing
Twice as Much, Own Up; engineer, mixing
1967
Small Faces, From the Beginning; engineer, mixing
Small Faces, Small Faces (Immediate); engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, Their Satanic Majesties Request; engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, Between the Buttons; engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, Flowers; engineer, mixing
Johnny Hallyday, San Francisco EP; engineer
1968
The Rolling Stones, Beggars Banquet; engineer, mixing
Steve Miller Band, Children of the Future; producer, engineer, mixing
Twice as Much, That’s All; engineer
The Pentangle, The Pentangle; engineer, mixing
The Move, Something Else from the Move; engineer, mixing
Spooky Tooth, It’s All About; engineer, mixing
Small Faces, Ogdens’ Nut Gone Flake; engineer, mixing
Steve Miller Band, Sailor; producer, engineer, mixing
Gerry Temple, Burn Up!; engineer
Procol Harum, Shine On Brightly; engineer, mixing
The Move, The Move; engineer, mixing
The Easybeats, Vigil; engineer, mixing
Traffic, Traffic; engineer, mixing
Billy Nicholls, Would You Believe; engineer, mixing
1969
Steve Miller Band, Brave New World; producer, engineer, mixing
Family, Family Entertainment; producer, engineer, mixing
The End, Introspection; engineer, mixing
The Beatles, Abbey Road; engineer
Joe Cocker, Joe Cocker!; engineer, mixing
Johnny Hallyday, Johnny Hallyday; producer, engineer, mixing
Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin; director of engineering, engineer
The Rolling Stones, Let It Bleed; engineer, mixing
Steve Miller Band, Your Saving Grace; producer, engineer, mixing
1970
Lambert and Nuttycombe, At Home; engineer, producer
The Rolling Stones, Get Yer Ya-Ya’s Out!; producer, engineer, mixing
Humble Pie, Humble Pie; producer, engineer, mixing
Philamore Lincoln, The North Wind Blew South; engineer
Billy Preston, That’s the Way God Planned It; engineer, mixing
Leon Russell, Leon Russell; engineer, mixing
The Beatles, Let It Be; engineer
Joe Cocker, Mad Dogs & Englishmen; producer, mixing
Delaney & Bonnie & Friends, On Tour with Eric Clapton; engineer
The Move, Shazam; engineer, mixing
The Band, Stage Fright; mixing
Spooky Tooth, The Last Puff; engineer, mixing
McGuinness Flint, McGuinness Flint; producer, engineer, mixing
1971
Faces, A Nod Is as Good as a Wink . . . to a Blind Horse; producer, engineer, mixing
Boz Scaggs, Boz Scaggs & Band; producer, engineer, mixing
Ben Sidran, Feel Your Groove; engineer, liner notes, mixing
McGuinness Flint, Happy Birthday, Ruthy Baby; producer, engineer, mixing
Jesse Ed Davis, Jesse Davis; producer, engineer, mixing
Leon Russell, Leon Russell and the Shelter People; engineer, mixing
Boz Scaggs, Moments; producer, engineer, mixing
Rita Coolidge, Nice Feelin’; engineer
Humble Pie, Rock On; producer, engineer, mixing
Graham Nash, Songs for Beginners; mixing
The Rolling Stones, Sticky Fingers; engineer, mixing engineer, mixing
Spooky Tooth, Tobacco Road; engineer, mixing
The Who, Who’s Next; producer, engineer, mixing
1972
Eagles, Eagles; producer, engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, Exile on Main St.; engineer, mixing
Rita Coolidge, The Lady’s Not for Sale; producer, engineer, mixing
Neil Young, Harvest; engineer
Nicky Hopkins, Ry Cooder, Mick Jagger, Bill Wyman,
Charlie Watts, Jamming with Edward!; producer, engineer, mixing
1973
Chris Jagger, Chris Jagger; mixing
Eagles, Desperado; producer, engineer, mixing
Eric Clapton, Eric Clapton’s Rainbow Concert; engineer
Faces, Ooh La La; producer, engineer, mixing
The Who, Quadrophenia; associate producer, engineer
Rick Grech, The Last Five Years; producer, engineer, mixing
Paul McCartney and Wings, Red Rose Speedway; engineer
Gallagher & Lyle, Seeds; producer, engineer, mixing
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, The Ozark Mountain Daredevils; co-producer, engineer, mixing
Gallagher & Lyle, Willie and the Lapdog; producer, engineer, mixing
1974
The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, It’ll Shine When It Shines; co-producer, engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll; mixing
Eagles, On the Border; producer, engineer
Gallagher & Lyle, The Last Cowboy; producer, engineer, mixing
Howlin’ Wolf, The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions; engineer
Georgie Fame, Georgie Fame; producer, engineer, mixing
1975
Fairport Convention, Rising for the Moon; producer, engineer, mixing
The Who, The Who by Numbers; producer, engineer, mixing
1976
Andy Fairweather Low, Be Bop ’n’ Holla; producer, engineer, mixing
Fools Gold, Fools Gold; producer, engineer, mixing
Joan Armatrading, Joan Armatrading; producer, engineer, mixing
Ron Wood & Ronnie Lane, Mahoney’s Last Stand; producer, engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, Black and Blue; engineer
Buckacre, Morning Comes; producer, engineer, mixing
1977
The Bernie Leadon–Michael Georgiades Band, Natural Progressions; producer, engineer, mixing
Pete Townshend & Ronnie Lane, Rough Mix; producer, engineer, mixing
Joan Armatrading, Show Some Emotion; producer, engineer, mixing
Eric Clapton, Slowhand; producer, engineer, mixing
1978
Eric Clapton, Backless; producer, engineer, mixing
Craig Nuttycombe, It’s Just a Lifetime; producer, engineer, mixing
Joan Armatrading, To the Limit; producer, engineer, mixing
Paul Kennerley and Artists Various, White Mansions; producer, engineer, mixing
The Who, Who Are You; producer, engineer, mixing
1979
Marc Benno, Lost in Austin; producer, engineer, mixing
Joan Armatrading, Steppin’ Out; producer, engineer, mixing
Live Wire, Pick It Up; producer, engineer, mixing
1980
Lazy Racer, Formula II; producer, engineer, mixing
Tim Renwick, Tim Renwick; producer, engineer, mixing
Paul Kennerley and Artists Various, Legend of Jesse James; producer, engineer, mixing
1981
Danny Joe Brown, Danny Joe Brown and the Danny Joe Brown Band; producer, engineer, mixing
Jools Holland, Jools Holland and His Millionaires; producer, engineer, mixing
Midnight Oil, Place Without a Postcard; producer, engineer, mixing
Nine Below Zero, Don’t Point Your Finger; producer, engineer, mixing
Chris de Burgh, Best Moves; producer, engineer, mixing
1982
The Clash, Combat Rock; mixing
The Who, It’s Hard; producer, engineer, mixing
1983
Local Boys, Moments of Madness; producer, engineer, mixing
1984
Artists Various, A.R.M.S. Concert; producer, engineer, mixing
Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Albert Lee, No Introduction Necessary; engineer
Téléphone, Un Autre Monde; producer, engineer, mixing
1985
Immaculate Fools, Hearts of Fortune; mixing
1986
Téléphone, Le Live; producer, engineer, mixing
Roaring Boys, Roaring Boys; producer, engineer, mixing
The Big Dish, Swimmer; producer, engineer, mixing
New Model Army, The Ghost of Cain; producer, engineer, mixing
1987
Joolz, Hex; mixing
Spooky Tooth, Spooky Tooth; engineer, mixing
Helen Watson, Blue Slipper; producer, mixing
Labi Siffre, (Something Inside) So Strong; producer, engineer, mixing
1988
John Hiatt, Slow Turning; producer, mixing
1989
Nanci Griffith, Storms; producer, mixing
Green on Red, This Time Around; producer, mixing
Helen Watson, The Weather Inside; producer, mixing
1990
John Hiatt, Stolen Moments; producer, mixing
Summerhill, West of Here; mixing
1991
Del Shannon, The Liberty Years; engineer
1992
Energy Orchard, Stop the Machine; producer, engineer, mixing
Ethan Johns, Independent Years; producer, mixing
1993
David Crosby, Thousand Roads; producer, engineer, mixing
1994
Crosby, Stills & Nash, After the Storm; producer, engineer, mixing
The Subdudes, Annunciation; producer, engineer, mixing
Jackopierce, Bringing on the Weather; mixing
Bruce Cockburn, Dart to the Heart; mixing
1995
Joe Satriani, Joe Satriani; producer, mixing
Belly, King; producer, mixing
1996
The Beatles, Anthology 3; engineer
Eric Clapton, Crossroads 2: Live in the Seventies; producer, engineer
Artists Various, The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus; engineer, mixing
1997
Warm Jets, Future Signs; mixing
1998
Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Struttin’ Our Stuff; mixing
Linda Ronstadt, We Ran; producer, mixing
1999
Bill Wyman’s Rhythm Kings, Anyway the Wind Blows; mixing
Emmylou Harris & Linda Ronstadt, Western Wall: The Tucson Sessions; producer, engineer, mixing
The Pretenders & Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Evan Dando & Juliana Hatfield, Lucinda Williams & David Crosby, Return of the Grievous Angel; producer, engineer, mixing
2002
John Hiatt and Artists Various, Disney’s The Country Bears; musical direction
2005
Bruce Cockburn, Speechless; mixing
2006
Andy Fairweather Low, Sweet Soulful Music; producer, engineer, mixing
2008
The Clash, Live at Shea Stadium; engineer
Ian McLagan & the Bump Band, Never Say Never; mastering, mixing
2011
Ryan Adams, Ashes & Fire; producer, engineer, mixing
Ben Waters, Boogie 4 Stu: A Tribute to Ian Stewart; mixing
2012
The Rolling Stones, Charlie Is My Darling: Ireland 1965; engineer
The Staves, Dead & Born & Grown & Live; co-producer, engineer, mixing
The Rolling Stones, GRRR!; mixing
Band of Horses, Mirage Rock; producer, engineer, mixing
Ethan Johns, If Not Now Then When?; mixing
2013
Aaron Neville, My True Story; mixing
Patty Griffin, Silver Bell; mixing
2014
Benmont Tench, You Should Be So Lucky; producer, engineer, mixing
INDEX
The page numbers in this index refer to the printed version of this book. The link provided will take you to the beginning of that print page. You may need to scroll forward from that loc
ation to find the corresponding reference on your e-reader.
Page numbers in italics refer to photos.
Abbey Road (Beatles), 132, 134, 143
“Across the Universe,” 142
Adams, Ryan, 280–84, 281
Albert Hall (London), 132–33, 261
“All Day and All of the Night,” 46
Allman, Duane, 145, 153–54
Allman Brothers, 135, 153
Alpert, Herb, 266
A&M Records and Studios. See also Moss, Jerry
Anderle, David, 146, 147, 148, 150–51, 159, 192, 218
artist-friendly atmosphere, 70, 266–67
Green, Derek, 224–27, 231, 241, 242
Kaye, Chuck, 225, 230–31
London studio plan, 266–67
publishing companies, 224, 230
sale of, 151
Somer, Abe, 74, 146, 225, 267
Anderle, David, 144–47, 146, 148, 150–51, 159, 192, 218
“April Fool,” 235–36
Arden, Don, 65–68
Arlon, Deke, 197
Armatrading, Joan, 230–32
ARMS (Action Research into Multiple Sclerosis) concerts, 258, 260–65, 265
Around the Beatles (TV show), 22–23
Ashes & Fire (Adams), 280–84, 281
Astley, Ted, 234
Asylum Records, 189, 198, 200
Atlantic Records, 168–69, 200
The Band, 71, 155, 163
Band of Horses, 282, 283
Barrere, Paul, 270
Basing Street Studios, 70–71
The Beatles. See also Harrison, George; Lennon, John; McCartney, Paul
Apple Electronics, 126
Around the Beatles TV special, 22–23
under Klein’s management, 130, 141–42, 143
live-audience album project, 120–30, 120
under Martin’s management, 123, 127, 140, 143
Ono, Yoko, 122–23, 124, 125
Savile Row sessions, 126–27, 129, 130, 138, 139–41
Starr, Ringo, 123, 125, 184
The Beatles recordings
Abbey Road, 132, 134, 143